Home Blog Page 14

Tripping North: Shopping in Shenzhen for Cheap Grocery

Hongkongers flock to Shenzhen’s giant supermarket for cheap grocery.

By Emma Wei

Kylie Wong goes to Shenzhen for grocery shopping in giant supermarkets almost every two weeks.  

“I really enjoy shopping in Shenzhen. I used to go there once a month. Now I go to Shenzhen more than two times a month after the opening of Costco,” the 32-year-old woman says.

Wong goes shopping in Shenzhen for cheaper food and daily necessities such as bread, yogurt, and fruits even though it takes two hours from her home to the supermarket.

“I usually spend RMB¥1,500 (US$207.54) on food and fresh meat. It costs me twice the price if I buy them in Hong Kong,” she says.

She buys fruit like strawberries, blueberries and food at a cheaper price in Shenzhen and then carries them back to Hong Kong.

“The cost of living in Hong Kong is very high. I prefer doing my grocery shopping in Shenzhen as the quality of products is the same as those in Hong Kong, but they are much cheaper,” she says. 

“Buying food is a good deal as large-sized packages are available. Although houses in Hong Kong are very small, I still try to stock up on as much food as possible,” she says.


Kelly Wong buys some food and daily necessities like meat, pineapple, masks.

Lu Mao-ting also loves grocery shopping in Shenzhen even if it takes him about an hour and a half to get there from his home.

“I loved shopping in Costco when I was studying in America. It’s great that there is a branch in Shenzhen!” Lu, who lives in Mong Kok, says.

He finds that some daily necessities and food in the giant supermarket are cheaper. “A piece of cake in Hong Kong costs HK$50 (US$6.39), but I can buy a whole cake at the same price in Shenzhen,” he says.

“Although I haven’t tried the taste here yet, I will probably buy it again because of this price,” he adds.

According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, 53.34 million Hong Kong residents travelled to mainland China, with over 40 million leaving through the Shenzhen Hong Kong port in 2023. 

Opened on January 12, 2024, Costco has launched some promotional campaigns to draw more crowds to the supermarket.


Wholesale retailer Costco sells goods in bulk. 

“The original annual membership fee is RMB¥299 (US$41.37) but there was a discount before the opening of Costco that it took only RMB¥199 (US$27.53) between September 2023 and January 12, 2024,” the sales manager of the mega supermarket surnamed Wu says. 

About 90,000 customers applied for membership online before the supermarket was open, and Hong Kong applicants count for 10 percent. 

The total revenue of Costco’s six branches in China reached RMB¥57.8 billion (US$7.99 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, according to Costco China financial report. 

“We have also launched some products with Cantonese characteristics that cater to the tastes of Hong Kong people. For example, a vacuum package of a popular dish from Guangzhou Restaurant. The convenient packaging allows Hong Kong customers to enjoy food at home when they want to,” Wu says. 

Marketing Manager Annie Suen of Wellcome Supermarket admits that Costco’s opening in Shenzhen has affected business in Hong Kong. 

“Fewer customers are coming to our branches after Costco has opened, especially during weekends,” Suen says.

“There is no significant change in the sale volume of vegetables and fresh meat, but daily necessities and cooked food show a downward trend,” she says. 

Associate Professor Bai Ying from the Department of Economics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong believes that the opening of giant supermarkets such as Costco and Sam’s in Shenzhen will influence Hong Kong’s economy in the long run.

“The opening of those mega supermarkets has helped some Hong Kong residents cut down living costs. Looking ahead, this will make the local economy decline,” Bai says.

He points out that the biggest factor affecting consumption is price but the problem cannot be solved in Hong Kong easily because of the sky-high rent.

“The competition between Hong Kong and the mainland China markets can also be complimentary to each other leading to better products and services,” he adds.

Edited by Nicole Li and Perry Kwok

Sub-edited by Cynthia Hu

The White Wave in Taiwan

Taiwanese believe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) is the island’s way-out of then Blue and Green.

By Mike Chu

University student Huang Bo-lin is a supporter of Taiwan People’s Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je.

“I support him because of all the work he has done as the mayor of Taipei City. He has made everything (government issues) transparent and public [to the people],” Huang says in a photo-taking event featuring Ko. 

Huang is also impressed by Ko’s promotional tactic.

“The support Ko has gained by social media has allowed him to avoid competing over traditional media outlets which are mostly manipulated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Kuomintang (KMT),” Huang adds. 

  • Supporters of Ko Wen-je throw confetti as Ko is making his speech to the crowd on Ketagalan Boulevard.

The DPP and KMT are the two biggest parties in Taiwan with much longer history, representing the green camp and the blue camp respectively, while white is the colour for TPP founded in 2019.

Chen, who declined to reveal his full name, aged 40, shares Huang’s view. 

