0001 00:00:08:06 00:00:13:16

 

Where market forces have made

the rich incredibly wealthy.

 

0002 00:00:13:20 00:00:18:11

 

Where 20 square feet cost 5 million.

 

0003 00:00:18:15 00:00:19:22

 

Normal price.

 

0004 00:00:21:03 00:00:25:13

 

Where billionaires live side by side

with people in cages.

 

0005 00:00:25:17 00:00:28:21

 

Just share, and nobody would be poor.

 

0006 00:00:29:00 00:00:33:08

 

Where the afterlife

can cost up to 1.5 million.

 

0007 00:00:33:12 00:00:36:11

 

PHILIP KHOKHAR

Correspondent

Even dying in Hong Kong

is a costly affair.

 

0008 00:00:43:08 00:00:46:08

 

Welcome to Hong Kong.

 

0009 00:00:54:06 00:00:57:18

 

I'm on my way to a place

where people live in cages -

 

0010 00:00:57:22 00:01:00:05

 

- together with Sze Lai-shan.

 

0011 00:01:00:09 00:01:03:13

 

3289.

 

0012 00:01:03:17 00:01:06:18

 

She's a social worker

in a private organization -

 

0013 00:01:06:22 00:01:12:06

 

- that helps the weakest

of the city's 7 million residents.

 

0014 00:01:13:17 00:01:16:11

 

Hello.

 

0015 00:01:17:06 00:01:22:05

 

First, we visit a room that houses

ten elderly men.

 

0016 00:01:22:09 00:01:28:09

 

One of these men is 70-year-old

Joe Leung, who sleeps in a cage.

 

0017 00:01:28:13 00:01:31:12

 

This is where you sleep?

Or do you sleep down here?

 

0018 00:01:31:16 00:01:38:00

 

Joe Leung

Retiree

I sleep here.

Someone else lives down there.

 

0019 00:01:38:04 00:01:40:16

 

Your bed is very hard.

How can you sleep?

 

0020 00:01:40:20 00:01:45:05

 

I'm used to it,

so it doesn't affect me.

 

0021 00:01:46:19 00:01:52:20

 

I've slept on wooden boards

since I was a child.

 

0022 00:01:54:00 00:01:57:04

 

There is no such thing

as pension in Hong Kong.

 

0023 00:01:57:08 00:02:01:23

 

But the poor can apply for benefits

of 3000 kroner per month.

 

0024 00:02:02:02 00:02:06:09

 

Joe Leung spends half his money

on renting the cage.

 

0025 00:02:06:13 00:02:11:18

 

He has, in vain, applied for

a public housing apartment.

 

0026 00:02:11:22 00:02:14:11

 

Do you think you'll ever

get another place to live -

 

0027 00:02:14:15 00:02:18:12

 

- or have you accepted

that this is how you live?

 

0028 00:02:18:16 00:02:23:15

 

It could a take a long time for

the authorities to give me a home.

 

0029 00:02:23:19 00:02:29:08

 

It could be between

five and eight years.

 

0030 00:02:32:03 00:02:36:02

 

You still smoke?

 

0031 00:02:36:06 00:02:41:11

 

You cough, and yet you smoke.

How much do you smoke?

 

0032 00:02:41:15 00:02:46:04

 

- Twenty a day.

- Then you can't afford food.

 

0033 00:02:46:08 00:02:49:02

 

Twenty cigarettes aren't that much.

 

0034 00:02:50:20 00:02:55:12

 

From 'Horisont', October 2014

I visited places like this together

with Sze Lai-Shan four years ago.

 

0035 00:02:57:21 00:03:00:23

 

Then, students were demonstrating

in the streets of Hong Kong -

 

0036 00:03:01:02 00:03:05:12

 

- against the extensive

social inequality.

 

0037 00:03:05:16 00:03:11:05

 

And the government promised

to improve life for the marginalized.

 

0038 00:03:12:09 00:03:15:18

 

Four years later

very little has changed.

 

0039 00:03:15:22 00:03:19:11

 

The number of poor people

has even risen.

 

0040 00:03:22:06 00:03:25:01

 

Today, one in five residents -

 

0041 00:03:25:05 00:03:30:06

 

- lives below the poverty line

of 3300 kroner per month.

 

0042 00:03:30:10 00:03:36:15

 

200,000 live in extreme conditions

with hardly any space.

