Invisible Victims: Children of Incarcerated Parents

January 1, 2024

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

December 30, 2023

‘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

December 28, 2023

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

December 28, 2023

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

December 25, 2023

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

NBA Trading Card Scam

December 23, 2023

Victims recover losses in NBA trading card scams.

By Sean Pan

NBA trading card collector Henry Kwan has become more cautious and prefers only offline trading after many in the circle, including himself have been scammed.

In September 2023, Kwan spotted an NBA card featuring one of his favourites, Trae Young, when surfing on Xianyu, an online trading platform in China.

“I sent the seller RMB ¥3000(US $420) using Alipay on Xianyu after a few days of bargaining on September 29th. But despite waiting for a couple of weeks, I did not receive the card he had promised to send me by post,” Kwan recalls.

“I found out that I was scammed on October 25th, when the swindler kept holding me up on the deal we agreed on. I asked for help from other card collectors in a chat group. They told me the seller I traded with was a scammer,” Kwan says.

“Some in the NBA trading card chat group told me the scammer made use of an account owned by another collector to sell me the card,” he adds.

Kwan vowed to bring the scammer to justice and reported the case to the police on October 29th. “I think the trading card industry in China should adopt good practices so that we can do trading in a safe environment,” he says.

Kwan filed his case to the police together with four other victims and the losses have been recovered. Meanwhile, they still pursue the case for a formal apology and further compensation.

*Police report receipt of Henry Kwan’s case*.

Kwan shares that the scammers post pictures of NBA cards owned by others to their own Xianyu accounts to target victims, and it was confirmed by the scammer in his confession to the police on November 7th, according to an official transcript from the police.

Another NBA card collector, Anthony Ke, who is also in the same WeChat group with Kwan, was scammed by the same fraudster in July using another Xianyu account.

“I offered to trade five NBA trading cards with a total value of more than RMB ¥5500 (US $800) for one NBA card the scammer displayed on his Xianyu account with similar value,” Ke says.

“The scammer using a different user name agreed. He suggested exchanging our cards directly and that we should avoid paying large amounts of money through Xianyu to maintain cash flow when usually we card traders will pay each other the actual price of the card we agree to trade through Xianyu to ensure security and avoid scams,” says the 30-year-old man.

*The scammer’s post of an NBA trading card that he steals from the internet on Xianyu.*

“I trusted him, so I sent him my cards. He finally showed me a receipt stating the package was sent out after I had waited for a few weeks. But it was sent to Shandong province, but I live in Shanghai,” the card collector says.

“He told me he had sent the package to the wrong address, which is a card shop in Shandong. He even gave me the contact information of a shop staff member. The card store’s staff told me to wait for my cards,” Ke says.

“But It turns out all the contacts are from different WeChat accounts owned by the same person. The scammer uses different chat accounts with different identities,” Ke states.

Ke praises Kwan’s efforts in filing all of the victim’s cases together with the police. “It takes great effort to gather evidence to prepare for the case. I really appreciate the efforts he has made to fight for other victims by filing his own case. It is very time-consuming, and many victims prefer to stay silent,” he adds.

“Without Kwan, we might have lost all our money and cards, and the scammer can achieve its purpose,” he says.

High school student Ben Chan* reported being scammed using the same method stated by Ke.

“I sent the dealer three cards with a total value of RMB ¥2000 (US $300) and gave him an additional RMB ¥200 (US $30) through WeChat Pay for a card autographed by Stephen Curry,” the high school student says.

“The fraudster gave me fake information, such as a fake delivery message, to postpone our deal and treat me like a fool,” Chan says.

*Xianyu receipt of victim and scammer agree to trade the card directly*. *(Screenshot via Xianyu)*

“Dealing with these issues took up a lot of my time and even affected my studies, so I’m glad that Mr.Kwan gathered, including me, the number of five victims and filled all our cases together, reporting it to the police to resolve the problem,” he says.

Lawyer Chan Weijie says according to Article 266 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, if the amount of fraudulent public or private property is relatively large, the person is subject to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or control and a penalty.

