Hong Kong’s 218km metro network serves 1.6 billion passengers per year. In comparison, the London Underground network stretches 402km and serves only 1.3 billion passengers per year. Or to put this in simple terms: the Hong Kong network carries 11 people more, per meter of railway, per day, than the UK Underground.
I mentioned earlier about the high level of civil obedience in China. Here one hardly finds a passenger in the wrong ‘lane’.
Unlike what is the normal convention, in Hong Kong each bank issues its own notes. It is thus surprisingly common to find three different 20 Hong Kong Dollars in your wallet – all are legal tenders.
Yuan is the official currency of mainland China. The exchange rate is strictly controlled by the central government, much to the frustration of the international community. Those in the West claim that as the Yuan is deliberately undervalued against the US Dollar, that it gives China exports and unfair trade advantage. They refer to this as the ‘unfair export subsidy’ and the main reason so many multi-nationals are moving their manufacturing here … if they have not done so already. Never mind that the bulk of the USA’s foreign debt is held by China, they still blame China for their deteriorating domestic economy. Personally, I believe it is about time they wake up from their American Dream and smell the dim sum and soy sauce.
Currency from the mainland. The dark reddish note is 0.5 Yuan = 1 ZAR = 0.08 USD.
Continue reading China – part 17 (of 20).