Pressure from China cost the CEO of Hong Kong flagship Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. his job after some employees took part in marches and Beijing threatened to cut off access to its airspace.
Such is the pressure corporations operating in Hong Kong face as they try to balance demands from one of their most important markets-mainland China-with the sentiments of many employees and a wide swath of the Hong Kong population that supports the protests.
"Every company in Hong Kong is in a delicate situation," said Michael Tien, a Hong Kong lawmaker, and has to decide how to respond when employees want time off to protest.
Hong Kong has been through several bouts of protests since the handover to China from the U.K. 22 years ago, and the city has continued to grow.
In the most extreme scenario, if China were to use force to quell the protests, many diplomats and business people say Hong Kong's days as a financial capital could be numbered.
"The brain drain from Hong Kong, which is already under way, would accelerate, and talented foreigners would be further deterred from moving here," said David Webb, an investor in Hong Kong.
Should companies in Hong Kong honor employees' desire to protest ? Join the conversation below.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-protests-force-companies-to-choose-their-employees-or-china-11566757662?mod=hp_lead_pos3
Such is the pressure corporations operating in Hong Kong face as they try to balance demands from one of their most important markets-mainland China-with the sentiments of many employees and a wide swath of the Hong Kong population that supports the protests.
"Every company in Hong Kong is in a delicate situation," said Michael Tien, a Hong Kong lawmaker, and has to decide how to respond when employees want time off to protest.
Hong Kong has been through several bouts of protests since the handover to China from the U.K. 22 years ago, and the city has continued to grow.
In the most extreme scenario, if China were to use force to quell the protests, many diplomats and business people say Hong Kong's days as a financial capital could be numbered.
"The brain drain from Hong Kong, which is already under way, would accelerate, and talented foreigners would be further deterred from moving here," said David Webb, an investor in Hong Kong.
Should companies in Hong Kong honor employees' desire to protest ? Join the conversation below.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-protests-force-companies-to-choose-their-employees-or-china-11566757662?mod=hp_lead_pos3
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