https://www.scmp.com/rss/116860/feed The Basic Law was drafted as part of the Sino-British Joint Declaration covering Hong Kong after its handover to China on July 1, 1997. The declaration stated Hong Kong would be governed under the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ and continue to enjoy its capitalist system and individual freedoms for 50 years after the handover. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities have allocated HK$5 billion (US$638 million) in funding for efforts to safeguard national security, bringing the total amount earmarked for this purpose to HK$18 billion over the past five years, an official document has revealed. The South China Morning Post’s check on the government’s general revenue expenditure accounts for the financial year ending in March 2026 showed a non-recurrent expenditure of HK$5 billion set aside for a “special fund to meet the expenditure for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3353972/hong-kong-earmarks-additional-hk5-billion-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3353972/hong-kong-earmarks-additional-hk5-billion-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Wang Xiangwei Wang Xiangwei In China’s political parlance, calling someone “one of us” is far more than an expression of ideological kinship. It signals that more doors can be opened, and preferential treatment extended. Yet it can also imply that “one of us” should now follow the rules of the group – rules that may differ sharply from previous ones. For decades, this mentality has shaped domestic policy. The private sector contributes over 60 per cent of the country’s GDP and over 80 per cent of urban employment but has... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348922/hong-kong-must-keep-its-unique-edge-even-it-enjoys-deeper-mainland-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348922/hong-kong-must-keep-its-unique-edge-even-it-enjoys-deeper-mainland-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities will be able to demand any “specified person” decrypt electronic devices during national security investigations and may punish suspects who provide wrong passwords or falsely claim to have forgotten them, the security chief has told lawmakers. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stressed on Tuesday that recent amendments to the national security law’s implementation rules did not create new law enforcement powers. “These amendments have only improved some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:41:53 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong In my experience, most people misunderstand the concept of “separation of powers”, and so I would not be at all surprised if most people also misunderstand the term “executive-led government”. In the case of separation of powers, the confusion usually arises from the use of the word “separation”. It connotes a meaning of absolute independence or alienation. A better word would have been “division”. The concept of separation of powers focuses on the division of power in a government and how that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Former Australian chief justice Anthony Mason, who was one of the first non-permanent judges to join the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and oversaw many of its early key constitutional cases, has died at the age of 100. Tributes from current and former city officials poured in for the late jurist on Wednesday, just a day after he died. Mason is widely considered to have been pivotal in establishing the court’s role under Hong Kong’s new constitutional order following the city’s return to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346996/anthony-mason-who-helped-put-top-hong-kong-court-map-dies-age-100?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346996/anthony-mason-who-helped-put-top-hong-kong-court-map-dies-age-100?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:09:21 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014. It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should step up education on Chinese history and culture while highlighting security threats to cultivate public awareness about the need to defend the country, experts have said, as the nation’s legislature is set to pass a law promoting ethnic unity. The expert’s comments came ahead of the closing session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Thursday, which is due to pass the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. The law aims to forge a strong “sense of community for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s executive-led governance model has long been a cornerstone of the constitutional design. Its relevance was again highlighted when China’s state leader in charge of the city’s affairs stressed the “shared responsibility” across government branches and society as a whole to uphold the principle and prepare for the next stage of development under the new five-year national plan. Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang is the most senior official yet to shed light on the city’s governance. He said... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345749/vital-consolidate-executive-led-system-hong-kongs-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345749/vital-consolidate-executive-led-system-hong-kongs-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Grenville Cross Grenville Cross After being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for national security offences on February 9, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying will decide if he wishes to appeal. He may challenge his convictions and/or sentences and has about two weeks to make up his mind. Given the length of his trial (156 days), the mountain of evidence and the legal issues, it will take time for any appeal to be resolved. Meanwhile, foreign actors have turned their attention to securing Lai’s early release. The lead... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin The acquisition price for properties damaged in Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire will be “far lower” if homeowners reject the government’s buy-back offer and authorities are forced to use legislation to acquire the remaining properties, a senior official has said. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun on Sunday dismissed claims that the government was using public funds to cover its responsibility for the Tai Po tragedy, following online criticism that taxpayers’ money was being used to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344249/hong-kong-official-warns-lower-payout-if-tai-po-fire-victims-reject-buy-back-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344249/hong-kong-official-warns-lower-payout-if-tai-po-fire-victims-reject-buy-back-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 08:16:01 +0000 Jane Lee Jane Lee When Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director Xia Baolong recently described Hong Kong’s executive-led system as a distinct governance model, he elevated it from an administrative arrangement to constitutional doctrine. A doctrine is not merely about structure. It is about how governance power is exercised. In Hong Kong’s executive-led system, that exercise begins with engaging the governed. The national security white paper unveiled earlier this month highlights the need to achieve both... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344060/executive-led-governance-hong-kong-must-start-listening-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344060/executive-led-governance-hong-kong-must-start-listening-people?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu To err is human. But when an error funnels through a system that has safeguards, the error is supposed to be caught and rectified. Checks and balances are written into the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini constitution. Hong Kong has an executive-led system, which means it is the executive branch’s job to formulate and implement policies, as well as “draft and introduce bills, motions and subordinate legislation”. The legislature’s job is “to enact, amend or repeal laws”. Therefore, lawmakers are the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342674/bus-seat-belt-fiasco-proves-good-governance-requires-more-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342674/bus-seat-belt-fiasco-proves-good-governance-requires-more-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong Hong Kong’s U-turn on its seat belt rule for buses is a sobering reminder to lawmakers that they must meet higher standards even under the “executive-led” governance model recently underlined by Beijing, according to several policy experts. They said some lawmakers had been complacent, prioritising speed over efficacy in policymaking in a “patriots-only” legislature with no opposition presence, and would have to share the responsibility for administrative missteps. Xia Baolong, director of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3342829/are-hong-kongs-lawmakers-also-blame-over-seat-belt-law-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3342829/are-hong-kongs-lawmakers-also-blame-over-seat-belt-law-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:55:44 +0000 Grenville Cross Grenville Cross Former governor Chris Patten once said nobody ever profited from betting against Hong Kong. Anybody wagering against its “one country, two systems” policy will undoubtedly be out of pocket. Since 1997, the policy has been the city’s lodestar. While the post-reunification settlement was repeatedly challenged, most notably during the 2019 social unrest, Hong Kong has emerged stronger. The Basic Law sustained it throughout and Beijing’s support was unwavering. With national security legislation,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342131/those-betting-hong-kongs-bright-future-have-backed-winner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342131/those-betting-hong-kongs-bright-future-have-backed-winner?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:30:38 +0000 Jose-Antonio Maurellet Jose-Antonio Maurellet On January 13, the British-born corporate governance activist David Webb, who had made Hong Kong his home for the past 35 years, died. Like many who have come from near and far after finding success, he did much to contribute to our society and its fabric. Many of our city’s landmarks bear the philanthropic imprint of such immigrants, from our universities to our hospitals. David was able to do some of the splendid work he did because of some of the characteristics of this city, which may not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341593/late-corporate-governance-activist-david-webb-showed-why-transparency-benefits-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341593/late-corporate-governance-activist-david-webb-showed-why-transparency-benefits-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:30:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s political order is being reshaped after the national security law and all-patriots electoral revamp. The latest emphasis by Beijing on the importance of the executive-led governance system underlines the need for the city to better understand the spirit of this reform and strengthen cooperation among the executive, legislative and judicial branches under the Basic Law and “one country, two systems”. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office chief highlighted the task ahead in an address... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3341272/executive-led-model-key-hong-kongs-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3341272/executive-led-model-key-hong-kongs-success?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Leopold Chen,Jeffie Lam Leopold Chen,Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has called on the city to improve its executive-led governance model, arguing that the legislative and judicial branches should support the government rather than undermine each other, as they all perform “on the same stage”. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, on Monday warned against any attempts by foreign and disruptive forces to promote the idea of a separation of powers, arguing such views undermined the authority of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341241/legislators-judiciary-must-support-hong-kongs-executive-led-government-xia-baolong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3341241/legislators-judiciary-must-support-hong-kongs-executive-led-government-xia-baolong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:47:26 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Hong Kong’s rule of law is “more robust and enduring than the outcome of any single case”, the city’s chief justice has declared after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was found guilty in a landmark national security case that drew international scrutiny and criticism. In his speech at a ceremony to mark the opening of the legal year on Monday, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung warned that any calls for the early release of a defendant based on his occupation or political causes were a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340432/rule-law-hong-kong-more-robust-outcome-any-single-case-chief-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340432/rule-law-hong-kong-more-robust-outcome-any-single-case-chief-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:40:18 +0000 Derek Chan Derek Chan People who passed by Hong Kong’s Christmas Town attraction at Statue Square Gardens in Central over the past month or so may have noticed that one of the buildings onto which cascading festive animations were projected was slightly more historic than the others. That building, which is a declared monument, houses the Court of Final Appeal (the “Court”). The Court is the final appellate court within Hong Kong’s judicial system. After the High Court and the Court of Appeal, it provides a second... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339100/what-happens-hong-kongs-top-court-hidden-plain-sight-winter-wonderland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339100/what-happens-hong-kongs-top-court-hidden-plain-sight-winter-wonderland?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:30:21 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hopes for better governance are high as Hong Kong ushered in the new year with lawmakers being officially sworn in for the new Legislative Council. From enhancing performance under the all-patriot governance approach to lifting the city to a new stage of high-quality development, Legco’s responsibilities have never been greater. The swearing-in marks the beginning of the four-year tenure of the eighth-term Legco. The 90 lawmakers took their oaths of office one after another in a ceremony... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338398/expectations-hong-kongs-newly-sworn-legislators-are-clear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338398/expectations-hong-kongs-newly-sworn-legislators-are-clear?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong Hong Kong’s Democratic Party has announced what many people had been expecting for some time – that it would disband. For the party, this is the beginning of the end; for others, the question lingers: is this also the end of the democratic movement in Hong Kong? One thing is certain: the party’s demise will mark the end of an era, one when a colonial pressure-group mentality dictated the quest for democratic reforms in Hong Kong, a mentality which, sadly, was destined to ensure failure of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336471/end-road-hong-kongs-democracy-movement-theres-still-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336471/end-road-hong-kongs-democracy-movement-theres-still-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The formation of the new Legislative Council marks another step towards recovery and reform following the Tai Po fire tragedy. Seen as a milestone for “high-quality democracy”, the second Legco ballot under Beijing’s electoral revamp has further consolidated Hong Kong’s all-patriots governance. The lawmakers must work with the chief executive and prove they can rise to the challenges ahead. Voter turnout percentages – for the geographical polls (31.9 per cent), functional constituencies (40.09... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335632/new-legco-tasked-pushing-better-governance-city-deepening-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335632/new-legco-tasked-pushing-better-governance-city-deepening-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:15:16 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong has now elected members to the new Legislative Council. Despite the temporary suspension of campaigning work and candidate debates after the Tai Po fire broke out, the polls were held as planned to avert a constitutional crisis. It was a tough decision to make. The official mourning period may have ended on December 1, but hearts remain heavy. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu emphasised the need to “move forward” when it came to holding the election on schedule. He argued that he needs... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3335403/after-hong-kong-fire-new-lawmakers-will-have-hit-ground-runnning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3335403/after-hong-kong-fire-new-lawmakers-will-have-hit-ground-runnning?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial High-quality legal services are integral to Hong Kong’s role as a “superconnector” for China and the international community. To establish itself as a global leader in the field, there is a need for the city to constantly engage and forge new ties, so that knowledge can be shared, lessons learned and progress made. This is the aim of Hong Kong Legal Week, an annual international conference organised by the Department of Justice, which concluded on Friday. The five-day summit brought together... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335319/hong-kong-must-build-foundations-laid-successful-legal-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3335319/hong-kong-must-build-foundations-laid-successful-legal-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong’s connectivity and talent pool can help bolster international legal and economic collaboration, the justice minister and an expert have said, as they joined representatives from more than 25 jurisdictions at an annual forum in the city. Organised by the Department of Justice, the five-day Hong Kong Legal Week forum comprises four summits, encompassing topics from laws on the digital economy to the 28th anniversary of the Basic Law. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday, Secretary... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3335138/hong-kongs-connectivity-talent-pool-can-foster-global-legal-cooperation-justice-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3335138/hong-kongs-connectivity-talent-pool-can-foster-global-legal-cooperation-justice-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:06:57 +0000 Harvey Kong,Danny Mok Harvey Kong,Danny Mok Hong Kong’s national security police have arrested a man and a woman for allegedly publishing social media posts with seditious intent and funding activities that endanger national security. According to an insider, officers arrested the 32-year-old man and his 27-year-old girlfriend on Monday at Kwai Chung Plaza, a shopping centre and private housing estate in the Kwai Tsing district. The force said it had arrested the pair for committing an act with seditious intention under the Safeguarding... