Hong Kong in 2020: hopeful or hopeless new year?
- Now that chaos has been unleashed, Carrie Lam and her administration have a responsibility to end it, seeing as they started it in the first place
- Don’t be surprised when Beijing leaves Hong Kong alone to sort out its own problems but remains firm on need to put ‘one country’ above ‘two systems’
It’s that time again when people make New Year’s resolutions, as clichéd as it sounds and often amounts to no more than wishful thinking.
It would be better to look around the real world with open eyes and minds to get a clearer picture and engage in deeper reflection before making any wish for the year ahead. As 2019 draws to an end, this is exactly what Hong Kong needs.
To quote the ancient Chinese philosopher Zeng Zi, borrowing from various translations, “Every day, I self-examine myself on three aspects: am I faithful in doing business; am I sincere to my friends; and am I practising what I have been taught?”
This famous quote is actually primary-school, textbook reading that many should be familiar with, but what matters is how many still remember to follow it.
I must admit I fail to do it myself on a daily basis, but writing this now makes me feel it’s time to look back and reflect.