DISSATISFIED WITH THE GROWING INEQUALITY OF WEALTH
Two predominant underlying causes pushed the federal government to behave. Widespread discontent with rising wealth inequality – exemplified by skyrocketing property costs and the prevalence of cage homes and different SDUs – is believed to have contributed to the violent protests in 2019which have encountered even more durable scrutiny from China, together with the imposition of the nationwide safety legislation in 2020.
In his newest coverage speech, Lee acknowledged that town’s housing affordability disaster is “a matter of nice public concern.”
Paradoxically, direct stress from Beijing seems to have lastly pushed Hong Kong into motion. In current years, China’s high leaders, together with President Xi Jinping, have repeatedly urged town to give attention to enhancing folks’s residing circumstances, together with addressing the housing disaster.
In 2021, Xia Baolong, the highest Chinese official in control of Hong Kong, publicly challenged town to eradicate cage homes and subdivided flats by 2049. If such a name had been made on the Chinese mainland, native officers would have they instantly went into motion and launched an enchantment. give you a complete plan, full with a objective, earlier than the urged deadline.
Unfortunately, for these Hong Kong officers who now look to Beijing for steerage, it took greater than three years to develop such an unambitious plan to rename and enhance current subdivided flats.
For many Hong Kong officers, the prevalence of shameful cages and subdivided flats continues to be largely seen as a housing challenge. The reality is that they’re probably the most miserable indicators of poverty and inequality spreading in Hong Kong.
A report launched by Oxfam Hong Kong in October revealed that greater than 1.39 million folks had been residing in poverty within the first quarter, a fee of 20.2%, with the poorest 10% of households surviving on round $1,600 in earnings. Hong Kong ($205) per yr. month. By distinction, town’s wealthiest households earned 82 occasions extra, up from 34 occasions in 2019.
Hong Kong have to be brave in immediately addressing poverty and inequality. Mr Lee can find out about this immediately from Beijing.
In 2015, when Xi promised to eradicate absolute poverty by the top of 2020, round 70 million folks had been residing under the poverty line. He took private duty, took a whole-of-government strategy, and developed a holistic plan. Eight years later, in 2021, Xi declared a “full victory,” saying that almost 100 million folks had risen out of poverty.
Wang Xiangwei is a former editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post. He now teaches journalism at Hong Kong Baptist University.
