Talking Points: what’s the best thing about Hong Kong?

The best thing about Hong Kong is our police. Although many people have a low opinion of them, I still have high confidence in them. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world. We don’t worry about terrorist attacks or crimes such as robbery, stealing, and cheating. That’s why we can have such a great economy. Police officers always protect us when we are in danger. We don’t have corruption problems like they do in mainland China, and police here won’t shoot you because of your race, like policemen in the United States. We should show them our gratitude.

The natural environment is the best thing about Hong Kong. Our city is known as a concrete jungle, and tourists love all of the flashing lights as the city comes to life at night. But the natural beauty is even more amazing. We have 24 country parks and many other special areas that cover a total of 440 sq km. Some of the best wildlife and ecology is protected in marine parks and nature reserves, such as Hong Kong Wetland Park. What’s more, you can enjoy this beauty through lots of different hikes. Once you reach the top, you’ll be treated to a beautiful view of Hong Kong’s special natural scenery.

I think the best thing about Hong Kong is the food. Because we are an international city, there are delicacies from countries all over the world, such as Japan, Mexico, Korea, and more. The Michelin Guide will show you plenty of great restaurants here. On the other hand, local snacks are famous, too. Many tourists come here to try popular local snacks including curry fish balls, egg waffles, or deep fried stinky tofu. These snacks are tasty and have their own history.

The best thing about Hong Kong is its high degree of freedom. People can express their views freely and raise questions about problems in Hong Kong, thanks to the freedom of speech. With so many people watching the government they can force it to become more efficient.

Public safety. It is safer in Hong Kong then in other countries such as the United States or Syria. People there need to be afraid of terrorist attacks and no one knows when they might happen. But in Hong Kong, we don’t have these large-scale attacks that kill many people.

The best thing about Hong Kong is our legal system. Protecting everyone fairly is one of Hong Kong’s core values. For example, thanks to the law, even extremely wealthy, powerful people like Rafael Hui Si-yan, who was Chief Secretary for Administration; and businessman Thomas Kwok were both sent to prison for receiving illegal benefits. The law also made sure that both the people and the police who committed crimes during Occupy Centre were punished.

Our East-meets-West culture is the best thing about Hong Kong. Hong Kong is full of fabulous international flavour, from cuisines such as Thai or Japanese food to the religions and customs, and also the exciting fact that we enjoy Easter and Christmas holidays and celebrate New Year twice a year. That’s why I like Hong Kong so much!

The best thing is the shopping, from snacks to fashion from all over the world, Hong Kong is known as a Shopping Paradise. People are able to indulge in shopping in Hong Kong, and it also benefits our economy.

The best thing about Hong Kong is the “human touch”. There are many people go to the same Cha Chaan Teng every day and when they order, they just say: “the usual”, and the waiters will give them what they want. Hong Kong also has a lot of old shops. Some of them don’t make much money, but the owners keep it open just because they want to see their regular customers every day. These things really give Hong Kong a human touch.

I think the best thing about Hong Kong must be freedom. We have the freedom to travel, freedom to choose our religion and the best of all, the freedom of speech. And unlike other places, Hongkongers can express their discontent to the government. We can share our opinions through demonstrations and take to the streets to express our views publicly. And no matter who you are, we all enjoy the same freedom.

The best thing is freedom. We can judge the government because of freedom of speech. We can eat sushi, pizza, and kimchi because of free trade. We can taobao and watch Korean dramas because we have a free internet. Compared to Africa, North Korea, and mainland China, I am so proud, grateful and happy that I am a Hongkonger.

It’s our equality. Any Hongkonger can exercise their rights. For instance, you always have ways to express your opinion about the government or any organisation. No matter who you are, if you want to have further education or learn some specific skills, you can receive funds to get job-training.

I think Hong Kong’s human touch is the best thing about our city. Neighbours have good relationships, sharing food and playing together. In the wet market the shopkeeper always chats with us or gives us some discounts.

The best thing about Hong Kong is that it is a multi-ethnic city. We have Chinese, South Asian and African people living here, each sharing their culture. In other places, different cultures might bring conflict and discrimination, but here we respect our differences.

The skyscrapers here are the best thing. There are more than 300 skyscrapers here, and they all have their own styles, like the sky100 or the IFC. It is a beautiful place to visit, because you can see how modern our city is.

The best thing about Hong Kong is the local food, such as the dishes you find in cha chaan tengs. The most special thing in a cha chaan teng is milk tea because it has a history and it is a drink that represents Hong Kong. Many people eat our local snacks every day because they are so convenient and delicious.

The best thing about Hong Kong is that it is an international city, so there are many Asian and Western restaurants. They serve everything from the very popular Japanese and Italian food to less common Mediterranean and African food. It provides a wide range of options when we are dining out.

The best thing about Hong Kong is that it includes many different cultures. This is great since I can try different kinds of food in Hong Kong. For example, sushi from Japan and pizza from Italy. Also, we can buy lots of things from other countries. Therefore, we have more choices and selection.

I think the amazing view of Victoria Harbour is the best thing about Hong Kong. It is a major tourist attraction for the city. It is also the site of our big fireworks displays and a popular gathering place for both tourists and residents. There’s also the nightly multimedia show – A Symphony of Lights – which has been named the “World’s Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show” by Guinness World Records.

I think the city’s transportation system is the best thing about Hong Kong. From Chai Wan, South Horizons, Tung Chung to Tuen Mun, Lo Wu and Wu Kai Sha, we can travel everywhere we want through the MTR system. It makes our life more convenient because there always seems to be an MTR station nearby.

Cultural diversity is the best thing about Hong Kong. In one city we can find British architecture, Japanese sushi and a a Thai Songkran festival. We have a mix of many cultures, which means we don’t need to fly all over the world to taste the food or experience the festivals. We can get it all right here in Hong Kong.

I think the best thing about Hong Kong is our history. We were once a British colony and that makes our city different. We are a multicultural city with a mix of Chinese and Western ideas. Our history is never boring, and as Hongkongers, we learn more about it.

I think the best thing about Hong Kong is the incredible view from the Star ferry. Victoria Harbour, with all its skyscrapers, is an icon of Hong Kong. The tallest building there is the IFC, and when you are riding the ferry, you can enjoy this beautiful view. At night, it is even more beautiful, because most of the buildings are filled with colours, and they light up the night.

I think the best thing in Hong Kong is that we don’t have serious natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, or tsunamis. The worst thing we have are typhoons, and they normally only happen in summer. They are not as bad as other disasters, because the government doesn’t need to spend a lot of money to rebuild afterwards.

In our next Talking Points, we’ll discuss:

We are now accepting your answers for this topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age, and school, along with a nice, clear selfie (make sure it’s not blurry), to [email protected] by lunchtime on Monday. Don’t forget to include “Talking Points” in the subject line.