Letters | Why a national security law for Hong Kong is welcome, despite the EU’s concerns

Your correspondent Lo Wai Kong (“People of Hong Kong deserve better than this arranged marriage”, June 25) is naive to believe the European Union’s expressions of concern about Hong Kong. Sitting thousands of miles away, EU members do not know or understand clearly that the national security law for the city is a long overdue appropriate measure expected by many Hongkongers to guard against the local rebels and foreign perpetrators of unrest, whose ridiculously treacherous aim is to drag down China and put obstacles on its path to speedy growth.

Hong Kong is a cash cow for many foreign retail labels whose franchise stores used to be swarmed by mainland visitors, but the shops now cannot sustain the high rent and lack of patrons. This, combined with the astounding vandalism staged by the rebels means the city has lost its charm and its businesses are suffering.

Several top brands have had to shut shop, and the shop owners finally admit their vulnerability. American lingerie label Victoria’s Secret, which had signed a HK$7 million monthly lease for its flagship store in Causeway Bay, closed the store, it’s only one in Hong Kong.

Prada, Louis Vuitton, Tissot and Rado have already left the district, home to Russell Street, the world’s priciest retail strip in terms of rent, and Tiffany & Co will do so soon. HSBC’s share price slipped to nearly half in six months. The list of closures and lay-offs seems to be endless, with more bad news expected.