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Memories of unrest in Sheung Shui as mainland Chinese tourists hop Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge to Tung Chung
- Anger over influx of visitors and traders from the north sparked anger and protests in 2012
- Lantau Island new town hit with similar rise in numbers
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When Leung Kam-shing saw pictures of the tourist influx in Tung Chung over the weekend, it felt familiar: he thought it was his home in Sheung Shui.
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Since the 55km bridge connecting Hong Kong to the neighbouring cities of Macau and Zhuhai opened last month, the usually quiet new town of Tung Chung, on Lantau Island – and closest to the bridge’s local checkpoint – has seen an explosion in the number of mainland Chinese tourists at the weekend.
Local residents said they had never seen the town so crowded. They feared it would become just like Sheung Shui, a border town which in 2012 was overrun by so-called parallel traders, buying goods to sell at a profit over the border, triggering protests and souring relations between Hongkongers and mainlanders.
“Nothing has changed in Sheung Shui over the years. It is still very crowded here,” said Leung, spokesman for the North District Parallel Imports Concern Group.
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“There should be a cap on how many mainland tourists are allowed to visit Hong Kong. The government has every reason to make such a request.”
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