https://www.scmp.com/rss/323224/feed Ken Davies is a consultant economist and writer on the economies of China and Hong Kong. He was chief economist, Asia and chief China economist for the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and then senior economist at the OECD’s Investment Division in charge of investment policy cooperation between the OECD countries and China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com I agree with the many on all sides who criticise Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s performance. Her response to an extradition request from Taiwan was grossly mishandled, showing a lack of foresight and a failure to listen to contrary opinions. Policy mistakes were compounded by tactlessness and reluctance to lead from the front, hiding behind the police force and occasionally emerging to engage with the public at arms’ length. But the opposition is also open to criticism. Having... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3035283/hong-kongs-protesters-have-tried-war-now-its-time-them-try-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3035283/hong-kongs-protesters-have-tried-war-now-its-time-them-try-dialogue?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2019 22:00:12 +0000 Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s welcome emergence from self-imposed purdah does not yet signal the adoption of a positive strategy to stop the protests by meeting the demonstrators halfway. Instead, we are seeing public relations gambits like the unannounced visit to a local market and press conferences where she does little more than double down on her refusal to budge on key demands and one-sided criticism of the protesters. Meanwhile, people are starting to listen more... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3022622/why-any-dialogue-protesters-non-starter-long-carrie-lam-insists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3022622/why-any-dialogue-protesters-non-starter-long-carrie-lam-insists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Aug 2019 01:30:10 +0000 It is not yet clear how the current trade dispute between the United States and China will play out. It could develop into a full-scale trade war, or it might be resolved by negotiations that address serious long-term problems in the relationship. The uncertainty stems in part from President Donald Trump’s capriciousness, also from the heightened risk that every conflict produces. By now Trump has begun to build up an initial track record of “bully diplomacy”, especially in the field of nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2157988/can-donald-trumps-bully-diplomacy-resolve-real?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2157988/can-donald-trumps-bully-diplomacy-resolve-real?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Aug 2018 18:00:00 +0000 While plenty of people may tell you that Hong Kong is going to hell in a handcart, my view from afar is that the city is now experiencing the best – as well as, if you like, the worst – of times. When I first started writing about Hong Kong, it was a pretty apolitical place. Instead of bothersome elections with competing parties shouting at each other, power was calmly transferred to the next administration by the Queen choosing a new governor. Not very democratic, but there weren’t many... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2009288/how-hong-kong-now-seeing-best-times-worst-times?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2009288/how-hong-kong-now-seeing-best-times-worst-times?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Aug 2016 04:08:31 +0000