“Polls conducted by traditional media outlets which are controlled by blue and green camps always found Ko as the least popular in their surveys,” he says.

A supporter who nicknamed herself as Baibai thinks the rivalry between DPP and KMT are detrimental to Taiwan.

 “Taiwanese are conditioned to think that they can only choose DPP or KMT. That is limiting their thoughts about what options they actually have,” Baibai says. 

Ko earned 3.6 million or 26% of the votes, falling short of Kuomintang’s Hou Yu-ih at 33% and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s president-elect William Lai Ching-te at 40%.

Ko’s campaign has attracted a lot of young people, which is supported by statistics. According to an analysis conducted by the News Lens, a Taiwanese online media outlet, around 48% of 20-39-year-old voted for Ko.

  • A supporter of Ko Wen-je with a headband that writes ‘fight once without hesitation’.

Associate fellow Jeremy Huai-Che Chiang of the Foundation for Future Generations Taiwan, says it is still too early for Ko and the TPP to challenge the two largest parties. 

“Despite an increase in voters who accept parties other than the two largest parties in the last legislative yuan election, the DPP and the KMT are still dominating. The landscape has not changed significantly ,” Chiang says.

“Loyalty to parties is shaped by real life experiences and that cannot be shifted in a short period of time,” Chiang adds.

  • Voting station staff revealing the result of the voting in the polling station Ximen Elementary School.

Edited by Kamun Lai

Sub-edited by Perry Kwok

Study Abroad for Better Jobs

Chinese fresh graduates desperate for jobs turn to overseas postgraduate programmes in the hope that they could land better jobs.

By Cynthia Hu

University student Luo Qinyu, from China’s eastern Zhejiang Province, is planning to pursue her master’s degree in Australia or Macau due to the gloomy labour market in China.

The Year Three student observes that more and more Chinese university students choose to study abroad as finding jobs in the country is not easy.  

“Rather than joining the job market, many fresh graduates prefer to enter the government or study abroad. Among all options, studying abroad is the least stressful choice,” Luo says.

“I even heard that a student paid RMB ¥12,000 (US $1680.91) to intern at Ogilvy, an advertising company, for two months,” the 21-year-old student says. 

According to the China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the unemployment rate among Chinese youngsters aged 16 to 24 in urban areas reached 21.3 per cent in June 2023. The rate has been constantly increasing throughout the year and the NBS announced such data would no longer be released from July 2023 in order to “further improve and optimise” the labourforce statistics.

“It’s really difficult to find a job now. I have submitted many resumes and only found an internship as an online Chinese teacher, which doesn’t fit in my major,” the business-major student says.

Luo admits that the difficulty in landing a job is one of the reasons why she wants to study abroad. 

“The job market is very competitive now. It is difficult to find a good job without  outstanding academic performance,” she says.

Luo Qinyu studies for the IELTS exam. (Photo Courtesy of Leo Qinyu)

Yan Liu, a 23-year-old student from another eastern province Jiangsu, has also decided to study abroad after five months of job hunting. 

“I graduated in June and found that I cannot find a job with a salary that is higher than RMB ¥12,000 (US $1680.91),” the English-major student says. 

“My parents believe I cannot find a well-paid job because I do not have a postgraduate degree ,” she adds. 

Liu consults an overseas education agency about her study plan. 

“Studying abroad can help me find a good job. The agency suggests that I study in the UK or Australia,” Liu says.

“My family can afford the cost of my study plan. They have prepared around RMB¥500,000 (US $69,667.00) for me,” she adds.

IELTS study materials in China. (Photo courtesy of Luo Qinyu)

Thelma Li, an IELTS consultant at the English tutoring school New Channel, which also helps students file applications to universities overseas, observes that there is an increasing number of students studying abroad.

Li points out that the high unemployment rate in China contributes to the growing number of students seeking help from the institution for studying abroad.

“There are many fresh graduates who come to our institution to apply for universities overseas because they cannot find jobs. Most students who choose to study abroad are from well developed places such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Zhejiang. They hope that a graduate degree from overseas universities can secure them better job opportunities,” she adds.

Li says some parents may choose not to send children abroad due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the situation is different now. 

Professor Henry Kwok Yan-shing, from the Department of Educational Administration and Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, points out that graduates from top universities overseas usually find it easier to get a job. 

“Getting a master’s degree from universities overseas might help in finding work. By the time these students  return to China, they might be in a better position than other Chinese students in the labour market,”  Kwok says. 

“Graduates from top universities are usually top earners in the labour market,” he adds.

Kwok points out that more people want to study abroad to improve their professional skills when the unemployment rate is high. 

