https://www.scmp.com/rss/518856/feed Vivian joined the Post as a reporter in 2024 and covers Hong Kong's housing, land and development. Prior to joining the Post, she was a reporter at Ming Pao Daily. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vivian Au Vivian Au Traffic accidents involving animals in Hong Kong have surged more than 11-fold over the past four years, with advocacy groups attributing it to a wave of pet abandonments and the blurring of urban-rural boundaries caused by large-scale development. The latest data submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday showed reports of animal-related traffic accidents received by police surged from 36 cases in 2021 to 416 in 2025. However, authorities do not maintain a district-level breakdown of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352667/traffic-accidents-involving-animals-hong-kong-surge-11-fold-4-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352667/traffic-accidents-involving-animals-hong-kong-surge-11-fold-4-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 00:30:05 +0000 Vivian Au,Emily Hung Vivian Au,Emily Hung The government-appointed administrator of Wang Fuk Court, the Hong Kong estate devastated by a deadly fire last November, will hold two online meetings with displaced residents this month after 240 flat owners threatened legal action in a petition. Hop On Management Company announced on Wednesday that the Zoom meetings will take place from 7pm to 9pm next Tuesday and from 2pm to 4pm on May 20, prompting complaints from residents about the virtual format and its limitations. Participation is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352655/wang-fuk-court-administrator-schedules-talks-after-residents-legal-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352655/wang-fuk-court-administrator-schedules-talks-after-residents-legal-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 13:48:01 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong should adopt a comprehensive, top-down ecotourism policy led by a single designated authority to safeguard environmentally sensitive spots overwhelmed during the Labour Day “golden week”, experts have urged. The call on Monday follows a viral video showing a Mandarin-speaking tourist smoking at Ham Tin Wan Beach in Sai Kung. In the clip, the man claimed he had “confirmed” with authorities that smoking was allowed, responding defiantly to a fine imposed on a mainland Chinese visitor for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352409/golden-week-crush-shows-hong-kong-needs-top-down-ecotourism-policy-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352409/golden-week-crush-shows-hong-kong-needs-top-down-ecotourism-policy-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au A proposed accountability framework will hold government department heads personally liable for systemic loopholes that they fail to flag to superiors, Hong Kong’s civil service chief has said. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan also said that public perception could play a role in decisions on pay adjustments for government employees, after being questioned about the potential impact of an inquiry into the city’s deadliest fire in decades. In a television appearance on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352275/top-civil-servants-liable-if-they-dont-flag-systemic-loopholes-under-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352275/top-civil-servants-liable-if-they-dont-flag-systemic-loopholes-under-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 11:08:55 +0000 Vivian Au,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Oscar Liu Hong Kong is set for its strongest quarterly growth in nearly five years, the finance chief has said, citing a 17 per cent rise in visitor numbers and a 5.2 per cent increase in retail and catering spending. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his Sunday blog that 602,000 visitors entered Hong Kong in the first two days of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” break, a 6 per cent rise year on year. Despite a complex and rapidly changing external environment, Hong Kong’s economy... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352258/finance-chief-says-hong-kong-track-strongest-quarterly-growth-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352258/finance-chief-says-hong-kong-track-strongest-quarterly-growth-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 06:43:45 +0000 Theodora Yu,Vivian Au Theodora Yu,Vivian Au Some Hong Kong residents are still vaping in hidden corners despite a new ban on the public use of alternative tobacco products, the South China Morning Post has observed, with at least four already penalised by authorities. “We will issue penalty tickets without warning, and step up publicity in high-traffic areas such as business districts,” Dr Manny Lam Man-chung, head of the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, said, stressing that the new measure would not undermine tourism. Alternative... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351941/2-hongkongers-penalised-new-public-vaping-ban-takes-effect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351941/2-hongkongers-penalised-new-public-vaping-ban-takes-effect?