뉴스 | 🇭🇰 홍콩 | "CHAIR"

South China Morning Post

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Summer campaign to mark 50th anniversary of international dragon boat races

The Hong Kong Tourism Board will launch a 13-day summer campaign featuring citywide discounts and events to mark the 50th anniversary of the international dragon boat races at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, in a bid to attract more overnight visitors. To welcome the summer travel season, the board announced on Tuesday that its “Hong Kong Summer Fun” campaign would open with the Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, running from June 19 to July 1. The board’s chairman, Peter Lam...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Celebrations breathe more fire into dragon boat races

A record number of teams will join this month's Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races as the event is upgraded to mark its 50th anniversary, organisers said on Tuesday. The Hong Kong Tourism Board and Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association said the races between June 27 and 28 will have more than 220 teams and 4,500 competitors from 16 regions and countries, including Indonesia which will make its debut. As part of the golden jubilee celebrations, there will be an invitational cup featuring six local fishermen teams competing in wooden dragon boats, while the winners of nine main events will also battle it out for the title of "ultimate champions". The races in Victoria Harbour are part of a 13-day Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival that will be held at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade between June 19 and July 1. Other activities will include cultural heritage workshops, such as rice dumpling and fish net making, and a virtual reality dragon boat paddling experience. “With the event entering the golden jubilee, we have jointly upgraded the event as the International Dragon Boat Festival," tourism board chairman Peter Lam said. "No only will the duration of the event be extended, the scale of the races is larger than previous years. The entertainment experience will also be enhanced to make the event more appealing.” Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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Philippine Senate deadlock deepens after Estrada arrest, complicating Sara Duterte’s trial

The arrest of Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada has deepened a stand-off in the Senate, leaving the chamber split between two 11-member blocs and raising the risk of a wider political crisis, analysts told This Week in Asia. They warned the stalemate could stall legislation, delay military appointments and complicate Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, leaving the Senate’s basic ability to do business hostage to a factional power struggle. Estrada, chairman of the Senate...

South China Morning Post

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Calls for faster rehousing of evicted Hong Kong subdivided flat tenants

Hong Kong authorities should offer more timely and flexible urgent accommodation for residents uprooted by a new regulation aimed at eliminating the city’s notorious subdivided flats, lawmakers have urged. Their comments were made on Tuesday after the Housing Bureau briefed lawmakers on plans to reserve up to 180 transitional flats in urban and extended urban areas to tenants evicted on short notice. Scott Leung Man-kwong, deputy chairman of the Legislative Council’s housing panel, said he...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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MOUs signed during Lee's visit to Kazakhstan

Chief Executive John Lee on Monday witnessed the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding on his first full day of visit to Kazakhstan. The MOUs were signed during Lee's tour of the Astana Hub – Kazakhstan’s premier technology and innovation park – and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). These included an agreement between Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Office and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development; separate deals between the Astana Hub and Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park; as well as an agreement between InvestHK and the AIFC. The chief executive met with Deputy Kazakh Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev at the Astana Hub. Noting that 2026 has been designated Kazakhstan’s “Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence,” Lee described the Astana Hub as a regional innovation cluster and invited Kazakh tech firms to consider setting up operations in Hong Kong. He outlined Hong Kong’s own I&T ambitions, pointing to global digital competitiveness rankings and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster. The CE highlighted infrastructure projects in the Northern Metropolis that aim to deepen industry-research integration. Lee also visited the AIFC where he met with its governor, Renat Bekturov. The day was packed with other high-level meetings and site visits as Hong Kong pushes to deepen economic, financial and innovation ties with Central Asia. Lee met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who reiterated Kazakhstan's role as a gateway on the Belt and Road and stressed Hong Kong’s ability to connect the mainland with global markets. Noting that Kazakhstan is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in Central Asia, the chief executive emphasised mutual opportunities stemming from the country’s push to diversify its economy. Lee also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, where the two sides exchanged views on deepening economic cooperation. Joining the chief executive's delegation is a Henan firm that specialises in mining development and trading of mineral products and is among the mainland enterprises seeking closer ties with Kazakhstan. Speaking at an exchange session, Henan Yudi Technology Group chairman and party committee secretary Yu Jiyun said his company has taken part in geological exploration projects in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and it wants to further boost cooperation with Kazakhstan because it doesn't have mining rights there. "Kazakhstan has rich mineral resources and offers vast development opportunities. Also, Kazakhstan is closely connected with China’s Xinjiang. Cooperation between the two sides offers natural geographical advantages." Edited by Edmond Fong

South China Morning Post

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Can Taiwanese opposition leader pull off balancing act during US trip?

