Zhong Nanshan Urges China to Learn mRNA Vaccines

Zhong says China can learn to mix and match vaccines

China's top disease expert says the country needs to learn from the West about advanced mRNA vaccine technology, countries should work together, and explore how to mix and match vaccines.

Respiratory scientist Zhong Nanshan was speaking at the Greater Bay Science Forum in Guangzhou on Saturday.

"We should learn about the good things in other countries, such as mRNA vaccines. They have spent years on the research and managed to develop mRNA vaccines [for the coronavirus] in just a few months," Zhong said.

mRNA vaccines teach immune system to fight virus

"The urgency of the disease has accelerated the work in this regard. We should learn [from other countries] aspects such as the technology and delivery mechanism [of mRNA vaccines]."

China originally had reservations about mRNA vaccines but is now developing its own, though late stage trial data has yet to be released.

There is also no news about whether China's drug regulator will approve the mRNA vaccine by German company BioNTech, which has signed a deal with Fosun Pharma to distribute and produce the jabs for greater China.

"In other countries, there are mRNA vaccines and vectored vaccines and there aren't too many choices. In China, we have protein subunit vaccines [like Sinovac that don't contain live pathogens]. If mixing and matching vaccines can yield better results, then we should not feel uneasy about it. We can run together and work together in this regard," he said.

Over 82 percent of China's population vaccinated

Zhong said international cooperation was also required in other areas, such as tracing the origin of the coronavirus and transmission routes.

This need was highlighted by the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the many unknowns about its behaviour and origin," he said.

So far China has fully vaccinated 1.17 billion people, or 82.5 percent of the population. More than 120 million booster shots have been administered, according to the National Health Commission.

Lam Hopes Border Opens in December

There are hopes Hongkongers can go to Shenzhen next month

There is some cautious optimism that the border between Hong Kong and China may be opened as early as next month -- though there are restrictions and the key word is "gradual", according to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

Hong Kong travellers will be able to go to the mainland -- but only to Guangdong province. 

"You cannot enjoy this quarantine-free travel directly to Beijing or Shanghai. It's logical because we start with the Greater Bay Area," she said.

Lam says the border reopening will be "gradual"

There will be a quota system of how many are allowed in, and priority will be given to those with business interests.

When asked to confirm if the border will open by the end of the year, Lam replied, "I hope very much so. But I just can't promise it. We are still in discussion."

Ah, there's the rub.

As much as Lam hopes the border will reopen, it is still beyond her control.

According to a mainland health official familiar with the negotiations, Hong Kong travellers would have to use the same contact-tracing app that is used in China and display the green health code issued by the city, indicating a low risk of Covid-19 infection.

"Travellers from Hong Kong could go to other cities in Guangdong province after arriving in Shenzhen if they have valid health codes and meet other requirements, which are being finalised," the official said.

"If the Hong Kong government manages a smooth roll-out of the system, we might see the first trial of such an arrangement in mid-December."

China's health code: green, yellow and red

The Chinese health code can store the travel history of users and generate a colour-coded warning system based on exposure risks to Covid-19 patients with green being low, yellow and red, meaning high risk and not eligible to enter.

Lam said better contact-tracing ability and a higher vaccination rate would help Hong Kong convince mainland health experts to support the resumption of quarantine-free travel.

Despite Hong Kong not having any local infections for 27 consecutive days, while China recorded 93 infections yesterday, it seems odd that Beijing still has the upper hand. 

Nevertheless, when Lam doesn't even know for sure when the border will open, that means it may not happen in December. 

Priority given to businesses first to cross border

And with restrictions even tighter in Beijing with the Winter Olympics less than 90 days away, the chances of Hongkongers getting into the capital are next to zero.

That's why the keyword is "gradual"... 

Carrie Lam Snubbed by Shenzhen?