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3334096/hong-kongs-national-security-arrest-2-over-alleged-seditious-social-media-posts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3334096/hong-kongs-national-security-arrest-2-over-alleged-seditious-social-media-posts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:24:41 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The disruption of school life by Covid-19 pandemic control measures took a heavy toll on education. It was reflected by a fall in standards of proficiency in a number of subjects that continued after the measures were lifted. Thankfully, standards seem to have stabilised and, in some cases, to have begun rebounding. Evidence of this is to be found in the latest annual Territory-wide System Assessment conducted by education authorities earlier this year. A case in point is the proficiency in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333911/rebound-hong-kong-pupils-english-proficiency-encouraging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333911/rebound-hong-kong-pupils-english-proficiency-encouraging?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:15:15 +0000 Jose-Antonio Maurellet Jose-Antonio Maurellet At the heart of any fair trial lies an independent court, which determines cases on the basis of only the law and the evidence, and is not swayed by the identity of the litigants before it. Whether a litigant is rich or poor, whether they are an ordinary citizen or the state, the law binds all in the same way. What is also of prime importance is the right to legal advice and representation. This is constitutionally guaranteed by the Basic Law under Article 35. As explained in a previous Legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331687/having-common-law-lawyers-here-and-elsewhere-hong-kongs-best-interest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331687/having-common-law-lawyers-here-and-elsewhere-hong-kongs-best-interest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Harvey Kong,Lo Hoi-ying Harvey Kong,Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong authorities have strongly condemned the “untruthful remarks, slanders and smears” in the UK’s monitoring report on the city, which claimed that national security legislation had diminished the city’s political autonomy. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, in her report, also said it was “hardly surprising” that hundreds of thousands of people had left the city to places where “freedoms are better protected” as she reiterated London’s commitment to the British National (Overseas),... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330151/hong-kong-government-condemns-smears-uks-latest-6-month-monitoring-report-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330151/hong-kong-government-condemns-smears-uks-latest-6-month-monitoring-report-city?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 03:42:48 +0000 Julie Zhang,Cao Li Julie Zhang,Cao Li The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is poised to serve as a major infrastructure for the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and markets beyond, as a fresh surge of Chinese companies moves to expand globally over the next decade, according to the head of the city’s Airport Authority. “We mustn’t see the HKIA just as an airport for Hong Kong,” said Fred Lam Tin-fuk, Airport Authority chairman, in a speech at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Business Summit 2025 on Tuesday. “We very much see it as a... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3329792/hong-kong-aviation-hub-greater-bay-area-and-markets-beyond-airport-authority-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3329792/hong-kong-aviation-hub-greater-bay-area-and-markets-beyond-airport-authority-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:44:06 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Matthew Cheng Connor Mycroft,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities are considering administrative measures to protect the rights of same-sex couples after a bill to recognise such partnerships was rejected by the legislature, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that the failure of the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill to secure the backing of lawmakers showed the Legislative Council was not a “rubber stamp” body as some had “unfairly” suggested. Legislators last week voted down the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325687/hong-kong-seek-administrative-measures-protect-same-sex-couples-after-bill-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325687/hong-kong-seek-administrative-measures-protect-same-sex-couples-after-bill-defeat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:23:48 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong authorities are seeking to remove at least five opposition groups from the official societies register, including the now-defunct Scholarism founded by jailed activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung and political party People Power. The groups have three months to submit proof that they are still functioning or else their operations will be banned. According to notices published by the Government Gazette on Friday, 285 community groups and organisations are facing the risk of deregistration. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322884/hong-kong-remove-least-5-opposition-groups-societies-register?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322884/hong-kong-remove-least-5-opposition-groups-societies-register?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:17:23 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s No 2 official has summoned the Australian and British consuls general to express strong opposition to their countries “harbouring criminals” after both granted asylum to two activists wanted for allegedly endangering national security. The government announced in the early hours of Tuesday that Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki summoned Australian Consul General Gareth Williams and British Consul General Brian Davidson, respectively, on Monday afternoon. Secretary for Security Chris... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322325/hong-kong-summons-australian-and-british-consuls-over-harbouring-criminals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3322325/hong-kong-summons-australian-and-british-consuls-over-harbouring-criminals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:19:57 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong The Hong Kong government recently declared bounties against a number of former residents now in the United Kingdom and the United States for alleged offences against the Hong Kong national security law. This prompted a strong reaction from the UK government, which considered the move to be an example of “transnational repression”. This week, The Guardian published an interview with Chloe Cheung Hei-ching, who faces a warrant for her arrest that was issued last year. Its article portrayed her as... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3321532/why-smear-hong-kongs-prosecution-secession-political-persecution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3321532/why-smear-hong-kongs-prosecution-secession-political-persecution?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong should enact a “targeted law” to tackle the problem of AI-generated deepfake pornography instead of relying on legal tools designed to catch other mischief, the head of the city’s professional body for barristers has said. In an interview with the Post on Thursday, Senior Counsel Jose-Antonio Maurellet, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, also expressed confidence that such legislative efforts could be done “very quickly” if the government had the will to tackle the issue. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3321257/hong-kong-needs-targeted-law-tackle-ai-deepfake-porn-bar-association-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3321257/hong-kong-needs-targeted-law-tackle-ai-deepfake-porn-bar-association-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Victor Dawes Victor Dawes Much has been written about cryptocurrencies in the past few weeks as a result of the Genius Act and the market trend. Share prices of listed companies in related businesses have appreciated very significantly in both the US and Hong Kong. The trend appears unstoppable. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects the stablecoin market alone to grow tenfold over the next few years from US$200 billion to US$2 trillion. While cryptocurrencies present new opportunities for investors, it is generally... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320191/crypto-frenzy-and-legal-response-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320191/crypto-frenzy-and-legal-response-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Natalie Wong,Sammy Heung,Jess Ma Natalie Wong,Sammy Heung,Jess Ma The city’s national security police have placed a new round of bounties on 15 overseas activists wanted for their involvement in a group called “Hong Kong Parliament”, which the force has deemed subversive and has accused it of violating the Beijing-imposed security law. The HK$200,000 (US$25,640) reward offered for each fugitive was supported by the Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong, which said the group’s actions, including holding an unlawful election “posed a serious... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3319549/police-place-bounties-19-members-subversive-group-hong-kong-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3319549/police-place-bounties-19-members-subversive-group-hong-kong-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 04:49:13 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification In 2023, the Court of Final Appeal ruled under Article 14 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights that the government has a constitutional obligation to establish a legal framework recognising same-sex... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3318550/same-sex-bill-acid-test-hong-kongs-human-rights-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3318550/same-sex-bill-acid-test-hong-kongs-human-rights-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Lawyers representing 11 Hong Kong opposition figures continued advancing arguments in court in a bid to overturn their convictions for conspiracy to subvert state power, saying they could not be held liable under the national security law for trying to trigger a constitutional mechanism to oust the city leader. Legal counsel on Tuesday argued that lawmakers were entitled to use their votes as a bargaining chip to push their political demands, while urging an appellate court to be cautious about... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3318349/appeals-continue-11-hong-kong-opposition-figures-jailed-subversion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3318349/appeals-continue-11-hong-kong-opposition-figures-jailed-subversion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:54:33 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong court has started hearing appeals lodged by 11 opposition figures jailed for conspiracy to subvert state power following the city’s largest national security trial, while the government is seeking to overturn a defendant’s acquittal in the high-profile case. Legal counsel for the 11 appellants on Monday urged an appellate court to refrain from adjudicating on “political matters”, saying that any “peaceful” attempt to force the government to accede to a political agenda should be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3318192/hong-kong-47-court-begins-hearing-appeals-against-activists-convictions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3318192/hong-kong-47-court-begins-hearing-appeals-against-activists-convictions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:27:29 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification With China signing a convention to set up the International Organisation for Mediation in Hong Kong, the city has an extraordinary opportunity to cement its international status amid geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3317244/hong-kongs-mediation-body-be-par-hague-more-must-be-done?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3317244/hong-kongs-mediation-body-be-par-hague-more-must-be-done?