About the generalisations in the article . . . fair enough. I get that.

I think you really hit the nail on the head, though, when you said that some places still have reputations that they no longer deserve.

Take fake goods, for example. I first came to HK before the Handover (haven’t been here the whole time though — have moved a lot). Knock-offs were everywhere and everyone knew it.

Now?

The police have really cracked down on this scene and many vendors just don’t want to take the risk anymore.

Yes, of course you can still find fakes but there’s far, far less of all that than there used to be and certain items are almost impossible to track down.

Still, it seems that many tourists equate HK with cheap, fake goods. Believe me, it’s not the knock-off ‘shopping mecca’ it used to be!

Anyway, to sum up . . .

I do think that Hong Kong has its good side, just as any other city — along with its not-so-good side, just as any other city.

I think that how how you feel about any place (be it HK, Shanghai, Singapore or wherever) ultimately comes down to your own personal experiences there.

Again, thanks.

HK Expat,

You make some great points, and I thank you for commenting, and for keeping a very civil tone when disagreeing.

In some cases maybe it’s that these cities have reputations that they don’t deserve (anymore), and in other cases it’s just that people have different impressions of the cities they spend time in. You are probably right that I generalize too much. In my defense, some of that is because it takes way too many extra words to constantly mention that there are exceptions in this case and in that case, but other times the generalizing is just trying to reach a conclusion too soon. And there are times when I’m wrong, for sure.

I have good friends who live in Hong Kong and they also assure me that my own experiences there were probably more negative than the norm. Of course, there are also things about Hong Kong that are far better than in Singapore or Tokyo and such.

And by the way, I didn’t create this site, but I have been a writer here for a couple of years and it’s nice to hear that someone appreciates the interaction and such. -Tom

First, I should mention that one of the reasons why I commented here is that I *have* actually lived in Singapore as well as in Shanghai. And I certainly wouldn’t say that they’re ‘better’ than HK in the way that you stated.

Cheaper? Maybe. But expat salaries are generally quite high here and taxes are low. At the end of the day, my take-home is a lot higher here than it was anywhere else I have ever lived (and worked the same job) anywhere in the world (incl. the Middle East).

About the ‘poor quality’ goods. Yes, of course you get lots of knock-offs in HK but I’m sure you know that they all come from the mainland. You get far more of those ‘poor quality’ goods over the border . . . and that includes in Shanghai.

Plus, as in any big city, you can, of course, get average-quality-and-average-priced goods as well as top-quality-and-expensive goods in HK. So I certainly wouldn’t say that *most* things are either ‘of poor quality or very expensive’.

Many things in London, for example, are a heck of a lot more expensive than in HK!

Now, the housing. I consider myself fairly middle class (i.e. uni educated, professional career, decent salary — but, alas, not a banking salary) and I, as well as everyone I know and work with, *do* live in the ‘modern apartment towers’ you mention, in clean neighbourhoods that are about 97% Chinese. In other words, these are not ‘expat areas’ and they’re still . . . clean.

Maybe I misunderstood, but your article seems to be saying that there will be a need for more expats in HK in future due to more job openings, mainly in banking and finance. These expats will be living in similar situations to mine, of course, and probably even better. So why would you suggest that these people prefer to go to Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore because ‘conditions are better’?

I’m not offended by your comments, Tom. I just think you have generalised too much. Especially as, in another article on your site, according to a Daily Telegraph survey, Hong Kong takes the #1 spot for top places to live in the world this year!

Okay, yes, it’s ‘just’ a reader survey of 1500 participants, and I do agree that the places were, oddly, all over the map.

But still . . . I don’t see Shanghai, Singapore or Tokyo anywhere on that list! 😉

Cheers, and thanks again.

HK Expat,

Thanks for the comments and questions. Regarding “poor quality” I meant that Hong Kong is famous for its knock-offs and poorly-made goods, at least to a degree larger than other financial centers.

Regarding “conditions” just go to Singapore and compare it to Hong Kong and you’ll know what I am talking about. It’s far cleaner, and middle-class workers all live in modern apartment towers. Sorry, but Hong Kong doesn’t have a great reputation once you get past the upper class and Western expat areas. I didn’t mean to insult your home and I do like a lot about Hong Kong myself. -Tom

Sorry but . . . as in most places around the world, you pretty much get what you pay for here.

Pay $30 for a shirt, get a cheap shirt. Pay $300 for a shirt, get a better shirt.

And “conditions are better in Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai”? What ‘conditions’, exactly, are you talking about?