The Canton Fair is the largest and oldest trade fair in China

Just days after her policy address highlighting the Northern Metropolis as a major infrastructure project to bring Hong Kong closer to the mainland and the Greater Bay Area, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was snubbed by Shenzhen officials today.

Earlier in the day she was in Guangzhou for the opening of the Canton Fair, the largest and oldest trade fair in China. She joined some 600 officials and business leaders from the mainland and overseas, with the event officiated by Premier Li Keqiang.

Premier Li Keqiang opened the Canton Fair

Lam met with Guangzhou Party Secretary Zhang Shoufu, city mayor Wen Guohui, and other local government officials, briefing them on her policy address.

Then later in the day she was supposed to meet with senior Shenzhen officials to brief them on the "Northern Metropolis" plan and how it would interface with Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area. 

However, in a press release issued on Thursday night, the Hong Kong government said: "After [Lam's] arrival in Guangzhou, [she] noted that the meeting with the Shenzhen leaders in Shenzhen originally scheduled for [Thursday] afternoon had to be cancelled. The governments of the two places will fix another date for the meeting."

Lam met with Guangzhou officials

The Shenzhen side pulled out citing unexpected commitments... though one wonders why the last minute change as Chinese officials like everything to go according to schedule...

Sadly Lam had to go home empty handed, leaving behind Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who will attend a forum tomorrow in Guangzhou.

Lam's Plan to Develop New Territories North into Metropolis

Lam enters Legislative Council to deliver her policy address

 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has revealed her ambitious plan to tackle housing -- develop New Territories North, the area close to the border with Shenzhen. That will mean the rapid development (and gentrification) or districts like Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long, Fanling and Sheung Shui. 

That will mean having to deal with the thorny issue of indigenous villagers having those small three-storey houses dotted all over the New Territories, and developing brown sites that are covered with shipping containers.

Across the border is developed Shenzhen

By combining the above mentioned districts together and developing the area could yield 515,000 new residential flats and become a crucial link with the Greater Bay Area.

"With as many as seven land-based boundary control points, the Northern Metropolis will be the most important area in Hong Kong that facilitates our development integration with Shenzhen and connection with the Greater Bay Area," she said during her policy address today.

"Such an integration can create the development capacity to meet the needs of our economy and people's livelihoods, and a quality environment for sustainable development," Lam said. "All these will help us better respond to the new opportunities brought about by deepened cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen."

Time to tackle indigenous villager houses

Lam is still pitching her "Lantau Tomorrow Vision" of building an entire island from scratch off of Lantau, but the Northern Metropolis makes more sense and would be less ecologically damaging.

However, will the market worry about property prices falling? There are rumours house prices will drop this month following Lam's announcement. 

But those owning land in Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long, Fanling and Sheung Shui will be raking it in as their property will be demand. 

 

Lam Tells Youth to Go to Hainan

Lam (left) in Boao for the annual forum for Asia

 

Hong Kong's dear leader is in Hainan Island or "the Hawaii of China" for the Boao Forum for Asia. It was cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but back on this year.

Lam suggested a solution for young Hongkongers looking for an alternative place to developing their careers in the Greater Bay Area -- move to Hainan.

Lam says HKers should enjoy the coconut trees

She said people could not only "enjoy the shadow of coconut trees", but they could also feast on Hainanese chicken rice -- a dish that has its roots in Wenchang, Hainan, but is more popularly associated with Singapore and Malaysia.

Lam said Hainan island's leaders have noted Beijing's plans to entice young Hongkongers to other parts of the Greater Bay Area, and they are also taking the initiative to give opportunities to them.

"My colleagues and I were very moved," she wrote on her Facebook.

She wrote that she hoped young people of Hong Kong would move to Hainan to pursue work or internships, and added the island has a friendly local population and is rich in agricultural products.

However, not everyone was impressed by Lam's suggestion.

The Singaporean version of Hainan chicken rice

While some thought the Chief Executive's idea was a good one, pointing out Hainan is a beautiful place and Hongkongers would love it there, others posted sarcastic remarks, accusing her of failing to "fact check" her promotion of Singaporean cuisine.

