Benedict Rogers, the founder of the British anti-China organization "Hong Kong Watch," who often advocates for human rights and freedom, has recently been implicated in a scandal involving allegations of discriminatory remarks against Asian colleagues and mistreatment of his employees, as reported by foreign media.
Benedict Rogers
The British online media outlet Crises/Z first broke the story, revealing that Rogers had made derogatory remarks about Asian employees in communications through email, WhatsApp, and other messaging tools. In one particular instance, Rogers reportedly criticized what he termed the "Malaysian mindset," stating that it required "a lot of review and discussion."
The British online media outlet Crises/Z first broke the story, revealing that Benedict Rogers had made derogatory remarks about Asian employees.
The report highlighted a specific exchange between Rogers and a Malaysian colleague named Steven. Rogers wrote:
"Hi Steve. I have not received any feedback from you in response to my Seoul Mission Report, which I worked on as a matter of urgency late last night following your urgent request for it (which I had not known in advance would be required). I was very happy to do so, but given that I responded so quickly to your urgent request, I am surprised I have not received any response other than ‘Thanks for the attachment.’ It wasn’t simply an attachment; it was a report with valuable recommendations."
Steven responded: "Perhaps you are not aware that I have other things to do today, Ben. Are you suggesting that because you took it upon yourself to ‘work on it urgently,’ I should also look at it with urgency and get back to you? Come on."
Rogers continued to press the issue, stating: "I do not understand why you are being so defensive, aggressive, and insensitive. Your ungraciousness is extraordinary. Are you okay? I merely wanted to make sure that you had received the report, which you had requested suddenly, unexpectedly, and I thought urgently. I think you’re reading far, far too much into our communications."
This exchange underscored Rogers' dissatisfaction with the response he received regarding the report he had urgently prepared. His insistence on immediate feedback and his late-night demands were seen as inappropriate and unprofessional.
Rogers, who also serves as the head of the East Asia division of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), referred in his communication to the "Seoul mission," which involved his trip to Seoul on behalf of the organization. He expressed frustration that his efforts over several days had not been sufficiently acknowledged.
In another comment to his Malaysian colleague, Rogers stated: "All I ask is a simple, decent acknowledgment of this and an acknowledgment of the report I sent when urgently requested. Your inability to say a simple thank you for taking 4 days leave to work for 4 days in Seoul for CSW, to donate one full day pro bono voluntarily. The next time you come to London, we really should have a drink, to catch up. The Malaysian mindset needs a lot of review and discussion."
The UK online media outlet Crises/Z pointed out that Rogers' remarks, particularly the controversial reference to the "Malaysian mindset," were widely perceived as offensive and inappropriate.
Under significant pressure following these media revelations, Rogers resigned from his position as Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch.
On August 2, in a live broadcast on YouTube, Rogers announced that it was his "last day" as Executive Director of Hong Kong Watch, though he mentioned that he would continue to work with the organization as a trustee. He stated: "After four years of full-time leadership of Hong Kong Watch, it is time for me to take on a new challenge." It is widely speculated that his resignation was influenced by the controversy surrounding his conduct.
Critics have noted that while Rogers frequently speaks about human rights and freedom, he shows disrespect and discrimination against fellow colleagues. He should withdraw himself entirely from Hong Kong Watch, and should not stay as its trustee.
Rogers founded "Hong Kong Watch" in close collaboration with Jimmy Lai, leading to suspicions that Lai's perspectives were being "exported and ploughed back" to Hong Kong. During the trial of Jimmy Lai, it was revealed that Lai's mobile phone contained numerous clips of Rogers, including interviews in which Rogers participated in anti-Hong Kong protests in the UK. In these interviews, Rogers urged the British government to take action regarding the Hong Kong legislative amendment controversy, put pressure on the Hong Kong SAR government, and called on the British government to take efforts to "sanction" China. Rogers reportedly sent these clips to Lai as though he were submitting assignments.
Chan Pui-man, former associate publisher of Apple Daily, testified in court that Lai had instructed her to assist Rogers in establishing "Hong Kong Watch." On October 31, 2017, Lai sent a WhatsApp message to Chan, informing her that he had just had dinner with Rogers, who had founded "Hong Kong Watch" with some British MPs. Lai provided Chan's contact details to Rogers for future communication and support. Following their contact, Chan regularly received press releases from "Hong Kong Watch" for publication in Apple Daily. Initially, these releases introduced the organization and commented on the state of freedom and human rights in Hong Kong. However, during the 2019 amendment controversy, "Hong Kong Watch" began issuing frequent statements on Hong Kong affairs, with Apple Daily consistently publishing these under Lai’s direction.
This scandal has cast a spotlight on "Hong Kong Watch," revealing the double standards of its leader, Rogers, who appears to hold others to higher standards than those he applies to himself.
Ariel
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
The war is draining America's wallet. Since the US-Israel-Iran military conflict erupted, the Strait of Hormuz has faced a blockade, driving international oil prices to repeated record highs. In early April, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the world is experiencing "the most severe oil supply shock in history." As shortages and high prices persist, demand destruction will spread.
War chokes the Strait of Hormuz — and oil prices keep breaking records.
CNN reported on April 30 that, according to economists, this "demand destruction" is already manifesting in the United States — and if it continues, the damage will be irreversible.
