An HKFP analysis of what wasn’t in the CE’s Policy Address. Prime example (apart from obvious stuff like representative government) is the barely mentioned Lantau Tomorrow Mega-Vision Reclamation Extravaganza.
In terms of housing supply, this plan is superfluous if officials decide to utilize border areas more efficiently. A glance at the map also shows why Beijing would be less keen on it: the new urban developments would be adjacent and linked to other, especially core, parts of Hong Kong, far from opportunities for physical or symbolic merger or integration with Mainland districts. From a ‘geo-spacial’ view, filling in the sea between Lantau and Hong Kong Island does the opposite of integration – creating what the geo-politics crowd might call a ‘centripetal force’. Paul Chan suddenly declares a need for a ‘northern growth engine’.
Apart from eight inches of rain on Friday, and five on Saturday – a quick look at the weekend…
Security Secretary PK Tang sends cops out to prevent the celebration of October 10, 1911 on the assumption that the aging KMT loyalists would be expressing support for Taiwan independence. He then rises to the bait and calls for Hongkongers to ‘be prepared’ for the CIA’s healthily publicized new China-focused office. The guy is trying too hard.
John Burns on the fate of the Pillar of Shame and what it means for HKU. Kevin Carrico on the same subject, plus a suggested new slogan to replace Hong Kong’s ‘Asia’s World City’: ‘Pyongyang with better lighting’. He also seems to have identified the Mayer Brown Asia personnel who drafted the anonymous lawyer’s letter to the HK Alliance.
Singapore announces travel-lane arrangements for vaccinated people with the UK, US, France, South Korea and others. A summary of Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong’s speech on moving on from Covid. Can you imagine Carrie Lam being this rational or forthright? Baby God essentially says that, given universal vaccination and booster vaccination shots, the emotional and other strains of Covid restrictions on the whole community outweigh the possible deaths of a small number of elderly.
A brief mention of one reason Taiwan is getting more – and more positive – coverage internationally: more overseas reporters have moved there – because Beijing kicked them out of China. And a good quick thread on how Taiwan became democratized. Note (or consider possible) parallels with Hong Kong’s colonial experience. One interesting angle: the sudden fall of Marcos in the Philippines spurred regimes in Taiwan and South Korea to liberalize their political systems.
“A brief mention of one reason Taiwan is getting more – and more positive – coverage internationally: more overseas reporters have moved there – because Beijing kicked them out of China.”
A number of previously Hong Kong-based journalists also look to have moved there (e.g., Ryan Ho Kilpatrick). Also can’t help but notice that much of The Guardian’s Hong Kong reportage these days is by Taipei-based Helen Davidson (which sometimes can result in annoying mistakes about Hong Kong that locals wouldn’t make).
Well at least it’s painfully obvious and crystal clear now more than ever: The HKCCPSAR Gov’t. obviously does NOT exist for the People of HK.
“Dumb-bell” approach got the first half correct, at least.
Dumb-Bellend approach more like.
The HKU management knows how to read a calendar. This week is the mid-semester break, and Thursday (the day after the deadline for the HK Alliance to do something with it) is a public holiday. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pillar of Shame disappears in the early hours of the morning on the 14th. There is a bit of demolition/construction going on nearby, so the necessary equipment is probably already in place.
Come join the people taking pictures before it is too late. It is right in front of you as you exit the elevator from Exit A of the HKU MTR station.
Mayer Brown, and when it was JSM, could (almost) always be guaranteed to be unreasonable, until the courtroom doors and often thereafter. No doubt connected at least in part with costs.
Like many of the big firms they profit from their size, their effective non accountability and willingness to follow orders, however unreasonable, provided their clients pay their bills.
Amazing how many of the photos of people appear arrogant, superior, indifferent, vapid or simply ugly. Some exceptions.