"Just because the name of the dish has the word 'Hainan' in it doesn't mean it is a Hainan specialty. It's the same with pineapple buns having no pineapples in them, or Swiss Chicken Wings having nothing to do with Switzerland," one wrote.

However that person is incorrect -- Hainan chicken rice is well known in Hainan, though it is a different version from the Singaporean and Malaysian one; it is originally from Wenchang in the northeast of Hainan, and it refers to the breed of the chicken which is quite lean and so the meat is tougher than what most would expect. There are also aren't condiments like chilli sauce or soy sauce, but is rather eaten bland with some chicken stock (and no chicken oil) flavoured in the chicken or the rice.

Meanwhile others had biting remarks like this one: "As an international city, we've got all sorts of different cuisines and we can get any food we want here. Hongkongers should stay in Hong Kong."

The original Wenchang version of the dish

Perhaps Lam could have a rethink another way of enticing young people to the Greater Bay Area? Hainan is basically a tourist mecca and not an economic powerhouse like say Guangzhou or Shanghai... unless her intention is for Hongkongers laze around coconut trees and eat Hainan chicken all day?

Lam's Policy Address was a Doozy

Lam makes her policy address and note the Chinese lapel pin

The long-awaited policy address by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was finally given, and clocked in at a very long two hours and 15 minutes, tying with her predecessor Leung Chun-ying. Lam read out some 30,000 words and claimed she had written the entire thing herself. 

She read out her speech to a Legislature Council that only made up of the pro-establishment lawmakers and two independents after four pan-democrat lawmakers were ousted and their 15 colleagues resigned in protest a few weeks ago.

Cheung gets hair crabs, Ip sees Tsang sleeping

Lam claimed to be pleased she could read out her speech in a peaceful chambers, as last year she received so much heckling that she retreated from Legco and gave a pre-recorded video address instead.

Maybe that's because some people in the room were busy doing other things -- like Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai was caught dozing off as well as Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee. 

Meanwhile the portly Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Christopher Cheung Wah-fung received a message on his phone that his order of hairy crabs worth HK$9,600 was ready to be picked up and would he be paying by cheque or cash?

Then there was the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong's Vincent Cheng Wing-shun spending the time trying to twirl a pen on his hand, while New People's Party's Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee looked at pictures of Tsang sleeping on her Whatsapp.

Did Lam reprimand them for not paying attention to her piece de resistance?

What lawmakers did listening to Lam's speech

In any event, at least the media were glued to their screens watching the proceedings. 

Lam started the speech by saying the objective of the policy address was to "find a way out of the impasse" and restore people's confidence following the anti-government protests last year, and the current battle against the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused the economy to shrink by 6.1 percent.

The national security law enacted on June 30, Lam said, helped Hong Kong become peaceful again and restored stability in the city. But she said more needs to be done in educating people, particularly the youth about the law, and this will be a 10-year project launched by the Department of Justice. Lawmakers, judges and civil servants will have to pledge allegiance to the city and the Basic Law.

Reporters made note of Lam wearing a pin of the Chinese flag on her lapel, signalling things are becoming more mainlandized. Hong Kong will be dragged closer to the mainland with the Greater Bay Area as the priority, and the city together with Macau and Guangdong will become an economic powerhouse -- at least in theory.

Some 2,000 university graduates from Hong Kong who are willing to go work in the mainland will have their monthly salary of HK$18,000 (US$2,322) paid for by taxpayers. Will that actually tempt them to go to the dark side? Or will they worry they will be branded as traitors?

Is it realistic to invest in Zhuhai Airport?

Lam also said the Airport Authority Hong Kong will invest in more shares in Zhuhai Airport for domestic travel, but when looked at realistically, it is 90km away and there is currently no logistical connection between it and Hong Kong. 

