https://www.scmp.com/rss/318206/feed Hong Kong political news including political reform and Hong Kong/China relations. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a trip that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national development. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was in Guangdong province earlier this week, visiting Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou. State-run media said his four-day “research tour” focused on supporting Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:12:08 +0000 Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun The head of a civil service union federation in Hong Kong has warned that tighter disciplinary action risks becoming excessive as the government seeks to revise the penalty system to handle underperforming employees this year. Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, was responding to the Civil Service Bureau’s plan to revise the regulations to further improve the disciplinary mechanism, including tightening rules on withholding salaries during suspensions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:09:46 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun More than 150 Hong Kong civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal convictions over the past three financial years, with police accounting for the largest number of cases. In a written reply to a lawmaker’s inquiry on Thursday, the Civil Service Bureau said 151 civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal offences between 2022 and 2025, with the number of dismissals dropping steadily from 60 in 2022–23 to 51 in 2023–24 and 40 in 2024–25. Of the total, 73... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:27:21 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hong Kong spent HK$1.13 billion (US$144.27 million) on the Legislative Council election last year, or nearly 35 per cent more than on the previous poll, with authorities citing rising technology expenses, staff salaries and venue rentals for the increased expenditure. In a written response to lawmakers’ inquiries that came to light on Thursday, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau revealed the revised budget for the Registration and Electoral Office for the 2025-26 financial year that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:43:25 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s director of immigration will have his service extended beyond the retirement age until June next year, authorities have announced. The announcement to extend the term of Benson Kwok Joon-fung was made on Wednesday, a day before he reached the retirement age of 57. “The purpose of granting director Kwok’s service extension is to ensure a smooth transition in the senior management of the Immigration Department,” a government spokesman said. He added that Kwok had been granted an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349364/hong-kong-immigration-chief-granted-service-extension-past-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349364/hong-kong-immigration-chief-granted-service-extension-past-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:59:33 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s No 2 official has pledged to fast-track a new university town’s development following a visit to similar projects in mainland China, saying authorities will devise a strategy to attract top institutions from across the border and overseas to take part. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and his working group on the university town’s planning and construction, which falls under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis, concluded their three-day visit to the mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348906/university-town-be-fast-tracked-eric-chan-says-after-mainland-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348906/university-town-be-fast-tracked-eric-chan-says-after-mainland-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:55:23 +0000 Ken Chu Ken Chu Hong Kong is preparing its own medium-term development blueprint alongside China’s coming 15th five-year plan, which officials have described as a “golden strategic period” for the city. This is more than a procedural shift. For the first time, Hong Kong is attempting to align its policy cycle in advance with national planning priorities, yet alignment on its own is not a strategy. The more pressing question is whether the city can define a role that is distinct, necessary and difficult to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348403/hong-kongs-next-five-years-must-take-city-alignment-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348403/hong-kongs-next-five-years-must-take-city-alignment-action?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Emily Hung,Olga Wong Emily Hung,Olga Wong Retired civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wa has been appointed the new secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, with her top priority being the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Monday that he had nominated the 61-year-old Tse to the State Council because of her strong passion for the five-year plan and capability, stemming from her 38 years of working for the government. “The first local five-year plan must be formulated within this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348334/janice-tse-appointed-new-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-chief-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348334/janice-tse-appointed-new-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-chief-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:38:26 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last week, a friend and I chatted about our children’s favourite art pieces after happening upon an auction house’s exhibition in a building in the heart of Hong Kong’s business district. We both recalled stopping to look at Yayoi Kusama’s Mount Fuji prints. “I pass by the space twice every day,” my friend said. She told me that my son’s pick – a piece by Sam Francis – was a new installation, replacing what had been a display of handbags. How often do we pause to notice art, or enjoy life in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng The official transcript of a public hearing into Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades has wrongly recorded several key details, the South China Morning Post has found, prompting an academic to urge that future proceedings be live-streamed to strengthen transparency and public trust. The errors included incorrect figures for the number of residents who escaped using lifts and the percentage of flats suffering severe damage, according to the SCMP’s review of the committee hearing investigating... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348259/errors-hong-kong-tai-po-blaze-hearing-transcript-raise-transparency-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348259/errors-hong-kong-tai-po-blaze-hearing-transcript-raise-transparency-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has met Hong Kong political heavyweights and business leaders – including former Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang and Richard Li Tzar-kai, the son of tycoon Li Ka-shing – in what he described as a “short but meaningful visit” to the city. Wrapping up his first official visit to the city since he became prime minister in 2024, Wong said in a Facebook post on Saturday that closer cooperation between the two Asian financial centres would contribute to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348251/singapores-lawrence-wong-wraps-short-meaningful-visit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348251/singapores-lawrence-wong-wraps-short-meaningful-visit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:51:53 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing has summoned the United States’ top envoy in Hong Kong to protest against the consulate’s move to issue an alert to American citizens about legal changes in the city that punish those who withhold smartphone passwords from police during national security investigations. The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong revealed on Saturday that its commissioner, Cui Jianchun, had summoned and lodged “solemn representations” with US Consul General Julie Eadeh the day before in response to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:23:25 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong and Macau affairs has concluded a five-day fact-finding trip to three mainland Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area to explore ways of deepening the international financial hub’s integration into the national blueprint. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said its director, Xia Baolong, had visited Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and Foshan on the trip from Monday to Friday, accompanied by officials from the mainland and Hong Kong. “[The trip] focused on how... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348201/beijing-official-visits-greater-bay-area-cities-explore-integrating-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348201/beijing-official-visits-greater-bay-area-cities-explore-integrating-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:47:50 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Singapore will explore opportunities arising from Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject and its coming five-year development plan, the city state’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said, stressing that relations between the two sides are “more important than ever” in a fragmenting world. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Friday that Wong’s visit – his first official trip to Hong Kong since becoming prime minister in 2024 – was indicative of the strong ties and friendship between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348166/singapore-explore-opportunities-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-lawrence-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348166/singapore-explore-opportunities-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-lawrence-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:07 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong has condemned the United Kingdom for undermining the city’s rule of law and meddling in local affairs after British authorities pledged to use “every opportunity” to press for the release of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was jailed for 20 years over national security offences. The government issued a strong rebuttal in the early hours of Friday, dismissing London’s comments as “misleading and irresponsible” after the UK expressed concerns over Hong Kong’s erosion of human... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:29:47 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Beijing has selected Zhang Dongmei, a former vice-president of the All-China Women’s Federation, as a new deputy director of the top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs, making her the first woman to take on the role since the body’s status was elevated in 2023. Zhang’s appointment as the new deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) fills the vacancy left by the departure of Xiang Bin, a Communist Party of China group member of the office, earlier this year. The State... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:17:34 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong and Hainan should forge a strong partnership and explore new models of cooperation, the city’s leader has said, urging the business sector to capitalise on the mainland Chinese province’s free-trade port status by offering professional services in areas such as finance, law and accounting. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s call followed a meeting with Feng Fei, the Communist Party secretary of the Hainan provincial committee, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia annual... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:36:42 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities will be able to demand any “specified person” decrypt electronic devices during national security investigations and may punish suspects who provide wrong passwords or falsely claim to have forgotten them, the security chief has told lawmakers. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stressed on Tuesday that recent amendments to the national security law’s implementation rules did not create new law enforcement powers. “These amendments have only improved some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:41:53 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will respond to uncertainty brought by intensifying geopolitical tensions “with openness rather than isolation”, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged at an annual forum in Hainan, calling on economies to join hands to promote free trade. Speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference – regarded as a platform for high-level government dialogue – Lee said China had been committed to multilateral trade in a “turbulent world”, urging economies to unite in the face of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:38:37 +0000 Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Changes to Hong Kong’s implementation rules for the national security law will improve operational efficiency amid heightened geopolitical risks, experts have said, while a criminal law specialist has argued that the amendments expand authorities’ powers and that some legal privacy protections may be too technical to apply. Another legal expert and a former security minister said the amendments aimed to clearly lay out investigation procedures for searches under existing national security law... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hongkongers who refuse to provide passwords for smartphones or other electronic devices during national security investigations face up to a year in jail under legal changes that also allow police to question organisations if they have reasonable belief that they are overseas political groups or agents of foreign forces. The government said the new rules would not affect people’s daily lives or how institutions normally operated. The amendments, gazetted on Monday, are the first substantial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:57:09 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong In my experience, most people misunderstand the concept of “separation of powers”, and so I would not be at all surprised if most people also misunderstand the term “executive-led government”. In the case of separation of powers, the confusion usually arises from the use of the word “separation”. It connotes a meaning of absolute independence or alienation. A better word would have been “division”. The concept of separation of powers focuses on the division of power in a government and how that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong will continue its efforts to expand business opportunities in the Middle East despite recent geopolitical tensions, as the city remains a safe and stable investment hub amid global volatility, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said. Despite his optimism, Lee conceded that the conflict in the Middle East had affected Hong Kong due to a surge in fuel prices, urging suppliers to increase transparency in pricing and warning of regulatory action in cases of commercial wrongdoing. “[The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346860/hong-kong-press-ahead-expanding-middle-east-ties-despite-regional-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346860/hong-kong-press-ahead-expanding-middle-east-ties-despite-regional-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:02 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Hong Kong government will set up a collaborative mechanism with the legislature to craft the city’s first five-year plan to align with national development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said, with the blueprint expected to be ready by the end of this year. Lee also stressed on Tuesday that the platform would reflect the city’s executive-led governance model, adding that a public consultation on the plan would be launched in the fourth quarter before its publication. “The plan will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346832/executive-work-legco-under-new-mechanism-craft-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346832/executive-work-legco-under-new-mechanism-craft-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:04:41 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014. It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong lawmakers have said Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot be extradited to the UK or Romania – where they face prosecution – without formal requests from those governments, as the infamous influencer brothers continued their visit to the city on Monday. The legislators also rejected claims that the city had become a haven for fugitives following the suspension of extradition treaties with several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, in 2020. The controversial influencers entered... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Young people can opt to make self-declarations to be exempted from producing proof of address to register as electors under a new Hong Kong government drive to boost voter numbers, lawmakers have been told. A commissioner for oaths will be stationed at each Immigration Department registration of persons office, where young people replace their juvenile identity cards with adult ones upon turning 18. The initiative was outlined as officials presented the 2026 voter registration campaign at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346785/hong-kong-new-push-get-young-people-register-voters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346785/hong-kong-new-push-get-young-people-register-voters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:33:01 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu After the annual “two sessions” in Beijing, it’s clear that Hong Kong policymakers have their work cut out for them. It has been made abundantly clear what is expected of Hong Kong: stop messing around and get on with the national programme. Hong Kong is part of the nation’s plans to move forward. The country knows exactly where the city fits into the big picture, how it can catapult growth in key areas and play the role of superconnector between China and the rest of the world. The 15th... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Emily Hung,Oscar Liu Emily Hung,Oscar Liu The Panamanian government has asked Chinese shipping giant Cosco to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Balboa port amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic gateway and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings. Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza told reporters on Friday that Cosco’s decision had caught the government off guard. “The Cosco issue has actually taken us a bit by surprise. All cargo is important, and certainly, Cosco cargo is important for us,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346674/panama-urges-chinese-shipping-giant-cosco-resume-operations-canal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346674/panama-urges-chinese-shipping-giant-cosco-resume-operations-canal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:58:48 +0000 Kitty Tam,Calvin Au Kitty Tam,Calvin Au When people picture Hong Kong, they often imagine a relentless concrete jungle – a vertical city where glass and steel dominate the skyline. Yet a quiet revolution is beginning to reshape how our city develops. Last week, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines. This landmark document signals a shift in how we think about infrastructure and urban planning. It... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should move beyond a “city-centred” approach that merely seeks Beijing’s policy support and instead take steps to align with national priorities by advancing the internationalisation of the yuan and supporting mainland Chinese enterprises’ global expansion, observers have said as this year’s “two sessions” came to a close. With the annual political gathering ending amid the widening war in the Middle East, observers also said Beijing would expect local companies to pursue investments... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346563/what-are-hong-kongs-next-best-steps-after-two-sessions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346563/what-are-hong-kongs-next-best-steps-after-two-sessions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:23 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to align with national strategies outlined in the country’s latest five-year plan and transform the city’s “new positionings, functions and missions” assigned by Beijing into “tangible outcomes” to drive economic growth. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Thursday that he would lead the local government in fulfilling its primary responsibility to unite society in proactively aligning with the 15th five-year plan, which outlines China’s economic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346399/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-align-chinas-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346399/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-align-chinas-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:13:26 +0000 Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should step up education on Chinese history and culture while highlighting security threats to cultivate public awareness about the need to defend the country, experts have said, as the nation’s legislature is set to pass a law promoting ethnic unity. The expert’s comments came ahead of the closing session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Thursday, which is due to pass the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. The law aims to forge a strong “sense of community for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s legislature will consider establishing a dedicated mechanism to scrutinise the implementation of approved bills and funding, drawing inspiration from mainland China’s law enforcement inspection system, according to its president. Legislative Council president Starry Lee Wai-king also dismissed concerns that the city’s first five-year plan would undermine the “one country, two systems” governing principle, emphasising the blueprint would be consistent with the capitalist system and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345994/hong-kong-legco-explore-mainland-style-oversight-system-bills-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345994/hong-kong-legco-explore-mainland-style-oversight-system-bills-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The annual “two sessions” in Beijing are under way, and this year the annual ritual of reading tea leaves in this city has been made easier for politics watchers. That is because Beijing has been blunt about the problems it thinks our city faces. There is the usual praise for the Hong Kong government and Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s leadership. One striking difference is that Premier Li Qiang included in his annual work report, delivered at the opening session of the National People’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Escalating geopolitical tensions will not derail Hong Kong’s goal set out in the country’s 15th five-year plan and its efforts to implement the blueprint, former leader Leung Chun-ying has said, describing agility and adaptability as in the city’s DNA. The vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, also said that Beijing expected Hong Kong to serve national development more proactively, calling on the city to “step forward... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345901/agility-and-adaptability-are-hong-kongs-dna-former-leader-cy-leung-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345901/agility-and-adaptability-are-hong-kongs-dna-former-leader-cy-leung-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong entrepreneurs with operations in the Middle East are recalibrating their global footprints to hedge against mounting geopolitical instability and losses resulting from the widening conflict in Iran. The shift in business strategy followed the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran last week, prompting firms to draw up contingency plans and pivot to Europe or Southeast Asia to de-risk their portfolios and ensure supply chain continuity. The war escalated with Iran’s retaliation,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345814/hong-kong-firms-rethink-global-operations-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345814/hong-kong-firms-rethink-global-operations-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:00:20 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po delivered his latest budget on February 25. Over the past decade, under his stewardship, Hong Kong has weathered multiple economic shocks and recently returned to a respectable growth rate of 3.5 per cent. Yet the tasks ahead are formidable: addressing a structural fiscal deficit in the city’s capital account while ensuring sufficient resources for future growth, all against an increasingly volatile and dangerous global backdrop. Article 107 of Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345682/paul-chan-must-deliver-fiscal-discipline-hong-kong-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345682/paul-chan-must-deliver-fiscal-discipline-hong-kong-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang has urged Hong Kong’s legislature to deliver more “practical outcomes” that align with the city’s actual conditions and meet Beijing’s expectations under the executive-led governance system. Emphasising the importance of the executive-led system for the second day in a row, the state leader reiterated on Saturday that its implementation was not solely the responsibility of the city leader or the government, as he outlined his expectations for the Legislative... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345787/deliver-more-practical-outcomes-chinese-vice-premier-tells-hong-kong-legco?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345787/deliver-more-practical-outcomes-chinese-vice-premier-tells-hong-kong-legco?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 02:37:20 +0000 Natalie Wong,Vivian Au Natalie Wong,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government has ruled out chartering Cathay Pacific Airways flights to bring home residents stranded in the Middle East, given the potential danger of navigating partially reopened airspaces and challenges in securing take-off slots at foreign airports, sources have said. The South China Morning Post learned that officials had also weighed the option of repatriation flights from Oman, but the absence of direct Cathay services made the route “impractical” because obtaining aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:34:25 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings has stepped up legal action in response to what it called Panamanian authorities’ unlawful takeover of the operations of two ports at either end of the strategic canal. The group, led by the family of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, said on Friday it had submitted a supplement to its earlier petition against the Panamanian state for international arbitration. The supplement alleged that Panama continued to ignore the firm’s requests for communication... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345722/ck-hutchison-escalates-legal-action-over-panama-ports-seizure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345722/ck-hutchison-escalates-legal-action-over-panama-ports-seizure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:15:56 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing,Edith Lin Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing,Edith Lin Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang has acknowledged it is no “easy task” to truly implement Hong Kong’s executive-led governance system, stressing that it must be a “shared responsibility” of the legislative and judicial branches and society as a whole. The state leader also urged the city to “grasp” the opportunities of China’s 15th five-year plan as he highlighted key areas such as quantum technology, aerospace and the low-altitude economy, while calling on local entrepreneurs to proactively... