Elective Example

Food items :
Culinary icon : dim sum connects Hong Kong people and reflects city’s dynamic ability for
reinvention
Traditional Culture:
• Small steamed or fried savoury dumplings with various fillings, remains one of the most
recognizable parts of the city’s local culture.
• Dim sum is best enjoyed in a group chatting.
• Dim sum is not just a meal. It’s a connection, relationship and communication.
• Bring back happy childhood memories.
Innovative culinary delights
• (East meets West):
• Traditional dumplings with a modern twist : The fillings are popular European delicacies
including foie gras, sea bass,
• Using the traditional dim sum dishes to boost the health of customers :
• Using ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine to create dim sum dishes that
correspond to the seasons.
• Creating a ‘farm to chopsticks’ menu
• Working with traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, nutritionists, local farmers and
chefs to create ‘farm to chopsticks’ menus that hark back to a long-established way of
cooking.
A new form of tourism
• Camping in cars at scenic spots
• Japanese-inspired hobby involves modifying car compartments into liveable space.
• Driving to picturesque spots, pitching tents and answering the call of nature.
Collective memories of Hong Kongers :
• As the local saying goes,’ eat your rice with television as gravy’. It sounds weird, but
television viewing as a family was once so widespread as it was likened to being a must-
have food ingredient. The majority of Hong Kong families ate their dinner this way night
after night before smartphones were invented.
• Watching a popular TV show with the family is a shared custom that brings family
members together. Smartphones don’t offer the same sense of family unity, as people
are now glued to their individual devices. Plus, it means that people are viewing content
in their own rooms as opposed to being in a shared space with others.
 Collective memories of Hong Kongers :
• As the local saying goes,’ eat your rice with television as gravy’. It sounds weird, but
television viewing as a family was once so widespread as it was likened to being a must-
have food ingredient. The majority of Hong Kong families ate their dinner this way night
after night before smartphones were invented.
• Watching a popular TV show with the family is a shared custom that brings family
members together. Smartphones don’t offer the same sense of family unity, as people
are now glued to their individual devices. Plus, it means that people are viewing content
in their own rooms as opposed to being in a shared space with others.
• After a long day at work and school, family meal time can be a routine affair, but it is
also a perfect moment to bond and catch up with one another.
• Everyone at the table can chip in and discuss the plot, analyse the demise of certain
characters , and chime in with their opinions. Everyone is an expert and amateur at the
same time, there is no right or wrong opinion. That’s the beauty of the local saying :
everyone’s views become part of the meal for all to savour.

Popul
• Locally produced TV drama series used to be so highly regarded that they acted like the
social glue that formed the basis of Hong Kong society. The nightly routine used to bring
family members together, no matter how busy they may have been.

ar
• In the heydays of local TV industry in the 1980s – long before the creating of Korean
dramas and Netflix shows, Hong Kong-made TV drama series were the pride of Asia and
beyond. Nothing could beat quaint and exaggerated love triangles, overemotional

Cultu
courtroom dramas and serial cop dramas with numerous twists and turns. Hong Kong
drama series were much loved and admired because they showcased local talent, and
many of the city’s most celebrated cinematic greats came from that era (e,g. Chow Yun
fat, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, to name but a few).

