Dispatch
Down from its peak Hong Kong’s status as a hub for monied expatriates has been endangered by a range of factors and the luxury rental sector is suffering as a result By Liam Aran Barnes
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n 2017, CNN Travel published a widely read article detailing “40 reasons why Hong Kong is the world’s greatest city.”
The listicle, which coincided with the 20th anniversary of the handover from British to Chinese rule, was largely irreverent. It referenced local superstar Maggie Cheung, the solid gold lavatory in a bling jewelers’ restroom, and “wholesome late nights” in Wanchai, capturing the city’s essence — its colour, chaos, and charm. But it also highlighted the myriad reasons why Hong Kong was once considered one of the world’s most liveable cities due to the lowest tax rates in Asia, a diverse culinary
HONG KONG’S SHINE AS ONE OF ASIA’S MOST APPEALING HUBS FOR EXPATS HAS FADED DUE TO CHINA’S INCREASED INFLUENCE ON THE TERRITORY
culture, state-of-the-art public transport, and swathes of green open space. Fast forward four years and most of these factors remain. Yet the ‘world’s greatest city’ narrative has been overshadowed — in the minds of international observers anyway — by China’s increasing influence over the territory. Business confidence had already been shaken by the violent extradition bill protests in 2019 before Beijing last year introduced a wide-ranging security law to curb protests and further reduce the autonomy of Hong Kong. And then there are Hong Kong’s stringent
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