“During an economic downturn, it makes sense for people to upskill themselves so they may stand a better chance in the labour market. If someone cannot find work in China and can afford to study overseas, studying abroad is an opportunity for these people,” he says.

He adds that postgraduate studies should be related to the type of work that the student desires.

“There should always be a valid, job-related reason for postgraduate studies. It’s beneficial for students to have some work experiences that align with their knowledge,” he says.

Kowk reminds that students should have a clear goal for studying abroad.

“Students need to know why they want to study overseas and whether the programmes they choose match their interests,” he adds.

Sub-edited by Kossy Chen

Gay Games Hong Kong Promotes LGBTQ+ Inclusion

Despite challenges and political pressures, Shawn Griffin organised the first Gay Games in Hong Kong.

By Yilie Lo

When the COVID-19 pandemic first began in early 2020, Shawn Griffin took up the directorship of Gay Games Hong Kong’s arts and culture division, which was responsible for organising the competition’s art events, concerts and performances.

The role required him to plan the entire programme, recruit members, and reach out to venues and performers.

It turns out to be a big challenge because of the pandemic. 

“Basically, my introductory meeting with the arts and culture team was a Zoom call. I don’t think I ever met a single person on the team face-to-face for over half a year. Many talents from the team left due to the uncertainties of the pandemic and government regulations, ” he recalls. 

Shawn Griffin’s profile on the official website of Gay Games Hong Kong 2023.

Initially, Griffin wanted to recruit more global talents for his team. However, it was challenging for foreign citizens to get a visa due to the travel restrictions brought by the pandemic.

“We had to find a healthy mix of local talents and international talents. Because of the travel restrictions, it was difficult to bring in international talents to our team,” Griffin says. 

“It was challenging yet reflected what Hong Kong could offer in terms of showcasing our subculture as a bold city,” he adds.

COVID-19 was not the only obstacle to overcome, as Gay Games’ unprecedented presence in Hong Kong also led to public debate.

“Owners of venues were very reluctant because nothing like this has been done before. It was difficult to find places that were supportive or open to us,” Griffin says. 

“Getting Queen Elizabeth Stadium was a major step for us to prove our competency,” he adds. 

Held from November 3 to 11, the Gay Games Hong Kong 2023 attracted 2,300 athletes from over 40 nations and regions, including Australia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. It was held at various arenas across the city, such as Queen Elizabeth Stadium, MacPherson Stadium and Jockey Club HKCFA Football Training Centre.

The event also faced political backlash from lawmakers and religious groups. Legislative council member Junius Ho Kwan-yiu accused Gay Games of threatening the traditional values of Hong Kong and violating the National Security Law as early as 2021. 

“Historically, there were no laws against homosexuality in China. So, those who say that the Gay Games are against traditional values are not doing their historical research very well,’ Griffin says.

“We were not making any statements against any groups. Our only purpose was to have a good time and support the queer community,” he adds.

The Gala Concert at the Closing Ceremony of Gay Games Hong Kong 2023.

Griffin goes on that the Gay Games is a blessing to the city as it showcase Hong Kong’s capabilities of hosting global scale events. 

“The Gay Games is a strong step in the direction towards a more societal acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong. It shows the city’s potential to become a safe haven for the queer community in Southeast Asia,” Griffin says.

Before moving to Hong Kong, Griffin always had a sense of insecurity for being part of the queer community. He was born in a Christian conservative neighbourhood in Missouri, US. He found it difficult to fully express his own identity when growing up.

“I was always in denial of my sexuality growing up there, and so are some of my friends. I didn’t fully come out until I moved here,” the 33-year-old says. He is now working as a freelance photographer.

Griffin first came to the city in 2012 to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong as a postgraduate student. He ended up transferring his studies to Hong Kong and stayed in the city.

“I was really falling in love with the city. Being in the creative industry, it was impactful for me to stay in a city where my creativity could be nurtured,” he says.

Apart from being a freelance photographer, Griffin worked for a public relations agency before he joined the art and culture team at Gay Games. 

Shawn Griffin and other participants of Gay Games Hong Kong 2023. (Photo courtesy of Shawn Griffin)

After Gay Games Hong Kong, Griffin continues to support the city’s queer community. He is now collaborating with bars, clubs and hotels to bring in more inclusive and representational performances and events.

“We need these small-scale productions to get stories told on a daily basis. They are what really brings the local community together,” he adds.

According to the Federation of Gay Games, the next Gay Games will be hosted in Valencia, Spain in 2026.

Sub-edited by Leopold Chen

Century-Old Preserved Bean Curd Shop

Third-generation owner of a century-old tofu pudding shop evolves his products while preserving “the taste of Hong Kong”.

By Jasmine Lam

Tofu pudding is all Liu Chun-kin wants for a great meal.

