https://www.scmp.com/rss/501997/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The battle for Hong Kong’s e-payment market is heating up in the taxi trade with financial services giant Visa jumping on the bandwagon in a bid to break into the industry. Visa, which is in partnership with technology provider Global Payments Inc, on Tuesday said it had this month rolled out a “Tap to Phone” service for taxis, allowing passengers to use their contactless cards on cabbies’ Android smartphones to pay their fares. So far about 100 drivers at Chung Shing Taxi have signed up for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3178895/visa-rolls-out-tap-phone-app-hong-kong-taxi-trade-it-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3178895/visa-rolls-out-tap-phone-app-hong-kong-taxi-trade-it-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2022 04:22:03 +0000 China appears to be gradually easing its lockdown of Shanghai, but that won’t bring immediate relief to global supply-chain congestion, according to a major shipping company. Shortages of rail, port and trucking workers in China and the US need to get resolved quicker than is currently happening as they are delaying ships at the world’s major ports, said Jeremy Nixon, chief executive officer of Ocean Network Express. “Every government is doing their best to address the issue, but labour... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178301/shanghais-lockdown-easing-doesnt-mean-end-shipping-snarls-worlds-largest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178301/shanghais-lockdown-easing-doesnt-mean-end-shipping-snarls-worlds-largest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2022 06:00:14 +0000 Kerry Logistics Network has rolled out Hong Kong’s first two 5.5-tonne electric trucks after buying them for HK$3 million (US$382,170), paving the way for the city’s largest listed firm of its kind to achieve zero carbon emissions in 10 years. Upon becoming the city’s first logistics company to deploy e-trucks, the firm said the two 5.5-tonne vehicles, made by Chinese manufacturer JAC Motors, had hit the road this month. “The introduction will be a trial run and is part of Kerry Logistics... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3177770/kerry-logistics-rolls-out-hong-kongs-first-electric-trucks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3177770/kerry-logistics-rolls-out-hong-kongs-first-electric-trucks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 May 2022 03:00:26 +0000 Hong Kong’s railway buffs have been given a first look at the MTR’s new Exhibition Centre station, including a display featuring a large World War II bomb uncovered during construction, ahead of the May 15 opening of the final section of the long-overdue Sha Tin to Central link. Around 400 to 500 visitors, mostly railway fans and families with young children, had queued up outside a station exit near the Harbour Centre in Wan Chai before the open day began at 10am on Monday, a public holiday for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3177070/hong-kong-train-buffs-get-first-look-new-exhibition-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3177070/hong-kong-train-buffs-get-first-look-new-exhibition-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 May 2022 10:53:55 +0000 A man was found dead in a bus at a terminus in Hong Kong on Saturday, and it was believed his body remained in the vehicle overnight to no one’s notice. Police received a report at around 12pm on Saturday and found the passenger, believed to have been in his 50s, inside a 36B double-decker at Lei Muk Shue Bus Terminus in Tsuen Wan. A bus driver who was at the terminus when the body was found said a cleaner discovered the deceased on a seat in the middle of the double-decker’s upper level. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3176908/man-found-dead-bus-hong-kong-terminus-believed-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3176908/man-found-dead-bus-hong-kong-terminus-believed-have?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 May 2022 14:37:44 +0000 When it comes to air travel, we’re all familiar with cramped seats where you barely have any personal space. With this in mind, airlines have long been one-upping each other by offering customers the most deluxe in-flight experience possible in their first class cabins – at a hefty price, of course. But what if you could experience that sort of upgrade while travelling on the ground? Enter Marchi Mobile, which has created what it calls “the most luxurious mobile home in the world”, the eleMMent... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3175785/4-luxurious-rvs-upgrade-any-road-trip-style-marchi-mobiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3175785/4-luxurious-rvs-upgrade-any-road-trip-style-marchi-mobiles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:30 +0000 A major bus operator in Hong Kong has unveiled the city’s first electric double-decker vehicle that is specially designed to handle hilly terrain and meet commuter demand for air conditioning on public transport. Bravo Transport, the holding company of Citybus and New World First Bus, is the second franchised transport firm to launch electric buses this week, as operators aim to meet the government’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The operator plans to replace its entire fleet of 1,700 buses... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3176062/hong-kong-get-first-electric-double-decker-bus-designed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3176062/hong-kong-get-first-electric-double-decker-bus-designed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Apr 2022 23:00:25 +0000 China Petroleum & Chemical (Sinopec) expects fuel demand in the world’s second largest economy to gradually recover later this quarter, after its refinery utilisation rates and cash flows were hit by city lockdowns and logistics hiccups. The company, the world’s largest oil refiner and fuel producer, saw the average usage of its refining plants decline to around 85 per cent in recent weeks from 92.6 per cent in the first two months of the year, Huang Wensheng, secretary to the board of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3175816/sinopec-expects-fuel-demand-recover-covid-19-drop-second-quarter-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3175816/sinopec-expects-fuel-demand-recover-covid-19-drop-second-quarter-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Apr 2022 06:49:39 +0000 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 2018, the Audit Commission criticised the Buildings Department for its poor management of illegal signboards. Two shortcomings were highlighted in its report. The first was the poor public... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3175680/can-john-lees-result-oriented-pledge-truly-stir-bureaucracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3175680/can-john-lees-result-oriented-pledge-truly-stir-bureaucracy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Apr 2022 03:30:11 +0000 Hong Kong’s largest bus operator, KMB, has roughly doubled its fleet of single-deck electric vehicles, as part of a wider plan to align with the government’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The 16 new neon-green buses went into service on Monday afternoon on Route 6, which runs between Tsim Sha Tsui Pier and Lai Chi Kok. The 8km route, which takes less than an hour to complete, runs through major thoroughfare Nathan Road. The bus operator had planned to introduce the buses before... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3175436/hong-kong-bus-operator-kmb-adds-new-electric-buses-carry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3175436/hong-kong-bus-operator-kmb-adds-new-electric-buses-carry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Apr 2022 08:07:23 +0000 Tesla supplier Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) plans to invest nearly US$6 billion in a battery project in Indonesia, taking another step in expanding its global footprint and positioning itself to meet increasing demand for electric vehicles (EV). CATL, the world’s largest manufacturer of EV batteries, said in a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Friday that its subsidiary Ningbo Contemporary Brunp Lygend (CBL) will partner with two Indonesian companies, Aneka Tambang and Industri... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3174368/tesla-supplier-catls-global-expansion-gathers-pace-us6-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3174368/tesla-supplier-catls-global-expansion-gathers-pace-us6-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Apr 2022 05:15:24 +0000 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 Hong Kong, women earned 33.3 per cent less than men in terms of their median monthly salaries in 2016, according to the Census and Statistics Department. Although the percentage dropped to 25... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3173264/hong-kongs-public-sector-should-lead-effort-narrow-gender-pay-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3173264/hong-kongs-public-sector-should-lead-effort-narrow-gender-pay-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 06:30:17 +0000 A suspension of MTR train service between Sunny Bay and Disneyland Resort stations in Hong Kong lasted until Tuesday night as staff raced to fix a power outage caused by a technical fault with overhead line equipment. The MTR Corporation announced the suspension on the Disneyland Resort line at about 8.30am on Tuesday. “Based on past experience, we expect it will take more than two hours to handle this incident,” the rail giant had said initially. “MTR staff are carrying out repair work. We... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3173087/hong-kong-mtr-train-services-between-sunny-bay-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3173087/hong-kong-mtr-train-services-between-sunny-bay-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Apr 2022 03:19:43 +0000 Chinese scientists have developed a method to wirelessly transfer power to a maglev train while it runs aloft, with a high-speed prototype reaching unprecedented efficiency during a test run, according to researchers involved in the project. The energy efficiency of a typical smartphone wireless charger is around 50 per cent. When charging a moving electric car with roadside transmitters, even more of the energy – nearly 80 per cent – is wasted, according to recent experiments. But a maglev... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3171301/maglev-innovation-chinese-researchers-transfer-power-wirelessly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3171301/maglev-innovation-chinese-researchers-transfer-power-wirelessly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:30:24 +0000 Trade unions protested at British ferry ports on Friday after Dubai-owned P&O Ferries abruptly sacked 800 workers via a video message, drawing widespread condemnation and raising the prospect of disruption to key tourist and goods routes. P&O, which is owned by Dubai ports firm DP World, is recovering from a difficult two years when Covid-19 prevented tourists from travelling on its routes between Britain, France, Ireland and elsewhere in northern Europe. P&O said on Thursday it had lost £100... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3171063/protesters-gather-uk-ports-after-po-sacks-800-ferry-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3171063/protesters-gather-uk-ports-after-po-sacks-800-ferry-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:30:28 +0000 China’s urban rail transit system expanded at an unprecedented rate last year, adding 62 brand-new metro lines in 35 cities, according to researchers with the China Association of Metros. These projects increased the total length of China’s urban rail transit by over 15 per cent to 9,192km (5,711 miles), accounting for about a quarter of the world’s total. The Chinese government originally planned to have 10,000km of urban rail by 2025 but rail experts now say that could be achieved by the end... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3168851/pandemic-behind-it-china-ramps-metro-rail-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3168851/pandemic-behind-it-china-ramps-metro-rail-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:00:14 +0000 There may well be no such thing as a free lunch, but in Hong Kong there’s the next best thing – a free ride. Lots of free rides. Well, almost free. Under the Fare Concession Scheme for “elderly and eligible persons”, from February 27 onwards residents aged 60 t0 64 (no longer just those 65 and over) can make a journey anywhere in Hong Kong’s 1,110 sq km (429 square miles) and using any means of transport for HK$2 (25 US cents). Just show an Octopus JoyYou stored value card and trips on the MTR... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3168375/make-most-hk2-public-transport-fares-hong-kong-seniors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3168375/make-most-hk2-public-transport-fares-hong-kong-seniors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:15:15 +0000 Confusions arose on Thursday over whether Hong Kong cross-border truck drivers were still exempted from compulsory quarantine in mainland China after the city’s transport chief said Guangdong provincial authorities had agreed to ease some Covid-19 restrictions. Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan told lawmakers on Thursday that Guangdong had a day earlier reduced the entry ban on truck drivers who lived in areas with Covid-19 cases from 21 to 14 days. Chan said truck drivers of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3167467/coronavirus-hong-kong-cross-border-truck-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3167467/coronavirus-hong-kong-cross-border-truck-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:01:54 +0000 The Northern Metropolis, a planned development near the mainland border, is not only key to integrating Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area, but an ideal place to implement sustainable low-carbon living, focusing in particular on transport. In recent years, the number of private cars in the city has been growing, while passenger traffic volume on public transport has declined. Over the past 10 years, the number of licensed private cars has increased by 40 per cent. By contrast, government data... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3167124/hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-must-prioritise-green-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3167124/hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-must-prioritise-green-public?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:45:16 +0000 One wouldn’t expect to go to the austere Penny’s Bay government quarantine centre in Hong Kong for artistic inspiration, yet flautist Olivier Nowak rediscovered his childhood love of painting when he was locked up in the facility without his instrument. Now he is in the middle of producing his second illustrated storybook for children based on Hong Kong’s public transport. In October 2020, the Frenchman and his wife, clarinettist Lau Wai, faced a terrible predicament when they and fellow members... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3166096/stuck-hong-kong-quarantine-father-painted-star-ferry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3166096/stuck-hong-kong-quarantine-father-painted-star-ferry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Feb 2022 23:15:18 +0000 Hong Kong customs seized HK$4.3 million (US$552,000) worth of smuggled diesel oil and goods vehicles at two border control points as part of a special operation last month, the agency revealed on Thursday. Eight male drivers, aged between 31 and 53, were arrested during the operation which ran between January 12 and January 31. Customs officers intercepted seven vehicles at the Lok Ma Chau border crossing and one at Shenzhen Bay Control Point. The eight trucks and 9,700 litres of suspected... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3165714/8-arrested-hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk43-million-worth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3165714/8-arrested-hong-kong-customs-seizes-hk43-million-worth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:26:14 +0000 Celebrities sure love their fancy wheels. Many of them even have entire garages of extravagant rides – and Korean stars are no exception. Fans are always curious to know who drives what, and how much it all costs. Exo’s Chanyeol, former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung and G-Dragon are among the many K-stars known to get around in luxury supercars. On the flipside, some A-listers seem to prefer more modest means of travel, like the metro. They even enjoy using it, although their managers... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3165398/5-korean-stars-who-love-taking-metro-g-dragon-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3165398/5-korean-stars-who-love-taking-metro-g-dragon-has?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Feb 2022 02:00:17 +0000 Manufacturers and policymakers in China must work together to put even more zero-emission vehicles on the roads of the world’s largest vehicle market to meet the nation’s carbon neutrality target by 2060, Greenpeace said. Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) will have to make up 63 per cent of total automobile sales by 2030, rising up to 87 per cent by 2035, for China to get on the path for meeting the 20 per cent emissions-cut target in 2035, according to research published by the environmental... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3163782/china-must-put-even-more-electric-cars-roads-faster-rate-meet-nations-2060?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3163782/china-must-put-even-more-electric-cars-roads-faster-rate-meet-nations-2060?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:00:15 +0000 I would like to express my disappointment at Bernard Chan’s opinion piece on the MTR (“In praise of Hong Kong’s MTR – still one of the best in the world”, December 17). I guess he does not take the MTR regularly as a commuter and therefore praised it from an official perspective. The MTR is the most crucial mode of transport in this city and makes millions of trips every day. It receives much admiration around the world but this is no excuse for any accident. As a passenger, I can anticipate the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3160190/officials-should-take-mtr-regularly-understand-public-unhappiness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3160190/officials-should-take-mtr-regularly-understand-public-unhappiness?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Dec 2021 22:30:15 +0000 The West Kowloon district is likely to become an important commercial district in Hong Kong in the coming years, as new office space comes onto the market, according to analysts. “The Kowloon station precinct serves as an extension to the core Tsim Sha Tsui office submarket but currently has only limited amount of office space, so it isn’t seen as a stand-alone office submarket for the time being,” said Marcos Chan, head of research at real estate firm CBRE Hong Kong. However, “the future... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3160329/west-kowloon-district-emerging-new-darling-hong-kong-based-multinational?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3160329/west-kowloon-district-emerging-new-darling-hong-kong-based-multinational?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Dec 2021 03:00:32 +0000 An average of 3.88 million passenger trips per weekday; 22 heavy and light rail lines; 98 MTR stations and 68 light rail stations; a total route length of 266.3km; 99.9 per cent on-time performance. These are the impressive numbers of Hong Kong’s MTR. Of course, the public only remembers the 0.1 per cent of the time when the MTR is delayed, such as when two train carriage doors fell off and landed on the tracks at the Causeway Bay station during the evening rush hour on December 2. Or when three... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159842/praise-hong-kongs-mtr-still-one-best-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159842/praise-hong-kongs-mtr-still-one-best-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Dec 2021 22:45:16 +0000 How important is sustainable development to our future policymakers? The Legislative Council election is just a few days away, with 90 seats being contested by 153 candidates, but how green are they? Over the past week, we surveyed the legislative candidates via email to try and find out where they stand on environmental topics from climate change to green finance. Only 16 bothered to respond and 10 did not even have an email address – we can see where priority lies for our candidates.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159811/legco-election-hong-kongs-green-future-priority-too-few-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3159811/legco-election-hong-kongs-green-future-priority-too-few-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Dec 2021 22:00:21 +0000 This will be my last Christmas as chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping. As I prepare to hand over to Emanuele Grimaldi next June, I can say with some confidence that in my time, the shipping industry has had to navigate some its greatest challenges since World War II. From Covid-19 to climate change, from the “crew change crisis” to the global supply chain crunch, in my 50-year career, this last two have thrown the most intense spotlight on shipping’s global role. And the challenges... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159277/covid-19-crew-and-climate-crises-shippings-global-role-under?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3159277/covid-19-crew-and-climate-crises-shippings-global-role-under?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Dec 2021 19:30:27 +0000 Laos is set to open a US$6 billion Chinese-built railway on Friday, with debt concerns balanced against hopes it could boost the reclusive nation’s struggling economy. The 414km (260-mile) segment took five years to construct under China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. Analysts have acknowledged the potential economic boost, but have queried how infrastructure-poor Laos will pay its US$1.06 billion debt – and whether it is ready to exploit the state-of-the-art transport system. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3158353/game-changer-laos-opens-chinese-built-railway-line-against?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3158353/game-changer-laos-opens-chinese-built-railway-line-against?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:54:47 +0000 A veteran engineer dubbed “Hong Kong’s Detective Galileo” has questioned the MTR Corporation’s explanation that a loose billboard component was responsible for a rare accident in which a pair of carriage doors fell off a moving train as it pulled into a busy station on Thursday. Lo Kok-keung, 71, a mechanical engineer nicknamed after the science-loving sleuth at the centre of a series of Japanese mystery novels, has served as an expert witness in dozens of court cases since the 2000s, and told... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3158293/was-human-error-behind-hong-kong-train-door-mishap-railway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3158293/was-human-error-behind-hong-kong-train-door-mishap-railway?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Dec 2021 05:38:47 +0000 Hong Kong’s first automated parking system will commence service on Thursday after a two-year trial. The system, aimed at easing a shortage of parking spots, is installed in a short-term tenancy car park at the junction of Hoi Shing Road and Hoi Kok Street in Tsuen Wan. The site has a total of 245 parking spaces, of which 78 are automated. “The automated parking system can further increase the number of parking spaces and [boost] spatial efficiency,” said Ricky Ho Wai-kee, assistant commissioner... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3157244/hong-kongs-first-automated-parking-system-commence-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3157244/hong-kongs-first-automated-parking-system-commence-service?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Nov 2021 11:15:02 +0000 The MTR Corporation, in its headlong pursuit of profit from its real estate endeavours, has lost sight of its true function: to serve the people of Hong Kong. Its original and most important purpose is to meet Hong Kong’s public transport needs and, in part to secure the sustainability of that obligation, the corporation was permitted to dabble in real estate. But these activities soon proved so profitable that they became the company’s main business, and consequently, have contributed to the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3145495/mtr-corp-should-stop-feeding-hong-kongs-housing-crisis-and-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3145495/mtr-corp-should-stop-feeding-hong-kongs-housing-crisis-and-help?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Aug 2021 01:15:16 +0000 We’ve all heard of private yachts and private jets. But now French designer Thierry Gaugain has designed what he calls the “world’s first private luxury train”. Gaugain is a prolific designer who has worked across multiple fields, designing furniture, glasses, motorbikes and private planes. Gaugain has also designed yachts, and helped create Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs’ 80-metre yacht “Venus”. But now, for the first time, Gaugain has decided to create a private luxury train... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3143894/inside-worlds-first-private-luxury-train-created-steve-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3143894/inside-worlds-first-private-luxury-train-created-steve-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Aug 2021 05:11:43 +0000 Chinese auto-manufacturing group Geely will keep working on vehicles powered by methanol even though the effort may fail, chairman Li Shufu said. Zhejiang-based Geely, among a small number of carmakers developing methanol-powered vehicles, is testing methanol-fuelled taxis in some western Chinese cities as well as developing methanol-powered trucks at its commercial vehicles unit. The private holding group, which owns Volvo Cars and a 9.7 per cent stake in German carmaker Daimler AG, has also... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3137160/geely-press-methanol-powered-vehicles-despite-risk-failure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3137160/geely-press-methanol-powered-vehicles-despite-risk-failure?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jun 2021 13:09:50 +0000 A middle-aged minibus driver died and seven others were injured when his vehicle and a car collided at a Hong Kong junction on Sunday. Six passengers, aged 27 to 66, and the car driver, 33, were hurt in the accident, which took place at about 2.50pm in Sha Tin district. Online dashcam footage from another vehicle showed the route 803 green minibus was hit on its right side as it travelled along Tai Chung Kiu Road. After the impact with the white private car at the junction with Sha Tin Wai Road,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3137142/one-dead-seven-injured-after-collision-between-minibus-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3137142/one-dead-seven-injured-after-collision-between-minibus-car?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jun 2021 07:52:46 +0000 S.F. Holding, China’s largest listed courier provider, plans to inject three logistics centres worth HK$6.1 billion (US$786 million) into an offshore real estate investment trust (REIT) to be listed in Hong Kong as part of a plan free up cash from its assets. A listing application for SF Real Estate Investment Trust has been submitted to the bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing on April 23, and relevant agreements on its proposed listing will be signed soon, S.F. Holding said in an... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3131519/sf-holding-chinese-rival-fedex-spin-us786-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3131519/sf-holding-chinese-rival-fedex-spin-us786-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 01:46:00 +0000 Hong Kong-based airport lounge operator Plaza Premium Group has diversified to high-speed rail lounges with the launch of its first facility in Changsha in mainland China. The Dragon Pass x Plaza Premium Lounge at the Changsha south high-speed railway station can accommodate as many as 290 guests at a time. The 700 square metre lounge can be accessed for a walk-in fee of 68 yuan (US$10.4) for a four-hour stay. Launched in January, the lounge has high-speed internet, a nursing room and a playroom... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3130506/hong-kong-airport-lounge-firm-plaza-premium-sets-sights-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3130506/hong-kong-airport-lounge-firm-plaza-premium-sets-sights-chinas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:30:18 +0000 I write in reference to your editorial “Make Hong Kong more bicycle-friendly” (April 3). While the use of bicycles has increased during the pandemic, Hong Kong unfortunately still falls far short of being a bicycle-friendly city, putting into doubt the commitment of many of these new riders. The government claims that it can do little more in urban areas. This means that the length of public bicycle tracks and parking facilities are too small and are limited to a few areas in the New... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3130259/hong-kong-should-follow-tokyo-path-being-bicycle-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3130259/hong-kong-should-follow-tokyo-path-being-bicycle-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Apr 2021 22:15:13 +0000 I refer to your story “Taxi council sees red as more cabbies sign up with Uber” (April 11).  The Hong Kong Taxi Council continues to demonstrate how out of touch it is with consumer demands, by resisting and fighting progress. Clearly, the council is proving itself to be a relic of the past, failing to adapt even to current consumer preferences, let alone for the future. Rather than complaining about Uber, the council needs to develop a competitive proposition, squarely focused on the consumer.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3129822/hong-kong-taxis-must-catch-uber-not-resist-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3129822/hong-kong-taxis-must-catch-uber-not-resist-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Apr 2021 23:05:05 +0000 Trains on two Hong Kong MTR lines will start running two hours later than usual on May 2 to allow for tests on a core section of the Sha Tin to Central rail link, the city’s most expensive railway project. All of the West Rail line and phase 1 of the Tuen Ma line will not open until 7.30am on the day of the test, the MTR Corporation said on Wednesday. James Chow So-hung, the corporation’s divisional general manager for projects construction, said the schedule change was necessary to facilitate... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3129533/two-hong-kong-rail-lines-open-two-hours-late-may-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3129533/two-hong-kong-rail-lines-open-two-hours-late-may-2?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:06:07 +0000 The Transport Department is developing a real-time arrival information system for Hong Kong’s green minibuses by installing location detection devices on about 3,500 of them. Passengers using the HKeMobility app can then see the estimated arrival time of their minibus and plan their trips accordingly. Data collected by HKeMobility can also be used by the government to review demand for the minibus services and optimise trip frequencies accordingly. Despite this and many other improvements in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128629/tick-all-boxes-greener-better-commute-demand-bus-services-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128629/tick-all-boxes-greener-better-commute-demand-bus-services-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Apr 2021 22:30:10 +0000 Hong Kong is reviving a trial of electric taxis as part of moves to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles, environment minister Wong Kam-sing has revealed. An earlier pilot scheme ended in failure, with cabbies complaining of a shortage of charging points and the long time it took to power up their vehicles, but Wong said the new trial would go ahead on Lantau Island and in Sai Kung. While industry representatives expressed reservations about a second round of testing, the minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3128293/hong-kong-cabbies-take-part-new-trial-electric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3128293/hong-kong-cabbies-take-part-new-trial-electric?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Apr 2021 02:30:10 +0000 Has the MTR bitten off more than it can chew with the Sha Tin-Central link? Like millions of others, I am a regular commuter on the MTR and have taken pride in the system for its efficiency and world-class service. In recent times, though, its efficiency and quality seem to be going south. I still sympathise with the MTR being caught in the middle amid project delays and protest-related issues, though they could have handled it with a bit more acumen.  