https://www.scmp.com/rss/519910/feed Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will deliver his third policy blueprint on October 16. His focus is expected to be on rejuvenating the ailing economy while heeding calls to address livelihood issues with bold reforms. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s bid to be an international education hub is spurring investments in the city’s battered commercial property segment, with hotels being converted to student housing and schools becoming a major driver of leasing in the retail sector, according to analysts. So far this year, investors have spent HK$2.6 billion (US$334 million) in the student accommodation segment, including Hong Kong Metropolitan University’s acquisition of the Urbanwood Hung Hom Hotel, which was converted into student... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327071/hong-kong-schools-ramp-property-investment-leasing-city-eyes-education-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327071/hong-kong-schools-ramp-property-investment-leasing-city-eyes-education-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification I refer to the article, “Hong Kong’s third medical school to work closely with Northern Metropolis partners” (November 28), which set out the 10 key parameters for considering proposals from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289626/hong-kongs-third-medical-school-must-have-sizeable-teaching-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289626/hong-kongs-third-medical-school-must-have-sizeable-teaching-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification If Hong Kong were an athlete, it would currently be facing a performance plateau. Once celebrated as one of Asia’s four tiger economies for its rapid growth from the late 1970s to 1990s, Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289135/rest-and-recovery-will-help-hong-kong-compete-top-level-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3289135/rest-and-recovery-will-help-hong-kong-compete-top-level-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 03:30:07 +0000 Donald Trump is returning to the White House, after emphatically winning the most influential election of the year. With the Republican Party confirmed to take control of the US Senate and the House of Representatives, the world is expecting the return of a more protectionist America with lots of uncertainty. One certainty, though, is a hardline immigration policy. Trump’s last administration cracked down on both undocumented immigrants and legal immigration. In October 2020, the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3286565/visa-denials-under-trump-could-be-opportunity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3286565/visa-denials-under-trump-could-be-opportunity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s digital education objectives can be truly global and reach many different cultures, languages and nationalities. Imagine a student in Malaysia. Every day after work he heads to his favourite coffee house in Penang, puts in his earphones and starts to learn. He’s working his way to a master’s degree in engineering. Some day, all this learning can flow from Hong Kong as a regional and global education hub. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s third policy address highlighted promoting... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3286030/how-hong-kong-can-lead-world-digital-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3286030/how-hong-kong-can-lead-world-digital-education?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification With the establishment in June of the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, formerly known as Create Hong Kong, stakeholders in the creative sector are eager for new policies to be... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3285536/better-ip-protection-will-fire-hong-kongs-creative-industries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3285536/better-ip-protection-will-fire-hong-kongs-creative-industries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 03:30:09 +0000 At a Legislative Council subcommittee meeting late last month, Undersecretary for Education Jeff Sze Chun-fai shared a video touting Hong Kong as “an education hub and a cradle of talent”, which came in for very harsh criticism. What was so offensive about this three-minute reel? One charge was that it’s misleading in suggesting that all students in the city are entitled to 12 years of public education. While such critiques are valid, the video does try to give an overview of Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284782/hong-kong-needs-rethink-its-branding-it-cant-be-hub-everything?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284782/hong-kong-needs-rethink-its-branding-it-cant-be-hub-everything?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2024 01:30:08 +0000 In Chief Executive John Lee’s policy address earlier this month, he issued the clarion call for Hong Kong to become an international hub for “high-calibre talent”. We believe one set of critical talent are those related to Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. This seems clear from Lee’s policy address. Nevertheless, his speech did not specify exactly which type of high-calibre talent Hong Kong needs to cultivate. Take for example the government’s effort to attract family... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284647/hong-kong-must-give-high-calibre-talent-reason-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284647/hong-kong-must-give-high-calibre-talent-reason-come?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 03:30:07 +0000 Every new policy address gets debated, supported or pondered by various stakeholders across the broad spectrum of Hong Kong. This could range from the “what’s in it for me” perspective to deep considerations of the impact and influence of the unveiled plans on large companies, institutions and policy bodies and how they operate. Externally, it could get picked over by friend and foe alike for clues as to future policy directions and implications for trade, commerce, financial operations,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284181/why-arent-we-pushing-hong-kong-harder-hub-kung-fu-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284181/why-arent-we-pushing-hong-kong-harder-hub-kung-fu-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2024 01:30:08 +0000 When Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivered his third policy address, he said that “reform is a continuous process”. The address covered many areas, some law-related; he pointed to new laws and indicated legal priorities. With the enactment in March of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the city’s obligations in this regard to the rest of the country were finally discharged. Although Hong Kong is no longer China’s Achilles’ heel when it comes to national security, that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283927/hong-kongs-legal-system-needs-reform-stay-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283927/hong-kongs-legal-system-needs-reform-stay-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2024 01:30:07 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The recent rise in Hong Kong’s poverty rate to 20.