re DSE 2020 Why do Instagrammers like to shoot public housing and how people feel about it.
• Source : The New York Times
• Reasons why the public housing estates have drawn professional interest
• It’s visual art and attracts people’s attention. It’s purely based on aesthetics. (e.g. The
basketball courts at Choi Hung Estate are brightly painted in blue, orange, yellow and
red. They are on the sunny roof of a 2-storey parking garage, and surrounded on three
sides by equally colourful high-rise apartment buildings.
• A lot of Hong Kong’s public housing estates were built at a time when modernism was as
ascendant步步⾼升；⽇益受歡迎 form of architecture. The clean lines and symmetry
make them very striking as photogenic backdrops.
• Posing in front of public housing complexes where so many people live creates the sense
that they are in the middle of the world.
• Another Instagram hot spot – an incredibly dense collection of five residential blocks in
 basketball courts at Choi Hung Estate are brightly painted in blue, orange, yellow and
red. They are on the sunny roof of a 2-storey parking garage, and surrounded on three
sides by equally colourful high-rise apartment buildings.
• A lot of Hong Kong’s public housing estates were built at a time when modernism was as
ascendant步步⾼升；⽇益受歡迎 form of architecture. The clean lines and symmetry
make them very striking as photogenic backdrops.
• Posing in front of public housing complexes where so many people live creates the sense
that they are in the middle of the world.
• Another Instagram hot spot – an incredibly dense collection of five residential blocks in
the Quarry Bay neighbourhood that were featured in the movie ‘Transformers: Age of
Extinction’
• Impacts on local residents
Source : SCMP
• Crowds of snap-happy travelers are testing the patience of locals and transforming once
quaint pockets of the bustling metropolis. Tony Hui recalls how elderly residents always
used to play cards in a courtyard in the middle of the densely packed housing block
where he owns a dry cleaning store. But in recent years, daily throngs⼈群 of tourists
have relegated 降低…的地位the card players to a card corner of the courtyard.
• A sign warning against shooting photos and disturbing residents has done little to deter
the chic travelers, who usually form an orderly line to wait for a coveted 貪求，渴望
spot in the middle of symmetrical blocks.
• Taxis and cars honk restlessly as the tourists – mainly from mainland China, South Korea
and Taiwan, but also Western nations – spill into the road to get their ideal frame,
seemingly oblivious to the safety issues. Few people have been hit by cars and vans while
they are transfixed on taking photos.
• Hong Kong’s unique urban aesthetics , especially its public housing estates have proved
enormously popular with social media fanatics狂熱者. However, the crowds help
romanticize poverty, sharing images that provide only a shallow view of what it is like to
live in one of the world’s least affordable property markets.
Pizza vending machine prompts curiosity and horror in Rome (the SCMP)
• Buyers using the flaming red ‘Mr. Go Pizza’ machine can choose from 4 different kinds of
pizzas. The machine kneads 揉，捏（尤指麵團）and tops the dough and customers can
watch pizza cook behind a small glass window.
• Some Italians gave the machine-made pizza a try and gave it a thumbs down, saying it
tasted unpalatable.

Housing Problems :
• Protecting tenants of subdivided flats, shoebox homes/coffin homes
 • Buyers using the flaming red ‘Mr. Go Pizza’ machine can choose from 4 different kinds of
pizzas. The machine kneads 揉，捏（尤指麵團）and tops the dough and customers can
watch pizza cook behind a small glass window.
• Some Italians gave the machine-made pizza a try and gave it a thumbs down, saying it
tasted unpalatable.

Housing Problems :
• Protecting tenants of subdivided flats, shoebox homes/coffin homes
• Proposal : A rent control mechanism to safeguard tenants from exploitation by landlords
by capping the maximum increment in rent.
• Upside : protecting tenants from being exploited.
• Downside :
• Landlords will increase the rent before the implementation of the policy.
• Landlords will lose the incentive to rent out their subdivided flats, driving people to
become homeless while waiting for the public housing.
Concerns for Hong Kong’s disadvantaged children
• The Children’s Rights Association:
• Many of the government’s subsidies are not able to benefit children from low-income
families, especially during the online learning period. A majority of these children lack
internet access.
• The government has handed out some e-learning subsidies but the one-off grant is not
sufficient.
• On housing issues, many households with children live in poor conditions while the
average queuing time for a public housing flat has increased to about 5.6 years. The
living quality of most low-income children remain poor as a result, something that could
affect their health, personal growth, social life and learning progress. Reasons are as
follows:
• Living in a cramped area, underprivileged children’s physical and mental development
have been affected. For instance, flats are poorly ventilated. Spending more conflicts
with family members.
• Solutions :
• To continue to increase public housing supply
• To increase the number of transitional housing flats for those who are on the waiting
list.
• Every child has the necessary equipment – including wifi for online learning.

Innovation and Technology:

• Achievements :
 with family members.
• Solutions :
• To continue to increase public housing supply
• To increase the number of transitional housing flats for those who are on the waiting
list.
• Every child has the necessary equipment – including wifi for online learning.

Innovation and Technology:

• Achievements :
• Medical pioneers (e.g. Dennis Lo, Professor of Medicine at CUHK) developed a non-
invasive test that has eliminated the risk of injuring the fetus during diagnosis. He was
awarded the 2021 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.
• He has also developed a blood test that can detect dozens of types of cancer from only
one blood sample, thereby giving patients the opportunity to receive medical treatment
when survival rates are high.
• How to help HK gain edge over other neighbouring cities?
Medical Research
• According to Professor Lo (Department of Medicine, CUHK), we need to have our own
technology companies so that we can train our own people and give a career path for our
students who are interested in technology research and inspire more people to go into
scientific research.
• Why is Hong Kong more competitive in terms of medical research?
• We have a very good health care system and 90% of local patients are looked after by
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority. Therefore, we can do large-scale clinical research
efficiently and cheaply.

