Bookmarks (751)

Hong Kong’s Consumer Council has received 94 complaints related to obstructed views at British band Coldplay’s concerts last week at the new Kai Tak Stadium. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme on Tuesday, the Consumer Council chief executive, Gilly Wong, said the watchdog had recorded almost 100 complaints from concertgoers at Coldplay’s shows saying that […]

Hong Kong has imported more than 54,000 non-local workers over the past 18 months under the city’s “enhanced” labour scheme, according to the government. Chris Sun, the Hong Kong labour and welfare chief, told the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Wednesday that the government approved a total of 54,278 non-local workers between early September 2023, when […]

By Sam Davies with Danny Kemp and Beiyi Seow in Washington. China told Washington on Wednesday to “stop threatening and blackmailing” after US President Donald Trump said it was up to Beijing to come to the negotiating table to discuss ending their trade war. Trump has slapped new tariffs on friend and foe but has […]

China said Wednesday that it had appointed a new trade envoy, as the world’s second-largest economy pushes back against US President Donald Trump’s swingeing tariffs on imports that sent global markets tumbling. Li Chenggang has assumed the role of representative for international trade negotiations and vice minister of commerce, Beijing’s human resources ministry said in […]

Hongkong Post will halt the acceptance of parcels for delivery to the US, the city has said ahead of the imposition of fresh tariffs by American president Donald Trump that will kick in next month. The government said in a statement on Wednesday that Hongkong Post would reject US-bound surface mail parcels with immediate effect, […]

A Hong Kong court has blocked an independence activist jailed under the national security law from appealing for a shorter sentence. The High Court’s Court of Appeal on Tuesday denied Joseph John, also known as Wong Kin-chung, permission to challenge his five-year jail term. The activist was the leader of the now-dissolved Hong Kong Independence […]

By Alice Philipson China’s President Xi Jinping urged Vietnam to join forces in upholding free trade, before wrapping up a visit to Hanoi on Tuesday which President Donald Trump said was aiming to “screw” the United States. Xi visited Vietnam as part of a Southeast Asia tour that will include Malaysia and Cambodia, with Beijing […]

Hong Kong’s education minister has said that schools are on the “frontline” of preventing the spread of “soft resistance,” as students may develop “extreme, biased” values due to online rumours. Schools in Hong Kong should cultivate patriotism among students and step up training for teachers to prevent “hostile forces from infiltrating schools,” Secretary for Education Christine Choi […]

Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs has taken aim at the United States, warning that the country “is after our survival” and calling the imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese goods “arrogant and shameless.” Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO), made the remarks during a televised keynote […]

Chinese security officials said Tuesday they had implicated three US “secret agents” in cyberattacks during February’s Asian Winter Games in the northeastern city of Harbin, offering a reward for information on the alleged spies. Harbin police released a statement on Weibo accusing three US National Security Agency (NSA) agents of attacks on “key information infrastructure”. It […]

Hong Kong’s current predicament amid the US-China trade war “is unfortunate” because the city has a trade deficit with Washington, an American chamber of commerce has said. “The recent U.S. trade policy decisions and worldwide reactions have had great ramifications on the global economy. Hong Kong, a long-time supporter of free economy and trade, is […]

Hong Kong authorities have defended their immigration policy after a British lawmaker said she was refused entry to the city last week. “The Immigration Department will deal with each case in accordance with the relevant law and immigration policy,” the government said in a statement on Monday night. “It is the duty of [an] immigration […]

Amnesty International’s Hong Kong office has reopened overseas after it pulled out of the city in 2021, citing the onset of the Beijing-imposed national security law. Ex-lawmaker Fernando Cheung and former student activist Joey Siu are among the board members. Siu is one of 19 “wanted” Hong Kong activists with HK$1 million bounties placed on […]

Over half of Hongkongers said they did not support the government’s public healthcare subsidy reform, a Liberal Party survey has found. According to survey results announced by the Liberal Party on Monday, more than 53 per cent of the respondents said they did not endorse the government’s plan to increase fees for non-critical Accident & […]

Prison authorities have defended their trousers-only rules for female inmates, telling a Hong Kong court that they are based on “inherent” gender differences. Detained activist Chow Hang-tung, 39, is challenging the Correctional Services Department (CSD) prison rules that mandate female inmates to wear trousers throughout the summer, while men may wear shorts. Representing the activist, […]

Hong Kong police have said they made three arrests during British band Coldplay’s final show in the city after a man who worked at the concert venue allegedly sneaked in his friends. Three men, aged between 21 and 23, were apprehended at Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday evening, police said in a statement on Monday. […]

Chinese exports soared more than 12 percent last month, according to data Monday, beating expectations as businesses rushed to get ahead of swingeing tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on his so-called “Liberation Day”. Beijing and Washington have been locked in a fast-moving, high-stakes game of brinkmanship since Trump launched a global tariff assault […]

