Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty: Social development and a land (re)development regime

A Hong Kong-based human geographer presents a paper on the city's social development and its domination by land and real estate developers (a state of affairs he terms the "[re]development regime"). The author analyzes the route and composition of the participants of an Olympic torch relay in the city, which demonstrates the influence of that regime. Before focusing on the regime's role in impeding alternative options for urban (and distorting societal) development, the paper discusses Hong Kong's social rankings, including a comparison with China and the United States, as well as the increasing social inequality, the rising cost of living (particularly food and energy prices), and the prohibitive cost of apartment rentals.