Hong Kong chief executive Cy Leung is having a bad month. He is the mouth-piece for the authoritarian Chinese communist government in a city that was promised a modicum of democracy. As expected, the Chinese government has simply disregarded the commitment that it made in the handover of the city from Britain. A new flashpoint occurred when Beijing said that people in Hong Kong could vote for the leaders but only from a list of candidates approved by the Communist party — a curious concept of democracy. Now however he has his daughter to worry about. Chai Yan Leung decided that this was the week to taunt citizens by flashing a new diamond necklace and saying that it was purchased by “silly” taxpayer money.
When people taunted her about her showing off her new bracelet while young people were facing her father’s troops in the streets, Chai Yan responded with her own barbs, particularly at the suggestion that it looked like a dog collar:
“The necklace on my profile pic is not a dog collar, silly!!! This is actually a beautiful necklace bought at Lane Crawford (yes – funded by all you HK taxpayers!! So are all my beautiful shoes and dresses and clutches!! Thank you so much!!!!)
. . . Actually maybe I shouldn’t say ‘all you’- since most of you here are probably unemployed hence all this time obsessed with bombarding me with messages
. . . It’s ok, your mother still loves you”.
Her father faces demands for his resignation but Chai Yan, a 22-year old law student at the London School of Economics, felt that this was a good time to flash bling and trash citizens.
She has proven a handful for Daddy in terms of controversy. She previously was ridiculed for saying that the stabbing of the former editor of the Ming Pao was not related to press freedom. She also posted a picture of herself with what looked like slashed wrists. She also attacked her mother, Tong Ching-Yee, with a posting that said “Courage and loyalty are the virtues I value the most. My mother embodies the exact opposites of both.”
The business about the bracelet is so stereotypical and inflammatory that my first thought was that she is a pro-democracy activist seeking to fuel the protests. However, it is not being interpreted that way. She apparently meant these comments.
As I have discussed before, I remain amazed that China continues to impose a single-party state that purports to be Communist while a small percentage of Chinese have become fantastically wealthy. The postings are particularly inflammatory given the long-standing complaints of public officials making themselves wealthy off of corruption and self-dealing.
Source: India Times
The majority of real estate in San Francisco is in the hands of Chinese people; my town not far from it is now 60 % Asian with many Chinese, Indian and Korean people. There are many Asian-White families here. Every year the percentage of Asians grows. At least, in my town many come because we have a great public school AND we provide many special services to children with disabilities. People cheat to get into our schools. The upshot of the influx of many Asians from aforementioned countries is that they have generally learned to be inquisitive and hard working. The girls excel in all areas. The boys in general act like big babies but that doesn’t mean the parents let them off the hook academically. Very often, when a teacher points out that their son acts immature for his age, both parents will step up to the plate and revise their parenting a bit and earlier behaviors change quickly. Sad to say I can’t say that about the African-American population and the boys coming from Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, of which we get a few each year. Talk to the parents and they admit they see the problems but if one has to talk to them again they are quick to blame the teacher and most of them can’t be found when it comes to volunteer in the classroom. Many of the other parents work full-time and do manage to volunteer.
As to the comments here about the lack of democracy in China. Seems to me that the US has to start looking at all of its own inadequacies, hypocrisy and holier-than thou (or better than thou) a bit more intensely before criticizing others. Anyone think that Americans have it figured out how to run a real democracy while the GOP and TParty continue to invent ways to limit access to voting whilst they have committed own fraud in their ranks. I don’t call that a true democracy and I don’t call it a democracy when the rich can buy votes and politicians are merely their puppets. Stop the ridicule and whining and start defending what this country stands for: Freedom, Liberty and Justice for ALL. Yes, for ALL.
DBQ, Thanks. Of course they like pizza. Who doesn’t. I mean some of the pizza folks like is horrible, but everyone likes “their” pizza.
A fine example:
Re the chinese students. Both are studying to become language teachers. Teaching Chinese to English speakers. Likely with the emphasis being on business connections and diplomatic uses. One student is the daughter of a government employee….whatever that means, and her mother is employed….but it wasn’t quite clear in what capacity. The other is the daughter of a pet store owner in Shanghai and her mother does not work. When I asked the second one what did she really hope to do in America….she wants to learn to drive a car and sort of indicated that she didn’t really want to return to China because she hoped to be able to live independently and have her own apartment and not be under her mother’s thumb :-O The first girl seemed to already have her life lined out including a marriage….but she didn’t seem all that enthused about it.
They are very interesting, intelligent and very polite girls. We all had pizza while talking. They really like pizza …even if it did have pineapple on it. Ptoooey. 🙂
Squeeky – good one!
Of COURSE there are people getting wealthy in communist countries. As has been pointed out, that’s what always happens in countries with communism or socialism beyond nanny state.
College professors in Hong Kong earn more than $100,000 a year, all paid by the taxpayers, and all can afford to send a child to British or American college.
paulette, LOL!
It is also interesting to note how many of the very, very wealthy in countries like China and Russia have purchased uber-luxury homes in western European countries or the US. They know things could go to hell for them in an instant–and many have “escape” routes planned. Parking their children in elite boarding schools all over the world is standard procedure—partly to have their children already in a safe place and partly to lay the groundwork for admission to one of the US’ elite universities. Luxury apartments are being built near many US campuses catering to the children of wealthy oligarchs from these so-called “communist” regimes. Most of those young people have the good sense to keep a lower profile than the princess described above.
Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.
Hate me because I’m…
I didn’t know Richard and Kathy Hilton had a Chinese daughter?
@Squeeky Fromm, Girl Reporter
Will the Hong-Kongers ask for their guillotines to the French?
Where’s Robespierre when we need him!
DBQ, I would appreciate novella’s on your conversations w/ the Chinese students. At your leisure. That’s the sort of info I love. Travel and contact w/ people who travel here, is a great way to learn. TOP disagrees. She can learn all she needs to know in Madison!!
Fake communism vs. Fake Free Enterprise system and Sham democracy. Animal hierarchy instincts still beating the crap out of the Rule of Reason.
Oh well, she deserves an Irish Poem:
A Curious Slant???
An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm
There once was a chick in Hong Kong,
From the party of old Mao Zedong.
She started a mess
In her Little Red Dress,
Which she bought at LC’s for a song!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
“I remain amazed that China continues to impose a single-party state that purports to be Communist while a small percentage of Chinese have become fantastically wealthy.”
But that’s how all communist governments actually run, always, everywhere.
The egalitarian everyone-is-poor communist crap is for the stupid proles.
The nomenklatura live well off their “silly” efforts.
Seeing our own politicians grow wealthy, and waste, our hard earned taxes is one of the reasons why I became a fiscal conservative. She is just an example of a trend.
Which is the “Tax and Spend” party?
Who thinks that a girl living the high life off of taxpayers is a Republican???
Again, I agree with Darren.
She is a perfect example of the ruling class of government.
My concern is that we are steadily creeping towards a government ruling class ourselves. When Lois Lerner pled the 5th, wiped her phone, and otherwise interfered with a federal investigation into whether she used her government office to punish conservatives, she should be under criminal investigation. How many times have we seen politicians break the law and get away with it? If they’re high enough, they become Teflon. Because of unions, government employees get paid more than private sector, and are very difficult to fire, even if their actions kill multiple people, such as the VA scandal. If you work for government, there appears to be very little consequences for your bad actions, and you have a better benefits package all earned off the backs of taxpayers. They have lavish vacations and perks all written off. They live better than the taxpayers who support them.
That’s one of the basic things I would change – the law should apply equally for everyone, and government employees should not live a more kingly lifestyle than the taxpayers who support them.