Mainland shoppers - welcome overseas but not in Hong Kong
Overseas, they are welcome. Here, locals have had enough - but violent protests won't help
There have been chaotic scenes in the New Territories in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year, with locals angrily protesting over the flood of mainland shoppers and parallel-goods traders.
Yet elsewhere, mainland dollars are welcome. In London, Regent Street - home to many big-name fashion and lifestyle brands - has just launched a Chinese website to "meet the needs of the growing number of Chinese visitors". Its statement goes on to say: "Chinese visitors have increased by 15 per cent year on year and they are predicted to triple over the next five years, making China the fastest growing market."
Its website is even linked to WeChat and Weibo so that Chinese shoppers can get updates and promotions.
The welcome mat has been aggressively rolled out as Regent Street tries to take on the Champs Elysees in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York - and many other destinations all vying for a share of middle-class China's new spending power.
So while the rest of the world makes it easier for mainland Chinese tourists to part with their cash, Hongkongers are growing increasingly hostile towards these visitors.
The difference is their shopping lists. When they go on overseas jaunts, many mainland Chinese make a beeline for the big names and designer goods. But in Hong Kong, many mainlanders cross the border to stock up on daily essentials - mainly in the New Territories - either because they don't trust the products on the mainland, or they are simply cheaper here.
Ahead of Lunar New Year, these shopping trips reach their peak, with many people buying up festive items - and many parallel-goods traders joining the fray. And all of this is a complete nuisance for locals trying to go about their business, with some areas swamped by shoppers, packed trains, and huge queues for buses.
It's not really a surprise that locals are protesting. But violence is never acceptable, and those who attack malls and clash with police and tourists should be punished by law.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said violent protests against mainlanders could not be tolerated. And state mouthpiece the criticised the protests, saying they were damaging the city's image.
Facing huge public pressure two years ago, Leung slapped a two-tin limit on people taking baby formula over the border so that there would be enough for locals. It drew stern words from mainland media and was a hot topic at the annual "Lianghui", or two meetings, of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The limit is still in place, despite constant calls to review it.
Hong Kong-mainland relations will come up again at the Lianghui next month - particularly the thorny issue of whether to restrict the multiple-entry permits available for Shenzhen residents to one visa for 52 entries to make it harder for the parallel-goods traders. Discussions began six months ago but have gone nowhere.
Meanwhile, mainland visitor growth is expected to slow this year, and tourist spending fell last year for the first time in a decade. So what's the answer? It's not violence. We need a bit of give and take.