“I want to get back to the old feelings. Just like when I was young, I am already happy when eating rice with tofu pudding,” says Liu, the third-generation owner of the century-old tofu pudding shop Liu Ma Kee.

Liu Ma Kee is a handmade bean curd family business in Hong Kong with a store located in Jordan, with 118 years of history. 

It was established by Liu’s grandfather in 1905. Initially, it was a store for tofu and soybean pudding in Kwun Chung Market in Yau Ma Tei. 

Liu’s love for bean products is shared by people who have emigrated from the city for a long time.

“I still remember there was a 90-year-old woman who came back from the US with her whole family just to buy our bean curd. She said tasting it was her last wish, ” he recalls.

The current Liu Ma Kee store locates in Jordan.

Liu has been making bean curd for over 50 years since he was six. He inherited the shop from his father in 1984 when he was 21 years old. 

“I woke up at 5 a.m. at that time. I then started grinding soybeans and inspecting the factory until 6 p.m. Everyone woke early and worked hard, ” the 63-year-old recalls. 

“Now I help out when I am free. I do a little bit of everything, like fetch and carry work,” he says.

The business owner wants to follow the traditional formula, but some changes need to be made to catch up with current trends.  

“Responding to customers’ health concerns, we have reduced the content of salt in our products. But we can’t cut it by too much, or else it will turn bad,” Liu says.

“We always chat with and listen to customers’ opinions about our products,” he says, adding that it is the key to keep the business alive.

Apart from adjustment in the recipe, the production process and the source of ingredients have also changed.

“Most of the process is done in Hong Kong. We used to procure local ingredients only. But now our soybeans are from Canada, while the salt and wine are from mainland China due to the rising price of local products,” Liu says.

Since 1998, his wife has created different kinds of sauces including garlic fermented soy cream, Guilin chili sauce, and soybean BBQ sauce. 

Recipes about how to cook with their sauces featuring dishes like spaghetti carbonara and stir-fried scallops and broccoli are also printed for their customers.  

The family business faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a temporary decline in sales due to travel restrictions. Customers who emigrated to other countries were unable to fly back to buy their products.  

The price of a cup of bean curd has gone up over the years due to the rising costs. For example, the price of the largest package of bean curd was HK$8 (US$1.02) in 1961. But the price of it is HK$150 (US$19.21) in 2023.

Liu Ma Kee products are available in different sizes.

However, Liu says he is not worried about the competition from cheap mainland products. 

“Our product is no less competitive than mainland ones. I believe the quality of ingredients and supervision are crucial to producing superior bean curd. There is nothing to worry about,” Liu says. 

Liu’s son is willing to take care of the business as he wants to preserve “the taste of Hong Kong”. 

“I am too old to think about it. Just let it be. Maybe our offspring will continue the business at last, ”he says.

“Do your part well and uphold quality for the brand,” the owner says.

Sub-edited by Leopold Chen

Invisible Victims: Children of Incarcerated Parents

Children’s lives are altered forever by their parents’ imprisonment as lies are told to cover up the reason for their absence.

By Lorraine Chiang

“Even though I did not grasp what was happening, just that my dad was gone, I knew my mum was quite depressed and I dared not break down,” Samantha Chow* recalls how she felt when her father was suddenly put behind bars more than a decade ago.

Chow’s life changed drastically when her father suddenly left the family when she was a Primary Three student.

Nobody has ever told her what happened to her father. 

“At first, my mum just said dad is not coming back tonight. After a while, she brought me to Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. That was when I started to realise what was happening.” 

The centre accommodates persons awaiting trial and newly-convicted persons waiting to be sent to other facilities. 

Chow talked to her father through a glass screen. She connected the scene to those featured in movies and slowly understood why her father is not with her anymore. 

“I learned about his case from searching online after he had been behind bars for three or four years,” says Chow.

Her father was convicted of false imprisonment and was sentenced to over a decade in jail. 

However, she would still like to hear the event from her father’s perspective instead of through secondary sources like the news. 

“Whenever I asked my dad to tell me what happened, he always said he would tell me when I get older. Now that I have grown up, he says he will tell me after he has left prison,” Chow says.   

Even now, her father still has not told her about the incident that led to his imprisonment.  

“I do not know why my parents are so scared of telling me about what happened, as if they are afraid they may hurt me. But I need to know what happened.” she says.

Though Chow’s father never told her what he did to land him in prison, he constantly stressed his innocence to Chow. 

“But when nobody tells me what truly happened, I can only assume he committed a crime,” Chow says. 

Not hearing her father’s side of the story annoys her, but money is her biggest concern. 

Chow’s father was the sole breadwinner of the family before he was imprisoned. Her mother is unable to work because of her health condition. Chow and her mother can only rely on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and Disability Allowance. 