“The scammer in Kwan’s case falls into the category under Article 266 if he is 18 or above. Possession of property of others by concealment reaches a “relatively large” amount – and in this case more than RMB ¥3000 (US $420),” he says.

Chan states the suspect’s criminal record has now been left in the Guangdong public security system network, and the victims can settle the matter privately, such as proposing a claim for compensation for mental disturbance and a formal confession.

“When dealing with scams, no matter how much money is involved, victims should seek help from the police as soon as possible,” Chan urges.

*Name changed at request of the interviewee

Sub-edited by Christine Tang

Residents’ worries over influx of tourists to Sha Tau Kok

December 22, 2023

Residents of Sha Tau Kok are worried about the influx of tourists that might affect the community.

By Charlotte Wu

Enjoying family time at home every weekend, the many staring eyes from tourists onto Athenea Cheung Yuen-lam’s home in Sha Tau Kok Chuen, a vibrant, French country home-style public housing estate, always leaves her feeling embarrassed.

Living on the third floor, the 19-year-old is only a stone’s throw away from the bus terminal where tourists have flooded the area since June last year.

*The view from Athena Cheung Yuen-lam’s room, from which she sees the bus terminal where tourist buses pass by. (Photo Courtesy of Athenea Cheung Yuen-lam)*

“I find it embarrassing when I lock eyes with people on the tour bus,” she says.

Located in the north of Hong Kong, Cheung’s home is in Sha Tau Kok, a Frontier Closed Area along the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. Only holders of closed-area permits issued by the police can enter the area.

To prevent the influx of illegal immigrants from mainland China after the Second World War, Sha Tau Kok was classified as a Frontier Closed Area by the British colonial government in 1951. The government only partially opened up the northernmost town in June 2022 to promote cultural and eco-tourism.

Under a pilot scheme, 500 people are allowed to visit Sha Tau Kok Pier, the outskirts of the area, per day on weekends and public holidays.

An expanded entry scheme will kick start from January 2024, allowing up to 1,000 people to visit the restricted historic town each day. Access to Chung Ying Street, which lies on the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, will remain restricted.

About 4,000 people are living in Sha Tau Kok, with most of them in Sha Tau Kok Chuen, the northernmost public estate in Hong Kong, which offers 802 flats. Cheung adds that no gates or security guards are installed since residents have lived in a trusted and closed community for a long time.

While the government is about to commence the second stage opening up of the area, Cheung’s family is considering installing privacy window films to prevent visitors from looking inside their flats.

“We feel less safe as we get stared at like animals in a zoo when tourists are curious about our lives,” she says.

Since the opening up, Cheung has witnessed gradual changes in the Housing Society-managed public housing estate.

“Recently, people from the Housing Society are visiting residents door-to-door to ask for our opinion on installing surveillance cameras in our estate,” she says.

“We believe the authorities impose such measures because more visitors are coming in,” she adds.

Like many other kids in town, Cheung spent her childhood wandering around and cycling without her parents’ supervision.

“It was completely fine for children to hang around alone, especially in my generation, as we all trusted the people here and parents felt safe to let their children play alone,” she recalls.

Cheung is worried that the opening of the town will disrupt the quiet life of the children.

*Residents hang their clothes in the open spaces of Sha Tau Kok Chuen, with banners reminding tourists not to enter residents’ living areas.*

“My uncle starts following my cousin when he wants to play downstairs as he is worried about meeting strangers,” she says.

Another resident is also concerned about the opening up.

Haley Lee Man-hei, 19, is scared that restaurants may find it difficult to handle the influx of customers with limited choices in the town.

Most restaurants are clustered in Sha Tau Kok Market with a few more small-scale Hong Kong-style cafes, otherwise called cha chaan tengs, according to Lee.

“Most of them are closed on Sundays as the rent in the market is cheap. There have been very limited dining options for residents on Sunday already, and if tourists decide to dine in, it will increase my waiting time for food,” she says.

