뉴스 | 🇭🇰 홍콩 | "GOLD"

South China Morning Post

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How Malaysia’s Langkawi became a paradise for smugglers

Waves break along Cenang Beach as the sun drops over the Andaman Sea, washing Langkawi’s white sand in gold. Tourists sip fresh coconuts beneath rows of bright umbrellas, gazing out at the “Jewel of Kedah”: a duty-free archipelago long sold as one of Malaysia’s premier tropical escapes. Out on the water, meanwhile, small boats traverse the 8km (five miles) of open water that separates Langkawi from Thailand’s Koh Tarutao. On fast boats, the crossing takes a matter of minutes. No navigation...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Reservation system considered for countryside sites

The government is planning to introduce a reservation system for the Po Pin Chau section of the High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung to better manage visitor flows and protect hiking trails from excessive wear and tear, according to a paper submitted to the Legislative Council. This came as the number of visitors at the Po Pin Chau section reached capacity during previous Golden Week holidays. Authorities said the proposal would also help improve visitor experience by spreading arrivals across different time slots. "Given that hiking trails in other country parks currently do not require reservation, the government will consider piloting the system at the Po Pin Chau section, collecting data for evaluating the effectiveness," it stated. On marine conservation, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has proposed designating the coral areas on both the eastern and western sides of Sharp Island, including the tombolo, as a marine park covering an area of approximately 63 hectares. The department has already launched a public consultation and aims to complete the statutory designation process by mid-2027. The paper also outlined the government's broader eco-tourism push, including the "Four Peaks" tourism project featuring The Peak, Lantau Peak, Tai Mo Shan and Sai Kung Hoi. It said the department would launch a thematic website, promotional videos and other publicity materials in the second half of 2026. "While promoting the 'Four Peaks' tourism, the AFCD will continue to enhance promotion of hiking safety and outdoor etiquette and codes, reminding visitors to protect the natural environment," it stated. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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HK, Uzbek museums plan co-curated exhibitions in 2028

Hong Kong Palace Museum and the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan have begun discussions on co-curating exhibitions in late 2028, with plans to bring each other's collections to Hong Kong and Tashkent, according to Hong Kong Palace Museum director Louis Ng. Speaking during Chief Executive John Lee’s visit to Central Asia, Ng said the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, covering cooperation in research, exhibitions, education and talent training. Ng added that preliminary talks on the exhibition exchange have already taken place. “We will bring collections from the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan to Hong Kong,” he said. “On the other hand, we will bring our collections from the Hong Kong Palace Museum – including our ancient gold artefacts and textiles – to exhibit here in Uzbekistan.” He said the timeline is still subject to further negotiations between the two museum teams and depends on their respective schedules, as well as any other exhibition commitments for the Uzbek artefacts. Ng described Uzbekistan as an ancient civilisation and a “cultural hub” along the historic Silk Road and said the collaboration aims to bring Central Asian history to Hong Kong audiences. “We hope to take this opportunity to present the history of Central Asia, the history of Uzbekistan and the history of the Silk Road through an exhibition in Hong Kong,” he said. He also emphasised that the initiative supports both the Belt and Road Initiative and Hong Kong’s development into a centre for Chinese and international cultural and artistic exchanges. He said this marks the first time a Hong Kong museum has cooperated with a Central Asian counterpart. “Central Asian museums don’t know much about Hong Kong’s museums either,” Ng said, adding that he has invited Uzbek museum directors to visit Hong Kong in the coming year to share experiences and expertise. “Together, we can advance the development of our respective cultural and museum sectors more prosperously,” Ng said. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Incentives needed to boost tourism to Central Asia'

