At first I thought that my blog postings would continue in chronological order (Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai) but upon reflection I think I will write first about Hong Kong and Shanghai. And then finish with Beijing in a few days.
Why is that? As I may have commented in one of my earlier posts, this adventure has evolved into an exploration of the former British empire. While some of these countries remain part of the commonwealth today along with the pomp and circumstance –- others like China have brought former colonies fully into their control.
In any event, while the entire visit to China was enlightening and full of fun experiences, there is something about the historical transformation in both Hong Kong and Shanghai that call out for attention. Starting with Hong Kong, it is important to recall that 1997 was the formal turnover of Hong Kong to the Chinese. It is a little startling to think that while many other gems of the British empire were given up in the 50’s and 60’s, the British were able to hold onto Hong Kong for so long.
But today it is part of China’s” one party, two systems” experiment and also part of what I’d like to call its “two system , one tension system .” What do I mean by that? Well, we all know Hong Kong as being an economic power center of Asia. After all, Hong Kong sits on an island with hardly any resources or manufacturing and yet it is an economic titan. Because of its historic place in the British empire which means today there is a large English speaking, well educated and affluent population, Hong Kong has always maintained a key role in the region. Well my assignment is not to write a book about it, but what I did learn is that it appears that China is doing everything it can to create a rival capitalist center of China on the Mainland – and that is in Shanghai. And this leaves the future of Hong Kong unclear -- just as it was for the decades before the 1997 turnover.
As we know, the Chinese have been relatively careful to maintain the status quo on Hong Kong and to avoid creating an untenable political or economic environment that would alienate either the Chinese population or Hong Kong's economic machine. I was told by someone that, in fact, they rather enjoy having this free market possession within their control. It's something they can "play" with. But it is also clear that Shanghai is in their sights to become the new Hong Kong, the new capital of capitalism in China, and even, perhaps, THE global economic powerhouse of the 21st century in Asia. It has the potential to be the economic capital of the region – the leading trading hub for the region as well as the gateway to 1.3 billion people whose material needs and production capacity are growing by the second.
My impression is that while Hong Kong is a bustling hub stuffed cheek to jowl, where business is everything and the local population stays highly focused on getting their business done. At the same time, they are very concerned about the future; there is a new leader looming and it is casting a large shadow. And they know it
One personal example of the focus on business became apparent the first morning I was there. I had arrived late at night and so wasn’t too familiar with where I was. As I began to look for a bit to eat, I noticed a man in a yarmulke passing me on the street. It caught my attention. Then came #2, #3, #4. I noted this to myself (who couldn’t notice this in Hong Kong?) and went about my business for the day. I returned from my outing during rush hour and the busy streets turned into a whirl of people and activity. I thought it was New York on steroids. The thought of getting a cab for the 1 mile trip was a pipe dream so I started to walk map in hand. It wasn't too challenging I must admit as everything in Hong Kong is well marked in English --thanks to the Brits. Finally, I got to a place that was familiar and I knew I just had to continue straight for the remaining distance. Happy with myself, I stuck the map in my pocket and carried on. A few minutes later, I heard someone from behind say “excuse me, sir, but you dropped your map.”
When I turned around there was a hassid standing there in full regalia – the long robe, pais, tzits, black hat. Everything. He handed me the map and was on his way – right in the direction of my hotel – talking in English to a 40 something Chinese business man the entire time. Curious as can be, I approached the front desk clerk (a nice gay guy I had met several times already) and asked if there was anything special going on in town, mentioning explicitly that I saw a lot of men with little hats on their heads. Non-plussed, he immediately replied that it was the week of the Hong Kong jewelry show and that’s why they were there. Now I understood.
I also learned that there are some stunning parts to the island side of Hong Kong at Repulse Bay (don’t know the history of that one) which includes a spectacular coast line which runs some distance outside of downtown. As is inevitable, the coastal roads are replete with condo towers that hug the expansive mountains behind them while reaching miles into the sky overhead. Check out this site.
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/hk-repulse-bay.html
The Repulse Bay area can be breathtaking, overwhelming and a bit shocking all at the same time. One prays that there will never be seismic action on Hong Kong after traveling that coast line. But otherwise, it is stunning.
Stay tuned for China II and more on my fun time in Shanghai...
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