https://www.scmp.com/rss/15859/feed Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA. She fell down the rabbit hole of politics aged 12, when she ran her first election campaign. She has been writing about local politics and current affairs for the Post since 2008. Alice's daily needs include her journals, books, a multi-coloured pen and several lattes. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong’s government will launch a consultation exercise on the city’s first five-year plan next month. The plan is set to be released before the end of the year. It’s a monumental task. Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank and former head of the government’s now-defunct Central Policy Unit, has warned as much, saying: “It took years for local governments on the mainland to master the research and strategic thinking... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3353760/my-way-or-highway-no-way-make-informed-policy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3353760/my-way-or-highway-no-way-make-informed-policy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu You can’t buy happiness, they say. But we “buy” dopamine fixes all the time. Just whip out the smartphone and we easily go down that rabbit hole of endless doom scrolling, falling into the addictive trap of instant gratification, chasing likes, shares, comments and followers as rewards. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in our experience of pleasure, focus, reward and motivation. It propels us to put in effort, devote time and feel good about our achievements. Before the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3352904/hong-kong-right-move-extend-long-arm-law-claw-machines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3352904/hong-kong-right-move-extend-long-arm-law-claw-machines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Congratulations to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po for getting the city’s budget to sail through the Legislative Council. It wasn’t always such smooth sailing and Chan would do well to acknowledge as much. When Chan was first given the keys to the city’s coffers, they were full. Successive financial secretaries faced political pressure of a very different kind. There weren’t many issues that opposing parties saw eye to eye on. However, accusing the government of hoarding cash and not giving... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3352150/paul-chan-should-welcome-lawmakers-budget-scrutiny-not-dismiss-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3352150/paul-chan-should-welcome-lawmakers-budget-scrutiny-not-dismiss-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Kudos to the Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan for introducing a two-tier civil service accountability system. This will include giving an independent statutory body, the Public Service Commission, powers to investigate “widespread, repetitive and systemic” management problems, while department heads can investigate problems involving rank-and-file officers. To many, the revamp of the civil service accountability system is long overdue. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351331/hong-kongs-civil-service-accountability-system-will-end-buck-passing-mentality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351331/hong-kongs-civil-service-accountability-system-will-end-buck-passing-mentality?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:30:21 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong’s government is under mounting pressure to deliver the Northern Metropolis, announced in 2021, as it approaches the end of its term – less than 15 months and counting. The megaproject, to turn 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) near the border with mainland China into a centre of international innovation and technology, is to be an engine to drive the city’s economic growth and housing – and the gem of its economic integration with the mainland. We are pressed for time. Beijing has long... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350491/why-northern-metropolis-needs-more-one-big-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350491/why-northern-metropolis-needs-more-one-big-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu visited one of the schools offering free after-school care for low-income families last month. After receiving positive feedback from participants, he pledged to extend the programme to benefit more families. Lee said it had helped promote family harmony, with children also reporting “positive development in both academic and social aspects”. There’s little doubt we should celebrate victories, however small, but it is equally important to examine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades concluded the first round of hearings last week. It is essential that we get to the bottom of the human and systemic errors that led to the Tai Po inferno. There were many, as anticipated. Fragmentation of responsibility was rampant, which is probably expected for projects of this size with so many parties involved. If the government isn’t there to make sure that things are done properly, monitor and enforce the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348966/tai-po-fire-hearings-reveal-broken-promises-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348966/tai-po-fire-hearings-reveal-broken-promises-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last week, a friend and I chatted about our children’s favourite art pieces after happening upon an auction house’s exhibition in a building in the heart of Hong Kong’s business district. We both recalled stopping to look at Yayoi Kusama’s Mount Fuji prints. “I pass by the space twice every day,” my friend said. She told me that my son’s pick – a piece by Sam Francis – was a new installation, replacing what had been a display of handbags. How often do we pause to notice art, or enjoy life in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu “What if?” and “but why?” are questions I’ve been bombarded with by young schoolchildren. I’m often stumped, but I’ve learned to avoid giving the “worst” answer possible – “that’s the way it is” – because who’s to say things can’t change. Children’s ability to challenge the status quo, questioning norms and authority, forces us to re-examine our assumptions on why things must be the way they are. Adults are often too impatient to experiment with the alternative. We rush through our to-do lists... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347350/hong-kongs-education-policy-must-reflect-innovative-future-it-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347350/hong-kongs-education-policy-must-reflect-innovative-future-it-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu After the annual “two sessions” in Beijing, it’s clear that Hong Kong policymakers have their work cut out for them. It has been made abundantly clear what is expected of Hong Kong: stop messing around and get on with the national programme. Hong Kong is part of the nation’s plans to move forward. The country knows exactly where the city fits into the big picture, how it can catapult growth in key areas and play the role of superconnector between China and the rest of the world. The 15th... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The annual “two sessions” in Beijing are under way, and this year the annual ritual of reading tea leaves in this city has been made easier for politics watchers. That is because Beijing has been blunt about the problems it thinks our city faces. There is the usual praise for the Hong Kong government and Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s leadership. One striking difference is that Premier Li Qiang included in his annual work report, delivered at the opening session of the National People’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong hit a record low in births last year despite a range of government incentives, including a HK$20,000 (US$2,560) baby cash bonus for new parents launched in 2023. Just 31,714 babies were born last year. This might have come as a surprise for the authorities, which had projected a rise to 39,000 births. So was the baby bonus worth the try? Yes, if we can draw insight from the experience. To be fair, it wasn’t the only thing the government had done to encourage babies. It rolled out tax... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344937/hong-kong-cant-raise-its-birth-rate-without-easing-education-stress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344937/hong-kong-cant-raise-its-birth-rate-without-easing-education-stress?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Maybe it’s because we are riding on the euphoria of good fortune and luck that is associated with the celebration of the Lunar New Year that there hasn’t been much of the noise that we usually hear ahead of the annual budget speech. Typically, the weeks leading up to the speech are filled with groups petitioning and suggesting how the government should be spending its money. Could it be because the start of the Lenten season is coinciding with that of Ramadan? Are we tempered to be less selfish... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344158/hong-kongs-budget-must-help-those-who-need-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344158/hong-kongs-budget-must-help-those-who-need-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu We are ready to head into the Year of the Horse. But, before we do, let’s take stock of what the Year of the Snake brought Hong Kong. Some say the Year of the Snake is all about change and not meant to be comfortable. For Hong Kong, the past year has been a difficult one of shedding skin, baring our vulnerabilities for all to see. Just weeks into the Year of the Snake, Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, Xia Baolong, made inspection visits, reinforcing the central government’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343484/government-must-reflect-its-failures-we-enter-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343484/government-must-reflect-its-failures-we-enter-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 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 Alice Wu Alice Wu People generally don’t like change. But if you have ever had to take the worst seat on a bus – lower deck, last row, middle seat – then you would have probably put on the seat belt to avoid being catapulted down the aisle should the driver slam on the brakes. And if you’re on the upper deck and the only available seats are in the front row, then again, you would buckle up, to avoid going through the window in an accident. A responsible person would wear a seat belt when sitting anywhere in the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341855/seat-belt-u-turn-hong-kong-another-case-ill-fitting-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341855/seat-belt-u-turn-hong-kong-another-case-ill-fitting-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong has ambitious plans to become an international higher education hub. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced as much in his policy address. We are home to top-ranked universities, and the plan seems on track. But are we really preparing our children for these education ambitions? Are we equipping them to join our top-ranked universities? If you ask those running our secondary schools – more specifically, subsidised schools – they would probably say we aren’t doing enough. The... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341053/be-education-hub-hong-kong-must-first-do-better-its-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341053/be-education-hub-hong-kong-must-first-do-better-its-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The dust has settled on the election of the Legislative Council president, and committees and panels have settled into the new Legco. Most, it seems, are ready to hit the ground running. First on the agenda: dealing with the aftermath of the Tai Po fire. The more immediate matters involve the rebuilding of a community that has lost so much. Equally pressing are the long-standing issues laid bare by the tragic fire that demand the government fix the entire building sector. Consultations with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3340199/policy-blowback-shows-why-hong-kong-lawmakers-must-play-bigger-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3340199/policy-blowback-shows-why-hong-kong-lawmakers-must-play-bigger-role?