Taking a toll

What the radical protesters have been doing have "not only hurt" themselves, but also are "shooting themselves in the foot" by destroying Hong Kong's economy, which "may plunge into a technical recession" after it is likely to record full-year negative growth owing to the protracted violence.

The recession might be just around the corner. Wong recalled he was one of the few people lining up at the immigration booths at 6:30 pm on Tuesday when he flew into the city.

"This is the first time I have come to Hong Kong and found a virtually empty immigration (area)," Wong said.

If Hong Kong enters a recession, the cost of living will be higher, and the standard of living will go down, with jobs being slashed and the currency depreciating, Wong said.

"So they need to understand that the rich will just migrate. But for the majority of people in Hong Kong, they will be stuck in Hong Kong. So life will become much more difficult for them. They need to understand that the destiny of the city is in their hands," Wong said.