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The buildings of Wang Fuk Court seen on December 16, a month after the devastating fire that engulfed the housing estate. For sudden‑onset disasters like fires, risk reduction is especially vital given the limited response time. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong society

Letters | Tai Po fire tragedy shows importance of disaster risk reduction

Readers discuss how addressing risk factors can save lives and minimise loss, the turnout of the Legislative Council election, and the Japanese prime minister’s controversial remarks on Taiwan.

Greater Bay Area

Letters | As Greater Bay Area shifts to carbon-free trade, Hong Kong must catch on

China trade

Letters | World must learn to live with China’s manufacturing prowess

Accidents and personal safety

Letters | Hong Kong’s ageing buildings need better care under stronger rules

Readers call on the government to revamp the city’s governance of building management and repair, and rethink its approach to teenagers’ social media use.

Workers carry out emergency repair works outside Po On Building in Mong Kok on July 5, 2023, after concrete chunks fell off the building for a second time in three days. Photo: Jelly Tse
Workers carry out emergency repair works outside Po On Building in Mong Kok on July 5, 2023, after concrete chunks fell off the building for a second time in three days. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong society

Letters | Hong Kong’s ‘coin carts’ are not serving residents who need them most

Readers discuss the city’s coin collection programme, Hongkongers’ response to the Tai Po fire, and why Russia can’t be framed through a Western or Eastern lens.

Nexperia

Letters | The case for separating the Dutch and Chinese arms of Nexperia

Readers discuss the fight for control over the semiconductor company, the case of two skirt-wearing Malaysian women barred from entering a police station, and a potential ban on smoking at construction sites.

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Japan

Letters | Japan overplayed its hand at the table of great powers

Readers discuss the broader implications of Tokyo’s miscalculation, Hong Kong’s entry requirements for native English-speaking teachers, and whether anything could have been done differently in Tai Po.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press in Wajima, Japan on December 7. Photo: Kyodo
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets the press in Wajima, Japan on December 7. Photo: Kyodo
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Uncovering truth of Tai Po tragedy not at odds with care for survivors

Readers discuss concerns raised about survivors’ psychological well-being, recognising migrant domestic workers’ contribution over the years, and stepping up efforts at disease prevention.

Hong Kong society

Letters | How Tai Po fire exposed weakness in Hong Kong contract governance

Readers call for steps to improve procurement and contract oversight, official accountability for lapses that led to the tragedy, and appreciation for donor generosity.

Scams and swindles

Letters | Cambodia is confronting the scourge of online scams head-on

Readers discuss the cross-border effort targeting the syndicates behind Cambodia’s scam farms, Malaysia’s first fully home-grown EV, and the investigation into the Tai Po fire in Hong Kong.

Suspects are detained during a police raid on a scam centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 16. The operation was part of a nationwide crackdown on cybercrime networks, following Prime Minister Hun Manet’s order to shut down online scam operations often run like sweatshops. Photo: EPA
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Letters | Hong Kong hospital fee rises a necessary step towards sustainability

Readers discuss the healthcare reform aimed at directing care to those most in need, recovering from a traumatic disaster, and AI’s impact on society.

Hospital staff attend to a patient at the accident and emergency department at Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun Hospital on January 10. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hospital staff attend to a patient at the accident and emergency department at Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun Hospital on January 10. Photo: Jelly Tse
Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong

Letters | It shouldn’t take a tragedy for Hong Kong to treat domestic workers fairly

Readers discuss the wave of support for migrant helpers in the wake of the Tai Po fire, professionals who volunteer their skills, and the educational value of play.

Hong Kong society

Letters | Commercialisation of Hong Kong’s public venues must come with a caveat

Readers discuss the government’s bid to open up underused public venues, call for a Firefighters’ Day, and take issue with the sensationalisation of news.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Safety lapses in Hong Kong’s construction industry must be fixed

Readers discuss an overhaul of the project tendering process, more raids at renovation sites, high-rise building design, and deploying the emergency alert system.