Engineering
• Talents : For example, Professor Liew has founded a company, CU Coding, relies on
advanced technology that can transmit data more efficiently. It has become a leading
network technology provided for Hong Kong and southern China.
• Qualities of researchers
• The pioneering spirit : Passion and perseverance play crucial roles in helping them
transform their ideas into reality.
• Technological achievements in China
• Rainmaking technologies have triggered rainfall in areas that suffer from drought.
• They use sound energy to change cloud physics in order to trigger rainfall.
Improving Upward Mobility for the underprivileged : the U.S.
• Universities of Ivy League in the U.S.: They implement race-conscious admissions
policies which give certain preferences in education and employment to blacks and
 • Qualities of researchers
• The pioneering spirit : Passion and perseverance play crucial roles in helping them
transform their ideas into reality.
• Technological achievements in China
• Rainmaking technologies have triggered rainfall in areas that suffer from drought.
• They use sound energy to change cloud physics in order to trigger rainfall.
Improving Upward Mobility for the underprivileged : the U.S.
• Universities of Ivy League in the U.S.: They implement race-conscious admissions
policies which give certain preferences in education and employment to blacks and
Hispanics to win admission in order to offset adverse impacts brought by discrimination.
Discrimination : the U.S.
• Some people have sued Harvard University and Yale University, arguing that their race-
conscious admissions practices discriminate against Asian and white applicants.
Hong Kong students drop in worldwide maths and science ranking
• Reasons
• Primary education & Secondary education : focusing on arts subjects
• Primary : Chinese , English, Maths and General Studies
• Secondary : Chinese, English Maths and Liberal Studies
• Failure to integrate STEM education into traditional curricular framework
• Spoon-feeding education – lack of critical thinking skills and all students of different
abilities are forced to study the same courses
• Examination-orientated educational system : focus on 4 core subjects and 2 electives
• Solutions to help
• Revamping current curriculum :
• students have to study both science and arts
e.g. In the U.S., students need to study 7 categories (Math, English, Science,
History, Foreign languages, P.E, Computer)
b. introducing regular classes (for average abilities) , Honour classes and advanced
placement classes (for elite students). Students can study different subjects based
on their progress and capability so that weaker students can have a solid foundation
while elite students can learn more.
2. Integrating STEM education into traditional curriculum
a. In the U.S., different school districts have taught about STEM education and
focused on integrating the disciplines in the context of problem-based learning.’
Students need to be trained to become critical thinkers who are creative and
innovative in their approach to solve problems. They should be able to analyse data,
support conclusions with evidence, and consider alternative arguments and viewpoints.
They should be able to communicate clearly and convincingly and show leadership.
b. It is a process of inquiry, finding answers in the natural world and the man-made
 on their progress and capability so that weaker students can have a solid foundation
while elite students can learn more.
2. Integrating STEM education into traditional curriculum
a. In the U.S., different school districts have taught about STEM education and
focused on integrating the disciplines in the context of problem-based learning.’
Students need to be trained to become critical thinkers who are creative and
innovative in their approach to solve problems. They should be able to analyse data,
support conclusions with evidence, and consider alternative arguments and viewpoints.
They should be able to communicate clearly and convincingly and show leadership.
b. It is a process of inquiry, finding answers in the natural world and the man-made
world. It is to help students develop skills and knowledge they can apply in anything
they choose to do. That could be science and mathematics. Equally, it could be
history, languages, social sciences or anything else. The principle and priority is to
educate problem solvers who can think for themselves. That involves more than
simply adding an extra computer science class to the standard school day or training
teachers to make us of the latest digital tools and technology. .
c. Teachers have to help children develop skills like showing primary school students
about the importance of hearing different points of view and discerning which seem
reasonable and are expected to offer and consider suitable evidence.
d. STEM education is transforming the classroom into somewhere students are
communicating newly created ideas.
3. Accepting gifted Science students with poor language skills by universities
4. Promoting Science and Math-based extra-curricular activities/ competitions
e.g. STEM competitions focusing on coding, robotics and game development
e.g. After-school STEM programs focus on hands-on involvement and out-of-the-box
thinking
e.g. Inter-School Science competitions
e,g, Math/Biology/Chemistry/Physics Olympiad
e.g. National Science Bowl
e.g. Science and Engineering Fair