 

0043 00:03:36:19 00:03:40:08

 

Is it legal for the person who owns it

to do this?

 

0044 00:03:40:12 00:03:43:11

 

Yes, you can get a license.

 

0045 00:03:43:15 00:03:46:03

 

So it is legal to have ...

 

0046 00:03:46:07 00:03:50:20

 

SZE LAI-SHAN

Social worker

Yes, but some of them ... With this one

they did not get a license -

 

0047 00:03:50:24 00:03:54:04

 

- because they say

it's below twelve people.

 

0048 00:03:54:08 00:03:57:00

 

They only have ten,

so they don't need to register.

 

0049 00:03:57:04 00:03:59:07

 

But will the city give a license?

 

0050 00:03:59:11 00:04:04:14

 

Yes, the government will give them

a license. It's ridiculous.

 

0051 00:04:08:02 00:04:11:16

 

But Hong Kong actually has

loads of money.

 

0052 00:04:11:20 00:04:14:07

 

The city just overtook New York -

 

0053 00:04:14:11 00:04:18:17

 

- as the place in the world

with the most super-rich.

 

0054 00:04:18:21 00:04:24:15

 

Those are people with fortunes

over 200 million kroner.

 

0055 00:04:27:11 00:04:31:21

 

In Hong Kong alone 10,000 people

are categorized as super-rich.

 

0056 00:04:34:00 00:04:38:03

 

And on top of that taxes are low,

with a maximum at 17%.

 

0057 00:04:39:19 00:04:43:23

 

As a consequence, the housing market

is one of the world's most expensive.

 

0058 00:04:48:21 00:04:52:22

 

Many of Hong Kong's poor live

in the Sham Shui Po quarter.

 

0059 00:04:59:22 00:05:02:08

 

And this is where

I meet Jiaoli.

 

0060 00:05:02:12 00:05:08:14

 

She lives in a 12m2-room together

with her husband and two children.

 

0061 00:05:08:18 00:05:13:03

 

CHEN JIAOLI

At-home mom

We sleep here.

My daughter sleeps up here.

 

0062 00:05:13:07 00:05:16:12

 

My son, my husband

and I sleep down here.

 

0063 00:05:16:16 00:05:19:12

 

We only have one bed.

 

0064 00:05:20:20 00:05:23:17

 

We have far too little space.

 

0065 00:05:23:21 00:05:27:19

 

We have to put our clothes here.

 

0066 00:05:29:21 00:05:33:14

 

During the day she's at home

with her son Hongqi who's 3 -

 

0067 00:05:33:18 00:05:37:12

 

- as she has only a few hours

of kindergarten for him per week.

 

0068 00:05:37:16 00:05:40:17

 

So, Jiaoli cannot work.

 

0069 00:05:40:21 00:05:44:19

 

Come here.

 

0070 00:05:44:23 00:05:50:03

 

What have you learnt?

What is that?

 

0071 00:05:50:07 00:05:52:19

 

- An egg.

- Yes, that's an egg.

 

0072 00:05:52:23 00:05:59:08

 

- It's a car.

- Yes, that's a car.

 

0073 00:05:59:12 00:06:03:24

 

This is where I cook.

It's a small kitchen.

 

0074 00:06:04:03 00:06:11:00

 

And this is our bathroom.

 

0075 00:06:11:04 00:06:16:11

 

It's very small.

 

0076 00:06:16:15 00:06:18:16

 

Jiaoli is a newcomer from China.

 

0077 00:06:18:20 00:06:22:20

 

She was shocked at how little

space her family could afford.

 

0078 00:06:22:24 00:06:26:16

 

This room costs about

4000 kroner a month.

 

0079 00:06:26:20 00:06:29:16

 

It was hard to get used to

in the beginning.

 

0080 00:06:29:20 00:06:34:16

 

It was very stressful

and depressing.

 

0081 00:06:37:18 00:06:42:00

 

The apartment is divided into

three smaller apartments.

 

0082 00:06:42:04 00:06:45:14

 

The family lives in this room.

 

0083 00:06:45:18 00:06:47:22

 

This is the hallway.

 

0084 00:06:48:01 00:06:53:15

 

At the other end of the apartment

two doors have been installed -

 

0085 00:06:53:19 00:06:57:07

 

- to the other rooms

where two other families live.

 

0086 00:06:57:11 00:07:05:00

 

So all in all 11 people live in

this small three-bedroom apartment.