To boost the economy in the short term, stamp duties on commercial real estate transactions will be suspended, but that perhaps will make the rich richer and the rest of us left further behind. Lam said with the GBA project, Hong Kong could act as a middleman between China and the rest of the world... hasn't it been doing that since the 1800s? And has Hong Kong been reduced to the role of facilitator and not a leading city in Asia? 

When it comes to fighting the pandemic, Lam says Hong Kong has ordered vaccines, but if there aren't enough, the mainland has earmarked some for us. However she had no further details on the manufacturer or how effective they were. How reassuring.

During her visit to Beijing she pitched the idea of opening the border with the mainland, but she was rebuffed because Hong Kong's case numbers are still high (this was before the current fourth wave). 

Hong Kong needs to reach zero infections

As a result, Lam says a community-wide testing program may need to happen again, and reiterated people need to be more careful about going out unnecessarily as she is pushing for zero infections. Lam later admitted in the press conference it may be impossible to get completely down to zero, but that it was something to aim for. Don't we all, Carrie?

Finally the chief executive talked about more housing, and that the government had identified 330 hectares of land to build 316,000 public housing units in the next 10 years. And she is still pushing her ambitious Lantau Tomorrow Vision of reclaiming 1,000 hectares of land to build more housing at the price tag of HK$624 billion. 

Critics not only say this drains at least half of the government coffers, but also the environmental damage will be irreparable. When asked again about it by the media, Lam shot back that only HK$550 million would be spent on a study, but in reality with no viable opposition, the project will go ahead eventually. 

So that in a nutshell is the policy address today.

But we really wonder if Christopher Cheung enjoyed his hairy crabs today.

 

Young Hongkongers Love Their Hometown

Xi gave a speech today, with Carrie Lam sitting on the far right

 

In his speech marking Shenzhen's 40th anniversary as a special economic zone, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged young Hongkongers to live, work and study in in the Chinese city, describing it as an "important engine".

"We must foster the integrated development of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, and they must foster each other's development," he said.

"The party has high hopes for Shenzhen... It needs to push forward the bay area plan and enrich the new practices in the implementation of 'one country, two systems'. These are historic missions that the party is giving to Shenzhen in the new era."

Xi calls for HK, Macau to be closer to Shenzhen

The three cities are part of the Greater Bay Area, where the plan is to turn Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and eight other Guangdong cities into a technology and finance hub that rivals California's Silicon Valley by 2035.

It's interesting Xi has transplanted the phrase "one country, two systems" in the context of Shenzhen which doesn't make much sense, but the push to further integrate Hong Kong and Macau into the fold is evident.

But how will it all square?

Macau is mostly a gambling town, while Hong Kong is a finance and services hub. It's a wonder how Macau can help foster the development of Hong Kong and Shenzhen...

In his speech, Xi also encouraged the authorities to encourage Hong Kong's young people to seize opportunities on the mainland.

Xi says Shenzhen is an "important engine"

"We must attract more Hong Kong and Macau youth to study, work and live on the mainland, and boost interaction and communication between youth in Hong Kong and Macau with those in Guangdong, to bring their hearts closer to the motherland," he said.

That might be difficult given that most young people were out protesting against the government last year, and currently the local authorities are criminalizing the youth in the city. The police harass and intimidate young people and last year over 750 were arrested during the protests, one as young as 12 years old.

Opposition lawmaker Wu Chi-wai, chairman of the Democratic Party, said it was "ridiculous and laughable" to suggest that Hong Kong youth would be more patriotic if they worked or studied on the mainland.

Hundreds of young people arrested in 2019

"When the mainland government suppresses Hong Kong's freedoms, and Hong Kong young people don't trust it, how can they be attracted to work or live on the mainland?" he asked.

And now with the new national security law, young Hongkongers are even more worried about crossing the border, and also the practical reality of lower pay and job prospects there with so much competition on the mainland.

So it will be even harder for Beijing to entice young people across the border, unless they are in the tech field or are genuinely interested in working in China.

