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Hong Kong Business People Set their Sights on America

Luke Hunt

   HONG KONG - Hong Kong's reputation as a haven for freewheeling business
   has steadily eroded since the territory was handed over to China from
   Britain in 1997. As anti-government protestors step up demands for
   democracy, and with demonstrations becoming more violent, however, the
   business environment is getting worse.

   High-technology professionals, bankers and financiers head the list of
   those wanting to go to the United States, a desire that has taken on an
   added sense of urgency with the level of investment required for the
   EB-5 U.S. investment visa, known as the "golden visa," leaping to
   $900,000 next month from $500,000, where it has been since 1993, as
   part of an effort to stem money laundering.

   The EB-5 visa grants a two-year conditional green card in return for
   investments in struggling parts of the United States, and applicants
   have until November 21 to apply under the current investment level.
   This week, Hong Kong's governing body formally withdrew the bill that
   sparked the original protests earlier this year, but that has done
   little to appease protesters in this leaderless movement, who say they
   want the government to do more to stave off what they believe is
   encroaching control from Beijing

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