 

0087 00:07:05:22 00:07:10:11

 

Actually, 60% of Hong Kong's

population live in public housing -

 

0088 00:07:10:15 00:07:13:05

 

- where apartments are a bit bigger.

 

0089 00:07:13:09 00:07:15:22

 

But the waiting lists are long -

 

0090 00:07:16:01 00:07:20:12

 

- and in the meantime, poor families

are forced to live in small spaces.

 

0091 00:07:20:16 00:07:25:19

 

Furthermore, there's no limitation

on rent increases in Hong Kong.

 

0092 00:07:27:00 00:07:31:00

 

Jiaoli's husband is a construction

worker with no steady income.

 

0093 00:07:31:04 00:07:34:21

 

With a minimum wage

of 28 kroner an hour -

 

0094 00:07:35:00 00:07:40:10

 

- he makes a couple of hundred a day,

when he can find work that is.

 

0095 00:07:40:14 00:07:43:12

 

Next month

the rent will apparently go up.

 

0096 00:07:43:16 00:07:48:08

 

It will be a problem

if we have to pay 7000-8000.

 

0097 00:07:48:12 00:07:52:21

 

We cannot afford

a bigger apartment -

 

0098 00:07:53:00 00:07:56:06

 

- if it costs more than 10,000.

 

0099 00:07:57:05 00:08:01:11

 

He's a bit cheeky.

 

0100 00:08:01:15 00:08:08:10

 

In other homes there is more space,

so the children can play.

 

0101 00:08:08:14 00:08:12:23

 

Do you consider yourself poor?

 

0102 00:08:15:00 00:08:20:08

 

Yes, we don't always know

when we'll have our next meal.

 

0103 00:08:20:12 00:08:26:23

 

My husband doesn't have steady work.

It depends on his boss.

 

0104 00:08:27:02 00:08:30:08

 

He only makes

a couple of hundred a day.

 

0105 00:08:33:18 00:08:39:06

 

Until 1997 Hong Kong was

a British colony.

 

0106 00:08:39:10 00:08:41:15

 

China promised

political independence -

 

0107 00:08:41:19 00:08:45:06

 

- and free elections until 2047.

 

0108 00:08:45:10 00:08:50:05

 

A promise the Beijing government

has since reneged on.

 

0109 00:08:50:09 00:08:54:10

 

Today, parts of parliament

are elected by the people.

 

0110 00:08:54:14 00:09:00:03

 

But the government and the PM

are appointed by a special council -

 

0111 00:09:00:07 00:09:04:05

 

- with an overweight

of China-loyal businessmen.

 

0112 00:09:04:09 00:09:06:18

 

That is one of the reasons -

 

0113 00:09:06:22 00:09:10:17

 

- why the government hesitates

to influence real estate prices.

 

0114 00:09:10:21 00:09:13:23

 

David Hong follows

the city's housing market.

 

0115 00:09:14:02 00:09:21:05

 

DAVID HONG

Real estate analyst

You don't have incentives for officials

to do innovative work.

 

0116 00:09:21:09 00:09:25:20

 

If you do something innovative,

there will always be opponents.

 

0117 00:09:25:24 00:09:28:07

 

For most middle-class families -

 

0118 00:09:28:11 00:09:32:02

 

- it's almost impossible

to get to own a home -

 

0119 00:09:32:06 00:09:35:08

 

- as the city has some of

the world's highest prices per m2.

 

0120 00:09:35:12 00:09:38:10

 

So what you see with many

middle-class families is -

 

0121 00:09:38:14 00:09:42:16

 

- that you have to save for years

and years, maybe even generations?

 

0122 00:09:42:20 00:09:46:09

 

Yeah, and most of the people

are subsidized by their parents.

 

0123 00:09:46:13 00:09:49:22

 

Both parents.

We say six wallets.

 

0124 00:09:50:01 00:09:56:15

 

Both the wife's

and the husband's families.

 

0125 00:10:00:17 00:10:02:24

 

This is Tai Kok Tsui.

 

0126 00:10:03:03 00:10:05:17

 

Real estate agent Jason Tsang

has agreed -

 

0127 00:10:05:21 00:10:09:23

 

- to show me two apartments

outside the city center.

 

0128 00:10:12:24 00:10:17:11

 

The first one is

a 20m2 one-bedroom apartment

 

0129 00:10:19:01 00:10:23:09

 

The price is 5 million Danish kroner.

