23 h. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee champions Shaw Prize vision, pays tribute to late physicist

Hong Kong’s leader has said late entertainment mogul Run Run Shaw’s vision of celebrating education and the pursuit of knowledge with his prestigious science prize is central to the city government’s own aspirations. Speaking at the award ceremony for the prestigious Shaw Prize on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also paid his respects to late Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Chen-ning Yang, who was one of the local award’s founding council members. The award, dubbed the “Nobel...

Politics

57 h. ago Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: boccia player who won Paralympic gold after 20 years

After two decades of quiet perseverance, Hong Kong boccia player John Loung finally struck gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Loung’s story of endurance has earned him a place as a finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the perseverance category. Co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group, the annual awards honour unsung heroes whose courage, compassion and determination make a positive difference in the community. Born with cerebral palsy, Loung has limited...

Events

6 d. ago Hong Kong’s new lawmakers must demonstrate ‘effective democracy’, John Lee says

Hong Kong’s new lawmakers should stay united and cooperate with the government to demonstrate “effective democracy” and the “perfect partnership of patriots”, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was speaking at a high-level seminar on Thursday centering on executive-legislature relations amid a wave of incumbent lawmakers announcing they will not seek re-election after the current Legislative Council wraps up next week. The seminar, titled “Executive-Legislative...

Politics

6 d. ago Hong Kong’s new lawmakers must demonstrate ‘effective democracy’: John Lee

Hong Kong’s new lawmakers should stay united and cooperate with the government to demonstrate “effective democracy” and the “perfect partnership of patriots”, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was speaking at a high-level seminar on Thursday, centring on executive-legislature relations amid a wave of incumbent lawmakers announcing they will not seek re-election after the current Legislative Council wraps up next week. The seminar, titled “Executive-Legislative...

Politics

8 d. ago National Games torch relay in Hong Kong to highlight city’s culture: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has revealed that a torch relay route for the coming National Games is being planned to showcase the city’s culture, while authorities have said that a section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge will be sealed off for a cross-border cycling race. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Tuesday that he had brought back the National Games’ torch after attending a flame-lighting ceremony in Nansha of Guangzhou on October 9. “Early next month, the torch relay will be held...

Politics

8 d. ago Hong Kong Exco will not change despite veteran lawmakers stepping down: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has signalled that the government’s key decision-making body, the Executive Council, will not be reshuffled after half of the eight veteran lawmakers serving as his advisers said they will not run in the coming Legislative Council elections. Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, who has served in Legco since 2012 and was affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not to seek another...

Politics

8 d. ago No Exco changes despite veteran Hong Kong lawmakers stepping down: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has signalled that the government’s key decision-making Executive Council will not be reshuffled after four veteran lawmakers, who serve as his advisers, decided not run in the coming Legislative Council election. Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, a lawmaker since 2012 and affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not seek another term in the legislature. Three other veteran...

Politics

8 d. ago ‘Hong Kong opportunities outweigh US tariff weaponisation,’ John Lee says

Hong Kong’s leader has expressed confidence in the city’s ability to maintain its economic growth and overcome geopolitical challenges through multiple measures, despite the US “tariff weaponisation”. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made his positive remarks on Tuesday, days after US President Donald Trump threatened, in a social media post, a 100 per cent tariff increase on Chinese goods and export controls on all “critical software” starting from November 1. Lee said that his administration...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee vows to pass on economic ‘dividends’, deepen reforms

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong marks National Day on Wednesday with a range of activities to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has delivered a speech at a reception at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, attended by local and central government officials as well as leading...

Economics

3 w. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee cites lack of consensus in shelving waste

A lack of social consensus has led the government to shelve a pay-as-you-throw scheme indefinitely, Hong Kong’s leader has said, while stressing that his administration “will not stop” its commitment to reducing waste. Commenting for the first time on the indefinite suspension of the waste-charging scheme, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the implementation of any policies required thorough consideration, taking into account the level of social acceptance and consensus. “The...

Politics

4 w. ago Hong Kong at high level of readiness for Super Typhoon Ragasa: John Lee

Hong Kong has gone all out in preparations “with widened safety margins” for Super Typhoon Ragasa, the city’s leader has said, as the weather forecaster is set to issue the No 8 warning signal on Tuesday afternoon. The Hong Kong Observatory said it would issue the No 8 typhoon signal at 2.20pm as Ragasa edged closer to the city, which is expected to bring hurricane-force winds with speeds of up to 230km/h (143mph) and thunderstorms. The super typhoon is forecast to be the closest to the city on...

Politics

4 w. ago Ragasa: Hongkongers urged to begin journeys home now as T8 set for 2.20pm

Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will issue the No 8 warning signal at 2.20pm on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa nears, with authorities calling on members of the public with long journeys home to start making their moves. At 12pm, Ragasa, which is expected to bring hurricane-force winds with speeds of up to 230km/h (143mph) and thunderstorms, was estimated to be about 420km southeast of Hong Kong. The forecaster said that it would upgrade the No 3 signal to No 8 at 2.20pm as local winds would...

Society

last month John Lee’s policy address leaves some big questions unanswered

It was good to hear Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu say in last week’s policy address that his “ultimate objective in governance is to improve people’s livelihood” and recognising that the government must prioritise the well-being of the people to improve the health of the economy. It’s good because we are finally recognising that people are behind the success of Hong Kong and those good stories he wants everyone to tell. Reactions to the latest policy address have been generally positive. Lee...

Events