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 03:53:57 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Oscar Liu Residents of two blocks, including one of the worst hit, returned to their fire-ravaged homes at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court on Wednesday hoping to collect belongings, with some vowing to begin a new journey after bidding a final farewell to their flats. While some looked towards a fresh start, others grappled with the loss of cherished belongings and the condition of their homes. Two sisters surnamed Cheung said they only managed to pack photos as their flat on a lower floor of Wang Tai House,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351802/government-vows-action-landlord-tenant-rows-block-access-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351802/government-vows-action-landlord-tenant-rows-block-access-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:38:50 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s railway operator has deployed augmented reality (AR) technology to speed up construction of a station on a new link serving the Northern Metropolis megaproject to ensure it opens on time next year. The MTR Corporation said on Tuesday that the power supply had been connected at Kwu Tung station and AR technology had been adopted to hasten progress. “Applying the AR inspection system will allow us to simulate future scenarios and help workers carry out the assembly work accurately and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3351747/mtr-corporation-using-ar-technology-fast-track-work-northern-link-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3351747/mtr-corporation-using-ar-technology-fast-track-work-northern-link-station?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:10:39 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hongkongers and visitors could be able to enjoy large-scale events such as beer and barbecue festivals at three public beaches under a pilot scheme that will allow private-sector operators to upgrade facilities, a district councillor has suggested, with a top administrator saying fees must be kept affordable. Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Manda Chan Wing-man told a radio programme on Monday that the government would not set strict key performance indicators (KPIs) for commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351547/beer-and-bbq-festivals-possible-under-beach-scheme-tap-private-sector-operators?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351547/beer-and-bbq-festivals-possible-under-beach-scheme-tap-private-sector-operators?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:52:54 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au The appreciating yuan and ongoing Sino-Japanese tensions have given Hong Kong tourism a boost ahead of mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, with hotel prices rising by as much as 8 per cent, an industry representative has said. Lawmaker Alan Chan Chung-yee, who is also the chief operating officer of Miramar Group, expressed optimism on Monday that the city would welcome more mainland tourists originally heading to other parts of East Asia during the country’s coming long holiday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351523/sino-japanese-tensions-boon-hong-kong-tourism-golden-week-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351523/sino-japanese-tensions-boon-hong-kong-tourism-golden-week-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:33:38 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Fiona Chow,Vivian Au Lo Hoi-ying,Fiona Chow,Vivian Au Hon Wing, 77, and his family climbed 19 floors to their fire-ravaged flat in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court housing estate on Tuesday but left almost empty-handed after a two-hour search for valuables. Hon, a retired part-time taxi driver, had hoped to find a bag of change he kept during his work shifts, but “nothing much was there” in his charred flat in Wang Sun House. His daughter Ice Hon wanted to retrieve items passed down from her late mother. “Dust and ruins are everywhere. It feels like the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351387/wang-fuk-court-residents-make-long-climb-retrieve-family-treasures-bid-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351387/wang-fuk-court-residents-make-long-climb-retrieve-family-treasures-bid-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 01:00:25 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Playing one last song on a piano that cannot be retrieved from a fire-ravaged home was among the wishes of residents returning to the scene of the deadly Tai Po blaze in Hong Kong, with one man climbing stairs on a fractured leg to try and recover a water boiler linked to his childhood memories. Some of those returning to their homes on Friday had lived in Wang Cheong House, where 81 of the 168 deaths occurred, and 63 per cent of the flats were destroyed. Only five floors of the block are being... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351271/final-piano-tune-offers-closure-residents-say-goodbye-wang-fuk-court-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351271/final-piano-tune-offers-closure-residents-say-goodbye-wang-fuk-court-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:24:27 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin Emotional residents returned to the most severely damaged block of Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court on Thursday, holding back tears as they recounted harrowing escapes and called for more time to revisit their homes. Some survivors managed to retrieve precious belongings from two reopened blocks on Thursday, including a framed wedding photo and cats’ ashes, as about 600 families from the ill-fated estate requested second visits to their flats. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351067/600-families-seek-second-visit-residents-return-worst-hit-wang-fuk-court-tower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351067/600-families-seek-second-visit-residents-return-worst-hit-wang-fuk-court-tower?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 02:07:50 +0000 Jess Ma,Vivian Au Jess Ma,Vivian Au The latest batch of residents to return to their flats in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court under special government arrangements said prayers and left bouquets on Wednesday as a final farewell to their fire-ravaged homes. The residents, who were among 79 households that registered to visit Wang Sun House in the morning, arrived at the building with trolleys, backpacks and bags, some carrying stools to aid their arduous climb up at least 20 floors. An elderly woman surnamed Tang, who lived on the 24th... