Politicizing the Palace Museum project will only hurt the city

version of the Palace Museum rather than merely a branch of the one in Beijing. This needs to be appreciated by the public.

Let’s leave politics to politicians. Only if we avoid politics can we appreciate this precious gift and be grateful to the central government for its support to the project. According to recent research conducted by Our Hong Kong Foundation, a vibrant museum sector is indispensable for Hong Kong as a world-class city. The Hong Kong Palace Museum, with antiques from the famed Forbidden City and relics related to the history and life at the palace, would not only provide an excellent platform for Hong Kong people to understand Chinese history and culture but also turn the WKCD into a cultural mecca.

After the government launched a public consultation on the project, some members of the opposition camp are still obsessed with whether the museum should be built at all. That is a no-brainer as the WKCDA can legally make the decision. The question is merely intended to create more room for the politicization of the project. It is hard to say now whether the plan can be carried out smoothly. But it is absolutely our loss if it is postponed or even shelved because of politics.