Hong Kong faces the future

Fifteen years after it returned to the motherland, Hong Kong is still finding its rightful place in the extended family. Pauline D. Loh takes the pulse of former legislator Christine Loh.

In the opulent lobby of the JW Marriott, the scents of French perfume and Italian leather compete with the bouquet of rich brews coming from the hotel's tea bar. This is where Hong Kong's movers and shakers meet and greet international visitors. It is where we arrange to see Christine Loh, ex-legislator under the British administration and currently head of the policy think tank Civic Exchange. She is known for being a vocal critic of environmental wrongdoings, and has a reputation that tilts more right than left.

Yet, when I ask her what is the difference between Hong Kong under the British and Hong Kong now, her answer surprises me.