Chip Tsao

Over the past couple of years, there has been an influx of migrants from Hong Kong to the UK. Communities have been forming in various cities, such as London and Manchester. And as Hong Kongers find jobs and settle in, the British way of life rubs off on them. But underneath all that, they remain Hong Kongers at heart.

Former police officer John Lee has stepped down as chief secretary for administration to run for Hong Kong chief executive after Carrie Lam announced that she will not be running for a second term. As the only candidate approved by Beijing, can Lee live up to the central government's expectations, as well as those of the Hong Kong people? Commentator Chip Tsao ponders Hong Kong's future.

While the “dynamic zero-Covid” policy may be effective in mainland China, the recent surge in cases in Hong Kong shows that the policy has its limitations, and it does not help that pandemic measures are being politicised. With more than 55,000 new cases reported on 2 March and panic buying amid the possibility of a lockdown, veteran Hong Kong commentator Chip Tsao discusses how Hong Kong is caught in a tricky place between Beijing and the rest of the world in terms of which strategy to take.

Commentator Chip Tsao notes that even as Chinese consumers are unhappy about perceived differential treatment by Western high-end brands in terms of returns and refunds, this is due in some part to their penchant for buying items and then easily changing their minds, or returning them after only using them once, perhaps just for selfies for social media. Not to mention the possibility of consumers’ irrational nationalism kicking in and the high costs of processing returns, it’s no wonder that brands are thinking twice before offering returns.

The constant pursuit of the high life in China, especially among young Chinese urbanites, often means that they are spending beyond their means. It does not help that financial companies and banks are encouraging people to take loans, while fans of celebrities and influencers are also nudged into chasing glamour. Given the circumstances, commentator Chip Tsao wonders if the Chinese authorities’ efforts towards an even distribution of wealth will work.

Hong Kong commentator Chip Tsao says that while the US wants China to do more to reduce global carbon emissions, surely it can expect China to prioritise its own development trajectory or to seek leverage in other areas. They should not forget that two can play at that game.

Given the current highlight on issues of racism in the US and patriotism in China, it seems that Chinese Americans serving in the US army are in a unique situation. Hong Kong commentator Chip Tsao wonders: if a conflict breaks out between China and the US over Taiwan or the South China Sea, how would these military persons be viewed?

Hong Kong commentator Chip Tsao looks back at the Donglin movement during the Ming dynasty, concluding that its rise and fall shows that freedom and democracy have a history of clashing with China’s cultural background and DNA.

​In Hong Kong commentator Chip Tsao’s analysis, China’s strategic priority after the South China Sea is the Indian Ocean, and it is getting its ducks in a row by winning over key nodes such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The Myanmar coup has made it distinctly clear that while the West has been obsessed with Aung San Suu Kyi as a beacon of democracy, the Chinese have been steadily advancing in influence over Myanmar. More than any calls the US and their allies can make, it is China’s move, or not, which can have a significant impact.