Politics

Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang has acknowledged it is no “easy task” to truly implement Hong Kong’s executive-led governance system, stressing that it must be a “shared responsibility” of the legislative and judicial branches and society as a whole.But Ding, the head of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, said an executive-led governance system was “important and essential” for the city to align with China’s 15th five-year plan and advance its integration with the mainland.“It requires the chief executive and the government to strengthen their sense of being the head [of the city], and will need the coordination from all sectors of society.”Ding, the sixth-ranked Politburo Standing Committee member, added that putting the executive-led system into effect also requ...

A former Apple Daily senior executive jailed for national security offences in Hong Kong has lodged an appeal against his 10-year term, the first in a landmark trial that saw the founder of the now-defunct tabloid-style newspaper sentenced to 20 years in prison.Court documents reviewed by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday showed that Fung Wai-kong, former managing editor of Apple Daily’s English edition, had filed his appeal with the city’s High Court on Monday.Fung was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces last month.The verdict was delivered by a panel of three judges who also handed down penalties to former media boss and Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, six senior executives of the newspaper, three firms associated with the n...

Hong Kong tycoons have expressed confidence in the Middle East’s economic outlook amid continued strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, stressing that the city’s economy is unlikely to be affected.Speaking to the media in Beijing on the sidelines of the “two sessions” – the nation’s annual parliamentary meetings – on Wednesday, Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former heir apparent to Hong Kong property giant New World Development, said the Middle East’s economic prospects remained promising.“Most of the Middle East’s economies are mature; we are cautiously optimistic about their prospects,” the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) member said.Cheng also said the city could benefit from turmoil.“If Hong Kong continues as a superconnecto...

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called on Hong Kong to leverage its “unique strengths” and pivotal role in connecting with the world, with backing from the mainland.In the government work report he delivered at the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing on Thursday, the country’s No 2 official also stressed the need to transform the Greater Bay Area into an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, urging the city to enhance governance efficiency.“[We should] support their integration and contribution to the overall national development and leverage the unique advantages and important roles of Hong Kong and Macau as they are backed by the motherland and connected to the world, thus fostering long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macau,” h...

Hong Kong should speed up the construction of the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with the mainland and the development of a commodity trading ecosystem, according to the draft outline of China’s 15th five-year plan.Other priorities included stronger integration with national development on the economic, technological and social fronts, especially deepening cross-border connections of financial markets.The draft, which sets China’s economic and social development targets for 2026 to 2030, was tabled on Thursday at the opening of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature.While the draft echoed the previous blueprint’s support for Hong Kong’s “eight centres” strategy, it particularly highlighted the Northern Metropolis, a megaproject transforming 30,...

Beijing has vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard the rights of Chinese enterprises after Panama’s Supreme Court ruled that a contract held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings to operate two ports at the country’s canal was unconstitutional.The Hong Kong government on Friday also slammed the ruling, which could leave the Li Ka-shing-controlled CK Hutchison empire at risk of losing its right to operate two major ports at either end of the strategic Panama Canal.The court’s decision was announced in a statement posted on the official social media account of the Panamanian judiciary on Thursday local time.The court said the concession contract for the development, construction, operation, administration and management of the Balboa and Cristobal ports between ...

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told Chinese President Xi Jinping that Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability are in the shared interests of both China and the United Kingdom in a high-profile meeting during his four-day trip to Beijing.Starmer, the first British leader to visit China since 2018, confirmed after the meeting, when asked by the media, that he had mentioned the landmark national security trial of jailed former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying with Xi.According to the state news agency Xinhua, Starmer commended Hong Kong’s role in Sino-British relations during the 80-minute meeting.“Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability are in the common interests of both countries,” it quoted Starmer as saying. “The UK welcomes Hong Kong as a unique and important bridge between the UK and ...

Hundreds of Hong Kong politicians and business leaders head to Beijing on Tuesday for the nation’s annual “two sessions”, with observers expecting discussions to focus on the city’s role as an international financial centre and the Northern Metropolis megaproject.The annual session of the country’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will commence on Wednesday, followed by the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s legislature, on Thursday.The two major political gatherings are expected to deliberate and approve the full text of the 15th five-year plan, which will set the country’s development road map through 2030.Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), is scheduled to meet local delegates i...

Hong Kong must bolster its role as an offshore renminbi hub and expand its bond market amid escalating tensions of the US-Israel strikes on Iran to attract global capital during turbulent times, the city’s sole delegate to the nation’s top legislative body has said.Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and president of the Legislative Council, said this was one of the proposals she planned to make at the “two sessions” as political leaders, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, arrived in Beijing for China’s top annual meetings.Hong Kong delegates are set to meet Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), in a closed-door session on Tuesday afternoon, a day before the annual meeting of t...

Hong Kong transport authorities will repeal a law that took effect on Sunday requiring bus passengers to wear seat belts, following strong public criticism and the revelation that the rule only covered new vehicles registered from late January.Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan announced the U-turn on Friday, conceding that the legislation had “deficiencies” as it failed to reflect the policy’s intent of requiring all passengers on public or private buses – including franchised and school services – to wear seat belts where available.“In light of the confusion over the law’s coverage, we have consulted the Department of Justice for its legal opinions and found that there are deficiencies in the legal clause requiring passengers on franchised and non-franchised buses to wear s...