jakiro
Author: Yue Xiaoyu; Source: X, @yuexiaoyu111
On the evening when the fire broke out in Hong Kong, I had just gotten on the plane leaving Hong Kong.
I saw the news before taking off. Looking at the scene of a group of buildings burning, I felt like my mind was shaken.
This shock and uneasiness suddenly brought me back to the turmoil that occurred in Hong Kong five years ago.
I also suddenly discovered that I have been a witness to various historical events in Hong Kong.
1️⃣ Five years ago, I was a graduate student in Hong Kong. I still remember that I could hear protests outside the window while I was in class.
After my year of graduate school in Hong Kong, I thought I would never return to Hong Kong.
At that time, I felt that Hong Kong was “shabby and expensive” and since I was studying computer science, it would be better to go back to the mainland.
Therefore, at that time, I had no idea of staying in Hong Kong, even though many of my classmates had applied for work visas.
I don’t think I will have any interaction with the city of Hong Kong.
But I didn’t expect that five years later, I would return to Hong Kong and would stay in Hong Kong for many years.
2️⃣ Last month, I have been in Hong Kong and lived in Hong Kong for more than a month.
When I returned to Hong Kong this time, my perception of Hong Kong and my mentality were completely different.
I was pushed to Hong Kong by various coincidences, but when I think about it carefully, this coincidence actually explains a few things:
Hong Kong is a springboard that is easier for mainlanders to access and a springboard for going abroad.
The locals who were dissatisfied with Hong Kong and found themselves powerless after the struggle all left five years ago and immigrated to countries such as Europe and the United States.
The hundreds of thousands of people who left are now being replaced by imported mainlanders.
After the previous confrontations and divisions broke out in Hong Kong society, Hong Kong society has accelerated towards integration.
It was against this background that I came to Hong Kong following this wave of immigration.
In particular, I am a practitioner in the currency circle. Hong Kong is currently the only region in China that accepts and even encourages this industry, so coming to Hong Kong is more like gold mining.
Hong Kong needs to be supplemented by talents from the mainland, and Hong Kong needs to develop new industries, so I came here.
3️⃣ Is Hong Kong in decline?Is Hong Kong converging with mainland cities?
Even if the answers to these questions are yes, it still cannot change Hong Kong’s special status.
The uniqueness of Hong Kong lies in one country, two systems, and the institutional soil determines the superstructure.
Hong Kong will continue to be China’s financial backdoor, education backdoor, and identity backdoor now and in the future.
Finance flows freely here, educational resources are abundant, and identity is independent from the mainland.
If China is a fortress surrounded by walls, then Hong Kong is the door that remains.
Perhaps the control over this door is being tightened now, or this door is being narrowed, but this door will always exist.
4️⃣ Why do Europeans and Americans come to Hong Kong without a visa, but Chinese people have to apply for a visa?
Without setting a threshold, Hong Kong’s resources cannot handle the influx of so many mainlanders.
Hong Kong is still attractive and is the easiest springboard for mainlanders to access the outside world. Naturally, it needs to be restricted and some screening needs to be made.
After working in the Mainland for several years, I have become more aware of the importance of this springboard.
Since then, I have become a member of the Hong Kong drifters.
5️⃣ Does Crypto really have no borders?
Although everyone says that the Crypto industry has no national borders, and many practitioners work remotely, in fact, reproductive isolation exists no matter what industry.
Well, I also need to find a suitable habitat.Hong Kong is currently one of the few places where Chinese Crypto practitioners have opportunities to settle down.
In this Hong Kong fire, we can also see that many blockchain companies have made donations. Compared with traditional Internet giants, the amount of funds is also comparable.
In fact, this also proves that Hong Kong has accepted the blockchain industry.
6️⃣ Someone asked, will the Hong Kong fire destroy the city’s luck?
Behind natural disasters are often man-made disasters, which are not just single-point problems with bamboo sheds or protective nets, but systemic governance issues.
The fire exposed some deep-seated problems in Hong Kong, such as regulatory loopholes, potential collusion of interests, etc.
Whether Hong Kong is still lucky depends on whether these problems can be solved by Hong Kong in the future.
A city with the ability to innovate itself will be resilient and more vital.
As a member who is in Hong Kong and is bound to Hong Kong, I hope that Hong Kong can achieve this kind of self-reform.
Self-innovation depends on the effectiveness of the underlying system design.
Now, I am not just an observer of this city, I have actually participated in it and become a witness to it all.
I choose to bet on Hong Kong.