By Alice Philipson with Mary Yang in Beijing Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned that protectionism “leads nowhere” and that a trade war would have “no winners”, state media said, as he arrived in Vietnam on Monday on the first leg of a Southeast Asia tour. Xi will visit Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia on his first […]

The Hong Kong government has said that it will review public broadcaster RTHK’s operations following lawmakers’ criticism over its budget. At a Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting on Friday, legislator Junius Ho urged RTHK to “reform” its operations because it only reached a small number of viewers despite having a big budget. RTHK has been allocated […]

Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan has slammed steep US tariff hikes on Chinese goods, calling them “blackmail” and suggesting they are a matter of national security. In an interview with local newspaper Sing Tao, published on Monday, Chan said the tariffs disregarded the law and did not comply with international practices. Chan’s remarks come […]

Hong Kong’s Air Quality Health Index (AQI) health risk category reached “very high” at 8 of the Environmental Protection Department’s (EPD) 18 monitoring stations on Sunday. The EPD warned that the risk may reach the “high” category or above at some stations into Monday. “Very high” is the second most severe AQI classification below “serious,” […]

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party has passed a motion bringing it closer to disbandment, following reports that Chinese officials warned its senior members to shut down the opposition party before the upcoming legislative elections. Democratic Party members on Sunday approved the motion to mandate the central committee to proceed with disbanding during an extraordinary general meeting, […]

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Sunday said that he was deeply concerned after a UK lawmaker was denied entry to Hong Kong, and that he would be urgently raising the issue with the Chinese authorities. Wera Hobhouse claimed she was the first British MP to be refused entry on arrival in Hong Kong since […]

A week after Deliveroo announced its exit from the Hong Kong market in March, restaurant owner Chris Chow received an ultimatum from Keeta, a food delivery platform backed by Chinese retail giant Meituan. It demanded a higher commission fee on takeout orders, up from 25 to 28 per cent, unless his restaurant signed an exclusive […]

The amount of plastic being recycled around the world is stagnant at less than 10 percent with most new plastic still made from fossil fuels, a new study said Thursday. Researchers from Tsinghua University in China said the rate of recycling had barely budged even as plastic production had exploded, presenting a “pressing global environmental […]

On a sweltering spring day, workers at a Christmas tree factory in eastern China rhythmically assembled piles of branches, wiping away sweat as they daubed white-paint snow onto plastic pine needles. Like countless other companies in the manufacturing powerhouse of Zhejiang province, its products are geared largely towards export — a sector freshly menaced by […]

The trade wars initiated by US President Donald Trump could disrupt world trade in goods, meaning Europe could see its markets inundated with Chinese products, according to some analysts. The European Union may have expressed some relief at Trump’s decision on Wednesday to suspend his threat to slap swingeing customs duties on foreign goods entering […]

In a decade, Koon Chun Sauce Factory – Hong Kong’s 96-year-old soy sauce manufacturer – will move to a new home. Its 56-year-old Yuen Long facility will make way for private residential developments, part of the Northern Metropolis megaproject that the government says will modernise the rural north. Daniel Chan, director and fourth-generation co-owner of […]

Australian justice Robert French has stepped down from Hong Kong’s top court after serving as an overseas non-permanent judge since 2017. In a statement released on Friday, a Hong Kong government spokesperson “expressed regret” at French’s resignation from the Court of Final Appeal (CFA). His term was originally set to end in May 2026 after […]

By Sam Davies with Sebastian Smith in Washington China said Friday it would raise its tariffs on US goods to 125 percent in a further escalation of a trade war that threatens to bring exports to a halt between the world’s two biggest economies. Beijing’s retaliation sparked fresh market volatility, with European stocks seesawing following […]

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has filed 30 new charges against a former police officer for allegedly accepting bribes and defrauding a credit union and 13 financial institutions into issuing loans totalling over HK$2.4 million. Former police constable Ma Kwok-hung, 50, faced the additional charges at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, the Independent Commission Against […]

Hong Kong prison authorities have produced two short films on protesters jailed in the wake of the 2019 pro-democracy protests and unrest to promote “law-abiding awareness” among young people. “Adapted from real cases, the microfilms feature stories of teenagers who were incited to commit illegal acts which endanger national security, and paid a heavy price […]

Hong Kong’s High Court has thrown out a legal challenge against the government’s approval of a tech hub development after rejecting a former district councillor’s application to take over the case. High Court judge Russell Coleman ruled on Friday that he denied an application for ex-district councillor Debby Chan to take over the judicial review […]

