Parallel traders and Mainland tourists: Harmful visitors?

At the beginning of March, a section of Hong Kongers launched the “Retrocession of Yuen Long (光復元朗)” movement in protest over parallel traders and Mainland tourists invading Hong Kong – similar sporadic street demonstrations also erupted in the districts of Sheung Shui (上水) and Tuen Mun (屯門). Parallel traders are individuals smuggling goods on a small scale, shuttling back and forth between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Mainland tourists are tourists from China, most of whom participate in organized tours, as well as a fair number of independent Chinese travelers. But no matter whether they are parallel traders or Mainland tourists, the strong Chinese yuan allows them to take advantage of price differences and purchase a variety of items in Hong Kong, especially milk and other daily necessities.

Many Hong Kongers now feel that both parallel traders and Mainland tourists are harmful visitors, not only plundering the resources of Hong Kong, but also disrupting social order. A free and open society, Hong Kong’s economic freedom has ranked first in the world for 21 consecutive years. However, parallel traders and Mainland tourists have been gradually marginalized and even discriminated against. It is feared that the crux of the issue lies not in the friction caused by differences in lifestyle or values, but more a choice of identity and political affiliation by the people of Hong Kong.

Parallel traders and Mainland tourists: Harmful visitors?

URL: https://www.peopo.org/news/270827

(以下是中文對照)

水客、陸客或惡客

照片

3月初，部份香港人發起「光復元朗」行動，抗議水客與陸客侵擾香港，類似的零星街頭示威也陸續在上水和屯門等地出現。水客，指跑單幫的水貨客，穿梭於深圳和香港之間。陸客，是南下觀光的中國人，大部分參加旅遊團，自由行的也不少。不管是水客或陸客，他們利用人民幣大於港幣與物價差異，在香港採購各種物品，特別是奶粉和其它日常用品。

對許多港人來說，水客或陸客也許都是惡客，不是掠奪香港資源，就是打亂社會秩序。香港是個自由、開放的社會，經濟自由連續21年排名世界第一。但水客和陸客卻逐漸受到排斥，甚至歧視，原因可能不是雙方生活習慣或價值差別帶來的磨擦，根本癥結恐怕是港人的身份認同和政治歸屬的取捨。