The decline of Hong Kong

[aw451]

Could you post the article in PDF or similar? I'd like to have a read at it...In the browser usually it's in File - print - Print to PDF.

Thanks!

Try this link https://archive.is/4d1mC

[timonoj]

Try this link https://archive.is/4d1mC

Great thanks! I tried to find it myself yesterday in the Internet Archives, but I only reached the subscription page still.

[aw451]

Great thanks! I tried to find it myself yesterday in the Internet Archives, but I only reached the subscription page still.

Yeah this is a different service which pretends to be Google and then archives the page. Since the newspapers want to be in Google they display the whole article.

[pin]

So many post on Geo about how having a helper is because you are a slave master or can’t clean up your own messes. But it’s really because there is ZERO childcare support for parents. Kindergarten is 2-3 hours a day and will be the first thing to shut when there’s a virus/protest/cold weather/etc. Even Singapore which has a helper culture still has proper nurseries and kindies with a full school day.

If people know that both parents will have to work plus they have to employ a helper if they want kids and a halfway decent place to live - yes I can see why many don’t have kids or only have one.

This. Unfortunately in expensive HK for many FDHs are a necessity not a luxury. There is ZERO proper childcare.

And don't forget the very dated rules on maternity and paternity care in HK, which doesn't really help foster having children here.

Also lets throw in the culture of must be seen in the office even if there is no work to do. Yes, a minority don't have this issue, but they are a minority and not the majority. This is obviously self perpetuated by the belief of companies that its fine for employees to work late because the employees have FDHs to look after the children.

HK has basically created the perfect storm of a shitty place to have kids if you are working. However can't blame the Chinese for this. The British has many years to fix this issue but they decided not to.

[jobin]

For international companies and financial institutions operating in the territory, the city’s legal system has served as a guarantee that they can enforce contracts against Chinese state-owned enterprises and companies linked to mainland officials. In mainland China, the judicial system is subservient to the ruling Communist Party and its 92m members are often effectively above the law.
The above from the cited FT report. That's it: above the law.

Well, not quite correct coz the Party can change the law overnight and make it retroactive. Convenient, eh?

[Fenix2]

The big question is how do you make political systems so people who are psychopaths and have narcisistic personality disorder don't getting into power....

[Coolboy]

This. Unfortunately in expensive HK for many FDHs are a necessity not a luxury. There is ZERO proper childcare.

And don't forget the very dated rules on maternity and paternity care in HK, which doesn't really help foster having children here.

Also lets throw in the culture of must be seen in the office even if there is no work to do. Yes, a minority don't have this issue, but they are a minority and not the majority. This is obviously self perpetuated by the belief of companies that its fine for employees to work late because the employees have FDHs to look after the children.

HK has basically created the perfect storm of a shitty place to have kids if you are working. However can't blame the Chinese for this. The British has many years to fix this issue but they decided not to.

This is a good illustration of the regulatory capture of the HK government by vested interest, certain industries that aren't in favour of more generous childcare benefits because they fear employees have to be absent from work longer due to maternity leave etc (and of course, we have employers who fires employees who got pregnant, maybe not directly stated as a reason, but its clear to all that is the real reason).

But what benefits these vested interest get by suppressing childbirths is harmful to HK society as a whole (aging less productive society). Is the HK government so stupid they don't realize this? Probably not, rather its the case those civil servants realize this full well but they have no political will to change because they are all in the pockets of those vested interest.

So in short, the HK government is not even able to do what is for the benefit of its people. Is it any wonder the city is in decline?

[aw451]

This is a good illustration of the regulatory capture of the HK government by vested interest, certain industries that aren't in favour of more generous childcare benefits because they fear employees have to be absent from work longer due to maternity leave etc (and of course, we have employers who fires employees who got pregnant, maybe not directly stated as a reason, but its clear to all that is the real reason).

But what benefits these vested interest get by suppressing childbirths is harmful to HK society as a whole (aging less productive society). Is the HK government so stupid they don't realize this? Probably not, rather its the case those civil servants realize this full well but they have no political will to change because they are all in the pockets of those vested interest.

So in short, the HK government is not even able to do what is for the benefit of its people. Is it any wonder the city is in decline?

The HK government, when not kissing the feet of those up north, are in it for themselves and will mostly be dead by the time the demographic problems explode. Since they are self interested and not accountable to anyone they just kick the can down the road.

It could also be argued that the Lantau Vision may be partly intended to "fix" this problem by providing space for imported mainland labour but that's never going to be officially stated anywhere.

[GentleGeorge]

Birth rates are dropping right across APAC aren't they?

I think it's to do with, inter alia, increased female empowerment and higher levels of tertiary education

Probably pricey accommodation doesn't help either. Japan solved that one with the crash in the 90s but the rest of them are still on the bubble side

https://www.economist.com/united-sta...oking-european

So adding to my list from before, we have:

- HK
- rest of APAC
- Europe
- now also USA

[GentleGeorge]

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-e...s-signal-scale

And also the mainland