Recently, the Hong Kong Tourist Board launched its “Hello Hong Kong” global campaign, which aims to relaunch Hong Kong in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Two promotion videos were produced, but whether they could serve the purpose is questionable.
One is featured and narrated by chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who looks more like a communist cadre against a backdrop of all kinds of infrastructure and landscapes devoid of human touch. The second one features three Cantopop stars singing and dancing, but the height of their careers was three decades ago. And they perform against a backdrop of all old scenic spots, all of which contradict the motto of the video: “Welcome to a world of new discoveries.”
The central part of the campaign is the 500,000 free air tickets for travelers worldwide, a further 80,000 for Hong Kong residents, and cash vouchers. It is too early to say whether the campaign can yield any results, but there is a clear difference in concept when compared to another relaunch campaign 20 years ago.
In 2003, the outbreak of SARS, also from China, claimed nearly 300 lives in Hong Kong, which in turn spread the virus worldwide, deterring inbound travellers. To show that the epidemic had been under control and that the ex-colony was safe again, the Hong Kong government set up a task force to relaunch the city. Free postcards were prepared for the public to connect with their friends and relatives overseas, with the words “Hello from Hong Kong” printed on them.
“Hello from Hong Kong” and “Hello Hong Kong” differs in one word, and the meaning is entirely different. The former had Hong Kong greeting the world sincerely, with arms open, proactively organizing activities such as the HK$1 billion (approximately $127.4 million) Harbour Fest. Despite problems such as poor ticket sales, show cancellations, high costs, and other administrative chaos, the carnival managed to include international stars such as The Rolling Stones, Prince, Craig David, José Carreras, Charlotte Church, Westlife, and Air Supply, just to name a few. Symbolically, it successfully conveyed the message that Hong Kong had reconnected with the world.
“Hello Hong Kong” is a totally different matter. Instead of greeting the world with arms open, the government just sits back, waiting for foreigners to say hello and come. The lack of international celebrities in its publicity campaign truly reflects the bafflement and global disconnection that Hong Kong is suffering: the national security law has stripped Hong Kong of its reputation as a free city; the city has been removed from the index of economic freedom by the Heritage Foundation; its position in the Press Freedom Index has plummeted to a new low of 148th, narrowing its gap with China. As a result, Hong Kong’s economy was hit hard, with its overall merchandise exports dropping by 28.9 percent year-on-year in December last year, the biggest drop in a single month since April 1954. In other words, COVID is not the only factor that discourages travelers from visiting the city.
There is a story worth telling about the 2003 Harbour Fest. Mike Rowse, the civil servant who was in charge of the fest and was subsequently charged with dereliction of duty, was fined HK$160,000 ($20,400). He won in a subsequent judicial review, in which it was discovered that senior officials such as Henry Tang Ying-yen had allegedly passed the buck to Rowse. In his memoirs, Rowse remarked, “thanks for Hong Kong’s legal system and the robust independence of our Judiciary, without which a gross injustice could not have been overturned.”
Judicial independence, which Rowse could still enjoy 20 years ago, has now become part of a “partnership” with the executive and legislature, led by the former, so that exercising some human rights previously acceptable in a civic society are now criminal offenses. The institutional advantage of the city has been lost. This probably explains why Hong Kong now restrains from saying ‘hello’ proudly to the world.
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