Hong Kong Taxis Finally Take E-Payments

Seems like every payment option is covered in this cab

Hong Kong taxi drivers have finally been pulled kicking and screaming into the hi-tech age, now that they must offer at least two electronic payment options to customers.

While the Transport Department rule was supposed to be in effect April 1, in reality not all 47,000 cabbies were on board... yet.

There were reports some drivers had yet to even install e-payments in their taxis, while others were able to take Octopus, credit cards, or Alipay or WeChat pay via QR codes.

The maximum fine for not installing at least two e-payment systems is HK$5,000 (US$637). 

It is anticipated that most taxi drivers will not have the credit card option, as the machine costs HK$1,000 and credit card companies will take a percentage of the fare.

While it's high time taxi drivers give alternative ways for customers to pay other than cash, there is the issue of adding gas to the tank and renting the taxi. 

"I just received a payment by credit card. It worked fine, you just tap it, like tapping a card, and it's done," said taxi driver Chiu Sing-ki, in his sixties. 

"But when we refuel, we have to pay cash. When I hand in the rented car at the end of my shift to the owner, I also have to pay cash. So where does my cash come from if we are receiving these e-payments all the time?"

He has a point. Did the Transport Department think about that???

Focus on Making Money, says Beijing Official

Xia visited Hong Kong and advised focusing on the economy

A senior Chinese official advised Hongkongers to stop dwelling on politics and focus on the economy. 

Xia Baolong, director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office paid a visit on the weekend on his "fact-finding mission".

His visit coincided with National Security Education Day, though he didn't talk much about it -- as it is vague anyway, and instead urged the city to focus on making money.

Deng Xiaoping

"I hope that Hong Kong will hold conventions and exhibitions every day, engage in innovation and technology, and fight for the economy," he said on Saturday, adding residents should also enjoy "horse racing, dancing, speculating on stocks and making big money."

If that sounds familiar, it is -- late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping said "horse racing will continue, dancing parties will go on", vowing Hong Kong would remain unchanged after it returned to Chinese rule after 1997.

But while Xia advises people to focus on making money and enjoying themselves, others have interpreted this to mean that "demonstrations" were not to be pursued.

He said they were not the only way to express different groups' interests, and even going so far as to suggest people's intentions could be manipulated. 

Hours after Xia made this remark, the pro-Beijing Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions had applied to the police to hold a rally on April 29 before the May 1 Labour Day holiday, and now was considering retracting its application and scaling down their event, even though they insisted it was not related to Xia's words.

The federation used to hold marches like these

"Over the past two weeks, some workers have said they will not attend the rally as they do not want to be in the limelight," federation chairman Lam Chun-sing said.

If even a pro-establishment group is concerned about holding a rally, there is no hope for anyone else who wants to express an opposing opinion.

But back to reviving the economy -- how can that be done? The only mainland tourists coming to Hong Kong are ones from third and fourth-tier cities who have never visited before and can only afford cheap tour packages. 

Anecdotally there are reports from luxury brand stores that business is slow as mainlanders are going elsewhere like Korea and Japan to satisfy their shopping fix. 

What technologically innovation does Hong Kong have? Since the development of the Octopus card, the Leave Home Safe app was a disaster and waste of money... is there nothing else that has been developed in the city?

How to attract high quality tourists to HK?

Meanwhile the tourism board promotes local eats, but mom-and-pop shops that have been around for 30, 40 years are closing as the owners are retiring and their children are not taking over the businesses. 

So what's left is real estate, stocks and horse racing. 

It's all a gamble, isn't it.