Young people love Hong Kong because they feel it is becoming mainlandized and are determined to protect it from what they see as further erosion rights and freedoms, the way of life that they cherish deeply.

Young people really love Hong Kong

While their passion may be a fruitless cause in the end, last year's protests was their political and social awakening. They will never forget what happened and it will never be washed from their memories. China must address and accept these tensions before moving forward, but knowing the CCP, it will try to desperately sweep things under the carpet as if they never happened.

So its grandiose plan of integrating Hong Kong into the mainland will continue to be filled with political tension. Beijing has been warned.

Unprecedented Postponement of Policy Address

Lam announced her policy address will be made next month

Hongkongers were anxiously anticipating Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's annual policy address this Wednesday, to give the city an idea of what direction the government is going to take. It is more crucial now with Hong Kong having gone through the coronavirus pandemic since late January to know how the authorities will keep the economy going and support its residents.

However, on Sunday it was announced by state media that Chinese President Xi Jinping would visit Shenzhen to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the special economic zone. 

Xi to visit Shenzhen on Wednesday

This morning in a hastily arranged press conference, Lam said that the all important policy address would be postponed to November so that she could lead the Hong Kong delegation to the event. And besides, she still had to go to Beijing later this month to meet with senior Chinese officials, hinting perhaps there would be more support for Hong Kong's recovery.

Xi must have known Lam was scheduled to give the policy address on Wednesday, so it's interesting she is dropping everything to rush across the border to see her boss, even though Lam insists she doesn't even have a meeting planned with him.

Critics were quick to point out Lam probably didn't have a policy address planned, that she had to wait for further instructions from Beijing. Others scorned the perception that her going to Shenzhen was more important than giving the policy address, which has never been postponed before.

"Hong Kong people have expectations on the policy address because their lives have been difficult under the pandemic," says Wu Chi-wai, chairman of the Democratic Party.

Wu accuses Lam of not making HK a priority

"Lam is basically ignoring their woes and turning Hong Kong's policy address into a document approved by Beijing." 

But pro-establishment lawmaker Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan said it was more practical for Lam to discuss her plans with Beijing first.

"Without discussing the actual content with mainland ministries, the policy address will only be a wish list... After she visits the ministries, the measures can be implemented and the document will be turned into an action plan," he said.

However, she surely has been discussing her policy address ideas with the liaison office here... otherwise what is their reason for being in Hong Kong? Surely they can give an indication of what would and wouldn't work?

During today's press conference, Lam insisted the Hong Kong government was being proactive about proposing ideas to Beijing.  

Cheung says Lam needs Beijing's advice

"This is the gist of 'one country, two systems' -- that the central government is unswerving in caring about Hong Kong, and under the 'two systems', the chief executive puts forward proposals rather than just following Beijing's plans," she said.

Under British rule, the tradition of the governor delivering the policy address at the first meeting of a new Legislative Council session began in 1969. The convention continued after the 1997 handover of sovereignty to China, with the city's chief executive continuing the tradition.

In an unprecedented move last year, Lam delivered her policy address via a video message, after her speech in the Legco chamber was repeatedly interrupted by opposition lawmakers chanting slogans during the anti-government protests triggered by the since-withdrawn extradition bill.

Lam delivered last year's policy address by video

It is expected on Wednesday that Xi will deliver "a crucial speech" in which he is expected to stress China's commitment to reform and opening up. It is also expected he may give more clearer hints on Hong Kong's role in the economy in the Greater Bay Area.  

Nevertheless, Lam's unprecedented decision to postpone the policy address reveals more about her and her relationship to Beijing. Wonder if she will be rewarded for her loyalty...

One Location, Two Divergent Activities

Protesters ramming a makeshift trolley into the Legislative Council on July 1

So much has happened since the July 1 rampage through the Legislative Council, and today the police have begun arresting people who trashed the government building, identifying them through their fingerprints.