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350951/residents-leave-prayers-and-flowers-third-day-return-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350951/residents-leave-prayers-and-flowers-third-day-return-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:05:26 +0000 Jess Ma,Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung Jess Ma,Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung More residents have returned to their fire-ravaged homes on the second day of pickup sessions at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court to search for memorabilia. Severe damage to flats in the Tai Po housing estate distressed some residents while a woman expressed relief after finding items belonging to her father who had suffered a mental illness from the trauma of last November’s deadly blaze. Those who lived on the middle floors of the estate’s Wang Sun House began returning home on Tuesday, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350818/residents-thank-life-saving-neighbours-use-robots-search-charred-wang-fuk-court-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350818/residents-thank-life-saving-neighbours-use-robots-search-charred-wang-fuk-court-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:16:09 +0000 Oscar Liu,Olga Wong,Vivian Au Oscar Liu,Olga Wong,Vivian Au Global drug maker Pfizer and biotech firm Amgen, each valued at more than HK$1 trillion (US$153 billion), are among 22 strategic enterprises from the fintech, cloud computing and aerial transport sectors to open or expand offices in Hong Kong. The firms attended a ceremony on Monday to sign agreements with the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES). It marked the sixth cohort under the government’s flagship investment initiative since its launch, as the South China Morning Post... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350693/pfizer-amgen-among-22-strategic-firms-eyeing-hong-kong-expansion-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350693/pfizer-amgen-among-22-strategic-firms-eyeing-hong-kong-expansion-source?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:58:40 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities will seek half of the HK$440 million (US$56.2 million) investment for a planned national innovation centre in Yuen Long from the private sector, while setting performance benchmarks that an analyst has called ambitious. The target was announced after Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po revealed the plan in his latest budget in February, which earmarked funds to establish the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside mainland China as part of efforts to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350515/hong-kong-eyes-hk220-million-private-investment-national-innovation-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350515/hong-kong-eyes-hk220-million-private-investment-national-innovation-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:16:03 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Travelling from Hong Kong’s commercial heart to the site of the San Tin Technopole, a planned innovation hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject, is an exercise in endurance. The roughly two-hour trek from Causeway Bay requires taking trains on two lines, navigating two transit interchanges and catching a ride on a public minibus. Upon arrival, visitors are not greeted by gleaming skyscrapers or shopping centres, but by a quiet patchwork of fish ponds, villages, scattered squatter homes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350210/are-special-laws-quick-fix-speeding-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au The Hong Kong government has called in law enforcement to investigate allegations that signatures were forged and personal data used without authorisation in a petition submitted by residents displaced by the deadly blaze in Tai Po. The South China Morning Post earlier learned that property owners of Wang Fuk Court had organised a petition and emailed Hop On Management Company last month to raise concerns and request an owners’ meeting. In the petition, residents said the request to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349468/government-turns-down-situ-redevelopment-proposal-over-400-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349468/government-turns-down-situ-redevelopment-proposal-over-400-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:41:35 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities will set up a company this year to accelerate the development of an innovation hub near the border, with firms already expressing interest in moving into the San Tin Technopole, a senior tech official has said. Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin Choi Kit-ming also told the South China Morning Post that some companies might soon be able to transfer data and biological samples across the border once tailor-made measures were introduced later... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349306/hong-kong-set-company-year-fast-track-san-tin-tech-hub-firms-eye-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349306/hong-kong-set-company-year-fast-track-san-tin-tech-hub-firms-eye-move?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:00:21 +0000 Edith Lin,Vivian Au Edith Lin,Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities have warned former residents of fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court to brace themselves for the conditions in their homes when they return next month to collect belongings, while saying that those with health issues, among others, should not enter the buildings. The government also provided residents with psychological assessment questionnaires to help them decide whether to return home as part of an operation starting on April 20, according to notices seen by the South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348313/brace-yourself-conditions-fire-hit-wang-fuk-court-returning-residents-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348313/brace-yourself-conditions-fire-hit-wang-fuk-court-returning-residents-told?