The two used to live in a subdivided flat before they left Hong Kong, but Chow says they would not be able to pay for rent without the financial support from her uncle.

She wishes that the government could proactively offer financial support to prisoners’ families, as she found many prisoners’ families have financial difficulties. 

Being British citizens, Chow and her mother moved to the United Kingdom when Chow was 16. Since then, they have been living on British social support and Chow’s meagre wages as a part-time waitress.

They moved to the UK partly due to its superior social security and partly since more of their relatives are there. 

Like Chow, Kyla Wong’s* parents never told her that her father was in prison. She only found that out from her cousin. 

Her mother had told the rest of the family that her husband was arrested but neglected to tell her daughter. 

“Before my cousin told me the truth, I thought my dad was working in a foreign country,” Wong says. 

She finds that being told such an impactful lie makes her trust people less. 

When asked how her father’s absence impacted her life, she says she could not feel the difference because she is so used to her father’s absence and does not know what it feels like to have a father. 

Her father was recently released from prison but she sees him only as a burden. Used to living with her mother, Wong is not accustomed to having to share the apartment with a third person. 

She also dislikes how such an important figure could enter and leave her life without her having a say in it, as if her whole life could be uprooted. 

A survey on prisoners’ children conducted by SideBySide, a non-profit organisation supporting people in custody and their families, found that it is important for parents to tell their children about what happened.

Kimmy Chiu Sze-man, the person in charge of the Blue Bus Jockey Club Together We Grow Project, a project under SideBySide, says parents should be honest to their children despite the difficulty.

SideBySide, a non-profit organisation supporting people in custody and their families, found in a survey that it is important for parents to tell their children about what happened.

She notes some prisoners’ families may lie and claim the father or mother had left home because of poor school performance of their children or that their children are not wanted. 

“Children in Primary One to Three would truly believe that their parents are not home because they do not want them anymore,” Chiu says. 

“The most simple way is to tell them that mother or father made a mistake and is now bearing the responsibility of it,” she adds. 

Chiu finds children to be a group of passive and invisible victims of the judicial procedures as people rarely consider how legal actions taken on adults could impact their children and children are rarely asked for their opinions.

“The judicial sector could introduce service for families of people in custody so that support could be provided to the children” she says.

*Names changed at the request of interviewees

Edited by Leopold Chen
Sub-edited by Christine Tang

Scriptwriters of In Broad Daylight: Be Kind

‘In Broad Daylight’ scriptwriters urge people to stay kind in the world of injustice.

By Chloe Tam

Scriptwriters of the movie In Broad Daylight remind the audience to embrace virtues and stay kind despite living in a world of injustice with their latest production.

“We do not mean to make the audience feel defeated. Maybe some people think our movie makes people feel destitute, but actually we just want to tell the audience this is how the world operates. There are times we feel helpless and suffer from injustice. Yet, will you still choose to embrace virtues and choose to be a kind person?”  says Iris Tong Chui-Ping, one of the scriptwriters of the movie.

In Broad Daylight is an award-nominated movie based on true events of abusing elderly and people with mental disabilities in care homes. 

In the movie, a group of journalists reveals the abuses but the care home director escapes trial as the victim is not suitable for testimony due to her mental illness. 

“I think the most precious kind of virtue is not just being kind, but choosing to be kind after witnessing evil acts or suffering from injustice,” Tong says.

Speaking at a sharing session hosted by Varsity, Tong says the world lacks empathy and it is the root cause of evildoings. 

One of the scriptwriters of “In Broad Daylight”, Tong Chui-Ping, shared her thoughts during a sharing session hosted by Varsity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, on November 30, 2023.

“Empathy is essential if we want to make a better world. If we can put ourselves into others’ shoes and be considerate, we will not hurt others. If people are selfish, they will do whatever they want without thinking about others and being considerate,” Tong says.

Through the movie, the scriptwriter hopes the audience can see the world from a different perspective other than what they learn from news stories. And she cites a suicide case included in the movie as an example.

“How such a case is handled in a movie is different from how it is reported in a news story.  A news story probably bears a headline – ‘A Boy Falls into His Death’. The public only read the news story as one suicide case.  But in a movie, the audience can learn more about this boy such as his characters. The audience can look into the case in a more empathic way,” she says.

“In the movie, I can tell the story of this boy to let people feel what he has gone through and experienced in his life. This is the power of movies,” Tong adds. 

Another scriptwriter, Li Cheuk-fung shares Tong’s thoughts.  

“Though we cannot change the world, I am pleased that the audience gets some food for thought after watching the movie,” Li says. 

“The title In Broad Daylight means daytime. We always assume that crime and bad things only happen at nighttime, but terrible things also happen in public space and in broad daylight… right in front of us. We are closer to the crime scene than we think,” Li says.

