HONG KONG CHRONICLES — Saturday, 16th December 2023

MY WEEK THAT WAS

TEMPLE STREET NIGHT MARKET REOPENS

The long-awaited reopening of the Temple Street night market in Hong Kong occurred yesterday evening, transforming the renowned area known for its inexpensive merchandise and fortune-telling into a location featuring food stalls and picturesque spots.

This night market, scheduled to last for six months, is part of the government’s Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign, aimed at revitalizing the city’s nightlife and stimulating its economy.

Situated in Yau Ma Tei, the market boasts approximately 30 food and snack stalls, offering a wide range of local delicacies such as fish balls, siu mai, and imitation shark’s fin soup, as well as various Asian cuisines.

In addition, the Tourism Board has announced that, as part of the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign, the opening hours of the nearby Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple, a designated monument, will be extended until 10 pm on Saturdays.

SOPHISTICATED NEW BICYCLE POLICE

On Friday, the police department revealed that bicycle patrol officers will undergo a three-month trial starting from Monday, during which they will wear a new uniform and carry additional equipment, with the objective of promoting public awareness regarding cycling safety.

The team of 20 officers will be equipped with new foldable bicycles and will don short-sleeved, sweat-absorbent uniforms that are more suitable for cycling. During their patrols along cycle lanes in the New Territories, they will carry first-aid kits, and their helmets will be equipped with flashing lights.

The police force has stated that the new bicycles and uniforms will clearly display the word “Police” in both Chinese and English.

Chief Inspector Kerry Ku remarked, “As cycling activities have gained popularity in recent years, the number of traffic accidents involving bicycles has increased. Prior to 2019, the annual total of such accidents was approximately 1,800 to 2,000, but since 2020, it has risen to 2,500 to 3,000. Thus, it is evident that there is an urgent need to enhance cycling safety.”

In the first nine months of this year, over 3,000 cyclists were caught violating traffic regulations. Ku noted that common offenses include lacking a tail light and cycling recklessly.

By refreshing its image, the police force aims to foster greater engagement with the public and promote education on cycling safety.

METEOR SHOWER OVER HONG KONG — IF OBSERVABLE

Residents of Hong Kong who were awake at 3 am last night may have had an opportunity to witness shooting stars streaking across the sky, as conditions throughout the night were expected to be favourable for observing a spectacular meteor shower, according to an astrophysicist.

The Geminid meteor shower, an annual astronomical event, was predicted to reach its peak activity at around 3 am on Friday, potentially producing up to 150 visible meteors per hour.

To catch this awe-inspiring celestial spectacle, stargazers were advised to position themselves in a dark, open space for an optimal viewing experience. However, given the challenges of finding such locations in Hong Kong, this task might have proved difficult.

LOW TURNOUT IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

Lastly, despite the government’s efforts and the involvement of pro-Beijing businesses to encourage voter participation — along with a 90-minute extension of voting hours due to a technical glitch — only 27.54% of the 4.3 million registered voters cast their ballots. This figure is a significant decline from the 71.23% turnout in 2019.

The district council election system was changed in May this year, with the number of councillors who are directly elected by the public cut from over 90% to less than 20% and all candidates had to be vetted by national security background checks and nominated by pro-government committees so as to effectively bar anyone deemed disloyal to Beijing.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) secured 41 out of the 88 seats in the democratically-elected geographic race. The party also landed 68 out of the 176 seats in the small-circle committee elections, which were voted for by members of three government-appointed committees.

Until next week …