Talking points: How has the influx of mainland shoppers/visitors affected your life?
Hate it when you can't talk back? Well, you can with Young Post. Have your say and share with students around Hong Kong
Naz Iraj, 16, St Margaret's Girls' College, Hong Kong
I don't see any positives in the flood of mainland tourists to Hong Kong. As a Hong Kong resident, I only see them hogging what's rightfully ours, regardless of whether it's a pregnant woman coming to give birth here, or just a mainland tourist buying everything he sees. The effects of this huge influx are visible everywhere. Undeniably, some groups have benefited immensely from the rising tourist numbers. But many others feel they are getting a raw deal.
Tiffany Leung Wen-ting, 17, QualiEd college
There's no doubt that Hongkongers are increasingly resentful of mainlanders pouring into Hong Kong's shopping malls. I share their sentiments. The visitors cause inconvenience and disturb public order by packing our trains and buses, shopping malls, streets and so on. I especially get very angry when mainlanders jump the queue. For example, I was recently lining up in Causeway Bay to buy egg waffle. Suddenly, a mainland woman pushed me aside and stood in front of me. And she yelled at me when I asked her to leave. They are so selfish!
Chloe Tong Ka-ling, 16, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
I live in Fanling and travel a lot on the MTR. I've seen a lot of mainlanders blocking the train compartments with their suitcases. Some locals politely ask the visitors to remove their luggage, but their requests are mostly ignored.
Mainlanders want to know: how can I blend in while visiting Hong Kong?
Yoyo Lau Lok-yiu, 15, SKH Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School
The influx of mainland visitors has been bad for Hong Kong. They put down their luggage in the middle of the road, blocking the way of the pedestrians. I think they are very selfish and I no longer feel comfortable walking on the street.
Also, mainlanders behave badly. For example, they talk loudly on their mobile phones and cut lines. They are a big nuisance. If they want to come to Hong Kong, they should learn to respect our culture.
Lo Chun-yin, 16, Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School
Mainland shoppers usually carry lots of luggage when taking public transport. As a result, the buses are packed and many times I have had to wait for the next bus. So I am often late for appointments. One day, I saw a mainlander and two Hongkongers fighting in the MTR station, and police were called in. The influx of mainland shoppers has made the city an unpleasant place and caused me a lot of inconvenience.
Tell us how the influx of mainland shoppers/visitors affected you in the comment box below.
In our next Talking Points, we'll discuss:
Since soaring rents have made it more expensive to eat at restaurants, do you think the government should re-issue licences for dai pai dongs?
We are now accepting your answers for this new topic. To take part, e-mail your answer with your name, age and school name, plus a high-res photo of yourself (no less than 1MB), to [email protected] by Monday lunchtime next week.