Politics

Hong Kong will continue its efforts to expand business opportunities in the Middle East despite recent geopolitical tensions, as the city remains a safe and stable investment hub amid global volatility, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said.Despite his optimism, Lee conceded that the conflict in the Middle East had affected Hong Kong due to a surge in fuel prices, urging suppliers to increase transparency in pricing and warning of regulatory action in cases of commercial wrongdoing.“[The advantage of] Hong Kong, as a safe place with development opportunities, would be pronounced under the current tensions in the Middle East,” Lee said ahead of an Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.Lee, whose administration has been focused on exploring Middle Eastern markets amid global geopolitical ...

In my experience, most people misunderstand the concept of “separation of powers”, and so I would not be at all surprised if most people also misunderstand the term “executive-led government”. In the case of separation of powers, the confusion usually arises from the use of the word “separation”. It connotes a meaning of absolute independence or alienation. A better word would have been “division”.The concept of separation of powers focuses on the division of power in a government and how that power is exercised to provide some measure of checks and balances, whereas the concept of executive-led government focuses on the constitutional set-up or order of government.In a way, they are two sides of the same coin. The difference between various systems of government usually relates to the deg...

Hong Kong lawmakers have said Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot be extradited to the UK or Romania – where they face prosecution – without formal requests from those governments, as the infamous influencer brothers continued their visit to the city on Monday.The legislators also rejected claims that the city had become a haven for fugitives following the suspension of extradition treaties with several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, in 2020.The controversial influencers entered Hong Kong over the weekend, sparking heated discussion online.Andrew, 39, responded on social media on Monday, dismissing calls for his extradition. “If England doesn’t extradite me soon I’ll have to fly there myself and I think the taxpayer should pay for my flight if the government wanna talk to me s...

On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014.It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and insights gained under “one country, two systems”.The document holds significant and far-reaching importance for clarifying misconceptions, building consensus and ensuring the high-quality development of the “one country, two systems” policy with a high standard of security.First, the white paper provi...

Hong Kong authorities will set up a collaborative mechanism with the legislature to craft the city’s first five-year plan to align with national development, according to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who says the blueprint will be released by the end of this year.Lee also stressed on Tuesday that the new platform would reflect the city’s executive-led governance model, adding a public consultation on the plan would be launched in the fourth quarter before its publication.“The plan will set visions and targets for each key sector, so residents will have an idea on how Hong Kong will grow in prosperity over five years to 2030,” he said before the weekly meeting of the government’s top decision-making Executive Council.“It will turn economic development and livelihood improvement into a ...

Hong Kong should move beyond a “city-centred” approach that merely seeks Beijing’s policy support and instead take steps to align with national priorities by advancing the internationalisation of the yuan and supporting mainland Chinese enterprises’ global expansion, observers have said as this year’s “two sessions” came to a close.With the annual political gathering ending amid the widening war in the Middle East, observers also said Beijing would expect local companies to pursue investments that delivered “win-win” outcomes for national, Hong Kong and business interests. SCMP PLUS WEBINAR | Key Takeaways from China’s Two Sessions 2026SCMP PLUS WEBINAR | Key Takeaways from China’s Two Sessions 2026Align with national geopolitical strategyThe country’s 15th five-year plan approved during t...

When people picture Hong Kong, they often imagine a relentless concrete jungle – a vertical city where glass and steel dominate the skyline. Yet a quiet revolution is beginning to reshape how our city develops.Last week, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines. This landmark document signals a shift in how we think about infrastructure and urban planning. It shows Hong Kong no longer needs to choose between development and ecological conservation. Instead, we can design cities where nature and infrastructure work together – strengthening resilience, enhancing biodiversity and improving our quality of life.The government deliberately chose Long Valley Natur...

The Panamanian government has asked Chinese shipping giant Cosco to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Balboa port amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic gateway and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings.Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza told reporters on Friday that Cosco’s decision had caught the government off guard.“The Cosco issue has actually taken us a bit by surprise. All cargo is important, and certainly, Cosco cargo is important for us, for Panama, and we hope they reconsider, obviously, that decision to stop using the Port of Balboa,” he told the media.State-owned Cosco, which owns one of the world’s largest tanker fleets, published a notice in a local newspaper last week notifying its clients about the suspension without revealing ...

After the annual “two sessions” in Beijing, it’s clear that Hong Kong policymakers have their work cut out for them. It has been made abundantly clear what is expected of Hong Kong: stop messing around and get on with the national programme.Hong Kong is part of the nation’s plans to move forward. The country knows exactly where the city fits into the big picture, how it can catapult growth in key areas and play the role of superconnector between China and the rest of the world.The 15th five-year plan outlined the city’s task of building a commodity trading ecosystem, a high-quality supply chain service centre and a global talent hub. Beijing has reiterated its support for Hong Kong to continue its drive to not only be an international finance centre but to be the centre for shipping, trade...

Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to align with national strategies outlined in the country’s latest five-year plan and transform the city’s “new positionings, functions and missions” assigned by Beijing into “tangible outcomes” to drive economic growth.Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Thursday that he would lead the local government in fulfilling its primary responsibility to unite society in proactively aligning with the 15th five-year plan, which outlines China’s economic and social development targets for 2026 to 2030.“Hong Kong must seize every opportunity to align proactively with national strategic requirements,” Lee said on social media.“We will transform the ‘new positioning, functions and missions’ tasked by the central government into tangible outcomes that drive high-...