business

Hong Kong's summer of protests leaves economy bruised and battered

29 Comments
By Sean GLEESON, Yan ZHAO

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29 Comments
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Being anti-democracy is bad for business, when it is clear that is what the people want.

Lam is a failure. She needs to go. She should have been conveying the pro-Democracy views to Beijing and pushing for them to give in.

Fresh elections for all the seats pre-selected by Beijing need to be held with 2-3 months advanced notice.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The whole throwing molotovs on the street and masked protesters beating random people on the street probably isn't going over so well with the typical family tourist who just wants to try authentic dimsum.

How dare people get in the way of tourists dimsum, simply so they can be free and not have human rights violations perpetrated on them.

Selfish to the core.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Which system is better ? which system is constructive ? which system is truly people's system ? which system has bright future ?

It is so obvious. Fact is louder than word.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

HK govt must act to protect people's interests. HK police must show no mercy to violence. Sympathy to terrorism is a crime against humanity.

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

which system is truly people's system ?

No system is truly a peoples' system. Certainly not the decrepit tyranny proposed by the CCP. HK people have long known this.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

The free democratic world will always support Honk Kong as we support the right of independence of Taiwan.

The lack of human rights in communist China is extremely worrying.

The Uyghurs had all their rights as a nation negated and the people of Tibet have been almost wiped out by the horrific Mao’s Han policy.

These are few of the crimes against humanity that the communist republic of China is responsible of.

But the world community is aware of it.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Which system is better ? which system is constructive ? which system is truly people's system ? which system has bright future ?

The CCP system is worse. The CCP is not constructive. It's a party for the party, not the people. Under the power of the CCP, only party members have a bright future, the people have to worry about being "disappeared" and never heard of again, of daring to speak of the undemocratic CCP system.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

HK govt must act to protect people's interests. HK police must show no mercy to violence. Sympathy to terrorism is a crime against humanity.

Yes, you told us the other day you support the CCP entering the streets with tanks, and executing the protestors.

We understand this is what the CCP feels is an appropriate response to protest.

And this is why we support the HKers so strongly. We support their protests against your tyranny.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

This is what "George Soros" has inflicted to Hong Kong and the people there, he wanna to trigger a massive "Short Selling" to rob all the money from markey and leaving everyone in despair! But his game is loosing steam since the defiance of Hong Kong government and police!

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Burning Bush: masked protesters beating random people on the street probably isn't going over so well

You've misunderstood the news. There are no instances or accusations of this. However, the police have done it numerous times, and there is plenty of video evidence. Also, pro-Beijing thugs from the mainland have come over and done this as well, sometimes while wearing the colors of the protestors in efforts to discredit the protestors. However, these people have always been easily identifiable. The protestors have not beaten any random people on the street. Molotovs - yes, however.

Akie: which system is truly people's system ?

The system that the majority of people want. If you're still confused about which system that is, you haven't been following the news very carefully.

Akie: HK police must show no mercy to violence.

The HK police have initiated the vast majority of the violence. They have regularly thrown tear gas at groups of journalists and first aid workers on the streets. They have needlessly beaten people they randomly selected on the streets. Please research the Prince Edward MTR Station attacks. There are plenty of videos that will discredit your ideas about what is happening. 2. "show no mercy" is not in the proper police code in any country. The police's job is to protect and maintain order - not to attack, intimidate, or seek vengeance "with no mercy" as you are recommending.
5 ( +6 / -1 )

"show no mercy" is not in the proper police code in any country.

Nicely put, but you forget which country Akie comes from. In her world, the state acts with impunity because the party is more important than the people.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

How long HK will accept the unacceptable.

No more police or army uniforms in the streets.

Only 10 000 white shirts and within one to two weeks, the violent rioters game will be over.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

I'm still going to take a holiday in HK. I really like it there and enjoy practicing my still admittedly rather weak Cantonese. I support the protestors. Free Hongkong now!!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"I support the youngsters," he said. "But I also have a business to run."

The older generations and businesses don't help as passive supporters. They should join in a total strike and close all the shops on same day. It's more effective to do something massive and quick than months of low intensity protest. It's also safer as Beijing can arrest and put to rot in gulag 2%, 5%, 10% but not 70% of the population.

Lam and Beijing big wigs try to divide Hong Kong inhabitants and oppose groups of interests. So far, it's working.

is this a price the majority of HK people are willing or able to pay?

It's just a temporary loss of business. If Hong-Kong became Xiang-Kiang an obscure outskirt of boring Shenzhen, even Mainland tourists would lose interest in visiting.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The handoff is over and done with. Hong Kong is never going to be a free society as long as China has its hands wrapped tightly around it. Best the people living there can do is start applying for visas out of the country.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The difference between mainland democracy and Colonial democracy is that the mainland democracy is for majority while the Colonial democracy is for minority.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Strangerland: "The CCP system is worse. The CCP is not constructive. It's a party for the party, not the people."

