There’s nothing Hong Kong loves more than an excuse to panic-buy…
Residents have begun to accumulate supplies in anticipation of the impending arrival of Super Typhoon Ragasa, while some retailers warned about potential price increases.
In the flood-prone area of Heng Fa Chuen, residents were observed procuring additional provisions in preparation for Ragasa, which correlatively resulted in a modest increase in sales for local vendors.
Businesses are projecting heightened foot traffic and revenue on the upcoming Monday and Tuesday, with some merchants indicating that prices may be adjusted based on the restocking situation.
There’s also a debate going on (somewhere) about whether taping windows up is a good idea.
HKFP op-ed on LegCo’s rejection of a government bill to establish a registration system for same-sex couples who married overseas. It describes some odd features of the process. The government did not hold a public consultation – but LegCo did. And that showed 80% opposition, despite a robust public opinion survey two years ago finding 60% support for same-sex marriage. And Beijing’s officials endorsed LegCo’s handling of the bill….
…The huge gap between public opinion (as shown in the scientific survey) and the LegCo vote reflects the unrepresentativeness of our “patriots-only” legislature. It also exposes officially identified “mainstream public opinion” for what it is – the opinion only of our officially selected patriotic political elite and their narrow band of supporters.
The government’s lack of enthusiasm for its own proposal was palpable. Remember that only after the top court “kicked” the government did it do anything at all. For years, the government ignored the results of scores of lost lawsuits that exposed official mistreatment of same-sex couples.
Indeed. The all-patriots LegCo would have voted for the bill if the authorities had wanted it, notwithstanding a few fundamentalist Christian members who show a curious obsession with gays. But the overall impression is that the government/Beijing’s officials were mainly concerned with asserting non-subservience to the court that ordered the change to the law.
As for the role of public opinion – the whole post-2019 ‘patriots-only’ move away from competitive elections tells you all you need to know. The system is designed not to be representative.
An SCMP op-ed…
The decision by a majority of legislative councillors to vote down the same-sex partnerships bill has been presented by officials as some kind of triumph for the system of government. In fact, it sets us on the road to a slow-burning loss of credibility about our commitment to the rule of law.
A total of 71 members voted against the bill earlier this month, with just 14 in favour and one abstention. The outcome was widely reported in the overseas media, most directly highlighting that this was a direct rebuttal of a ruling by Hong Kong’s top court.
The narrative since put forward by some officials is that, despite the negative outcome, the process was a success because it showed all three branches of government carried out their duties faithfully according to the law. The judiciary interpreted the relevant law independently, the executive responded appropriately by putting forward legislation to remedy the adjudged illegality and the legislature exercised its free judgment.
This is pure sophistry. A significant minority of Hong Kong citizens have been denied certain rights that our Court of Final Appeal ruled they should have by law. The promise by the government to examine what might be done administratively to minimise the damage to those concerned is welcome but insufficient.
Another HKFP take on the subject here.
Also from HKFP – whatever happened to ‘Night Vibes’?
Launched in September 2023, the government’s Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign was once billed as the marquee push to revive tourism and domestic spending post-Covid. Performances, cultural events, markets and tours were promised, offering “festive and vibrant” experiences along the harbourfront and beyond.
By January 2024, it had expanded into Day x Night Vibes @ 18 Districts. As of the first quarter this year, more than 60 events had been held, officials said. But earlier this month, when a pro-establishment party urged Hong Kong to boost its “night-time economy,” reporters noticed that the campaign’s dedicated website had quietly vanished.
…into (presumably) the night.
Admit it – you hadn’t noticed, right?
From the SCMP: “A significant minority of Hong Kong citizens have been denied certain rights”
Where “significant minority” (i.e. gay couples married overseas resident in Hong Kong) is what? 20 couples?
This whole thing is blown way out of proportion.
“Where “significant minority” (i.e. gay couples married overseas resident in Hong Kong) is what? 20 couples?”
19 of them probably working in media sector.
@Paul
One couple denied basic human rights based on their sexual preference is one too many, surely?
