PRC Commence Rape of Hong Kong

[Sierra Mike]

REMEMBER WHEN the world's attention was focused on Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997? After a few speeches and the arrival of some mainland Chinese soldiers, nothing much changed that day, and the hordes of dignitaries and journalists went away.

It turns out perhaps they were five years early. The handover looks to be happening now, as the government seeks to push through sweeping changes that could affect the very way of life in Hong Kong, as well as how businesses assess the risk of operating in China's special administrative region.

ONE COUNTRY, ONE SYSTEM?

• Proposals to outlaw subversion and sedition amount to mixing the legal systems in Hong Kong and China
• They spark rare criticism from Hong Kong business leaders worried about curbs on the free flow of information
• Lawyers say that the plans are not clear enough to protect basic rights and freedoms.

Real all about it at: The Formal Commencement of the Rape of Hong Kong (http://www.feer.com/articles/2002/0212_19/p030china.html) (registration required)

As for myself, as a foreign property owner in HK, I am a bit perturbed by this. The marketplace is still soft, so I'm hoping not to lose that investment...or that hefty check I get every three months. :)

SM

[ethics]

This is tremendous news, folks, with MUCH to be lost.

[Sierra Mike]

No kidding. China's been pillaging HK for everything it can get behind the scenes, and stuffing the goods into Shanghai. Good to see the Chinese discriminate among themselves, even northern Han against southern Han. Doesn't get much better than this. Or more petty.

SM

[Sierra Mike]

By the way, articles such as this one are shunned by the wai sha ren on Taiwan and their apparent comrades-in-arm here in the US as BS because a contributing author is a white man.

You see, to the loyal denizens of the PRC and those "global Chinese" who embrace the Chinese Communist Party line, the only real way to achieve understanding of the Chinese is to be Chinese. And of course, you have to be a certain Chinese as well.

Total bunk. I may not be as fast on the draw with chop sticks, but hey, the Chinese are not so mysterious that this bai ren can't understand them.

SM

[jamming]

So you own property in HK, you evil Colonialist. ;)

[Sierra Mike]

Very true. Bought with three ex-Army guys and one willing Hongkie who was able to successfully cover up the transaction. ;)

SM

[Swamp Fox]

I think HK will eventually be submerged by the heavy-handedness of the PRC officials.

[Sierra Mike]

It's sailing down that river right now. I remember last year when the No. 2 administrator stepped down because the PRC designate was totally subservient to Beijing and refused to do anything to lay the groundwork for the plunder of HK.

SM

[Ravenink]

What, you mean the People's Daily isn't really a fountain of truth? :-p

Not surprising at all, the more I learn about the PRC government the less I care for them, and after all from what I gather a SAR is largely viewed in the mainland as a step towards unification .

[Sierra Mike]

The PRC government, if you can call it that, is comprised of maybe two dozen really wealthy men who are running China not to make it into a great nation...but in order to preserve their own entitlements. These are very, VERY rich men who want for nothing...and they're corrupt to the very core.

SM

[jamming]

Sell....Steve....Sell.... Take the lost before it all goes to heck.

But then I am poor now, so what the heck do I know?

[Sierra Mike]

The thing about the HK marketplace is that the sellers are at the mercy of the tides of the economy. But the rental market is still red-hot, especially in the more upscale places, which is what my buddies and I own.

The place will be paid off completely next year; so we'll make some final decisions then. I am pushing for a sale, however. And the general agreement among us is that if the PRC suddenly starts any of their twisted, so-called anti-corruption campaigns in the area, then we'll bail immediately. When the PRC starts that kind of stuff, seizure of private property for "reallocation" is common. And foreign-owned assets are things they look for.

SM