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South China Morning Post

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China rejects OECD report on industrial subsidies as ‘one-sided’ amid EU trade tensions

China has rejected a recent OECD report that said its firms receive far higher government subsidies than international peers, calling the findings “one-sided and arbitrary” at a time when EU concerns over Beijing’s industrial policy are intensifying. “The report’s definition of ‘subsidies’ lacks a unified standard and statistical framework, and deviates from consensus under multilateral frameworks such as the World Trade Organization,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on...

South China Morning Post

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Tibetology is key to China shaping global views on the region, top official says

Chinese academics specialising in Tibet must find more creative ways to shape the global conversation about the region while remaining strictly aligned with the Communist Party’s ideology. That was the message Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, had for researchers who gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of the China Tibetology Research Centre on Wednesday. According to state news agency Xinhua, Li said that the international situation was “volatile” and...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Three arrested for suspected illicit fuel activity

Police arrested three people on Wednesday on suspicion of being involved in illicit fuel activity in Kwai Tsing District. Police seized about 1,600 litres of gasoline, with a suspected market value of HK$50,000, at a suspected illicit fuel station near Kwai Tai Road. At a press briefing on Thursday, officers said two arrestees were loading fuel into a private vehicle when police carried out their raid, while the third arrestee allegedly helped with operations at the facility. One reportedly entered Hong Kong on a two-way exit permit and police suspect that this person violated their conditions of stay. Chief Inspector Koo Man-kai called on residents not to use illicit fuel. "According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, both buying and selling illicit fuel is a serious crime. Offenders are subject to two-years imprisonment and a HK$1 million fine upon conviction, and the vehicle involved will be confiscated," he said. The operation unfolded after a fire broke out on Tuesday night due to suspected illicit fuel activity at an industrial building in the district. The Fire Services Department received reports of the blaze at around 10.30pm, and deployed two hoses and two breathing apparatus teams to handle the incident at Kwai Tak Industrial Centre. It said the fire started from an oil tank which spread to a light goods vehicle as well as the building's exterior walls. Firefighters carried out an investigation afterwards and believed the site was used as an illicit fuel station after finding traces of flammable materials, burnt marks, and reviewing surveillance camera footage. The department said it is actively pushing for relevant legislative amendments, which includes higher penalties, expanding the legal liability to include buyers of fuel, and strengthening enforcement powers. Public consultation regarding the suggestions will continue until June 25. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Chinese man, 19, lives under bridge with pet dog, works long hours to save for tuition

Residents of a city in central China have come to the aid of a poor 19-year-old student who works more than 10 hours a day as a food delivery rider to earn money to cover his tuition fees. Tang Wei, from Xinhuang county in Hunan province, was admitted by a technical college in Changsha, the capital city of the province, the Changsha Evening News reported. He will kick off his college life in September. In early May, Tang left his hometown, heading to Changsha and hoping to find a temporary...

South China Morning Post

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Why Chinese culture fears plucking white hair and traditional remedies

When individuals are troubled by their greying hair, some may find plucking it to be the easiest solution. However, many Chinese people hesitate to do so for a specific reason. A prevalent folk belief suggests that plucking one white hair will lead to three more white strands growing in its place. Some even go as far as claiming that 10 white hairs will sprout after plucking just one. Medical experts have clarified that this notion is purely a superstition. Yang Dingquan, a trichologist at the...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'People-to-people exchanges drive HK-Kazakh ties'

People-to-people exchanges are already laying the groundwork for a different kind of Belt and Road collaboration. That's on full display in Astana as Chief Executive John Lee’s delegation wrapped up the Kazakhstan leg of his Central Asian tour with a visit to Nazarbayev University (NU) on Wednesday. Two individuals on the NU campus – a Hong Kong-born engineering professor and a local Kazakh startup founder – believe the story lies not just on a government level, but also in student exchanges, educational technology innovation and a new business corridor between Astana and Hong Kong. For the past eight years, Annie Ng, an associate professor at NU’s School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, is one of the few Hongkongers working in Kazakh academia. Ng said the chief executive’s visit is a long-overdue catalyst. “I think this is a very good start. I believe there will be more MoUs and more collaborations with different university institutes in Hong Kong with NU and Kazakhstan – not just for research, but also other education programmes or short courses,” she said. Ng sees Kazakhstan as a pivotal player under the Belt and Road framework, but notes a gap in Hong Kong’s engagement compared with the mainland. While there has been a growing number of mainland tourists and entrepreneurs in Almaty and Astana, she said Hongkongers remain conspicuously absent and should explore opportunities in Kazakhstan. “Young people will be more interested here and explore something new – not a typical country to visit. Kazakhstan, Central Asia, we are also close to other Central Asian countries,” she said. For Hong Kong businesses, she said, the potential is tangible. “A lot of things are developed in Hong Kong but not here. They can find a lot of room to expand their business.” Nurken Bolatov is chief operational officer of Artisan Education, a startup based on the NU campus that produces engineering kits and a web-platform for learning robotics, programming and STEM. Bolatov’s company has already been accepted into the ideation programme at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP). “For us, I hope it’s a great opportunity and experience to try our products in another region, with other students, and get some more feedback,” he said. But his ambitions for Hong Kong go beyond market testing. He sees the city as a manufacturing gateway. “There are a lot of manufacturers in Hong Kong and in China, so probably it would be great for us to cooperate with them so we can produce a lot more of our products.” He also hopes to tap into Hong Kong’s talent pool. “As I know, there are a lot of strong universities in China and in Hong Kong. Probably it would be helpful to find some potential team members to get into our project.” His startup is already piloting its products in several countries, including South Korea, Türkiye and the UK. Edited by Edmond Fong

