Celebrity couple allowed to leave Taiwan for HK
Musician and film director Liu Jia-chang and his actress wife Chang Jia-jeng, who uses the stage name Chen Chen, were granted permission yesterday to return to Hong Kong from Taiwan to handle urgent matters. Liu, 68, and Chang, 61, had been wanted by Taiwanese law enforcement agents since May 2007 on suspicion of embezzling NT$600 million (HK$132.5 million) from two art companies owned by the Kuomintang. They were arrested after voluntarily returning to Taipei from Hong Kong on Friday. They were released after putting up bail but Liu had to hand over significantly more before he was allowed to return to Hong Kong.
Lehman meetings 'sensitive'
The administration has asked a Legislative Council subcommittee for a closed-door discussion of the minutes of the meetings of the two key government committees on financial regulation. Meetings of the Financial Stability Committee and the Council of Financial Regulators were sensitive, the government said. The subcommittee is tasked with investigating problems related to financial products sold by Lehman Brothers. The financial services secretary, Chan Ka-keung, will be summoned before Legco on March 17 to give evidence.
Guangdong visit proposed
The chairman of the Legislative Council panel on economic development, Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, has suggested members visit Hong Kong-based firms in Guangdong to better understand the challenges they face in the economic downturn. He said he had raised the idea with Legco president Tsang Yok-sing and would propose a visit in Legco soon.