Atlanta shootings : Stopping Asian hate requires to root of West’s Sinophobia (The SCMP)
• The shootings in Atlanta that left 8 people dead, including 6 women of Asian descent,
have saddened many people. The Asian-American community has experienced heightened
vulnerability during the past year. To phrase the nuanced 有細微差別的sentiments as
‘Asian hate’ cam be misleading, though.
• This current wave of Anti-Asian hatred stems from Sinophobic sentiment which has long
existed but increased sharply in recent years. As most Westerners are not skilled at
Atlanta shootings : Stopping Asian hate requires to root of West’s Sinophobia (The SCMP)
• The shootings in Atlanta that left 8 people dead, including 6 women of Asian descent,
have saddened many people. The Asian-American community has experienced heightened
vulnerability during the past year. To phrase the nuanced 有細微差別的sentiments as
‘Asian hate’ cam be misleading, though.
• This current wave of Anti-Asian hatred stems from Sinophobic sentiment which has long
existed but increased sharply in recent years. As most Westerners are not skilled at
distinguishing between people of different Asian ancestry, and some fail to draw a line
between a country’s between a country’s government and its people, the unfortunate
consequence is that whenever China is the focus of criticism, people of Chinese origin-
be they Chinese citizens or Chinese-Americans – or even anyone of East Asian heritage
could experience hostility.
• This primarily came thanks to former US president Donald Trump and his colleagues’
insistence on calling the coronavirus ‘China virus’.
How to solve the disparity between the rich and the poor
• A ‘Good Billionaire Index’ that tracks the philanthropic activities of the mega-rich can
encourage those who aren’t so active now to start giving.
• The Goh’s family, one of Singapore’s richest men, recently reaped windfall 意外之財gains
to his already considerable wealth. The Goh family’s massive accumulation of money in
one quick stroke⼀點⼯作 is reinforcing the old aphorism 格⾔ that the ‘the rich get richer
and the poor get poorer’.
• It’s no surprise that the accelerating inequality has fueled louder voices calling for the wealthy
to give back more as their fortunes have risen.
• To be fair, some tycoons have given a larger chunk of their wealth for philanthropic causes in
these times of need. In China, Jack Ma donated US $ 14.4 million to efforts in search of a
vaccine and Alibaba has earmarked about $144 million to buy medical supplies in response to
the outbreak of COVID-19.
• These examples show a growing awareness among at least some of the world’s billionaires that
hoarding 囤積 wealth without using it for projects of the common good is not acceptable.

How can Hong Kong supersede other Asian cities in technological development?
• Beijing seeks to harness控制 China’s finest minds and technological strengths to become
a leading innovative country by 2035.
• At the University of Hong Kong’s brain and cognitive sciences lab, Professor Lee
explained how researchers from psychology, medicine, biomedical science and
 • These examples show a growing awareness among at least some of the world’s billionaires that
hoarding 囤積 wealth without using it for projects of the common good is not acceptable.

How can Hong Kong supersede other Asian cities in technological development?
• Beijing seeks to harness控制 China’s finest minds and technological strengths to become
a leading innovative country by 2035.
• At the University of Hong Kong’s brain and cognitive sciences lab, Professor Lee
explained how researchers from psychology, medicine, biomedical science and
engineering work together.
• It offers a strong platform for multidisciplinary 結合多⾨學科的collaborations. The lab
reflects how more of the country’s state-funded scientific research may look by 2025:
cross-disciplinary research, open collaboration with domestic and international partners,
and creativity in nurturing young scientists.
• China outlines the five-year plan to strengthen the national force in science and
technology and build top-notch第⼀流的 national labs.
Why do students in Hong Kong choose to do volunteer work when there is a reward?
Reasons :
• Students take a utilitarian approach to education which should respond to wishes of
education’s clients. Students, in this sense, are customers.
• For example, students will only participate in volunteering work when they are given
certificates, when their deeds will be reflected on the report cards or when their
experiences in volunteering work will be useful in applying for universities.
• Schools reinforce the utilitarian approach at school. They motivate students to join
volunteering work by giving them rewards.
Solutions :
• Implementation of Values Education which emphasizes compassion, helping others and
good Samaritans. Each form will be required to participate in volunteering work each
month (e.g. helping the homeless, the underprivileged)
• Reverse thinking : Asking them to live the life of the needy (e.g. the homeless, the
underprivileged)
Developing local students’ creativity and imagination and promoting environmental protection
• Hundreds of pupils channel their creativity as part of programme spearheaded 帶頭做by
Junior Achievement Hong Kong.
• Hundreds of secondary school pupils are taking full advantage of the coronavirus
Social pandemic to expand their business acumen敏銳；精明 and entrepreneurial spirit. More
than 60-led companies have created and built products to sell to the public, many of
Issues which are themed specifically on Hong Kong culture, bringing an element of local pride to
these young entrepreneurs.
 underprivileged)
Developing local students’ creativity and imagination and promoting environmental protection
• Hundreds of pupils channel their creativity as part of programme spearheaded 帶頭做by
Junior Achievement Hong Kong.
• Hundreds of secondary school pupils are taking full advantage of the coronavirus
Social pandemic to expand their business acumen敏銳；精明 and entrepreneurial spirit. More
than 60-led companies have created and built products to sell to the public, many of
Issues which are themed specifically on Hong Kong culture, bringing an element of local pride to
these young entrepreneurs.

