Small issues could grow into big trouble
The heated milk powder debate is just a sign of the 'deep-rooted' problems that both sides face
As reporters gathered in Beijing last week for the National People's Congress, one of the phrases we heard most was "milk powder".
"Almost every friend or official I met [in Beijing] complained about Hong Kong's 'two-cans only' ban on milk powder exports," said one Hong Kong delegate. "I had to explain [the city's] concerns, but the complaints could be a worrying sign," the delegate added.
Many of us noticed that Premier Wen Jiabao's remarks about Hong Kong in his last report in the Great Hall of the People were his shortest in 10 years.
Wen is a controversial figure. But among Chinese leaders, he is best at conveying his messages back to the country through the overseas media. He seldom let Hong Kong reporters down.
Supporters said he was subtly telling the public about his difficulties in pushing forward reforms while critics viewed him as merely staging political shows. Whatever the truth, Wen established close connections with Hong Kong, constantly reminding the city to tackle its "deep-rooted" social conflict.
He first raised the term in 2005 during a visit to Beijing by then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who said Wen was referring to social problems rather than political ones.