Taiwan’s main opposition leader is due to arrive in the United States late on Monday for a politically sensitive two-week visit expected to attract close scrutiny in Beijing, Taipei and Washington. The Kuomintang delegation, led by the party’s chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, will land on Monday evening local time in San Francisco, where she will visit Taiwanese-American communities and think tanks. She will also travel to Boston and New York before visiting Washington for meetings with political...

Hong Kong Free Press

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Taiwan’s opposition leader hopes to ‘gain deeper trust’ from US

Taiwan’s main opposition leader said Monday she hopes to “gain deeper trust” from the United States, before departing for the country where she is expected to be grilled over her party’s stance on China and defence spending. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s trip comes two months after her “peace” visit to Beijing, where she met Chinese […]

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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HK delegation finds 'tremendous' Kazakh opportunities

A delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee has wrapped up a productive meeting in Kazakhstan, with business leaders describing the talks as "a very good start" and flagging strong mutual interest in investment and cooperation. The delegation participated in the Roundtable Forum on Economic Development, Trade and Investment Opportunities on Monday morning. Jeffrey Lam, chairman of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park's board of directors, said the delegation met with numerous companies and representatives from Kazakhstan who showed keen interest in investing in Hong Kong — while also seeking to attract Hong Kong firms to invest in their markets. "We felt the opportunity invested here is tremendous," he said. Lam, who is also an executive councillor, added the delegation is looking forward to hosting Kazakh counterparts in Hong Kong, potentially helping them set up factories, family offices or regional headquarters that could serve as a platform to expand into the mainland and other Asian countries. He said discussions from the forum covered a wide range of sectors, from industries to gold trading. Lam confirmed he would be signing several memoranda of understanding (MOUs), including a joint cooperation agreement with the largest business chamber in Kazakhstan and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Another MOU in the technology sector, he said, is also planned. “The MOU will breed a lot of cooperation in areas of manpower exchange, information exchange, so on and so forth,” he said. “Business chambers, they are very important to trading.” Meanwhile, Frederick Ma, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, described the presentations from Kazakh partners as "very interesting," spanning logistics, hotel operations and other industries. "There are lots of opportunities for Kazakhstan and Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland to cooperate," Ma said. "This is an excellent opportunity for us to get to know each other much better." Ma revealed that Kazakh partners are already planning a conference and roundtable in Hong Kong in mid-June, adding the delegation looks forward to a closer relationship between the two sides. He praised the chief executive's decision to lead such a large group to Central Asia, calling it "wonderful" as it allows businesspeople from Hong Kong and the mainland to mingle with their Kazakh counterparts. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Powell uses JFK award speech to defend Fed from political pressure

Former US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell used one of his first major public appearances since leaving office to defend independent institutions while accepting an award Sunday honouring his efforts to preserve the central bank’s independence. Speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Powell called universities, courts, Congress and the central bank “the foundation and the embodiment of our democracy” and argued that the Fed’s independence was a “priceless asset” that must be...

South China Morning Post

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Why the Philippines walks a delicate balance as Asean chair

When Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr accepted the Asean gavel from Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur last October, the script was already written: a packed agenda, South China Sea diplomacy in the spotlight and a regional digital economy deal to clinch. Then the world changed. On February 28, US and Israeli forces struck Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, an artery of global shipping through which 98 per cent of the Philippines’ crude oil imports travel, became a war zone....

South China Morning Post

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Ex-chief of Hong Kong journalist union serving 5-day jail term after losing appeal

A former chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association has failed in his bid to overturn a conviction and five-day jail sentence for obstructing a police officer. Ronson Chan Ron-sing, 45, had refused to present his identity card to police during a stop-and-search procedure nearly four years ago. Deputy Judge Lily Wong Sze-lai dismissed his appeal at the High Court on Friday and ordered him into custody immediately. Chan was sentenced to five days in jail in 2023 after a magistrate found him...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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CE welcomes lawmakers' findings on five-year plan

Chief Executive John Lee on Friday welcomed findings by lawmakers relating to Hong Kong's first five-year plan. Lee was briefed on the findings of a thematic research and opinion gathering report submitted by the Subcommittee on Hong Kong's Work to Actively Dovetail with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, along with Legco president Starry Lee and others. The report aims to help the government formulate the five-year blueprint. The chief executive thanked lawmakers for their efforts and consultative work. Lee said he was delighted and encouraged to see the executive and legislative branches working closely together and jointly committed to delivering the city's first-ever five-year plan. The CE said the blueprint will align with the opportunities brought by the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, providing clear directions for the SAR's social and economic development in the next five years. The subcommittee held its fourth meeting earlier in the day, summarising the research conducted and views collected. Lawmaker Stanley Ng, who chairs the subcommittee, said it engaged with more than 4,000 people and received about 570 written submissions in the past month, having contacted various sectors and invited experts, community groups and stakeholders to participate. Edited by Edmond Fong