/
• Yick and his classmates, who called their team ‘Unbounded’, have turned used platic
bottles into biodegradable umbrellas. . ‘We first came up with the idea when we realized
that Hong Kong frequently throw away plastic bottles, be it at basketball courts or on
Debat •
the beach.’ Yick said.
‘Currently, there are about 700 species of marine life threatened by plastic waste, and

e an average of 700 tonnes of waste paper are sent to landfills every day. We hope to
wake up 7 million Hong Kong people to the increasing damage that we are doing to the
environment.’
Showing students’ perseverance
• While the idea has been well received by their peers, Yick said it was hard to collect
water bottles in the midst of the pandemic, as social-distancing measures made it
difficult for his team to meet on a regular basis.
• ‘I know it’s hard, but I hope to continue promoting our idea through social media so that
more Hong Kong people can have more environmental awareness,’ he said. Their
economics teacher was impressed by their perseverance and determination under the
challenging circumstances.
• ‘Even when classes were suspended because of the pandemic, my students kept on going
and emailed everyone in our school about their project, taking great lengths to promote
their idea and their company,’ Yuen said.
Does Twitter/social media ban violate free speech?
• Donald Trump lost his favourite online megaphone 喇叭when Twitter permanently
suspended his account over concerns his messages would incite煽動 further violence.
• While Trump and his allies quickly accused the social media platform of silencing free
speech, the US attorney said the action didn’t violate free speech.
• The announcement came after Facebook banned Trump from posting. ‘We believe that
the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even
controversial speech,’ CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote.
• “But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving the use of our
platform to incite violent insurrection起義，暴動 against a democratically elected
 • Donald Trump lost his favourite online megaphone 喇叭when Twitter permanently
suspended his account over concerns his messages would incite煽動 further violence.
• While Trump and his allies quickly accused the social media platform of silencing free
speech, the US attorney said the action didn’t violate free speech.
• The announcement came after Facebook banned Trump from posting. ‘We believe that
the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even
controversial speech,’ CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote.
• “But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving the use of our
platform to incite violent insurrection起義，暴動 against a democratically elected
government.;
• While social media has allowed Trump and other politicians to circumvent繞過 traditional
media-communicating with the public without having to face questions from reporters.
• Social media does make it easier for like-minded people to connect.
Helping children with special needs (SEN)
• To improve the efficacy of communication among teachers and underprivileged students
with different educational needs. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust funded a
3-year titled Jockey Club Expressive Arts Programme for Children.
• The programme consisted of two main components : expressive arts-based ‘Make it
Better’ workshops, which aim to help children with SEN better integrate into the
mainstream learning environment and Train the Trainer workshops for educators to
equip them with the skills to incorporate arts into the educational setting.
• The Make it Better’ workshops, revolved around four main themes – self-awareness,
interpersonal skills, community and the environment. The children were encouraged to
actively explore and express themselves through a series of individual and group art
activities. The different expressive arts modalities治療程式 such as visual arts, body
movement, drama and music embrace each student’s unique form of non-verbal
expression and allow them to communicate their emotions in a meaningful way.
• The Train-the-trainer programme equipped teachers with the basic principles, skills,
experiences and mindset to integrate expressive arts as a tool into their teaching and
practice.
Development in other Asian countries
• Indonesia’s long-held ambitions for creating a tech hub in the image of Silicone Valley
appear to be taking shape, with work about to start on a multibillion-dollar project in
West Java.
• The site is expected to be a hotbed for innovation in advanced technologies such as
artificial intelligence, drones, solar panels and other forms of renewable energy.
• Three prominent Indonesian universities will be given 25 hectares of land ach for free
there to engage in research development.
 practice.
Development in other Asian countries
• Indonesia’s long-held ambitions for creating a tech hub in the image of Silicone Valley
appear to be taking shape, with work about to start on a multibillion-dollar project in
West Java.
• The site is expected to be a hotbed for innovation in advanced technologies such as
artificial intelligence, drones, solar panels and other forms of renewable energy.
• Three prominent Indonesian universities will be given 25 hectares of land ach for free
there to engage in research development.

