The newly minted US Consul General to Hong Kong, Julie Eadeh, stirred up a political hornet’s nest when she met with political adversary figure Anson Chan right after taking office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Hong Kong Commissioner Cui Jianchun quickly summoned Eadeh for a strict representation, laying down "four don’ts," one of which was “don’t meet people you shouldn’t meet.”
Private files show US consuls in Hong Kong repeatedly made efforts to recruit Anson Chan as a political pawn to boost pro-American influence.
Political insiders say this was a warning shot. Historically, US consuls openly courted anti-government activists like Chan, trying to recruit them as political pawns. Chan wasn’t just anyone—former US Consuls General Gregory May and Stephen Young both had close ties with her. One insider revealed May actually once tried to recruit another senior official but got flatly rejected—getting a “lemon” as they call it—showing that Chan was more than willing.
Digging into private files of media mogul Jimmy Lai exposed in 2014 , political insiders found evidence of tight hooks between US consuls general and Anson Chan. One email from Gregory May, US Consul General in Hong Kong between 2005 and 2008, reportedly mentioned that he had recently heard from Stephen Young about dining in Hong Kong with Martin Lee and Anson Chan and expressed envy of the occasion and fondness for the outstanding team and past frequent dinners.
The reality behind this email is twofold. During May’s years, he regularly met with Chan, Martin Lee, and Jimmy Lai to discuss political affairs. By then, Chan had left government and was shifting toward the pan-democracy camp, aiming to lead them at one point and even planning to run in the 2007 Chief Executive election. When she realized her chances were bleak, she pivoted to win a 2008 Legislative Council by-election. May clearly saw her as Hong Kong’s potential “Aung San Suu Kyi” and pushed hard to recruit her to strengthen the pro-US faction.
During Gregory May’s term, he regularly dined with Anson Chan, Martin Lee, and Jimmy Lai, later helping set up secret Washington backchannels. He also tried to recruit another senior official but was firmly rejected.
By March 2014, emails show former Consul General Stephen Young was still tight with Anson Chan, Martin Lee, and Jimmy Lai, regularly meeting for “political banquets.” When Young left in 2013, the Umbrella Movement was about to explode. May’s relationship with Chan extended to 2019, helping her secure secret channels to meet then US Vice President Mike Pence and coaching her before her trip.
Political insiders also shared another story: May once tried to “hunt” other senior officials by befriending one to see if he could be turned into a pawn. But that official’s views were totally opposite, and he gave May a “lemon”—a firm rejection—forcing May to back off.
Back to Eadeh’s recent meeting with Anson Chan, this long-running pattern of US consuls casually dining and conferring with anti-government figures to recruit pawns shows how distorted Hong Kong’s political system is. Cui Jianchun’s firm warning to Eadeh to “not meet those who should not be met” is an effort to restore normal political boundaries and have her stick to what’s proper.
Lai Ting-yiu
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It’s not just talk – a Hong Kong resident who’s spent years living in the UK recently posted about nine big headaches with life there, and public safety shot straight to the top of the list.
It struck a nerve with lots of folks. Take it from a friend in the legal game who’s spent time in Britain: crooks there are growing bolder by the year, and their antics are getting wild.
Two recent cases are enough to make anyone flinch.
First, thieves snatched pricey watches from the wealthy right outside an exclusive club in a buzzing neighbourhood – this isn’t an isolated event, mind you, it’s become routine and Rolex is the big target.
Crooks snatch high-end watches from America’s elite right outside London’s Mayfair Club – Rolexes are their favourite catch.
Second, some bandits wheeled in a crane truck and hoisted an ATM right off the street from inside a shop, loaded it onto a lorry, and poof – gone. What do both incidents have in common? No police in sight, criminals acting without fear, and now they’re even more daring after tasting easy success.
Thieves roll up with a crane truck, haul an ATM clear out of a supermarket, and vanish – can you believe it?
Hong Kong, on the other hand, stands firm with “police deterrence” – crooks here actually have to think twice before acting out, and it shows. On the “Global Safety Rankings,” the UK sits rungs below Hong Kong, proving exactly why we edge them out.
Rolex Ripped in Mayfair: High Society Targeted
Let’s dig into the luxury watch robbery first.
A US business exec headed to London for meetings at the famous Mayfair Club, where the members are the crème de la crème – kind of like the Hong Kong Club in Central. The exec hops off a cab nearby, walks toward the entrance, only to have two men tracking him. As he reaches the main door, they pounce and fight for his watch. After a few seconds of chaos, his Rolex is gone – thieves sprint to a waiting car and speed off.
The shocked exec put it all on Instagram later, admitting his watch is still missing. London police handling the case say this outside-Mayfair-club-watch-snatched routine keeps happening. His advice? Anyone visiting these glitzy spots especially with Christmas and New Year around the corner – watch your back, quite literally.
Media in Britain quickly dug up fresh stats from the Metropolitan Police: rich watches have eclipsed smartphones as the new criminal jackpot. From Jan 2022 to July 2025, a whopping 5,280 high-end watches have been swiped or stolen, each worth about £3,000 (HK$31,000). The robbers’ top pick? Rolex – 1,788 snatched, followed by Cartier (285), then Omega, Breitling, and Hublot. These guys know exactly what sells and, rumor has it, the loot goes overseas for fat profits.
ATM Gone by Crane: Nighttime Heist Stuns Residents
Now for the story that really makes your jaw drop. Last Sunday near 1 AM, folks upstairs hear weird noises and, peeking out, spot a crane truck with its boom lifting a seriously large chunk. Turns out it’s an ATM from inside a Sainsbury’s. The crooks smash doors, drag the ATM out, swing it onto a white lorry, and calmly drive off into the night.
The resident filming the whole thing calls the cops, but the masked thieves only need seven minutes to vanish, leaving the stolen crane truck behind. By the time police arrive, the lorry’s disappeared – still missing, as I write.
Brazen robberies in London aren’t news anymore. Last year, over 100,000 phones were stolen or snatched from locals and tourists, with barely any recovered. Under mounting public pressure, the police finally took action and smashed a phone-stealing gang that’s believed to have shipped 40,000 stolen phones out of the country last year alone.
Thieves get away with so much because police are simply ineffective. Most times, officers just record reports and let things slide. A British Retail Consortium survey found 61% of shop owners rate cops’ case handling as “poor” or “very poor.” If criminals know they’re unlikely to get caught, why wouldn’t they keep pushing the limit?
Hong Kong’s Policing: Quick Action, Real Results
There’s cause and effect here – Hong Kong’s police solve crimes fast and have arrest rates to match, which is why our global safety ranking towers over the UK. Consider this: the global database Numbeo published its mid-2025 “Safe Index by Country 2025 Mid-Year”, putting Hong Kong at 8th in the world, the Chinese Mainland at 12th, with the UK trailing at 86th and the US even worse at 91st.
TVB has just rolled out a show called “Discover Hong Kong’s Finest.” Frankly, Hong Kong beating the UK on public security by miles is a “Finest” we should all be talking about.
Lai Ting-yiu
