Insiders reveal calculated strategy to catch foreign powers off guard and curb impact of potential sanctions or smear campaigns ahead of passing of Article 23 bill.
If bill clears House Committee on Friday, lawmakers will be able to resume second reading and possibly pass legislation at full Legco meeting.
Hong Kong security chief also hits out at three outlets, including Bloomberg News over ‘misleading and scaremongering’ op-ed about Article 23 law.
Finance chief also says country’s push to open ‘its door wider’ to world will allow Hong Kong to use exhibitions on mainland to promote its own events.
Full draft undergoes first and second readings in Legislative Council just hours after being gazetted.
Chief Executive John Lee says he has written to the Legislative Council president, telling him enactment of law is a constitutional responsibility of the entire city.
Legislative Council calls two special meetings in coming days, potentially paving way for government to unveil draft of home-grown security law required under Article 23.
In his work report, country’s No 2 official also pledges Beijing will support Hong Kong and Macau’s economic growth and improve residents’ livelihood.
Property agents say they expect sales to increase as a result of the end of curbs.
Immediate scrapping of property curbs, issuing of large amounts of bonds for infrastructure among measures unveiled in finance chief Paul Chan’s budget address.
Xia Baolong, director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, visits West Kowloon Cultural District on second last day of his trip and holds discussions with youngsters.
Insiders hint ‘only some measures might be lifted’ while analysts say they are sceptical that home prices will soar even if all cooling measures are removed.
Residents from the two mainland Chinese cities can apply for travel endorsement from March 6, according to Beijing authorities.
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, says his visit is to understand city’s economic development, governance and other conditions.
Xia Baolong’s fact-finding visit comes at crucial time given concerns over economy and proposed national security law, tycoon and political observers say.
Xia Baolong, who leads Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, to meet city leader John Lee, top officials, business sector representatives and young people to gather feedback on number of issues, sources say.
‘Following the opening of borders earlier last year … We have returned to about 70 to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels,’ commerce chief Algernon Yau says.
Many of the estimated 44,000 revellers lined the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui hours ahead of Saturday’s extravaganza.
Concern over risks to investment and potential enforcement standards that could affect foreign nationals under home-grown national security law.
Consultation paper on city’s coming legislation cites 22 national security-related laws in different countries.
‘I’m worried that the proposed Article 23 legislation, with its vague references to intent, could be misused,’ US-based scholar says.
Rights lawyer calls suggestions on extending detention and barring arrestees from contacting legal representatives ‘very concerning’.
Chief Executive John Lee, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and security minister Chris Tang to hold a press conference on Tuesday.
Triangular site between International Financial Centre and Central Ferry Pier No 7 in Central among locations being considered for new museum, government source says.
Consultation period for home-grown national security legislation will begin in early February, according to sources.
Observatory issues warning at 6am, but says temperatures in urban areas likely to fall overnight from 10 degrees to low of 7 degrees.
Confusion over new waste disposal regime needs to be sorted out, observer and lawmakers say.
Environment chief Tse Chin-wan says government departments from April will take lead and show public how scheme works, before citywide launch on August 1.
The term first appeared locally in April 2021 in a speech by Luo Huining, then director of Beijing’s liaison office, to mark Hong Kong’s first National Security Education Day.
Some attendees saying pass Article 23 legislation ‘as quickly as possible’ and then focus on using Hong Kong as platform to capture regional opportunities, Financial Secretary Paul Chan says.