4 d. ago John Lee stresses need for lawmakers after Hong Kong fire as poll to go on

Hong Kong will hold the Legislative Council election as scheduled on Sunday, the chief executive has announced, arguing that it is important to elect new lawmakers who will be his key partners in launching reforms as the city reels from the deadly fire in Tai Po. The government-led election forums, which were halted last Thursday, would resume on Wednesday this week, but all related recreational events, including an outdoor gala show, would be cancelled, authorities announced on...

Events

7 d. ago Death toll from Hong Kong fire climbs to 128 as city prepares for mourning period

The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in seven decades climbed to more than 100 on Friday as the government announced a three-day official mourning period from Saturday for victims of the blaze. National and Hong Kong flags at all its buildings and facilities will fly at half-mast until Monday, with officials cancelling all non-essential public engagements and government-endorsed celebratory events delayed or cancelled. Residents can also pen their condolences in books placed across the...

Events

9 d. ago Japanese craft festival in Hong Kong to proceed despite geopolitical tensions

The organiser of a private cultural festival celebrating Japanese craftsmanship said it would go ahead with the event in Hong Kong next month, despite feeling under pressure as friends voiced concerns about possible fallout from the ongoing Sino-Japanese row. Theresa Ting, co-founder of the Japanese cultural festival “A Journey into Japanese Craft Aesthetics”, said no organisations or institutions had so far requested the cancellation or postponement of the event. She stressed that the activity...

Politics

2 w. ago Japanese cultural events in China canceled after Takaichi's remarks

Japanese cultural events in China canceled after Takaichi's remarks  ecns.cn

Politics

2 w. ago Japanese concerts cancelled in China as diplomatic row takes cultural toll

Fans of Japanese singer-songwriter Kokia were disappointed on Wednesday night when a “last-minute technical issue” forced the cancellation of a concert in Beijing. The organiser of the event apologised on Thursday for one of a series of Japanese cultural events that have been cancelled or delayed since China and Japan became embroiled in a diplomatic row this month. “This should have been announced earlier! People waited for an hour and a half, and many came from out of town,” one fan said,...

Politics

2 w. ago China deepens pressure on Japan with travel bans and cancelled events

China deepens pressure on Japan with travel bans and cancelled events  Financial Times

Events

3 w. ago Film festival organizer cancels event, citing pressure from China's government

Film festival organizer cancels event, citing pressure from China's government  NPR

Politics

3 w. ago How the fight over a Chinese bookstore heightened concerns over cultural squeeze

A recent furore over the future of a popular independent bookstore has shone a fresh spotlight on concerns that the space for public debates and cultural events in China is shrinking. The announcement that the You Xing Bookstore in Chengdu – a venue that had hosted a number of events featuring prominent Chinese and foreign speakers – would shut later this month followed the closure of a number of other bookshops as well as cancelled cultural events and film screenings across the...

Culture