Spark Deep Dive: Some Hongkongers ditch deals across the border, choosing to support local businesses

Hong Kong homemaker and part-time teacher Tam Mei-ling is on a mission. She wants to preserve her city’s cultural identity.

One way the 48-year-old mother does so is by supporting local businesses. She refrains from joining the crowds of Hongkongers heading to mainland China to shop and eat.

She said this was important for people like her, who had chosen to stay in Hong Kong. Many have left following the social unrest in 2019, Beijing’s imposition of the national security law and Covid-19.

Tam is sad to see so many Hong Kong businesses closing. “It’s heartbreaking to see how much things have gone downhill,” she said.

As for those who prefer to save money on the mainland, she said: “I don’t want to use the word ‘abandon’, but it does feel that way ... they have abandoned the city they are still living in. I find it hard to understand.”

Tam said she was loyal in patronising some shops, even those far from her home in Sai Kung. She is part of a small group of Hongkongers who are outspoken about their support of local businesses.

Kelvin Chan, 42, works in manufacturing. He has not been to the mainland for a long time. He said there had been many advancements on the mainland over the years. Still, he was concerned about quality.

He noted past experiences where he found the quality of mainland products uneven or subject to less stringent standards. “When it comes to food or other items that enter the body, that can be risky,” he explained.

He supports local businesses. Still, he feels uncertain about their future. “Sometimes, I feel it’s a kind of blind, pure stubbornness to persist,” he said. “I know the HK$500 (US$64) I occasionally spend at a shop isn’t going to do much.”

Hong Kong businesses have been struggling with store closures since the city reopened its borders in February 2023, following three years of strict anti-pandemic restrictions.

One reason is that high-spending mainland visitors have not returned in as large numbers. This is due to factors such as the unsteady economy across the border and Hong Kong’s relatively strong dollar.

Meanwhile, Hongkongers have begun flocking to places like Shenzhen for dining and entertainment. They even shop for their groceries on the mainland.

Staff writers

1. List TWO reasons why Hongkongers like Tam and Chan choose to support local businesses despite the higher costs.

2. What does Chan mean when he says he supports local shops out of “pure stubbornness”?

3. How has the reopening of the border between Hong Kong and mainland China impacted local businesses? What factors have contributed to the decline in consumer spending in Hong Kong? Explain using News and your own knowledge.

1. What is the person in the illustration doing? Who do they represent?

2. To what extent do you believe that shopping locally can help revive the city’s struggling businesses? Explain using the news and glossary.

cultural identity: the factors that make a place or culture special. They create a sense of belonging for people who live there. Things like food, language, history and beliefs can all contribute to a place’s cultural identity.

stringent: very strict and without compromise

patronising: to be a regular customer of a shop or business

1. They choose to shop locally because they want to preserve Hong Kong’s unique cultural identity, and they are concerned about the quality and reliability of mainland products.

2. Chan’s “pure stubbornness” refers to how some Hongkongers insist on buying goods and services made and sold in Hong Kong regardless of the price tag, even though their efforts could be insignificant to the survival of a business.

3. The reopening of the border has hurt Hong Kong businesses, leading to store closures and declining consumer spending. Many Hongkongers are choosing to spend their money on the mainland, where goods and services tend to be cheaper. In addition, fewer mainland Chinese tourists are visiting the city than before Covid-19.

1. The person in the illustration appears to be someone who supports made-in-Hong Kong goods and services like Tam. He represents the small group of Hongkongers who mainly support local shops.

2. Hongkongers who remain loyal to local shops play an important but limited role in reviving the city’s struggling businesses. People like Tam are committed to preserving Hong Kong’s cultural identity by avoiding shopping on the mainland, but there are challenges. Chan, despite his preference for local products due to concerns about mainland quality, admitted that his occasional spending feels insufficient.

High costs in Hong Kong and the appeal of cheaper mainland options limit the effectiveness of such loyalty. Additionally, there are fewer high-spending mainland visitors, which further strains local businesses. While these efforts provide hope, broader economic changes are needed to make local businesses competitive and ensure recovery. (other possible answers also accepted)