Why many expats are choosing to no longer be based in Hong Kong

Why many expats are choosing to no longer be based in Hong Kong

Transcript¹

Hong Kong's autonomy from China has eroded², and the city has some of the strictest COVID-19 policies in the world. And that's making it a difficult place to do business.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

For decades, Hong Kong has been a financial capital like London and New York, a magnet for millions from around the world. But today, Hong Kong is a different place. Its autonomy from China has eroded, and its strict COVID-zero policy has made it a difficult place to do business. As NPR's David Gura reports, many expats say what made the city great is now gone.

DAVID GURA, BYLINE³: When Kevin Tranbarger was a kid, he and his family moved to Hong Kong, and he was awestruck...

(SOUNDBITE OF CITY AMBIENCE)

GURA: ...By the bustle⁴ of its central business district, by the beauty of its towering buildings set against the surrounding hillsides and by something else.

KEVIN TRANBARGER: One of the things that I loved about living there was it's a truly international place.

GURA: That is what brought Tranbarger back after college. Hong Kong was Tranbarger's home for almost three decades, as he traveled the world doing real estate development. But these days, he says, Hong Kong is different. China is wielding⁵ more control, and Hong Kong and mainland China have some of the most restrictive COVID policies in the world. At the end of every trip, Tranbarger, who traveled a lot, faced a mandatory⁶ weekslong quarantine in a hotel room.

TRANBARGER: It's inhumane in a way. The rooms are small. They're super expensive.

GURA: The quarantine can cost thousands of dollars. And despite the restrictions⁷, in Hong Kong the case count is at its highest in two years. Last summer, Tranbarger decided⁸ he'd had enough. At the tail end of a two-month trip to the U.S., he decided not to go back.

TRANBARGER: So I sent for my stuff, and it's on ship. And after 27 years living in Hong Kong, I left without even knowing I was leaving and didn't say goodbye to anybody.

GURA: Now Tranbarger is preparing to start a new chapter in California. And he's not alone. Hong Kong is emptying out slowly, according to Tara Joseph. She's the outgoing president of the American Chamber⁹ of Commerce in Hong Kong, which represents more than 600 U.S. companies. And Joseph expects more attrition in the coming months after banks pay out bonuses and the school year ends. Joseph herself recently moved back to the U.S. after 30 years abroad.

TARA JOSEPH: A lot of people have left. A lot of people are considering leaving. Other people are just trying to stick it out. And there's no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

GURA: It's not just the COVID restrictions that have made life so difficult for many expats. China has clamped down on Hong Kong's openness.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: Protesters in every direction. Traffic is blocked...

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: They're angry, and they are committed to making their voices heard by the government...

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: ...Police in riot gear who fired tear gas and...

GURA: After demonstrations¹⁰ in 2019 and 2020, it's now illegal to criticize China's government, and authorities have cracked down on the media. Private equity¹¹ investor¹² Scott Hancock and his family moved to Hong Kong from Australia in 2012. What appealed to them about the city was its dynamism and the business opportunities. But Hancock says he watched with alarm as freedom started to disappear, along with the city's spirit.

SCOTT HANCOCK: There's a lot less openness in conversation. People are more guarded about what they do from a business perspective.

GURA: Companies are also concerned about the rule of law. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong says almost a third of its members are struggling to fill senior roles.

HANCOCK: I think it's changed dramatically. I don't think it will ever be the same place that it was before.

GURA: Hancock and his family moved again. Now they're in London. And while Hancock says he has fond memories of Hong Kong, right now he has no plans to go back.

David Gura, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF DREEM'S "CHANGE OF TIMES")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

5 wielding   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The rebels were wielding sticks of dynamite. 叛乱分子舞动着棒状炸药。
• He is wielding a knife. 他在挥舞着一把刀。

6 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

12 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。