https://www.scmp.com/rss/519019/feed Tom Shuai is a third-year student from Hong Kong Baptist University. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The Hong Kong Computer and Communications Festival is only charging an admission fee of HK$1 (12 US cents) for mainland Chinese visitors under a limited offer, while exhibitors from belt and road countries are set to join for the first time. The four-day festival will begin on August 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and is expected to draw 300 exhibitors – the most since 2009. Among those joining would be 120 software companies drawn from the mainland and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3274466/hong-kong-tech-festival-offer-hk1-entry-mainland-chinese-visitors-limited-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3274466/hong-kong-tech-festival-offer-hk1-entry-mainland-chinese-visitors-limited-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:11:01 +0000 A group of ethnic minority pupils in Hong Kong are travelling to mainland China under the new five-year travel permit scheme for permanent residents with foreign passports, the first school tour of its kind designed to foster a deeper understanding of the nation. The Yau Tsim Mong Multi-Ethnic Youth Cross-Cultural Innovation Exchange Tour launched on Monday, taking a group of more than 20 pupils from Yaumati Kaifong Association School on a three-day trip in Guangzhou and Foshan. Cheung Ka-hou,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3274164/first-batch-hong-kong-ethnic-minority-pupils-depart-mainland-china-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3274164/first-batch-hong-kong-ethnic-minority-pupils-depart-mainland-china-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:54:43 +0000 Ferry fares between Hong Kong’s Central district and Discovery Bay will rise by as much as 21 per cent from Sunday, resulting in visitors and those paying in cash being charged HK$55.80 (US$7.20) per trip. The increment announced by the Transport Department on Friday was lower than the anticipated 60 per cent increase proposed earlier by the ferry operator. Discovery Bay Transportation Services, a subsidiary of developer HKR International, operates the 25-minute ferry trips to and from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3273863/hong-kongs-discovery-bay-ferry-fares-increase-21?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3273863/hong-kongs-discovery-bay-ferry-fares-increase-21?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:14:00 +0000 An open-air restaurant in Hong Kong that previously featured in many local films has confirmed it will shut down in late September after 60 years, even as news of its imminent closure attracted crowds of diners. Scores of customers stood in line outside Shatin Inn Restaurant in Sha Tin before it opened at noon on Wednesday after its usual weekly rest-day closure, as word spread that the establishment would soon shut for good. Many cars were parked outside and all of the restaurant’s 20 tables... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3273600/hong-kongs-shatin-inn-restaurant-close-september-calling-curtain-60-year-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3273600/hong-kongs-shatin-inn-restaurant-close-september-calling-curtain-60-year-history?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has hailed the spirit of fencer Cheung Ka-long who came from behind to strike Olympic gold in Paris, saying his persistence and efforts were a shining example for Hongkongers, as he and residents heaped praise on the athlete and bronze-medal winning swimmer Siobhan Haughey. Cheung – who also won Hong Kong’s only gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – made history again on Tuesday morning (Hong Kong time) by bagging the city’s second fencing gold medal in Paris, defeating Italian... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3272397/praises-pour-after-hong-kongs-cheung-ka-long-siobhan-haughey-make-history-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3272397/praises-pour-after-hong-kongs-cheung-ka-long-siobhan-haughey-make-history-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 01:07:15 +0000 Eric Jiang,Xinyi Wu,Tom Shuai Eric Jiang,Xinyi Wu,Tom Shuai The Australia-themed, American restaurant chain Outback Steakhouse announced it will close nearly half its branches in Hong Kong, blaming high rents and weak sales, as the city’s consumers troop to mainland cities like Shenzhen for shopping and entertainment amid easier cross-border travel. Outback will shut nine of the 19 branches it operates in the city, affecting more than 300 of its staff, it said. The chain has outlets located across the city, from Hong Kong Island to New Territories, and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3272264/outback-shuts-9-hong-kong-steak-houses-lays-300-staff-diners-head-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3272264/outback-shuts-9-hong-kong-steak-houses-lays-300-staff-diners-head-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 05:30:09 +0000 Passengers on high-speed trains between Hong Kong and mainland China will be able to travel in style with decorated cabins featuring beloved cartoon character Doraemon from Saturday. The MTR Corporation said on Friday the 34 themed trains could help boost the city’s tourism drive, with the playful designs on display across 14 days between Saturday and August 18. “The cross-boundary train has become some mainland tourists’ first impression of Hong Kong,” said Paul Wong Kah-ming, the chief of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3272056/doraemon-board-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-gets-manga-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3272056/doraemon-board-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-gets-manga-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:55:57 +0000 Hong Kong’s leading trade organisations are holding two shopping festivals highlighting local brands in the hopes of sparking a spending spree by taking advantage of Beijing’s new measures to support local tourism. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association unveiled their retail fiestas on several mainland Chinese e-commerce and social media platforms, including Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Taobao and JD.com, as well as at the AsiaWorld-Expo near the airport, on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271739/hong-kong-tap-mainland-chinas-spending-power-shopping-festivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271739/hong-kong-tap-mainland-chinas-spending-power-shopping-festivals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jul 2024 11:14:04 +0000 Tom Shuai Tom Shuai One of Asia’s largest literary events has wrapped up with nearly 1 million visits over a seven-day period in Hong Kong, with average spending rising by 4.6 per cent over last year based on a poll of visitors who bought books, the organiser has said. The Trade Development Council said on Tuesday evening that the Hong Kong Book Fair, Sports and Leisure Expo, and World of Snacks collectively attracted a large number of mainland Chinese visitors, based on its survey of 820 visitors. It added the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3271558/sales-hong-kong-book-fair-drop-5-15-some-exhibitors-readers-hunt-deals-last-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3271558/sales-hong-kong-book-fair-drop-5-15-some-exhibitors-readers-hunt-deals-last-day?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:16:42 +0000 Disgruntled passengers were once again forced to wait in long queues at Hong Kong’s airport on Saturday when carrier AirAsia’s check-in system went down for about 90 minutes, a day after some airlines were affected by a global IT service outage. Budget airline HK Express also announced in the morning that 20 of its flights remained cancelled, with some passengers stranded overnight complaining of poor contingency arrangements. The Airport Authority confirmed there was a temporary fault with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3271225/effects-global-it-outage-linger-hk-express-keeps-20-flights-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3271225/effects-global-it-outage-linger-hk-express-keeps-20-flights-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 02:41:41 +0000 Cooking oil sales have risen at Hong Kong supermarkets and some stores in northern border districts amid food safety concerns prompted by a recent scandal in mainland China. In Sheung Shui and Yuen Long, more mainland visitors were seen shopping for cooking oil, while online retailer HKTVmall saw sales rise 14 per cent over a week. The commodity became a talking point on the mainland in early July when trucks were suspected of using the same tankers to carry fuel and cooking oil without cleaning... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271197/hong-kong-retailers-report-rise-cooking-oil-sales-after-mainland-chinese-tanker-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271197/hong-kong-retailers-report-rise-cooking-oil-sales-after-mainland-chinese-tanker-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 02:00:22 +0000 Hong Kong authorities said they were “highly concerned” over an IT outage that disrupted businesses around the world on Friday and threw the city’s air services into disarray, creating long lines at the airport and delaying more than a dozen flights. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing was tasked with monitoring developments after disruptions to Microsoft services and applications, as well as problems experienced by Windows devices following a software update from a third-party... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271204/hong-kong-authorities-highly-concerned-over-it-outage-causes-airport-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3271204/hong-kong-authorities-highly-concerned-over-it-outage-causes-airport-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:01:22 +0000 Scientists from a university in Hong Kong have identified a “ladder” system providing personalised seafood avoidance for patients allergic to fish after finding a significant portion of them showed tolerance to certain species. The department of paediatrics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recruited 249 fish-allergic children with a median age of 4.2 years and found that 40 per cent of them reported tolerance of at least one type of fish. The team thus built a “fish allergenicity... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3270672/hong-kong-scientists-develop-fish-allergy-system-after-testing-249-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3270672/hong-kong-scientists-develop-fish-allergy-system-after-testing-249-children?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:04:02 +0000 Hong Kong’s oldest university will further tighten crowd control measures by requiring tourists to register in advance for visits on any day of the week from next month. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) said on Friday it would also operate six guided tours from the end of July, offering an opportunity for curious visitors to take a closer look at the century-old institution. “The initiative is part of the tourist flow management scheme that aims to preserve the HKU campus as an environment... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269310/university-hong-kong-further-tightens-booking-rules-tourists-cover-every-day-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269310/university-hong-kong-further-tightens-booking-rules-tourists-cover-every-day-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:27:37 +0000 A Taiwanese airline is aiming to operate five daily round-trip flights on its Hong Kong-Taipei route that will debut later this month with an initial two. Tony Cho, the general manager of Starlux Airlines’ Hong Kong branch, said on Thursday the carrier would also recruit more staff from the city, though he did not specify a timeline for additional hires or the increase to five daily flights. “After the pandemic, the tourism industry is recovering rapidly, Cathay Pacific and other airlines in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269205/taiwans-starlux-eyes-5-daily-round-trip-flights-new-hong-kong-taipei-route-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3269205/taiwans-starlux-eyes-5-daily-round-trip-flights-new-hong-kong-taipei-route-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 15:59:08 +0000 Parents near a Hong Kong shopping centre where a three-year-old boy was snatched in broad daylight for what was said to be an HK$5.1 million ransom said the incident had left them fearful and determined to keep a close eye on their own children. Parents who live near TKO Plaza in Tseung Kwan O, the scene of Wednesday’s abduction, told the Post they were shocked by the news and that they had never heard of a similar case in the city before. Ke Jinyi, a 29-year-old mother who said she often took... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3269210/hong-kong-parents-vow-be-more-vigilant-after-3-year-old-snatched-alleged-hk5-million-ransom-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3269210/hong-kong-parents-vow-be-more-vigilant-after-3-year-old-snatched-alleged-hk5-million-ransom-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 13:46:36 +0000 A higher duty-free threshold in Hong Kong for mainland Chinese tourists drew a lukewarm response on Monday when it took effect, with an industry leader expressing pessimism on its effectiveness and warning of shops shutting down. Annie Tse Yau On-yee, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, the city’s biggest trade body representing retailers, said the measure would not provide much of a boost to the ailing industry. “Business is declining rapidly, but the costs of rent and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268743/higher-duty-free-limit-hong-kong-draws-lukewarm-response-among-mainland-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268743/higher-duty-free-limit-hong-kong-draws-lukewarm-response-among-mainland-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:00:36 +0000 Some mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong have expressed dissatisfaction over the coming duty-free shopping allowance increase to HK$16,100 (US$2,100) per trip, saying it is not enough, with several preferring to shop online or head to Hainan instead. Peng Yaxi, a visitor from Shenzhen who arrived in Hong Kong via the high-speed rail at West Kowloon station, said on Friday the relaxed allowance was enough for her to buy household products, such as shampoo or medicine. “But if I buy some luxury... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268493/duty-free-limit-increase-hk16100-not-enough-mainland-chinese-tourists-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268493/duty-free-limit-increase-hk16100-not-enough-mainland-chinese-tourists-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2024 10:24:38 +0000 A European tall ship has docked in Hong Kong as part of its two-year world tour, and is expected to receive more than 500 visitors when it opens to the public from Friday. The 19th century-style Clipper Stad Amsterdam set sail from the Dutch capital last August and recently arrived in Asia for the first time in its 25-year history. The ship docked at Tsim Sha Tsui’s Ocean Terminal on Saturday and will be moored at Central Pier No 9 until next Tuesday, stretching across the July 1 holiday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268327/dutch-tall-ship-hong-kong-harbour-open-public-tours-june-28?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3268327/dutch-tall-ship-hong-kong-harbour-open-public-tours-june-28?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:13:31 +0000 Hong Kong wildlife authorities are looking for the owner of an endangered sea turtle that was abandoned outside a marine education centre. Staff at Aquameridian Conservation and Education on Monday night found the green sea turtle in a plastic container with an anonymous letter and some supplies outside the centre in Quarry Bay. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on Wednesday said its officers collected the turtle and took it to Ocean Park “for further observation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3268170/mystery-turtle-hong-kong-authorities-search-owner-abandoned-reptile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3268170/mystery-turtle-hong-kong-authorities-search-owner-abandoned-reptile?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 14:51:18 +0000 William Yiu,Tom Shuai William Yiu,Tom Shuai The average cost of nurturing an undergraduate student each year at public universities in Hong Kong has soared by 42 per cent over a decade, with each medical student costing as much as HK$578,000 (US$74,000) per year. The unit cost for medical and dental students is more than double that for those studying non-laboratory disciplines such as business, language, education and the social sciences. But several representatives in the education sector who spoke to the Post dismissed the idea of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267423/should-hong-kong-charge-higher-fees-more-expensive-university-courses-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267423/should-hong-kong-charge-higher-fees-more-expensive-university-courses-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:30:13 +0000 University tuition fees in Hong Kong will rise by HK$2,400 (US$307) in 2025 and another HK$2,500 in each of the following two years after a nearly three-decade freeze, authorities have said, leading to an ultimate increase of 17.6 per cent. Eric Chan Kwok-ki, the city’s No 2 official, said on Thursday that the change was unrelated to the government’s deficit of more than HK$100 billion in the previous financial year and authorities had no plans for further fee increases. “Our target has nothing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267333/university-fees-hong-kong-rise-176-over-next-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267333/university-fees-hong-kong-rise-176-over-next-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 05:11:25 +0000 A 74-year-old paraglider who went missing for more than six hours while flying on Lantau Island in Hong Kong has died after being found unconscious. The man, reportedly with years of paragliding experience, took off from eastern Sunset Peak, the city’s third-highest mountain, on Monday afternoon. But he was said to have lost his way in foggy weather and could not be contacted later. The Post looks at the risks, safety practices and regulation of the sport in the city. 1. What do paragliders... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3267314/paragliding-hong-kong-what-you-should-know-after-man-dies-flying-poor-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3267314/paragliding-hong-kong-what-you-should-know-after-man-dies-flying-poor-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 03:26:18 +0000