Goodbye

I can't help feeling a smidgen of pride sometimes when I tell others that I'm from Hong Kong, even though I've lived most of my life elsewhere. It's an ultra-competitive city that's constantly striving to improve while retaining a modicum of human decency and a sense of fair play. You wouldn't think that while being scolded by a particularly rude and fierce minibus driver or waitress, but there are plenty of nice, helpful and friendly Hongkongers too. And Hongkongers have a healthy respect for anyone who works hard to succeed, although perhaps success is measured more often than not by one's income.

But Hong Kong is at a crossroads in this decade. It's obvious and suffuses all of Hong Kong society: you can tell from the pro-democracy and pro-Beijing groups canvassing for signatures on many residential streets, a quick scan of the headlines in local newspapers, or snatches of conversation on the streets, in homes, or even in classrooms.

It could emerge at the end as just another major Chinese city — polluted and bulging at the seams with people — having lost many of its political freedoms and its crown as the leading East Asian business and financial centre, or as a beacon for other Chinese cities, Taiwan and Macau — democratic, free and equitable, clean and comfortable to live in.

I sure hope it’s the latter.

But for now it’s goodbye, Hong Kong, and onwards to greener pastures (quite literally)!

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