Alex Lo

Alex Lo

Columnist

Alex Lo has been a Post columnist since 2012, covering major issues affecting Hong Kong and the rest of China. A journalist for 25 years, he has worked for various publications in Hong Kong and Toronto as a news reporter and editor. He has also lectured in journalism at the University of Hong Kong.

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Latest from Alex Lo

My Take | Mr Trump, what about the ‘American flu’ and ‘Western financial crisis’?

There are plenty of contagion incidents, both financial and viral, that would qualify to be named after America if we follow the US president’s notion of origins

19 Mar 2020 - 11:19PM

There are plenty of contagion incidents, both financial and viral, that would qualify to be named after America if we follow the US president’s notion of origins

Mr Trump, what about the ‘American flu’ and ‘Western financial crisis’?
My Take | In Covid-19 spread, China and the West have reversed roles

When you see nations or people in deep trouble, react with compassion and humility – because you may be next.

19 Mar 2020 - 3:37PM

When you see nations or people in deep trouble, react with compassion and humility – because you may be next.

In Covid-19 spread, China and the West have reversed roles
My Take | Struggling Hong Kong companies unlikely to get a break

Proposed law that would help otherwise viable businesses to restructure debt and stay afloat or to find a white knight faces opposition in the legislature

17 Mar 2020 - 10:37PM

Proposed law that would help otherwise viable businesses to restructure debt and stay afloat or to find a white knight faces opposition in the legislature

Struggling Hong Kong companies unlikely to get a break
My Take | The virtues of working from home

Studies show that productivity actually increases and companies can save on rent with the kind of flexibility that has been introduced during the coronavirus crisis.

16 Mar 2020 - 8:50PM

Studies show that productivity actually increases and companies can save on rent with the kind of flexibility that has been introduced during the coronavirus crisis.

The virtues of working from home
My Take | Dictatorship and democracy together cook up a pandemic

Thanks to their respective political systems, authoritarian China and Western democracies complement one another – one in causing an outbreak, the other in enabling its global spread.

15 Mar 2020 - 10:12PM

Thanks to their respective political systems, authoritarian China and Western democracies complement one another – one in causing an outbreak, the other in enabling its global spread.

Dictatorship and democracy together cook up a pandemic
My Take | In a pandemic, compassion begins with understanding

Disasters have a way of exposing a country’s weaknesses and strengths, both of which need to be accounted for to arrive at an objective and fair assessment.

14 Mar 2020 - 2:55AM

Disasters have a way of exposing a country’s weaknesses and strengths, both of which need to be accounted for to arrive at an objective and fair assessment.

In a pandemic, compassion begins with understanding
My Take | Pan-dems, stop being US collaborators

Whether or not the Hong Kong government and police have committed human rights breaches, a country accused of being responsible for war crimes is in no position to sit in judgment

12 Mar 2020 - 10:31PM

Whether or not the Hong Kong government and police have committed human rights breaches, a country accused of being responsible for war crimes is in no position to sit in judgment

Pan-dems, stop being US collaborators
My Take | Violent protesters for the Nobel Peace Prize? You must be joking

The protest movement has condoned violence, vandalism and vigilantism, if not committed them. Whatever noble intentions it might have had, it has compromised itself by using the ends to justify the means

11 Mar 2020 - 10:36PM

The protest movement has condoned violence, vandalism and vigilantism, if not committed them. Whatever noble intentions it might have had, it has compromised itself by using the ends to justify the means

Violent protesters for the Nobel Peace Prize? You must be joking
My Take | Canada to Huawei: do an IPO with us

Handing Canada what may be the world’s biggest IPO would be a gesture of goodwill that would satisfy full disclosure on finances, governance and ownership structure and help clear the way for Ottawa’s approval of the 5G pioneer.

11 Mar 2020 - 12:00AM

Handing Canada what may be the world’s biggest IPO would be a gesture of goodwill that would satisfy full disclosure on finances, governance and ownership structure and help clear the way for Ottawa’s approval of the 5G pioneer.

Canada to Huawei: do an IPO with us
My Take | Bipartisan trip to US a waste of time

Washington has already decided to exploit the city’s political unrest and instability as part of a multipronged cold war against China.

