December 20, 2019With no end in sight to nearly seven months of political tension, Hong Kong’s role as a financial hub crucial for the prosperity of China’s economy is being put to the test. The special administrative region’s economy has suffered as travelers avoid the city and locals cut back on retail spending. Yet the financial sector appears to remain relatively unaffected. But the protests have led to a stricter political environment. Economic liberties that once gave the city its special standing are increasingly at risk of being undermined. Listen to a panel discussion recorded just after the Hong Kong District Council elections with Hong Kong Legislative Councilor Hon. Charles Mok, Hong Kong based economist Alicia Garcia-Herrero, MERICS expert Max J. Zenglein and MERICS CEO Frank N. Pieke. The event was moderated by Claudia Wessling, head of publications at MERICS.