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Committee validates pay trend survey result

The Pay Trend Survey Committee on Wednesday unanimously validated the findings of a pay trend survey report that suggested a pay rise of up to 4.12 percent for civil servants. It points to a salary increment of 4.12 percent for seniors, 2.64 percent for middle-ranking staff and 1.17 percent for juniors. The committee will submit the report to the government next, after which the Executive Council will make the final decision once it considers five other factors on top of the findings to decide the final pay rises for the more than 170,000 civil servants in the city. Other factors under consideration are the state of the economy, cost-of-living changes, staff pay claims, civil service morale and the government's fiscal position. Edited by Tony Sabine

Hong Kong Free Press

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Over 90% of Hong Kong organisations use AI tools despite training and policy gaps, survey finds

More than 90 per cent of Hong Kong companies, schools, and NGOs have incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) into their workflows, according to a survey. According to a survey of 800 organisations conducted by the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC), 94 per cent said they had used AI tools. Among those, 63 per cent […]

South China Morning Post

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More red tape, less progress: China’s cadres struggle to adopt ‘error tolerance’

Despite repeated directives to ease the burden on local officials and curb formalism, many of China’s cadres still find themselves trapped in a frustrating cycle of working harder yet achieving fewer tangible results, according to state-linked media. Banyuetan, an influential biweekly magazine affiliated with state news agency Xinhua, outlined five symptoms of this “busier-but-emptier” phenomenon in a report published on its website on Tuesday. Beijing has long called for easing the burden of...

South China Morning Post

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China steps up Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s drug push, looks to TCM

To head off a public health crisis, China is stepping up efforts to find new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. As its population ages, the country already has more cases of these neurodegenerative diseases than anywhere else in the world and their prevalence is rising faster than the global average. Cases of Parkinson’s disease in China are forecast to rise from 3.6 million in 2024 to 10.5 million in 2050, while the number of people in China with dementia is projected...

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

Hong Kong Free Press

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Gov’t-appointed administrator of fire-hit estate applies to court to delay owners’ meeting deadline

A Hong Kong company appointed by the government to administer the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court has asked the Lands Tribunal to postpone a statutory deadline for holding a homeowners’ meeting. Hectar Pun, a lawyer representing Hop On Management, told the tribunal on Monday that the firm had faced challenges in verifying signatures and finding venues […]

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Economy shows resilience as AI electronic exports boom

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Monday Hong Kong’s economy remained resilient when it moved into the second quarter. This, he said, followed robust growth of 5.9 percent in gross domestic product in the first quarter. Speaking at a meeting of the Legislative Council’s financial affairs panel, Chan said the SAR saw year-on-year growth in merchandise exports of nearly 43 percent in April, driven by export of AI-related electronics products. The city also welcomed more tourists in April and during the Labour Day Golden Week holiday, in addition to seeing improvements in the labour market. However, Chan warned of uncertainties brought about by the Middle East stalemate. "Although the conflict has limited impact on Hong Kong’s economy, it has pushed up international oil prices and inflation pressure," he said. "The ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran is not on solid ground. If tensions escalate again, it is expected to exacerbate volatility in global financial markets, weaken external demand and pose downside risks to global and local economic outlook. "But strong global demand for advanced electronics and AI-related products is expected to help boost exports." Chan also said Hong Kong exports of services would remain robust with tourism booming, cross-border financial activities thriving and demand for business services remaining stable. He also urged the retail and catering sectors to transform themselves to match new consumption trends. "Consumption patterns have changed and people’s expectations are different from before," Chan said. "As a result, some of the big traditional restaurants may find it difficult to survive in the current environment if they continue with their past practices," he said. "At the same time, however, there are distinctive shops and cafes opening up in many districts, and some of them are doing well. Therefore, we encourage the industry to transform." Chan said the government would offer assistance in funding and training to aid in the sectors' transformation. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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Beyond Nvidia: how US export curbs are forcing China to redesign its AI chip industry

Under the weight of sustained US export controls on advanced semiconductors, China’s AI chipmakers are battling to forge a self-reliant silicon ecosystem capable of breaking Nvidia’s stranglehold on the market. At the centre of this rivalry is a fundamental design debate: Should the country rely on the versatile graphics processing unit (GPU) or pivot to the highly specialised application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)? The fight is no longer about finding a single Nvidia clone; it is about...