The movie was released in November, 2023 after five years of devoted work. The scriptwriters conducted research about abuses in care homes by speaking to district councilors, social workers, journalists and victims’ families, hoping to understand their struggle and difficulties from different perspectives. 

The scriptwriters also hope the audience could pay attention to the destitution and sufferings of caregivers.

“Surely, we feel sad for the residents in care-homes but never the caregivers and even blame them. Caregivers often do not have adequate support. I hope I can be their voice in the movie,” Li says.

“In Broad Daylight”‘s scriptwriter Li Cheuk-fung talked about his insights during the sharing session.

“According to the reporter, the real situation in the concerned care homes was ten times worse than what is portrayed in the movie. During production, it is extremely difficult to strike a balance between making a shocking story and not excessively appealing to the tragedy. For journalists, facts restrict their reporting. But moviemakers are restricted by our own limits,” Li adds.

His feelings and thoughts about care homes have changed after learning more about stories behind these tragedies and abuses. 

“The more I understand the issue, the more helpless I feel. You get to know the complexity in the issue and feel frustrated about policies. There are many struggles of values and the system, leading to the loopholes,” Li says. 

“The more you know about these loopholes, the complexity in your mind strengthens the sense of powerlessness. How can we start making changes?” Li asks.

Sub-edited by Leopold Chen

Premier Part-time Footballer

Natalie Ma Ching-yi talks about her football journey and women’s football in Hong Kong.

By Liam Hordijk

Natalie Ma Ching-yi is a player for Hong Kong Football Club’s (HKFC) women’s team and a full-time student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“In Hong Kong, the teams in the top women’s division are usually semi-professional or even non-professional,” Ma says.

“Sometimes, many people are unable to play the game in Hong Kong because they are away on work trips,” she adds, pointing out that she has had to skip training when having an examination the next day.

Ma competes in the top flight of women’s football in Hong Kong, known as the 1st Division of the Jockey Club Women’s Football League, which features eight teams in a 17-game season. Players typically train two to three times a week with their club.

This is unlike the top flight of men’s football in Hong Kong, the BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League (HKPL), which is a professional league with 11 teams.

“Kitchee started offering part-time contracts [two seasons ago], and 24/7 Football Club also gives part-time contracts. Chelsea FC Soccer School (HK) has a travelling subsidy for its players,” Ma says, but also points out these things are not league-wide and she has neither.

A game between Sha Tin Sports Association Girls Soccer Team and 24/7 Football Club, two teams with players who have played overseas.

Ma discloses she does not know the exact amounts female footballers with part-time contracts get paid, but says it depends on ability and these players have a fixed salary and get money every time they play. 

Ma says she has to pay HKD $100 (USD $12.8)  monthly to play for HKFC, though this is unique to HKFC as it is a membership club.

However, Ma believes it is unrealistic for women to ask for professional contracts like men, because men’s football in Hong Kong generates more revenue for sponsors and clubs. 

“Male footballers get more fans and audiences, so they have more resources than female footballers. In general, people support men’s sports more than women’s sports,” the 19-year-old footballer says.

Other issues faced by female footballers include gameday pitches being remote and sometimes in a bad condition.

“I remember once we played in Fanling [recreation ground]. It was real grass and then there were holes in the pitch,” Ma says, adding that games have even been cancelled due to bad pitch conditions. 

Also, balls for training and matches are not standardised in weight and texture, which affects the way a player should kick it. Before each game, both teams will offer a training ball of their own and the referee will decide which one to play with.

“Say we are playing against a team and we use their ball, they get the advantage because they are used to their ball and we are new to it. Standardising the balls is already a thing done by HKPL and other leagues,” Ma says.

Passion for Football

Despite these troubles, Ma still wants to play football. She has loved the sport since she was five years old for its creativity after she saw the matches her father was watching on television.

“It is a really fun game because you can score from anywhere. People might say football is boring because 22 players go for the same ball, but because of the number of players, there are lots of formations and combinations that we can do. That is what got me into football,” she says.

Ma even faced opposition from her mother to play when growing up, which she says is part of a wider perception in Hong Kong towards women’s football.

“My mom thought I would become a tomboy by playing football,” Ma says.

“My parents wanted me to play basketball and swimming more than football so they enrolled me in summer courses to try different sports to replace football. In their mind, they are the same as they are all sports,” she adds.

Eventually Ma’s parents gave in since her joy from football was much bigger than for other sports and she joined the U18 squad of Chelsea FC Soccer School (HK). By the time she began playing organised football, she was already 12 years old.

“Since the players there all started playing football really early in their life, like when they were three, they are really good, while I struggled for quite a while,” she says.