st
How Hong Kong has reenergized its iconic electric trams for the 21 century
• Trundling慢慢地移動its way back and forth along the northern edge of Hong Kong
Island – flanked在…側⾯ by rows of modern skyscrapers and surrounded by the never-
ending traffic – is a historic form of public transport that has witnessed the city’s
transformation for more than a century.
• Why do we need to keep the tram service?
• Riding on the tram across different districts has allowed people to appreciate Hong
Kong Island’s diversity and vibrancy – where the Wan Chai’s buzzy活躍的；令⼈興奮的
stalls, Central’s sparkling high-rises and Sheung Wan’s many dried seafood stores happily
coexist alongside one another.
• Should value the very iconic and heritage tram. Throughout the century, the ‘ding dings’
– which got their name because of the chiming warning sound they make when they are
on the move – have remained one of the most accessible transports.
• Trams have also partly retained their Hong Kong spirit because they are fully maintained
in the city. Ensuring the tram service remains competitive has been a key issue, as more
efficient means of transports, such as buses and trains, have threatened its future.
• While trams are a tourist attraction, the real challenge has been to ensure that
everyday commuters keep riding on them. To enhance comfort, passenger seats in the
modern trams have been redesigned with more handrails, while electronic panels have
been installed to provide information about the next stop. Real-time positioning system
is also available to offer anticipated arrival times.
• Reducing energy consumption is another key. The latest trams are now equipped with
regenerative braking – where the kinetic energy normally lost.
• Cultural gems along the Tin Hau to Wan Chai ‘ding ding’ route.
• Riding the iconic ‘ding ding’ is a wonderful way to take in views of Hong Kong Island’s
urban landscape. Here are some cultural attractions that can be found within walking
distance of the tram stops along the Tin Hau to Wan Chai route.
 been installed to provide information about the next stop. Real-time positioning system
is also available to offer anticipated arrival times.
• Reducing energy consumption is another key. The latest trams are now equipped with
regenerative braking – where the kinetic energy normally lost.
• Cultural gems along the Tin Hau to Wan Chai ‘ding ding’ route.
• Riding the iconic ‘ding ding’ is a wonderful way to take in views of Hong Kong Island’s
urban landscape. Here are some cultural attractions that can be found within walking
distance of the tram stops along the Tin Hau to Wan Chai route.

