58 h. ago Beijing slams ‘external hostile forces’ for exploiting deadly fire in Hong Kong

Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong on Wednesday condemned “external hostile forces” for exploiting the deadly Tai Po fire that killed at least 159 people, as police arrested a man after he allegedly made derogatory online comments about the victims. In a strongly worded post, a spokesman for the Office for Safeguarding National Security condemned “a small clique of external hostile forces” for “stirring up trouble and taking advantage of the chaos” in the aftermath of the fire. The...

Events

3 d. ago Hong Kong invokes security law for first time to ban Canada, Taiwan

The Hong Kong government has used its power under the national security law for the first time to ban two organisations deemed subversive. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung on Tuesday prohibited the operation of Canada-based “Hong Kong Parliament” and Taiwan-based “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” in the city. The ban was made with the power granted to Tang under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the domestic national security law enacted in 2024 as required by...

Events

6 d. ago Hong Kong’s national security police question man over fire response petition

Hong Kong’s national security police have questioned an individual who allegedly launched a petition calling on the government to address four demands following the deadly blaze in Tai Po, the Post has learned. The move on Saturday came as the central government’s national security authorities in Hong Kong warned against “anti-China and ill-intentioned individuals” exploiting the tragedy in an attempt to disrupt the city. A source said the man taken to a police station for questoning was...

Events

6 d. ago Man arrested for alleged sedition in Hong Kong amid warning over fire rumours

Hong Kong’s national security police have arrested a man on suspicion of trying to incite sedition in relation to the deadly blaze in Tai Po, the Post has learned. The move on Saturday came as the central government’s national security authorities in Hong Kong warned against “anti-China and ill-intentioned individuals” exploiting the tragedy in an attempt to disrupt the city. A source earlier said a man, identified as “Miles”, had been taken to a police station for questioning. It remains...

Events

6 d. ago Beijing launches nationwide fire safety drive in wake of deadly Hong Kong blaze

Authorities in mainland China have launched a nationwide campaign to eliminate fire hazards in high-rise buildings, days after Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades tore through a residential complex – claiming at least 128 lives. The Work Safety Committee of the State Council, China’s cabinet, announced the sweeping drive in a notice on Saturday, according to state media. The notice pledged to “identify and rectify” fire risks across high-rise residential and public-use buildings, from tower...

Events

6 d. ago China launches nationwide fire safety inspection following Hong Kong fire

China launches nationwide fire safety inspection following Hong Kong fire  Reuters

Events

6 d. ago National security police arrest man over petition as Hong Kong mourns fire dead

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. What we know so far: 128 people, including a firefighter, confirmed dead 79 injured, including 12 firefighters Status of 150 people unclear The eight residential blocks in the estate had been undergoing renovations since July 2024, covered in bamboo scaffolding and green...

Events

6 d. ago National security police take in man over petition as Hong Kong mourns fire dead

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. What we know so far: 128 people, including a firefighter, confirmed dead 79 injured, including 12 firefighters Status of 150 people unclear The eight residential blocks in the estate had been undergoing renovations since July 2024, covered in bamboo scaffolding and green...

Events

6 d. ago National security police arrest man as Hong Kong mourns 128 fire dead

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. What we know so far: 128 people, including a firefighter, confirmed dead 79 injured, including 12 firefighters Status of 150 people unclear The eight residential blocks in the estate had been undergoing renovations since July 2024, covered in bamboo scaffolding and green...

Events

6 d. ago Filipino helper among Hong Kong fire dead as national security police arrest man

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. What we know so far: 128 people, including a firefighter, confirmed dead 79 injured, including 12 firefighters Status of 150 people unclear The eight residential blocks in the estate had been undergoing renovations since July 2024, covered in bamboo scaffolding and green...

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

8 d. ago National Games underscored ties that bind Hongkongers with rest of China

China’s National Games marked a historic milestone this year: for the first time since the event’s inception in 1959, competitions were held throughout the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area – a clear sign of the region’s increasing connectivity and spirit of cooperation. Hong Kong achieved its highest medal tally, with nine golds, two silvers and eight bronzes, fostering pride in a city discovering a new level of confidence through sport. Behind every medal lies a personal story of...

Sport

1 week ago Hong Kong’s national security police arrest 2 over alleged seditious online posts

Hong Kong’s national security police arrested a man and a woman for allegedly publishing social media posts with seditious intent and funding activities that endanger national security. According to an insider, officers arrested the pair on Monday, at Kwai Chung Plaza, a shopping centre and private housing estate in the Kwai Tsing district. The force said they had arrested a 32-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman for committing an act that had a seditious intention under the Safeguarding...

Events

1 week ago ‘Real investments’ reflect global community’s ‘confidence’ in Hong Kong: Zhou Ji

The international community has cast “a vote of confidence” on Hong Kong’s prospects with their investments, with achievements attained through the proper implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle, Beijing’s top representative in the city has said. Zhou Ji, director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, also said that, having “filled the gaps” in national security, now was the “best time” for the city to focus on the economy, push for development and construction – including...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong may ban 2 ‘subversive’ groups based in Canada and Taiwan

The Hong Kong government is considering enacting a ban on any local operation of two “subversive” groups based in Canada and Taiwan on national security grounds. The move against the Canada-based “Hong Kong Parliament” and Taiwan-based “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” came after a local court sentenced a woman earlier this month to a year in jail for promoting the former and breaching the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. “The two organisations in question aim to subvert state...

Politics

1 week ago Exchanges between Hong Kong, Japan must align with China’s ‘dignity’: John Lee

All official exchanges between Hong Kong and Japan should respect the nation’s dignity and align with the benefits of Hongkongers, the city leader has said as he raised doubts over the effectiveness of such interactions amid an ongoing diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks came on Monday, after it was reported that the administration had called off several exchanges with the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong and postponed discussions. “The...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong to ‘radiate’ mainland China’s strengths to aid belt and road nations

Hong Kong’s chief executive has pledged to harness the city’s unique advantages to bring mainland China’s strengths, technology and compassion to the belt and road nations while fostering people-to-people ties at the launch of a charity’s headquarters founded by a former city leader. “Hong Kong has been leveraging its ‘hard power’ in professional services and ‘soft power’ in social cohesion to foster people-to-people bonds in belt and road countries,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said at the...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong to build on National Games success with GBA cities: official

A senior sports official has said that Hong Kong’s performance in co-hosting the National Games is satisfactory and that the city will explore running more events with Greater Bay Area neighbours after the region was named a candidate for future Olympic Games. Yeung Tak-keung, head of the National Games Coordination Office in Hong Kong, said on Saturday that city authorities and their counterparts from Guangdong province and Macau could conduct a comprehensive review of their experience...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong sets sights on bay area bid for Olympics after National Games success

Sports officials have hailed Hong Kong’s success in co-hosting the National Games and said the city will explore running more athletic events with its Greater Bay Area neighbours after the region was named as a possible candidate for staging the Olympics in the future. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui described the concluded 15th National Games in Hong Kong as a success on Saturday, emphasising the events had exposed locals to lesser-known sports, such as beach...

Sport

1 week ago Siobhan Haughey dives in as Hong Kong Victoria Harbour race seeks expanded entry

Organisers of the Hong Kong Victoria Harbour Race are considering recruiting mainland Chinese lifeguards to increase the participant limit to beyond 10,000 after more than 3,700 swimmers, including National Games medallist Siobhan Haughey, joined Saturday’s annual event. Hong Kong China Swimming Association President Ronnie Wong Man-chiu told the media after the event that the key factors in raising the quota were the number of available lifeguards and the amount of time competitors spend in the...

Politics