‘Hong Kong remains free’: city launches new PR blitz overseas after six months of protests
- Full-page advert appearing in newspapers across the world touts the freedoms granted under ‘one country, two systems’
- But sceptics say city is past the point at which political cracks can be papered over
The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and The Australian newspapers on Monday carried a full-page advertisement extolling Hong Kong for its strong fundamentals even as it struggles through its worst political crisis since the 1997 handover.
“It’s been tough but we will soldier on,” the advert says. “The economy has taken a dip, but we will bounce back strong.”
While describing the international financial hub as “competitive” and “highly internationalised,” the advert touts the rights and freedoms granted to Hong Kong under the “one country, two systems” governing principle, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and the free flow of capital. Under the principle, the city is promised a high-level of autonomy from Beijing and rights and freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China.
The latest PR push, which will roll out across newspapers in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, comes after the Hong Kong government in September took out similar adverts touting the city as a “safe, open, welcoming and cosmopolitan society and an internationally connected, vibrant and dynamic economy”.