After two years at Chelsea FC Soccer School (HK), she transferred to the U18 squad of HKFC. Ma then successfully tried out for the senior squad and made it into one of the top eight teams in Hong Kong women’s football.

Natalie Ma Ching-yi wears the number five, like her favourite player Sergio Busquets, for HKFC. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Ma Ching-yi)

Good Experiences

For Ma, her happiest moment as a player was earlier this year when she got past three defenders by herself to score a goal. She also managed to score last season from near the sideline.

“Playing is a good thing because you can get a sense of achievement,” she says, adding she enjoys challenging herself to improve and fight for her spot on the team.

Ma reveals that the number of spectators for HKFC games is normally 50 to 100. 

But she experienced a stronger audience turnout of around 300 spectators when playing in the 3rd place final of the FA Cup – the premier knockout competition for women’s football in Hong Kong – in June this year at Kowloon Bay Park. 

The stands at Tsing Yi Northeast Park, one venue used for women’s football matches in Hong Kong, can only seat 200 spectators.

Ma points out that the 1st place final between Kitchee and Chelsea FC Soccer School (HK) had around 500 spectators.

“I remember the stands were nearly full,” she says.

Future of Football

Ma says she hopes to keep playing football throughout her time at university and even after she starts working. She has also expressed her desire to be a part-time football coach on the weekends.

She encourages people with an interest in the sport to join.

“For people who do not have the courage to start, they should not be scared. Everything starts with trying,” she says.

“I noticed lots of players have started playing organised football recently and that lots of beginners went to the trials of division three teams,” she adds.

As more players join the sport and the talent pool expands, the quality of play at the top flight of women’s football increases and the division becomes more competitive and entertaining, leading to more spectators, revenue, and resources.

But for this to happen, Ma believes more has to be done to promote opportunities for women’s football in Hong Kong. 

“Not many people know about division one football. For example, we only get to post about the teams’ tryouts on social media, but we don’t have many followers. It is hard for newcomers to the sport to break into the football circle or to get started,” she says, adding that people have to be active in seeking opportunities.

“Subsidising travelling expenses for players can enable those who have financial difficulties to play,” Ma says.

Edited by Amelie Yeung
Sub-edited by Eve Qiao

An NGO of the elderly by the elderly and for the elderly

An elderly-run NGO provides community services for the elderly to promote active ageing in Hong Kong.

By Sunnie Wu and Nicole Li

While most elderly join activities as participants, Luk Po-kam has volunteered to host events as a committee member of an NGO for others for five years.   

Luk goes to Kwai Chung Elderly Mutual Help Centre, which is fully operated by elderly, at 8 am when she is on duty. 

 “I am responsible for the cleaning, membership renewal and selling milk powder,” the 78-year-old retired cleaner says.

With an annual membership fee of HK$30 (US$3.85), members can enjoy services such as checking blood pressure, cholesterol level and weight, buying milk powder and joining interest classes.

“The centre hosts some activities like balloon classes. I’m in charge of writing down participants’ names when they apply to join events,” she says.

Members enjoy activities including ballon class.

Founded by elderly and has been providing elderly service since 2000, Luk and other committee members have monthly meetings to discuss matters related to operational matters of the centre.

Meetings usually start at 9:30 a.m. and end within 30 minutes. All members stay focused and take notes about their discussion.  

Kwan Shui-lun, the 80-year-old current director of the centre, says their committee members are used to this working model.

“Our meetings do not last long. Our work is efficient because we have established routines for our daily tasks. Our committee members are in a good position to handle this. We just need to tell them plans for the coming months,” he says.

Committee members hold a monthly meeting to discuss matters related to the operation of the centre.

He adds that everything is designed to be elderly-centred.

“Only the elderly can truly understand the needs of other elderly people. We host activities and provide services based on their interests and needs,” he says.

Kwan cites selling four kinds of milk powder at the centre as an example. “Those who have diabetes can buy low-sugar milk powder from us,” he says.

“It is more convenient and cheaper to buy milk powder at the centre, and our products have a longer expiry date,” he says.

Four kinds of milk powder were sold in the centre at lower market prices.

The demanding workload and tasks do not stop Kwan from being devoted and passionate about serving the community. He has been volunteering in this centre for over ten years.

“What is more important is that every elderly who comes here is happy as they can gather and get what they need. We try our best to help them,” he says. 

“I don’t feel tired as long as I can lend a helping hand to the elderly in need,” he says.

But Kwan admits that it is difficult to recruit new committee members.

“Some of our committee members have passed away, while others find the workload overwhelming,” he says.

Facing difficulties in operation, the Windshield Charitable Foundation helps assist with some administrative tasks, such as contacting and handling applications.

Chu Yuk-cho, a social worker from the foundation, serves as the center’s secretary.

“Elderly people may be weaker in calculating and typing documents, so we can help them with their paperwork,” he says.

