Asia
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Protests in Hong Kong
Hong Kong too-y
Mar 7th 2011, 10:20 by T.E. | HONG KONG
INFLATION, particularly in the price of food and housing; lack of democracy; public austerity followed by handouts, followed by howling protests, followed—some hope—by a change in government. Far from the now-bloody strife in the Arab world, a jasmine-scented spring breeze is rippling a civil and prosperous little Special Administrative Region of China.
On March 6th as many as 10,000 people thronged Des Voeux Road, the territory’s main commercial stretch, hoisting yellow flags and raising their voices against—well, against what it is not entirely clear. The rally ended with an uncharacteristic (for Hong Kong) smattering of violence. Metal barricades were knocked over, taking down a police officer or two with them. The police spritzed the crowd with pepper spray, hitting an eight-year-old along with the grown-ups, and dragged away more than 100 people to a local precinct office.
A recently unveiled public budget was the immediate inspiration for the protests. This one document, presented by a singularly wealthy government suffused with surpluses, managed to annoy every group imaginable. Those irritated included everyone from the true believers of Hong Kong’s traditional laissez-faire approach, who regard the new budget’s profusion of handouts as being corrupting and inefficient, to the labour unions and social activists, who think its subsidies insufficient and misdirected.
The budget was announced February 23rd as an effort to pre-empt inflation; as such it was left devoid of explicit cash rebates. But within hours, a sharp reaction prompted an abrupt change in course: suddenly the budget was to include a hand-out of HK$6,000 ($771) to every permanent resident, along with other one-off benefits. That, in turn, caused outrage among the territory’s many immigrant workers, who perform many of the toughest and lowest-paid jobs. It fed anger in other quarters too, where people would have preferred to see the money used to boost pensions, public housing, environmental protection, and other social services. Free-market advocates saw the move as a stroke of inept populism.
The protests may or may not have been encouraged by events elsewhere in the world, as some of their organisers have suggested. At their core they were an expression of the unpopularity of the financial secretary, John Tsang, who prepares the budget, and Donald Tsang (no relation), the territory’s chief executive and head of government. Both Messrs Tsang lack charisma and find themselves unable to communicate a vision for Hong Kong. Under the current Hong Kong system, neither was brought to office by a free election.
Discontent has been fed by a sharp rise in home prices—which are seen as a consequence of cosy relations between the government and a tiny handful of property tycoons—and by rising food prices. To the extent that the government is moving forward, notably in its quick decision to begin work on an extraordinarily costly high-speed rail-line to Guangzhou, the widespread perception is that the shots are being called by Beijing. Other big projects are similarly controversial. A potentially huge investment in facilities to play host to the Asian Games in 2023 is highly unpopular. On March 4th a long-suffering effort to build a cultural centre reached a sort of milestone, with Sir Norman Foster approved as its architect. But the project has become a revolving door for directors and the government has been unable to provide a compelling plan for the site.
At the protest, placards demanded the resignation of the two Tsangs, Donald and John. On March 1st, as he spoke at a ceremony to mark the centennial anniversary of China’s republican revolution, Donald Tsang was apparently struck in the chest by a protester. Hong Kongers may not get to vote for their chief executive, but they do have ways of making their feelings known, as Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first post-colonial chief executive, can attest. The current government has a year left to run. It is starting to look however as if its time has already passed.
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It was just a tempest in a teapot instigated by some radical politicians and magnified by their pampered, lazy, simple-minded, jobless post 80s and middle aged followers who tried to get fame.
“人在福中不知福” == Count your blessing!
Hong Kong, grow up! You can not take Motherland for granted any more.
In Hong Kong it is not difficult to raise one thousand or more protestors against ANYTHING of the government.
The pan-democratic parties has only one arguement against HK government--No democracy, full election. It looks like when they take power then anything will be solved. They have absolutely no solutions to HK structural problems. Childish thinking without contents. They were becoming just like a bunch of greed. After government pay out HK$6,000, and they want retirement plan, after this they Home ownership, free eating for all.....
The police should charge the parents who brought their 8 years old child to expose to the danger. Shame!!
Some of the protesters here being the usually autocratic sort see this as instigated by outside and a bunch of rabble rousers. The fact is most Hong Kong don't really care. 10,000 is not a lot. People usually think of people from Hong Kong as materialistic, but the really large demonstrations happened 4-5 years ago concerning restrictions of civil liberties. Hundreds of thousands protested then.
bismarck111 wrote: Mar 7th 2011 3:32 GMT Some of the protesters here being the usually autocratic sort see this as instigated by outside and a bunch of rabble rousers. The fact is most Hong Kong don't really care. 10,000 is not a lot. People usually think of people from Hong Kong as materialistic, but the really large demonstrations happened 4-5 years ago concerning restrictions of civil liberties. Hundreds of thousands protested then.
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@ Bismarck
It was not "restrictions of civil liberties" a bad evil. It was the timing and the way how it is implemented to the public. Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law was failed in the wrong time--the worst economic downturn of HK. Interesting that the ministerin now a pro-democratic Legco member.