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345644/chinese-vice-premier-stresses-shared-duty-hong-kongs-executive-led-governance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345644/chinese-vice-premier-stresses-shared-duty-hong-kongs-executive-led-governance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:21:09 +0000 Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong should enhance its role as an international financial hub by strengthening its offshore renminbi business and supply chain services, and speed up the Northern Metropolis megaproject, according to the nation’s next five-year plan. Beijing set out its expectations for the city in a draft of its 15th five-year plan, submitted on Thursday to the National People’s Congress, the country’s legislature. The plan outlines China’s economic and social development targets for 2026 to 2030. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345521/beijing-tasks-hong-kong-fast-tracking-northern-metropolis-boosting-integration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345521/beijing-tasks-hong-kong-fast-tracking-northern-metropolis-boosting-integration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:23:52 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called on Hong Kong to boost its governance efficiency and leverage its “unique strengths” in connecting with the world while being supported by the rest of the country. In the government work report he delivered at the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing on Thursday, the country’s No 2 official also stressed the need to transform the Greater Bay Area into an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub. Li underscored the need to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345497/leverage-unique-strengths-and-global-role-chinas-no-2-tells-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345497/leverage-unique-strengths-and-global-role-chinas-no-2-tells-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:32:54 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong tycoons have expressed confidence in the Middle East’s economic outlook amid continued strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, stressing that the city’s economy is unlikely to be affected. Speaking to the media in Beijing on the sidelines of the “two sessions” – the nation’s annual parliamentary meetings – on Wednesday, Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former heir apparent to Hong Kong property giant New World Development, said the Middle East’s economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345468/hong-kong-tycoons-downplay-impact-middle-east-war-citys-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345468/hong-kong-tycoons-downplay-impact-middle-east-war-citys-fortunes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:11:22 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma A former Apple Daily senior executive jailed for national security offences in Hong Kong has lodged an appeal against his 10-year term, the first in a landmark trial that saw the founder of the now-defunct tabloid-style newspaper sentenced to 20 years in prison. Court documents reviewed by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday showed that Fung Wai-kong, former managing editor of Apple Daily’s English edition, had filed his appeal with the city’s High Court on Monday. Fung was sentenced to 10... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:42:45 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing,Emily Hung Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing,Emily Hung Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has urged the city to focus on development amid heightening geopolitical tensions and to cherish its hard-earned stability, according to local delegates visiting the capital for the annual “two sessions” political gatherings. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), also said on Tuesday that the city enjoyed “favourable timing, advantageous location and unity of the people” in pursuing development, while calling for work on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345243/starry-lee-propose-boosting-hong-kongs-role-offshore-yuan-hub-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345243/starry-lee-propose-boosting-hong-kongs-role-offshore-yuan-hub-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:41:24 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hundreds of Hong Kong politicians and business leaders head to Beijing on Tuesday for the nation’s annual “two sessions”, with observers expecting discussions to focus on the city’s role as an international financial centre and the Northern Metropolis megaproject. The annual session of the country’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will commence on Wednesday, followed by the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s legislature,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345179/two-sessions-focus-hong-kongs-financial-role-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345179/two-sessions-focus-hong-kongs-financial-role-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:30:13 +0000 Quentin Parker Quentin Parker Hong Kong sees itself as a modern, well-governed, global city that moves with the times. On finance, education, legal services and logistics, that self-image holds. But when considering the green transition, particularly transport electrification, the gap between rhetoric and reality is increasingly hard to ignore. Nowhere is this more evident than in electrifying the taxi fleet, where the quarter-century timeline floated bears little resemblance to what is standard practice in neighbouring... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344649/high-price-hong-kongs-slow-switch-electric-buses-and-taxis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344649/high-price-hong-kongs-slow-switch-electric-buses-and-taxis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspended all passenger and cargo flights to and from the Middle East on Saturday following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. The move was announced on Saturday evening after Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said that at least nine flights have been cancelled or postponed, while the government issued a fresh warning against travel to Iran. The warning came after the United States and Israel launched major air strikes on targets across Iran on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344987/hong-kong-issues-fresh-warning-against-travel-iran-amid-us-israeli-air-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344987/hong-kong-issues-fresh-warning-against-travel-iran-amid-us-israeli-air-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:16:45 +0000