To Lee, the town is a tranquil safe place and she hopes tourists would not cause too much disruption to residents.

“I will be proud if tourists come and appreciate the beauty of my home. But I hope they will respect the residents here and stay quiet when visiting as it is a really small place. Silence will be too luxurious for us then,” she adds.

In response to residents’ security concerns, the Housing Society says a few security guards would be stationed in Sha Tau Kok Chuen from mid-December, and CCTVs would be installed at residence entrances from January next year.

“We conducted a questionnaire asking residents about our security measures in mid-October. Most were supportive,” a spokesman from the Society says.

Moving from Kwun Tong, a bustling urban area to the secluded town in 2012, Charles Lee Yee-keung, founder of STK 1 Properties Limited, a real estate company in the area, is confident that the Housing Society’s measures can help protect residents’ privacy.

“Tourists may peek into the flats or take pictures of residents’ homes as they are curious about the lives of residents,” Lee says.

“After security cameras and gates are installed, I believe there will be a deterrent effect,” he adds.

The businessman also runs a private museum, Sha Tau Kok Story House, to promote the fishing culture and history of the Hong Kong northern border.

*Sha Tau Kok Story House is located on San Lau Street.*

He says his museum plans to launch three hiking routes for visitors after the opening up. These routes will help tourists explore the town, including visiting the remains of a section of the Kowloon-Canton railway, which used to connect Hong Kong and mainland China.

In his 2023 Policy Address, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu says the government will collaborate with Shenzhen to develop cultural tourism in the area.

Charles Lee believes it is a must for Hong Kong to jointly develop the area with Shenzhen.

He adds that mainland developers have been revitalizing Zhongying Jie, the mainland side of Chung Ying Street over the past two years.

“As the two sides are connected, there will be a big contrast and imbalance of development between the mainland and Hong Kong sides if the government does not plan to impose any new development,” he adds.

Edited by Leopold Chen

Sub-edited by Tessa Yau, Amelie Yeung and Eve Qiao

Safety Issues in Southeast Asia Stop Chinese Tourists

December 22, 2023

Chinese tourists are reluctant to visit Southeast Asia citing safety concerns.

By Kamun Lai

Yatong Xue will not travel to Southeast Asia in the coming months due to safety concerns triggered by a shooting incident in Thailand and scary movies about Chinese citizens being kidnapped to carry out scams.

In October 2023, a shooting rampage in shopping mall Siam Paragon injured five people and killed two tourists, one of them Chinese. Located in Bangkok, the mall is popular with Chinese tourists.

“I had planned to travel to Thailand after hearing of the visa-free policy for Chinese tourists in October but I changed my mind after the shooting incident. I also found out that about one-tenth of the population in Thailand possess guns. I had thought guns were banned there,” Xue says.

On September 25, Thailand launched a visa-free scheme for Chinese tourists, which will last for five months. On the same day, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, along with several government officials, went to Suvarnabhumi International Airport in the capital city of Bangkok to welcome Chinese tourists.

On December 8, Thai police summoned a Chinese social media influencer over a negative video portraying a popular Bangkok nightlife district as unsafe for women. In her video, the influencer with 2.69 million followers claims 99 per cent of those hanging around the area are not good people.

Xue had been planning to travel to Thailand for four months. But this is not the first time she changed her travel plans. She had planned to go to Thailand in March but changed her mind because of news of Chinese tourists being kidnapped to scam factories located in Southeast Asian countries, mostly in Myanmar.

“After the pandemic, I was thinking about going to Thailand. The kingdom has always been popular among tourists, being well-known for delicious food and affordable sightseeing,” she says.

“But videos about scams in Myanmar and warnings to Chinese tourists not to consume cannabis by accident have gone viral on Chinese social media platforms,” she recalls.

Thailand had legalised the consumption of cannabis in 2022 but the substance is currently outlawed in China.

“If Chinese tourists take cannabis products back to China by accident, they will be in big trouble,” Xue says.

