SCMP’s highlights: 7 of this week’s most read stories
- From a crocodile chase in Hong Kong to Beijing’s hotpot venture in the South China Sea, here are a few highlights from the Post’s recent reporting
We selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, Asia and more that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues.
1. A rare crocodile sighting in Hong Kong
Over the weekend, a Siamese crocodile was on the loose in Hong Kong’s New Territories for around four hours before she was eventually captured. The two-metre crocodile was found near a fence by a domestic helper named Maryann. When recalling the moment, Maryann said: “I was washing the floor and I screamed when I saw that crocodile. It was huge.”
2. A street vendor left in tears after selling just 1 rice roll all day
Lan Yuwen, a 25-year-old street vendor, broke down in tears after selling only one rice roll for 5 yuan (72 US cents) on her second day operating her food stall. In a viral video, Lan says “it’s really a laborious job”, adding: “I have to get up at 5am every day and develop a headache by the end of the day.”
3. We know of panda diplomacy, but hotpot diplomacy?
One might say China’s new hotpot restaurant on Woody Island, a part of the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, is in a hotspot. It marks the latest soft push from Beijing to consolidate claims in the strategically important waterway. The restaurant, capable of seating 120 diners in one go, opened for business last week.
4. Malaysia seeks more visa applicants with eased requirements
Malaysia is poised to lower the amount of money required for wealthy foreigners to obtain a long-term visa. After new rules were introduced in 2021 that made qualification for the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa scheme too onerous, the number of applications collapsed. Now, the country is seeking a return to its “glory days of being the top golden visa programme in the world in 2019”.
5. Partygoers or police officers?
While posing as partygoers, undercover police officers flagged down a cab in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong nightlife hub. They later arrested their taxi driver for allegedly charging them HK$300 (US$38) for a HK$70 journey. The sting operation was part of a crackdown on cabbies who mostly prey on mainland Chinese tourists holidaying in the city during the Labour Day “golden week” break.
6. Taiwan’s trade has come under Beijing’s scrutiny, but what does that mean for the island’s election?
Beijing launched an investigation into Taiwan’s “trade barriers” that allegedly affect the import of over 2,400 mainland Chinese goods. The investigation may lead to sanctions and is likely to put the self-ruled island’s economic dependence to the test. The probe is carefully timed as it may, “under special circumstances”, end the day before the Taiwanese presidential election is due to take place in January.
7. Veteran filmmaker Johnnie To weighs in on cinema, censorship and human nature
Johnnie To Kei-fung, the Hong Kong director of films such as A Hero Never Dies and Election, recently sat down in a candid interview with the Post to discuss mainland Chinese censors, cinema and more. When asked about Hong Kong politics, To did not hold back, noting today’s Hong Kong cannot be compared with what it was 20 years ago. He concluded: “I’m thinking what we expected is all a lie.”
