4 h. ago Hilton to launch new brands in China as it seeks to expand presence to more than 300 cities

Global hotel chain operator Hilton plans to introduce new brands to mainland China, aiming to meet evolving lifestyle demands amid its rapid expansion in the world’s second-largest economy. Qian Jin, president of Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, said in an interview this week that the US hospitality group remained bullish on the mainland’s market, where Gen Z consumers and millennials’ pursuit of cultural and personal enrichment created a new growth engine for international hotel brands. “From...

Politics

4 h. ago Hilton to launch new brands in China, eyes presence in 320 cities

Global hotel chain operator Hilton plans to introduce new brands to mainland China, aiming to meet evolving lifestyle demands amid its rapid expansion in the world’s second-largest economy. Qian Jin, president of Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, said in an interview this week that the US hospitality group remained bullish on the mainland’s market, where Gen Z consumers and millennials’ pursuit of cultural and personal enrichment created a new growth engine for international hotel brands. “From...

Politics

4 h. ago Hilton to prioritise luxury in China, eyes presence in 320 destinations

Global hotel chain operator Hilton plans to double down on brands that can meet evolving lifestyle demands and offer luxury experiences in mainland China, reinforcing its rapid expansion in the world’s second-largest economy. Qian Jin, president of Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, said in an interview this week that the US hospitality group remained bullish on the mainland’s market, where Gen Z consumers and millennials’ pursuit of cultural and personal enrichment created a new growth engine...

Politics

7 h. ago New Phnom Penh airport opens with fanfare as Cambodia touts regional, China ties

With an eye to transforming Cambodia into a Southeast Asian travel and cargo hub, a new US$2.3 billion airport – developed by a venture affiliated with one of the country’s wealthiest men – was opened at a grand ceremony near Phnom Penh, where officials and business leaders praised the project for enhancing regional connectivity and deepening links with Hong Kong and mainland China. Techo International Airport (TIA), which has replaced the Cambodian capital’s previous facility, has been forecast...

Politics

7 h. ago China car sales to slump in 2026 if Beijing scraps subsidies, JPMorgan says

Car sales in mainland China are likely to slide in 2026, breaking a six-year streak, if Beijing stops granting cash subsidies and tax incentives to buyers, according to a JPMorgan forecast that looms over the earnings outlook for the country’s 100-odd vehicle assemblers. “We expect retail [car] sales to see flat growth next year in a bullish scenario,” Nick Lai, head of auto research in Asia-Pacific at JPMorgan, said in an interview. “The market has more than a 50 per cent chance of seeing...

Events

44 h. ago Trump isn’t serious about deterring Beijing from attacking Taiwan: poll

Most people in Taiwan do not see US President Donald Trump as serious about deterring Beijing from a possible attack on the self-ruled island, according to a recent poll released on Tuesday. Asked whether Trump was willing to prevent mainland China from “invading Taiwan by force”, 44.8 per cent of the 1,070 respondents said no, while 34.3 per cent said yes in the poll conducted by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation between October 13 and 15. And on a question as to whether the US leader was...

Politics

64 h. ago Hong Kong woman, 81, loses HK$5 million to romance scammer posing as PLA officer

An 81-year-old woman in Hong Kong has lost more than HK$5 million after falling victim to an elaborate online romance scam involving a fraudster who posed as a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer from mainland China. In a post on its CyberDefender social media page on Monday, police said the woman received a WhatsApp message from a man who claimed to be a PLA officer and invited her to visit a military camp. They quickly built an online romantic relationship through frequent affectionate...

Economics

66 h. ago Taiwan sets out new rules outlining when troops can shoot down drones

Taiwan has for the first time formally outlined the circumstances under which its troops can shoot down incoming drones. The move is part of a broader effort by the island’s defence ministry to codify its rules of engagement and strengthen its ability to respond to mounting military pressure from mainland China. The new procedures, disclosed in the recently released National Defence Report 2025, set out a four-step standard operating procedure – identification and monitoring, alert and...

Events

69 h. ago World’s first intergovernmental mediation body launched in Hong Kong

The newly established international mediation body, headquartered in Hong Kong, can contribute to improving the world’s legal system, according to mainland China’s vice-foreign minister. Hua Chunying also highlighted the short time it took for the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) – the world’s first intergovernmental body dedicated to mediation – to become operational. She said this showed strong support from the international community for the peaceful settlement of...