 

0130 00:10:23:13 00:10:26:10

 

And one bathroom.

 

0131 00:10:29:02 00:10:34:00

 

It's a fine apartment.

But it costs 5 million.

 

0132 00:10:34:04 00:10:40:05

 

It's very expensive in Hong Kong.

It's only a small area.

 

0133 00:10:40:09 00:10:44:14

 

- How many people can live in here?

- Maybe two or one.

 

0134 00:10:44:18 00:10:47:15

 

It's a nice view.

 

0135 00:10:47:19 00:10:51:19

 

It's facing west.

 

0136 00:10:56:22 00:10:59:13

 

You shouldn't have vertigo.

 

0137 00:10:59:17 00:11:05:05

 

You can also rent the 20m2

for 13,000 kroner a month.

 

0138 00:11:05:09 00:11:07:12

 

The price is only fixed

for one year.

 

0139 00:11:07:16 00:11:09:13

 

It's a one-year contract.

 

0140 00:11:09:17 00:11:15:11

 

JASON TSANG

Real estate agent

One-year fixed contract.

After one year you can move.

 

0141 00:11:15:15 00:11:19:15

 

So, you risk that the rent

will increase after one year?

 

0142 00:11:19:19 00:11:21:12

 

Yeah.

 

0143 00:11:22:14 00:11:24:18

 

Thank you.

 

0144 00:11:26:14 00:11:31:12

 

The real estate agent then shows me

a 30m2 apartment.

 

0145 00:11:31:16 00:11:35:13

 

This is a very small

two-bedroom apartment ...

 

0146 00:11:36:23 00:11:40:12

 

... with a rather modest bedroom.

 

0147 00:11:42:00 00:11:44:24

 

I'm curious to know

what it costs.

 

0148 00:11:45:03 00:11:47:22

 

This one is only for sale.

 

0149 00:11:48:01 00:11:53:19

 

Seven million

and five hundred thousand.

 

0150 00:11:53:23 00:11:57:19

 

7.5 million? Okay.

 

0151 00:11:57:23 00:12:03:04

 

The size is 30 m2.

 

0152 00:12:03:08 00:12:10:09

 

7.5 million Hong Kong dollars

are about 6 million Danish kroner.

 

0153 00:12:12:06 00:12:15:06

 

The 30 m2 for 6 million -

 

0154 00:12:15:10 00:12:19:20

 

- is even considered a cheap

apartment in Hong Kong.

 

0155 00:12:19:24 00:12:24:05

 

It could easily be twice that

in a different quarter of Hong Kong.

 

0156 00:12:24:09 00:12:29:04

 

This is an old industrial quarter

and therefore not very sought-after.

 

0157 00:12:42:06 00:12:44:03

 

Hello?

 

0158 00:12:44:07 00:12:50:10

 

Sze Lai-Shan also lived in a small

room with her family as a child.

 

0159 00:12:50:14 00:12:57:16

 

It frustrates her that poverty still

mars Hong Kong a generation later.

 

0160 00:12:57:20 00:13:01:03

 

She blames the city's

lack of democracy.

 

0161 00:13:01:07 00:13:06:24

 

Sze Lai-Shan

Social worker

It's not a democratic society because

rich people have a lot of power.

 

0162 00:13:07:03 00:13:11:02

 

Some of them want to

control the government.

 

0163 00:13:12:10 00:13:17:05

 

En route to the next apartment, Sze

Lai-Shan points to an old building.

 

0164 00:13:17:09 00:13:21:15

 

Do you see the hotel?

Before, it was an old building.

 

0165 00:13:21:19 00:13:25:16

 

And also a cage home.

Many cage homes. Typical.

 

0166 00:13:25:20 00:13:31:03

 

But now they've demolished it,

and it's become a luxury hotel.

 

0167 00:13:31:07 00:13:34:09

 

From cage home

to luxury hotel.

 

0168 00:13:36:20 00:13:40:06

 

We'll go to the 4th floor.

 

0169 00:13:40:10 00:13:44:04

 

It smells of urine on the stairs.

 

0170 00:13:46:04 00:13:49:22

 

How are you?

How are you? Hello.

 

0171 00:13:50:01 00:13:53:10

 

The apartment has been remodeled

and now houses 27 people.

 

0172 00:13:53:14 00:13:54:24

 

Up and down.