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:13:57 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Dedicated laws to streamline statutory procedures for Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis may speed up some projects by about one year, the development chief has said. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho also revealed on Sunday that the government was preparing to increase the residential component of some sites to make the investment more appealing for developers. The government unveiled a plan for proposed legislation earlier this month, comprising six main subsidiary laws designed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348288/dedicated-northern-metropolis-laws-may-speed-projects-1-year-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348288/dedicated-northern-metropolis-laws-may-speed-projects-1-year-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:36:34 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au A series of artworks featuring six coats with distinctive features created by an Iranian-American artist for the Art Central festival invites Hongkongers to reflect on themes of memory and conflict amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. Elnaz Javani, who was born in Iran in 1985 and currently lives in the United States, told the South China Morning Post that the work also serves as a meditative space for Hongkongers at a time of rising global geopolitical tensions. She said her art also... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348233/us-based-iranians-cloth-works-art-central-reflect-complex-fabric-her-identity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348233/us-based-iranians-cloth-works-art-central-reflect-complex-fabric-her-identity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Fiona Chow,Vivian Au Ng Kang-chung,Fiona Chow,Vivian Au Displaced residents from the seven fire-ravaged blocks of Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court will be allowed to return to their flats for up to three hours to collect their personal belongings, with the first group to return on April 20. Authorities said on Friday that each household could register up to four people to return to a flat, who would be accompanied by police officers, government social workers and support staff. They added that there would be a “very slim” chance that residents of Wang Chi... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348176/residents-fire-hit-wang-fuk-court-blocks-can-retrieve-belongings-mid-april?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348176/residents-fire-hit-wang-fuk-court-blocks-can-retrieve-belongings-mid-april?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:40:12 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will respond to uncertainty brought by intensifying geopolitical tensions “with openness rather than isolation”, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged at an annual forum in Hainan, calling on economies to join hands to promote free trade. Speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference – regarded as a platform for high-level government dialogue – Lee said China had been committed to multilateral trade in a “turbulent world”, urging economies to unite in the face of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:38:37 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s legislature will retain the power to scrutinise boundary changes for the Northern Metropolis megaproject proposed by the executive branch, the city’s development chief has said, addressing concerns over proposed laws to fast-track the scheme. Under proposed legislation comprising six main subsidiary laws designed to remove bottlenecks in the massive scheme near the border with mainland China, the city’s leader and the Executive Council will be empowered to adjust its boundaries,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347760/northern-metropolis-boundary-changes-will-need-legco-approval-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347760/northern-metropolis-boundary-changes-will-need-legco-approval-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:19:01 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Industry leaders have called on Hong Kong authorities to review crane safety guidelines to include mandatory testing for metal fatigue, following another fatal collapse. An operator was killed on Thursday afternoon when a tower crane toppled at a construction site for the second phase of a public housing project on Tai Wo Hau Road in Kwai Chung, crashing onto a slope opposite Pik Kwai House at Kwai Chung Estate. The project’s main contractor, Woon Lee Construction, was previously fined by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347267/hong-kong-crane-collapse-signals-need-metal-fatigue-testing-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347267/hong-kong-crane-collapse-signals-need-metal-fatigue-testing-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 05:47:30 +0000 Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying Vivian Au,Lo Hoi-ying Proposed designated laws to streamline land-use approval procedures for the Northern Metropolis megaproject will not undermine the authority of Hong Kong’s town planning body, some experts have argued, while urging the government to establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) to strengthen market confidence. Observers were responding to a package of six subsidiary laws unveiled on Tuesday by the Development Bureau, designed to remove bottlenecks in the New Territories project. A key... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346939/northern-metropolis-land-use-laws-wont-undermine-boards-authority-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346939/northern-metropolis-land-use-laws-wont-undermine-boards-authority-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities have proposed designated laws to streamline procedures for changing land use in the Northern Metropolis megaproject, cutting the process from typically nine months to just two. Unveiled by the Development Bureau on Tuesday, the proposed designated legislation comprises six main subsidiary laws designed to remove bottlenecks in the massive scheme near the border with mainland China. They include the establishment of statutory firms and measures to speed up land resumption... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346930/measures-streamline-northern-metropolis-land-use-procedures-unveiled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346930/measures-streamline-northern-metropolis-land-use-procedures-unveiled?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:38:49 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with mainland China will adopt laws to streamline land approval procedures from nine to two months in a move to speed up its development, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said that details of the dedicated legislation for the Northern Metropolis would be announced on Tuesday, with a major highlight being the shortening of land-use approval procedures. These measures align with the newly unveiled 15th national five-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346791/northern-metropolis-streamline-land-approval-process-9-2-months-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346791/northern-metropolis-streamline-land-approval-process-9-2-months-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:39:50 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed a recent Digital Policy Office advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns. “AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:02:37 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au While hundreds of Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East have scrambled for flights home after the US-Israel war against Iran broke out, a devoted Christian from the city has chosen to stay in Israel, saying she has experienced far worse before. The outbreak of war was unsettling, but Gloria Mok Chong-ngar said she found a way to maintain her inner peace in Jerusalem’s bomb shelters. “The sirens kept ringing last week, sometimes as frequently as every few minutes, but I would play the harp in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346634/playing-harp-amid-sirens-why-hongkonger-refuses-flee-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346634/playing-harp-amid-sirens-why-hongkonger-refuses-flee-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:00:13 +0000 Vivian Au,Olga Wong Vivian Au,Olga Wong Donald Liao Poon-huai, one of Hong Kong’s most influential government architects and public housing visionaries who became the first Chinese official under British rule to serve as secretary for district administration, has died at the age of 96. His family confirmed his death to the South China Morning Post on Friday, with one member saying he died peacefully on Thursday morning at home. Liao was surrounded by family and friends on his last evening. “He lived a long, meaningful life and made... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346464/donald-liao-architect-who-shaped-hong-kongs-housing-landscape-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346464/donald-liao-architect-who-shaped-hong-kongs-housing-landscape-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:03:41 +0000 Kevin Li,Vivian Au Kevin Li,Vivian Au Hong Kong drivers are increasingly heading to mainland China to replenish their tanks as global oil prices surge, while the city’s consumer watchdog has urged local suppliers to consider what people can afford and adopt prudent sales strategies. Motorists are exploring different ways to cope with rising fuel costs as the conflict in the Middle East pushes up oil prices. Ringo Lee Yiu-pui, governor and honorary life president of the Hong Kong, China Automobile Association, highlighted a sharp... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346395/more-hong-kong-drivers-head-mainland-china-refuel-amid-surging-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346395/more-hong-kong-drivers-head-mainland-china-refuel-amid-surging-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:44:04 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Only one landlord in Hong Kong has sought certification approval for subdivided flats since a new law on minimum housing standards took effect about two weeks ago, while applications for a grace period have been submitted for more than 1,100 homes, according to authorities. The Basic Housing Units Ordinance, which took effect on March 1, stipulates that only subdivided homes that meet minimum standards and are certified by building professionals can be legally leased. Non-compliant landlords... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346249/only-1-hong-kong-landlord-seeks-subdivided-flat-approval-new-law-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346249/only-1-hong-kong-landlord-seeks-subdivided-flat-approval-new-law-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:22:34 +0000 Oscar Liu,Vivian Au Oscar Liu,Vivian Au Hongkonger Shirley Sung finally returned home on Sunday after being stranded in Dubai for a week and making eight failed attempts to secure a flight, ultimately paying HK$11,000 (US$1,406) to escape the Middle East conflict via Kuala Lumpur. The 30-year-old solo traveller, who had flown to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a wedding, found herself in a tense situation as she witnessed missile interceptions and sought shelter in a hotel car park during Tehran’s retaliatory attacks amid US-Israel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345899/hongkonger-forks-out-hk11000-flee-dubai-after-8-failed-attempts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345899/hongkonger-forks-out-hk11000-flee-dubai-after-8-failed-attempts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:36:19 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong entrepreneurs with operations in the Middle East are recalibrating their global footprints to hedge against mounting geopolitical instability and losses resulting from the widening conflict in Iran. The shift in business strategy followed the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran last week, prompting firms to draw up contingency plans and pivot to Europe or Southeast Asia to de-risk their portfolios and ensure supply chain continuity. The war escalated with Iran’s retaliation,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345814/hong-kong-firms-rethink-global-operations-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345814/hong-kong-firms-rethink-global-operations-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:00:20 +0000 Natalie Wong,Vivian Au Natalie Wong,Vivian Au The Hong Kong government has ruled out chartering Cathay Pacific Airways flights to bring home residents stranded in the Middle East, given the potential danger of navigating partially reopened airspaces and challenges in securing take-off slots at foreign airports, sources have said. The South China Morning Post learned that officials had also weighed the option of repatriation flights from Oman, but the absence of direct Cathay services made the route “impractical” because obtaining aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345768/hong-kong-authorities-rule-out-chartering-cathay-pacific-flights-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:34:25 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Six men have been injured in an explosion aboard a Marine Department vessel moored at Stonecutters Island in Hong Kong. According to police, the blast occurred at about 10.35am on Monday. The Marine Department said one of its vessels was undergoing an annual inspection when a minor explosion occurred in the forehold, releasing plumes of white smoke. Emergency personnel arrived at the scene, and the six men were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital. Three of the injured were government crew... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345090/6-injured-vessel-explosion-hong-kongs-stonecutters-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345090/6-injured-vessel-explosion-hong-kongs-stonecutters-island?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:41:01 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will offer nine residential sites to developers under the government’s land sale programme for the coming financial year, providing about 6,650 flats, after authorities said in the latest budget that the property market had stabilised. Combined with other land sources, such as urban redevelopment, private development and projects linked to railway properties, the potential supply of new flats is estimated to reach an eight-year high of about 22,580 in the 2026-27 financial year. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344926/hong-kong-land-sale-scheme-offer-9-residential-sites-developers-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344926/hong-kong-land-sale-scheme-offer-9-residential-sites-developers-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:40:30 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will establish the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside mainland China and a high-level steering committee to spearhead AI development, the finance chief has said, as the city seeks to align with the country’s 15th five-year plan. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also unveiled a citywide artificial intelligence (AI) literacy drive in Wednesday’s budget, earmarking funds for various organisations to set up courses on the technology. “We must embrace the 15th... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344645/hong-kong-set-first-national-innovation-centre-outside-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344645/hong-kong-set-first-national-innovation-centre-outside-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:51:53 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au A trade delegation from Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is visiting Hong Kong to promote its first integrated resort, describing the city as a key gateway to Asia and China. The high-level three-day mission in Hong Kong this week aimed to raise RAK’s profile and attract regional investment. During the visit, the delegation met local officials and business representatives to promote the emirate and its landmark resort development – the UAE’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341591/ras-al-khaimah-seeks-hong-kong-mainland-chinese-investors-landmark-casino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341591/ras-al-khaimah-seeks-hong-kong-mainland-chinese-investors-landmark-casino?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Residents of Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court have vowed to collectively fight for justice in the aftermath of the city’s deadliest inferno in seven decades, as legal experts call for authorities to press ahead with a long-stalled proposal to introduce a class-action mechanism for multiparty litigation. A former member of the estate’s owners’ corporation also urged authorities in an open letter on Saturday to begin recovering a HK$31 million (US$3.98 million) performance bond from the estate’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341068/why-delayed-reform-stands-way-class-action-lawsuit-over-hong-kong-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341068/why-delayed-reform-stands-way-class-action-lawsuit-over-hong-kong-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:17 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong police are following up on an alleged traffic offence involving lawmaker Judy Chan Kapui, who was filmed driving against the flow of traffic in Wan Chai on Friday. Chan confirmed on Friday night that she was the driver of the car in a viral video circulating on social media and apologised for her actions in an interview with the Post, hours after the clip was posted online. “I sincerely apologise for my actions,” Chan said. “This has significantly affected my public image.” The video... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341066/hong-kong-lawmaker-judy-chan-sorry-over-traffic-incident-caught-camera?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3341066/hong-kong-lawmaker-judy-chan-sorry-over-traffic-incident-caught-camera?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:54:10 +0000 Vivian Au,Edith Lin Vivian Au,Edith Lin Since taking the helm of the owners’ corporation at her Hong Kong housing estate 12 years ago, Chan Wai-ling has received numerous reports of falling concrete, water leakage and other problems that should have been fixed during multimillion-dollar renovations a decade ago. “Whenever there is a typhoon, water leaks into our homes and damages the walls … We cannot sleep as we have to look out for the leakage,” said Chan, 63, referring to Grandway Garden, a subsidised housing estate in Tai Wai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340900/can-hong-kong-find-quick-fixes-corruption-building-maintenance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340900/can-hong-kong-find-quick-fixes-corruption-building-maintenance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:30:14 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities could expand background checks on authorised persons in construction projects to cover company directors, the development chief has said, as the government moves to plug policy loopholes exposed by the Tai Po inferno. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho indicated the possible policy direction on Wednesday, after experts said earlier this month that government proposals to strengthen the city’s maintenance regime did not go far enough to address long-standing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340652/hong-kong-authorities-may-vet-construction-firm-directors-strengthen-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340652/hong-kong-authorities-may-vet-construction-firm-directors-strengthen-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:23:37 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong authorities will expedite updates to safety guidelines for elevated work platforms and launch a large-scale inspection campaign after three workers died in accidents involving work at height or lifting devices. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Saturday expressed grave concern over the string of industrial fatalities, vowing that the government would take follow-up action. “We will expedite updates for the guidelines for elevated work platforms, such as highlighting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340262/hong-kong-fast-track-safety-guideline-updates-after-3-work-height-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340262/hong-kong-fast-track-safety-guideline-updates-after-3-work-height-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 10:29:26 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au New measures to strengthen Hong Kong’s building maintenance regime after the deadly Tai Po fire only scratch the surface of long-standing issues that require deeper systemic reforms and tougher laws, according to experts and industry figures. The damning verdict came after the government’s pledges and proposals on Wednesday to close policy gaps and tackle entrenched problems laid bare by the blaze at Wang Fuk Court. At the first Legislative Council meeting of the year, officials unveiled a raft... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340059/bid-rigging-and-loopholes-pledges-fall-short-fixing-hong-kongs-building-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340059/bid-rigging-and-loopholes-pledges-fall-short-fixing-hong-kongs-building-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:45:46 +0000 Danny Mok,Vivian Au Danny Mok,Vivian Au Lower land prices and the anticipation of a market recovery are among the reasons for a recent deal between a large Hong Kong developer and the government, which will set up one of the biggest housing projects in the Northern Metropolis, experts have said. Their analysis followed an announcement by Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) that it had entered into a land deal worth around HK$1.4 billion (US$179.5 million) with the government for a site in Kwu Tung South. The company said that the site... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339708/hong-kongs-shkp-secures-hk14-billion-land-deal-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339708/hong-kongs-shkp-secures-hk14-billion-land-deal-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 06:48:27 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will tighten declaration-of-interest rules after discovering that a surveyor arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over a deadly fire had failed to disclose his role at the estate ravaged by the blaze to the Housing Department, for which he worked as a service provider, the Post has learned. The Housing Department’s move to strengthen supervision followed the arrest of 68-year-old Steve Wong Chung-kee in connection with the fatal blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339516/hong-kong-surveyors-undeclared-role-prompts-rule-review-after-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339516/hong-kong-surveyors-undeclared-role-prompts-rule-review-after-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:30:26 +0000