Hong Kong and Bad, Bad PRC

[PikeStance]

Apparently, Bo1Bo1Sha3 would like to discuss some issues between Hong Kong and the PRC. I think he would have more success here than in my non- political thread.

Below is two of his posts.

Post #1

Lived for 10 years in Hong Kong until I moved,
never was much of a mainlander, in fact, most of my relatives would never dare step into the mainland, I value the independant spirit of never going back until the current system is dead! Long Live Hong Kong! NO more "People's republic"! I usually visit whenever the mainland tourists ain't there anyway. They always mess the economy up with their purchases and such

Post #2

The Cantonese language too should not be crushed under the foot, it is not a dialect but a fully fledged language.
Standard Mandarin is basically an ultra simplified version of Chinese designed to be used nationwide.
Cantonese is complex whilst stretching back to Middle Chinese, while Standardized Mandarin is a watery creole cause by previously ruling Mongols and Manchus.

The Brits introduced rule of law, anti-corruption, a well set up tax system, and many more. They may have done some bad things but who is perfect?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Ko...Western_styles
They also are responsible for giving the initiative to create Sino-fied western food. If you like American Chinese cuisine (I do occasionally) then the artery clogging equivalent is excellent in Hong Kong. Deep fried french toast and tea filled to the brim with evaporated milk!

[Roma_Victrix]

Doesn't this thread belong in the "Political Academy" sub-forum, since it is not about a specific current event linked to a news article?

Also, you've suddenly got me very interested in Hong Kong cuisine. One of my two roommates here in Northern Ireland is from Hong Kong; he's a cool dude but we don't talk a lot about food. For that matter, I don't eat his food! Maybe I should start doing that...er...asking him for some.

[hellheaven1987]

B-but CCP said people in Hong Kong are happy to return motherland, is that wrong?? I-if people in Hong Kong love motherland so much, shouldn't them try to learn the superior mainland culture eagerly?? Why they still like white British so much??

[Condottiere 40K]

1. China is the largest consumer market in the world and they are thirsting for expertise and investment; which true Chinese entrepreneur could truly resist, especially when you can skew the odds in your favour by some judicial (and bureaucratic and legislative) financial gifts?

2. Also, the horse may sing.

[hellheaven1987]

1. China is the largest consumer market in the world and they are thirsting for expertise and investment; which true Chinese entrepreneur could truly resist, especially when you can skew the odds in your favour by some judicial (and bureaucratic and legislative) financial gifts?

For now, but soon that title would go to India.

[Col. Tartleton]

How long until China Federalizes?

[Roma_Victrix]

How long until China Federalizes?

The Party wouldn't have it, so...never? A hundred years from now?

[Hookah Smoking Caterpiller]

Return Hong Kong to the UK, it is the Englishman's destiny to rule the earth.

[RollingWave]

I think some of the younger folks probably have too blurry of a memory of the "good" old days here.

For example, for the longest time , nearly 5% of it's population lived in Koowloon City, which was... not really a city, but 1 single building. Yes, there were often 10k to 30k people living in 1 (really large and illegal) apartment in the good old days of Hong Kong. This atrocity was only torn down on the eve of the handover.

[Roma_Victrix]

I think some of the younger folks probably have too blurry of a memory of the "good" old days here.

For example, for the longest time , nearly 5% of it's population lived in Koowloon City, which was... not really a city, but 1 single building. Yes, there were often 10k to 30k people living in 1 (really large and illegal) apartment in the good old days of Hong Kong. This atrocity was only torn down on the eve of the handover.

Was it like the ghetto "projects" in New York City? Was the complex at least safe against fire?

[RollingWave]

Was it like the ghetto "projects" in New York City? Was the complex at least safe against fire?

The official census in 1987 was a residences of over 33,000+ people inside. which was probably the only semi reliable data we have of this place's actual population. at that point Hong Kong's population was about 5 million. it was likely that this number was just as high when Hong Kong's population was about 3-4 million.


Fire was always a major concern, though luckily it was never struck by a very serious one after 1950 (at that point the complex had not been built to that insane of a level yet, though there was no proper estimates of the casualty of that fire, only that about 3000 famlies lost their homes.)

It was also basically a lawless zone within the "law and order British Hong Kong" where none of the doctors had licence (and there were several hundreds of them.) and sanitation standard was comparable with that of any slums in any crap country you can name.

If you ever wonder where all those Hong Kong movie gets inspiration for those mafia movies, this place was also one of the main reason.

So maybe these younger generation don't know, or pretend to not know (the more likely case.) that those good old days of British rule involved sweeping all the unwanted people of their society into one giant dump and pretend it's not there.

[Roma_Victrix]

If you ever wonder where all those Hong Kong movie gets inspiration for those mafia movies, this place was also one of the main reason.

Well look at that...some good came out of it. That is, timeless entertainment like John Woo's The Killer (1989).

So maybe these younger generation don't know, or pretend to not know (the more likely case.) that those good old days of British rule involved sweeping all the unwanted people of their society into one giant dump and pretend it's not there.

Hey now, that's a time honored British colonial tradition! There are poor people everywhere, basically, who oftentimes live in even worse conditions, but it's pretty shameful to see enormous wealthy homes and condos in such close proximity. It's a good thing they finally tore that crap hole down.

