Hong Kong: Living in a shoe box | DW English

Living in one of the most expensive cities in the world is especially difficult for Hong Kong's poor. Entire families often have to squeeze into tiny apartments, as they endure long waiting periods for public housing amid skyrocketing rents.
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[@mrxxbrian]

a great reminder to be thankful for what you have

[@amandapang858]

HK is a horrible place for the disadvantage people.

[@sarahstrong7174]

Pang Amanda Thought wealth was meant to trickle down in places where there are rich individuals and businesses. Not much evidence of that here.

[@simp2234]

Trigger,

[@kikisdiary8664]

After this I won't complain about my bathroom 😅

[@anastasiamamis6441]

Omg..my bathroom n toilet is much bigger...poor soul.

[@noviceprepper5397]

my prayers are with them

[@wuweifawu5036]

It is the government 's fault.

[@acecruiser4512]

China will change this..

[@thisisablank14]

@BBD Design it's the government's fault for not enacting proper policies. By your logic, where do you think cleaners in Hong Kong should live then? Or should Hong Kong not have any cleaners at all since cleaners can't afford to live there?

[@thisisablank14]

@BBD Design cleaners and similar jobs exist everywhere in the world; what's your point? Housing in Hong Kong is the least affordable in the world. For countries like UK and US, citizens can relocate to cheaper cities in the country. For residents in Hong Kong, the only similar option is to emigrate.

[@jodieburns1941]

@@thisisablank14 Not anymore in the US. Housing costs have skyrocketed everywhere so the poor can no longer afford to rent even a room, let alone an apartment. Homelessness has exploded in this country

[@gardenofe12]

The kitchen and bathroom are in the same area how cleans can that be ?? I’ve been to HK numerous times and did not realize the living conditions of locals at all 😐

[@Gluluman]

Much better than living on the street or in a tent , like homeless people do here in America in cities like Seattle WA, Los Angeles , San Francisco, Orange County California and many others.

[@wchane71]

With living conditions like this, wouldn’t be surprised if these disadvantaged or their children start protesting in large numbers..

[@bowlampar]

So many people coming in every year, life is getting worse year after year for those who live in poverty and the disabled senior citizens.

[@Sourdoughgirl]

This is not typical hosing for regular HK residents. This is more likely a case of a mainland Chinese immigrant who is renting this place while waiting for government subsidized housing. I taught English in HK for 9 months. My rental apartment had 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a 1/2 bath. Though, most local families, on average, have 3 - 5 members sharing such accommodation.

[@leizhang8423]

Every time I watch a video like this I wonder why those people don’t just move back to mainland China, is there a reason that they have to stay in Hong Kong? The journalists seem to never ask them such question. They can find similar jobs in other part of China, maybe with less pay but their living conditions will be much better. Almost all of my friends who went to Hong Kong for school (colleges or graduate schools) ended up coming back to mainland China or other countries to work.

[@themoonisjustthebackofthesun]

This is where I wish people would just stop having children, living in such a small space and still bring children to fill more of that non-existent space is not ok

[@sammylee1807]

Incredible this kind of Hong Kong 'housing' has a history of over seventy years, dating from the 1950s.

[@jemdude22]

The freaking hk government is in cahoots with the big real estate developers. In order to sustain a tax friendly business environment, the hk government unscrupulously keep land releases very limited, despite there're lots of land that can be developed for residential projects. By doing so, the hk government continues to sell land to developers at unimaginable prices which in turn are passed down to commoners. The hk government also deliberately delays the construction of public housing for the poor. It's a vicious cycle and it will continue on.

[@anamariagutierrez2019]

Dear Lord that's very claustrophobic, now I see my studio as a very big place.

[@zainabraymundo8818]

Oh god,shukran ya allah,for your bleesings ajar in our hayatt,we live in comportable house with my hubby and son shukran katiran

[@shiroineko13]

Forget about living long term in HK unless you have deep pockets or you own land. The rent is astronomical.

[@elizabethcoopersoutham6573]

you need another revolution to get rid of real estate agents/developers !

[@naveenplystore]

Help them they are also human s

[@Berguna645]

calling "it's immigrant, not Hongkonger" is blow my mind. It's like people in hong kong trying to avoid the elephant in the room. sad, I am very fortune not living in HK. Hongkong is paradise for those who rich, smart and lucky Hell for those who poor, and unlucky. Humanity?? people in hong kong don't understand those word. The only measure people for their education, wealth, & origin.

[@daifa6765]

They can live comfortably with very low rent and much cheaper groceries in China but they willfully want to suffer in Hong Kong!

[@ammumeme5789]

This just makes me very, very angry.

[@simontamchiyan2]

hk are proud of this believe me.

[@garaldtao1801]

Change is starts with a mind set to do more without relaying on the government.

[@SoopaFlyism]

Move out of HK. It's not worth it.

[@kramleetv5295]

The new owner is have a dark heart

[@kewlgurlrockz]

I really wonder what happened now 5 years later. Did they get their public housing? I really hope they did

[@SoopaFlyism]

It's not so bad. At least they don't live on the streets.

[@blob5907]

maybe he should live somewhere else

[@rustyshackleford2627]

Seems like everybody would have to move out if the rent was doubled !!! Jeezzz ssmmhh crooks

[@leonfoo5504]

Why the Chinese Government never do anything about it?

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

I think this is a mainland immigrant from China as they speak mandarin. I do not think all of the regular residents have such low quality housing.

[@tkwong8589]

Trinh Nguyen based on their name style.. They're Hong Kong people. Not all the local Hong Kong residents are living in a better quality housing area

[@Crabking19]

Trinh Nguyen Aren't Hong kong people and China people the same? They are both chinese to me. They look the same. The China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Macau, Vietnam the same right? But China is the main country and others are sub countries?