It's a tedious process, but it seems the government is determined to punish anyone who was involved in some way.

On the same day was a pro-China festival in Victoria Park

Reporters asked people on the street how they felt about the protesters who stormed Legco and they sympathize with them. These are people of various ages and ethnicities. Some middle-aged people said 1 million and then 2 million people came out on the streets to protest the extradition bill, and yet Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said nothing -- at first.

And then she did apologize, but she seemed to do so unwillingly said one man, which didn't look sincere at all. He pointed out that when former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen apologized, at least he bowed -- she did not.

As a result, the man said, the young protesters' patience had run out and they felt they had to resort to violence to make their grievances heard.

Others also pointed out how Lam didn't even reach out to the protesters and only talked to people in her inner circle, thus handling the crisis all wrong.

I talked to another communications professional today who said Lam did everything 110 percent wrong, adding she should fire the communications people who advised her.

However, not a soul was to be seen at this event

This person also thought the 4am press conference was unheard of and not how one would handle the situation at all, adding Lam was digging herself into a bigger grave.

We are all waiting to see what will happen next.

In the meantime I'd like to point out that at the July 1 march that started in Victoria Park, we were unable to convene at the six football pitches because they were completely taken up by an event called the "Greater Bay Festival".

It was organized by the pro-Beijing group, the Hong Kong Celebrations Association. Its mission?

"By planning and organizing celebrations programmes for festivals in Hong Kong, HKCA aims at enhancing social participation, promoting and increasing national consciousness of the home country, propelling the building up of a harmonious society," it says on its website. Many of the co-organizers have China links.

Lots of booths were set up, but it hardly looked festive because NO ONE was there. Xinhua reported that organizers were expecting 100,000 people to attend the festival that focused on innovative technology.

What would Queen Victoria (centre) think of her subjects now?

But who would be caught dead walking into this festival even though admission was free? On top of that were groups of police officers standing at each possible entrance to the festival, making it daunting to check out the event.

And anyway, what was the point of this event, other than to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Greater Bay Festival seemed like an opportunity for brown nosing, held on the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China. Whoohoo.

When we finally got to march out of Victoria Park, we looked over at the stalls all set up, but it was literally a ghost town in the cordoned off area. What a complete waste of money and time, or perhaps the HKCA has lots of money to burn?

Tiger's Taste for Maotai Takes him Down

Wang Xiaoguang is the latest official to be jailed for 20 years for corruption

While you may think Chinese President Xi Jinping has been busy with Belt and Road, and the Greater Bay Area, don't think he hasn't had time to bag more tigers. One more was recently taken down, the former vice-governor of Guizhou province.

Wang Xiaoguang, who was in power from 2009-2016 was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined a record 174 million yuan (US$26 million) for taking bribes, embezzlement and insider trading.

Wang was known as the "Maotai collector"

The prosecution claimed that Wang had taken advantage of his position to receive 49 million yuan in bribes, made 163 million yuan from insider trading of stocks and embezzled 4.8 million in land sales proceeds in 2000.

What did he do with all that money? Apparently he liked to collect rare orchids and Maotai, a kind of baijiu that is distilled from sorghum.

The court said Wang's sentence was light because the 57-year-old pleaded guilty to all charges.

In a confession, Wang said he was "addicted to orchids" and the National Supervisory Commission or anti-corruption watchdog said he had amassed so much Maotai that he became known as the "Maotai collector" and even obtained liquor licenses for his relatives to help him sell it. His wife reportedly dunked a lot of the prized Maotai down the sink before the authorities came to arrest him.

Another no-no was that Wang had "enthusiasm for reading politically incorrect overseas publications", a veiled reference to books and journals about Chinese political gossip that people would buy on their trips to Hong Kong.

He also had a penchant for collecting rare orchids like these

But sadly those days are over for Wang.

While a number officials were caught for having mistresses or too much sex, Wang was nabbed for too much Maotai and orchids. Guess each to their own...

