Hong Kong is the city of paradoxes par excellence. Hosting the most famous global financial institutions, it is known all over the world as Asia’s financial hub. Yet, the wealthy Hong Kong only represents a minuscule fraction of the city; nestled around Central, Southern Hong Kong Island, or West Kowloon (to name a few).
The vast majority of Hong Kongers, the Hong Kongers we choose not to see, the Hong Kongers that didn’t give the city its glorious status in the world, the Hong Kongers that don’t matter, on the other hand, represent -by far- the bulk of the population. Massed mainly in Kowloon and the New Territories, they are Hong Kong’s torn in the flesh. Well, not exactly, in fact. Because, however poor they are, they remain remarkably tame.
And considering their numbers and just how poor they are, this is quite astonishing.
Gweilo Rant 