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South China Morning Post

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Europe’s fears about China trade threat miss the point

Europe’s political and business leaderships appear to have concluded that China’s economic dominance represents an existential threat – not from intrinsic competitiveness but from subsidies, technology theft, state-owned enterprises and a pervasive industrial policy. Cecilia Malmstrom, former European Commission member and a member of the European Parliament, wrote this week about “an ever more aggressive China”, which “seems to be entering a new phase of industrial policy with an increase of...

South China Morning Post

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Akeso lung cancer drug shines in trials, boosting hopes in US$20b market

Akeso, whose drug ivonescimab was hailed as biotech’s “DeepSeek moment” amid US competition last year, announced better-than-expected clinical results showing it can treat a type of lung cancer commonly found in smokers, potentially expanding its approved uses. Analysts suggest it could become a backbone therapy in the US$20 billion global non-small cell lung cancer market and have revised their target prices upwards. The drug’s phase three trial found that ivonescimab reduced the risk of death...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Development chief points to greater use of drones

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said on Sunday that the government is planning to introduce high-performance drones to boost efficiency and safety in public works and emergency response. These would include models capable of carrying heavy loads and equipped with robotic arms. "With their high mobility and ability to quickly gather information from high altitudes, drones play a role in various fields and application scenarios, including aerial surveillance, disaster relief and patrol support," she wrote on her blog. "Now, drones can be combined with artificial intelligence for in-depth analysis, further enhancing departmental efficiency." She said the government is exploring broader drone applications, such as transporting building material and tools at construction sites and infrastructure projects. Linn also suggested the use of drones for slope maintenance, where they could send repair supplies to hard-to-reach areas. The development chief added that drones have overcome physical barriers and captured high-definition images of remote areas, as well as illegal rooftop structures and illegal building renovation works. The initiative is tied to the government's "Regulatory Sandbox X" under the low-altitude economy framework. In April, four pilot projects involving non-traditional aircraft were selected for phased testing, including a Development Bureau project in collaboration with industry players focused on aerial lifting operations. Linn said the authorities are also studying the use of drones for routine maintenance of infrastructures such as dams, reservoirs and surrounding slopes. She also noted that field trials are expected to begin soon. Edited by Edmond Fong

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong property recovery tested as bigger student housing deals gain traction

Hong Kong’s student housing sector is entering a new phase as larger institutional-style deals emerge from the city’s distressed commercial property market, signalling that professional investors are cautiously returning after years of falling asset values. Investors and analysts said the market was moving beyond the smaller hotel conversions that dominated the past two years, with more sizeable transactions expected as financing conditions improve, distressed sales accelerate, and buyers hunt...

South China Morning Post

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Hong Kong to curb flavoured tobacco in next phase of controls: health chief

Hong Kong authorities will crack down on flavoured tobacco substances in the next phase of its enhanced smoking control measures, with the health minister describing such products as a “poisoned chalice” designed to hook younger people. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau warned on Saturday that flavoured tobacco was mostly delivered through e-cigarettes, with additives containing menthol or sugar-coated toxins used to mask the bitterness and smell of tobacco and attract young consumers. “About 70...

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

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Controls on illicit tobacco products going smoothly'

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau on Saturday said the government would enter a new phase in its crackdown on illicit cigarettes and vapes, as part of its tobacco control measures laid out after a public consultation was conducted in 2023. A series of short, medium, and long-term measures were planned following the consultation, Lo said, which included 10 tobacco control measures rolled out in the beginning of this year. From April 30, the possession or use of alternative smoking products, such as vapes, e-cigarettes or heated tobacco in public has been prohibited. Speaking to reporters after attending a radio programme, Lo said the measures so far had been effectively implemented, and the next step would be to focus on duty stamps and uniform packaging. "These will be fully implemented by the end of next year, and there are very important counter measures against illicit smoking products," he said. "After all these measures, we will start implementing possible measures against all additives in tobacco products — which in fact attracts the younger generation, as well as a lot of women, into nicotine addiction," he added. The minister said the administration would then look into other medium and long term goals, such as charging those smoking while walking. Hong Kong logged an "historic low" smoking prevalence rate at 8.5 percent in 2025, missing the original target set at 7.8 percent. Lo said the SAR's goal was set in accordance to the World Health Organisation's initiative in reducing 30 percent of the global smoking rate, but the organisation postponed the target by three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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3 paths to stability in a conflict-ridden world

The reshaping of the global economic system we are witnessing has entered an acute phase. This raises several questions. When will the world return to a more stable condition? No less importantly, what places will key countries occupy in the new configuration? To answer these questions, it is useful to view current events through the prism of systemic interstate conflicts, which are among the main markers of such transformations. By systemic conflicts, however, one should understand not only...

