A good week for …, October 28, 2012

Taimoor Khan

The 21-year-old Pakistani became the first non-Chinese person to join Baptist University's Chinese medicine course. He'll spend five years getting to grips with the ancient practice after beating fierce competition for a place. Khan, who has lived in Hong Kong since the age of three, has long wanted to be a doctor, but developed an interest in Chinese medicine after his mother was struck with severe allergic rhinitis seven years ago.

General Ma Xiaotian

The former pilot is to head the People's Liberation Army air force after making a stir overseas in his five years as the PLA's deputy chief of general staff. Ma made headlines in May, amid a dispute with the Philippines over the disputed Scarborough Shoal by warning that "the South China Sea issue is none of the United States' business". His promotion has been seen as a sign that the traditional dominance of the PLA's land forces is on the wane.

Natasha Tang Wing-yung

The swimmer followed up her qualification for the London Olympics by defending her crown in Sunday's cross-harbour swim. She wasn't the only champion from last year's swim, the first in three decades, to achieve a second victory in the race. Male champion Ling Tin-yu also retained his crown, finishing just 24 seconds in front of Tang in 16 minutes and 57 seconds.