https://www.scmp.com/rss/322030/feed Ho Lok Sang is senior research fellow in the Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute at Lingnan University. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com This year, I attended a seminar on the 918 Incident. On that fateful day of September 18, 1931, an explosion destroyed a section of railway track near the Manchurian city of Mukden, now Shenyang. The Japanese used the incident as a pretext for retaliation against China and an invasion of Manchuria. That was the prelude to the fully fledged invasion of China, following the Lugou Bridge Incident on July 7, 1937. The war dragged on until September 2, 1945 when the Imperial Japanese Army surrendered... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3280135/dont-hate-people-their-political-leaders-wars-and-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3280135/dont-hate-people-their-political-leaders-wars-and-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Sep 2024 21:30:09 +0000 Liberal studies became one of the four compulsory “core” subjects in the Diploma of Secondary Education examination in 2009. Its importance has never been questioned in education circles in Hong Kong, largely because of its implicit emphasis on personal development and critical thinking, both basic aspects of “whole-person development”, which virtually all Hong Kong universities consider important. Unfortunately, notwithstanding the best of intentions, the actual delivery of the liberal studies... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3128569/how-hong-kongs-revamped-liberal-studies-subject-can-foster-critical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3128569/how-hong-kongs-revamped-liberal-studies-subject-can-foster-critical?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Apr 2021 00:30:15 +0000 The world is now in the grip of an unprecedented crisis, which could have truly disastrous consequences, including a systemic collapse of the global economy. But these dire consequences can be averted, and the world can look forward to full recovery in a matter of months, if we all work together and steer public policies scientifically and confidently. To engineer a recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, and reignite hope, policymakers will need to do two things: first, effectively contain or... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3076883/coronavirus-how-hong-kong-and-other-cities-can-get-life-back-normal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3076883/coronavirus-how-hong-kong-and-other-cities-can-get-life-back-normal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:00:06 +0000 When Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping proposed the “one country, two systems” model, two things were on his mind. One was that Chinese people across all parts of China should unite and stand as one nation. This addressed the long-standing complaint that Chinese people had been fragmented for too long. Because we were not united, foreign powers were able to “divide and rule” us, at our expense. The other was that we must respect each other’s political systems and existing institutions, so that... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3045875/how-reunification-taiwan-and-mainland-could-still-work-prioritise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3045875/how-reunification-taiwan-and-mainland-could-still-work-prioritise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2020 20:00:08 +0000 The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index ranks China 75th among 113 jurisdictions, a grade that includes sub-rankings of 47th for absence of corruption, 57th for civil justice, and 54th for criminal justice. Hong Kong is ranked 16th overall, and comes in 10th, 12th and 16th respectively for the factors that the index is based on. The United States is 19th overall, with sub-rankings of 19th, 26th and 20th. The World Justice Project is administered by an independent non-profit research team... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2179007/hongkongers-jailed-philippines-what-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2179007/hongkongers-jailed-philippines-what-use?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Dec 2018 04:04:27 +0000 The rapid expansion in Hong Kong of degree placements by self-financing institutions and self-financing arms of subsidised institutions has led to notable “achievements”, according to the government. One document says: “There are now about 150 and 300 self-financing post-secondary programmes at undergraduate level and sub-degree level … vis-à-vis around 40 and 230 such programmes respectively in 2005-06”. But there is an excessive orientation towards academic degrees and inadequate attention... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2123172/why-diversity-under-threat-hong-kongs-post-secondary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2123172/why-diversity-under-threat-hong-kongs-post-secondary?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Dec 2017 03:34:34 +0000 The presidents of 10 universities in Hong Kong issued a joint statement last week, stressing their stand on “Hong Kong independence”. Declaring that they did not support the cause, they demanded that student bodies remove any propaganda promoting it, as such banners contravene the Basic Law, or the universities would do so. They also emphasised that freedom of speech has its limits and its abuse should not be tolerated. Timothy O’Leary, head of the University of Hong Kong’s School of Humanities... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2111882/debate-hong-kong-independence-welcome-propaganda-banners-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2111882/debate-hong-kong-independence-welcome-propaganda-banners-are?