I think 15-20 years from now, Hong Kong will be a better place to live. Pollution will be less. Will have more democratic government. Social services will improve, people will have more voice in the government policies.
In 10-20 years time, Hk will become major salt exporters. Salt will be extracted from the flats and fossils of dead see neis many years before..
If you say HK is going downhill, you have to say compare to when? Compare to the 60ies/70ies HK is a much better city to live in. Compare to the early 90ies maybe it is maybe (donno?) a tad different but I bet most ppl on this site where not there at the time so hard to get a real feel
If HK is going downhill, I wonder where most of the rest of the world is going. While it is true that regional competitors such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Singapore have developed at a faster rate and to a certain extent caught up to HK, it doesn't mean that it's going downhill. When you are so far ahead of the rest, it's only a matter of time before they get their act together to catch up.
There's a decent system of government comparable to any in the western world in terms of efficiency and corruption. A well established banking system and expat community. A good example of that is the fact that International schools have been growing and continue to expand regularly. Excellent medical system again comparable to any developed country. Loads of money in reserve to face upcoming crisis(not the case for most western democracies). Standard of English declining? That's debatable, may be true in come public schools however there are more and more HK students educated in International Schools. Furthermore, Putonghua standards are probably increasing which may be just as important as English for the future HKer.
You often hear this kind of negative thinking from the old british hacks who miss the good old days of colonialism and some of the more anglophile chinese.
However consider the 80's and 90's when people were running scared and emigrating in droves to Canada, Australia, the UK and US. I certainly know many, many people who have happily come back to HK and find that opportunities are far better here than in those tax happy countries...
I have been here for close to 26 years .. There is not much of a future here and I plan to move back to the States or elsewhere in the next year or so.
Last edited by JaredHK; 23-03-2011 at 06:10 PM.
I also know of people who left HK after several years here and whenever they come visiting, towards the end of their stay, they wish they could stay (one couple are awaiting word about hubby's possible work transfer back to HK; just negotiating some sort of package right now). It's tough in the UK these days, apparently.
you always think the grass is greener eleswhere..