Yeap, you may well be right.

I'm saving towards either a short trip to Taipei to check out the EFL/expat scene there, and whether the city is more livable long term. If so, I may well consider it. HK (esp, the new territories and kowloon) is just a part of the mainland now, nothing really going for it. Also, as a note of caution, the number of undesirable and shifty characters from north and west africa (and possibly syria!!!) has increased around TST mody road area. Also, the Indians are still as pushy as ever. The only good parts of HK now are the outlying islands, more peaceful, less stress.