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2017 03:43:52 +0000 Election day for Hong Kong’s chief executive is now barely a month away, and nominations will close on March 1. Most eyes are now focused on the two front runners, former chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and former financial chief John Tsang Chun-wah. But Hong Kong will benefit if two of the other contenders, retired judge Woo Kwok-hing and Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, are also admitted into the race with sufficient nominations. As for Leung Kwok-hung, neither he nor his supporters are... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2071028/hong-kong-would-benefit-if-four-worthy-chief-executive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2071028/hong-kong-would-benefit-if-four-worthy-chief-executive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Feb 2017 06:27:46 +0000 The chief executive race should be seen as fair, despite the limiting fact that it is a “small circle election” involving a committee of 1,194 members. Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Basic Law Committee vice-chair and former Hong Kong justice secretary, said there were “too many candidates” and advised them to consider their chances before joining the race. She then went on to praise Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who quit her post as chief secretary to run for the top job, as someone “who works with her... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2063975/hong-kong-chief-executive-candidates-must-all-be-given-fair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2063975/hong-kong-chief-executive-candidates-must-all-be-given-fair?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jan 2017 03:01:04 +0000 With the Hong Kong chief executive election drawing near, pan-democrats had been calling for “ABC”: “Anyone but CY”. Now that Leung Chun-ying has declared he won’t be seeking a second term, pan-democrats are claiming victory in this leg of the struggle. But many warn that another CY could be elected. From day one, Leung was the straw man, to be jeered, labelled a wolf and ridiculed, and blamed for almost every ill. He is held responsible for the polarisation of Hong Kong, but polarisation is not... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2054176/blame-adversarial-politics-not-leung-chun-ying-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2054176/blame-adversarial-politics-not-leung-chun-ying-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Dec 2016 06:45:30 +0000 The much touted “separation of powers” is intended to ensure there are checks and balances between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. This is important for sound governance in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the role of checks and balances has been grossly misunderstood, and our pan-democrats are accusing the government of political interference in the case of two lawmakers who had their oaths invalidated, when actually it is the pan-democrats themselves who are trying to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2038721/judicial-review-oath-taking-proof-hong-kongs-system-checks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2038721/judicial-review-oath-taking-proof-hong-kongs-system-checks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Oct 2016 02:50:36 +0000 Elections are supposed to be fair, as fair play is fundamental to democracy. But, unfortunately, the Legislative Council election has been marred by the strange behaviour of some candidates, as well as a case of possible attempted bribery. According to the rules, candidates who stand for direct elections are subject to a campaign budget ceiling of HK$3.03 million, while those who campaign for the district council functional constituency seats, the so-called “super seats”, must not spend more... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2015982/did-election-strategies-hong-kong-undermine-fair-play?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2015982/did-election-strategies-hong-kong-undermine-fair-play?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2016 04:05:46 +0000 The inconsistent way in which the Legislative Council election rules have been administered is disappointing. I lauded the requirement for aspiring candidates to reaffirm their acceptance of key clauses in the Basic Law. This is potentially an effective way to screen out candidates who promote Hong Kong’s independence, which is a legitimate responsibility of the Electoral Affairs Commission. Yet the requirement was not consistently upheld, thus hurting the commission’s credibility. It must... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2001424/hong-kongs-electoral-commission-losing-credibility-through?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2001424/hong-kongs-electoral-commission-losing-credibility-through?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Aug 2016 03:55:51 +0000 The Basic Law is the foundation of “one country, two systems”. All parties, regardless of their political stance and their background, need to give it their full respect. This means that aberrations, for whatever reason, should not be tolerated. Only in this way can it command the trust of Hong Kong people. Only in this way can the integrity of the “one country, two systems” framework be preserved. READ MORE: Hong Kong is right to worry about the disappearance of bookseller Lee Bo and his... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1900071/given-concerns-over-missing-bookseller-lee-bo-its-vital-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1900071/given-concerns-over-missing-bookseller-lee-bo-its-vital-all?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2016 08:55:08 +0000