HK would benefit from more tolerance

A small group of people in Hong Kong tarnished the city's image by gathering in a busy shopping district with megaphones last weekend and hurling verbal abuse at mainland tourists. The local government was quick to condemn the incident, which was motivated more by bigotry than by any genuine grievance.

Many Hong Kong people complain about the crowds of tourists in the streets and on public transport, especially the MTR. There have also been complaints that bulk purchases by mainland tourists have pushed up prices of a wide range of consumer goods.

To be sure, the influx of tourists, mainly from the mainland, is causing some disruptions to the daily lives of local people in the city. Such disruptions are particularly obvious in the few commercial districts where fashion outlets catering to tourists have crowded out the many small shops and eateries that were frequented by local customers.