[@user-rz8sc6bs9c]

岩本文雄 Vietnam is not China. They speak different languages.They are completely different countries. Mainland China is controlled by the communist party (people's republic of China). Hong Kong and Macau are the special regions of China. They are part of China (people's republic) but they have their own government, laws and currency. For Taiwan's case, it's kinda complicated. Taiwan is controlled by another different government (republic of China). People's republic of China and Republic of China are two different Chinese countries (although mainland China claims Taiwan as part of their country). People from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are ethnically the same (Han Chinese). And they speak Chinese as their native language.

[@jinnyzhan8072]

Trinh Nguyen hey everywhere in the world you have money you living good bigger house and also a lot of HK people live in that kind of place not just immigrant from mainland

[@platoze]

Tk Wong their names could have been given in Chinese, and translated into English through Cantonese. If they were really HK local they would speak Cantonese

[@cynthialee3228]

Poorthings...the affluent shud help these people...tink sporeans might live liketat in future..sad😢

[@thhj4356]

Just move to the gost city there prentty of space. Or move to UK; US love Hong Kong people with open arms and heart.

[@sakurachan1873]

MONEY COME FIRST!!!!!

[@casper-z9rkls6gl]

Similar phenomenon is happening in other large metropolitan areas around the world.

[@tibaijela]

Wondering people never get any skin problem..

[@krisi3936]

Ha-ha it is kind of funny, because when I was there, you think of me as scum, because I am from eastern Europe / Bulgaria/, and the funny thing is that I bath 3 times a day, I use dental product 3 times a day, I am a Christian, I live in a house which is 350 square meters in the suburbs, I have medical in every 3 months, I have dental every month, I am consider as a gentlemen try most of EU countries and You, which is living in this hole whit God know what creatures, without whatso ever medical attention or hygiene, you are telling me that I am scum, sorry but I think that you have to evaluate things one more time, and by the way you are not welcome in my country!!!

[@casper-z9rkls6gl]

The locals were taking it out on you because they have been colonized and looked down upon by the British/Anglo-Saxons.

[@kokwah5517]

@@eaudetoilette510 hi! You're right! I love coming to hk for leisure, vibrant and enjoy the food here and year end it's cooler than where I live(Malaysia), at the same time I understand the hardship of the people! I assume you are from HK?! Hk is a heaven for the rich , geographically beautiful I love islands hopping and the hills and mountain in some par of hk. Mah On San is nice! Apartments facing the sea and a long walking trek along the sea .

[@esq.m7076]

democracy disguised in plutocracy ...

[@eddiehomegrownjuice6163]

They seem like mainland chinese to me! Not hongkongers

[@Crabking19]

eddie HomeGrownJuice Aren't they the same??

[@acikmion5763]

eddie HomeGrownJuice chinese is chinese..no matter what..

[@edisonlam8449]

eddie HomeGrownJuice Who gives a shit if they’re mainland Chinese or Hong Kongers. Neither deserve to live in such unacceptable conditions.

[@leamontes2317]

IT IS OK THE SPACE IS SMALL BECAUSE IT HAS BED AND TOILET AND SAFE.IN OTHER COUNTRY THEY HAVE NO ROOM OR BED TO SLEEP BUT ON THE STREET AT LEAST IN HONGKONG EVEN IF ITS A BOX CUBICLE OR A CAGE THEY HAVE A PLACE TO SLEEP AND A SAFE PLACE WITH LESS ROBBERS.IN OTHER COUNTRY THEY HAVE HOME CAMPER OT CAR AS HOME.ANOTHER THING AT LEAST THIS PEOPLE ARE WORKING TO FEED THEMSELVES THEY MAY EARN LITTLE BUT COMES FROM THEIR PERSPIRATION AND THEY ARE REALLY DOING THEIR BEST IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST BUT AT LEAST THERE IS AN EFFORT TO DO THE BEST.MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA IS DOING TO IMPROVE THEIR HOUSING PROJECTS FOR THEIR CITIZENS AND INHABITANTS .

[@ngrobert5054]

This cainis greedy

[@quantumchang4410]

If Hong Kong was not stolen from China mainland, there would be no such a ridiculously crowded place. If China had been able to apply the one child policy on Hong Kong many, many decades ago, the population would still be able to live with enough comfortable space around them. If not under British control, they would had been considered Chinese citizens and could move to the mainland if things get too crowded. Hong Kong's over population is a consequence of British occupation.

[@user-jq8qv4yx4h]

I dislike that Asians all stick their chopsticks in the same serving bowl, and then stick them in their mouths.

[@magicavocado6528]

l\ I've seen many Westerners do the same with their forks

[@user-jq8qv4yx4h]

Magic Avocado That is gross too. You won't see me doing that.

[@user-jq8qv4yx4h]

Alex Croton Ikr?! Bleh, you're right.

[@user-jq8qv4yx4h]

Alex Croton No, I can't say that I have actually seen that either, but I was trying to give the first reply guy the benefit of the doubt on that, and didn't want to argue about it. Yeh, I agree with you, I've never seen any Westerners or Americans do that, who would!? We have our own plate. If we want to try a family member's or friend's entree, they'll cut off a piece for us and place it on our plate with a clean spoon, fork or knife. How about that culture that just digs into the communal bowl with their bare hands and eats right off of their fingers? Doubly gross. I don't remember what culture that was, but I remember seeing it in a documentary.

[@user-jq8qv4yx4h]

Alex Croton What's funny is I'm 1/2 Asian too, but seeing them eat this way with their chopsticks - ew.

[@calforrai]

1:10 her shirt says "making love

[@josiptumapa]

Crazy. You see it on travel advents as a wonderland and cheap tour deals and stuff - but how can I enjoy that really if I know this is the reality.