21 h. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee seeks closer ties in meeting with EU officials

Hong Kong’s leader has sought to deepen ties with the EU in a meeting with the bloc’s representatives, saying the city will remain a free port despite growing protectionism globally. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Wednesday that he had hosted a lunch attended by Harvey Rouse, head of the Office of the European Union to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as 15 consuls general from the bloc’s member countries. The gathering served as a platform for direct dialogue and an exchange of views,...

Politics

49 h. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee defends national security clauses for restaurant licences

Hong Kong’s John Lee Ka-chiu has defended the introduction of national security clauses for restaurant licences, saying the new requirements also apply to Lunar New Year fair stalls. The city leader said on Tuesday that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had made the decision to help fulfil its legal obligation to safeguard national security. “When handling new licensing or the renewal of new licences, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will do their work according to the...

Events

55 h. ago Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with 71,000 free MTR tickets: John Lee

More than 70,000 free MTR tickets will be up for grabs on July 1 as part of citywide celebrations to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the chief executive has said. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he would bring forward his annual policy address by a month to September, in light of the Legislative Council election scheduled for the end of this year. Public consultation is set to kick off on Monday next week. He said the government would...

Politics

3 d. ago Hong Kong students still unable to get US visa bookings: consultancy firms

Hong Kong tertiary students looking to study in the United States remain unable to secure visa appointments with the country’s local consulate, despite bookings becoming available in Beijing and other jurisdictions. Three education consultancies contacted by the Post said that they still could not book appointment slots for their clients as of Monday morning, further fuelling confusion among students amid Washington’s sudden policy shifts in recent days. Samuel Chan Sze-ming, managing partner at...

Politics

3 d. ago John Lee exclusive interview, Chinese rethink UK degrees: 5 weekend reads

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Don’t kill your successful DNA’: Hong Kong’s John Lee on tariffs, trade war 2. ‘It’s too much’: Chinese students reconsider UK degrees as policies harden 3. Loitering with intent: Beijing’s new silent South China Sea strategy? 4. Japan grows restless for next-gen fighter jets as progress with...

Politics

3 d. ago Hong Kong firms must consider national interests in commercial deals: John Lee

Hong Kong businesses must consider national interests while pursuing commercial deals, the city’s leader has said, arguing that the two are not mutually exclusive. In an interview with the Post as he marked three years in office, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stressed the importance of local companies keeping national interests in mind while seeking profits. Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings has recently drawn the ire of Beijing over a controversial deal to sell its...

Economics

3 d. ago Hong Kong’s stablecoin law opens floodgates for boom in digital assets: brokers

Hong Kong has surged ahead of its global rivals with its landmark stablecoin law, setting the stage for a boom in digital assets and an injection of fresh liquidity into the market, according to brokers. “We’re seeing a significant trend in investments related to stablecoins on our platform, which highlights the growing importance of this sector,” said Daniel Tse, managing director of Futu Securities International, Hong Kong’s largest online brokerage firm, in a written interview on...

Events

4 d. ago Hong Kong’s retail sector is struggling but people will have to adapt: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has conceded that the city has a problem with its sluggish retail scene amid a trend of locals spending their holidays across the border, but warned against using it as the sole yardstick in assessing the economy. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also called on businesses to “work harder” in light of the market changes and to reform to retain if not grow their slice of the cake. Hong Kong’s retail sales dropped for a 14th consecutive month in April, falling by 2.3 per cent,...

Politics

4 d. ago The future of retirement for wealthy Hongkongers could be this Zhuhai community

A Macau conglomerate is targeting Hong Kong’s affluent retirees with a new luxury senior housing project in the Greater Bay Area, capitalising on a shortage of high-end retirement options for the city’s affluent retirees. “There is a lack of high-quality lifestyle retirement [options] in Hong Kong,” said Amber Li, founder of Serensia Woods, a 13,500-square-metre (145,313 sq ft) retirement community in Zhuhai’s Hengqin district. The community, on an island largely in the Guangdong city...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘Don’t kill your successful DNA’: Hong Kong’s John Lee on tariffs, trade war

Hong Kong will not destroy its “successful DNA” and jeopardise its free-port status by retaliating with counter-tariffs on the US even if geopolitical tensions with China escalate further, the city’s leader has promised. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said his administration had made “contingency plans for the worst” and would increase support for local businesses in finding “blue oceans” in new markets. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with the Post to mark the third anniversary of his...

