Economist.com Cities Guide: Hong Kong Briefing - February 2006

News this month

Separate but equal?

Hong Kong's independence from the mainland is again coming into question. A court is reviewing a February 2003 decision to turn away four Falun Gong practitioners who had arrived from Taiwan for an annual conference organised by the Hong Kong Association of Falun Dafa. The four allege that they, together with 79 others, were refused entry because of their religious affiliation. So far the Immigration Department has offered little by way of explanation, except to say the four had been placed on a watch-list because intelligence suggested they posed a threat to public order.

The Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, guarantees freedom of association, speech and religion. Indeed, protests by Falun Gong practitioners are not an unusual sight on Hong Kong streets. But the group is banned on the mainland, where its practitioners complain of various forms of intimidation. Activists are concerned the four may have been put on the watch-list because of intelligence received from mainland authorities. If true, that would undermine the city's claim to operate a human-rights policy independent of Beijing, and would exacerbate fears about a general erosion of the rule of law.

Disney does it again

Hong Kong Disneyland just can't seem to put a foot right. After a string of problems at the park, which opened in September, scenes of mainland tourists rushing through its gates over Chinese New Year should have been cause for celebration. Instead, they brought Bill Ernest, the park's managing director, to tears, as he was forced to apologise for a ticketing fiasco that inconvenienced thousands of visitors.

In January the park switched to a system in which entry tickets are valid for six months, as opposed to a specific date. But this move meant that on several occasions during the national holiday many people with valid tickets were left standing at the gates, when the park reached its 30,000-person capacity. Tourists who were turned away then tried to storm the park. Ticket agencies now say they will offer refunds to those refused entry, and one company even proposed a free stay at the park's hotel. Park officials say the ticketing system will probably change. Given Disneyland's already long list of gaffes—including a quickly reversed decision to offer shark's fin soup on the menus, the use of illegally quarried river rocks, overblown attendance figures, and a general lack of transparency—Disney is reputed to be sending a trouble-shooter from its Californian headquarters.

Bird flu

With the spectre of a global bird flu pandemic looming, Hong Kong has the unwelcome distinction of being the city with the longest experience of the deadly bug. H5N1, the strain thought most likely to be the next big killer, was identified in the city in 1997, when it first spread from poultry to humans. Now a study has shown that rather than disappearing—as many had hoped—it never really left. The study, which involved scientists at the University of Hong Kong and was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences early in February, found the virus among otherwise healthy bird populations across Southern China and Hong Kong.

The news has energised the city's prevention policies, with several wild birds testing positive in recent weeks. Health officials have outlawed backyard rearing of chickens and increased surveillance of live poultry markets. People are already banned from carrying live poultry on public buses, and most residential buildings sport posters advising people how to minimise the risk of infection.

Oscar angst

Hong Kong is a city uniquely suited to the cinephile. Not only do its cramped living conditions and few public parks force people to seek solitude in the cinema, but it also enjoys a rich film-making history. Interest in this year's American Academy Awards ceremony is running high, in large part because of the excitement over “Brokeback Mountain”, a film directed by Ang Lee, a Taiwanese native, which has snared eight Oscar nominations. A live broadcast of Hollywood's night of nights will take place on March 6th at 8am locally. But many have been disappointed to learn the programme will be cut an hour short because of an obscure law that forces television stations to show a certain amount of educational shows during the day.

TVB Pearl, the affected station, has been petitioning the Broadcasting Authority for an exemption, but to no avail. Apparently the Oscars do not satisfy the public interest test, and the educational programmes will be shown from mid-day onwards. The cut is particularly painful given that were Mr Lee to receive an award for either Best Picture or Best Director—making him the first Chinese director to win an Oscar—it would be during that final hour.

In search of land and scruples

Estate agents are rarely praised for their trustworthiness. But in Hong Kong, public opinion of this profession seems to have sunk to an all-time low. Figures released in early February by the Estate Agents Authority (EAA), the industry's watchdog, showed that complaints about unscrupulous agents have soared by 50% in just two years. Some of that increase could be attributed to a recent boom in activity in the property market. After a six-year slump, which saw prices in some market segments fall as much as 70%, prices have been rocketing and the ground is ripe for rip-offs. The problem of dodgy estate agents has become so bad that the Legislative Council, the city's pseudo-parliament, is threatening to intervene. A committee has ordered the EAA to raise the standards of its membership.

Catch if you can

February 2006

Hong Kong Arts Festival

Until March 12th 2006

Often criticised for its lacklustre arts scene, Hong Kong is actually home to one of the region's oldest and most diverse arts festivals. Now in its 34th year, the Hong Kong Arts Festival runs for four weeks and showcases some of the world's greatest talents. Highlights this year include shows by Salif Keita, a great Malian musician, and four performances of “Don Giovanni” by Opera Dresden and Opera Nuremberg, in honour of the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth.

The local arts community is also well represented, with Actor's Family, the city's leading Cantonese theatre group, presenting a new take on an old folk tale in “The Legend of the White Snake”. There are 48 programmes running throughout the month-long festival, ensuring something for everyone.

Various venues around the city. For details see the festival website.

More from the Hong Kong cultural calendar