South China Morning Post

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Ex-lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok, 73, to marry Cantonese opera actress 42 years his junior

Lo Wai-kwok, the 73-year-old chairman of Hong Kong’s largest pro-business party and a former lawmaker, has announced his engagement to a Cantonese opera actress 42 years his junior, becoming the talk of the city’s political circles. Lo’s engagement to 31-year-old Yemina Yu Chung-yan comes five years after the death of his wife Adelina Wong Siu-chun. The couple, whose wedding will be held in October, are set to add to the city’s growing number of remarriages, which rose from 15,832 in 2019 to...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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CUHK Medical Centre loan repayment deal 'a triple win'

The opening up of beds at a private hospital run by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for use by public healthcare system patients is a triple win, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau said on Friday. The move is part of a repayment deal for a loan made by the government for the development of the CUHK Medical Centre in Sha Tin. It will see the centre allocate 120,000 inpatient bed days over a 15-year period till 2037 to repay interest on the HK$4.033 billion building loan, with the principal set to be repaid in full in March next year. Lo, in a Legislative Council health panel meeting, called the deal a triple win as it allows Hospital Authority patients to receive faster treatment as well as enjoy services at the private hospital at public healthcare rates and reduces the financial burden on the university, which is planning to help the centre repay the loan. He told lawmakers the authorities have agreed in principle to allow the centre to repay the loan in full by March, ahead of the 2028 deadline that had been agreed after the centre twice sought repayment extensions. The interest due under the loan is a different matter. Under the original agreement, the HK$4.033 billion loan was interest-free for the first five years starting from March 2017, with the government starting to charge interest at a floating rate since 2022. "Even though CUHK Medical Centre will be repaying the loan [principal] in full, it will not be repaying the interest due during this five-year period [between 2022 and 2027]. It will not repay the interest early," Lo said. "For interest due in the five years between 2022 and 2027, they will [repay] by allocating about 120,000 in-patient bed days [for use by public hospitals]." Lawmaker Chan Pui-leung asked what the government would do if CUHK Medical Centre fails to meet its obligation to allow access to more than 120,000 bed days as that would result in changes having to be made to the 15-year interest repayment plan in 2037. Lo said the centre could make repayments if its financial situation improves but that would depend on the plan it comes up with at the time. University council chairman John Chai told lawmakers that the institution plans to offer a loan to the centre and/or provide a guarantee that allows it to secure bank loans. While the council has yet to make the final decision on the issue, he assured lawmakers that it will not take money away from funds that have been designated for other specific purposes. “Between 2024 and 2025, CUHK recorded solid investment returns, its funds have particularly recorded more desirable growth," Chai said. "Therefore, CUHK is considering using part of those funds that have no designated purpose yet to provide a loan to CUHK Medical Centre." Lo said the university, CUHK Medical Centre and the Hospital Authority would sign a memorandum of understanding to further step up cooperation so as to highlight the centre's role as a non-profit teaching hospital in the city's healthcare system, as well as its role as a bridge connecting both the public and private healthcare sectors. The move will also showcase the centre's commitment to promote sustainable development of healthcare services that offers the public more choices. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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US price-fixing probe on Singaporean tycoon signals consistent legal approach

The US indictment of Singapore-based shipping tycoon Teo Siong Seng in a price-fixing scandal has raised questions about Washington’s determination to pursue prominent figures from friendly countries, though legal experts say the case conforms to established American antitrust practice. Teo, the 71-year-old chief executive of Hong Kong company Singamas Container Holdings, has several prominent executive roles, including sitting as chair of the Singapore Business Federation and on the...

South China Morning Post

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Can Asean chairmanship and ‘authenticity’ lift Philippines’ tourism game?

The Philippines is banking on its Asean chairmanship to elevate the country’s tourism through “warmth and authenticity”, despite facing accessibility hurdles and stiff competition from holiday heavyweights such as Thailand and Indonesia. The archipelagic state, famous for its white sand beaches, managed to draw just 2.1 million of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 48.5 million tourist arrivals in the first four months of this year. The Philippines received 5.9 million visitors in 2024,...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Lawmakers get hundreds of submissions on 5-year-plan

