뉴스 | 🇭🇰 홍콩 | "PAY"

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

Auditors shine light on UK royal housing, disgraced Andrew’s ‘peppercorn rent’

King Charles’ disgraced younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held leases for 10 properties, three of which he sublet, while the monarch ⁠pays rent for the former prince’s daughters’ palace ⁠homes, a report by the UK’s spending watchdog said. In the most ⁠detailed review ever of royal property arrangements, the National Audit Office (NAO) report on Friday showed some leases were based on commercial valuations, while for others, senior figures paid no rent or negligible amounts for their...

South China Morning Post

중도

정치

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visit to North Korea confirmed for next week

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next Monday and Tuesday in a show of the two countries’ strong ties. At the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Xi will pay a state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from June 8 to 9, Xinhua reported on Friday morning, citing a statement from the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The trip will be Xi’s second to North Korea. The Chinese president visited in 2019,...

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

South Koreans sweat over US$779,000 air conditioning plan for prisons

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice on Tuesday sought to defuse criticism over a 1.2 billion won (US$779,162) plan to install air conditioning in prisons, clarifying the equipment will cool corridors, not inmates’ cells. The ministry framed the installation as a minimal measure to protect vulnerable inmates and correctional officers from extreme heat, while online critics condemned the taxpayer-funded project as an unfair convenience for criminals. The ministry said the equipment will be installed...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

Noisy, flashing toys can harm your child: watchdog

Toys that can damage a child's hearing or induce epileptic fits have been found on sale in Hong Kong with some products lacking the necessary warnings for parents, the Consumer Council said on Thursday. The watchdog said it tested 30 battery-powered products with sound or light features, including toy phones, keyboards, walkie-talkies and trains, priced at between HK$28 and HK$399. Eight of the items failed battery safety checks, with the batteries left exposed after drop or pull tests. Of the 22 toys with light features, three did not have the required labels to warn of a potential risk they could trigger photosensitive epilepsy. One toy also played music louder than the 80-decibel limit set out in safety standards, with the council warning that prolonged exposure to excessive noise can harm a child's hearing at a time when their auditory system is still developing. "We urge relevant manufacturers and suppliers to check the results of this test and improve the product design and labelling to improve the safety of toys and strengthen the protection of children," the watchdog said. "The Consumer Council reminds parents and caregivers to pay close attention to product labels and safe usage when purchasing and using battery-operated toys with sound or light features, in order to reduce potential risks to children." It added that parents should check the recommended ages for individual products, make sure children don't hold noisy toys too close to their ears, and not to let children stare at lights coming from toys for too long. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

Observatory issues health warning as extreme heat hits

The Observatory has warned that the weather is expected to be extremely hot over parts of the territory on Thursday and Friday, due to subsiding air associated with a tropical depression. The tropical depression over the northeastern South China Sea is currently within 800 kilometres of Hong Kong. It is expected to develop slightly, but will stay about 500 kilometres or more away from the city, moving generally towards the vicinity of Taiwan. The forecaster said unless the tropical depression strengthens significantly or moves closer to the Pearl River Estuary, the chance of issuing a tropical cyclone warning signal is rather low. The Observatory reminded the public to pay attention to their health amid the heat. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

All civil servants should get 4.12 percent rise: union

All of Hong Kong's more than 170,000 civil servants should get a pay rise of 4.12 percent this year, a union representative said on Thursday. A survey of private sector salary increases recently pointed to such a rise for senior government workers, with its figure for middle-ranking staff coming in at 2.64 percent and that for more junior employees at 1.17 percent. But Tsoi Koon-lung, president of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants’ Association, said an across the board pay rise would avoid widening the salary gap between different ranks. “We can see that the salary difference between senior and junior staff has already reached more than HK$100,000,” Tsoi told reporters following a meeting with Civil Service Secretary Ingrid Yeung. “Giving everyone the same percentage increase would ensure that the pay gap between senior and junior civil servants would not be significantly impacted.” Tsoi also described the civil service as "outstanding", saying this is demonstrated by government efficiency in the SAR consistently ranking in the top three in the World Competitiveness Yearbook published by the International Institute for Management Development. He said Yeung will pass the association's suggestion to Chief Executive John Lee and the Executive Council. When setting salary levels, the government also considers its fiscal position, the state of the economy, cost-of-living changes, staff pay claims and civil service morale. Last year, the government froze salaries. Edited by Thomas McAlinden

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

Hong Kong’s first astronaut success is also a story of youth potential

Becoming an astronaut and exploring space has been the dream of generations of young people and Hong Kong has welcomed this pioneering moment. Dr Lai Ka-Ying, who studied computer science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has become the first astronaut from Hong Kong, and the fourth female astronaut from China, to journey into space. As a payload specialist, she will operate the observatory designed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to track greenhouse gas...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