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, up from 18.3 per cent in 2019, as highlighted by Oxfam’s Hong Kong Poverty Report 2024, reveals a stark... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284152/why-import-foreign-workers-when-hong-kongs-poor-need-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3284152/why-import-foreign-workers-when-hong-kongs-poor-need-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2024 03:30:07 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s commitment to building more electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities has drawn scepticism from some car owners who have called for more access to chargers, while a lawmaker has urged the government to provide detailed plans to enhance infrastructure. One carbon neutralisation expert even questioned whether promoting electric vehicles to the public in Hong Kong was the right move. In his policy address, city leader John Lee Ka-chiu vowed to install about 200,000 EV chargers in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3284225/hong-kongs-ev-transition-effort-faces-scrutiny-some-car-owners-industry-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3284225/hong-kongs-ev-transition-effort-faces-scrutiny-some-car-owners-industry-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:30:12 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s office market is likely to trail other segments in terms of recovery as interest-rate cuts and easier mortgage financing rules drive bigger interest and deals in the residential and retail properties, analysts said. Office vacancy rates continued to worsen last month in more business districts in the city including Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui, JLL said in its latest report. Rents fell by 1.1 per cent from August, the property consultancy said. “It would take... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284209/hong-kong-residential-retail-properties-recover-while-office-sector-struggles-glut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284209/hong-kong-residential-retail-properties-recover-while-office-sector-struggles-glut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:30:08 +0000 The former CEO of a major Hong Kong technology park has been appointed by the government to steer an office tasked with attracting companies from targeted fields to the city. Peter Yan King-shun, who led the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company from 2018 to earlier this year, will take on the position of director general at the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) starting Tuesday. He is also a member of three committees under the city’s stock exchange. “Yan possesses rich... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3284136/ex-ceo-hong-kongs-cyberport-tapped-lead-office-attracting-strategic-enterprises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3284136/ex-ceo-hong-kongs-cyberport-tapped-lead-office-attracting-strategic-enterprises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:17:40 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification I refer to the reduced duty on high-priced spirits. Under the new two-tier system, the duty on liquor with an import price over HK$200 (US$26) will be reduced from a flat rate of 100 per cent to 100... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3283858/government-must-manage-consequences-cutting-liquor-tax?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3283858/government-must-manage-consequences-cutting-liquor-tax?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Chinachem Group and the Urban Renewal Authority sold out all flats in Echo House on Sunday, the latest project to receive a warm reception from homebuyers following an easing of mortgage financing and a cut in interest rates. All 198 units in the Cheung Sha Wan project were sold after sales started at 9am, according to agents. Hong Kong’s property market has seen rising home sales in recent weeks following the policy-easing cycle by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) last month. This was... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284062/hong-kong-property-chinachems-echo-house-cheung-sha-wan-hit-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284062/hong-kong-property-chinachems-echo-house-cheung-sha-wan-hit-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:37:00 +0000 At the age of 17, Aristotle went to study at Plato’s Academy, where he spent 20 years, eventually developing his own system of knowledge. Clearly, he regarded knowledge as an end in itself. Being able to devote decades to study is wonderful for someone who just wants to learn, but most 17-year-olds today simply don’t have that luxury. Education, especially postsecondary education, has become big business and is now regarded as an investment. Students face fierce competition to get into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283432/be-belt-and-road-education-hub-hong-kong-must-teach-mandarin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283432/be-belt-and-road-education-hub-hong-kong-must-teach-mandarin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Three luxury Hong Kong homes changed hands this week for between HK$49.4 million (US$6.36 million) and HK$114 million, an indication that well-heeled buyers have returned to the market for exclusive addresses as interest rates come down. Sebastian Paredes, the CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong), paid HK$49.4 million for a 1,249 sq ft, three-bedroom flat at The Aster in Happy Valley, according to Land Registry records. The purchase price was more than twice what the previous owner paid for the property... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283870/hong-kong-sees-3-multimillion-dollar-home-sales-week-well-heeled-buyers-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283870/hong-kong-sees-3-multimillion-dollar-home-sales-week-well-heeled-buyers-return?