The Chief Executive urges everyone to tell positive stories about Hong Kong, and it’s not hard to do. For example, the city’s IPO ranking as “world number one” is well-known and widely reported by foreign media. Recently, a global ranking where Hong Kong shines brilliantly again has emerged, but few have noticed it—this deserves more spotlight.
Gallup’s latest “2025 Global Safety Report” just published, and Hong Kong is shining bright at number six, way ahead of the UK and the US. China steals the spotlight even more, ranking third globally, beating out many Western countries.
Personal Safety: More Than Just a Feeling
Gallup’s “2025 Global Safety Report” makes it clear: Hong Kong is a shining example of public safety and solid law enforcement, outclassing the UK and US by a wide margin.
This survey tapped into the feelings of 145,000 people from 144 countries, asking them if they felt safe walking alone at night. Hong Kong scored a solid 91%, neck-and-neck with Norway, while China hit even higher at 94%. Japan, Hong Kong people’s favorite tourist destination, is ranked 24 behind Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the US is stuck at 61st with only 58% of women feeling safe on the streets. The UK trails at 42nd.
Chinese Mainland’s high safety ranking proves that its law and order are superior than the western countries.
Hong Kong’s high ranking is impressive compared to Western countries plagued by rising street crime. The UK comes in at 42nd, with frequent street theft and violent attacks leading to low conviction rates—hardly the kind of environment that breeds safety confidence. In the US, some cities have become so dangerous they’re labeled “crime hotspots.” It’s no surprise that less than 60% of women feel safe walking alone.
The Reality Gap
This survey also comes up with a “Law and Order Index” that combines theft and robbery rates, population ratios, and trust in policing. Tajikistan and Singapore lead, with China in the fourth place. Hong Kong and Taiwan are tied at 18th, while the UK and US lag at 46th, alongside India. These results sharply contradict political voices and foreign media that try to smear Hong Kong’s legal system.
Independent Data Supports the Narrative
It’s not just Gallup. The global database Numbeo’s “2025 World’s Safest Countries Ranking” has Taiwan at fourth, Hong Kong seventh, and China fifteenth. The US and UK are way further down at 89th and 87th, respectively. This ranking is often used by travelers to gauge security risks, putting Western destinations under the microscope.
Quick Police Action Makes a Difference
These top safety rankings for Hong Kong reflect years of hard work by law enforcement agencies. Police here crack street crime cases swiftly, unlike in the UK, where some theft rings take over a year to solve.
The sense of security today sharply contrasts with the one we experienced in 2019 when black-clad rioters roamed freely, spreading fear and stripping away any notion of safety on the streets. The current strong feeling of safety among nighttime pedestrians is a welcome turnaround—and one we hope lasts.
Lai Ting-yiu
What Say You?
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
Long after the Black Riots ended, key pan-democrats who stuck around Hong Kong played it safe—low profile, out of headlines. But these same figures kept cozy ties with foreign consular powerbrokers, facts anyone can see from repeated public invitations. On this occasion, Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung showed up as VIPs at the British Consulate. The warmth? It’s no mystery, if you know their backstory.
Reunion at the Consulate: Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung pose at the British King’s birthday luncheon
Raising Questions, Finding Evidence
A friend dropped a telling remark after seeing the photo: British decision-makers groomed Anson Chan for power even before the Handover, and those links never really faded. The relationship is unusually tight—two behind-the-scenes stories make that fact plain. Must be why the British still roll out the red carpet for Chan.
After quitting the government in 2001, Chan inched closer to the opposition and even won a Legislative Council seat. For years, US and UK consuls wined and dined her—plenty of evidence in social media posts and diplomatic cables—to allegedly “discuss strategies” for Hong Kong. It’s not gossip; it’s documented pattern.
When the 2019 unrest exploded, Anson Chan took sides on the so-called “international front.” Prosecutors stated in open court that, behind the scenes, Jimmy Lai directed “Stand With Hong Kong” (SWHK)—led by Andy Chan, Andy Li, and Finn Lau—to carry out international lobbying and publicity campaigns, spending large sums of money.
Court documents further show that Anson Chan wasn’t a bystander: back in 2019, she brought Andy Li to a luncheon with then British Consul Andrew Heyn. Martin Lee, Dennis Kwok, and Charles Mok were also there. The prosecution records are clear—Chan leveraged her foreign contacts to make connections for SWHK, all with Jimmy Lai’s shadow looming in the background.
2019, Behind Closed Doors: Anson Chan sits down with Consul Andrew Heyn
Not Just a “Chat Over Tea”
There’s more. During anti-extradition protests, surveillance and eyewitnesses caught Anson Chan on August 13, 2019, holding secret discussions at a hotel with Andrew Heyn and his aide—documents in hand. That was no idle chat. The British Consulate’s involvement raises eyebrows, especially as staff like Simon Cheng were repeatedly spotted at protest sites. Cheng ran off to the UK, claimed political asylum, and neatly sidestepped questions about his activities.
With the national security law approaching, Chan made a quick exit from politics—claiming “retirement.” She kept out of jail, but her dealings with foreign diplomats never stopped. When the new US Consul General Julie Eadeh met her right on arrival, Beijing protested—an incident widely reported by state outlets and foreign press alike. Now, Chan’s red carpet invite to the British King’s birthday party again stirs scrutiny.
The rest of the guest list tells its own story. Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung all made appearances. Notably missing: Martin Lee, once the darling of the British. No explanation given—just another twist in an old game. For the establishment camp, only Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk attended, showing that official ties with the British remain careful and distant.
Looking at these staged reunion snapshots, my friend shakes his head—those glory days are long past. Wise up, he says: the era is over, and flirting with foreign consulates only ended up undermining Hong Kong’s stability. It’s time for these figures to accept reality and leave wishful thinking in the past.