Luxury stores play nice with Chinese professional shoppers they once frowned upon as
brands’ sales and profits plummet
• With Chinese social-media app WeChat open in one hand, and a designer handbag or a
piece of jewellery in the other, these London-based shoppers analyzed, descried and
bought luxury items – watches, jewellery, clothes and cosmetics- for customers in China.
• Before the coronavirus pandemic began, these shoppers and the designer stores of
London had a mutually beneficial, if often testy, relationship. Most high-end brands don’t
allow photographs to be taken of their products, so Chinese professional shoppers spent
hours in store describing price, colour and product details over WeChat before buying
and sending goods to China.
• For a while, the industry thrived : Chinese customers were getting early access to
collections at a lower price and could boast their products had been bought in Europe,
while the shoppers – who usually charged a commission of five to 15% - were making a
healthy profit. Has all this been irreversibly damaged by the pandemic?
• A glance at the current situation would suggest so. The drop in international travel has
meant Chinese duty-free areas such as the island of Hainan have flourished and many
luxury brands have chosen to expand there rather than in Europe.
Hong Kong children unhappiest they have been in five years, with nearly 10% planning to leave
city over fears for future.
• Hong Kong’s children are the unhappiest they have been in at least 5 years, a survey by a
major youth group has found, while almost 10% see emigration as their goal.
• Findings released by the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association (BGCA) on Friday found the
average happiness score among more than 750 children aged between 6 and 17 in 2021
was 6.94 out of 10 – the first time it has fallen below 7 since 2016.
• BCGA said the coronavirus pandemic, which led to months of in-person class suspension
at schools, was one of the major reasons behind the rating, given the lack of interaction
children had with friends and the increased feeling of loneliness.
city over fears for future.
• Hong Kong’s children are the unhappiest they have been in at least 5 years, a survey by a
major youth group has found, while almost 10% see emigration as their goal.
• Findings released by the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association (BGCA) on Friday found the
average happiness score among more than 750 children aged between 6 and 17 in 2021
was 6.94 out of 10 – the first time it has fallen below 7 since 2016.
• BCGA said the coronavirus pandemic, which led to months of in-person class suspension
at schools, was one of the major reasons behind the rating, given the lack of interaction
children had with friends and the increased feeling of loneliness.
• Amid the pandemic, different extracurricular activities and school competitions had
been cancelled. Some children also cited dissatisfactory academic results and issues
concerning friends and families as reasons for their unhappiness.
• Among those who said they might emigrate in the long term, they feel relatively less
satisfied with the government and have an even lower rate of confidence in the local
political situation and achieving social harmony.
• BGCA suggested the government put more effort into improving children’s mental well-
being and take into account young people’s concerns about the community when
formulating policies.
Hong Kong schools report 50% jump in bullying despite in-person classes being suspended
because of Covid-19
• Bullying at Hong Kong primary and secondary schools has hit a 10-year high with
reported cases jumping by more than 50% year on year, despite in-person classes having
been suspended for an extended period amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• A youth concern group expected many of the cases involved cyberbullying which have
been growing over the past few years, while classes in the city’s schools have been
suspended for nearly half of the 2019-20 academic year.
• The government takes a ‘zero tolerance to any acts of bullying in Hong Kong’s schools
and would be spending HK$78 million this year on various anti-bullying programmes to
raise pupils’ awareness and train them to resolve conflicts on campus.
• Forming a dedicated team by the government or installing closed-circuit television
monitoring systems might not be effective in preventing or reducing the occurrence of
school bullying.
• Instead, the schools should attach importance to fostering students’ respect for
others, differences and diverse views and cultivating their empathy同情；同感，共鳴at
the educational level.
The Loophole漏洞 – Facebook (‘The Guardian Weekly’)
• Facebook has repeatedly allowed world leaders and politicians to use its platform to
deceive the public or harass opponents despite being alerted to evidence of the
 monitoring systems might not be effective in preventing or reducing the occurrence of
school bullying.
• Instead, the schools should attach importance to fostering students’ respect for
others, differences and diverse views and cultivating their empathy同情；同感，共鳴at
the educational level.
The Loophole漏洞 – Facebook (‘The Guardian Weekly’)
• Facebook has repeatedly allowed world leaders and politicians to use its platform to
deceive the public or harass opponents despite being alerted to evidence of the
wrongdoing.
• The investigation shows how Facebook has allowed major abuses of its platform in poor,
small and non-western countries. Facebook pledged to combat state-backed political
manipulation of its platform after the 2016 US election, when Russian agents used
inauthentic Facebook accounts to deceive and divide US voters. But the company has
repeatedly failed to take timely action when presented with evidence of rampant猖獗
的，泛濫的 manipulation and abuse of its tools by political leaders.
• The most blatant 明⽬張膽的，公然的example was Juan Orlando Hernandez, the
president of Honduras, who in August 2018 was receiving 90% of all known fake
engagement in the small Central American country. In August 2018, Facebook uncovered
evidence that Hernandez’s staff were directly involved in the campaign to boost content
on his Page with hundreds of thousands of fake likes.
How the pandemic has shut off school for millions in developing countries – Facebook (‘The
Guardian Weekly’)
• Across the world, 800 million children are still not fully back in school, Unicef is warning,
with many at risk of never returning to the classroom the longer closures go on. There
are at least 900 developing countries where schools are still either closed of offering a
mix of remote and in-person learning.
• The UN agency’s chief of education Robert Jenkins, told the Guardian that the closures
are part of ‘unimaginable’ disruption to children’s education.
• A new Covid-19 Global Education Recovery Tracker from Unicef, the World Bank and
Johns Hopkins University is monitoring closures across the world, analyzing where
children are learning at home or at school.
• Humanitarian ⼈道主義的organizations say the closures have contributed to a range of
increasing abuses and degradation of children’s rights across the world, from increasing
the use of child labour to a rise in child marriages, often in communities where children
already struggled to access education.
• ‘A Save the Children’ (a humanitarian organization) report out this week warns that
children in Lebanon are being put to work by parents desperate for money. The charity
fears that many of the children will never return to school.
 Johns Hopkins University is monitoring closures across the world, analyzing where
children are learning at home or at school.
• Humanitarian ⼈道主義的organizations say the closures have contributed to a range of
increasing abuses and degradation of children’s rights across the world, from increasing
the use of child labour to a rise in child marriages, often in communities where children
already struggled to access education.
• ‘A Save the Children’ (a humanitarian organization) report out this week warns that
children in Lebanon are being put to work by parents desperate for money. The charity
fears that many of the children will never return to school.
• Girls have been particularly hard hit by the closure of schools. In countries like India,
teenage girls already had a dropout rate with about 2.2 million girls not in school before
the pandemic. Now, groups supporting them fear that an increase in early marriage will
leave even those who want to continue their education unable to do so.