Fact of the Day: 1,600 Coaches Cross the Border Daily

The high-speed trains from Hong Kong will go to many mainland destinations

Hong Kong will soon get two major transport links -- the high-speed train and bridge -- to link with the mainland even more.

The West Kowloon train station starts service September 23

For some people these infrastructure projects are further evidence of the mainland forcing Hong Kong to be closer to the motherland, on the other they are two other options to get to destinations across the border.

What I didn't know was the existing business in buses that ferry people back and forth to various places in Guangdong daily.

A staggering 583,075 coaches crossed the border from Hong Kong last year, or almost 1,600 coaches per day.

What's also interesting is that one bus company reports 60 percent of its customers are Hong Kong people who need to cross the border daily, the remaining 40 percent are mainland tourists.

There are already many coaches taking people to Guangdong

It turns out the current rail and ferry routes don't help these commuters much and so they rely on these coaches. They go to destinations like Guangzhou, Futian in Shenzhen, and Panyu in Guangzhou.

However, now with the new high-speed rail station at West Kowloon opening later this month on September 23, this will be direct competition for the coaches, cutting the commute times; though with the opening of the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, this will give coach companies other routes they can go that the high-speed rail doesn't, like Taishan, Zhongshan, Kaiping and Enping.

Will this mean over half a million bus rides daily or even more?

The Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge will open soon

Either way Beijing is probably pleased that Hong Kong people are embracing the saying, "build and they will come"... to the Greater Bay Area! No it's not San Francisco, but an amalgamation of several Chinese cities, along with Hong Kong and Macau.

We don't want to get left behind, do we?

Carrie Lam Does Facebook Live

Last night Carrie Lam (left) held a Facebook Live even to take live questions

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was keen to show young people she is willing to reach out to them and held a question and answer session on Facebook Live yesterday.

She sat at a boardroom table on the left, with two hosts on the right, armed with laptops fielding questions for 48 minutes. In the end Lam answered 30 inquiries.

This isn't much different from her scrum with reporters

According to comments on the Facebook page, the most popular issue was housing, at 786, followed by the one-way permit scheme at 572, and 459 comments on the "Greater Bay Area", that links Hong Kong and Macau with nine other cities in Guangdong, including Shenzhen, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Guangzhou, and Dongguan.

Some questions asked sarcastically if she would move to the Greater Bay Area, while others asked why relatives involved in the one-way permit scheme couldn't reunite on the mainland instead of Hong Kong.

Interestingly 473 questions posed by members of LGBT groups with key words of "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" were completely ignored by Lam.

"Many people hoped the chief executive would respond to [calls for an] anti-discrimination law on sexual orientation and gender identity," said Billy Leung, convenor of Hong Kong Equality Project. "However, the two hosts repeatedly avoided raising questions about the issue."

He wondered of Lam deliberately refused to answer those questions, as some questions were picked from a box, and others chosen by the two hosts.



Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong Chun-yu declared the event a failure because she didn't read the comments herself, so she didn't genuinely interact with netizens.

Meanwhile, Frankie Ngan Man-yu, chairman of the Young Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong agreed she should have addressed the comments directly, though he thought it was a good start, and hoped she would do this regularly.

Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung said: "The most important message is her gesture -- Lam wants to show she is up to date and not afraid of using Facebook."

The most popular issue last night was housing

He said it was more like a PR exercise than a genuine consultation, as it was almost impossible for her to gain support from the audience, who were mostly anti-government.

It is quite daunting to take questions live, but she should be used to this, answering reporters questions once a week at the Legislative Council. The only thing different is that these questions are directly from the people.

All I can say is practice makes perfect, and Lam should do this more often, and even read the comments herself so that people can genuinely see she is reading what they are saying, even if they are snarky or critical of her.

This way young people (ie those under 50) will feel that Lam is really listening to their concerns and trying to address at least some of them...