 

0173 00:13:55:03 00:13:58:14

 

They each have a place to sleep

up or down.

 

0174 00:14:01:00 00:14:05:17

 

The tenants share two filthy toilets

and a modest kitchen.

 

0175 00:14:05:21 00:14:09:00

 

One of the residents

is retiree Betty.

 

0176 00:14:09:04 00:14:13:04

 

You're too tall to stand inside.

 

0177 00:14:14:23 00:14:17:21

 

- So this is where you sleep?

- Yes.

 

0178 00:14:23:02 00:14:26:00

 

You can hardly move about.

 

0179 00:14:26:04 00:14:31:00

 

- I sleep here.

- You sleep here?

 

0180 00:14:31:21 00:14:34:12

 

And I have ...

 

0181 00:14:34:16 00:14:40:11

 

BETTY AU

Retiree

And I have one ...

Mickey Mouse.

 

0182 00:14:40:15 00:14:44:08

 

- Oh, you have a mouse.

- Mickey Mouse.

 

0183 00:14:44:12 00:14:47:24

 

Where is it?

I can't see it.

 

0184 00:14:48:03 00:14:53:08

 

Sorry! Sorry!

Mickey Mouse is over there.

 

0185 00:14:57:06 00:15:01:13

 

- Do you like living here?

- No, I don't like it.

 

0186 00:15:01:17 00:15:07:21

 

I don't like that the room

has no windows.

 

0187 00:15:08:00 00:15:12:01

 

And that it's very, very hot.

 

0188 00:15:12:05 00:15:15:22

 

It's very low.

 

0189 00:15:16:01 00:15:20:17

 

You can do it.

I can't.

 

0190 00:15:20:21 00:15:23:02

 

I can't stand.

 

0191 00:15:23:06 00:15:26:20

 

- What's the name of the mouse?

- Small Sun.

 

0192 00:15:26:24 00:15:29:11

 

Small Sun?

What's the Chinese name?

 

0193 00:15:29:15 00:15:34:10

 

The Chinese name is

Siu Tamai Lou.

 

0194 00:15:34:14 00:15:38:06

 

- Now, he's asleep.

- No, he's awake.

 

0195 00:15:38:10 00:15:41:00

 

'Cause it's so hot!

 

0196 00:15:44:05 00:15:49:20

 

What are you watching?

TV?

 

0197 00:15:49:24 00:15:52:10

 

Farther down the hall is Mr. Wong.

 

0198 00:15:52:14 00:15:55:17

 

He says it might not be

very comfortable -

 

0199 00:15:55:21 00:15:59:17

 

- but that he likes living here

for the company.

 

0200 00:15:59:21 00:16:05:21

 

WONG

Retiree

If you have a heart attack

and live alone, no one can help you.

 

0201 00:16:06:00 00:16:10:09

 

Even if you sound the alarm

it's too late.

 

0202 00:16:10:13 00:16:14:04

 

He admits that he's not very

good at managing his benefits -

 

0203 00:16:14:08 00:16:19:17

 

- as he gambles on horses, so now

he owes money to the landlord.

 

0204 00:16:19:21 00:16:23:18

 

When I get money on the first of

the month, it quickly disappears.

 

0205 00:16:23:22 00:16:27:16

 

The rest of the month I'm without

money. I can just lie down to die.

 

0206 00:16:27:20 00:16:31:01

 

You should let someone else

look after your money.

 

0207 00:16:31:05 00:16:36:06

 

- I spend them on the horses.

- It's stupid.

 

0208 00:16:36:10 00:16:42:07

 

They're kidding. They're saying that

they are poor and don't have money -

 

0209 00:16:42:11 00:16:46:21

 

- and if they use up their money,

they'll commit suicide.

 

0210 00:16:47:00 00:16:51:03

 

- I hope not.

- I hope not ...

 

0211 00:16:54:10 00:16:59:12

 

Hong Kong actually has savings to the

amount of about 1500 billion kroner -

 

0212 00:16:59:16 00:17:02:21

 

- equaling 200,000 pr. capita.

 

0213 00:17:04:19 00:17:08:00

 

At auctions the city sells off land

to developers -

 

0214 00:17:08:04 00:17:11:16

 

- and earmarks the money

for tough times.

 

0215 00:17:11:20 00:17:16:24

 

So there are large areas of land

where housing could be built.

 

0216 00:17:17:03 00:17:24:02

 

But both green organizations

and property owners fight it.