9 Mar 2020 - 10:27PM

Washington has already decided to exploit the city’s political unrest and instability as part of a multipronged cold war against China.

Bipartisan trip to US a waste of time
My Take | OK, insult us blue-ribbons, but leave our dogs alone

An offensive sign put up by localist district councillor Lee Man-ho doesn’t just insult his enemies, but demeans his own office.

8 Mar 2020 - 10:06PM

An offensive sign put up by localist district councillor Lee Man-ho doesn’t just insult his enemies, but demeans his own office.

OK, insult us blue-ribbons, but leave our dogs alone
My Take | Hey stupid, the coronavirus does not discriminate

Restaurants that will not serve people from the mainland are just ignorant, particularly at a time of community spread when locals are infecting locals.

7 Mar 2020 - 1:16AM

Restaurants that will not serve people from the mainland are just ignorant, particularly at a time of community spread when locals are infecting locals.

Hey stupid, the coronavirus does not discriminate
My Take | Political or not, RTHK decision is right

Lifting mandated showing of RTHK programmes is not censorship, as it is unfair to force private TV stations to air public shows with low ratings.

6 Mar 2020 - 4:09AM

Lifting mandated showing of RTHK programmes is not censorship, as it is unfair to force private TV stations to air public shows with low ratings.

Political or not, RTHK decision is right
My Take | Silicon Valley discovers ‘Thucydides trap’ for China and US

Alarm bells ought to ring loudly when Eric Schmidt, former head of Google, and Tesla boss Elon Musk suddenly start talking about the technology contest leading to war

4 Mar 2020 - 11:26PM

Alarm bells ought to ring loudly when Eric Schmidt, former head of Google, and Tesla boss Elon Musk suddenly start talking about the technology contest leading to war

Silicon Valley discovers ‘Thucydides trap’ for China and US
My Take | Leave the late Chan Yin-lam’s family alone

The latest plan to name a park after the dead girl is part of a fact-free, conspiratorial political campaign that borders on collective insanity

3 Mar 2020 - 11:08PM

The latest plan to name a park after the dead girl is part of a fact-free, conspiratorial political campaign that borders on collective insanity

Leave the late Chan Yin-lam’s family alone
My Take | Opposition banks on protest chaos for Legco poll wins

The government may have bad policies, but the opposition has no policy besides rabble rousing and throwing our children at the barricades

2 Mar 2020 - 10:30PM

The government may have bad policies, but the opposition has no policy besides rabble rousing and throwing our children at the barricades

Opposition banks on protest chaos for Legco poll wins
My Take | Give credit to China for containment efforts

The world would be a saner place if people learn to judge China with more common sense and less ideology

1 Mar 2020 - 10:19PM

The world would be a saner place if people learn to judge China with more common sense and less ideology

Give credit to China for containment efforts
My Take | Sinking prices loom for Hong Kong harbourfront land

Government should wait for market sentiments to improve before selling prime Central site that may not go to the highest bidder, but one with ‘best designs’.

29 Feb 2020 - 3:16AM

Government should wait for market sentiments to improve before selling prime Central site that may not go to the highest bidder, but one with ‘best designs’.

Sinking prices loom for Hong Kong harbourfront land
My Take | Police recruitment drive is a bellwether

The opposition claims the budget contains a Trojan horse: extra money for the force to hire more officers. But the question is: will people want to join?

27 Feb 2020 - 10:19PM

The opposition claims the budget contains a Trojan horse: extra money for the force to hire more officers. But the question is: will people want to join?

Police recruitment drive is a bellwether
My Take | Hong Kong’s finance chief learns to embrace deficit

Deficit-financing every now and then is not such a bad thing when the government’s large fiscal reserves have been a source of social tensions.

27 Feb 2020 - 12:04AM

Deficit-financing every now and then is not such a bad thing when the government’s large fiscal reserves have been a source of social tensions.

Hong Kong’s finance chief learns to embrace deficit
My Take | Good, bad and ugly of HK$30b relief package

For a government sitting on a pile of money, it’s never wrong to give some of it back to its real owners, the people of Hong Kong; still, one only wishes any handouts could be done in a more effective and equitable way.

