https://www.scmp.com/rss/509141/feed Delegates to the 2021 "two sessions", China's annual parliamentary meetings, voted on a resolution on Hong Kong electoral reform to overhaul the city's electoral system. The changes include slashing the number of directly elected seats and ensuring more pro-Beijing representation in the city’s legislature, creating a powerful new post to head a more influential Election Committee, and setting up a vetting body comprising principal officials to screen out candidates deemed to be unpatriotic. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Brian Wong Brian Wong Hong Kong’s top court has been asked to abolish an “extraordinary” and “inexplicable” law prohibiting calls to boycott the city’s “patriots-only” elections on the grounds that it violates residents’ rights to express disapproval of the political system and to make informed decisions before voting. A government senior counsel opposed the challenge by former Chinese University of Hong Kong student union president Jacky So Tsun-fung, arguing the law fell outside the scope of constitutional review.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3354273/hong-kongs-top-court-reviews-law-criminalising-calls-boycott-elections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3354273/hong-kongs-top-court-reviews-law-criminalising-calls-boycott-elections?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 13:04:38 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong man has been jailed for two months for sharing a social media post urging residents to shun last year’s Legislative Council election. Security guard Wong Wah-kwong, 63, pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Court on Wednesday to inciting others to boycott the December poll – the second under a Beijing-imposed “patriots-only” election overhaul in 2021. Wong admitted sharing a Facebook post dated October 15 last year by fugitive activist Alan Keung Ka-wai, who urged Hongkongers to avoid... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351876/2-months-jail-hong-kong-security-guard-who-shared-post-urging-legco-poll-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351876/2-months-jail-hong-kong-security-guard-who-shared-post-urging-legco-poll-boycott?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:02:51 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014. It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Hong Kong chief executive’s annual duty visit to the Chinese capital is a good opportunity to report on and review the city government’s performance as well as set goals for development. What set John Lee Ka-chiu’s fourth visit apart were the prevailing circumstances, with the aftermath of the Tai Po fire tragedy, the work of the new legislature and the preparation for the next national five-year plan high on the agenda. There was full recognition from President Xi Jinping of the work of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336646/align-national-goals-xi-urges-hong-kong-pat-back-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336646/align-national-goals-xi-urges-hong-kong-pat-back-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:15:10 +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 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s constitutional affairs chief has dismissed suggestions that a record number of invalid ballots cast in the recent Legislative Council election was due to some people being forced to vote, adding that authorities may reconsider introducing “smart ballot boxes” to address the issue. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai also said on Saturday that last month’s deadly Tai Po fire had affected the voter turnout in the poll. Last Sunday’s election yielded a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336331/record-tally-spoiled-votes-hong-kong-poll-not-due-pressure-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336331/record-tally-spoiled-votes-hong-kong-poll-not-due-pressure-public?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:02:32 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong’s new legislature will be the youngest in the past two decades, with incoming lawmakers averaging 51 years old, according to public data. The age is four years younger than that of the current line-up and seven years below the previous batch, which ended its term in 2021. The rejuvenation of the Legislative Council is partly a result of the departure of 35 incumbent lawmakers, including 12 who are 70 years or above, such as the Liberal Party’s 76-year-old Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335647/hong-kongs-new-legislature-be-youngest-2-decades-averaging-51-years-old?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335647/hong-kongs-new-legislature-be-youngest-2-decades-averaging-51-years-old?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:32:08 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Some 31.9 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election on Sunday, surpassing the record low turnout four years ago in a poll held just over a week after the deadly blaze in Tai Po. While the turnout rate increased by 1.7 percentage points,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335536/surprises-and-defeats-votes-tallied-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335536/surprises-and-defeats-votes-tallied-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 23:07:40 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Some 31.9 per cent of voters cast their ballots on Sunday in Hong Kong’s second Legislative Council election under a “patriots-only” system, beating the record low turnout of 2021 in a sombre poll held just 12 days after the tragic fire in Tai Po. Almost as soon as polls opened, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he would enlist the newly elected legislature to mobilise support for victims of the fire and implement robust systemic reform, beginning with a motion to be raised by the government... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335532/voter-turnout-hong-kong-legco-poll-surpasses-record-low-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335532/voter-turnout-hong-kong-legco-poll-surpasses-record-low-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 16:19:02 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Integration with mainland China and boosting Hong Kong’s sluggish economy have dominated the manifestos of candidates contesting functional and Election Committee constituencies in the Legislative Council election, while those running for directly elected seats have prioritised livelihood concerns, the Post has found. A check by the Post of all 161 candidates’ manifestos on the government’s election website also found that only 38 of them, or 23 per cent, provided English versions. Of the 161... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333002/what-are-hong-kong-legco-election-candidates-prioritising-their-manifestos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333002/what-are-hong-kong-legco-election-candidates-prioritising-their-manifestos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:30:16 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong is gearing up for a Legislative Council election on December 7, as 161 candidates are confirmed to be joining the race after nominations closed last week. With 5 per cent more hopefuls than the previous poll in 2021, this year’s election leaves no seats uncontested. There will also be fiercer competition in the geographical constituencies, as major political parties have fielded more candidates to run for the 20 seats directly elected by residents. Functional constituencies, comprising... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332398/vivian-kongs-bid-forums-lawmaker-pullout-what-know-about-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332398/vivian-kongs-bid-forums-lawmaker-pullout-what-know-about-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Fewer candidates with professional backgrounds are making a bid to run in Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council election amid more subdued interest in the sector-based functional constituencies. A check by the Post of all 161 candidates’ occupations found that 45, or 28 per cent, had declared on their forms that they were from professions such as teaching, law, social work, accountancy, and engineering or architecture, compared with 51 from the previous election, marking a 10 per cent decrease... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332058/fewer-professionals-more-district-councillors-contesting-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332058/fewer-professionals-more-district-councillors-contesting-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:16:22 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Willa Wu Matthew Cheng,Willa Wu The coming Legislative Council election has thrown up some unexpected links, with several Hong Kong tycoons nominating candidates who are non-core establishment or union representatives, who in turn have backed the real estate sector. A check of nomination forms submitted by all 161 Legco hopefuls found that top figures from major developers had taken different approaches in naming aspirants running in the December 7 poll, the second under Beijing’s “patriots-only” electoral overhaul. New World... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332002/surprises-hong-kong-legco-election-nominations-tycoons-back-unions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332002/surprises-hong-kong-legco-election-nominations-tycoons-back-unions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:41:58 +0000 Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam Willa Wu,Jeffie Lam A total of 161 aspirants with a younger profile are competing for 90 seats in Hong Kong’s second “patriots-only” Legislative Council election, marking a nearly 5 per cent increase over the last poll and leaving no slot uncontested. As the two-week nomination period of the Legislative Council election closed on Thursday, it was also confirmed that up to 35 incumbents, including Paul Tse Wai-chun, who has served in the legislature since 2008, would not run again for office – a record high... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331829/hong-kongs-legco-race-attracts-161-contenders-nominations-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331829/hong-kongs-legco-race-attracts-161-contenders-nominations-close?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:37:03 +0000 Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities will take a hard line towards any disruptions to the coming Legislative Council election, the city’s leader has warned, while also issuing a letter to all civil servants urging them to vote in the December poll. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also stressed on Tuesday that there was no “hard target” for the election turnout rate, but dodged a question on whether any government workers who did not vote would be punished. Last Friday, the central government’s Hong Kong and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330583/hong-kong-take-hard-line-against-legco-election-disruptions-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330583/hong-kong-take-hard-line-against-legco-election-disruptions-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:13:24 +0000 Emily Hung,Wynna Wong Emily Hung,Wynna Wong A by-election to select members of the committee responsible for selecting Hong Kong’s leader was held on Sunday despite the issuance of a No 3 typhoon signal, with a 97 per cent turnout. More than 3,500 registered voters cast their ballots in the poll, in which 28 candidates from six Election Committee subsectors contested 21 available seats. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu congratulated the successful candidates and thanked voters who took part in the by-election. “[The Election Committee]... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3324649/87-turnout-hong-kong-committee-election-1pm-despite-t3-warning-signal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3324649/87-turnout-hong-kong-committee-election-1pm-despite-t3-warning-signal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 08:38:42 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Electronic ballot counting will be used in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election for the first time for the 30 trade-based seats, with lawmakers calling for greater adoption of advanced technology to improve voter turnout. But legislators heard on Monday that the technology would not be deployed for the 20 directly elected geographical constituency seats, as paper ballots and hand counting would continue to be used. At a Legco panel meeting, some lawmakers urged authorities to step up the use... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3319050/hong-kong-legco-poll-use-electronic-vote-counting-trade-seats-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3319050/hong-kong-legco-poll-use-electronic-vote-counting-trade-seats-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:32:48 +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 Ong Siew Gay Ong Siew Gay In a few weeks, my family and I will leave Hong Kong, a city we have called our second home since June 2021. Much has happened in these four years. Hong Kong was reeling from the aftermath of social unrest when I arrived. Western media was awash with commentary about the end of “one country, two systems” after the 2020 national security law and 2021 electoral reforms. The world was in the throes of Covid-19. The airport was a ghost town. A few months later, the Omicron wave hit, holding back the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316866/hong-kong-and-singapore-rivals-and-partners-learning-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3316866/hong-kong-and-singapore-rivals-and-partners-learning-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concerns about a 52 per cent jump in spending for the coming Legislative Council election compared with four years ago, questioning whether the additional resources spent will lead to higher voter turnout. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai defended the increased costs on Wednesday, saying election promotional efforts were “of key importance”, even as he stressed that no turnout target had been set as it depended on “many... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3305837/hong-kong-lawmakers-concerned-over-52-increase-coming-legco-election-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3305837/hong-kong-lawmakers-concerned-over-52-increase-coming-legco-election-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:29:23 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Hong Kong will hold its next Legislative Council election on December 7, its second under a “patriots-only” electoral overhaul. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that he had instructed the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau to create comprehensive deployment and emergency plans to ensure the election would be carried out smoothly. “[The bureau] was asked to work closely with the Electoral Affairs Commission to do proper planning and come up with contingency plans on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3302817/hong-kong-hold-next-legislative-council-election-december-7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3302817/hong-kong-hold-next-legislative-council-election-december-7?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:12:41 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok The central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong has voiced its “firm support” for the jailing of 45 opposition figures for trying to overthrow the government and has condemned the US and other countries for “attacks” against the city’s judicial system. The comments came two days after a court sentenced the opposition figures for conspiring to subvert state power through a “primary” election held four years ago in the aftermath of anti-government protests. The sentences ranged from four... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3287604/beijing-voices-support-jailing-45-hong-kong-opposition-activists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3287604/beijing-voices-support-jailing-45-hong-kong-opposition-activists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:32:09 +0000 Four former Hong Kong lawmakers found guilty in a landmark national security trial, including Claudia Mo Man-ching, will be released in about six months’ time as they have already spent nearly four years in custody. Three judges ended the city’s largest and longest-running trial under the Beijing-decreed national security law on Tuesday by jailing 45 of the 47 activists prosecuted over their roles in an unofficial legislative “primary” election that was part of a plot to bring down the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3287276/hong-kong-47-when-will-jailed-activists-landmark-national-security-trial-be-released?