Politics

I’m still reeling from last week’s tragedy in Hong Kong: a mother and her 12-year-old daughter lost their lives to suicide within hours of each other reportedly following an argument about “education problems”.While the causes of suicide are complex, the incident should prompt reflection within the education system. For years, many have tried to point out the impact academic pressure without adequate support has on students’ mental health. We have also noted the effect on teachers and parents. We have tried to cite statistics in the hope that the government would address the issue.Our education system seems to have become what has recently been described as a “zero-sum” game.Students are trained to be exam-takers. In such a system, only results matter. This creates an uncaring culture that...

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said he is focused on accomplishing much more in the final year of his current term, which he described as a “long period for a lot of things to be achieved” as he shrugged off a question on seeking a second one.Alluding to the adage “a year is a long time in politics”, Lee deflected the question of extending his tenure for another five years and focused instead on what he saw as ensuring continuity in governance. He was “very positive” on the future of Hong Kong’s economic development, he added.“One year is a long period for a lot of things to be achieved … So a lot of these things can happen in one year,” Lee said, pointing to policy roll-outs under his watch, including the decision to allow stock market trading during typhoons and the implementation ...

Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs will visit the city on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a check on the progress of the Northern Metropolis as part of his itinerary, while sources say the chief executive will join him as he looks into a cross-border technology cooperation platform.The Hong Kong government announced on Monday morning that Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, would be visiting the city for two days.“[Xia will] inspect Hong Kong’s alignment with the national 15th five-year plan and the advancement of the Northern Metropolis,” it said, referring to the megaproject to turn 30,000 hectares (74,131 acres) of land into an economic growth engine and housing hub.The top official’s visit will take place just a day after the launch of a two-mo...

A Hong Kong district councillor criticised for her links to the former owners’ committee of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court has resigned from her advisory role for another housing estate in Tai Po, following the announcement of a petition.A notice from the incorporated owners of Plover Cove Garden, seen by the South China Morning Post, announced on Friday that Peggy Wong Pik-kiu had resigned from her honorary adviser role with the housing estate’s incorporated owners’ committee.The incorporated owners of the housing estate had already accepted Wong’s resignation on Thursday, the notice said.Wong stepped down after some owners at Plover Cove Garden had raised concerns over the district councillor’s suitability to act as an honorary adviser at a corporation meeting on June 6, according to a ...

As Hong Kong prepares for another major push in public works, one question deserves far more attention than it has received: are we buying infrastructure in a way that is sustainable for the construction industry and the public as a whole?In his February budget, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced that HK$150 billion (US$19.1 billion) will be transferred from the Exchange Fund to support the Northern Metropolis and other infrastructure projects in the coming two years. This major commitment of public resources signals that the government intends to keep the works programme moving despite financial pressure. That makes it even more important to ask whether our tender evaluation system is producing healthy competition.At present, Hong Kong’s tender price evaluation method for infra...

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the UK for “abusing the law and judicial process” after a British court found two men linked to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London guilty of spying on activists.Bill Yuen Chung-biu, the London office’s manager, and Peter Wai Chi-leung, who ran a security firm, were found guilty on Thursday of assisting a foreign intelligence service, two years after their arrests thrust Hong Kong’s overseas promotion offices into the global spotlight.Ministry spokesman Lin Jian described the charges on Friday as lacking “factual basis” and accused the United Kingdom of “securing the conviction by abusing the law and judicial process”.“Such groundless accusations and smears against China are nothing but a typical political stunt. Chin...

A wanted member of the overseas group “Hong Kong Parliament” has been arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa and is reportedly set to be deported to mainland China.The organisation said on Friday that Zhang Xinyan, who took part in what it called a parliamentary election and was sworn in as a member last year, was recently arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa.It was not immediately clear what type of visa Zhang held.In a reply to the South China Morning Post on Saturday, a Hong Kong government spokesman declined to comment on media reports about law enforcement actions in other jurisdictions.But he stressed that authorities would spare no effort in pursuing national security fugitives.The activist organisation claimed that Zhang held refugee status granted by the Office of ...

The arrival of Yuan Gujie, the new deputy director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, has sparked widespread speculation. Her legal background and experience in Guangdong province suggest that her posting carries a clear agenda: to promote deeper integration between Hong Kong and other Greater Bay Area cities.One thing is clear: if the Northern Metropolis is to accelerate, Hong Kong’s existing legal framework and development model may prove inadequate. A fundamental overhaul is urgently required.The answer may lie in establishing a special economic zone. This formula has been central to China’s economic success and was the decisive factor behind Shenzhen’s rapid rise. But Hong Kong’s trajectory may diverge from Shenzhen’s.Shenzhen thrived by liberalising and embracing market forces....

Hong Kong’s top decision-making body has proposed a flat 2 per cent pay rise for civil servants this year, citing the need for a prudent approach to managing public finances amid a volatile geopolitical environment.The increase will add about HK$6 billion (US$765.7 million) to annual government spending, according to Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, who will meet staff representatives on Wednesday as part of the process before the Executive Council makes its final decision.She said on Tuesday that the adjustment recognised civil servants’ performance, adding that the decision followed the established mechanism, which takes into account the state of the economy and the cost of living.“The Executive Council has not only taken into account those figures, but has also t...

Hong Kong will launch a two-month public consultation on Monday on its first five-year blueprint to align the city’s development with the national plan, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has announced.Lee said on Tuesday the consultation would begin on June 15, marking what he described as a historic milestone for the city.“The formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan is a historic step and is of great significance,” he said.“We hope to gather everyone’s views, listen to the people and gauge the public sentiment extensively, to make great efforts to compile Hong Kong’s five-year plan that belongs to the residents.”Lee added that the public could submit views via dedicated websites, adding that the government would hold multiple consultation exercises to gather input from various sect...