~hong-kong-free-pres | Bookmarks (766)

Philippine police arrested more than 450 people in a raid on an allegedly Chinese-run offshore gaming operator in Manila, the country’s anti-organised crime commission has said. Initial interrogations suggested the suburban site had been operating as a scam centre, targeting victims in China and India with sports betting and investment schemes, the commission said after […]

Hong Kong will lower Tai Lam Tunnel’s toll fees for all types of vehicles from May 31, when the government takes over the tunnel that connects the northwestern districts with other urban areas. On Thursday, the Legislative Council approved a range of new toll fees for the tunnel. From May 31, private vehicles will only […]

Hong Kong’s opposition Democratic Party will set up a special task force to discuss steps to disband, party chair Lo Kin-hei has announced, three decades after the political party was established. The three-member task force would handle legal and financial matters relating to the dissolution and liquidation of the pro-democracy party, Lo told reporters on […]

China called on Thursday for the United States to show “mutual respect” in managing commercial tensions after President Donald Trump said a trade deal with Beijing was “possible”. Trump has threatened sweeping tariffs on allies and adversaries alike, including China, in the month since he took office. But he suggested on Wednesday that a trade […]

Hong Kong police have intercepted eight drivers on suspicion of using their private vehicles for illegal hire. Six men and two women, aged between 36 and 63, were intercepted on Wednesday by police officers who posed as passengers, the police said. The citywide operation came hours after a taxi union called off a planned strike […]

A student union at a Hong Kong university has cancelled the screening of a Burmese film set in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, citing a last-minute government warning that hosting the event may break the law. The New Asia College Students’ Union (NASU) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) abruptly cancelled the screening of […]

Hundreds of Chinese workers were heading home on Thursday after being returned from online scam centres in Myanmar, as authorities crack down on the illegal operations. Thousands of foreigners are expected to be freed and returned from scam compounds in Myanmar in coming weeks, starting with 600 Chinese nationals over the next three days. The […]

The Hong Kong government has proposed legislative amendments to permanently bar those convicted of national security offences from serving in labour unions and to require all foreign funding to be vetted by the authorities. The changes to the Trade Unions Ordinance were proposed on Wednesday “to better fulfil the duty of safeguarding national security” under […]

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) has said its venue booking for their annual fundraising gala next Monday has been cancelled by Eaton HK, with no reason given. It comes after the Regal Hongkong Hotel in Causeway Bay axed the union’s venue booking for the event last week, citing “water leakage causing unstable power supply.” […]

An animal activist dressed as the Grim Reaper staged a protest near the Hong Kong International Fur & Fashion Fair on Wednesday, urging an end to the “extreme violence” involved in the industry. Wielding a scythe emblazoned with the words “Fur is dead,” the hooded skeletal figure welcomed buyers as a “ghastly reminder that their […]

Jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai has denied condoning violent protest despite urging solidarity between demonstrators in 2019. He also told the court that his calls for amnesty were not at odds with his stance against violence. The Apple Daily founder on Wednesday answered questions from the prosecution about an article in his own newspaper column, in […]

By Alice Philipson and Lam Nguyen Vietnam‘s parliament approved plans on Wednesday for an US$8 billion rail link from its largest northern port city to the border with China, boosting links between the two communist-ruled countries and making trade easier. The new rail line will run through some of Vietnam’s key manufacturing hubs, home to […]

Hong Kong’s population has grown at a slightly slower pace, up around 0.1 per cent to more than 7.53 million at the end of 2024. On Tuesday, the Census and Statistics Department released its latest population figures, which saw the Hong Kong population rise to 7,534,200 at the end of last year, from 7,527,900 at […]

A Hong Kong taxi union has called off a planned strike demanding a government crackdown on unlicensed ride-hailing services – a day after Chief Executive John Lee warned that “drastic action” would not receive public support. The Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association made the announcement on Wednesday after industry representatives met with the Transport Advisory Committee […]

Peter Lam is set to return as chair of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), replacing outgoing chief Pang Yiu-kai on April 1. Lam, 67, served as HKTB chair from 2013 to 2019. He currently heads the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and is chair of Lai Sun Group. Lam will serve as the […]

The sweeping tariffs threatened or already imposed by US President Donald Trump risk triggering inflation, market distortions, and even a global recession, China said Tuesday at the World Trade Organization. After returning to office on January 20, Trump hit China, the world’s second-biggest economy, with an additional 10 percent levy on products entering the United […]

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party will not rule out discussion on potentially disbanding during an upcoming meeting this week, its chairperson has said following reports that the party may shut down. Chair Lo Kin-hei told reporters on Wednesday that the executive committee of the Democratic Party will convene on Thursday. “Our discussion will not be limited, […]

Hong Kong is set to raise the statutory minimum wage from HK$40 to HK$42.10 per hour in May, but an anti-poverty group has said the new rate still fails to meet “basic living needs.” The Hong Kong government announced on Tuesday that it would adopt the Minimum Wage Commission’s recommendation to increase the hourly base […]

The Cook Islands’ prime minister on Tuesday defended a new partnership pact with China and urged his country not to depend on handouts from “big brother” New Zealand. Prime Minister Mark Brown said the accord signed with Beijing offers his small Pacific nation opportunities in trade, infrastructure and the sustainable use of ocean resources. “We […]

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has warned that “drastic action” by taxi drivers would not gain public support, ahead of a deadline for a citywide strike demanding government regulation of unlicensed ride-hailing services. The city’s leader made the comment on Tuesday, a day before the deadline set by the Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association last […]

The Hong Kong Police Force has launched an AI-powered website to help people leave the Kai Tak Sports Park. The website was tested when around 50,000 civil servants and residents took part in another stress test at the facility on Sunday. The venue is set to open on March 1. “The platform facilitates the spectators […]

The Hong Kong government has condemned wanted ex-lawmaker Ted Hui’s “unfounded smear” after he slammed a court order allowing HK$800,000 of assets to be confiscated from him and his family members. Hui, who is now based in Australia and is wanted by Hong Kong’s national security police, said on Facebook on Monday that the High […]

Creamfields Hong Kong 2025 music festival has been cancelled, with organisers promising full refunds for customers in a social media announcement on Monday. The electronic dance music festival was set to take place in Central from March 8 to 9. The event was also removed from the government’s “mega events” list on Thursday. Organisers have […]

China condemned the United States on Monday for removing a reference to the status of Taiwan from the State Department website, urging Washington to “correct its mistakes”. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has refused to rule out using force to unify with the self-ruled island one day. The United States does […]