*Posts asking about safety issues in Thailand are common on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. (Screenshot via Xiaohongshu)*

As Xue’s mom told her not to travel to Thailand due to safety concerns, she dropped the idea of travelling to Thailand and countries around Myanmar.

According to the Thai government, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand this year is predicted to be around five million, significantly lower than nearly 11 million in 2019, when Chinese tourists accounted for one-fourth of its overseas tourists and ranked first among them. But in the first nine months of 2023, the number of Chinese visitors to Thailand was only 2.2 million.

Popular in China, two blockbusters released in 2023, Lost in the Stars and No More Bets, are about Southeast Asian crimes.

Lost in the Stars is adapted from a real murder case in which a Chinese man kills his wife in Thailand. The film grossed US$486.1 million at the box office in China. No More Bets, which depicts fraud factories involved in kidnapping, gambling, and violence in an undisclosed Southeast Asian country, hit US$559 million.

A series of news coverage by China Central Television in August of this year about a postdoctoral researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who was smuggled to Myanmar for scamming caught public attention. The issue is widely reported by media outlets in China.

Tour guide and tourism blogger Sebas Teo finds more people are asking him about safety issues in Thailand.

Chinese tourists and those from Malaysia and Singapore consult him on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform, Instagram, and Facebook.

“Most ask about scams in which victims are cheated and kidnapped to be forced labour. Many are worried after reading news and watching movies about these incidents. No More Bets is also popular in Malaysia and Singapore,” says Teo, who is based in Singapore.

“People feel insecure about travelling to other countries after staying home for too long during the pandemic. With the influence of movies and news, they get even more anxious,” he says.

While Teo acknowledges that it is good for travellers to be more aware of safety issues, he points out that lots of fake news is being circulated online.

“If travellers are worried, they should hold their plans and set off only when they feel safe,” he says.

The Beijing office of Tourism Authority of Thailand said on Chinese social media that Thai people are friendly and hospitable, and are loved by Chinese people, and that Thailand is still a preferred destination for Chinese tourists. *(Screenshot via Weibo)*

A month after the news of the shooting, the Tourism Authority of Thailand uploaded a video of Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the authority, greeting Chinese tourists in Chinese.

“I sincerely hope that everyone will feel comfortable travelling to Thailand. In terms of safety measures, Thailand makes great efforts to ensure travellers’ safety,” she says.

Candy Wong, a China equity specialist, thinks travel demand is hit by the weak economy in China.

“The economic recovery has been weaker than expected as consumers cut down expensive overseas visits to more affordable domestic trips,” Wong says.

“The deadly shooting in Siam Paragon in October also reinforced concerns about safety in Thailand. The Chinese media’s recent emphasis on “internal circulation” over going out and the growing appreciation for domestic cultural trends may also play a part,” she says.

Edited by Kossy Chen

Sub-edited by Amelie Yeung

Therapy Dog Spreads Joy and Healing

December 19, 2023

Therapy dogs bring joy and comfort to patients in hospitals and students in educational institutions.

By Molisa Meng

Eleven-year-old poodle Curry has been serving people in need of happiness at hospitals, centres for the disabled, nursing homes and schools by playing with patients to calm their vexing nerves as a therapy dog since 2015.

Having taken care of the therapy dog for 11 years, Jessie Leung recalls a visit she made with her pet to the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care in Sha Tin recently.

“The patients smiled and laughed once they saw Curry. They petted and cuddled Curry and chatted in a happy mood. Some elderly told me Curry reminded them of their own dogs,” she says.

“Curry enjoys playing with people. I wanted Curry to be a therapy dog because I feel great that I can make others happy. It receives no formal training but it is very considerate and knows how to get along with humans. When playing with the elderly and children, Curry acts like a puppy,” Leung says.

She is proud of the pet’s gentle characteristics which enables it to be a good Doctor Dog.

Marnie Yau, Doctor Dog Programme Manager of Animal Asia, says that Doctor Dogs like Curry are good for inpatients at hospice care centres because patients have serious illnesses and are approaching the end of life.