South China Morning Post

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How a Hong Kong app is a ‘vital lifeline’ for 76,000 patients navigating cancer care

Hongkonger Susan Tam, 70, used to wake in the middle of the night, desperate for relief from an unbearable, relentless itch caused by her cancer medication. Tam, diagnosed with lung cancer a few months ago, tried applying regular moisturiser to soothe severe skin rashes, but in vain. She also used aqueous cream, a staple from her time working in a care home for the elderly, and even turned to hot water to numb the irritation, only to find it further inflamed her condition. A visit to a family...

South China Morning Post

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US man asserts if simple teacher and China farmer can grow a forest, world leaders can find peace

A retired American teacher is planning to travel to China in late summer for a reunion with a female farmer he assisted decades ago. In 1999, Ronald Sakolsky, then teaching English in China, was inspired by Inner Mongolian farmer Yin Yuzhen’s battle against desertification and donated US$5,000 to support her tree-planting efforts in the Maowusu Desert. This contribution enabled Yin to plant some of her earliest trees, sowing the seeds of a lasting friendship across continents. Recently, the two...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Civil service reviews 'to start with some grades'

An enhanced appraisal system for civil servants will only cover some grades in the first stage, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said on Saturday. The revised system will be implemented starting October 1, under which about five to 10 percent of those deemed to have underperformed would not be granted a salary increment. Yeung told a television programme that a review would be conducted after two years to see if any adjustments needed to be made to the system as well as decide on the number of civil service grades to be included in the second stage of the system's implementation. The government, she added, is ultimately aiming to have all civil servants appraised under the system. "Our first phase does not cover all grades, but all departments have to participate," Yeung said. "Every department, based on their size, has to nominate one or two grades to participate. "These two grades must be from the core of the department, meaning that they carry out its core duties." Yeung was asked whether the move would affect cooperation within the civil service and morale as staff attempt to be the top performers. “In terms of morale, I think if an appraisal is too lenient, then it will affect the morale of those workers who really performed well," she said. "They may strive to perform well but if they get ratings that are equal to those colleagues who have a significant gap with them, this quite affects morale." Implementation of the enhanced appraisal system comes amid the recent release of pay trend survey findings – which the government references in deciding the pay rises for more than 170,000 civil servants in the city – that point the way to possible salary increments of 4.12 percent for seniors, 2.64 percent for middle-ranking staff and 1.17 percent for juniors. While the Executive Council has yet to make the final decision, as the result is only one of the factors that it has to consider, Yeung stressed that the government has to provide attractive salary levels in order to be able to compete with the private sector for talents and retain their services. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

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Hearing results a key factor in insurance claims for Wang Fuk Court residents: experts

The success of Wang Fuk Court residents’ attempt to seek compensation for losses arising from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades will hinge significantly on the findings of the independent committee investigating the disaster as claimants must prove negligence was involved, experts have said. The experts’ comments came after some residents of the Tai Po estate said that recently released documents on the government’s buy-back plan were ambiguous about their rights to pursue insurance claims...

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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Rescuers find 6 more bodies after US paper mill disaster

US authorities have found six more bodies following a chemical leak at a paper plant in Washington state, an official said on Thursday, with three of a total 11 victims still missing. A huge tank holding tens of thousands of gallons of a highly caustic substance imploded on Tuesday at the plant in Longview, Washington state, sparking a major search operation. Rescuers had initially confirmed two people were dead, and ruled out finding survivors as the search turned to recovering victims’...

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China rejects OECD report on industrial subsidies as ‘one-sided’ amid EU trade tensions

Tibetology is key to China shaping global views on the region, top official says

Three arrested for suspected illicit fuel activity

Chinese man, 19, lives under bridge with pet dog, works long hours to save for tuition

Why Chinese culture fears plucking white hair and traditional remedies

'People-to-people exchanges drive HK-Kazakh ties'

Committee validates pay trend survey result

Over 90% of Hong Kong organisations use AI tools despite training and policy gaps, survey finds

More red tape, less progress: China’s cadres struggle to adopt ‘error tolerance’

China steps up Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s drug push, looks to TCM

HK delegation finds 'tremendous' Kazakh opportunities

Gov’t-appointed administrator of fire-hit estate applies to court to delay owners’ meeting deadline

Economy shows resilience as AI electronic exports boom

Beyond Nvidia: how US export curbs are forcing China to redesign its AI chip industry

How a Hong Kong app is a ‘vital lifeline’ for 76,000 patients navigating cancer care

US man asserts if simple teacher and China farmer can grow a forest, world leaders can find peace

Civil service reviews 'to start with some grades'

Hearing results a key factor in insurance claims for Wang Fuk Court residents: experts

CE welcomes lawmakers' findings on five-year plan

Rescuers find 6 more bodies after US paper mill disaster