“Our staff are not in the front lines. The most remarkable thing should be the services provided by the elderly volunteers. Everything will become meaningless if we lead,” he says.

Chu is surprised by the capability of the elderly volunteers. “From basic cleaning work to daily operation and duties, they can actually handle all tasks well,” he says.

“I especially appreciate the their efforts to learn how to use technology. For examples, they can text in our WhatsApp group without us promoting them,” he adds

Chu believes that the perception of the elderly as being relatively weaker is a stereotype.

“They are actually normal people. They are retired doesn’t mean they are incapable of working. What they can do is far from our imagination, they are more capable than we think,” he said.

Dr. Florence Fong Meng-soi, the Deputy Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies, points out active ageing benefits elderly in different aspects.

“The concept of active ageing has been promoted globally since 20 years ago. It is because active ageing can lead to better quality of life in old age and represents the optimal concept of successful ageing,” Fong says.

“Elderly can have a improved physical well-being and better social well-being, with a lower chance of having depression and stress,” she adds.  

Apart from the benefits, Fong stresses the responsibility of promoting active ageing should be shared by everyone in Hong Kong. 

“It is everyone’s responsibility to promote active ageing, from the government to individuals,” she says.

Sub-edited by Eve Qiao 

Reviving Hong Kong’s Traditional Handmade Umbrella Shop

Kiki Leung Yuen-ki keeps the 138-year-old handmade umbrella brand alive to preserve traditional craftsmanship in Hong Kong.

By Jasmine Lam

Being the fifth generation of Leung So Kee, a famous umbrella making shop in Hong Kong established in 1885, Kiki Leung Yuen-ki only officially became a full-time worker of the shop in 2023.

“It is not like a shop only selling umbrellas, but like an old friend (to customers), ” Leung says. 

Waking up every day at 9 a.m., Leung opens the shop at 11:30 a.m. and leaves as late as 8:00 p.m. Her main area is marketing, replying to customers’ messages and managing social media accounts. 

“The working hours are more flexible compared to before,” she says, adding that she worked in the leasing industry. She was mainly responsible for dealing with tenancy agreements and leasing residential and industrial properties.

Once Leung joined the family business, she adopted new measures to renew the 138-year-old brand to attract customers, including moving the retail shop to a new site and setting up umbrella making workshops.

By moving Leung So Kee from Sham Shui Po to Tsim Sha Tsui, Leung brings the traditional handmade umbrella shop into the modern world. She has also transformed the brand by using more digital marketing and she has set up a website for the public to order products online since October 2020. 

Products in the shop, including umbrellas with bamboo handles.

“Social media is important. It is the way with the lowest cost to promote products,” Leung says.

“The pandemic changes everything. It makes me think something more like – You cannot just sit here and do nothing,” she adds.

On top of promoting digital marketing, she initiated an umbrella making workshop in 2021. Customers can make their own umbrellas, with the assistance of staff in two hours.

“Through the workshop, people know how to make an umbrella and how our brand is,” Leung says.

“Making umbrellas is actually an intangible cultural heritage. All our umbrellas are handmade. I want to promote this culture,” she adds.

Also, she wants everyone in her family can contribute to the family business.

“My brother draws really well. And we decided to print his drawings in the fabric of umbrellas,” she says, adding that her brother was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Kiki Leung Yuen-ki is holding the umbrella with fabric drawn by her brother.

While many people are leaving the city, Leung, who studied Specialist Economics in the University of Toronto, is determined to stay. 

“I used to come back to Hong Kong every year. I love Hong Kong more (than Canada), ”Leung says.

“My parents wanted me to come back. Also, Hong Kong has more job opportunities. The pace of Hong Kong suits me more, ” she adds.

Leung stresses she loves the century-old family business because it is not merely a shop selling umbrellas but a place with many different stories with customers.

“After the pandemic, customers can take the flight back to Hong Kong. Many emigrants come back and talk to us about their stories,” Leung says.

Other than people flying back from the United States, Singapore and Japan, some new customers come because of their social media and interviews published in various channels.

“Like yesterday, a group of emigrants from the U.S. came to the shop. A lady said her son had told her to buy an umbrella here because he spotted our interview online,” she says.

“After buying an umbrella for him, she later returned to buy another one for her other son. All her sons now use our umbrellas,” she adds.

Leung does not have a definite answer for her future plan. She believes there are still many opportunities for her to explore.

 “For this moment, I would like to stay here,” Leung says.

Sub-edited by Christine So

1...131415...125Page 14 of 125
Varsity CUHK
Varsity is an award-winning magazine created for the tertiary students and faculty of Hong Kong. It is written, edited and designed by students in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Contact us: varsity@cuhk.edu.hk