Just Saying | Why are Indians being targeted in Hong Kong’s crackdown on illegal immigration?
Yonden Lhatoo says a surge in dubious asylum claims from the subcontinent justifies tackling the problem, but collective punishment is not the answer
How ironic that Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, was in India this week with a big business delegation to woo investors just as his administration was building a case for imposing visa restrictions on the country.
Indians and nationals of other countries from which asylum seekers have been flocking to Hong Kong will have to secure an entry permit online before coming here.
The impending prospect of no more visa-free access across the board has alarmed the city’s Indian business community, and many are already complaining it smacks of racism and discrimination.
When asked about it directly in Mumbai, Leung replied: “We want to make Hong Kong as barrier-free as possible, but we are also mindful of, if you like, the side effects of providing visa-free entry when we have issues of overstaying.”
