City Beat | John Lee is serious about ‘telling the Hong Kong story well’ but only the full story will convince the world
- Hong Kong is being compared to Singapore, and official assurances of the city’s good qualities are not enough
- The city also needs to admit its shortcomings while shining a spotlight on its advantages
To many movie goers, “Never enough” is the passionate theme song of the American musical, The Greatest Showman.
Here in Hong Kong, “never enough” has become the refrain for public sentiment as the government further relaxes the city’s tough anti-pandemic restrictions.
The most significant easing so far has been replacing the notorious seven days of compulsory hotel quarantine with a new “0+3” arrangement. People coming in from overseas will only have to comply with three days of medical surveillance while staying at venues of their own choice, including home.
After nearly three years of battling Covid-19, Hong Kong is the first city in China to take such a bold step on the journey back to normalcy. No one has sounded more eager than Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to declare that “Asia’s World City” is ready to open for business and welcome visitors again.
The timing is also significant. The announcement was followed by the October 1 National Day celebration to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The public holiday weekend also saw the disbursement of HK$3,000 (US$380) each to millions of eligible citizens in the latest round of government consumption vouchers to boost spending.
Yet, even as the Lee administration had good news – a positive “Hong Kong story” - to tell both domestic and international audiences, it came under immediate “never enough” pressure from major stakeholders, including businesses and investors, urging him to lift all remaining restrictions and speed up talks for a full border reopening with mainland China.
Ever since taking up office on July 1, Lee has made it mission critical “to tell the Hong Kong story well” and counter the negative narrative shaped by the double whammy of the 2019 political turmoil combined with the economic and social consequences of anti-pandemic curbs.
