Politics

The Chinese embassy in Britain has slammed London’s “malicious” plan to expand an immigration pathway for Hongkongers after the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison, accusing the UK of “manipulating” the issue.A spokesman for the Chinese embassy on Tuesday urged the UK government to stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs after it expanded the British National (Overseas) visa scheme in response to Lai’s sentencing.“The UK’s previous actions of this nature have already caused some misled Hong Kong residents to leave their homes, only to face discrimination and financial hardship upon arriving in the UK, effectively becoming ‘second-class citizens’,” he said.“The current move to further manipulate the BN(O) issue is a contemptible tactic with malicio...

After 156 days of hearings, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s case finally came to a close with the former media boss sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. Western media and critics will no doubt say, what a harsh sentence for a “democracy advocate” and “freedom fighter”.However, Lai was not accused of fighting for freedom or demanding democracy in Hong Kong. His crimes were not even about his avowed hatred of the Communist Party. Western critics may be surprised to hear that hating the Communist Party is not a crime in Hong Kong. It merely provides a motive to commit certain clearly defined crimes against national security.Lai was convicted on a count of conspiracy to spread seditious articles and two conspiracy counts of collusion with foreign forces. The sedition charge was brought under a law ena...

On February 9, the rule of law and justice scored another victory in Hong Kong when a local court sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law. This sends a clear and resounding message to the world that Hong Kong is a society rigorously governed by law, and any lawbreakers will be brought to justice.Lai reaped what he sowed. The evidence of his crimes is irrefutable. He relentlessly pushed for so-called international lobbying, went to great lengths to meet US politicians to plead for foreign sanctions against China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He even continued his anti-China activities after the Hong Kong national security law had come into effect.He had not the least qualms about being called a traitor for openly declari...

Hong Kong authorities have launched an unprecedented open recruitment exercise for director positions overseeing information services and environmental hygiene, with “strong political acumen” listed as a common requirement.The government posted the two job advertisements on its website on Wednesday, seeking directors for the Information Services Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.The posts will report to the permanent secretaries for home and youth affairs, and environment and ecology (food) respectively.Common requirements for both positions include “strong political acumen” and the ability to lead change, while the information services role also calls for “strong intellectual ability”.The director of information services will be tasked with “projecting an accura...

Hong Kong’s civil service chief has defended a decision to open up recruitment externally for the role of food and environmental hygiene director, saying the move aims to attract experts who can take the lead in using technology to enforce laws.Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan also stressed on Monday that anyone hired externally would have no chance to climb the ranks as the next role would be permanent secretary, a position which, under regulations, must be held by administrative officers.The government’s decision to hold open recruitment for the director’s post and the role of the head of the Information Services Department marks a departure from the traditional practice of appointing career administrative officers to such senior roles.Yeung told at a Legislative C...

After being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for national security offences on February 9, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying will decide if he wishes to appeal. He may challenge his convictions and/or sentences and has about two weeks to make up his mind. Given the length of his trial (156 days), the mountain of evidence and the legal issues, it will take time for any appeal to be resolved.Meanwhile, foreign actors have turned their attention to securing Lai’s early release. The lead counsel in his international legal team, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, called on “leaders from around the world to speak with one voice in their demand for China to free Jimmy Lai so he can come home to his family in London at last”. However, she did not indicate how his release might be engineered.When B...

Hong Kong’s pressing demographic challenges demand tailored, well-considered civil service policies. However, the proposal put forward in recent Legislative Council debates on population policy to raise the retirement age for all civil servants to 65 offers no viable solution to these issues.This one-size-fits-all approach overlooks the civil service’s flexible retirement frameworks and works against the government’s goals of streamlining and modernising the public sector. It risks undermining the long-term vitality of the civil service by stunting the career progression of young talent.As Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan noted in her remarks to the Legislative Council, Hong Kong’s civil service has adapted to demographic shifts with targeted retirement age reforms: ...

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 ...