Tensions between China and Hong Kong seem unlikely to subside anytime soon. Following Wednesday’s incident where netizens placed newspaper ads in Hong Kong opposing the influx of mainlanders (“anti-locust” campaign), social media has recently seen new groups calling for an immediate halt to the cross-border self-drive tour program between China and Hong Kong, fearing it could lead to “traffic mayhem and loss of life” in the city.
A Facebook group titled “Over 100,000 Hong Kongers Strongly Oppose Self-Drive Tours That Will Destroy Hong Kong Next Month” was launched yesterday morning. The group is primarily against the launch of cross-border self-drive tours—allowing private cars from both regions to travel freely between the two places. Within just one day of its creation, the group garnered support from over 18,000 Facebook users, reflecting an exceptionally strong response.
Don’t Want the City to Descend into Chaos
This sudden wave of opposition to self-drive tours actually stems from a decision made earlier this year during a joint meeting between Guangdong Province and Hong Kong. While outlining their work plan for the year, one of the items included “implementing Phase 1 of the trial program for one-time special quotas for cross-border private car trips between Guangdong and Hong Kong in March as scheduled”—the very program now opposed by netizens as the “self-drive tour” initiative.
However, while the government views such cross-border exchanges as a convenience for people flow, this well-intentioned move appears to be rejected by some Hong Kong residents. The group’s initiator stated, “The real traffic mayhem and loss of life won’t come from a single traffic accident involving a mainland private car, but from the potential destruction of the city that Hong Kong people cherish due to endless accidents. Whether you’re a driver or an ordinary citizen, we have a responsibility to stop the self-drive tour policy set to launch in March. We must not let our roads be overrun, nor let the next generation suffer unnecessarily!”
Hong Kong writer Lam Fai remarked that the self-drive tour policy reflects a short-sighted and irresponsible government that prioritizes economic gains while ignoring Hong Kong’s actual capacity to accommodate such changes. “This situation is akin to the government promoting Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) travel without having issuance or approval authority, and seemingly without considering whether Hong Kong has the adequate infrastructure and resources to handle a large influx of outsiders. Self-drive tours will be the next bomb, pushing Hong Kong’s social divisions to another peak,” said Lam.
Prioritizing Profits Over Safety
The group’s initiator, “Action Group Opposing Hong Kong Being Rezoned,” emphasized concerns such as the difference in driving practices—mainland drivers use the right side of the road while Hong Kong uses the left—and varying driving behaviors. How will the government ensure the safety of Hong Kong pedestrians on the streets? Moreover, how will it safeguard the safety of local drivers on the roads, given that mainland private cars are known for reckless lane-changing?