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Mind The Gap | Hong Kong’s Uber arrests show the city’s talk of innovation cowers before a monopoly

The arrests signal and symbolise what the Hong Kong government really thinks of technology: write all the apps you wish but do not undermine any of our monopolies. Or we will shut you down

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Uber vehicles detained at the Sham Shui Po police station in Sham Shui Po. Hong Kong police arrested 22 Uber drivers in an undercover sting operation, the largest of its kind. Photo: Edward Wong

The taxi driver whipped out a tired-looking placard and reminded me of yet another regular increase in local taxi fares.

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I paid cash, without complaining, for another uncomfortable ride in a dilapidated taxi that does not take credit, debit or stored-value cards and devices – in the 21st century.

It was like an existential scene out of Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, where the loser-hero cannot understand the senselessness of the situation.

My fellow columnists at the South China Morning Post have accurately explained what is going on here: a craven defence of politically connected owners of grossly inflated taxi licences against Uber. But there is a darker, more ignorant and sinister conspiracy against technology development in Hong Kong.

Technology is only supported if you do not threaten traditional, entrenched industries in the city – no matter what service improvements you offer for the general public.

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Last week, 22 Uber drivers were arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of driving without a permit to operate a hired car and without third-party insurance during a three-week undercover police operation that ended with a series of raids across the city.

It certainly was a priority because it was the biggest operation of its kind, according to a Post report that cited police insiders. They said the crackdown was “necessary” because a March court ruling against the city’s controversial online car-hailing service failed to discourage drivers from joining Uber.

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