On April 24, 2013, members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council expressed opposition to a plan for the Hong Kong government to donate 100 million Hong Kong dollars to the Sichuan provincial government to help with quake relief, citing concerns about mainland corruption. A powerful earthquake struck Sichuan on April 20, killing 192 people and injuring at least 11,000. Hong Kong donated more than 9 billion Hong Kong dollars following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, only to learn later that much of the money was misappropriated. “What China lacks is not money but rather clean government,” Hong Kong Legislative Council member Claudia Mo told the Associated Press. “Our trust in those provincial governments has gone bankrupt.” China’s Red Cross has also fought to regain trust in the wake of several scandals in recent years. In the above cartoon, posted by artist Kuang Biao (邝飚) to Sina Weibo, a large figure with a red cross on his shoulder carrying a red donation box runs away from a camera-headed paparazzi labeled “Hong Kong.” The figure with the donation box says, “Hey, don’t you think it’s ridiculous for you to chase me around like this?” To which the Hong Kong figure behind replies: “You definitely need to tell me exactly how you’re going to spend that money.”


David Bandurski

CMP Director

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