Hong Kong trip postponed.
I was supposed to travel to Hong Kong on Saturday 11th October to attend HKTDC, but I had to pull out due to a foot injury. Now it looks as though that might have been a provident decision, given the current unrest in the area.
HKTDC is one of the worlds largest electronics trade fairs. It’s an invaluable opportunity to see what the far eastern electronics manufacturers are showing off, and to liaise with potential suppliers and technical contacts. However I had to call off due to an on-going problem with my right foot. I cannot stand or walk on it for any decent amount of time without experiencing excruciating pain. So last week I took the decision to call off the trip. I wouldn’t have been able to put in the hours, and would have been a hinderance to my colleagues.
Now it seems that might have worked out in my favour. Given the current un-rest in the area, it’s not the kind of thing you want to get mixed up in while 6,000 miles away from home. The protestors in Hong Kong want political reform, namely the right to nominate their own candidates for the position of Chief Executive – the city’s highest office. They have given the current Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, until 1st October 2014 to enact those powers. Firstly, it is not at all likely that this will be allowed, I simply cannot see Beijing extending the “one country, two regimes” schema that far. Secondly, choosing October 1st as the deadline was a distinct attempt to irritate Beijing, as it is China’s national day. I think tensions between protestors and the authorities will begin to rise rapidly after Wednesday. Up till now the protests have been tolerated, and largely peaceful, but that tolerance will be wearing rather thin, on both sides, pretty soon.
Lets just hope and pray that there can be a peaceful resolution in Hong Kong soon.
Stay safe from high quality phishing email scams. You just can’t trust the BBC.
GiffGaff
