Quotes – As Hong Kong marks 25 years since handover, people discuss highs and lows

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong has weathered monetary crises, mass demonstrations and COVID-19. As the town prepares to mark the twenty fifth anniversary of its handover to Chinese language rule, Reuters spoke to 5 individuals who described the highs and lows since 1997.

CHARLES LI, FORMER CEO OF HKEX:

“That interval (1997) is known as a interval filled with anticipation and far hope that that is the start of a really lengthy experience and the most effective is but to come back.”

“Wanting again, it largely has turned out to be the way in which that we now have anticipated.”

“I feel the most effective second is someday in April 2014 at Boao [Forum]. There have been about two years of arduous work previous to that, making ready, negotiating, and all the things else for Shanghai-Hong Kong Join as a result of that is a transformative milestone for our markets. And for the primary time, we have been capable of join the 2 markets collectively.”

“The bottom second for me, no less than emotionally, most likely was the previous February and March, when the fifth wave of the pandemic hit … This final one made lots of people really feel that that is nearly just like the final straw on the camel’s again.” 

KIWI CHOW, DIRECTOR OF A DOCUMENTARY, “REVOLUTION OF OUR TIMES”, ON THE 2019 PROTESTS:

“I really feel the most effective scenes post-1997 was the Hong Kong in 2019. It did carry great trauma, however I stress once more, there have been loads of lovely scenes in 2019, there was loads of brilliance of human nature.”

“The bottom time was additionally 2019. So it was the most effective of occasions, and it was the worst of occasions. Seeing so many endure in ache. The photographs proven within the information and my documentary have been solely the floor.”

“I hope the Hong Kong in 2047 will probably be a ravishing Hong Kong, a Hong Kong with freedom, a Hong Kong with a democratic society and the rule of legislation. That is the dream that has saved me optimistic and transferring ahead.”

FRED HU, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF PRIMAVERA CAPITAL GROUP:

“I nonetheless suppose on the entire it has been a profitable journey when it comes to the handover, in  phrases of the ‘one nation two programs’,” Hu stated, referring to the system that governs Hong Kong since its return to Beijing.

“The most effective second was summer time 2008 when Beijing hosted the summer time Olympics. The video games have been simply spectacular … I additionally felt a real, spontaneous, bottom-up outpouring of feelings for the Chinese language nation amongst Hong Kong’s inhabitants, rank and file. When it comes to public temper and the way Hong Kong felt being a part of China, that is the most effective second.”

“Little doubt the bottom was the second half of 2019 when the initially peaceable protest degenerated into ugly violence; (and) when a usually super-calm steady metropolis was thrown into turmoil and unrest … I used to be completely appalled by the violence and I used to be completely disenchanted by the dearth of constructive dialogue and compromises required to revive all the steadiness earlier than later.”

DAVID CHIN, UBS’s HEAD OF INVESTMENT BANKING FOR ASIA-PACIFIC:

“Beginning proper after the handover, (it was) the Asian monetary disaster,” Chin stated, referring to one of many low factors for Hong Kong. “I nonetheless bear in mind … the inventory market dropped by greater than 1,000 factors a day after which the Hong Kong authorities needed to intervene to defend the peg and the inventory market. After which folks (would) say ‘that is the top of Hong Kong as a capitalist market financial system’. That was dangerous.”

“I am nonetheless optimistic, however that’s guided by my previous 25 years.”

SUM WAN-WAH, FORMER JOURNALIST AND BOOKSHOP CO-FOUNDER:

“Throughout 1997, many stated Hong Kong will die however in the long run it didn’t. Hong Kong had a fairly good growth.”

“Within the first few years … it was like there was an actual ‘one nation, two programs’. Hong Kong may hold its unique way of life and standing. To me, these have been the most effective moments.”

“The worst second after all was after the nationwide safety legislation was applied. There have been many issues we may do up to now that we not can. Other than the information, there are a lot of issues that may violate the legislation. The values we believed in at the moment are in danger.”

(Reporting By Clare Jim, Selena Li, Kane Wu, Jessie Pang, Julie Zhu and James Pomfret; Enhancing by Anne Marie Roantree and Gerry Doyle)