Battle intensifies in Pok Fu Lam poll
The battle is intense and the poll on Sunday critical, the two candidates running for the Southern District Council seat said. Paul Zimmerman of the Civic Party is squaring off against Ellis Lau Yin-tung of the Savantas Policy Institute in the Pok Fu Lam constituency. With his party and other pan-democratic heavyweights throwing their weight behind him, Zimmerman appealed to pro-democracy residents to vote for him. Pan-democrat lawmakers including Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, Cyd Ho Sau-lan and Peter Cheung Kwok-che were among those who canvassed for the Dutchman. Lau, widely seen as a protege of lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, admitted that without the support of the other parties his situation was critical.
Tsang and Russian finance chief agree to double taxation study
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Russia's Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin agreed that the two governments should study the possibility of signing an agreement on avoidance of double taxation. He also met Russian-Chinese Business Council chairman Boris Titov and senior management staff of key companies in Russia to promote investment opportunities.
Taiwan approves online visas
Taiwan's National Immigration Agency approved 4,210 applications for online visas by Hong Kong and Macau citizens on Wednesday, the first day of a new measure allowing holders of special administrative region passports to apply for entry permits via the agency's website and print the documents out themselves. The permits are valid for 90 days and allow travellers to stay in Taiwan for up to 30 days.
