Bernard Chan

Bernard Charnwut Chan, born in 1965, is a Hong Kong politician and businessman. He is the grandson of Chin Sophonpanich, the late founder of Bangkok Bank. He is currently convenor of Hong Kong's Executive Council.

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Passengers take photographs while crossing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge towards Hong Kong on October 24. The bridge comes with a hefty price tag, but the economic and other benefits will be enjoyed by generations to come. Photo: Bloomberg

Opinion

Integrating with the mainland won’t diminish Hong Kong’s role

8 Nov 2018 - 8:27pm 4

A tourist takes a picture of the view of Victoria Harbour waterfront at dusk in Hong Kong in March. The view of the Hong Kong Island skyline is one of the most popular, and free, tourist attractions in the city. Photo: EPA-EFE

Opinion

Hong Kong tourism should target those who like the city just the way it is

25 Oct 2018 - 8:00pm 2

Broken trees cause roadblocks on Queensway, in Admiralty, on September 17, the day after Typhoon Mangkhut slammed into Hong Kong. The disruptions to public transport, even as employees were expected to return to work the next day, were high on Hongkongers’ list of complaints after Mangkhut. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong

Critics of Hong Kong’s response to Typhoon Mangkhut have a point

11 Oct 2018 - 7:36pm

Farmland holdings in the New Territories represent an opportunity for public-private cooperation. Officials must devise a formula that allows developers to profit from developing the land in a way that also provides the community with affordable homes. Photo: Roy Issa

Hong Kong

Can Hong Kong ever agree on a fair deal to turn farmland into housing?

27 Sep 2018 - 7:17pm 1

A tourist checks out Airbnbs on his mobile in Causeway Bay. Without flat-sharing platforms providing accommodation in Hong Kong, would some tourists have gone elsewhere? Photo: Martin Chan

Hong Kong

Why the little guys matter in Hong Kong’s Airbnb debate

14 Sep 2018 - 7:36am 2

Bernard Chan says taking land from country parks, the Fanling golf course, unused New Territories land and brownfield sites would either do more harm than good or be stymied by legal challenges. Land reclamation has its obstacles, but will leave a better housing environment for the next generation

Opinion

Four bad ideas for increased land supply, and one that will work

30 Aug 2018 - 8:36pm 17

Staff work at Hong Kong government's waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) processing facility in Ecopark in Tuen Mun. Photo: Edward Wong

Hong Kong

Pay to dispose of electronic waste, or pay for a more polluted city

16 Aug 2018 - 7:54pm

Bernard Chan says cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory problems are the major causes of death in Hong Kong and linked to the ageing population. The government’s ‘Towards 2025’ action plan is taking steps to address this

Opinion

Ageing Hong Kong is prone to ‘rich-person’s diseases’

14 Aug 2018 - 12:29pm 1

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council chamber on July 12. Traditionally, chief executives would do four Q&A sessions a year, but Lam has attended one a month, on average, in her first year. These sessions are a tough test of an official’s patience, communication skills and policy knowledge. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Hong Kong

One remarkable trait of Carrie Lam: her willingness to be grilled

19 Jul 2018 - 8:46pm 3

The Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong was held on June 28. Hong Kong’s expertise in legal, financial and other professional services is well known. But it also has unique cultural ties with the mainland, the rest of Asia and the West. Photo: David Wong

Hong Kong

Bumps along the belt and road point to a role for Hong Kong

5 Jul 2018 - 7:51pm

An elderly woman walks her dog in Kennedy Town. People over 65 are expected to comprise 31 per cent of the population by 2036. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong

How an ageing society can be a Hong Kong success story

21 Jun 2018 - 6:53pm 1

The revitalised Central Police Station compound opened its doors to the public in late May. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong

How the Central Police Station can become a space for everyone

8 Jun 2018 - 12:07am

A village in Hung Shui Kiu, New Territories, that has been slated for new town development and whose residents were moved out in 2015. The government’s new proposal for villagers who face eviction is not intended to be a one-off arrangement, but will be applied to other comparable situations in future. Photo: Felix Wong

Insight & Opinion

New offer to squatters underlines radical change in Hong Kong governance

24 May 2018 - 7:08pm 1

Ma On Shan Country Park and Shui Chuen O Estate. Hongkongers are being asked to voice their opinions on a list of suggestions for increasing land supply in the city. Photo: Winson Wong

Insight & Opinion

Give developers a financial incentive to build more housing in Hong Kong

10 May 2018 - 7:44pm 13

A customer takes a look at instant noodles for sale at the Food Expo at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in August 2017. New food labels will make it easier for consumers to check how much salt and sugar packaged foods contain. Photo: Nora Tam

