Hong Kong Artificial Flower Works, San Po Kong, location of the start of the 1967 riots
Duncan Tong (唐鼎康) died a few years ago aged 103. He was a pioneer of the plastic flowers industry and owned the Hong Kong Artificial Flower Works in San Po Kong (and apparently not Li Ka-Shing as is often incorrectly reported) where the 1967 riots started.
“The political struggle between the colonial government and the leftist camp started in a plastic flower factory in San Po Kong, Kowloon.
The plastic flower industry had emerged as a booming industry in Hong Kong since the economy took off in the 1960s. Hong Kong Flower Works was one of the biggest plastic flower factories in the 1960s. The workers at the factory were discontented with the new regulations which would reduce their wages and put their job security at risk. The workers decided to send representatives for negotiation with the management in hopes that their demands would be heard. However, the management did not listen to the workers. Ninety-two workers were dismissed on grounds of “drop in business,” including some workers’ representatives. This instigated several protests.” (1)
This article was first posted on 31st January 2017.
Sources:
- Hong Kong’s Watershed: The 1967 Riots, Gary Ka-wai Cheung, Hong Kong University Press, 2009
See:
- Hong Kong 1967 Leftist riots – Wikipedia