In China and other communist/dictatorship nations the people are manipulated, exploited and controlled by their government. In, so-called Western Democracies the people are controlled by BOTH their government AND large commercial enterprises. In neither system is there democracy, only an illusion of democracy in the West. Until people stop letting the tail wag the dog, take control of their elected (?)Politicians there will be no democracy, no peace. We should ALL be protesting.

Let’s not be naïve.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

In China and other communist/dictatorship nations the people are manipulated, exploited and controlled by their government. In, so-called Western Democracies the people are controlled by BOTH their government AND large commercial enterprises.

But we have the freedom to dissent, speak out, give various opinions and viewpoints and don’t need to worry about going to a gulag and sitting in there waiting for time to go by.

In neither system is there democracy,

That is absolutely not true.

only an illusion of democracy in the West. Until people stop letting the tail wag the dog, take control of their elected (?)Politicians there will be no democracy, no peace. We should ALL be protesting.

Try walking around mainland China and talk about democracy or freedom or equal rights, try to use search engines such as Google or Yahoo and not have it monitored or any of the search websites for social websites. We have the absolute right to use this technology and we are allowed to speak our minds and we are allowed freedom of movement and we are allowed to criticize the government, try that mainland China and watch what happens.

Yeah, Let’s not be naïve.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

bass4funk: "All had the right to speak out. As long as you have a permit and choose to gather you are allowed to dissent."

In HK they did not have a permit, but you support their rioting. Double standard?

"That has and always will be since we have had civilization,"

That's what I said; we have the illusion of democracy; so apparently you agree with my comments.

One glaring example of American democracy: your idol Trump can pardon his colleagues and family for crimes they commit, can you pardon your family or for any crimes they commit? Can you order your family not to give evidence before Congress?   Just two small examples.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

> In HK they did not have a permit, but you support their rioting. Double standard?

The situation is totally different, in the western world we have the right to protest into dissent as long as it is done in an orderly manner and usually with a permit, in Hong Kong these people are fighting for the absolute right for wanting to maintaining their democracy and the power to say what they want and to be heard and to do as they please and make their own life choices and choose their own path in life as in most Capitalist societies.

That's what I said; we have the illusion of democracy; so apparently you agree with my comments.

No, we see things very differently, you believe that the government has the right to crush sent, I do not.

One glaring example of American democracy: your idol Trump can pardon his colleagues and family for crimes they commit, can you pardon your family or for any crimes they commit? Can you order your family not to give evidence before Congress?  Just two small examples

Sorry, but that has nothing to do with the society as a whole, you are making an apple and oranges argument, it has nothing to do with taking individual rights away and strong hold an entire population to control what they think, to control what they read, to control what they watch, to control how they conduct their daily lives.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Akie:

bass4funk: "how much money the government will take from us."

Apparently they don't pay taxes in the US! I believe Trump didn't pay much and that why he is hiding his tax return.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

William77Sep. 19 09:24 am JSTThe free democratic world will always support Honk Kong as we support the right of independence of Taiwan.

The lack of human rights in communist China is extremely worrying.

The Uyghurs had all their rights as a nation negated and the people of Tibet have been almost wiped out by the horrific Mao’s Han policy.

These are few of the crimes against humanity that the communist republic of China is responsible of.

But the world community is aware of it.

Remember Tiananmen Square. I saw it break out live on TV just as the crackdown began and before the blackout.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

you are not only overestimating the number of rioters, but also yourself. HK people are not what you would like to be and will not be fooled by your fake sweet and sour soups.

I have nothing to do with Hong Kong, that’s in the hand of those people that are fighting to maintain their freedom that the mainland promised during the handover back in 1997 agreed to, they are the ones protesting to keep that promise fulfilled. I am just an observer who is supporting them and rooting for them.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

nothing was ever accomplished through peaceful petitions to the rulers.

every world power today was once in its history fighting for independence with violence

if you want to break the status quo, fight it out, make the ruler pain. its the only way

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The difference between mainland democracy and Colonial democracy is that the mainland democracy is for majority while the Colonial democracy is for minority.

CPP Democracy means putting the tanks in the streets and executing those who would protest against being murdered by tanks in the streets.

You stated you support executing the protestors in the streets Akie.

That is the face of the CPP folks. You can see exactly how much (or rather how little), the respect the people or their rights to not be murdered by tanks in the streets.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

nothing was ever accomplished through peaceful petitions to the rulers.

Gandhi.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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