Direct flights and longer visa-free access for travellers will help unleash the potential of tourism across Central Asia, industry representatives said as Chief Executive John Lee concludes his visit to the landlocked region on Friday. SAR passport holders can travel to both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan visa-free, but the length of stay per visit is "borderline", according to Sunny Yip, director of Hong Kong travel agency Goldjoy Travel. Currently, Hong Kong permanent residents can stay in Kazakhstan up to 14 days each time, and 10 days in Uzbekistan. "These countries have a great deal of historical sites. From one site to another takes half a day or more by road," Yip said in an interview with RTHK. "If the countries could consider having 30 days visa-free, which is quite common for Hong Kong travellers to other countries, it would be very advantageous." But he said the real game-changer would be the introduction of direct flights. Hong Kong has never had direct air services to Uzbekistan, while Air Astana, Kazakhstan's flag carrier, used to operate flights between the SAR and Almaty before Covid. Lee on Tuesday announced that a Hong Kong carrier will start operating services to Almaty from the first quarter of 2027, with more details to follow. Sardor Nuritdinov, general director of Marco Polo Central Asia Travel in Uzbekistan, explained the importance of direct flights. "Most number of people travelling to Uzbekistan [from Hong Kong], they are 65-plus-year-old elderly people. For them, the biggest issue for them is the flight time and extra hassle in getting to the destination," he said. "If there is a direct flight ... it will at least increase the number of travellers to Uzbekistan in the first year already at least 10 times than what is right now." Yip said Hong Kong businesses can also actively participate in the development of tourism-related industries in Central Asia. "I would expect our chief executive to encourage more Hong Kong investment into hotel sectors," he said. "The airports are relatively basic. Development will be important to increase capacity." Nuritdinov agreed, noting that while Tashkent has no shortage of five-star hotels, cities like Samarkand and Bukhara lack premium accommodation. "Travellers from Hong Kong, they prefer more comfort compared to what can be offered in Uzbekistan at the moment in terms of accommodation," he said. With China emerging as a major market, Nuritdinov said Putonghua-speaking local guides remain scarce. "The local universities are also starting to think we need to add Chinese language as a course to the classes in the university," he said. "But I think it's a long way ahead. I'm thinking like five, 10 years ahead." Despite these challenges, both Nuritdinov and Yip see enormous potential in the region's tourism industry. Instability in the Middle East, they say, could also drive tourists to Central Asia. Nuritdinov recommended immersive experiences beyond historical sites, be it cooking Kazakhstan's national dish plov with a local family, silk embroidery workshops or dance lessons. Edited by Raymond Yeung

Hong Kong Free Press

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Hong Kong police stop another performance artist on eve of Tiananmen crackdown anniversary

Another Hong Kong performance artist has been stopped and searched by plainclothes police after showing up in Causeway Bay on the eve of the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary. Artist Chan Mei-tung appeared with balloons – one shaped like a golden question mark – at around 7:18pm near SOGO department store. The store is near Victoria Park, […]

South China Morning Post

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China among top gold buyers as bullion overtakes US Treasuries in global reserves: ECB

China is one of the world’s largest buyers of gold as central banks shift towards the precious metal, which has overtaken US Treasuries to become the world’s top reserve asset amid higher valuations and its appeal as a geopolitical hedge, the European Central Bank said. The world’s second-largest economy was the fourth-largest per-country buyer of gold in 2025 after Poland, Kazakhstan and Brazil, purchasing about 25 tonnes, the ECB stated. It estimated that China had bought more than 350 tonnes...

South China Morning Post

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Japanese MP’s claim China eyes Antarctic ‘treasure trove’ dismissed

A Japanese lawmaker’s claim that China has its eyes on “a treasure trove” of resource wealth hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has been dismissed by a polar law expert as a misreading of international obligations. But the claims made in parliament by Mitsuhiro Yokota, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, have also raised questions about what might happen to the world’s last great wilderness in future. “Beneath Antarctica lies a treasure trove of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold and...

South China Morning Post

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How China’s ‘Excalibur of the East’ souvenir swords sparked airport security warning

During mainland China’s recent May Day holiday, a 2,500-year-old sword went viral on Chinese social media – but not for the reason you might think. Lasting from May 1 to 5, the May Day holiday – also known as “Golden Week” – sees large numbers of domestic tourists flocking to popular travel destinations across China, including the Hubei Provincial Museum, which houses the famous Sword of Goujian. Many of them end up buying a replica of the sword in the souvenir shop. As a result, the main...