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

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

HK can be key renewable energy hub: Kazakh expert

Researchers in Kazakhstan say Hong Kong's sound financial system, infrastructure and regulatory regime make it an ideal partner and fund-raising hub for green energy projects. Chief Executive John Lee will conclude his duty visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday night, before continuing his Central Asian tour in Uzbekistan. The visit by the SAR delegation comes as Kazakhstan accelerates its decarbonisation drive, having committed to the Paris climate change treaty and a 2060 carbon neutrality target. "Our government is putting more effort on that. We have a lot of projects going on," said Nurxat Nuraje, head of the renewable energy lab at National Laboratory Astana. With petroleum reserves expected to be depleted within 50 years, he said the Kazakh government is "paying more attention to develop new technology like renewable energy technology". Nuraje, who attended the International Hydrogen Development Symposium in Wan Chai last month, believed there is plenty of room for cooperation. "We learned that Hong Kong has become a very important hub for the development of hydrogen and renewable energy," he said. "Hong Kong has a very good transportation system, also a capital investment system." Fellow researcher Yerbolat Magazov went further, suggesting Hong Kong look into developing a trading mechanism for green hydrogen. "The actual role of Hong Kong as a hub would be to make it not as an energy material, but as a valuable asset," he said. "Special frameworks, taxonomy, legislation — so hydrogen can be traded as a stock material." Their laboratory in the Kazakh capital has already demonstrated the potential of clean energy, after building a system last year that converts solar energy into hydrogen. Mainland company Zhejiang H2-Bank Technology was a key partner, supplying critical components such as electrolysers and hydrogen storage systems. But Magazov acknowledged they need to drive down costs before green hydrogen can really take off. It remains three to five times more expensive than "grey" hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels. "The biggest problem is bankability," he said. "Lots of people have lots of money, but they need to be sure that in the future, green hydrogen will be profitable. Right now, if you calculate, it's a non-profitable thing." This, according to Magazov, is where the Hong Kong brand comes into play. "If Hong Kong trusts this country, everyone can also trust. That allows future investors to put money and investments into this particular market," he said. With global energy markets remaining volatile, Magazov felt that Central Asia and China should forge closer ties. "It's better to make allies which are close to each other," he said. "China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries should bring together. In the future, if something happens, we'll be independent of others." Edited by Raymond Yeung

South China Morning Post

중도

정치

US government appeals against judge’s order for Trump tariff refunds

The Trump administration on Tuesday formally appealed against a judge’s order for refunds of the US president’s global tariffs after they were struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. At stake is some US$166 billion in revenue. A refunds system handled by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has already begun to process repayments. Last month, the CBP said in a court filing that it was on track to process about US$85 billion in repayments, with US$20.6 billion approved for...

South China Morning Post

중도

경제

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

The Trump administration has proposed a new punitive tariff of 25 per cent on many imports from Brazil, after deciding its practices were unfair on a range of issues from digital trade to illegal deforestation, top trade official Jamieson Greer said late on Monday. The measures, under the Section 301 trade statute, cover areas such as electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, intellectual property protection and ethanol market access as well, the Office of the United States Trade...

South China Morning Post

중도

정치

Trump’s US$1.8 billion ‘weaponisation’ fund is on hold, sources say

US President Donald Trump’s US$1.8 billion ⁠fund to compensate victims of alleged government “weaponisation” has been put on hold, two sources familiar with the plan said on Monday. The fund emerged from a legal settlement between Trump and the ‌Justice Department to resolve an unprecedented lawsuit in which the president had sued the Internal Revenue Service for US$10 billion over the alleged mishandling of his tax records. The US$1.776 billion was meant to pay people who said they had been the...

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

Defunct Hong Kong bakery chain fined HK$251,800 over unpaid wages

A Hong Kong court has fined a now-defunct bakery chain HK$251,800 (US$32,127) over unpaid wages and other entitlements exceeding HK$1.3 million. A liquidator for Taipan Bread & Cakes, Taipan Restaurant and their parent company, Vast Luck, pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Court on Monday to 96 charges under the Employment Ordinance, after the group failed to pay 47 employees following the closure of all outlets on June 24 last year. Asked when the parent company could settle the fines, the...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

Towngas in talks with govt to raise gas prices

Towngas on Monday said it is in discussions with the government to raise gas fees due to the latest energy price spikes caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Peter Wong, the managing director of Hong Kong's sole gas provider, told a press conference that the prices of naphtha, which accounts for about 40 percent of the raw materials for producing gas, has doubled since the start of the year. "We are currently under pressure to raise charges and we're in close communication with the government over the extent of the price increase. It's also because of the rise in energy prices and inflation," he said. "As to when a decision will be made, It's up to the government. But if we look back to two years ago, our previous price increase was implemented on August 1," he added. Wong, however, did not give a timeline on when the prices would go up. He noted that the firm has so far saved more than HK$20 billion on fuel costs for local customers because of its long-term "take or pay" contract with a supplier in Australia to secure natural gas. Under their 25-year agreement, signed in 2006, the Australian firm would supply natural gas to Towngas for fixed prices during the period. Towngas has also started negotiations with the Australian supplier over the new prices of their contract as the current one is set to expire in 2031, but "it's difficult to assess the new pricing", Wong said. Separately, he forecast that the city's total gas consumption would decline by three percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, partly because of the high temperatures that has reduced residential demand. But he added that the decline is likely to be smaller for the full year, pointing to a recent increase in gas consumption in the hotel and catering sectors. Meanwhile, Wong expressed optimism over the Northern Metropolis development, noting the company is laying pipelines to meet the demand of the expected additional 1.5 million residents and commercial users there. Edited by Aaron Tam

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

Who benefits from the ‘significant improvement’ in Hong Kong’s finances?

