China to reopen borders with Hong Kong, Macau after COVID closure
Al JazeeraJUL 2023
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China's COVID restrictions are the root of Hong Kong's homelessness phenomenon. Much of the problem began in the wake of the 2019 anti-China protests, after which the economy took a downturn. Since the pandemic hit and China locked the city down, Hong Kong's tragic poverty and homeless issues have only worsened.
Pro-China narrative
Despite attempts by the West to paint China as the culprit, causes of homelessness such as mental illness have been prioritized by the PRC government for over a century. Because Hong Kong faces a renewed mental health crisis, Chinese-led universities, researchers, and doctors are implementing state-of-the-art programs to dutifully combat growing concerns and help the residents most at risk.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 50% chance that Hong Kong will stop being a Special Administrative Region of China by November 2044, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