Some of the project delays are... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128017/why-hong-kong-mtr-decisions-east-rail-line-look-track-commuters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128017/why-hong-kong-mtr-decisions-east-rail-line-look-track-commuters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Apr 2021 23:00:06 +0000 I write with reference to China’s 15-year transport expansion plan, as it seeks to double the size of its economy by 2035. To achieve the goal of significantly enlarging its economy, China is committed to the continuation of developing large infrastructure projects, particularly in public transport. The latest plan includes growing the national railway system to span 200,000km, and building 162 new civilian airports across the country by 2035. Transport networks are crucial to the fast economic... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3127815/china-pushes-high-speed-railway-economy-who-pays-price?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3127815/china-pushes-high-speed-railway-economy-who-pays-price?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Apr 2021 22:15:11 +0000 Last week, officials revealed that Hong Kong’s unemployment rate had jumped to 7.2 per cent, the highest since 2004, right after the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic. Economists expected this after the government stopped offering entrepreneurs help. What was a surprise, however, was that bus fare rises were approved by the Executive Council on the same day. The raise is going to be as much as 12 per cent, despite revenues being earned by the bus companies. It is well known that... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3126786/why-hong-kong-bus-fare-hikes-put-city-road-nowhere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3126786/why-hong-kong-bus-fare-hikes-put-city-road-nowhere?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Mar 2021 23:00:14 +0000 Major cities in China are trying to lower the din on public transportation by introducing “quiet cars” or punishing people for using their phone speakers with no headphones on the subway.  In China, there are differences in opinion about whether or not being noisy in public should be regarded as impolite because it can be interpreted as a sign of vibrancy and energy.   But for large swaths of the younger generations, it is important to be quiet on public transportation to show respect to other... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trying-press-mute-noisy-public-transportation/article/3115681?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-trying-press-mute-noisy-public-transportation/article/3115681?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:43:02 +0000 A 470-meter-long zip line that for more than two decades was part of the daily commute for villagers of Yingge village in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan is being “retired.”  The cableway was the main transport for about 2,000 villagers to attend school, go to work and seek medical treatment. But since a bridge was built just a few hundred meters away in 2018, the zip line has been less vital, and now is being converted to a new role as tourist attraction for visitors who want a... https://www.scmp.com/china/thrilling-commuter-zip-line-retires-southwest-china-after-20-years/article/3114280?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/thrilling-commuter-zip-line-retires-southwest-china-after-20-years/article/3114280?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Dec 2020 11:59:18 +0000 A sinkhole suddenly opened up in northwestern China’s Qinghai province, swallowing a bus just before evening rush hour. At least six people were killed and four are missing. https://www.scmp.com/society/sinkhole-swallows-bus-china-leaving-least-6-dead-and-4-missing/article/3046194?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/sinkhole-swallows-bus-china-leaving-least-6-dead-and-4-missing/article/3046194?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2020 11:38:56 +0000 China's first autonomous cargo ship successfully completed a test sailing in the waters surrounding the southern province of Guandong. The nation launched its remote-controlled cargo vessel project in 2017. The ship, called No 0 Jindouyun, is said to be the first autonomous cargo ship in Asia. https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-first-self-piloted-cargo-ship-sets-sail-guangdong-province/article/3042726?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-first-self-piloted-cargo-ship-sets-sail-guangdong-province/article/3042726?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Dec 2019 10:18:29 +0000 The scooter-sharing service Lime warned the US government earlier this year of an existential threat to its business. Paying new tariffs on Chinese vehicles would require Lime either to absorb significant new costs, charge customers more or fundamentally reshape its supply chain, the company argued in an official request for an exemption. Choosing any of these options would “stunt Lime’s growth and threaten the survival of its existing services.”  Over the last two years, a wave of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/how-limes-electric-scooters-are-caught-us-china-trade-war/article/3040942?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/how-limes-electric-scooters-are-caught-us-china-trade-war/article/3040942?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:30:15 +0000