It’s that time of the year again – tax season, so don’t forget to fill out your return. It’s also the time of the year when the Hong Kong government decides on pay rises for its civil service staff of over 170,000. There’s a well-established system for deciding on pay rises. It includes the pay trend survey submitted to the government last week. Its preliminary results indicate that civil servants are in line for wage increases of 4.12 per cent for senior civil servants, 2.64 per cent for...

South China Morning Post

중도

기타

Can Hongkong Post be saved or should it become a taxpayer-funded public service?

Hongkong Post’s worsening financial situation may require not only an injection of funds but also a return to being a government-funded department providing basic public services, observers have said. The analysts’ views follow the authorities’ plan to inject HK$4.6 billion (US$587 million) as a lifeline to support Hongkong Post’s operations over the next three years, amid similar losses faced by postal operators worldwide. Hongkong Post has operated on a self-funding basis since 1995, following...

South China Morning Post

중도

IT/기술

Hong Kong may host Shenzhou-23 crew in 2027, including astronaut Lai Ka-ying

Hong Kong could welcome the astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 mission, including the city’s history-making payload specialist, as early as the first half of next year, the technology chief has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also said on Sunday that the government would establish a new space manufacturing research centre under InnoHK by this year, focusing on using 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI) to support future space development. “I hope that after...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

'Exchanges with Shenzhou astronauts in the pipeline'

Technology minister Sun Dong on Sunday said the government was in talks with mainland authorities to arrange a real-time chat between Hong Kong students and Shenzhou-23 astronauts in space, including the city's first-ever payload specialist Lai Ka-ying. The government also hopes the astronauts can visit the SAR after their return, he said, adding the trip could take place in the first half of next year at the earliest. Speaking on a TVB programme, Sun said Lai’s selection to the mission was inspiring to Hong Kong people. “I think Ka-ying’s selection has given Hong Kong a very good start,” he said. “Her appointment has been praised by everyone – besides her professional background, she is also a mother of three and is friendly ... people feel that she is just an ordinary person like us, and I think this is inspiring for many people.” Sun added that Lai was selected because of her outstanding academic ability, exceptional physical condition and mental toughness, as well as her hardworking attitude. The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry hopes Hong Kong can nurture more astronauts in the future with the development of the aerospace industry. “We need to begin cultivating a group of outstanding young scientists who are passionate about aerospace and willing to strive for its advancement,” Sun said. “We must accelerate the construction of our international innovation and technology hub, so that the country can gain a better understanding and confidence in Hong Kong’s innovation and technology capabilities.” Sun went on to say that Hong Kong would allocate resources precisely to facilitate national space missions. The SAR could also help the country in international exchanges and collaboration, he added. Edited by Tony Sabine

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

중도

기타

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

중도

기타

Young, frustrated Chinese STEM PhDs turn to publishing satirical journals

I did not pay much attention during maths and science classes in school. I could never get into the mindset for STEM study, but I can see there is comfort in the fact that the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter will always be pi, or that the quadratic formula will always produce the right answer when applied correctly. I envied my many STEM friends for their skills, their fields of certainty and practicality. But behind the curtain, beneath the veneer of any parent’s envy, their...

뉴스

타임라인 키워드

Auditors shine light on UK royal housing, disgraced Andrew’s ‘peppercorn rent’

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visit to North Korea confirmed for next week

South Koreans sweat over US$779,000 air conditioning plan for prisons

Noisy, flashing toys can harm your child: watchdog

Observatory issues health warning as extreme heat hits

All civil servants should get 4.12 percent rise: union

Hong Kong’s first astronaut success is also a story of youth potential

Committee validates pay trend survey result

HK can be key renewable energy hub: Kazakh expert

US government appeals against judge’s order for Trump tariff refunds

US proposes 25% tariff to punish Brazil over trade practices

Trump’s US$1.8 billion ‘weaponisation’ fund is on hold, sources say

Defunct Hong Kong bakery chain fined HK$251,800 over unpaid wages

Towngas in talks with govt to raise gas prices

Who benefits from the ‘significant improvement’ in Hong Kong’s finances?

Can Hongkong Post be saved or should it become a taxpayer-funded public service?

Hong Kong may host Shenzhou-23 crew in 2027, including astronaut Lai Ka-ying

'Exchanges with Shenzhou astronauts in the pipeline'

Civil service reviews 'to start with some grades'

Young, frustrated Chinese STEM PhDs turn to publishing satirical journals