This is a repeat of a posting, in mid-September. Since all people are talking about is the WTO, I thought I’d re-publish it. Besides, I’ve got to get out and watch the demonstrations, if the police will let me get close enough to see anything. Do you think my role as a blogger will do any good? More tomorrow.
The World Trade Organization is holding its 2005 meeting in Hong Kong December 12-18. If you have any plans for being here around those dates, I highly recommend you change your plans.
Hong Kong is expecting 6,000 delegates and at least 10,000 protesters. The police are warning businessmen to “Avoid vital deals” within that time frame. They are preparing for riots. There are farmers coming from Korea and, as anybody familiar with rioting knows, Korean farmers are the pros.
Wanchai, which is a major business and entertainment district, will, for all practical purposes, be closed down for a week. Merchants might as well shutter their establishments as very few people will be willing to risk shopping or eating out during the WTO meeting. Businesses may have to shut down because their employees will be unable to get to work.
Which brings me back to my original question, “Who benefits?” The government worked hard to get this meeting. I guess the hotels will benefit; maybe the airlines flying all these people here will be at capacity for a few days; perhaps some restaurants on the outskirts of Wanchai will be fully booked for a week. Of the 16,000 people expected, only 38% are likely to rain dollars on our fair city, the other 62% will be doing hostels, friends’ digs and sleeping bags in Victoria Park. Hong Kong’s image as a friendly destination will be ill-served when the TV screens are filled with scenes of rioters being bludgeoned by the police. Maybe, I’m missing something. Oh, I forgot - Hong Kong’s image as a world-wide financial center will be enhanced.
Somehow all the inconvenience, trouble and considerable expense does not seem like an equitable trade-off for some image building.
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