Sordid episode of civic violation

The row over a Chinese mainland child urinating in public on a Hong Kong street and the resultant clash between his parents and local residents has sparked a heated debate. The difference in civic sense between mainland and Hong Kong residents has led to such untoward incidents, says an article in Qianjiang Evening News. Excerpts:

Despite the vast improvement in the behavior of mainland tourists, some still violate certain civic rules while traveling. But as residents of a highly internationalized and diversified city, Hongkongers should have a more open attitude toward tourists, including those from the mainland. They should be aware of the contribution mainland tourists make to their economy and know that most of them are well-behaved and rational consumers.

Of course, no one should urinate in public. And the sordid episode could have been avoided if the boy's parents had taken him to a public toilet or walked into a nearby restaurant and sought permission to use its toilet. But since the boy's parents, like many other mainland tourists, were not fully aware of the civic rules in Hong Kong and couldn't see their child suffer, they allowed him to urinate on the street. Had the Hong Kong residents who have posted video clips of the clash realized this fact, they would have protected the boy's privacy and spared him of the negative publicity.

It is disturbing to know that some Hong Kong residents refer to mainland tourists as "locusts", implying that they gobble up the Special Administration Region's public resources.

It's time mainland and Hong Kong authorities worked together to deal with such problems.

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