Politics

Beijing’s foreign affairs arm in Hong Kong has “strongly condemned” a group of US senators for pushing what it calls “malicious legislation” that seeks to strip the city’s trade offices in the United States of their special privileges and potentially force their closure.A spokesman for the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said the senators’ move exposed their “deep-rooted ideological prejudice” and “Cold War mentality”.“Any attempts to smear Hong Kong’s freedom and human rights, or to discredit the successful implementation of ‘one country, two systems’ are mere wishful thinking and are doomed to fail,” the spokesman said on Saturday.Earlier this week, several US senators pushed to introduce legislation targeting Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices, which they sa...

The dust has settled on the election of the Legislative Council president, and committees and panels have settled into the new Legco. Most, it seems, are ready to hit the ground running. First on the agenda: dealing with the aftermath of the Tai Po fire.The more immediate matters involve the rebuilding of a community that has lost so much. Equally pressing are the long-standing issues laid bare by the tragic fire that demand the government fix the entire building sector. Consultations with displaced families on rehousing options are under way.The government has given Wang Fuk Court homeowners nine rehousing plans to consider. The quickest option would allow move-in by September. The options include Home Ownership Scheme housing developments, all outside the Tai Po district. Redevelopment w...

Hong Kong’s Ma On Shan residents will get a new cinema at the recently vacated site of its sole movie theatre, bucking the trend of closures that began during the pandemic.CineArt Cinema said on Friday it would open a new branch at MOSTown, a shopping centre in Ma On Shan, before Lunar New Year.While the chain did not specify an exact date, the first day of Lunar New Year falls on February 17.It said the venue had up to four screens and could accommodate as many as 435 patrons. It also said the outlet would have a “fresh look” in the brand’s mint-green colour palette.The Ma On Shan venue would serve as the chain’s fifth branch in Hong Kong following its other locations in Causeway Bay, Diamond Hill, Tsing Yi and Kowloon Bay.CineArt Cinema revealed its plan just four days after Emperor Cine...

Like many long-time reporters in Hong Kong, I had occasional dealings with David Webb, the market transparency and shareholder rights crusader who died this week of prostate cancer at the relatively young age of 60. Almost all of my encounters with him over the years were annoying and slightly unpleasant. But they made me respect him all the more.He once chastised me for misstating a relatively obscure Nasa space mission in the 1960s and demanded a print correction. I thought, who cares? But I was impressed he knew about it off the top of his head. That was long before Google was a thing.When you found yourself with him in a gathering of people, you somehow knew he thought he was the smartest and most knowledgeable guy in the room. Usually, he was. The fact that he was a Briton and most of...

Several newly elected Hong Kong lawmakers have not fully disclosed their unpaid directorships and those held at subsidiaries, the Post has found, prompting calls from the legislature’s House Committee chairman for greater transparency.Andrew Yao Cho-fai and Lothair Lam Ming-fung were among the Legislative Council newcomers who did not register dozens of unpaid directorships, according to a Post check on their declarations of interest, which were cross-referenced with Companies Registry records.Under current Legco guidelines, lawmakers are only required to declare paid directorships, while unpaid roles are typically listed under a discretionary category labelled “other interests”.A Post check found that Yao, representing the commercial (second) functional constituency and serving as chairma...

At least three newcomers to Hong Kong’s legislature, including two from the city’s largest political party, have failed to declare company shareholdings, the Post has found, with the trio blaming the omissions on heavy workloads or misunderstandings.The three lawmakers are Jody Kwok Fu-yung and Hung Kam-in of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), and Thomas So Shiu-tsung, a lawyer.“I am still a newcomer and have to handle many matters, such as [a new] office and meetings,” Kwok told the Post on Thursday, a day after the deadline for all lawmakers to declare their interests had passed.“I have been very cautious about my conduct, declarations of interests and speeches. This time is an honest mistake.”Lawmakers must declare shareholdings in any companies ...

New measures to strengthen Hong Kong’s building maintenance regime after the deadly Tai Po fire only scratch the surface of long-standing issues that require deeper systemic reforms and tougher laws, according to experts and industry figures.The damning verdict came after the government’s pledges and proposals on Wednesday to close policy gaps and tackle entrenched problems laid bare by the blaze at Wang Fuk Court.At the first Legislative Council meeting of the year, officials unveiled a raft of proposals, including a new requirement for service providers seeking contracts to undergo background checks by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), as well as criminal and disciplinary record screening to qualify for a government platform.The inferno broke out in Novembe...

Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actor Raymond Lam Fung has cancelled two coming concerts in Japan, adding to a growing list of high-profile entertainment disruptions amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.Japanese promoter Promax Inc said on Wednesday that Lam’s “Go With The Flow in Japan” tour – originally scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Tokyo Garden Theatre – had been postponed indefinitely.“After careful consideration and extensive discussions with all parties involved, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the performance due to unforeseen circumstances,” Promax said.The concerts were set to be the 46-year-old singer’s Japanese debut after he enjoyed a surge in fame overseas as a result of his role in the martial arts hit Twilight of the Wa...

Hong Kong lawmaker Duncan Chiu owns 54 properties at home and overseas, more than any of the other 89 lawmakers, a review of their declaration of interests shows.But Chiu indicated that he is considering selling his properties in the West, citing geopolitical risks and his limited time for managing them.Chiu, the son of the late entrepreneur Deacon Chiu, represents the technology and innovation sector.He is among the five lawmakers who have declared ownership of more than 10 properties, and one of nine with overseas holdings.The Legislative Council mandates that lawmakers declare their property interests by the first meeting of each term to ensure transparency.Following amendments that took effect this term, members must also register details such as the number, type and purpose of their l...

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app.Hong Kong’s new Legislative Council is holding its first meeting on Wednesday, with lawmakers set to focus on follow-up actions after last year’s Tai Po fire that claimed at least 161 lives.Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu addressed the new batch of 90 lawmakers, highlighting government priorities that included rehousing arrangements for displaced residents, reforming industry practices and holding those responsible for the tragedy accountable.Lee’s address was followed by a government motion seeking the chamber’s support for relief efforts. A lawmaker will then move another motion re...