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3287276/hong-kong-47-when-will-jailed-activists-landmark-national-security-trial-be-released?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:01:53 +0000 A Hong Kong court has ruled that a subversive scheme devised by the now-decimated opposition camp to coerce authorities into giving in to protesters’ demands is as egregious as a violent attack on the city government. Three High Court judges issued the ruling on Tuesday for their sentencing of 45 former politicians and activists involved in an illegal legislative “primary” election four years ago. The defendants were among a group of 47 charged with conspiracy to subvert state power in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3287261/hong-kong-47-court-rules-subversion-scheme-severe-violent-attack-against-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3287261/hong-kong-47-court-rules-subversion-scheme-severe-violent-attack-against-government?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:30:12 +0000 The resolution adopted at the Communist Party’s third plenary session outlines a strategic framework for Hong Kong’s development. It emphasises leveraging the “one country, two systems” principle to enhance Hong Kong’s status as a centre of international finance, shipping and trade. It also encourages the city to become a global hub for high-calibre talent. The resolution charts a new course for Hong Kong’s high-quality development, injecting significant momentum into the city’s governance and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284742/how-hong-kongs-unique-strengths-can-drive-its-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284742/how-hong-kongs-unique-strengths-can-drive-its-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Nov 2024 21:30:09 +0000 More polling stations could be set up near the border to help Hongkongers living or working in mainland China to vote in next year’s Legislative Council election, a minister has said. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai also reiterated on Sunday that more IT and technology would be used to improve efficiency in the election process, such as in voter registration and counting ballots. “In the coming Legco election, we will follow more or less the same line of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3284056/hong-kong-may-add-more-voting-stations-near-border-mainland-based-residents-legco-poll?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3284056/hong-kong-may-add-more-voting-stations-near-border-mainland-based-residents-legco-poll?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2024 08:49:26 +0000 Kahon Chan,Willa Wu Kahon Chan,Willa Wu Hong Kong should make full use of the city’s unique advantage as a connector to the rest of the world and promote reunification across the Taiwan Strait through communication and goodwill, a visiting top Beijing official tasked with building a “united front” has said. Shi Taifeng, director of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, also told the Overseas Chinese World Conference for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China on Tuesday that the “continuous development” of implementing the “one... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3275221/hong-kong-has-key-role-play-promoting-taiwans-reunification-top-beijing-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3275221/hong-kong-has-key-role-play-promoting-taiwans-reunification-top-beijing-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Aug 2024 11:24:16 +0000 When Hong Kong lawmakers took just 12 days in March to approve a domestic national security law that had stalled for more than two decades, it showed how much had changed in the Legislative Council. Gone were the heated verbal clashes, filibusters, quorum calls and occasional chaos of the not-too-distant past. Instead, Legco has become a model of harmony and constructive exchange, with city authorities and lawmakers alike lauding the new efficiency since Beijing overhauled the electoral system... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3273314/hong-kongs-patriots-only-legco-free-fiery-past-have-lawmakers-become-yes-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3273314/hong-kongs-patriots-only-legco-free-fiery-past-have-lawmakers-become-yes-men?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:30:13 +0000 Hong Kong’s political system will be an example for the rest of the world in five to 10 years, Beijing’s top envoy in the city has predicted, while reiterating China will not be cowed by sanction threats. Cui Jianchun, the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong, also said on Tuesday that democracy should not be measured simply in terms of elections. “I do believe that in the coming five or 10 years, you will recognise Hong Kong’s political system has set a very good... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3272523/hong-kong-political-system-will-be-example-world-says-beijings-top-envoy-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3272523/hong-kong-political-system-will-be-example-world-says-beijings-top-envoy-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:57:29 +0000 A lawyer seeking leniency for one of 45 Hong Kong opposition figures convicted of conspiracy to subvert state power has raised eyebrows by suggesting that judges sentence them by referring to mainland China court precedents. The second session of mitigation proceedings in the city’s largest national security trial began at West Kowloon Court on Tuesday, with six former district councillors pleading for lighter punishments. The defendants highlighted that their roles were limited and that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3268904/hong-kong-47-lawyer-creates-stir-suggesting-court-looks-mainland-china-legal-precedent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3268904/hong-kong-47-lawyer-creates-stir-suggesting-court-looks-mainland-china-legal-precedent?