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Letters

Last year saw the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, and the 30th year of the collapse of the USSR. The same communist ideology has yielded two dramatically different results. Why?
First, it is because of the difference between Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The two men embarked on similar policies at around the same time.
Deng started the reform and opening up policy in 1978, and Gorbachev initiated the perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness) programme in the mid-1980s. Deng allowed only economic freedom, but not political freedom, and did so gradually (“crossing the river by feeling the stones”). The Russians tried to do both – economically and politically – and hoped to hasten the transformation by “shock therapy”. In hindsight, we can tell which one was right.
Second, Hong Kong is a factor in the differing results. Deng had a road map for capitalism and a market economy. The Russians had none.
Under their British colonial masters, Hongkongers had little political freedom but were allowed the freedom to make money, within the bounds of the law. This Hong Kong model of authoritarian government plus a free economy and the rule of law (but no democracy) has been embraced by the Chinese government and the Chinese people wholeheartedly.
The model fits well into the 2,000 years of Confucius’ teaching of obedience to authority and family/individual discipline, which was combined with the rule of law tradition instituted by the British. The result is the transformation of a fishing village into an international financial centre. Meanwhile, a poor country became the world’s second-largest economy.
Now we in Hong Kong are experimenting with the concept of democracy to see how it could work in the special administrative region, perhaps later to be embraced by the Chinese people and government.
Will democracy work in Hong Kong and then in China in the 21st century? Like communism in the last century, it all depends on the leaders who execute the plan.
Lam Kwok, Admiralty
Consumer watchdog could do more to boost food labelling
With reference to the Consumer Council’s study indicating excessive amounts of sodium found in processed meat, we appreciate the council’s efforts to safeguard public health and urge the consumer watchdog to collaborate with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to promote proper labelling of salty and sugary food items.
The department introduced a voluntary labelling programme to inform consumers of the salt and sugar content of pre-packaged food products in 2017 but the labels were applied to only about 200 products.
To investigate how this scheme could be promoted, we contacted the three supermarket chains Wellcome, ParknShop and China Resources Vanguard to learn more about how the companies support the government’s labelling scheme. As Wellcome and CR Vanguard did not provide us with information, we contacted the Consumer Council to request its help in urging the supermarket chains to be more transparent in their sugar and salt reduction policies.
In its reply to our request about Wellcome, the council said it was beyond its remit to instruct traders to provide information, including for research purposes, but offered to forward the feedback to the company.
As the council’s stated mission is to advocate for consumer interests and facilitate the constructive discussion and promulgation of pro-consumer policies, we urge it to do more to facilitate conversations among food manufacturers, grocery stores, the government and other stakeholders on how to leverage the food labelling schemes to tackle the problem of excessive consumption of salt and sugar.
Yichun Wang and Zishan Feng, Kowloon Tong
Hospital’s dedicated care brings hope in dark times
With discontent being a constant in these times, an experience with the medical services provided by Princess Margaret Hospital has left nothing but the flavours of gratitude and appreciation.
Thank you Dr Tony Chan Kam-tong and the neurology team for your dedication, professionalism and the exemplary care shown towards my husband who suffered a massive stroke. The endless care and concern provided by the kind nurses and carers at Princess Margaret Hospital’s neurology department will never be forgotten.
The Hospital Authority has been a beacon of hope and light in these sometimes dark and trying times. Thank you Princess Margaret Hospital.
Meelin Young, Sham Tseng


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Opinion


Readers write about the factors that led to the differing outcomes of the Chinese and Soviet attempts to open up, how to encourage supermarket chains to support food labelling, and a hospital’s exemplary caregiving



Readers write about the factors that led to the differing outcomes of the Chinese and Soviet attempts to open up, how to encourage supermarket chains to support food labelling, and a hospital’s exemplary caregiving.