Insight & Opinion

Voluntary salt and sugar labels on food products a good start for Hong Kong

26 Apr 2018 - 8:50pm

An image from a photo exhibition featuring residents of subdivided flats in Hong Kong. Photo: SoCO/ Benny Lam

Insight & Opinion

How to get New Territories landowners to develop affordable housing

12 Apr 2018 - 7:44pm 5

A statue representing justice stands atop the Court of Final Appeal. The recent appointment of respected judges to the city’s top courts should reassure those concerned about judicial independence. Photo: EPA-EFE

Insight & Opinion

Top court appointments a sign Hong Kong’s rule of law remains strong

29 Mar 2018 - 6:21pm 1

Leaflets on the highlights of this year’s budget are handed out to the public at the Kowloon Tong MTR station on February 28. Public opinion tends to be strongest on the smallest item in expenditure – handouts. Photo: Winson Wong

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong’s restraint in budget handouts should be welcomed

15 Mar 2018 - 6:33pm 1

Residents work in one of the communal spaces at a co-living building in London in October 2017. The 10-storey building looks like a hotel, but it is actually a large-scale house-share offering modest rooms and upscale services for young adults caught in London's housing crisis. Photo: AFP

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong should be exploring co-living – housing crisis or not

1 Mar 2018 - 7:07pm

Graffiti on a building on the Baptist University campus is covered up. Young people and students have a right to express their opinions, and to speak out when they think something is wrong. But they need to do it within particular boundaries, with basic manners. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong is not alone in trend of intolerant youth

1 Feb 2018 - 7:31pm 3

A photograph of Hong Kong taken by a drone that was entered for an international competition. Drone flying is just one of the new technologies Hong Kong law needs to accommodate. Photo: Songshen Jiang/ 2018 Sony World Photography Awards

Insight & Opinion

Can Hong Kong laws keep up with changing technology?

18 Jan 2018 - 7:27pm 1

Some people may have assumed Hong Kong has some sort of sovereignty of its own that equals or overrides that of the nation. But the “one country, two systems” concept makes it clear Hong Kong is a part of China, but with its own identity as a society and its own systems as an economy. Photo: AFP

Insight & Opinion

The reality of ‘one country, two systems’: Beijing has ultimate control

4 Jan 2018 - 6:46pm

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s work has been crucial to furthering understanding of how kids rise to challenges and enjoy learning. Photo: Sam Tsang

Insight & Opinion

In Yidan Prize, education innovation gets a Nobel of its own

21 Dec 2017 - 7:17pm

A view of the Eastern Harbour Tunnel at Lam Tin. Logically, the links with the highest demand should have higher tolls. Instead, the most popular, crowded tunnels are the cheapest. Photo: Dickson Lee

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong’s tunnel tolls need to change before city grinds to a halt

7 Dec 2017 - 6:55pm 7

Korean dancers perform during the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, celebrated as a “bridge between civilisations”, on November 11. The museum’s silver-toned dome with perforated arabesque patterns aims to create what architect Jean Nouvel described as a “rain of light”. Photo: AFP

Insight & Opinion

How Hong Kong arts hub will give Abu Dhabi a run for its money

23 Nov 2017 - 7:20pm 1

A mother breastfeeds her baby on a train at Tai Wai MTR station during a breastfeeding flash mob calling for legislation to protect nursing mothers. Photo: Sam Tsang

Insight & Opinion

Rules on breastfeeding facilities can help build a baby-friendly Hong Kong

9 Nov 2017 - 8:06pm 1

Hong Kong’s MTR rail system can claim a world-leading 99.9 per cent reliability rate. Photo: David Wong

Insight & Opinion

Singapore’s metro disruptions a salutary lesson for Hong Kong

26 Oct 2017 - 7:08pm 44

Corn is harvested in Illinois, US, this week. If the US does impose a tariff on Chinese imports, China could retaliate by putting up barriers to US aircraft, grain and other products. Photo: Bloomberg

Insight & Opinion

A US-China trade war would benefit no one, least of all Americans

23 Mar 2018 - 12:58pm 7

Prefabricated housing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Hong Kong Council of Social Service is studying the idea of using underutilised land for homes made out of containers – a model already used for student and other low-cost housing in Europe. Photo: Handout

Insight & Opinion

Quick fixes for Hong Kong’s housing crisis are worth a try

28 Sep 2017 - 7:10pm

Strong waves in Victoria Harbour as Typhoon Pakhar hits Hong Kong on August 27, just a few days after Typhoon Hato struck. Photo: Felix Wong

Insight & Opinion

Deadly storms a warning to Hong Kong to be prepared

14 Sep 2017 - 7:09pm 8

A protester dressed as a judge and holding a mask of President Xi Jinping stands outside the Court of Final Appeal on August 20, to protest against the jailing of the three Occupy activists. Photo: AFP