Bismarck
It was 2003 July 3, almost half millions HK people protest against the article 23.
I was recently in Hong Kong after a lapse of 13 years. My impression was that HK is now much more prosperous, better governed and cleaner than under the British. The prosperity is mainly caused by the fact that much of the revenues are no longer siphoned to Britain, and also HK is strongly supported by the Mainland economically. As a result of this, the pro-British Democratic Party is losing support. Prior to the reunification, Democrats such as Martin Lee, Emily Lau and Margaret Ng predicted gloom and doom. This never happened and HK is thriving as never before.
Outside influence? Hong Kong is used to free speech, something the mainland has comprehension of.
Perhaps the outside influence is the African Union seeking payback for the motherland's current exploitation of Africa?
All in all, Hong Kong is a has been territory ever since it was returned to China. As we're slowly seeing, China's "Japan model" is no different than when Japan tried it. Too much government intervention and micromanagement.
I think protests should be encouraged. In fact the government should take an active role in ensuring that there is at least a protest a day. Also it is far better to have the protestors draw blood (if the protests turn violent) than to have the authorities draw blood. If a protest is on a scale large enough to cause HK to grind to a halt, even better.
Hmmm, not once is the phrase "food riots" used in this article! Interesting! We are used to journalists using and abusing that term when it comes to covering unrest in the Middle East... oh, but off course, this is not the Middle East or North Africa! These are civilized and respected people! Violence is so uncharacteristic of Hong Kong, yet that phrase was never used in the case of Tunisia which had never had even a demonstration since its independence in 1956! Oh well.... some things just never change... wake the Economist, the world is reading!
It's a good news for the mainland government to see that they are worrying too much. As Confucius said 'dog fart can not blow down a giant tree' 狗屁撼树谈何易！
So Hong Kong residents are each to get $6,000 while immigrants are to get nothing? How un-British. In the UK immigrants get free housing and medical care and the residents get the bill.
Well, "dog fart may not blow down a giant tree" but a dragon fart can definitely bring down a house of cards.
You wrote: "The budget was announced February 23rd as an effort to pre-empt inflation; as such it was left devoid of explicit cash rebates. But within hours, a sharp reaction prompted an abrupt change in course: suddenly the budget was to include a hand-out of HK$6,000 ..." Not quite correct. The changes to the budget were made on 2 Mar 2010 - not within hours.
Let’s not all get carried away or blow away by this “fart” thing, such as the one from my Indian friend “Democrates 76” (sounds American-ish doesn’t it?). I have just dispatched one with “dog fart”, literally, yesterday on one of these forums.
While I agree to the idea said, but seriously, Houshu, did Confucius really say that? Or I am seeing things here.
Major Plonquer wrote: Mar 8th 2011 12:29 GMT .So Hong Kong residents are each to get $6,000 while immigrants are to get nothing? How un-British. In the UK immigrants get free housing and medical care and the residents get the bill.
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Many people said their dog and cat should also get free food!!
I can't imagine non-citizens are asking for this HK$6,000- Shame!! Which government will hand out this extra Bonus to non-citizen ?? Or may be Philipines nanny, household helpers should have it too.
Day dreaming!!
Hong Kong has never had good government or rule of law, in the sense that we in the West think of it, and from my experience it was badly mismanaged by the British in so many ways.
Right on the topic, here is something readers might care to see. It's a thoroughly excellent article written by John T. Wenders about Hong Kong's lack of democracy, and comparing it to India. Really enlightening.
http://www.bearcanada.com/china/hkdemocracy.html
The photo in the article shocked me, and I wonder if it is a real photo related to the article. It seems to project an awful lot of anger from people who don't even know why they're protesting. I'm quite familiar with HK, and something seems not quite right here.
Hong Kong today is being heavily supported by the Mainland. From what I've seen, it's the Mainland shoppers that bailed out HK and that are keeping it afloat.
Someone mentioned outside interference and instigation. From experience, this might be considered almost a certainty, just like the recent revolution that never was, in the Mainland.
Here is a link to a letter written in China, titled "An open letter to President Obama - by the People of China". The Chinese version, with attachments is circulating widely in China.
http://www.bearcanada.com/china/letter01.html
@ watchingchina
You know nothing about HK.
What I can see is only one man in the picture which is a bit of aggressive, more not.
The protest was relative peaceful at the beginning until they occupated the main road for 4-6 hours. That started the police clearing action. The police acted correctly and non-violently. Instead when this happened in European cities, it is definately violent !! See Paris, London protest riots..
Hong Kong's financial center help ease the tension of Chinese Yuan and we are co-operating. Do you think China will give this piece of cake to Singapore, which is non-chinese city ?
Hong kong unemployment rate is only 3.8%. average personal income is 30,000 USD which six times higher than China. Hong Kong still enjoys the most freedom of speech than any other Chinese cities. They are actually having more political freedom than those period under British rule. Those hong kong young groups( born after 80s) is trying to ask government to give them job, accommodation & welfare. total welfare system makes people lazy. There is no doubt that Hong Kong government can do a better job.