The Hong Kong government will “step up” and take on a leadership role in guiding the logistics, shipping and aviation sectors amid “ongoing instability” caused by the US-China trade war, the city’s transport minister has said. The trade war prompted by sweeping tariffs imposed by Washington has brought “ongoing instability and uncertainty” to Hong Kong’s […]

US President Donald Trump’s steep tariff hike targeting Chinese goods, which took effect Thursday, brings Washington’s additional rate on many products to 145 percent, the White House confirmed. Since returning to the presidency, Trump has imposed waves of tariffs on sectors like steel and aluminium imports, as well as autos. Most recently, he slapped a […]

A Hong Kong pilot union has expressed “serious concern” over Cathay Pacific executives’ pay hikes as the flagship carrier still “struggles with severe staff shortages, rising ticket prices, and diminishing service quality.” “Despite nearly HK$10 billion in profits, frontline workers, including pilots, cabin crew, and other staff groups, continue to face the effects of pay […]

Hong Kong has increased insurance support for the city’s small and medium-sized enterprises to tap into emerging markets amid an intensifying trade war between the United States and China. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly paused his tariffs on most of his country’s trading partners but doubled down on imposing duties on China, which […]

By Sam Davies with Danny Kemp in Washington China on Thursday urged the United States to meet it “halfway” as US President Donald Trump imposed more levies on Chinese goods but, in a huge relief to global markets, paused tariffs on other countries. Stocks on Wall Street, across Asia and Europe rocketed in reaction to […]

Three Hong Kong teenagers have been arrested in a police raid on a drug-manufacturing facility that allegedly produced “space oil” for sale online and at illegal entertainment venues. Hong Kong police said they arrested one girl and two male teenagers – aged between 14 to 18 – on Tuesday on suspicion of manufacturing dangerous drugs […]

Hong Kong’s national security police have taken in the parents of wanted US-based activist Frances Hui for questioning, according to local media reports. Citing sources, local media reported that the police force’s National Security Department took away Hui’s parents on Thursday morning to assist with an investigation. HKFP has reached out to police for comment. […]

Hong Kong’s Executive Council has approved the MTR’s Northern Link (NOL) Main Line, which will see the Tuen Ma Line linked to the East Rail Line in two phases. Phase one, which began in September 2023, involves the construction of Kwu Tung Station above the existing Lok Ma Chau Spur Line of the East Rail […]

US President Donald Trump abruptly paused tariffs on most countries Wednesday after admitting they made the markets nervous, but doubled down on a brutal trade war with superpower rival China. Following days of market turmoil, Wall Street stocks saw historic surges in reaction to Trump’s announcement that he was halting a levy hike for almost […]

China will impose 84 percent tariffs on US imports, up from 34 percent, the finance ministry said Wednesday, hours after similar levies by the United States came into force. US President Donald Trump’s latest salvo of tariffs came into effect on dozens of trading partners Wednesday, including punishing 104 percent duties on imports of Chinese […]

US President Donald Trump has raised planned tariffs on small parcels coming from China and Hong Kong to 90 per cent, tripling the rate he announced a week ago, amid an escalation of the trade war with Beijing. Last week, Trump announced the US would end a duty-free exemption for shipments valued at US$800 or […]

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukrainian troops had captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, with Kyiv demanding an explanation from Beijing. Moscow and Beijing have in recent years boasted of their “no limits” partnership and deepened political, military and economic cooperation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. “Our […]

Hong Kong social worker Jackie Chen has been jailed for three years and nine months, after a retrial found her guilty of rioting during the 2019 protests and unrest. Chen, 48, appeared before Deputy District Judge May Chung on Wednesday morning to face sentencing along with three co-defendants for taking part in a riot in […]

Hong Kong police have arrested five people over suspected ticket scalping outside Kai Tak Stadium, where British band Coldplay kicked off its concert series in the city on Tuesday. Three men and two women were arrested on Tuesday night outside the stadium, according to the police force. The five, aged 27 to 51, were visitors […]

Tram fares will rise by up to 15 per cent from May 12, the government has announced, after the Executive Council approved Hong Kong Tramways’ (HKT) application for the increase on Tuesday. Fares for passengers aged 12 or above will rise 10 per cent to HK$3.30, whilst children aged between 3 and 11 will pay […]

Leung Chai-yan, the daughter of former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying, has died at the age of 33. In a Facebook post early on Wednesday, the ex-leader said that his daughter had died suddenly, but peacefully, in bed. A few days earlier, she “took the initiative to get the flu vaccine,” he added. “Thanks […]

A 57-year-old Hong Kong man has been jailed for one year over posting seditious comments on three social media platforms under the city’s homegrown security law. On Tuesday, Chow Kim-ho, a former member of the pro-democracy group League of Social Democrats, pleaded guilty to one count of “knowingly publishing publications that had a seditious intention” […]