In Brief

I'm sorry for Tiananmen remarks, says HKU's student president

Ayo Chan Yi-ngok, the president of the University of Hong Kong's student union, has apologised for remarks on the June 4 Tiananmen crackdown, after the union council passed four motions demanding he do so and regretting his comments. The motions came after a campus forum on Tuesday, at which he criticised some of the student leaders in the 1989 protest, saying they had acted irrationally. Council members said the remarks had damaged the reputation of the university's students, and had divided students from Hong Kong and the mainland. The union said Mr Chan's views 'do not represent the stance of the [Hong Kong University Students' Union] executive committee'. Mr Chan said yesterday: 'I am willing to apologise because my comments have had a negative effect on HKU students, but I still stand by my views.'

Japanese restaurant chain plans to expand in HK

A Japanese chain of Italian restaurants plans to open 50 branches in Hong Kong in the next five years. Saizeriya Italian Restaurant Group, a chain founded in Chiba, Japan, which opened its first outlet in the city last year, said it would open a second branch within six months and another 50 restaurants in the next five years. Yashuhiro Hisamatsu, president of the company's local subsidiary, said it was 'a natural decision to expand to Hong Kong, a city that plays host to over 16 million mainland visitors each year and home to a population with a passion for new dining concepts'. He expected the relaxation of travel restrictions on Shenzhen residents would open up more business opportunities.

HK-Shenzhen airport bus service

A bus service connecting Shenzhen airport to busy Hong Kong areas has been launched, aimed at mainland tourists who use Shenzhen airport to travel to Hong Kong. The service, which leaves Shenzhen airport every 30 minutes, travels via the Shenzhen Bay Port border control point to Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Chek Lap Kok. A spokesman for the China-Link Express, which runs the service, said travelling via Shenzhen was cheaper than flying direct to Hong Kong.