Joining in the discussion on taping windows, Taiwan authorities said this last year. https://taiwannews.com.tw/news/5959055?hl=en-GB
Could be simply answered: masking tape = paper, broken glass = scissors. Also window panels weigh quite a bit, probably a bit more than paper can hold together
“…notwithstanding a few fundamentalist Christian members who show a curious obsession with gays.”
https://www.newsweek.com/grindr-app-crashes-milwaukee-rnc-1927750
Hemlock
Can you change that to “One” please
ta
The people blowing it out of proportion are those who think HK will fall apart if “traditional marriage values” are not adhered to.
And what the hell does it matter where people work?
@reductio
Sorry, but no.
As Paul says, way too much time & attention has been devoted to this tiny minority who are intent upon securing legal protection for their unusual sexual preferences in the face of traditional morality and widespread community opposition.
Why not simply pursue non-discrimination generally, and specific civil rights in discrete circumstances such as hospital visitations, end-of-life decisions, property division, etc?
Why engage in a frontal assault on the institution of marriage, which is widely opposed in the Hong Kong community?
The answer is, because it’s political, pure & simple. All of it.
In case you haven’t noticed, the world has had its fill of this leftist nonsense.
Just stop.
Another good Hong Kong story:
https://news.sky.com/story/i-dont-feel-safe-in-uk-the-exiles-with-100k-bounties-on-their-heads-13433909
@Korgno of the 4 to 5 married same sex couples I know in HK, none of them work in media. More hospitality, finance, education, sport, legal and other sectors.
Oh Harvey Milk,
What’s a ‘traditional marriage’?
And why are you so bothered by other people’s sexuality? Is it your bizniss?
“In case you haven’t noticed, the world has had its fill of this leftist nonsense.”
Speaking of that, which leftist group will you be voting for in the upcoming Legco election? Will it be DAB or the Federation of Trade Unions?
@Load Toad,
As any fule no, a traditional marriage is between one man and one woman.
And please leave off the “biological male” and “assigned at birth” nonsense.
Perhaps we should all look to the late Stanley Ho for a shining example of Chinese “traditional marriage values”? Why the hell does it bother some people so much who loves or marries whom? Live and let live.
@ Harvey Milk,
Is it traditional if it’s an arranged marriage, if I can have multiple wives…if I can abuse my partner..?
Taping Windows.
Made sense with just tempered glass which would break into sharp shards which could cause injury or death.
Pointless with heat strengthened glass which is designed to break but remain fixed into the curtain wall
Absolutely mad to take up toughened glass which is designed to shatter into countless little pieces that are mostly harmless as you are simply taping the pieces together to make a big dangerous shard of glass
– I did rather a lot of glass type stuffs in a previous job
Person with the ironically appropriated nom de plume: One person’s “tradition” is another person’s prison, and the former typically has the guns. Your blinkered bigotry is so very tiresome. Please stop shoving your greasy hands into other people’s pants.
“Tradition for thee but NOT for me.” ~ Every Self Righteous, fundamentalist Christian/Muslim/Jewish/(insert “faith” here) That’s Ever Walked Earth
Even Great at Cheung Kong Centre, a supermarket noted for minimal foot traffic apart from lunch hour and the 8, 18th and 28th of the month when discount of 18% attracts bulk buyers, had an unusual number of folk filling trolleys.
The cashier reminded me there is a typhoon on its way when I placed just two bananas and a loaf of bread on the check out counter!
It is not homosexuality that is the western import, but homophobia. Chinese history and literature are replete with examples of same sex romances, people did not care about men’s sexual predilictions once they had produced the requisite heirs. (As was so often the case, there was a double standard for women; at least one mass execution of the imperial harem was sparked by rumours of lesbianism.)
Homophobia was imported into China in the early 20th Century by nationalist reformers looking towards western ideas to revive their ailing nation. Heterosexual monogamy was all wrapped up in ideas about health, strength and modernity, and everything outside of that from polygamy to prostitution, and yes, same sex relationships, was labelled deviant and backwards. Idiots like Junius Ho who rant about western degeneracy do not know their own history.