Politics

3 d. ago Hong Kong exchange sees further growth ahead for record ETF market

Bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) expects its exchange-traded fund (ETF) market to continue growing after hitting record turnover and new listings this year, according to a senior executive. Average daily turnover in ETFs doubled to a record HK$37.8 billion (US$4.8 billion) in the first nine months, as the exchange’s 225 ETFs drew an increasing number of investors from mainland China, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. ETFs are listed index funds that track the performance...

Politics

4 d. ago US business leaders eye Hong Kong as ‘springboard’ to mainland China, Asia

American business leaders are looking to use Hong Kong as a “springboard” for tapping markets in China and Asia despite geopolitical tensions amid a wider reassessment of the mainland’s technological innovation, the city’s finance chief has said. Reflecting on his trip to New York and Washington last week, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said on Sunday that his exchanges would “lay the foundation” for further cooperation with the United States, even as Hong Kong got caught up in the...

Politics

4 d. ago Guangdong motorists must follow Hong Kong laws under new scheme: transport chief

Motorists from mainland China entering Hong Kong under a new travel scheme must abide by the city’s laws, the transport minister has warned. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said that authorities would have systems in place to track their unpaid penalties through their registered mainland payment methods. Under the “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme, motorists from the southern Chinese province will be able to apply to drive into Hong Kong next month. The...

Politics

6 d. ago Hansoh and Leads Biolabs clinch US$2.5 billion in global drug licensing deals

Two Chinese drug developers have signed licensing deals that could yield as much as US$2.5 billion in performance-based payments, underscoring growing international confidence in China’s life sciences sector. Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group has agreed to license global rights – excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan – to develop and market a colon cancer drug candidate to F Hoffmann-La Roche, a unit of Swiss-based biotech giant Roche. Hansoh, a major psychotropic and cancer drugs...

Economics

6 d. ago China’s new carrier takes shape, missing Filipino helpers found: 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Images of hull sections suggest progress on China’s fourth aircraft carrier China appears to be making progress on its fourth aircraft carrier at a shipyard in the country’s northeast, according to satellite images, another key part...

Events

6 d. ago China shuns US software for documents, Tim Cook boosts iPhone Air: 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Images of hull sections suggest progress on China’s fourth aircraft carrier China appears to be making progress on its fourth aircraft carrier at a shipyard in the country’s northeast, according to satellite images, another key part...

Society

6 d. ago US, Hong Kong ‘both lose’ if Cathay added to planned Russian airspace ban

The United States and Hong Kong face a lose-lose scenario if global travellers are forced to pay higher airfares over the proposed barring of Cathay Pacific Airways from flying over Russian airspace to the east coast of North America, analysts have warned. Wednesday’s warning followed calls by United Airlines for the Trump administration to ban Hong Kong’s flag carrier from flying over Russia for routes between the US and the city in a bid to force Cathay Pacific to align with other...

Politics

6 d. ago 3 arrested in Hong Kong, mainland Chinese operation targeting money launderers

Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities have arrested three men in a cross-border operation targeting a money laundering syndicate that allegedly used pre-recorded footage to bypass digital bank accounts’ facial recognition software and laundered more than HK$270 million (US$34.7 million). Chief Inspector Lo Yin-lam of Hong Kong police’s financial investigation bureau said on Thursday that the syndicate allegedly recruited members from the mainland to travel to the city and open accounts with...

Events

6 d. ago Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific faces customer backlash over membership changes

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has suddenly announced plans to revamp its membership policy, prompting criticism from customers who have accused the airline of prioritising top-tier clients. In a press release on Wednesday, the airline stated it would introduce several changes aimed at enhancing the experience of its members. These include a new “Diamond Exec” tier and the removal of certain benefits for customers beyond a specific status level. “We are evolving the Cathay...

Economics

8 d. ago Hong Kong welcomes 36 million tourists in first 3 quarters, up 12% year on year

Hong Kong received 36 million visitors in the first three quarters of this year, a 12 per cent increase year on year, with strong growth in tourists coming from Japan, Taiwan and Australia. The provisional figures announced by the Hong Kong Tourism Board on Wednesday showed that nearly 3.3 million tourists visited the city last month, pushing the cumulative count for this year to 36 million, up 12 per cent compared with the same period in 2024. About 28 million visitors were from mainland China,...

Politics

8 d. ago Hong Kong MTR Corp CEO Jacob Kam named as next chairman of rail giant

The CEO of Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, Jacob Kam Chak-pui, will take the reins as chairman from January next year, tasked with leading the rail giant with added momentum to boost the city’s development and integration with mainland China. The government, the company’s majority shareholder with a stake of about 75 per cent, announced his promotion on Tuesday, saying Kam, 63, would succeed Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, 73, for a three-year term until the end of 2028. Secretary for Transport and Logistics...

Politics