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:15:29 +0000 Hong Kong’s Department of Justice has appealed a decision by the High Court to acquit one of 16 opposition figures who contested subversion charges stemming from an unofficial primary in 2020 at a pivotal national security trial last month. Prosecutors said on Thursday they had filed the appeal over the acquittal of barrister Lawrence Lau Wai-chung, but they would not pursue a second defendant, social worker Lee Yue-shun, who was also cleared of the charge. Forty-seven opposition figures faced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3266527/prosecutors-appeal-1-2-acquittals-trial-hong-kong-47?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3266527/prosecutors-appeal-1-2-acquittals-trial-hong-kong-47?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:00:19 +0000 The arrest of 47 opposition politicians and activists in January 2021 on suspicion of plotting to subvert state power marked a turning point for Hong Kong. It demonstrated that the new national security law, passed by Beijing in response to civil unrest in 2019, had to be taken seriously and that far-reaching changes to the city’s political system were on the way. The legal process, including a 118-day trial, has taken more than three years. And it is not over yet. But the verdicts delivered on... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3264771/legal-process-seen-take-its-course-landmark-hong-kong-verdicts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3264771/legal-process-seen-take-its-course-landmark-hong-kong-verdicts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 May 2024 22:15:09 +0000 Three Hong Kong judges will announce on Thursday amid a heavy police presence whether 16 opposition politicians and activists have breached the national security law by conspiring to subvert state power through their participation in an unofficial legislative primary election four years ago. The 16 accused were among 47 people prosecuted for what Beijing called a “blatant challenge” to the law after an estimated 610,000 voters cast their ballot in July 2020 to pick their ideal candidates for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3264604/hong-kong-47-trial-court-rule-16-opposition-figures-over-subversion-charges-plot-topple-then-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3264604/hong-kong-47-trial-court-rule-16-opposition-figures-over-subversion-charges-plot-topple-then-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 May 2024 12:00:16 +0000 Hong Kong’s first “patriots-only” district council election last year that yielded a record-low turnout rate cost taxpayers about HK$1.2 billion (US$153.2 million), just over 90 per cent more than in 2019 when four times more popularly elected seats were up for grabs. The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau told the Legislative Council on Tuesday that the latest cost estimate for the December 10 election was HK$1.218 billion. The sum was 91.8 per cent more than the HK$635 million spent on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3259258/first-hong-kong-district-council-poll-after-electoral-overhaul-cost-taxpayers-hk12-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3259258/first-hong-kong-district-council-poll-after-electoral-overhaul-cost-taxpayers-hk12-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 02:00:29 +0000 Hong Kong’s ability to recover from its difficulties would be much improved if it goes ahead with democratic reform. By introducing a system of one person, one vote for the position of chief executive, Hong Kong would have a government with much broader representation, giving it a stronger mandate to push through changes. Universal suffrage is already included in Article 45 of the Basic Law that governs Hong Kong, but no one is sure when and how it might be implemented. Hong Kong should delay... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hk-opinion/article/3257425/hong-kong-needs-full-universal-suffrage-unlock-full-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hk-opinion/article/3257425/hong-kong-needs-full-universal-suffrage-unlock-full-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Apr 2024 01:30:11 +0000 The offspring of Hong Kong tycoons and well-known families, as well as a star basketball player, are among government appointees to three neighbourhood committees whose job is to work with district councils to improve public services. The new faces include Arnaldo Ho Yau-heng, son of late Macau casino king Stanley Ho Hung-sun, Fiona Tong Pui-yan, daughter of Isabella Kau Hung-ping, a businesswoman and runner-up in the 1982 Miss Hong Kong beauty contest, and former Hong Kong basketball player... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3257608/hong-kong-basketball-hero-slam-dunks-new-role-area-committee-alongside-tycoons-son-and-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3257608/hong-kong-basketball-hero-slam-dunks-new-role-area-committee-alongside-tycoons-son-and-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Apr 2024 11:58:26 +0000 The Hong Kong government has named all 470 district councillors to three neighbourhood committees to serve the community, unlike the previous administration which opted against such a move on the grounds that other voices needed to be heard. Scholars said the latest appointment approach was in line with Hong Kong’s changing political climate after the city implemented the Beijing-ordered “patriots-only” governing principle. The government on Monday appointed 2,999 members to the three committees... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3257491/hong-kong-government-names-470-district-councillors-3-neighbourhood-committees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3257491/hong-kong-government-names-470-district-councillors-3-neighbourhood-committees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2024 14:33:00 +0000 Nearly half of Hong Kong’s district councillors are in a race against time to secure offices to comply with a government requirement they establish service points within three months of taking up their roles on January 1. Some highlighted expensive rents as their biggest problem, especially in constituencies located in commercial districts or private housing estates, and a few said they expected to barely meet the deadline. The complaints came despite Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3256563/nearly-half-hong-kongs-district-councillors-racing-against-time-secure-offices-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3256563/nearly-half-hong-kongs-district-councillors-racing-against-time-secure-offices-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 04:00:17 +0000 Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has urged district councillors to support the administration by acting as a bridge between the public and authorities, calling the municipal-level bodies an “important pillar” of the city’s governance. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), was briefed on Saturday morning on the city’s “patriots-only” municipal-level administration as he met 32 district councillors and community leaders in Sai Kung. The top official is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3253081/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-tells-district-councillors-act-bridge-between-people-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3253081/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-tells-district-councillors-act-bridge-between-people-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Feb 2024 06:29:10 +0000 Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs, has arrived on his second visit in 10 months to learn how the city is doing as its pandemic-hit economy recovers. During his seven-day visit starting on Thursday, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) will get first-hand accounts from local representatives about economic conditions and district governance on the ground. Here is what you need to know about the top official and what his latest visit will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3252852/who-xia-baolong-beijings-top-man-hong-kong-affairs-and-what-his-fact-finding-visit-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3252852/who-xia-baolong-beijings-top-man-hong-kong-affairs-and-what-his-fact-finding-visit-about?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:40:46 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft A 51-year-old clerk has been handed a suspended jail sentence over online posts inciting others to cast invalid ballots in Hong Kong’s district council election last year. Yeung Sze-wing, one of three arrested by the anti-corruption watchdog on December 10 when residents headed to the polls, pleaded guilty at Eastern Court on Monday to one count of engaging in illegal conduct by inciting others to cast invalid votes during an election period. Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui Yee-mei sentenced Yeung... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3249387/hong-kong-woman-handed-suspended-jail-sentence-online-posts-inciting-others-cast-invalid-ballots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3249387/hong-kong-woman-handed-suspended-jail-sentence-online-posts-inciting-others-cast-invalid-ballots?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:44:16 +0000 More than 1.5 million posters and leaflets were printed and nearly 99,000 bunting rows were hung up in a publicity drive for Hong Kong’s revamped district council poll last month, authorities have said without revealing the total cost. The December 10 poll was the first to be held since the government overhauled the district councils earlier last year to align with Beijing’s “patriots ruling Hong Kong” policy direction, but drew a record-low turnout of 27.54 per cent. The revamp drastically cut... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3249196/hong-kong-district-council-election-authorities-say-15-billion-posters-leaflets-printed-publicity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3249196/hong-kong-district-council-election-authorities-say-15-billion-posters-leaflets-printed-publicity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jan 2024 12:35:02 +0000 The first presidential election of major global consequence this year takes place in Taiwan on January 13. Given that Taiwan and Hong Kong have more similarities than meet the eye, politicians in Taiwan should be wishing the city well, rather than criticising Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems”. Relations between Beijing and Washington nosedived with then-US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on August 2, 2022. Beijing objected to her trip because it signalled... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247805/instead-criticising-hong-kongs-system-taiwan-should-keep-its-options-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247805/instead-criticising-hong-kongs-system-taiwan-should-keep-its-options-open?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jan 2024 01:30:11 +0000 Those who fail to put community work first should not be part of district service teams, Hong Kong’s leader has said after a former municipal official abruptly ended his contribution to the government initiative. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also said the government already had measures in place to cope with the cancellation of any related services. Ken Chow Wing-kan a day earlier announced that the Yuen Long Livelihood Serving Agency would withdraw from the government’s care team... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3247717/former-hong-kong-district-councillor-pulls-out-managing-community-care-team-after-failure-get-seat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3247717/former-hong-kong-district-councillor-pulls-out-managing-community-care-team-after-failure-get-seat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jan 2024 14:44:11 +0000 Has Hong Kong become just another Chinese city or will it very soon, having lost its “unique advantages”? The signs hardly augur well. Late last year, a married couple – eminent thought leaders in Hong Kong – embarked on a month-long trip to Canada and the United States, where they visited relatives and friends with extensive knowledge of this part of the world or who have lived in Hong Kong or on the mainland. The universal reaction was that Hong Kong has become just another Chinese city, or... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247033/its-not-beijing-thats-turning-hong-kong-just-another-chinese-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247033/its-not-beijing-thats-turning-hong-kong-just-another-chinese-city?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jan 2024 01:30:16 +0000 A revamped district council has proposed organising a community version of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign in the shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui before Lunar New Year to boost the local economy. Yau Tsim Mong District Council on Tuesday became the first of the 18 municipal bodies to convene a meeting after councillors assumed office the previous day following last month’s election. The “patriots-only” poll followed Beijing’s overhaul of electoral rules. The planned “Night Vibes Tsim Sha... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3247055/revamped-district-council-proposes-community-version-night-vibes-hong-kong-campaign-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3247055/revamped-district-council-proposes-community-version-night-vibes-hong-kong-campaign-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jan 2024 15:22:28 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has ordered the city’s new district councillors to support the legislation of a local version of the national security law as they pledged to serve as a bridge between the government and their respective communities during an oath-taking ceremony. The 470 councillors on Monday swore an oath of allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, under the supervision of Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3246860/hong-kongs-new-district-councillors-pledge-serve-bridge-between-government-communities-oath-taking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3246860/hong-kongs-new-district-councillors-pledge-serve-bridge-between-government-communities-oath-taking?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jan 2024 05:17:57 +0000 Sitting in her office of about 200 sq ft at Telford Gardens in Kowloon Bay which she has used since 2005, veteran Hong Kong district councillor Winnie Poon Yam Wai-chun said she was almost done with clearing out the space, which will be handed back to landlord MTR Corporation after her term ends on Sunday. “Overall, the large objects that I needed to get rid of have mostly been thrown out,” the 69-year-old former social worker said. Poon, who has served as a Kwun Tong district councillor for 38... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3246712/outgoing-hong-kong-district-councillors-contemplate-life-outside-politics-they-shut-offices-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3246712/outgoing-hong-kong-district-councillors-contemplate-life-outside-politics-they-shut-offices-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Dec 2023 04:00:19 +0000 It says a lot about the changing political landscape when the performance of district councillors are subject to government monitoring and punishment. The new guidelines governing the dos and don’ts for members of the revamped lower-tier structure are considered necessary steps to enhance district administration under the “patriots-only” governance approach. Hopefully, it will help the councils live up to public expectations. Some rules are just a given, such as an attendance rate of at least 80... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246141/councillor-guidelines-are-means-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246141/councillor-guidelines-are-means-end?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Dec 2023 23:30:24 +0000 After Hong Kong’s district council election, the efforts of the government and pro-establishment circles have been credited with achieving what Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu called a “good” voter turnout of 27.54 per cent. But such a historically low voter turnout surely warrants introspection. Beyond an extensive promotional campaign, what else might ignite the civic spirit in future elections? And as we ponder how our new district councils will function, we should also consider their... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3245334/district-councils-must-re-engage-hongkongers-and-reverse-disconnect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3245334/district-councils-must-re-engage-hongkongers-and-reverse-disconnect?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Dec 2023 01:30:18 +0000