[PikeStance]

So maybe these younger generation don't know, or pretend to not know (the more likely case.) that those good old days of British rule involved sweeping all the unwanted people of their society into one giant dump and pretend it's not there.

Hey now, that's a time honored British colonial tradition! There are poor people everywhere, basically, who oftentimes live in even worse conditions, but it's pretty shameful to see enormous wealthy homes and condos in such close proximity. It's a good thing they finally tore that crap hole down.

I would be very upset if I had an apt/ condo that looked out at those slums. It would be rather unsettling to enjoy my Cuban and cognac looking at that!

[Ak1980]

I think some of the younger folks probably have too blurry of a memory of the "good" old days here.

For example, for the longest time , nearly 5% of it's population lived in Koowloon City, which was... not really a city, but 1 single building. Yes, there were often 10k to 30k people living in 1 (really large and illegal) apartment in the good old days of Hong Kong. This atrocity was only torn down on the eve of the handover.

But economic wise, the good old days really better for HK right? HK used to be a rival city state for Singapore, now Singapore is clearly ahead of HK even in tourism (excluding mainland tourist )

[RollingWave]

But economic wise, the good old days really better for HK right? HK used to be a rival city state for Singapore, now Singapore is clearly ahead of HK even in tourism (excluding mainland tourist )

Which would imply that mainland Chinese aren't people.

As for Singapore, in total GDP sense it has grown faster than Hong Kong, but not in per capita, the difference here is that Singapore is an open society that allows for immigrants, where as HK is not.

Singapore's population grew from 3 million in 1990 to 5.5 million today, Hong Kong's population in 1990 was about 5.6 million and it's at 7 million today. so Singapore in the last 25 year grew a wooping 85% in population, but Hong Kong only grew about 25%. So the great irony is that, Singapore has grown faster and better than Hong Kong because............................IT LETS MAINLAND CHINESE PEOPLE MOVE IN!

Hong Kong also had a pretty unfortunate run between 97-03, due to the Asian financial crisis (they were one of the hardest hit areas where as Singapore was not.) and then SARS, (ok, you can partially blame China for that, but that probably happened even if they remained in the hand of the Brits.) Since 2004 their growth have actually been extremely strong. Funny enough, it's also this big growth period that's setting loose all the crazies.

[Ak1980]

Which would imply that mainland Chinese aren't people.

Seriously?
What i have in mind is mainland Chinese can be consider simply as domestic tourist now in HK case.

As for Singapore, in total GDP sense it has grown faster than Hong Kong, but not in per capita, the difference here is that Singapore is an open society that allows for immigrants, where as HK is not.

Singapore's population grew from 3 million in 1990 to 5.5 million today, Hong Kong's population in 1990 was about 5.6 million and it's at 7 million today. so Singapore in the last 25 year grew a wooping 85% in population, but Hong Kong only grew about 25%. So the great irony is that, Singapore has grown faster and better than Hong Kong because............................IT LETS MAINLAND CHINESE PEOPLE MOVE IN!

Hong Kong also had a pretty unfortunate run between 97-03, due to the Asian financial crisis (they were one of the hardest hit areas where as Singapore was not.) and then SARS, (ok, you can partially blame China for that, but that probably happened even if they remained in the hand of the Brits.) Since 2004 their growth have actually been extremely strong. Funny enough, it's also this big growth period that's setting loose all the crazies.

I thought because of the HK leader quick action, HK escapes from the Asian crisis with only some turmoil in the index before everything back to normal? While Singapore officially dips into recession for a while? Well my country is in shamble that time so i didn't pay much attention to the outside world at the time of crisis

AFAIK HK citizenship/residency is easier to obtain than Singapore. If anything i think HK is more open and generous with its low tax + no conscription to military

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/28/bu...d-citizenship/

Under Hong Kong's Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, or CIES, an investment of about $1.3 million gives applicants residency rights. You can buy stocks in companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, debt securities in airport or railway companies or certificates of deposits that mature after just one year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/p...hy-expats.html

Under the Financial Investor Scheme (FIS) high net worth foreigners can park at least S$10 million (£5 million) in Singapore for five years to gain permanent resident (PR) status.

Up to $2 million (£1 million) of this investment can be used to buy a property in Singapore.
-snip
The FIS used to have a lower investment limit of S$5 million (£2.5 million) but this was doubled in 2010 as part of the government's efforts to curb the influx of foreigners.

[Derpy Hooves]

Actually according to this Kowloon was a Chinese enclave
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Walled_City

[Col. Tartleton]

Poor people make me unhappy. Not for empathy, but for aesthetics.

[PikeStance]

Hong Kong and Singapore are two different types of trading centers; Singapore has always been a entrepot, while Hong Kong is a port of entry. While both are fruits, it is still like comparing apples to oranges.

[RollingWave]

Hong Kong and Singapore are two different types of trading centers; Singapore has always been a entrepot, while Hong Kong is a port of entry. While both are fruits, it is still like comparing apples to oranges.

They're both Entrepots, though Hong Kong's role as that has diminished because now it no longer act as the Entrepot for all of China. just the south.