People hug at a makeshift memorial outside the Wang Fuk Court apartment blocks in the aftermath of the deadly fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, on December 1. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Investigate real causes of Tai Po fire before blaming bamboo scaffolding

Readers discuss why bamboo scaffolding is a cultural asset that should be preserved, respecting the contributions of all in community, watching the tragedy from afar, and the appropriate distance between buildings in a housing estate.

Bamboo scaffolding and mesh covering cling to the burnt-out structure in the aftermath of the Tai Po apartment fire in Hong Kong, on November 28. Photo: Photo: EPA
Bamboo scaffolding and mesh covering cling to the burnt-out structure in the aftermath of the Tai Po apartment fire in Hong Kong, on November 28. Photo: Photo: EPA
Hong Kong society

Letters | A kinder, gentler Hong Kong forged in shared pain

Readers praise Hongkongers’ empathetic response to the Tai Po fire tragedy, clarify the workings of the Observatory’s chatbot, and call on Hong Kong to consider a social media ban for adolescents.

2025 National Games

Letters | In the National Games, Hong Kong has a model of a green mega event

Readers discuss the features of the games that safeguard sustainability and the passing of an Indian cinema legend.

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Hong Kong will emerge stronger from Tai Po fire tragedy

Readers offer condolences to the bereaved, call for prompt action to improve fire safety measures and pay tribute to the inspiring outpouring of help from all quarters of the community.

A firefighter searches through a building in the aftermath of the fire at Wang Fuk Court. The heroic efforts of Hong Kong’s firefighters and emergency services must be acknowledged. Photo: AP
A firefighter searches through a building in the aftermath of the fire at Wang Fuk Court. The heroic efforts of Hong Kong’s firefighters and emergency services must be acknowledged. Photo: AP
Hong Kong fires and safety

Letters | Hong Kong fire must force rethink on use of bamboo scaffolding

Readers discuss the massive fire at a housing estate in Tai Po, and how a clumsy response to sexual abuse can result in re-traumatisation.

Jobs

Letters | To prevent an AI job apocalypse, take a leaf from immigration policy

Readers discuss managing AI like foreign hires, rewilding open spaces in Hong Kong, and economic rebalancing.

Malaysia

Letters | Academic theories deserve rigorous scrutiny, not public shaming

Readers discuss the controversy over a Malaysian academic’s hypothesis about Roman shipbuilding, the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, and cutting back Hong Kong children’s screen time.

Dr Solehah’s theory – that Romans may have learned shipbuilding techniques from Malay seafarers – deserved rigorous academic scrutiny. Photo: YouTube/Prof Dr Solehah
Hong Kong economy

Letters | Hong Kong should consider easing visa rules for belt and road partners

Readers discuss the difficulties of securing entry to Hong Kong, investing in people’s well-being as an economic strategy, and child protection measures in Singapore.

Commuters in Hong Kong’s Central district on November 19. The Hong Kong government should consider revising current visa policies to strengthen its role as a regional hub for talent. Photo: Jelly Tse
Commuters in Hong Kong’s Central district on November 19. The Hong Kong government should consider revising current visa policies to strengthen its role as a regional hub for talent. Photo: Jelly Tse
United States

Letters | US lawmakers are finally putting a check on the executive branch

Readers discuss the signs of recovery in the US system of checks and balances, how to better leverage Hong Kong Observatory’s resources, and appreciation for the city’s emergency response.

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Letters | Jackson Yee sets benchmark for young actors with Best Actor win

Readers laud the Chinese actor’s dedication to his craft and warn of a crisis of the mind in the age of AI.

Education in Hong Kong

Letters | Hong Kong’s AI education quest needs human connection to succeed

Readers discuss the importance of emotional and social learning, a suggestion to internationalise Hong Kong’s university entrance exam, and a way to encourage more Chinese to get married.

A student from a primary school in Tai Po gets a warm send-off to school, on the first day of the school year on September 1. Children learn best when their emotional needs are met. Photo: Jelly Tse
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