South China Morning Post

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Chinese scientists use supercomputer to cut new drug screening time from years to seconds

China has unveiled an artificial intelligence platform for drug discovery that can screen a vast library of chemical compounds, cutting the initial drug screening phase from months or years down to tens of seconds. Developers said they expected the system to provide a novel method for identifying lead molecules to treat tumours, neurodegenerative conditions, rare diseases and emerging infectious diseases, as well as possibly speeding up drug research during public health crises. Called GalaxyVS,...

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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Calls for greater transparency in permit-quota review

A think tank said on Wednesday that the government should provide more details on how often it plans to adjust a quota system for ride-hailing permits to offer the market greater transparency. Authorities have proposed rolling out up to 10,000 permits in the first phase. Assistant research director Jason Leung from the Our Hong Kong Foundation described it as "a prudent quota, but a tight one", given the city's 18,000 licensed taxis. Leung also said the government should offer the public more information about the quota review system. "To make that review clause credible, it should pre-commit to specific and measurable figures," he said. "For instance, if citywide peak-hour booking success rates drop below a defined threshold, or if average waiting times exceed a set benchmark, at which point the quota is automatically, or there's a mechanism for it to be raised. "So a regular, perhaps quarterly review, guided by objective metrics, would give passengers and platforms the confidence that the 10,000 number is not a completely unchangeable one, that it can be adjusted in the future based on real-life metrics." The government has proposed a HK$1.2 million annual licence fee for platform operators, which Leung said is not a significant amount for larger operators offering hundreds of thousands of trips each month. "It can be easily absorbed into operational costs, so it's not a barrier to a major operator. "But if you are talking about smaller operators or new entrants to the market, it could be potentially burdensome, especially for emerging platforms with limited revenues." He said the government could set up a tiered or revenue-linked fee structure to allow smaller platforms to operate. On top of monitoring operational data to be shared by platforms, Leung said authorities should track the metrics of taxi in evaluating how they perform, so as to better assess whether ride-hailing services and cabbies co-exist. Edited by Edmond Fong

RTHK News (Hong Kong)

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'Ride-hailing services to complement cabbies'

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan on Wednesday said she believes the proposed regulatory regime for ride-hailing services will complement the taxi industry. The government has proposed issuing up to 10,000 vehicle permits in the first phase. Chan expects to invite interested platforms to file applications as soon as August this year, and they could start operating as soon as the end of November. She stressed that she wants the regime to be rolled out gradually. “As a start, we would like to take a prudent, careful approach to ensure that our proposed regulatory regime will be achieved and implemented in a safe, smooth and progressive manner,” Chan said. She noted that Hong Kong’s situation is unique – about 90 percent of the residents opt for public transportation – but the government also values the public’s travel experience. Chan believes that ride-hailing platforms could also include taxis to offer appointment services. The current cap, she said, was proposed after balancing various considerations. But Chan added the government would adjust the quota when necessary by closely monitoring the operational data from ride-hailing platforms. “Once we issue licences for one or two or more platform operators in future, we will impose requirements for the operators to submit and share and store the relevant operational data, and to share it with the Transport Department,” she said. “I believe that our mechanism and our review should be based on data and should take into account the various operating indicators.” Edited by Tony Sabine

South China Morning Post

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Underage dating claims left Kim Soo-hyun in tears, but he stands vindicated a year later

A year after South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears at a high-profile press conference over allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron, the controversy has entered yet another dramatic phase. Kim Se-ui, head of controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, was taken into custody this week, as police reportedly concluded that audio files previously presented as evidence against Kim Soo-hyun were generated using AI technology. According to the Seoul...

South China Morning Post

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Nasa lays out moon base plans with landers, buggies and drones at the top of the list

Nasa is already ordering landers, rovers and drones for a sprawling moon base, less than two months after the Artemis II’s record-breaking lunar fly-around. The space agency outlined the first phase of its moon base plans on Tuesday, awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four US companies. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin would provide a pair of landers to deliver moon buggies to the lunar surface, at a spot near the moon’s south pole. These so-called lunar terrain vehicles would be...

뉴스

타임라인 키워드

Europe’s fears about China trade threat miss the point

Akeso lung cancer drug shines in trials, boosting hopes in US$20b market

Development chief points to greater use of drones

Hong Kong property recovery tested as bigger student housing deals gain traction

Hong Kong to curb flavoured tobacco in next phase of controls: health chief

Civil service reviews 'to start with some grades'

'Controls on illicit tobacco products going smoothly'

3 paths to stability in a conflict-ridden world

Chinese scientists use supercomputer to cut new drug screening time from years to seconds

Calls for greater transparency in permit-quota review

'Ride-hailing services to complement cabbies'

Underage dating claims left Kim Soo-hyun in tears, but he stands vindicated a year later

Nasa lays out moon base plans with landers, buggies and drones at the top of the list