Hong Kong

The popular tourist destination known as Hong Kong--home to many popular Chinese A-listers--used to be a significant trading port under the control of the British. After its transfer to the People's Republic of China in 1997, Hong Kong became one of the two special administrative regions (the other one is Macau) under the special administrative "one country two systems" policy. This means Hong Kong is to be left largely autonomous, with its own currency and political system even though it is technically part of mainland China. This would explain also why Hong Kong residents generally do not consider themselves as Chinese and tend to look down on their counterparts from the mainland. This also explains why those in the mainland generally despise Hong Kong residents. So, no, Hong Kong Chinese are not particularly racist against Filipinos (who mostly work as maids, do their laundry and tend to their kids); they are racist even against their own kind.

But putting aside the economic consideration (which is why mothers and sisters would sacrifice their families to work in Hong Kong in the first place), would anybody really want to be in Hong Kong? The city is nothing but skyscrapers, vehicles and thoroughfares. If you think there is no slum in Hong Kong, try passing through the alleys hidden behind the tall buildings (I know any budget traveller knows this; this is where transients usually go for cheap room rates)














Temples, a giant buddha, parks frequented by domestic workers and old monuments--vestiges of Hong Kong's past--serve as respite to the city's lifeless urbanity.

In fact, were it not for Disneyland, Chip Tsao's city would be nothing but a wad of concrete emptiness.