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

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

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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King Li appointed as dean of HK's third medical school

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has appointed renowned physician-scientist Professor King Li as the founding dean of its school of medicine, with his tenure beginning on Monday. HKUST said the appointment follows a rigorous global search that involved reviewing over 100 candidates across North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. The university said Li was selected for his exceptional track record in academic leadership, medical education, biomedical innovation, as well as his experience in founding a new medical school. Li previously served as the founding dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 2016 to 2021, an institution widely regarded as a pioneer in engineering-based medical education. During his time there, he developed a technology-oriented curriculum and led the college’s early graduating cohorts achieve a 100 percent pass rate in licensing examinations. Li also received the Gold Medal of the Association of University Radiologists and holds 20 issued patents across the United States, Australia and Europe. Born and raised in Hong Kong before emigrating to Toronto as a teenager, Li said he is deeply honoured to return and contribute to a place where his roots lie. “In the beginning, I have never thought about coming back to Hong Kong,” he said. “But when President Ip approached me and presented me with something that I cannot refuse – the ability to contribute to a very, very important task that can influence not just locally, but potentially the entire country and the world, is something I can't really turn down.” He also pointed to the critical urgency of reforming Hong Kong's healthcare delivery through technology to cope with a rapidly ageing demographic. “It's something that is urgent and it's something I have done before. I see that the opportunity here is actually larger because we have an entire country that has already decided to head in this direction. We are actually working together, not against the entire country,” he said. When asked about how familiar he is with the SAR healthcare landscape, Li noted that he had maintained close ties with the local medical community throughout his time in the US, stressing that he will also be supported by a highly capable team on the ground. The President of HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip, said the university is honoured to welcome Li, saying his leadership will be central to building a globally competitive and locally relevant medical school. She added that the institution looks forward to working alongside the city’s other two medical schools. “As Dean Li mentioned earlier, we already have two outstanding medical schools in Hong Kong and our new medical school will work with them collaboratively” she said. “Together, all three medical schools will elevate the standing of the medical schools in Hong Kong in the international community.” HKUST plans to commence its four-year graduate-entry medicine and surgery programme in the 2028-29 academic year. Edited by Aaron Tam

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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China official mocked for wearing gold earrings while crying about local flood disaster

A Chinese official who cried about her village’s flood disaster has faced sarcastic comments for wearing a pair of gold earrings. The incident took an unexpected turn when a majority of online observers showed support for her. Shimen county in central China’s Hunan province was hit by heavy rains from May 17, which triggered severe floods and landslides. According to an official report on May 22, the disaster left six people dead, 10 missing and affected over 100,000 people. The party secretary...

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong’s golden window to renew ageing housing estates is now

Hong Kong’s public housing conversation is often dominated by a single anxious question: how long do you have to wait for a home? Today, the answer is starting to change. The average waiting time for a general applicant for subsidised public rental housing has fallen to 4.7 years, a shift that feels small on paper but enormous for the families living it. The real transformation runs deeper than that headline figure. We have moved from a system that was playing catch-up to one that is steadily...

South China Morning Post

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IT/기술

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms, budgets

Films generated by ByteDance’s AI technology made headlines at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as the TikTok owner accelerates efforts to commercialise its flagship Seedance 2.0 model. Two short films, The Golden Tomb Seeker and Series Tower, created by Chinese platform Chushou AI using Seedance 2.0, were among 21 works selected from more than 1,000 submissions spanning 120 countries at Marché du Film, the business hub of the festival. But what drew most industry attention was Hell Grind, a...

South China Morning Post

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Search in flooded cave for 7 gold-mining villagers in Laos enters sixth day

The desperate search for seven villagers in Laos prospecting for gold who became trapped deep inside a flooded cave entered a sixth day on Monday, with the incident highlighting how surging prices have sparked a rush for the precious metal despite risks in unstable hillside mines. Thai cave rescue teams have joined the mission at the cave in central Xaysomboun province, posting harrowing images on social media of the conditions, which include crawling through a flooded, narrow tunnel leading to...

뉴스

타임라인 키워드

How Malaysia’s Langkawi became a paradise for smugglers

Reservation system considered for countryside sites

HK, Uzbek museums plan co-curated exhibitions in 2028

'Incentives needed to boost tourism to Central Asia'

Hong Kong police stop another performance artist on eve of Tiananmen crackdown anniversary

China among top gold buyers as bullion overtakes US Treasuries in global reserves: ECB

Japanese MP’s claim China eyes Antarctic ‘treasure trove’ dismissed

How China’s ‘Excalibur of the East’ souvenir swords sparked airport security warning

Celebrations breathe more fire into dragon boat races

HK delegation finds 'tremendous' Kazakh opportunities

King Li appointed as dean of HK's third medical school

Economy shows resilience as AI electronic exports boom

China official mocked for wearing gold earrings while crying about local flood disaster

Hong Kong’s golden window to renew ageing housing estates is now

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms, budgets

Search in flooded cave for 7 gold-mining villagers in Laos enters sixth day