Insight & Opinion

Integrity of Hong Kong judiciary more important than politics

31 Aug 2017 - 7:09pm 19

Participants compete in a streetathon in Kwun Tong organised by RunOurCity, a group that promotes street running, on January 8. But their beer run, slated for November, raised safety concerns. Photo: Nora Tam

Insight & Opinion

Don’t want a nanny state? Stop blaming public servants

17 Aug 2017 - 7:12pm 3

MTR Corp chair Frederick Ma Si-hang (in yellow) shows Hong Kong lawmakers around the West Kowloon Terminus of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail link, on August 2. The pan-democratic bloc boycotted the tour. Photo: Edward Wong

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong’s express rail link opposers blind to the new China

3 Aug 2017 - 7:19pm 12

Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour and the Golden Bauhinia as Hong Kong celebrates the 20th anniversary of its handover, on July 1. Nora Tam

Insight & Opinion

Pronouncements of Hong Kong in decline are far from the truth

29 Sep 2017 - 2:48pm 2

Chinese University of Hong Kong students hold up symbolic yellow umbrellas at their graduation ceremony, at the height of the Occupy movement, in November 2014. Photo: May Tse

Insight & Opinion

Angry young Hongkongers need to be given hope

6 Jul 2017 - 7:33pm 1

Visitors attend the Gerontech and Innovation Expo in Wan Chai. With an ageing population, Hong Kong needs to pay attention to “gerontechnology”. It will not only offer the community new ways to improve life for the elderly and those who care for them, but will also create opportunities for innovators, designers and the business sector. Photo: Edward Wong

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong must not miss tech revolution for the elderly

22 Jun 2017 - 7:39pm

Guangzhou South station, the future terminus of the express rail link. The link will make getting to Guangdong and a range of adjoining regions beyond the Pearl River Delta far easier and quicker, opening up new economic and lifestyle possibilities for Hong Kong people. Photo: Dickson Lee

Insight & Opinion

Fears over express rail checkpoint a problem of perception

8 Jun 2017 - 7:15pm

Momo Cheng (left) and her mother after she donated two-thirds of her liver to a critically ill patient in April. Cheng’s selfless act came amid public concern about low organ donation rates in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout

Insight & Opinion

How Hong Kong’s hospitals can help boost organ donation

25 May 2017 - 6:27pm

Insight & Opinion

Don’t expect an all-new cabinet team under Carrie Lam

11 May 2017 - 7:45pm 6

Hong Kong professional basketball team the Eastern Long Lions has just won the Asean league. Photo: Asean Basketball League

Insight & Opinion

The rewards of sport are too many for Hong Kong to pass up

27 Apr 2017 - 7:17pm 1

Hong Kong’s most pressing policy issue in terms of public disquiet is housing costs. The manifesto of chief executive-elect Carrie Lam offers several ways forward. Photo: AP

Insight & Opinion

Carrie Lam has realistic ideas to improve Hong Kong

13 Apr 2017 - 6:49pm 9

Chief executive-elect Carrie Lam takes a photo with Hong Kong residents, a day after she was elected. Probably the majority of Hong Kong people agree that we need to make progress on economic opportunities, the cost of housing, the education system or air quality. Lam will need to deliver in terms of policies that serve the interests of the broad community. Photo: AP

Insight & Opinion

Carrie Lam must wow doubters with substance and style

30 Mar 2017 - 9:00pm 1

Basketball star Yao Ming, seen here with a baby elephant at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, has fronted publicity campaigns that aimed to curb the trade in ivory. Photo: AP/Animal Planet

Insight & Opinion

One step closer to ivory trade ban in Hong Kong

20 Mar 2017 - 9:17am

Ethnic minorities, including some whose families have been in Hong Kong for generations, want recognition for their contribution to the city. Photo: Sam Tsang

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong’s next leader must heed ethnic minority views

2 Mar 2017 - 8:47pm 8

In the four decades ahead, the number of people who are over 65 years old in Hong Kong will roughly double. Photo: AFP

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong retirees must depend on a patchwork of support

16 Feb 2017 - 8:51pm 1

Construction work takes place on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge in Hong Kong last month. Photo: EPA

Insight & Opinion

Hong Kong will come to appreciate its mainland rail and road links

2 Feb 2017 - 6:32pm 3

Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li (fourth from left) and other guests attend the Opening of the Legal Year earlier this month. The rule of law – which needs an independent judiciary – is widely accepted as the No 1 advantage that Hong Kong has as a business and financial centre. Photo: Sam Tsang

Insight & Opinion

Why Hong Kong must pay its judges more

19 Jan 2017 - 7:10pm