|
|
|
 |
General
Info |
Immigrants
All countries
have problems with illegal immigrants. Hong Kong's dilemma on the issue
generated between 1978 and 1980 when some 500,000 outsiders risked their
lives in the shark-infested waters or when climbing dark cold mountains
to reach the island. Unfortunately for them, they were greeted by troops
of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese coastal boats, which
collaborated with the British and Gurkha troops, police, Royal Navy, and
Air Force to put an end to the flow of these 'aliens'.
 Despite
the predicament, Chinese mainlanders can now enter Hong Kong legally on
an entry permit. Many of them are now absorbed into the local culture
after adapting to the lifestyles of the parochial population. Nonetheless,
professionals of China, such as doctors, nurses, engineers, and the like
are not able to practice their trained skills in Hong Kong as their credentials
are not recognized. Hence, those who want to live here have to settle
with menial jobs.
Besides being
home to the various classes of Chinese, Hong Kong also has its own foreign
population. Although only two percent of the entire population is not
Chinese, these foreign nationals have brought their cultures, cuisine,
arts, and religions into the country. The Chinese refer to them as 'kwailo',
which means 'ghost person' or 'foreign devil' in Cantonese. These 'kwailo'
includes Americans, Australians, Canadians, British, and other European
expatriates who form the bulk of the foreign business community in Hong
Kong.
Besides the
Caucasians, there are the descendants of early merchant traders and soldiers
who came from the Indian subcontinent to Hong Kong. They are the more
established non-Chinese communities on the island, many of whom speak
fluent Cantonese and hold Hong Kong passports. The Indians, Sri Lankans,
Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sikhs, and Parsees belong to this category.
Although they were born here in Hong Kong, they were previously not recognized
as Chinese nationals. However, most of them have now been granted British
citizenship.
Other nationalities,
such as the Filipinos, Gurkhas, and Vietnamese also share the resources
of the island together with the rest of the community. These people are
less affluent as compared to other foreigners, but even then, their distinct
cultures and traditions leave a mark on their existence.
Top
of Page
|
