China to reopen borders with Hong Kong, Macau after COVID closure
Al JazeeraNov 27, 2022
The Facts
According to an Al Jazeera report, homelessness is soaring in Hong Kong and even rising to "emergency" levels according to charity ImpactHK.
The pandemic has worsened the homelessness problem in Hong Kong, and charity ImpactHK founder Jefferey Rotmeyer stated one-in-five people are "experiencing food insecurity."
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.
