The latest population figures include a rebound in Mainlanders coming over on one-way permits – presumably there’s a backlog from Covid. These are family-reunion cases and are probably mostly middle-aged and not especially well educated. There would be other Mainland migrants coming in on the various talent-attracting visa schemes.
The breakdown for particular, younger age groups reflect something more drastic. The trends for the numbers for younger people could in theory be skewed by changing patterns in, say, parents sending kids overseas (or not) for school. The drop in 0-9-year-olds could partly be caused by couples putting off having babies during the protests and Covid. But what – apart from emigration – could possibly cause a fall in the population of 20-29-year-olds by well over 20% since mid-2017?
Not often that I go back and read an angry government press release, but I just checked to see if anyone has noticed – or corrected – the one in awful English from yesterday. And it’s still there…
…the joint statement by Hong Kong Watch and other organisations smacked of deliberate smears and was no further from the truth … it is fully justified for the Hong Kong SAR to put forward measures that could be considered … such practice interfered through intimidation in the affairs of Hong Kong that are purely China’s internal affairs, which not only violated the international law and basic norms that govern international relations, but also allegedly constituted the offence of “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”…
Maybe native speakers, as non-citizens, are barred from working on NatSec-type press statements?
Maybe the HKSAR cares about the accuracy of the English translation of Chinese-language press releases to the same degree that Whitehall cares about the accuracy of the Chinese translation of English-language press releases?
As I believe you stated earlier…the so-called “public relations” branches of the HKCCPSAR government entities now only play to please their handlers from up north. No need for correct, readable English anymore.
Very much like it’s guaranteed Vag will jump like a rabid terrier now in response to anyone outside of the Greater Bay Area daring to critically comment (such as Stephen Roach on Bloomberg today) on Hong Kong’s economy, social issues, brain drain, etc.
@Noah – that’s a fair point, apart from the fact that English is an official language in Hong Kong.
“…China’s internal affairs, which not only violated the international law and basic norms that govern international relations”
Another truth revealed? Or just a sloopy use of “which”?
I think Nurat Vitarsey is contributing to government statements; he’s a malicious, shit-stirring little disingenuous 2@ & not very funny with it and not self aware; ideal for our govt.
@Noah Webster
If the UK gov had to, it probably would get a native/fluent Mandarin speaker to do it. Further, Mandarin isn’t one of the official languages used in English law. What has happened here, I think, and typical of authoritarian states, is that nobody down the chain of c0mmand wants to point out that the English from a superior is crap.
@Ho Man Fan
Yes, indeed, just like there has been no diminution in civic & political rights since the Handover!
@reductio and HMF,
We’re not in disagreement here, except that I recognise explicitly that the new bosses don’t give a shit about the English-language version of any of their work, and people clinging to the technicality that English is an official language in Hong Kong and therefore should be executed to a high standard are of the same school of misguided fools who parse the Basic Law to show where it says HK people shouldn’t be locked up for saying things the government doesn’t like and then expect winning the argument will free all of the political prisoners.
They’re already issuing lots of official documents in Chinese only and that is a practice that is sure to spread as time goes on. Whatever they do north of the Shenzhen River, that’s where HK is headed, in everything.
@reductio – if, indeed, it came from a superior and not from Google Translate.
@ Noah
All posters here are aware of the ‘northern drift’; we just note its occurrences and acceleration. Without rancour – more with a shrug, for the most part.
@ Noah
“people clinging to the technicality that English is an official language in Hong Kong and therefore should be executed to a high standard” – steady on, sounds a bit drastic!
😆
@Old Mind Doctor
Well said. 100% agree.