 

0217 00:17:24:06 00:17:26:21

 

In the meantime,

creative individuals -

 

0218 00:17:27:00 00:17:30:09

 

- make good money

on the square foot shortage.

 

0219 00:17:32:14 00:17:35:05

 

You get a card

just like in hotels.

 

0220 00:17:35:09 00:17:41:01

 

Such as Eric Wong, the CEO of a

company that produces capsule beds.

 

0221 00:17:41:05 00:17:46:21

 

ERIC WONG

CEO

Even doctors and lawyers

share an apartment.

 

0222 00:17:47:00 00:17:50:22

 

Their thinking is influenced by

developers and the authorities.

 

0223 00:17:51:01 00:17:54:03

 

The price starts at 3000 kroner -

 

0224 00:17:54:07 00:17:57:24

 

- and this gives people more privacy

than an ordinary bed.

 

0225 00:17:58:03 00:18:00:22

 

- Can we go inside?

- Yes, sure.

 

0226 00:18:07:11 00:18:12:08

 

- What is all of this?

- You can touch the panel on the top.

 

0227 00:18:12:12 00:18:16:24

 

- So this is sleep.

- Sleep mode. All the lights are off.

 

0228 00:18:17:03 00:18:21:01

 

- Pretty good.

- Yeah, comfortable.

 

0229 00:18:21:05 00:18:25:12

 

- Could you live in a capsule?

- Me? Yeah, sure.

 

0230 00:18:25:16 00:18:32:10

 

When I go to other countries,

to clients -

 

0231 00:18:32:14 00:18:36:24

 

- I also live in the capsule hotel -

 

0232 00:18:37:03 00:18:42:08

 

- to see if our client's business

is good or not.

 

0233 00:18:42:12 00:18:48:10

 

- So when I wanna say goodnight ...

- Yeah, you can make a lock.

 

0234 00:18:51:11 00:18:53:20

 

- Okay, goodnight.

- Goodnight.

 

0235 00:18:57:05 00:19:00:14

 

The lack of space has also made

another business lucrative.

 

0236 00:19:01:20 00:19:05:10

 

And it's all about the afterlife.

 

0237 00:19:05:14 00:19:08:09

 

Most people in Hong Kong

are cremated.

 

0238 00:19:08:13 00:19:12:18

 

There are public spaces

where you may put your urn.

 

0239 00:19:12:22 00:19:18:14

 

But due to year-long waiting lists,

private companies are thriving.

 

0240 00:19:18:18 00:19:22:16

 

Such as this temple

close to the Chinese border.

 

0241 00:19:23:12 00:19:28:04

 

EVA MA

Temple employee

You can leave a present for the dead.

 

0242 00:19:28:08 00:19:31:19

 

He was a chef before he died.

 

0243 00:19:31:23 00:19:36:24

 

The cheapest urn space

costs more than 100,000 kroner.

 

0244 00:19:37:03 00:19:41:12

 

They have the best view here.

Look.

 

0245 00:19:41:16 00:19:47:10

 

If you want a more attractive space

in death, it's even more expensive.

 

0246 00:19:47:14 00:19:53:22

 

The cheapest urn spaces cost

250,000 kroner.

 

0247 00:19:54:01 00:19:58:23

 

The most expensive,

the twin urn spaces for couples -

 

0248 00:19:59:02 00:20:02:24

 

- may cost up to 1.5 million kroner.

 

0249 00:20:03:03 00:20:06:22

 

In return you get

a view of the rainforest.

 

0250 00:20:21:20 00:20:24:01

 

Watch the cars.

 

0251 00:20:26:15 00:20:30:16

 

In the afternoon, Jiaoli is

on the playground with her son -

 

0252 00:20:30:20 00:20:33:22

 

- before she must pick up

her daughter, Zihan, from school.

 

0253 00:20:35:02 00:20:37:11

 

Oh! The car tilted!

 

0254 00:20:37:15 00:20:42:19

 

- I'm up high!

- Yes, very high up.

 

0255 00:20:42:23 00:20:47:01

 

Will you buy a nice apartment

over there one day?

 

0256 00:20:47:05 00:20:51:19

 

- Yes.

- Then you must work hard.

 

0257 00:20:51:23 00:20:56:24

 

- Will you give me money?

- Mama doesn't have any money.

 

0258 00:20:57:03 00:21:00:10

 

- Will daddy give me money?