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Ong Siew Gay Ong Siew Gay In a few weeks, my family and I will leave Hong Kong, a city we have called our second home since June 2021. Much has happened in these four years. Hong Kong was reeling from the aftermath of social unrest when I arrived. Western media was awash with commentary about the end of “one country, two systems” after the 2020 national security law and 2021 electoral reforms. The world was in the throes of Covid-19. The airport was a ghost town. A few months later, the Omicron wave hit, holding back the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316866/hong-kong-and-singapore-rivals-and-partners-learning-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316866/hong-kong-and-singapore-rivals-and-partners-learning-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Most lawmakers have voiced opposition to a government proposal to establish a system recognising same-sex relationships in Hong Kong in accordance with a landmark court ruling, with some accusing officials of rushing it through and urging them to launch a public consultation on the issue. The proposal to introduce a new registration mechanism through legislation sparked a rare fiery exchange between lawmakers and officials on Thursday. The mechanism, proposed by the government on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3316863/hong-kong-lawmakers-slam-proposal-recognise-same-sex-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3316863/hong-kong-lawmakers-slam-proposal-recognise-same-sex-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:02:51 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Hong Kong will extend digital-only applications to all civil service positions from next month, as part of the government’s efforts to promote digitalisation and improve recruitment efficiency. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan announced on social media on Sunday that, as of Tuesday, all job applications had to be submitted electronically, unless stated otherwise. She also highlighted other measures adopted by the Civil Service Bureau under the same digitalisation drive to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316263/hong-kong-mandate-digital-job-applications-civil-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316263/hong-kong-mandate-digital-job-applications-civil-service?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 07:29:56 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Civil servants, from cleaners to policymakers, will need to fulfil their duty to identify national security breaches under new guidelines that will soon be released, Hong Kong’s security chief has said. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said that even though Hong Kong had returned to stability after the 2019 anti-government protests, national security risks remained as Western countries continued to use the city as an avenue to blockade China. “External forces, like the West, in a bid... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315993/duty-hong-kong-civil-servants-identify-security-breaches-under-new-rules-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315993/duty-hong-kong-civil-servants-identify-security-breaches-under-new-rules-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 02:30:15 +0000 Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam,Natalie Wong In the second of a two-part series on the national security law, we look at how the city has had to battle a negative narrative over the past five years. Read part 1 here. Soon after Hong Kong reopened in early 2023 as harsh pandemic restrictions were finally lifted, veteran lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee embarked on a solo mission to the West. Visiting Brussels to meet European Union officials in September 2023, she sought to explain fundamental political and legal changes in the city and how... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315996/5-years-after-national-security-law-has-hong-kong-bounced-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3315996/5-years-after-national-security-law-has-hong-kong-bounced-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:21 +0000 Grenville Cross Grenville Cross With the enactment of Hong Kong’s national security law on June 30, 2020, acts of collusion with foreign countries to endanger national security, secession, subversion and terrorist activity were criminalised. As discussed at a recent forum to mark the law’s fifth anniversary, the “one country, two systems” policy has operated smoothly since. The national security law has been applied throughout with great restraint by the authorities, with prosecutions only resulting when absolutely... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3315295/contrary-naysayers-hong-kongs-national-security-law-working-well?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3315295/contrary-naysayers-hong-kongs-national-security-law-working-well?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Natalie Wong,William Zheng,Olga Wong,Willa Wu Natalie Wong,William Zheng,Olga Wong,Willa Wu Beijing’s point man overseeing Hong Kong affairs plans to meet university heads, visit outlying islands and inspect a megadevelopment project near the border with mainland China during a five-day visit to the city, the Post has learned. Confirming an earlier Post report, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, would arrive in the city on Wednesday to inspect its development and attend a key forum on Saturday to mark the fifth... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3314687/xia-baolong-kick-5-day-visit-hong-kong-wednesday-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3314687/xia-baolong-kick-5-day-visit-hong-kong-wednesday-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 03:27:00 +0000 Han Dayuan Han Dayuan Over the past five years, Hong Kong’s national security law has provided meaningful insights into the effort to strike a reasonable balance between safeguarding national security and protecting fundamental rights. From the perspective of someone who has followed Hong Kong’s legal and constitutional evolution over several decades, this development is neither abrupt nor unprecedented. Rather, it reflects a maturing legal response to the challenges that also confront many other jurisdictions,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3314194/hong-kong-shows-how-balance-national-security-and-human-rights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3314194/hong-kong-shows-how-balance-national-security-and-human-rights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Indonesia continues to struggle in the fight against human trafficking, with recent cases involving Indonesians trafficked to Cambodia underscoring the crisis. The 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3314145/indonesia-must-tackle-human-trafficking-better-heres-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3314145/indonesia-must-tackle-human-trafficking-better-heres-how?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jun 2025 03:30:07 +0000