Oxfam Hong Kong has released a new report revealing a serious and alarming increase in the gap between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong. The report indicates that the number of people living in poverty in Hong Kong now stands at 1.39 million, with a poverty rate of 20%. This means that one in five Hong Kong residents now lives below the poverty line. Over the past five years, the income gap between the highest- and lowest-income households has skyrocketed, from 34.4 times in 2019 to 81.9 times this year.
The phenomenon of "the poorer you are, the more ghosts you see" appears in Hong Kong
Whenever officials tout the national security legislation, they invariably tout the elimination of political disputes and the "focus on the economy and improving people's livelihoods." However, the result is that poverty alleviation efforts, a key indicator of improving people's livelihoods, have not only failed to improve, but the gap between the rich and the poor has actually worsened dramatically compared to before the National Security Law was enacted. The report shows that over the past five years, the median income of households in each decile has fallen across the board, with the lowest 30% experiencing the most severe declines for the poorer the poor, a true reflection of the saying, "the poorer, the worse." As for the fourth and fifth deciles, while their incomes have seen slight increases, they have only been around 1 to 2%. In other words, half of the population, despite the "governing and prosperity" of society, has experienced a regression or stagnation in their lives.
