Li Ka-Shing has come under fire for his remarks on violent anti-government protests in the Special Administrative Region.
HONG Kong’s richest man Li Ka-shing has been portrayed admirably as a “hero” for four decades due to his business acumen and vast contributions to the economic development of China and Hong Kong.After the 91-year-old made some “ambiguous” remarks and pleaded for leniency for young protesters, Beijing and Chinese social media users took the opportunity to paint him as a “villain” and reopen old wounds.
An astute investor, he amassed much of his wealth from massive investment in land and property development in mainland China and Hong Kong, made possible through political links with top leaders of the Communist Party of China. Thanks to their monopoly, the “Big Four”, as they’re known, can jointly dictate the market and rental prices of properties in the crowded territory, where housing and property prices are ranked the highest in the world.
The international financial hub is experiencing its worst political crisis since 1997, when the British government handed it back to China. When Li finally broke his silence on Aug 16, some questioned why it had taken him so long to denounce the violence.The magnate, in the name of “a Hong Kong resident, Li Ka-shing”, issued in pro-Beijing newspapers two Chinese language advertisements that were considered cryptic.
Putting it into a real-life context, it was a message to the empress to stop persecuting sons. If all sons were killed, Wu would risk not having her own son inheriting her throne. On Sept 8, the tycoon again found himself in the spotlight when he visited a Buddhist monastery to “pray for Hong Kong”. “It’s time to reevaluate short-term and long-term interests, and strike a balance between individual interests and the overall interests of social development, ” said The People’s Daily on Sept 12.
It is also clear that the Big Four are unlikely to be treated with the same awe and respect as before by the authorities.
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