Gasoline prices are rising fast, quickly eating into the hard-earned wages and tax refunds of Americans. Those least able to absorb the blow are hit the hardest. Soaring inflation, a sharp slowdown in wage growth, and a plunge in consumer confidence may be harbingers of a deeper recession.
Rising gas prices are draining Americans' wallets — and the poorest are hit first.
American consumers have remained resilient so far — but economists warn that the longer the Iran war drags on, and the tighter the blockade on oil tankers and cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the greater the risk of severe consequences.
Joe Brusuelas, Chief Economist at accounting and consulting firm RSM US, puts it bluntly: "Time is not the ally of the American economy." Energy touches every single household, industry and sector — and with more than a billion prices operating across the US economy, the effects of demand destruction will play out differently by industry and income cohort. "There's more than a billion prices in the US economy, so demand destruction is going to be different by industry, by income cohort," Brusuelas said.
Brusuelas and RSM economist Tuan Nguyen recently published a report drawing on the aftermath of past oil crises. Their aim: to help Americans and the broader economy map out potential trajectories ahead.
The report is sobering. The "shrinking" purchasing power of Americans' hard-earned wages means fewer restaurant visits, less travel, fewer cars purchased, and fewer homes sold. Reduced business investment and falling demand lead to layoffs — deepening economic hardship further still.
Fewer restaurant meals, more Costco runs. Belt-tightening is already here.
The Potential Chain Reaction
The dominos are already lined up. First, oil prices surge, adding an extra energy expenditure for every household and business — the more spent on energy, the less available for everything else. Second, confidence falls: when people worry that bad things may happen, they begin cutting non-essential spending.
Then big-ticket purchases freeze. People delay buying new cars or postpone signing mortgage documents. Businesses begin to feel the pressure next: falling consumer spending, combined with rising diesel prices for the semi-trucks hauling goods, squeezes profit margins. Investment and hiring are put on hold, eventually forcing cost cuts and layoffs.
The Federal Reserve steps in at that point. Oil-price-driven inflation may force the Fed to raise interest rates, further slowing the economy. Finally, if high prices persist, consumer behaviour changes permanently — people buy electric vehicles, workers seek remote work arrangements, and companies turn to technology to replace labour.
Soaring prices are permanently reshaping how people live and work.
Supply disruptions in other major commodities compound the problem further. Oil is not the only commodity transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Fertiliser shortages could push up food prices. Disruptions to helium supply could slow chip production and raise medical costs. Disruptions to sulphur and natural gas supply could drive up industrial costs.
Bryan, a 30-year-old automotive engineer living in Detroit, is already living the numbers. He has started driving less, working from home whenever possible, and reducing outings with friends. He has moved his emergency funds into Treasury bills and is buying more groceries at large warehouse stores like Costco and BJ's. Plans to renovate his kitchen and buy a V8 engine car are both on hold.
He can sustain this belt-tightening for another six months. But if oil prices remain high and other living costs rise sharply, he is likely to give up holidays, seek longer-term remote work arrangements, and consider buying a hybrid vehicle.
Nancy Vanden Houten, an economist at Oxford Economics America, says the economic situation still looks reasonable for now. Oil prices have pulled back from their highs, a ceasefire has brought a degree of stability, and consumers have to some extent been cushioned from the surge in gasoline prices by larger tax refunds, still-solid investment portfolios, and home values.
But she candidly acknowledged that "things could also change very quickly." Ultimately, how long consumers and the broader economy can hold out will depend on how quickly the conflict is resolved — and whether vessels can pass through the strait more freely.
Recovery Will Not Come Quickly
Make no mistake: even if the war were to end immediately, economic recovery would not come quickly.
Brusuelas noted that in some scenarios, production could take years to fully recover. Turning off the oil and turning it back on, he explained, "is not like turning on your lights." Even under the best of circumstances, it would take at least six months to gain a clear picture of how far Gulf oil production remains from pre-war levels.
The impact of rising prices, meanwhile, could persist for a long time. "Remember when we shut down the supply chains in February, March 2020? We didn’t really see an increase in inflation until April 2021," Brusuelas said. "And then we were just starting to see the pass-through of tariffs that started in April 2025 at the end of last year and at the turn of this year."
He warned that supply shocks in key materials such as oil and fertilizer are already rippling through the US economy, and could push up the prices of a wide range of goods and services.
The oil shock is spreading — and prices across the economy are following.
Food Prices: The Next Front
High diesel prices — used by trucks and tractors alike — are a leading indicator of rising grocery prices. That is before accounting for disruptions to nitrogen fertiliser supply, which could affect farmers' planting decisions and in turn impact food supplies come autumn. CNN cited David Ortega, a food economist and professor at Michigan State University, as saying it could take close to six months or longer to feel the full impact of this shock on food prices.
The reality is that demand destruction caused by a depressed market is irreversible. Brusuelas explains that a "depressed market" refers to the lowest-income Americans — households with no emergency savings and budgets with almost no room to manoeuvre. These families must contend with a sharp reduction in disposable income until prices stabilise, and may find that this becomes the "new normal."
The latest data from the US Department of Commerce shows that US gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualised rate of 2% in the first quarter — slightly below the expected 2.3%, but above the 0.5% recorded in the fourth quarter of last year. Global oil prices surged above US$126 per barrel on April 30, hitting a four-year high.