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:00:13 +0000 Almost two years after Hong Kong began its big talent drive to attract graduates and top earners, the picture is less than rosy for many cleared to come to the city. In the first of a three-part series, Willa Wu finds out what new arrivals have experienced. Kira Xiong, a 23-year-old finance graduate with degrees from universities in Melbourne and Sydney, arrived in Hong Kong in July full of hope. Armed with a two-year visa under the Top Talent Pass Scheme introduced by the city in 2022, she... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3283587/where-are-jobs-top-talent-lured-hong-kong-struggle-find-openings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3283587/where-are-jobs-top-talent-lured-hong-kong-struggle-find-openings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:30:19 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Hong Kong developers are likely to report weak earnings this year and next despite recent stimulus measures, as the commercial market prepares for a supply glut and residents seek to splurge either on the mainland or overseas, according to ratings agency Moody’s. The forecast comes a week after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled a more liberal mortgage-financing policy, which added to the optimism that was sparked by global central banks starting to raise interest rates. The less than... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283577/hong-kong-developers-ck-asset-sun-hung-kai-swire-feel-earnings-pain-moodys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283577/hong-kong-developers-ck-asset-sun-hung-kai-swire-feel-earnings-pain-moodys?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Kacee Ting Wong,Tommy Suen Chun Kit Kacee Ting Wong,Tommy Suen Chun Kit Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s latest policy address should be praised for its laser-like focus on strengthening the foundation on which Hong Kong’s unique competitive advantages under “one country, two systems” are based. As Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter points out, one should aim to be unique, rather than the best. Besides consolidating the city’s status as a centre for finance, shipping and trade, Lee has rolled out measures to drive innovation and attract foreign... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283374/why-john-lees-policy-plans-hong-kong-deserve-strong-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283374/why-john-lees-policy-plans-hong-kong-deserve-strong-support?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2024 21:30:08 +0000 The chief executive’s policy address gave us long-awaited good news that multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen residents might be resumed soon. Currently, Hongkongers can visit the mainland freely while our compatriots in Shenzhen have to apply for permission to come to Hong Kong, with the number of visits capped at once a week. Understandably, the limit was put in place for the good of Hong Kong, to prevent mainland visitors flooding the city. But the situation has changed. Today Hongkongers are... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3283344/john-lee-right-call-removing-cap-shenzhen-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3283344/john-lee-right-call-removing-cap-shenzhen-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2024 03:30:07 +0000 In his third policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced a series of new measures to attract talent to Hong Kong. Lee pledged to establish a committee on education, technology and talent, as well as to update the city’s Talent List and add more universities to the Top Talent Pass Scheme. Lee also announced there would be “new channels” under Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy and the admission scheme for talent and professionals from the mainland. Lee said that under Hong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283199/hong-kong-attracting-talent-now-it-must-help-them-settle-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283199/hong-kong-attracting-talent-now-it-must-help-them-settle-down?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Oct 2024 01:30:06 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to work with mainland Chinese authorities to crack down on education consultants supplying forged documents to candidates seeking admission to local universities. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that authorities would severely combat such acts of furnishing false information as they would undermine his administration’s policy to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a tertiary education hub. “There are situations where intermediaries make unscrupulous... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3283347/hong-kongs-john-lee-vows-hard-line-providers-fake-credentials-university-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3283347/hong-kongs-john-lee-vows-hard-line-providers-fake-credentials-university-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2024 06:21:23 +0000 Reform featured prominently in Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s recent policy address. Amid the challenging economic headwinds and intensifying geopolitical competition between China and the West, the acknowledgement that Hong Kong must change its strategy is very welcome. Bold transformation requires an understanding of our city’s unique strengths and weaknesses. To paraphrase Lee, we can always learn from others’ experiences but a wholesale replication would be ineffective, even... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282994/hong-kong-strategises-success-it-should-celebrate-its-uniqueness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282994/hong-kong-strategises-success-it-should-celebrate-its-uniqueness?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s Airport Authority plans to expand the capacity of its gold vault from 150 tonnes to 1,000 tonnes, in a bid to support the city’s ambitions of becoming a global trading hub for the precious metal amid fierce competition from Singapore. The authority on Monday said it was finalising the expansion plan for the Hong Kong airport’s precious metals depository as the site was already “reaching full capacity” due to fast-growing demand. In comparison, a newly built site near Singapore’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3283280/hong-kong-airport-boost-gold-vault-capacity-1000-tonnes-amid-singaporean-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3283280/hong-kong-airport-boost-gold-vault-capacity-1000-tonnes-amid-singaporean-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 14:12:39 +0000 Authorities will cover medical bills for some elderly Hong Kong retirees living in care homes in mainland China up to a maximum of 40,000 yuan (US$5,600) annually, the welfare minister has said as he revealed more details about government plans to tackle ageing and poverty issues. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Monday brushed aside concerns over expenditure rising through the new pilot scheme to cover medical fees. Under the scheme, the government will annually pay up to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283252/hong-kong-cover-40000-yuan-medical-bills-some-elderly-mainland-care-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283252/hong-kong-cover-40000-yuan-medical-bills-some-elderly-mainland-care-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:56:05 +0000 Civil servants in Hong Kong will receive three days of childcare leave annually from next April for each child aged under three years as part of a new government measure that a human resources expert has said will prompt private companies to follow suit. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Monday that the move, introduced in the latest policy address, was expected to benefit around 12,000 employees and that the government had drawn a line at three years as young... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3283238/hong-kong-civil-servants-get-3-days-childcare-leave-each-child-aged-under-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3283238/hong-kong-civil-servants-get-3-days-childcare-leave-each-child-aged-under-3?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:04:43 +0000 The “results-oriented” government Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has vowed to run seems to be having a few hiccups. Six key performance indicators (KPIs) could not be ticked off the list in time for Lee’s third policy address last week. While the six tasks span various departments and Lee explained that the delays were due to “reasonable causes”, the spotlight has been on the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. Lee singled out the bureau in the third item of the policy address annex over the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282947/hong-kongs-tourism-culture-sectors-deserve-support-not-just-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282947/hong-kongs-tourism-culture-sectors-deserve-support-not-just-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 01:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Judging by the robust post-stimulus home sales in Hong Kong over the weekend, analysts agree higher loan financing and cheaper borrowing costs have helped lift buying sentiment. The government can certainly dig deeper into its toolbox for reinforcement, if needed. CK Asset Holdings and MTR Corp sold more than 80 per cent of the 248 flats on offer at their Blue Coast II project in Wong Chuk Hang as of early Sunday, according to property agents. Sun Hung Kai Properties found buyers for 215 of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283111/hong-kong-can-dig-deeper-policy-toolbox-revive-property-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283111/hong-kong-can-dig-deeper-policy-toolbox-revive-property-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:30:10 +0000 I’m not sure if I am supposed to say this, but I found Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s latest policy address interesting. It was comprehensive, covered a lot of ground and was quite detailed in places, especially with regard to economic development. I have one or two quibbles, of course, but overall it was a solid effort. It did not cover the need to draw a line under the social unrest of 2019-20 and begin the process of reconciliation. Perhaps if we are lucky this will be pursued in the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282867/hong-kongs-small-flats-will-drive-international-talent-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3282867/hong-kongs-small-flats-will-drive-international-talent-elsewhere?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2024 08:30:08 +0000 Wynna Wong,Emily Hung Wynna Wong,Emily Hung Hong Kong is expected to start taking enforcement action against landlords of poor-quality subdivided flats who fail to upgrade as early as 2028 following the end of a grace period, the housing minister has said. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin shared more details about the road map for improving the living conditions of the city’s poorest residents on Sunday, as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu dismissed suggestions the government reintroduce the official poverty line to help the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283097/hong-kong-could-start-clamping-down-landlords-subdivided-flats-2028-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283097/hong-kong-could-start-clamping-down-landlords-subdivided-flats-2028-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2024 06:14:49 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft The development of Hong Kong’s gold and commodities trade is expected to create “new growth momentum” for the economy, the finance chief has said, vowing authorities will focus on expanding the city’s storage capacity amid intense regional competition. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said on Sunday that gold trading had significant growth potential as global demand was projected to “remain high” amid heightened geopolitical tensions. He noted that gold was typically seen as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3283096/will-hong-kongs-gold-trading-rush-spur-new-economic-growth-paul-chan-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3283096/will-hong-kongs-gold-trading-rush-spur-new-economic-growth-paul-chan-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2024 06:11:39 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong A major Hong Kong Islamic organisation aims to certify more than 500 halal restaurants by the end of 2025, up from the 142 already approved, amid a government push to lure more Muslim tourists to the city. In his latest annual policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu encouraged tourism-related businesses to look to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including through offering better dining options for Muslim visitors. The city leader’s suggestions included compiling a list of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283089/top-muslim-body-hong-kong-aims-certify-500-halal-restaurants-amid-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283089/top-muslim-body-hong-kong-aims-certify-500-halal-restaurants-amid-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2024 04:00:14 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has expressed optimism that a multiple-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents can be revived and eventually expanded to cover all of Guangdong province, boosting tourism and business exchanges. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also brushed aside concerns on Saturday the move would encounter resistance from mainland Chinese cities that were afraid of Hong Kong siphoning off consumer spending. “A two-way exchange is better than one way,” Lee told a radio programme. “There will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283039/hong-kong-leader-eyes-resumption-multi-entry-visas-shenzhen-residents-scheme-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283039/hong-kong-leader-eyes-resumption-multi-entry-visas-shenzhen-residents-scheme-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2024 07:14:43 +0000 Encouraging Hongkongers to retire across the border offers an alternative for some but cannot be the city’s solution to poverty, welfare experts and groups have said while calling for a blueprint with long-term strategies. They also urged the government to spend money more effectively on poverty alleviation and supporting those in need amid the city’s surging expenditure on welfare. The calls were made after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivered his third policy address on Wednesday where... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283025/getting-hongkongers-retire-mainland-china-isnt-answer-poverty-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283025/getting-hongkongers-retire-mainland-china-isnt-answer-poverty-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2024 04:00:11 +0000 Leopold Chen,Edith Lin Leopold Chen,Edith Lin Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled new policies targeting Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats this week, aiming to improve the livelihoods of about 110,000 households living in the cramped homes. But critics have hit out at the government, saying the policy legitimises the problem by effectively allowing 70 per cent of the homes to stay, in stark contrast to Beijing’s order to “bid farewell” to them. Others have also slammed authorities for setting a lengthy time frame to implement... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3282937/what-hong-kongs-plan-eradicate-worst-subdivided-flats-and-does-it-go-far-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3282937/what-hong-kongs-plan-eradicate-worst-subdivided-flats-and-does-it-go-far-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2024 02:30:07 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Hong Kong aims to attract 10,000 skilled technicians aged 35 or below over three years by launching new channels under existing schemes to ease a manpower crunch in certain sectors, the labour minister has said. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Friday that the city was facing a shortage of 60,000 skilled technicians in various fields with a combined 400,000-strong workforce, prompting authorities to develop new channels to attract outside workers. “Since we are faced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282996/hong-kong-aims-attract-10000-young-skilled-technicians-using-new-channels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282996/hong-kong-aims-attract-10000-young-skilled-technicians-using-new-channels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:23:26 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Private healthcare providers in Hong Kong should give patients a clearer idea of the treatment costs they will face, the health minister has said, while also vowing the government will not cap prices for a service he likened to omakase dining at a Japanese restaurant. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau told lawmakers on Friday the government was obliged to ensure the quality of medical services, in comments made after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu vowed to make improvements to the sector in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282958/hong-kong-private-healthcare-providers-should-give-better-idea-pricing-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282958/hong-kong-private-healthcare-providers-should-give-better-idea-pricing-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:54:11 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s surprise move to ease mortgage restrictions aims to restore “normality” in the sluggish property market and bolster investor confidence, the finance minister has said. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said on Friday that relaxing rules for a cash-for-residency scheme, which will now cover investments in luxury homes, would lure more applicants without upsetting the property market. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled his latest policy address on Wednesday, announcing the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282878/hong-kongs-easing-mortgage-restrictions-aims-return-market-normality-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282878/hong-kongs-easing-mortgage-restrictions-aims-return-market-normality-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 06:06:11 +0000 Hong Kong taxi drivers are not required to learn Arabic, the commerce minister has said after authorities suggested providing service information in the language as part of the latest policy blueprint to attract new visitors. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah on Friday clarified the government’s proposal, following heavy criticism in which some cabbies described it as “nonsense” and “a waste of time”. “I think learning the Arabic language is not easy,” Yau... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282863/hong-kong-taxi-drivers-not-obliged-learn-arabic-commerce-chief-says-after-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282863/hong-kong-taxi-drivers-not-obliged-learn-arabic-commerce-chief-says-after-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 04:59:27 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the declaration on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. It called for the implementation of relevant international agreements... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3282717/hong-kongs-liquor-tax-cut-makes-unhealthy-choices-easier-choice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3282717/hong-kongs-liquor-tax-cut-makes-unhealthy-choices-easier-choice?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 03:30:07 +0000 Foreign business chambers in Hong Kong have hailed the relaxed multi-entry visa rules for non-permanent residents in the city travelling to mainland China, saying the move made the country more appealing as a destination for global professionals while reducing administrative hassles. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his annual policy address on Wednesday that foreign employees at overseas companies registered in Hong Kong would be eligible for multi-entry visas for cross-border... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282805/business-chambers-hail-longer-5-year-mainland-china-travel-visa-hong-kong-expats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282805/business-chambers-hail-longer-5-year-mainland-china-travel-visa-hong-kong-expats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:30:12 +0000 Edith Lin,Vivian Au Edith Lin,Vivian Au The government will take into account Hong Kong’s supply of public housing and other factors before imposing penalties on landlords who lease subdivided flats that do not meet a proposed tougher code, Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun has said. A day after delivering his policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said the punishment could include a minimum jail term of two years, with three years also a possibility. In his speech on Wednesday, Lee said only about 30 per... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282804/hong-kong-public-housing-supply-set-pace-clampdown-landlords-subpar-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3282804/hong-kong-public-housing-supply-set-pace-clampdown-landlords-subpar-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:49:29 +0000 Jiang Chuqin,Lo Hoi-ying Jiang Chuqin,Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong has slashed the liquor tax on spirits with over 30 per cent alcohol content and an import price above HK$200 (US$26) after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the move in his latest policy address. The cut aims to boost the high-end spirits market, with hopes that it will also benefit the tourism and restaurant sectors. But not everyone is raising a glass to the news, with doctors and former health officials expressing concerns about it leading to increased alcohol... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282797/how-does-hong-kongs-liquor-tax-cut-work-and-why-are-some-finding-it-hard-swallow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282797/how-does-hong-kongs-liquor-tax-cut-work-and-why-are-some-finding-it-hard-swallow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:54:58 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The outgoing chairman of Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) believes the city will reassert itself as a world-leading venue for new share offerings, as listing reforms expected to be unveiled on Friday will attract more mega deals. “It is highly likely that Hong Kong can reach a higher ranking in the initial public offering [IPO] market worldwide, as we have over 100 listing candidates planning to go public, including many big players,” Tim Lui Tim-leung said in his last media... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3282784/hong-kong-bound-top-ipo-charts-listing-reforms-outgoing-sfc-chair-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3282784/hong-kong-bound-top-ipo-charts-listing-reforms-outgoing-sfc-chair-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:30:07 +0000 Hong Kong’s leader has expressed hope the city will soon reap the rewards of favourable measures he has sought from the central government, with Beijing lauding his latest policy blueprint as a sign of his determination to implement reforms. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu voiced optimism on Thursday when asked whether a “one-trip-per-week” visa scheme for Hong Kong would be expanded to cover visitors from more mainland Chinese cities beyond Shenzhen to boost consumption amid a sluggish... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3282781/hong-kongs-john-lee-hopeful-city-will-soon-reap-rewards-coming-beijing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3282781/hong-kongs-john-lee-hopeful-city-will-soon-reap-rewards-coming-beijing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:15:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The Hong Kong government believes its new rules for more liberal mortgage financing create a “positive expectation” of recovery in the moribund real estate market. A HK$845 million (US$109 million) mansion sale in Deep Water Bay on Wednesday may support that view, but analysts said a thorough market rebound may take years to materialise. The changes, which Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled in his policy address on Wednesday, allow buyers of both residential and non-residential properties... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3282774/hong-kong-mortgage-tweak-creates-positive-expectation-property-market-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3282774/hong-kong-mortgage-tweak-creates-positive-expectation-property-market-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 10:30:07 +0000 Hong Kong’s health minister has stressed the importance of avoiding “unhealthy competition” with the creation of the city’s third medical school, adding that invitations to universities interested in running the facility will go out by the end of the year. Secretary of Health Lo Chung-mau also said on Thursday that interested parties would need to submit their proposals before the end of the first quarter of 2025, after authorities earlier announced a task force would be set up to oversee the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282755/hong-kong-launch-call-third-medical-school-proposals-universities-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282755/hong-kong-launch-call-third-medical-school-proposals-universities-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 09:20:20 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Denise Tsang Lo Hoi-ying,Denise Tsang Trying to prevent Hongkongers from spending their cash in mainland China is unrealistic and inappropriate, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said, arguing the city is in the midst of upgrading its economy and urging retailers to reinvent themselves. Speaking a day after his annual policy address, the city’s leader said on Thursday the trend of shoppers heading north was a structural change rather than a temporary one. “Do not revel in the methods of the past. It’s a structural change and some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282746/unrealistic-stop-hongkongers-shopping-mainland-china-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3282746/unrealistic-stop-hongkongers-shopping-mainland-china-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:43:36 +0000