Events

6 d. ago Hong Kong leader orders ageing water pipes lined with bitumen to be replaced

Hong Kong’s leader has ordered authorities to replace hundreds of metres of bitumen-lined pipes as one of 10 measures to address residents’ concerns over black particles dirtying the water at two public housing estates. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu weighed in on Friday, a week after initial reports of the particles emerged, as he tasked Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun with supervising the implementation of the measures. Government test results on Thursday confirmed that the...

Politics

6 d. ago Hong Kong IPO Rules Tested as China Firms Weigh US Delistings

Hong Kong IPO Rules Tested as China Firms Weigh US Delistings  Bloomberg

Economics

6 d. ago Chinese app firm Newborn Town sets up in Hong Kong for AI, global push

Hong Kong-listed Chinese app company Newborn Town will open a global headquarters and set up an artificial intelligence (AI) research centre in Hong Kong as a pivotal step in its overseas expansion strategy. “The landing of the global headquarters in Hong Kong marks a new stage in the company’s globalisation strategy and an important milestone of our company’s development,” said chairman Liu Chunhe at an opening ceremony in Hong Kong on Thursday. Newborn Town said it would focus on developing AI...

Politics

7 d. ago Liaison office change in Hong Kong all about focusing on economy, analysts say

Beijing’s new liaison office chief in Hong Kong, Zhou Ji, has already distinguished himself from his predecessors just five days into the job. Breaking with tradition, Zhou made his first public appearance by carrying out community visits to Sham Shui Po and Tsing Yi, two days after being appointed as director on Friday. This was followed by an unusual reciprocal visit by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Monday, their second meeting in three days. Observers said that Zhou’s approach and the...

Politics

7 d. ago New man at office helm reflects Beijing’s change of role for Hong Kong: analysts

Beijing’s new liaison office chief in Hong Kong, Zhou Ji, has already distinguished himself from his predecessors, just five days into the job. Breaking with tradition, Zhou made his first public appearance by carrying out community visits to Sham Shui Po and Tsing Yi, two days after being appointed as director on Friday. This was followed by an unusual reciprocal visit by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Monday, their second meeting in three days. Observers said that Zhou’s approach and the...

Politics

8 d. ago Biotech firm touts new AI drug discovery amid third Hong Kong IPO attempt

Biotechnology firm Insilico Medicine said its new drug for lung disease, designed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), showed positive results in the latest clinical trials, as the company pushes for a public listing in Hong Kong. Insilico found that its new small-molecule drug candidate, rentosertib, designed with its AI platform Chemistry42, was “generally safe and potentially effective” for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to its phase 2A clinical trial...

Economics

8 d. ago With Hong Kong’s stablecoin law, mainland firms are preparing for a market boom

Hong Kong’s move to legalise stablecoins – cryptocurrencies that maintain a fixed value by being pegged to a reference asset – is grabbing the attention of mainland institutions, as a leading Chinese brokerage predicts a boom in tokenised real-world assets (RWA) in the city. While Beijing has remained largely quiet on Hong Kong’s new stablecoin bill in the two weeks since it was passed, paving the way for the issuance of such assets in the city, discussions about the market and geopolitical...

Economics

9 d. ago 2 global conferences to make Hong Kong debut this month: John Lee

Two international conferences will be held in Hong Kong for the first time this month, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has revealed, pledging authorities will continue to attract more events to bring in high-end tourists and enhance the city’s global network. The city leader said on Tuesday that several international conferences had made their Hong Kong debuts over the past three years, and two more important events would follow this month. They are the International Science, Technology and...

Politics

9 d. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee cites ‘good understanding’ in meetings with liaison chief

Hong Kong’s leader has attributed his two meetings with Beijing’s newly appointed liaison office chief within three days to the need to maintain good communication and understanding with the central government, so he can reflect the city’s situation accurately and formulate good policies. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday described Zhou Ji, the new liaison office director, as a “humble and pragmatic” official, noting that the latter cared about Hong Kong and attached importance to...

Politics

9 d. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee vows action against security threats, as June 4 nears

Hong Kong authorities will take action against anyone who threatens national security, the chief executive has warned, as the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown approaches. Asked about the legality of commemorating June 4 by lighting candles or wearing clothing with related slogans in Causeway Bay, where annual vigils had been held for decades, city leader John Lee Ka-chiu said all activities must comply with the law. “Any activity on any day must comply with legal requirements....

Events