https://www.scmp.com/rss/522257/feed The latest news and top stories on Business and Professionals Alliance. A prominent Hong Kong-based political party, the Business and Professionals Alliance (BPA) was founded in October 2012. As a pro-Beijing, pro-business alliance, its primary mission is "Promoting Economy, Benefiting People’s Livelihood," aiming to solve societal issues through economic development. Headquartered in Admiralty, Hong Kong, the BPA is the second-largest party in the Legislative Council. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Some anxious residents of fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court have urged Hong Kong authorities to help them climb stairs using makeshift aids when they return to their high-rise homes to collect personal belongings next month. Some lawmakers also proposed on Saturday that the government deploy wearable walking robots, stair-climbing trolleys or wheelchairs to assist elderly residents of the Tai Po estate devastated by the inferno that claimed 168 lives and displaced nearly 5,000 people in November. They... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344993/hi-tech-aids-proposed-help-elderly-climb-stairs-fire-ravaged-tai-po-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344993/hi-tech-aids-proposed-help-elderly-climb-stairs-fire-ravaged-tai-po-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:03:36 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will deliver his annual budget on Wednesday, unveiling measures to accelerate the city’s economic recovery after balancing the books, amid mounting expectations for more “sweeteners” in the blueprint. The 2026-27 budget also marks the government’s first major test in aligning the city with mainland China’s 15th five-year plan and unveiling long-term growth initiatives. The South China Morning Post examines how political and economic factors will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344469/ips-superyachts-and-more-can-budget-spark-hong-kongs-purple-patch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344469/ips-superyachts-and-more-can-budget-spark-hong-kongs-purple-patch?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s improving fiscal position has prompted a groundswell of calls for the government to offer more “sweeteners” in the coming budget, including a cross-party demand for more tax relief for the middle class, but economists have cautioned against such across-the-board measures. They were more supportive of targeted spending, a cause taken up in recent weeks by concern groups asking for more specific forms of help for grass-roots residents, especially the unemployed. The growing debate was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344177/hong-kong-budget-2026-27-sweeteners-grass-roots-or-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344177/hong-kong-budget-2026-27-sweeteners-grass-roots-or-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Denise Tsang,Fiona Sun Denise Tsang,Fiona Sun Safeguarding national security is crucial for Hong Kong to fully implement the “one country, two systems” governing principle and ensure the city’s stability, which will aid its development and attract foreign investors. That was the key takeaway from a high-level meeting hosted by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday to discuss a white paper issued by Beijing earlier this week, only the third such report released by the State Council on local affairs since 2014. The document focused on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343584/protecting-national-security-seen-key-hong-kongs-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343584/protecting-national-security-seen-key-hong-kongs-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:37:37 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Two candidates vying to become the next president of Hong Kong’s legislature are locked in a tight race as major political parties have given their members a free vote. The newly sworn-in members of the Legislative Council will on Thursday elect either Starry Lee Wai-king of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) or finance sector representative Ronick Chan Chun-ying through a secret ballot. Before voting begins, both candidates will present their election... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3339081/tight-race-hong-kongs-legco-presidency-parties-allow-free-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3339081/tight-race-hong-kongs-legco-presidency-parties-allow-free-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:10:53 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong Tai Po district councillors have urged the government to expedite rebuilding plans and offer Wang Fuk Court residents a range of rehousing options after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, as officials pledged to weigh the pros and cons of each proposal. At the first meeting of Tai Po District Council since the fire on November 26, all 22 members attended, including Peggy Wong Pik-kiu, who has come under heavy scrutiny for advising the owners’ corporation of the housing estate on its HK$330... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338898/hong-kong-councillors-urge-swift-rebuilding-and-rehousing-options-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338898/hong-kong-councillors-urge-swift-rebuilding-and-rehousing-options-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:30:20 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The dust has settled and Hong Kong’s eighth Legislative Council is getting ready, with new lawmakers finding their way. There were quite a few surprises, looking at the results. With many new candidates and political groups vying for seats, the contest for the directly elected geographical constituencies was highly competitive. Some candidates were fielded by groups with strongholds in the trade-based functional constituencies, which are indirectly elected. That is something we should welcome.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336253/hong-kongs-political-parties-are-embracing-change-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336253/hong-kongs-political-parties-are-embracing-change-better?