“During visits, patients feel warm, comforted, happy, and relieved. Their spiritual conditions can be greatly enhanced. Patients have benefited from visits by our four-legged furry doctors,” Yau says.

*Doctor dogs and their guardians visited the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care to bring care and comfort to patients in November. (Photo Courtesy of Marnie Yau)*

Founded in 1991, the animal welfare non-governmental organisation Animals Asia has been running Doctor Dog programmes for 32 years, currently with over 100 dogs and their guardians volunteering in Hong Kong. Curry is one of them.

To qualify as a Doctor Dog, all dogs are required to take the Doctor Dog Behaviour Assessment Examination to check on their personalities and responses to certain situations including touch, noise and receiving food, and reaction to people.

Doctor Dogs with excellent performance in visits will become Professor Paws which are qualified to visit schools and interact with students. This year, Curry has been crowned as Professor Paw.

Karina O’Carroll, the education manager of Animal Asia Foundation, says the dogs join the service for one hour during each visit. Their visits cover different age groups and different people with different needs.

“We are inclusive to everyone who wants to spend time with dogs. Dogs bring joy, love, and affection. Most importantly, dogs do not judge. A lot of times, people experience judgement about their looks and jobs but dogs do not care. If you give them love, affection, and kindness, they will do the same,” Carroll says.

“Many of the therapy dogs have their own stories of adversity. Some are adopted from local shelters by their guardians and now they can give back to society as therapy dogs,” she adds.

*Curry is crowned as Professor Paws for its outstanding performance. (Photo Courtesy of Jessie Leung)*

Professor Paul Wong Wai-ching of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong points out that playing with animals helps people feel relaxed.

“When we play with animals, oxytocin, a chemical in our brain that makes us feel happy and relaxed, will be released,” he explains.

According to Wong, dogs are the most commonly used animal in therapies because they can be well-trained and are good at reading humans’ emotions and behaviours.

“So far, animal-assisted therapy has been applied to several psychological diseases including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,” he says.

But Wong warns dogs should not work too frequently or for too long as that makes them feel stressed and tired.

“I hope animal therapy will be more widely used in Hong Kong, but the lack of professionals in the field must first be addressed,” he says.

Theme picture provided by Marnie Yau to Varsity

Edited by Christine Tang
Sub-edited by Leopold Chen

Southeast Asia Phobia – Editor’s Note

December 19, 2023

Southeast Asia, once popular among Chinese visitors, has lost its charm to tourists due to safety concerns. Videos and news stories about kidnapping, scam and murder cases have gone viral on Chinese social media, fuelling Chinese fear about travelling to countries like Thailand and Myanmar.

The Thai government tries to lure more Chinese tourists to the kingdom by relaxing its visa policy, but the effectiveness is in question. In the Periscope section, Varsity reporters speak to restaurant and resort operators to learn how the tourism industry in Thailand is being affected by the declining number of Chinese tourists.

Following a visit by the director and two scriptwriters of a Hong Kong movie, In Broad Daylight, to a Varsity class on November 30, 2023, reporters have turned sharings and exchanges during the sharing session into two stories.

The People section features challenges and difficulties a Hong Kong female footballer and the fifth generation of the “Leung So Kee”, a 138-year-old Hong Kong umbrella brand.

Other topics covered are mental health of the younger generation and suicide rates in Hong Kong. In China, more fresh graduates study abroad due to the weak economy and high jobless rate, while those who take over family businesses also face difficulties making the handover work.

Varsity reporters also examine how the opening of the closed area in Sha Tau Kok will affect residents there, and how traumatised children of prisoners cope with challenges in life.

On a positive note, this issue has stories about an elderly-run NGO, therapy dogs that offer solace, and the heart-warming tale of parrots returning home with the help of Hong Kong Parrot Rescue (HKPR).

If this unsettling world is a desert, I hope Varsity can be a shared spiritual oasis helping readers get through it with a cool mind and a warm heart.

Enjoy your read!

Kossy Chen

Managing editor