I agree with you Ali71, the pollution will definitly affect HK's prosperity. With no natural resources to sell the only thing going for HK is that it has made itself into a financial hub. This is already changing however with Singapore getting it's act together and attracting the same people that HK used to attract before the pollution got this bad. HK will be nothing without its expats and foreign workers.
Pollution always this bad?
- Thread starter Ali71
- Start date
I couldn't agree more. It's really terrible. We're considering leaving Hong Kong now as a result - I have developed mild asthma myself and now we have a little one on the way in Feb, it's a real concern. I just received a job offer from Dubai and went there to check it out last week - although it's still hot there of course (the end of the summer) the air felt so fresh in comparison to HK. I felt so much better within hours of getting there.
I lived in London for 10 years and was in Tokyo for a number of years too, so it's not like I'm comparing the pollution here to a rural area. The HK government really need to get off their arses and make and then implement some serious measures to help. Simply watching the HK Observatory list air pollution as "Very High" day after day (and we know their standard is lower than the rest of the world anyway) just won't cut it anymore!
I lived in London for 10 years and was in Tokyo for a number of years too, so it's not like I'm comparing the pollution here to a rural area. The HK government really need to get off their arses and make and then implement some serious measures to help. Simply watching the HK Observatory list air pollution as "Very High" day after day (and we know their standard is lower than the rest of the world anyway) just won't cut it anymore!
Neha
Banned
I agree that Pollution is very bad here. My husband has lived here for 14 years and developped Asthma due to pollution, But to say that HK is nothing without expats and foreign workers is a bit insensitive to the local Chinese population. I am not Chinese and I am a foreigner living here, But status of HK as a financial hub and its closeness to Mainland will always be beneficial to HK. I am sure the pollution levels has effected a lot people decison to migrate from here but still I think there a lot more people coming to HK also
Neha, I have to politely disagree. HK cannot be an international financial centre without foreigners. If the majority of foreign professionals move to Singapore, (as an example), HK will be unable to compete - with or without the mainland pulling it along. For any major city to be considered a financial and international hub it must attract foreign workers. London does, New York does, Dubai does, Hong Kong currently does. This is not a slight on Hong Kong or the locals, it's just reality. Dubai wasn't the mammoth economy it currently is when only locals lived there.
Neha
Banned
I agree with u that u need foreign talent in the city, But my point is u feel that pollution is a hindrance to foreign talent coming to HK, but there a lot of foreigners coming here inspite of the pollution. What I am trying to say is that money is huge incentive for people ( huge expats salaries packages) to forget aboutthe pollution for a coupleof years .To be a succesfull financial centre u need money which HK has abundant of. HSI has gone up more than 15% ina month whereas STI alot less.
I am sure there alot of foreigners who are packing their packs moving their families out of HK due to the pollution but there a lot more trying to move into HK and get a piece of China. China in the next 30-40 years will be the worlds largest economy.
I am sure there alot of foreigners who are packing their packs moving their families out of HK due to the pollution but there a lot more trying to move into HK and get a piece of China. China in the next 30-40 years will be the worlds largest economy.
I am not sure whether it's just miscommunication but the comment of "HK will be nothing without its expats and foreign workers" is a little grating and insulting to my ears. Let's be honest, it has always been a case of expats and foreign workers being attracted to HK cos of the excellent pay package and low tax, not that HK needs expats and foreign workers and cannot function without them. There are plenty of Chinese who are educated abroad with exactly the same/higher qualification as the expats you mentioned. It'd be great if the air can get cleaner and pollution may deter some expats from coming to HK and but their absence will not tumble HK as have been suggested in this thread. Also, even from this site alone, it seems lots of aussies are still coming to HK despite the pollution and there is no mass exodus as is portrayed.
Jonathanmommy
Registered User
Thank you AndreaY. Totally agree with you!!
I've been following this thread and I have to chime in here. First, pollution is a huge problem when it comes to expat workers. For example, my husband needs American bar licensed attornies to come to Hong Kong and help work on deals. Hong Kong companies that list on the exchange here all have US private placement components that REQUIRE US attornies. Not HK registered, UK registered, etc. And these people need to reside in Hong Kong because there is so much work out here to be done and this still is very much a face to face business culture. Most HK and Chinese companies are getting the bulk of their money from the US. He has been trying for over two years to get people to come out here and the truth of the matter is that no matter what the sum of money is....and believe me it's huge, people with families (and some without) do not want to live in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's pollution makes news in the US!!!! Believe me, I get forwarded the articles, etc. from my mother all the time.
Pollution is a huge problem and we will leave because of it and trust me we're not the only ones. We have a new baby and there isn't really any amount of money that would get me to stay.
So instead of us arguing about it, everyone here needs to do their part to conserve energy and get involved in reducing the level of pollutants. It may not make a huge impact, but at least it sends a message that we're concerned and the government needs to do something about it. I love living in Hong Kong and it saddens me that there are days I don't go outside because I don't want my daughter breathing the air.
Pollution is a huge problem and we will leave because of it and trust me we're not the only ones. We have a new baby and there isn't really any amount of money that would get me to stay.
So instead of us arguing about it, everyone here needs to do their part to conserve energy and get involved in reducing the level of pollutants. It may not make a huge impact, but at least it sends a message that we're concerned and the government needs to do something about it. I love living in Hong Kong and it saddens me that there are days I don't go outside because I don't want my daughter breathing the air.
To Neha's point about people moving here to try to get a piece of China, while that may be true now, it isn't going to be that way for long. What is happening already is that the focus is slowly shifting from Hong Kong north to Shanghai. Why use HK as a gateway to China when firms can actually now be located in China? Very large US law firms, banks, etc are not opening offices in Hong Kong but they are going straight to Shanghai and Beijing. If we stayed in HK, we'd have to relocate to Shanghai in a few years for this very reason.
Also to whoever was saying regardless of pollution, expats will come for lower taxes, etc....it obviously depends on individual circumstances and our overly complicated tax system, but in general US citizens pay virtually the same amount of tax as they would in the states because we are taxed on our worldwide income. And to be honest, I've heard from friends here recently that some US firms aren't offering the same kind of lucrative expat packages. They are still good, but nothing like they used to be.
Slightly off the pollution topic, but even more incentive to clean up the air I think.
Enjoy this lovely day. I can see blue sky!
Also to whoever was saying regardless of pollution, expats will come for lower taxes, etc....it obviously depends on individual circumstances and our overly complicated tax system, but in general US citizens pay virtually the same amount of tax as they would in the states because we are taxed on our worldwide income. And to be honest, I've heard from friends here recently that some US firms aren't offering the same kind of lucrative expat packages. They are still good, but nothing like they used to be.
Slightly off the pollution topic, but even more incentive to clean up the air I think.
Enjoy this lovely day. I can see blue sky!
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