- You must ask him.

 

0259 00:21:02:08 00:21:05:03

 

The family's economy is under

pressure both from the rent -

 

0260 00:21:05:07 00:21:08:03

 

- and from rising food prices.

 

0261 00:21:10:01 00:21:14:05

 

I need pork for a pan dish

or soup.

 

0262 00:21:15:07 00:21:19:00

 

Jiaoli picks up her daughter

Zihan from school.

 

0263 00:21:19:04 00:21:23:15

 

Vegetables were too expensive today.

18 dollars for 500 grams.

 

0264 00:21:23:19 00:21:29:23

 

So I bought pork for dinner.

 

0265 00:21:34:24 00:21:40:23

 

At home, the difficult hours

of her daughter's homework start -

 

0266 00:21:41:02 00:21:46:24

 

- while the younger brother

plays with the neighbor's son.

 

0267 00:21:52:17 00:21:57:16

 

They must play in the hallway

because there's no space in the room.

 

0268 00:21:57:20 00:22:02:23

 

No, I'll give you the ball.

 

0269 00:22:09:17 00:22:16:16

 

LIN ZIHAN

Student

There's no space for my books,

so they're on the bed.

 

0270 00:22:16:20 00:22:23:07

 

My school bag is in the corner,

so that my brother doesn't take them.

 

0271 00:22:23:11 00:22:26:13

 

He's tall enough to reach them now.

 

0272 00:22:33:16 00:22:37:10

 

Don't make so much noise.

 

0273 00:22:37:14 00:22:42:08

 

If you want a cookie,

you must be quiet. Are you hungry?

 

0274 00:22:43:14 00:22:47:12

 

Jiaoli has no other choice

than to get used to the noise.

 

0275 00:22:47:16 00:22:49:09

 

It could be years -

 

0276 00:22:49:13 00:22:53:21

 

- before the family fulfills

its dream of a bigger apartment.

 

0277 00:22:54:00 00:22:56:18

 

We've been looking for four years.

 

0278 00:22:56:22 00:23:02:10

 

But the waiting lists are long,

so I don't know what will happen.

 

0279 00:23:02:14 00:23:05:23

 

We hope we get a public housing

apartment soon.

 

0280 00:23:11:07 00:23:13:24

 

I'm out with Sze Lai-Shan.

 

0281 00:23:14:03 00:23:18:17

 

It's a Chinese holiday,

so she's handing out mooncakes.

 

0282 00:23:18:21 00:23:23:07

 

Hello.

It's been a long time.

 

0283 00:23:23:11 00:23:26:23

 

I brought mooncake.

Take the big one.

 

0284 00:23:27:02 00:23:30:23

 

Happy Moon Festival.

 

0285 00:23:31:02 00:23:34:24

 

I'm a social worker.

I've brought you mooncake.

 

0286 00:23:35:03 00:23:38:12

 

Although she frequently

visits the poor areas -

 

0287 00:23:38:16 00:23:42:01

 

- she still meets people

she's never met before.

 

0288 00:23:42:05 00:23:47:01

 

- How old are you?

- I'm 79.

 

0289 00:23:47:05 00:23:51:14

 

If you need help,

let me know.

 

0290 00:23:51:18 00:23:55:08

 

I'm a social worker.

 

0291 00:23:55:12 00:23:57:07

 

Sze Lai-shan believes -

 

0292 00:23:57:11 00:24:02:00

 

- that poverty will be a part of

Hong Kong for many years to come.

 

0293 00:24:02:04 00:24:08:11

 

But she's hoping that the city's elite

will take note of life at the bottom.

 

0294 00:24:08:15 00:24:13:09

 

In Hong Kong

we should not have poor people.

 

0295 00:24:13:13 00:24:16:15

 

So some people say:

 

0296 00:24:16:19 00:24:21:07

 

"You keep on telling people about

a better Hong Kong.

 

0297 00:24:21:11 00:24:24:18

 

You're destroying Hong Kong's

image." I say: "I don't want to.

 

0298 00:24:24:22 00:24:28:23

 

But it's happening in Hong Kong,

and we need to face it and reality."

 

0299 00:24:33:20 00:24:36:11

 

Subtitles: Tina Goldberg

Dansk Video Tekst

 

0300 10:00:00:00 10:00:00:08

 

Pr.nr.:

Horisont Manden i buret US

DVT/TG/ML