Gender diversity critical to good business

• Hong Kong must do more to promote women according to the city’s top female financial
executives. While at the entry level the sector is filled with women, few have managed
to climb to the top of the corporate ladder.
• Laura Cha, chairwoman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, : ‘Throughout my career in
financial services, I have never once considered gender as having any bearing on the
performance of my job, or my ability to make positive and meaningful contributions to
both business and community.
• ‘Studies have shown that organizations with diversity in their leadership teams are more
cognitively認識⼒的diverse than male-dominated leadership teams and therefore more
adept at熟練的recognizing opportunities and solving problems from different vantage
points.
• Effective time manage and family support are critical success factors for females to
work their way up ranks. It is helpful to have family support or childcare support so that
women can choose to continue their work if they would like to.
Increasing labour force
• China is concerned about population growth and the ageing workforce. But women say
there must be social and economic change rather than policy tweaks稍稍改進to address
the demographic⼈⼝的problem.
• At a time when China needs to get its population growing, China’s women have other
priorities. Among those priorities is building a career and that leads to a delay in
marriage and childbirth, or forgoing放棄having a family altogether. Women demand
equality in the workplace and in the household.
• Helena Lu, a Beijing native who majored in development studies at universities in China,
 Increasing labour force
• China is concerned about population growth and the ageing workforce. But women say
there must be social and economic change rather than policy tweaks稍稍改進to address
the demographic⼈⼝的problem.
• At a time when China needs to get its population growing, China’s women have other
priorities. Among those priorities is building a career and that leads to a delay in
marriage and childbirth, or forgoing放棄having a family altogether. Women demand
equality in the workplace and in the household.
• Helena Lu, a Beijing native who majored in development studies at universities in China,
Hong Kong and Europe said her attitudes shifted against marriage and childbirth as she
grew up and entered the workplace. She was worried about how having children would
impact her career.
• A gender equality researcher said men in China did not do enough to help with childcare
as more women entered the workplace. But that was only part of the problem.
• Japan and South Korea face similar problems of population decline and have introduced
incentives to try to tackle it such as providing paid parental leave for fathers. Japan
Workpl offers the longest paid leave for fathers – up to a year – according to the United
Nations.
ace • Gender equality should be promoted and women’s rights protected but emphasized the
‘unique’ function that women played in the society and the family. Beijing has tinkered修

Commu 補with various policies to encourage the majority Han Chinese women to get married
early and have children, especially those who are well educated. One effort included

nicatio shaming older single women while another was removing the one-child policy.

n Hong Kong brain drain threat as nearly quarter of university-educated under 35s say they plan
to quit city for work overseas (SCMP 2021)
• Youth Ideas, a research centre under the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, polled
1135 of its members aged 34 or below, with graduate or postgraduate education,
between January 16 and February 2 this year. About two-thirds of the respondents
were making $20000 or more a month with 14.8% making HK $40,000 or more a month.
• The survey, ‘Tackling Hong Kong’s Brain Drain’, found that 24.2% of respondents said
they had plans to get a job outside Hong Kong in the next five years. The top places
were Britain, Australia and New Zealand and the Americas.
• Major reasons for choosing to work elsewhere included ‘work-life balance’ (41.5%),
‘emigration plan’ (36.7%), and ‘social and political stability’ (34.9%).
• Asked what would make them consider returning or staying to work here, the top three
factors cited were ‘attractive pay’ (41.6%), ‘better protection of personal
 between January 16 and February 2 this year. About two-thirds of the respondents
were making $20000 or more a month with 14.8% making HK $40,000 or more a month.
• The survey, ‘Tackling Hong Kong’s Brain Drain’, found that 24.2% of respondents said
they had plans to get a job outside Hong Kong in the next five years. The top places
were Britain, Australia and New Zealand and the Americas.
• Major reasons for choosing to work elsewhere included ‘work-life balance’ (41.5%),
‘emigration plan’ (36.7%), and ‘social and political stability’ (34.9%).
• Asked what would make them consider returning or staying to work here, the top three
factors cited were ‘attractive pay’ (41.6%), ‘better protection of personal
freedoms’ (38.1%) and ‘satisfactory development opportunities’ (35.8%)
• According to the 2019 Labour and Welfare Bureau report on manpower projection to
2027, there would be an overall manpower shortfall of 169,700 by 2027. Further
analyses showed there would be a shortage of 34,600 skilled workers with university
education by 2027.
• Methods to solve the issue:
• The government can consider offering subsidies to those who are willing to return to
work in Hong Kong, especially those who have finished their studies overseas.’
• Local companies should change their corporate cultures to accommodate remote working.
Many Hong Kong employers are still sticking to the old ways of running business, like
requiring the staff to stay in the office from 9am to 5on to work. If they do not make
changes, it is hard for them to attract talent overseas.
• Google (Headquarters in the U.S.A.) adopts a flexible work week that entails牽涉 at
least 3 days a week in the office and other days at home. It will lead to greater
productivity, collaboration and well-being. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg write on in a
Facebook post that the company could have half of all employees working remotely over
the next decade. Twitter has said it would offer a permanent work-from –home option
for all its staffers.