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu If Hong Kong’s Transport Department couldn’t see that road signs needed to be at eye level when it opened the Yau Ma Tei section of the Central Kowloon Bypass, it makes sense that it couldn’t anticipate the increased demand for test-free driving licences with the launch of the southbound travel scheme. Under the scheme, drivers of Guangdong vehicles can enter via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge to either park at a designated car park – transferring to the airport for a flight or to local... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339383/hong-kongs-driving-licence-bottlenecks-undermine-its-car-travel-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339383/hong-kongs-driving-licence-bottlenecks-undermine-its-car-travel-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu swore in the new Legislative Council on January 1 without issue, even though a few lawmakers had to redo their oaths. And the first order of business for them is to elect the council president in a vote expected on January 8. Whether Lee’s message to Legco members – calling on them to be “representatives of the public”, and to prioritise the interests of the nation and Hong Kong over personal political gain and glory – is heard and how they interpret... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3338553/starry-lee-or-ronick-chan-lawmakers-choice-will-reveal-their-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3338553/starry-lee-or-ronick-chan-lawmakers-choice-will-reveal-their-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The Yau Ma Tei section of the Central Kowloon Bypass has finally opened. That is no doubt welcome news to commuters heading west to east across Kowloon, with travel time cut from 30 minutes to just five. That is definitely something to celebrate. We still need to wait for the Kowloon Bay section to open in 2026 to complete the bypass, but Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan hailed the project as a testament to the “Hong Kong spirit”, given the complex construction process. While the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337804/hong-kongs-lack-direction-goes-beyond-road-signs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337804/hong-kongs-lack-direction-goes-beyond-road-signs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Who would have thought the Egyptian exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum would be so popular? Art and relics from ancient Egypt are fascinating, of course. And the collection of over 200 treasured pieces, from seven major Egyptian museums and an archaeological site, gives us a glimpse into a very different world, reaching back into a mystical time when the ancient Egyptian civilisation flourished. But who would have thought the exhibition would draw the crowds it did when it opened last... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337114/frenzy-around-hong-kong-palace-museums-egyptian-show-offers-food-thought?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337114/frenzy-around-hong-kong-palace-museums-egyptian-show-offers-food-thought?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:30:12 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The dust has settled and Hong Kong’s eighth Legislative Council is getting ready, with new lawmakers finding their way. There were quite a few surprises, looking at the results. With many new candidates and political groups vying for seats, the contest for the directly elected geographical constituencies was highly competitive. Some candidates were fielded by groups with strongholds in the trade-based functional constituencies, which are indirectly elected. That is something we should welcome.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336253/hong-kongs-political-parties-are-embracing-change-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336253/hong-kongs-political-parties-are-embracing-change-better?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:30:17 +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 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong is going through one of its most difficult times in recent history. From what we have seen of the communities coming together for Tai Po, where the worst fire in decades ripped through a residential block leaving devastation that is almost unimaginable, there is hope that we will come out of this stronger. The loss of lives, including that of a firefighter, and homes that residents have spent decades making is crushing. It will take a good deal of time for those affected to fully... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334533/tai-po-fire-tragedy-brings-out-true-meaning-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334533/tai-po-fire-tragedy-brings-out-true-meaning-community?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The National Games have been a nice distraction, bringing a reprieve from the daily grind and demands of life. Watching competitive sports and sharing in the anticipation, and the highs and the lows, temporarily transports us to another realm. Whether we’re on the edge of our seats in the stands or in the comfort of our homes, we experience something together. There is a sense of community and a moment shared. Perhaps that is why competitive and spectator sports have been part of human existence... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3333698/hong-kong-can-take-inspiration-its-athletes-winning-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3333698/hong-kong-can-take-inspiration-its-athletes-winning-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu These are interesting times in Hong Kong politics. Rarely has the city seen the government get so involved in galvanising voters ahead of the Legislative Council election. These things have traditionally been the work of political parties and groups. And that is one prominent feature of the development of Hong Kong’s “patriots-only” political system. Before the overhaul of the election system, voter turnout was a barometer of sorts for the election outcome. Conventional wisdom was that the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332826/hong-kongs-legco-election-should-priortise-substance-over-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332826/hong-kongs-legco-election-should-priortise-substance-over-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Learning opportunities present themselves every day, most importantly when our standards and values are challenged. The growth mindset requires that we confront what we often take for granted to be the standard and to be true and fair. Life is simpler in absolutes – everything is clear, judgment is easy and there is no room for ambiguity. The problem with that, of course, is that life isn’t simple. Reality is complex, full of grey areas where nuance and context make life more interesting.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332001/simplified-chinese-tests-rigid-education-system-needs-proper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332001/simplified-chinese-tests-rigid-education-system-needs-proper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu More than 200 C-suite women senior executives, including global chief executives and chief financial officers, are gathering in the epicentre of Hong Kong’s financial district for the city’s first ever Women Chief Executives summit today. The conference is symbolic as much as it is significant. Women in this city have progressed by leaps and bounds over the past decade. A recent report by one of the summit’s organisers, the Women Chief Executive Network, as well as KPMG and the Women’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331112/hong-kong-must-do-more-empower-women-workforce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331112/hong-kong-must-do-more-empower-women-workforce?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The seventh-term Legislative Council has officially ended. I am sure few people had expected the attention Legco received over the past month, beginning with the news of Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen’s retirement. Amid a wave of retirements, legislators over 70 years old – including stalwarts – might be forgiven for feeling the pressure to step aside to make room for new blood. The announcement over the weekend by the New People’s Party’s Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and Lai Tung-kwok that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330343/can-legco-veterans-exit-really-invigorate-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330343/can-legco-veterans-exit-really-invigorate-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The topic of ageing has been catapulted into Hong Kong’s political stratosphere ever since a wave of septuagenarian legislative councillors began dropping out of the city’s Legislative Council race. Having public discourse veer off in this direction is unbecoming of a city that styles itself as a meritocracy. Are our seniors a burden? Are they standing in the way of the youth or dragging the rest of us down? The discussion surrounding older lawmakers bowing out of the electoral race could have... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329551/hong-kong-should-blame-policymakers-not-seniors-ageing-pressures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329551/hong-kong-should-blame-policymakers-not-seniors-ageing-pressures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu On the surface, things may seem to be going well for the Hong Kong government. However, dig a little deeper, and things do not look so good. Two recent news items have been particularly damning. First was the discovery that two government-approved providers of mandatory basic safety courses had violated conditions and had been suspended by the Labour Department. The second was the latest ombudsman investigation that revealed care homes and facilities had failed to deliver respite services to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3328535/gaping-holes-hong-kong-government-oversight-need-be-plugged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3328535/gaping-holes-hong-kong-government-oversight-need-be-plugged?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu With less than three weeks left of the current Legislative Council term, speculation is high about who’s in and who’s out for the next Legco. Elections are due to take place on December 7. However, before voters head to the polls, candidates must first clinch their nominations from the Election Committee. To run for either the Election Committee, functional or geographical constituencies, a person must get nominated by at least two Election Committee members from each of the committee’s five... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327903/hong-kong-must-look-beyond-age-selecting-capable-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327903/hong-kong-must-look-beyond-age-selecting-capable-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last week, Hong Kong braved the strongest storm of the year in the world as Super Typhoon Ragasa ripped through the city as well as the Philippines, Taiwan, Macau and coastal mainland China, causing havoc. Compared with the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, Hong Kong did well this time. Mangkhut sank boats, damaged infrastructure, left roads strewn with debris, injured hundreds of people and caused economic losses estimated at HK$4.6 billion (US$591.3 million). Economist... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326994/ragasas-wake-brings-pride-and-important-lessons-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326994/ragasas-wake-brings-pride-and-important-lessons-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu It was good to hear Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu say in last week’s policy address that his “ultimate objective in governance is to improve people’s livelihood” and recognising that the government must prioritise the well-being of the people to improve the health of the economy. It’s good because we are finally recognising that people are behind the success of Hong Kong and those good stories he wants everyone to tell. Reactions to the latest policy address have been generally positive. Lee... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326183/john-lees-policy-address-leaves-some-big-questions-unanswered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326183/john-lees-policy-address-leaves-some-big-questions-unanswered?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Some readers might not know Hong Kong had an election a little over a week ago. And that’s OK, because most of us aren’t part of the 3,631 voters eligible to take part in the Election Committee subsector by-elections, held on September 7. The election achieved a phenomenal voter turnout rate of 97.33 per cent. The 1,500-member Election Committee had 93 vacancies that needed filling. Nearly 80 per cent of the seats were uncontested. The public may lack interest, but that doesn’t mean the Election... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3325337/john-lees-policy-address-must-illuminate-hong-kongs-way-forward?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3325337/john-lees-policy-address-must-illuminate-hong-kongs-way-forward?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last week, my son asked me why “problems” were bad. I disagreed with the question because not everything can or should be looked at through the good-vs-bad binary spectacles. Problems, like puzzles and mysteries, are opportunities for growth and insight. We learn from them and are better for it. If the problem arose from ignorance or negligence, we know not to do it again. I wonder how Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin sees problems. Choi had to solve a big problem over... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324533/think-twice-about-letting-more-non-locals-hong-kong-universities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324533/think-twice-about-letting-more-non-locals-hong-kong-universities?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The last time I checked, Hong Kong still considered itself a world city, one where East meets West and international talent gathers. We have been told ad infinitum that the city is a “superconnector”, while Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also calls Hong Kong a “super value-adder”. But it seems those in charge of National Games coordination didn’t get the memo. National Games tickets went on sale last Thursday morning, but soon hit a snag: the online ticketing system did not provide an... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3323668/monolingual-national-games-ticketing-system-bad-look-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3323668/monolingual-national-games-ticketing-system-bad-look-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 01:30:10 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu It is quite unimaginable that Hong Kong continues to struggle with basic necessities such as water. However, that is the case, at least when it comes to the government. Ten years ago, opposition lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan found excessive levels of lead in drinking water that was later discovered to have affected 11 public housing estates, involving 29,000 households. That led to an independent, judge-led inquiry in 2016. The investigation yielded 17 recommendations, including for the water... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322960/water-scandal-another-blow-public-trust-hong-kong-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322960/water-scandal-another-blow-public-trust-hong-kong-government?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Plans for the next Legislative Council are being cemented – the nomination process will begin on October 24, with the current term ending on the same day. However, the same can’t be said for the date of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address. So far, we’ve only been told it will be moved up to September, to make time for the Legco elections. Sources have reportedly said it will take place on September 17 but, so far, nothing is official. That doesn’t seem normal. That being said, just... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322021/lawmakers-can-learn-cy-leungs-constructive-criticism-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3322021/lawmakers-can-learn-cy-leungs-constructive-criticism-government?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu A proposal in Hong Kong to require commercial vehicle drivers aged 65 and above to pass a fitness test before their driving licences can be renewed was first raised in the Legislative Council back in May 2023. Little was heard about it since – until now. After last week’s horrific car crash involving an octogenarian taxi driver, the transport secretary finally announced a follow-up: the proposal would be introduced in Legco by the first quarter of next year. Why did it take a high-profile... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3321350/stricter-health-checks-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-should-just-be-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3321350/stricter-health-checks-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-should-just-be-start?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last December, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said there were no loopholes in the city’s Top Talent Pass Scheme. We know leaders in Beijing have repeatedly asked this administration to be bold, but Sun’s claim of no administrative gaps might have been too bold. Given the complexities, no immigration policy can truly be flawless and airtight. In the government’s attempt to make up for the outflow of people, it rolled out the Top Talent Pass Scheme in 2022. Since... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3320464/hong-kong-must-fix-talent-scheme-mainland-exam-immigrants-draw-ire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3320464/hong-kong-must-fix-talent-scheme-mainland-exam-immigrants-draw-ire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Is Hong Kong still a foodies’ heaven? Or has that gone down the drain along with our reputation as a shopping paradise? It’s hard to let go of those titles, so much a part of Hong Kong’s identity. We were, for a long time, a place associated with great food. We were a shopping mecca. The city that never sleeps. Over a nightcap with a childhood friend back in Hong Kong to visit family, I had what has become quite a familiar conversation about our beloved city. “Wow. We are the only ones... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3319658/tackle-unrealistic-rents-or-watch-hong-kong-turn-ghost-town?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3319658/tackle-unrealistic-rents-or-watch-hong-kong-turn-ghost-town?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:29:55 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Poised to deliver his fourth policy address in September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is gearing up to show that his administration is delivering on his “result-oriented” leadership. This may be the reason he revealed last month that the government was considering a new accountability system for senior officials. Lee seems to have started paving the way for the proposed reform around the time the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development released its World... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3318775/happiness-hong-kong-must-be-focus-along-civil-service-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3318775/happiness-hong-kong-must-be-focus-along-civil-service-efficiency?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 08:31:48 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government will introduce a bill to recognise same-sex partnerships, despite opposition from some powerful political groups. The move is the government’s answer to a landmark court ruling by the Court of Final Appeal in 2023. The court gave authorities two years to draw up laws to sort out the rights of same-sex couples by October 27, finding the government in violation of Hong Kong’s Bill of Rights. The government has wisely decided that now is the right time to push... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317884/lawmakers-against-lgbtq-rights-bill-shouldnt-stoop-fearmongering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317884/lawmakers-against-lgbtq-rights-bill-shouldnt-stoop-fearmongering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu When we have a 90-member-strong legislature, things get done. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has passed 117 bills, 98 per cent more than in the previous term. The bulk of lawmakers’ work is, well, making laws, so it speaks to the council’s efficiency that twice as many bills have been passed after a 28.6 per cent increase in its membership. Rules also limit the time that Legislative Council members get to speak: we generally require they get whatever they need to get off their chests within 15... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317026/hong-kong-legislators-great-passing-laws-not-so-good-showing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317026/hong-kong-legislators-great-passing-laws-not-so-good-showing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Despite having been part of our lives for a long time, beauty pageants have come in for heavy criticism in recent years for objectifying women and reducing them to being judged only on their outward appearance. Despite reforms aimed at improving social perception and what constitutes “beauty”, they remain controversial. So, when Angel Chong Nga-ting, a 24-year-old local district councillor, decided to put herself out there and enter the contest for the title of Miss Hong Kong, some in the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316123/reaction-angel-chongs-miss-hong-kong-bid-should-spark-reflection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316123/reaction-angel-chongs-miss-hong-kong-bid-should-spark-reflection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Timing is everything in politics, and Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has good timing on his side. Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Xia Baolong’s fact-finding trip could not have come at a more perfect time for Lee because school is out and the report cards are rolling in. The day before Beijing’s point man for Hong Kong and Macau affairs arrived for his third fact-finding trip, the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development released its latest World... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3315253/hong-kong-aviations-revival-perfectly-timed-john-lees-report-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3315253/hong-kong-aviations-revival-perfectly-timed-john-lees-report-card?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu A recent trend in Hong Kong is causing concern. Cinemas and restaurants that have operated here for years are now closing down for good. Earlier this month, cinema chain operator Golden Harvest shut its venue at the MegaBox shopping centre, the fifth cinema it has closed down since April 2024. That came just days after it shut the Grand Ocean Cinema in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been in business for 56 years. Other cinemas shutting up shop this year include the Newport Theatre in Mong Kok and the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3314321/hotpot-over-hot-dogs-hong-kong-cinemas-need-new-ideas-survive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3314321/hotpot-over-hot-dogs-hong-kong-cinemas-need-new-ideas-survive?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Dongjiang water supply to Hong Kong, the government launched a series of events reminding residents to be grateful for the water they drink. Earlier in the year, Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong Yan-lok said he hoped the public would more deeply understand the importance of the water supply and appreciate the country’s immense support. Yes, water is life. It is not to be taken for granted. That’s why both Wong and Secretary for Development Bernadette... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3313400/how-hard-can-it-be-say-sorry-over-fanling-water-scare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3313400/how-hard-can-it-be-say-sorry-over-fanling-water-scare?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:30:09 +0000