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s largest political party won far fewer votes in Sunday’s battle for directly contested seats in the legislature compared with four years ago as its candidates grappled with tough races and public anger over the deadly fire in Tai Po. While the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) retained all 10 of its geographical constituency seats, the party secured only 432,473 votes from residents, accounting for 34 per cent of the total, down by almost 250,000,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335650/hong-kongs-dab-party-loses-popular-support-retains-crown-legcos-biggest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3335650/hong-kongs-dab-party-loses-popular-support-retains-crown-legcos-biggest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:43:00 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Integration with mainland China and boosting Hong Kong’s sluggish economy have dominated the manifestos of candidates contesting functional and Election Committee constituencies in the Legislative Council election, while those running for directly elected seats have prioritised livelihood concerns, the Post has found. A check by the Post of all 161 candidates’ manifestos on the government’s election website also found that only 38 of them, or 23 per cent, provided English versions. Of the 161... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333002/what-are-hong-kong-legco-election-candidates-prioritising-their-manifestos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333002/what-are-hong-kong-legco-election-candidates-prioritising-their-manifestos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:30:16 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong is gearing up for a Legislative Council election on December 7, as 161 candidates are confirmed to be joining the race after nominations closed last week. With 5 per cent more hopefuls than the previous poll in 2021, this year’s election leaves no seats uncontested. There will also be fiercer competition in the geographical constituencies, as major political parties have fielded more candidates to run for the 20 seats directly elected by residents. Functional constituencies, comprising... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332398/vivian-kongs-bid-forums-lawmaker-pullout-what-know-about-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3332398/vivian-kongs-bid-forums-lawmaker-pullout-what-know-about-hong-kong-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Ronald Chan Ronald Chan Think of Monaco: a glittering harbour, vibrant city, global icon and financial hub. Sound familiar? I have always been fascinated by the similarities between Monaco and Hong Kong. Today, I see an exciting future amid the fast-growing opportunities developing for Hong Kong thanks to our increasing economic, financial and cultural ties with the principality. From capital flows and marine infrastructure to yacht tourism, trade and ocean research, a deeper alliance between Hong Kong and Monaco could... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332072/how-deeper-ties-monaco-can-help-hong-kong-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332072/how-deeper-ties-monaco-can-help-hong-kong-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen has the patience of a Buddha, a temperament which may explain why he managed to chair the Legislative Council for nine long years. Those tumultuous years included the unprecedented anti-government riots in 2019, followed by the economically damaging Covid-19 pandemic, and yet he almost never lost his temper in public. But even Leung got a little testy at a news conference last month before the end of the seventh Legco. “If there were 90 legislators and more than 80 were... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331412/turnover-among-hong-kong-legislators-should-not-be-surprising?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3331412/turnover-among-hong-kong-legislators-should-not-be-surprising?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee With over 12,000 registered yachts but only around 4,300 berths, Hong Kong plans to boost its yacht tourism by adding about 1,100 berths at several locations: the proposed Airport Bay Marina, the Hung Hom harbourfront, the former Lamma Quarry and the expanded Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. The projects are part of the city’s waterfront developments. Airport Bay Marina, for instance, was revealed in the Skytopia master plan, which includes an expanded AsiaWorld-Expo, a “jet fresh market” designed to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330818/hong-kongs-superyacht-economy-must-not-leave-citys-poor-its-wake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330818/hong-kongs-superyacht-economy-must-not-leave-citys-poor-its-wake?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng The Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong party has put forward 14 candidates for the coming Legislative Council election, while one of its lawmakers has joined a wave of legislators opting not to seek another term, bringing the total to 28. The party announced the line-up on Monday, as 41-year-old legislator Benson Luk Hon-man revealed he had no plans to run for re-election. Luk said on Monday that the decision was made after careful consideration and discussions with fellow party... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330462/business-and-professionals-alliance-field-14-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330462/business-and-professionals-alliance-field-14-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:39:30 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The seventh-term Legislative Council has officially ended. I am sure few people had expected the attention Legco received over the past month, beginning with the news of Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen’s retirement. Amid a wave of retirements, legislators over 70 years old – including stalwarts – might be forgiven for feeling the pressure to step aside to make room for new blood. The announcement over the weekend by the New People’s Party’s Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and Lai Tung-kwok that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330343/can-legco-veterans-exit-really-invigorate-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3330343/can-legco-veterans-exit-really-invigorate-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng There is no such thing as a “blessing” or “special treatment” for candidates in Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council poll, Beijing’s top office overseeing the city’s affairs has said, after at least 15 legislators decided against running for re-election. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office also said on Friday night that a change of lawmakers through Legco elections was standard practice and represented “the true meaning of democracy”. It said younger, more professional and innovative... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3329448/hong-kong-veteran-lawmaker-michael-tien-says-he-may-retire-ahead-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3329448/hong-kong-veteran-lawmaker-michael-tien-says-he-may-retire-ahead-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:26:54 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s leader has signalled that the government’s key decision-making body, the Executive Council, will not be reshuffled after four veteran lawmakers, who also serve as his advisers, decided not to run in the coming Legislative Council election. Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, a lawmaker since 2012 and affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not seek another term in the legislature. Three... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328913/hong-kong-exco-will-not-change-despite-veteran-lawmakers-stepping-down-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328913/hong-kong-exco-will-not-change-despite-veteran-lawmakers-stepping-down-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 05:32:46 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Three more Hong Kong lawmakers have decided not to run in the coming Legislative Council election, bringing the total to at least 12 so far. Lo Wai-kwok, 71, chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, the Liberal Party’s Frankie Yick Chi-ming, 72, and Chow Man-kong, 44, all announced their decision not to seek another term on Monday. Veteran politician Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said her party would make an announcement “in due course”, and asked the media not to “harass”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328811/frankie-yick-latest-lawmaker-say-he-wont-run-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328811/frankie-yick-latest-lawmaker-say-he-wont-run-hong-kongs-legco-election?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:06:21 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung At least three more Hong Kong lawmakers have said they will not seek another term ahead of nominations opening later this month for the Legislative Council election, bringing the total to nine so far. Veteran lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, a vice-chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, said on Sunday that he would not stand for re-election. Lam, who turns 74 this month, represents the “Commercial (First)” functional constituency in Legco. The seat is reserved for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328703/2-more-hong-kong-lawmakers-opt-out-legco-election-taking-total-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3328703/2-more-hong-kong-lawmakers-opt-out-legco-election-taking-total-8?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:44:11 +0000 Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng Willa Wu,Matthew Cheng The incumbent president of Hong Kong’s legislature has announced that he will not seek re-election in December’s poll, citing family considerations, his age and personal reasons for his retirement. Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, 74, who has chaired the Legislative Council for nine years, said on Monday that he hoped his early announcement would give capable candidates sufficient time to prepare for the Legco election on December 7. Leung’s decision to step down came just over three weeks before the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327283/hong-kong-legco-president-andrew-leung-step-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327283/hong-kong-legco-president-andrew-leung-step-down?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:49:14 +0000 Willa Wu,Edith Lin Willa Wu,Edith Lin Hong Kong lawmakers have voted down a bill that would have recognised same-sex partnerships, despite a landmark court ruling and years of LGBTQ rights activism, with the city’s constitutional affairs chief expressing disappointment over the result. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said on Wednesday that the government would not seek an extension to an October deadline set by the court but would discuss its next step with the Department of Justice. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325049/hong-kong-lawmakers-vote-down-bill-recognising-same-sex-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325049/hong-kong-lawmakers-vote-down-bill-recognising-same-sex-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:42:49 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s legislature has spent HK$200,000 (US$25,640) on a model that captures the moment lawmakers passed the city’s domestic security law, with its president saying it is “worth the price”. Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen also said on Friday that he understood the government had lobbied all lawmakers for their support for a controversial same-sex partnership bill and urged legislators to “vote with their conscience”. Leung said the model, commissioned by the Legco... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3323719/hk200000-model-capturing-moment-hong-kong-security-law-passed-worth-price?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3323719/hk200000-model-capturing-moment-hong-kong-security-law-passed-worth-price?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 14:45:40 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft LGBTQ organisations in Hong Kong have called for “real consultations” on a government-proposed framework to recognise same-sex partnerships, even as widespread opposition from lawmakers threatens to derail the plan. The groups said on Sunday that the reaction from legislators was “not surprising” but the “hostility” had prompted some people to leave the city altogether. In a paper submitted to the legislature last week, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau proposed allowing same-sex... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317152/hong-kong-should-have-real-dialogue-same-sex-partnership-proposal-lgbtq-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317152/hong-kong-should-have-real-dialogue-same-sex-partnership-proposal-lgbtq-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 12:26:45 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Willa Wu,Natalie Wong Jeffie Lam,Willa Wu,Natalie Wong A proposal by the Hong Kong government to recognise same-sex partnerships in line with a top court ruling may hit a dead end amid mounting opposition in the legislature, with one legal expert saying authorities may consider a rejection as closing the file on the controversy. Failure to enact the legislation could mean that same-sex couples would continue to be barred from having their relationships officially recognised in the near future and invite more judicial challenges, lawyers warned on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317037/proposal-recognise-same-sex-partnerships-hong-kong-dead-arrival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317037/proposal-recognise-same-sex-partnerships-hong-kong-dead-arrival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:02:38 +0000