Trends:
Hong Kong Welcomes Country Cousins
Faced with a severe economic downturn and political crisis
in Hong Kong, China has now decided to encourage Chinese
tourists to visit the economically depressed former British
colony.
Hong Kong's economic downturn was triggered by the decision
of many companies to relocate their China offices to Shanghai
or Beijing, to be closer to their Chinese manufacturers
and customers, and to take advantage of a cheaper workforce
and costs which are priced at Chinese rates instead of
the western rates found in Hong Kong. In addition, Chinese
workers in Beijing and Shanghai speak Mandarin, the national
language, while Hong Kong Chinese usually speak only Cantonese,
a southern Chinese dialect.
The political problems in Hong Kong were caused by the
Hong Kong Chief Executive Tong Chee-hwa's decision to
support Article 23, a new law designed to curb anti-Chinese
criticism and movements, such as Falun Gong in Hong Kong.
Falun Gong has been banned in China, but is legal in Hong
Kong. Proponents saw Article 23 as an opportunity to bring
Hong Kong's internal laws closer in line with China's.
Critics saw it as a curb on press freedoms and freedom
of expression in Hong Kong.
In July, more than 500,000 Hong Kong people took to the
streets to oppose Article 23, and two days ago, Tong Chee-hwa
backed down, saying that he was withdrawing support for
Article 23. Tong has been the target of criticism in Hong
Kong, and is often the butt of jokes in the Hong Kong
media.
In a major effort to shore up Hong Kong's economy, the
Chinese government has opened Hong Kong to Chinese tourists.
Chinese citizens need visas to visit Hong Kong, and until
recently, were required to travel in tour groups. Now,
that restriction has been removed, and Chinese are allowed
to travel to Hong Kong on their own. The law states that
Chinese tourists are only allowed to take RMB6,000 yuan
(about US$800) to Hong Kong for spending purposes, but
the reality is that this restriction is not enforced.
In some cases, wealthy Chinese have even bought apartments
in Hong Kong.
More and more, Mandarin Chinese is heard on the streets
of Hong Kong. Places such as Times Square in Wanchai,
where only the cackle of Cantonese could be heard before,
are now dominated by mainland Chinese searching for the
latest shopping bargains. Carrying their shopping bags
in both arms, whole Chinese families carry their newly
purchased bargain goods back to China.
In previous years, Hong Kong people were used to referring
to their mainland Chinese cousins as country bumpkins,
laughing at their unsophisticated manners and dress. Now,
the country cousins are propping up the Hong Kong economy.
It would be as if the hillbillies were the only ones with
oil, and everybody else in Beverly Hills was begging for
their business, while only a few years ago, they were
the object of laughter.
Be careful who you laugh at.
This policy of encouraging travel to Hong Kong by the
Chinese government also shows that China is far less committed
to ideology and politics than it is to the economic prosperity
of all Chinese, including those in Hong Kong. Hong Kong
papers openly criticize the Hong Kong government, which
is not seen in Chinese papers. In earlier, more politically
sensitive times, the Chinese government would be sensitive
to Chinese visitors reading these papers. But now that
has changed.
This means that the Chinese government is confident in
itself, and may allow more open criticism of some aspects
of government in the near future as it deregulates the
media and media ownership.
As one Chinese slogan goes: "Prosperity above everthing
else!"
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