Politics

Hong Kong’s “Queen of Votes” Christine Fong Kwok-shan ran one of the most cost-effective campaigns in the Legislative Council election, spending an average of just HK$20 per vote, the South China Morning Post has found.An SCMP review of the election spending declarations by 32 candidates who contested directly elected seats also found that some candidates spent up to 10 times more than others in terms of average cost per vote, with Jeffrey Chan Chun-hung from local think tank the PoD Research Institute forking out more than HK$200 per vote.The declarations were made public on Wednesday.Fong, who received 58,828 votes in the New Territories South East constituency, the highest among all candidates, spent about HK$1.2 million (US$152,000) on her campaign.The veteran Sai Kung district council...

Hong Kong’s coming annual budget must address critical bottlenecks in technology and talent attraction to pave the way for the city’s first five-year development framework in line with national priorities, according to observers.The budget, to be delivered by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Wednesday, is more than a fiscal exercise. It is viewed as the first major test of officials’ “reform mindset” after Beijing unveiled the nation’s 15th five-year plan recommendations, which include specific strategies for Hong Kong.Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, the plan – expected to be officially endorsed next month – prioritises technological self-reliance, “new quality productive forces” and expanding domestic consumption, with “comprehensive reform” as a guiding principle.The f...

Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings has vowed to pursue all available legal options to defend its interests after a Panamanian court last month nullified its right to operate two ports along the country’s canal, while acknowledging that keeping the operations running was beyond its control.The conglomerate headed by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s family said on Thursday that it had invited the Panamanian government to enter consultations to resolve the court verdict and protect its rights and interests in the operation of the ports.But it will no longer be able to operate the terminals once the ruling is implemented.Although the ruling, which was handed down on January 29, has yet to be enforced, the group said authorities had “advanced steps towards a forced exit” of its subsidiary, Panama ...

Hong Kong authorities will “shortly” announce long-term rehousing plans for residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire, after settling differences in individual preferences and resolving uncertainties over insurance and legal issues, the city’s leader has said.Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the pledge on Friday after visiting some of the affected residents temporarily staying in a youth hostel in Kai Tak and revealed that he had told all ministers to conduct community visits before Lunar New Year to better understand people’s lives.After visiting two families displaced by the Wang Fuk Court inferno that claimed 168 lives in late November, Lee said he had instructed his colleagues “not to stop working” during the coming holiday to expedite the formulation of a rehousing plan that ...

There is this old British chestnut that says justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.Justice has been amply served in the 20-year sentence handed down to former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, but it has not been seen to be done in many quarters, especially in the West.There is the reality of justice and the appearance of it, and the two don’t always or even usually coincide.There are two main reasons behind the widespread Western criticism of Lai’s case. One is that Western standards and assumptions about governance and journalism are very different from China’s. I can respect them in the same way that I respect Islamic or Christian beliefs, though I am not a Christian or a Muslim. The other reason is the West’s inherent double standards, to which I do object.Let’s st...

Safeguarding national security is crucial for Hong Kong to fully implement the “one country, two systems” governing principle and ensure the city’s stability, which will aid its development and attract foreign investors.That was the key takeaway from a high-level meeting hosted by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday to discuss a white paper issued by Beijing earlier this week, only the third such report released by the State Council on local affairs since 2014.The document focused on Hong Kong’s obligation in protecting national security under the one country, two systems framework, stressing it was a “long-term and enduring task”.“In addition to the central government bearing fundamental responsibility for national security matters in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrati...

The Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong has lodged “solemn representations” with local envoys for Britain, the US, Australia and the EU over remarks made by their officials and politicians about the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying.The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a statement on Saturday, saying it had summoned representatives from the countries and the bloc on Wednesday and Thursday.“The commissioner’s office lodged solemn representations against the negative remarks made by the officials and politicians of these countries and organisations regarding the sentencing in the Lai Chee-ying case, [and] expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition,” it said.“[The office] urged those countries, organisations and politici...

As a long-time observer of Hong Kong affairs – and someone who cares deeply about the city – I have often felt that external debates about Hong Kong have been louder than careful assessments of how the city is actually evolving.Since the implementation of the national security law, discussion of Hong Kong has often become polarised. Less attention has been paid to outcomes and observable change. From where I stand, however, a clear shift is under way: the city has moved from prolonged disruption back towards stability, and that stability is feeding into economic and social momentum.You may disagree, but it is hard to deny that the year preceding the national security law was marked by persistent social tension and repeated disruptions to daily life.Transport networks were periodically para...

We are ready to head into the Year of the Horse. But, before we do, let’s take stock of what the Year of the Snake brought Hong Kong.Some say the Year of the Snake is all about change and not meant to be comfortable. For Hong Kong, the past year has been a difficult one of shedding skin, baring our vulnerabilities for all to see.Just weeks into the Year of the Snake, Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, Xia Baolong, made inspection visits, reinforcing the central government’s demand for progress. It was seen as Beijing officially putting the Hong Kong and Macau governments on notice, basically to get on with the programme – in this case, China’s 14th five-year plan.Hong Kong, a city that prides itself on its efficiency, had been found wanting. The leadership, however, appear...

Hong Kong will “move with agility and steadiness” in the Year of the Horse to seize opportunities and overcome challenges, the city’s leader has said in a message to residents.The one-minute Lunar New Year video, broadcast on Monday, showed Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu dressed in a traditional red Chinese suit and admiring paintings of horses on ceramic plates – some created by his wife, Janet Lee Lam Lai-sim.On Lunar New Year’s Eve, Lee described the horse as an animal that boldly charged ahead and covered vast distances each day – a symbol of “speed and stamina”.“As we step into the Year of the Horse, let us move with agility and steadiness, seizing opportunities, overcoming challenges and propelling Hong Kong forward,” Lee said in the televised address.John Lee visits the Lunar New ...