Hong Kong must share economic success for harmonious society

Politics and the economy are interrelated. When the grass roots lose out through economic measures, it exacerbates local political discontent.

It is not because the current administration is incompetent, but because many in the middle class find life here getting harder, and this causes mistrust and discontent with the local and central governments.

China's rise is pervasive. It has created uneven growth, inflated prices and contributed to the wealth gap here. That's why it's imperative that economic integration with China must benefit all. Otherwise, mainlanders will always be seen as a threat locally in this perceived zero sum game that only benefits landlords or big business.

Locals feel threatened when they see, reglardless of merit, university places taken up by mainlanders but their own children lose out. They observe long queues at new property launches where mainlanders snap up purchases, driving property prices even higher. Mainland landlords than rent back the properties to locals, who may struggle to pay the exorbitant rents.

Low taxes and unrestricted free markets may be designed to boost the economy but many in the middle class are not benefiting.

Tourism, with the help of a weak currency and no duty on goods, has seen our city transformed into a showcase for Chinese medicine and luxury items, not catering for Hongkongers but mainland shoppers.