25 Feb 2020 - 11:58PM

For a government sitting on a pile of money, it’s never wrong to give some of it back to its real owners, the people of Hong Kong; still, one only wishes any handouts could be done in a more effective and equitable way.

Good, bad and ugly of HK$30b relief package
My Take | Let BN(O) passport holders move to Britain

It’s an unlikely scenario, but suppose it did happen: those dissatisfied with Hong Kong would have a new home, while others who want to live here – including many from southern China – would be an infusion of new blood

24 Feb 2020 - 10:09PM

It’s an unlikely scenario, but suppose it did happen: those dissatisfied with Hong Kong would have a new home, while others who want to live here – including many from southern China – would be an infusion of new blood

Let BN(O) passport holders move to Britain
My Take | Now we want the PLA’s help: what hypocrisy!

Some opposition figures have proposed using People’s Liberation Army barracks for quarantine, thereby undermining their previous objection to the military getting involved in local affairs

23 Feb 2020 - 10:39PM

Some opposition figures have proposed using People’s Liberation Army barracks for quarantine, thereby undermining their previous objection to the military getting involved in local affairs

Now we want the PLA’s help: what hypocrisy!
My Take | Donald Trump should have the Meng Wanzhou Huawei case dropped

Going after the Huawei No 2 is a sideshow for Americans, but a dangerous crisis for Canadians and the US president should now move to help out one of his nation's closest friends.

22 Feb 2020 - 1:32AM

Going after the Huawei No 2 is a sideshow for Americans, but a dangerous crisis for Canadians and the US president should now move to help out one of his nation's closest friends.

Donald Trump should have the Meng Wanzhou Huawei case dropped
My Take | No Chinese should be surprised by coronavirus-inspired racism

Call me masochistic, but I can’t help but feel my long-held suspicion confirmed by reports of racism against Chinese around the world since the coronavirus outbreak

20 Feb 2020 - 10:46PM

Call me masochistic, but I can’t help but feel my long-held suspicion confirmed by reports of racism against Chinese around the world since the coronavirus outbreak

No Chinese should be surprised by coronavirus-inspired racism
My Take | Britain is right to use Huawei’s 5G technology

Despite its much-vaunted ‘special relationship’ with Washington, post-Brexit Britain needs the China trade more than ever.

19 Feb 2020 - 11:32PM

Despite its much-vaunted ‘special relationship’ with Washington, post-Brexit Britain needs the China trade more than ever.

Britain is right to use Huawei’s 5G technology
My Take | Why I have become a fan of Chapman To

Restaurants such as Kwong Wing Catering in the so-called yellow-ribbon economy that are refusing to serve Mandarin speakers are xenophobic and reprehensible

18 Feb 2020 - 9:00PM

Restaurants such as Kwong Wing Catering in the so-called yellow-ribbon economy that are refusing to serve Mandarin speakers are xenophobic and reprehensible

Why I have become a fan of Chapman To
My Take | Lawmakers can’t rely and act on news stories alone

Responsible parliamentarians the world over would interrogate or investigate the relevant government departments when they read worrisome news reports

17 Feb 2020 - 10:12PM

Responsible parliamentarians the world over would interrogate or investigate the relevant government departments when they read worrisome news reports

Lawmakers can’t rely and act on news stories alone
My Take | Bring back Hongkongers trapped in Wuhan

Now is the time for the government to take action and also use Disneyland, Ocean Park and cruise ships for quarantine and treatment

16 Feb 2020 - 10:54PM

Now is the time for the government to take action and also use Disneyland, Ocean Park and cruise ships for quarantine and treatment

Bring back Hongkongers trapped in Wuhan
My Take | New Beijing boss should worry local loyalists

Those newly put in charge of Hong Kong affairs are more likely to go after the old guard of pro-establishment parties rather than the pan-democratic opposition.

14 Feb 2020 - 10:50PM

Those newly put in charge of Hong Kong affairs are more likely to go after the old guard of pro-establishment parties rather than the pan-democratic opposition.

New Beijing boss should worry local loyalists