A Legco subcommittee tasked with supporting the government's efforts to create Hong Kong's first five-year plan has engaged with more than 4,000 people and received about 570 written submissions in the past month, its chairman Stanley Ng said on Friday. Ng said the Subcommittee on Hong Kong's Work to Actively Dovetail with the National 15th Five-Year Plan has held four meetings and 99 consultation sessions during this period. "We have actively contacted different sectors, and invited experts, community groups, and stakeholders to participate extensively. We have listened to the voices of the grassroots and gathered professional insights, which allowed us to gain suggestions that have a broad coverage, are highly targeted and are substantive," he said. "This would provide the foundation and support for the government to formulate a five-year plan that resonates with public opinion." Ng said the subcommittee will submit a report on its findings to the government. A public consultation exercise for the five-year plan is expected to begin this quarter. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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Meet the professors advancing digital safety and molecular design

Digital spaces and molecular bonds may not seem to have much in common. But for two leading academics at Hong Kong Baptist University, both fields reveal how research can lead to important discoveries that have a real-world impact. Christy Cheung, chair professor in information systems and digital innovation management at the School of Business, is studying the human side of technology, from platform safety and online deviance to digital wellness. Professor Wang Jun, based at the university’s...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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HK industries ride on Central Asia trip to forge ties

Two industrial trade bodies that will be travelling to Central Asia as part of a delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee say they see similarities between the region's rapid development and China's opening up four decades ago. Anthony Lam, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), described Central Asia as a developing frontier booming with opportunities. He said Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the two largest economies in the region, are both paring down their reliance on natural resources and turning to digital industries, light manufacturing and green technology. "Hong Kong is poised to supply them with these opportunities and technology," Lam said. "They consider themselves developing [countries]. As what we did when China just opened 40 years ago, Hong Kong participated a lot and benefited a lot from the opening of the Chinese economy." Lam identified several areas where Hong Kong's expertise could prove useful in Central Asia. These include medical-related investments and supplies which could serve the region's population of over 80 million people. On the other hand, Lam was keen to explore collaboration with Uzbekistan's fur and leather industry. "They eat a lot of meat, so they've got a lot of leather. Leather then relates to furniture and the shoe industry," he explained, suggesting potential supply chain extensions from Central Asia to Hong Kong. Wingco Lo, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA), was optimistic about meeting the trip's objectives, one of which is to identify business opportunities in innovation, technology, manufacturing, green development and trade. But he also struck a pragmatic tone, pointing to various challenges awaiting Hong Kong businesses. "Their languages — they use Russian and local dialects. We have to adapt to cultural differences, especially those that are Islamic countries," he said. Financial infrastructure presents another obstacle. "The financial infrastructure may not be that mature," Lo said. "Different financial services and exchange currency rates may be very fluctuating." Logistics, too, remain a work in progress. "The logistics infrastructure is now building up. We hope after they build this up, it will be better for us to set up manufacturing there," he said. On the other hand, Lo pointed to demographic advantages, including low labour costs and a young population. "They have enough manpower with young generations, which will help our manufacturers to settle there." Both Lo and Lam view Lee's upcoming visit to Central Asia as a critical step in establishing sustained ties with the region. "Hong Kong is being a super connector — to the outside, to China, and also to Central Asia. This is a great opportunity for Hong Kong companies to participate in the development and growth of Central Asian countries," Lam said. Edited by Raymond Yeung

Hong Kong Free Press

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Ex-HKUST professor sentenced to 20 weeks in jail for bribery in student admission case

A former professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has been sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment over bribery to secure the admission of a mainland Chinese student to the university. Liu Hongbin, who served as a chair professor at HKUST when the bribery took place, was sentenced on Thursday at the […]

뉴스

타임라인 키워드

Summer campaign to mark 50th anniversary of international dragon boat races

Celebrations breathe more fire into dragon boat races

Philippine Senate deadlock deepens after Estrada arrest, complicating Sara Duterte’s trial

Calls for faster rehousing of evicted Hong Kong subdivided flat tenants

MOUs signed during Lee's visit to Kazakhstan

Can Taiwanese opposition leader pull off balancing act during US trip?

Taiwan’s opposition leader hopes to ‘gain deeper trust’ from US

HK delegation finds 'tremendous' Kazakh opportunities

Powell uses JFK award speech to defend Fed from political pressure

Why the Philippines walks a delicate balance as Asean chair

Ex-chief of Hong Kong journalist union serving 5-day jail term after losing appeal

CE welcomes lawmakers' findings on five-year plan

Ex-lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok, 73, to marry Cantonese opera actress 42 years his junior

CUHK Medical Centre loan repayment deal 'a triple win'

US price-fixing probe on Singaporean tycoon signals consistent legal approach

Can Asean chairmanship and ‘authenticity’ lift Philippines’ tourism game?

Lawmakers get hundreds of submissions on 5-year-plan

Meet the professors advancing digital safety and molecular design

HK industries ride on Central Asia trip to forge ties

Ex-HKUST professor sentenced to 20 weeks in jail for bribery in student admission case