https://www.scmp.com/rss/318206/feed Hong Kong political news including political reform and Hong Kong/China relations. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/series/3350667/turbulent-times-will-hong-kong-be-safe-haven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/series/3350667/turbulent-times-will-hong-kong-be-safe-haven?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:45:43 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should take a more proactive approach to removing barriers hindering the cross-border flow of people, capital, goods and data with neighbouring Shenzhen, analysts have said, as the new leadership of the mainland China tech hub signals a fresh push for deeper integration. The calls for action followed the appointment of Jin Lei, an economist and former official in Sichuan province, as Shenzhen’s Communist Party chief last month, succeeding Meng Fanli, who has since been named the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350627/hong-kong-urged-be-more-proactive-removing-barriers-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350627/hong-kong-urged-be-more-proactive-removing-barriers-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:13:39 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Hong Kong government should use its proposed accountability system prudently to investigate department heads and avoid undermining morale among civil servants, a top adviser to the city’s leader has said. But Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the city’s top decision-making Executive Council, stressed on Sunday that the system would serve as a reminder for leaders to actively spot deficiencies in their departments and “do better in handling residents’ complaints”. In a televised interview,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350612/government-should-probe-department-heads-cautiously-under-new-system-regina-ip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350612/government-should-probe-department-heads-cautiously-under-new-system-regina-ip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:09:38 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip For the first time in its history – and in a striking departure from its long-standing doctrine of minimal economic intervention – Hong Kong is preparing to draw up a five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has asked all policy bureaus to help draft proposals by the end of the year. To lead the exercise, veteran civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wah has come out of retirement. The Legislative Council, not to be left out, has formed a committee supported by six coordinating groups spanning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities will take public opinion into account when deciding whether to trigger a new investigation mechanism to hold senior officials accountable for problems identified, the city’s civil service minister has said. Permanent secretaries of bureaus – who are not covered by the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” – would also face scrutiny if they were found to be involved in management failures, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350561/public-opinion-factor-governments-decision-investigate-officials-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350561/public-opinion-factor-governments-decision-investigate-officials-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:55:59 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has met the city’s No 2 official and finance chief in the capital to discuss alignment with the national 15th five-year plan, as the government prepares to draw up its own inaugural blueprint by the end of the year. The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) said its director, Xia Baolong, held talks with Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and the newly appointed Secretary for Constitutional and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350370/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-meets-citys-leaders-capital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350370/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-meets-citys-leaders-capital?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:35:03 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A former lawmaker and doctor who was previously imprisoned for conspiracy to commit subversion has been struck off Hong Kong’s register of medical practitioners, becoming the first national security-related disciplinary case to involve the profession. In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the Medical Council ordered that specialist urologist Dr Kwok Ka-ki, 64, be removed indefinitely from the General Register, which took immediate effect upon publication in the government gazette. Kwok, once a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350361/ex-lawmaker-convicted-hong-kong-47-trial-struck-medical-register?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350361/ex-lawmaker-convicted-hong-kong-47-trial-struck-medical-register?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:46:32 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Macau’s finance minister has resigned over “personal reasons,” prompting the city’s chief executive to temporarily assume his duties until a new candidate is appointed. The cabinet change took effect on Thursday after China’s State Council approved the removal of Tai Kin-ip from the post of secretary for economy and finance, in accordance with Macau’s Basic Law and the recommendation of Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai. Tai, 57, who only assumed the senior role in December 2024, said he had earlier... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350262/macau-finance-minister-steps-down-personal-reasons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350262/macau-finance-minister-steps-down-personal-reasons?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:33:40 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to enhance the city’s governance in public security and safety, and carry out systemic reform following the deadly Tai Po fire, describing it as a key task in safeguarding national security. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks came after Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs, said people with “ulterior motives” had exploited the city’s deadliest blaze in decades to stir up social unrest and called for vigilance against national... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350192/hong-kong-leader-vows-reforms-boost-safety-national-security-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350192/hong-kong-leader-vows-reforms-boost-safety-national-security-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:55 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has urged businesspeople to serve as the “main force” driving the city’s economic development by investing in innovation and the Northern Metropolis megaproject, calling on them to demonstrate their patriotism through “concrete actions”. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also reminded Hongkongers to remain vigilant for national security threats and be adequately prepared for risks arising from current geopolitical tensions,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350115/show-patriotism-through-concrete-actions-xia-baolong-tells-hong-kong-businesspeople?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350115/show-patriotism-through-concrete-actions-xia-baolong-tells-hong-kong-businesspeople?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:34:57 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong A statutory advisory body in Hong Kong will be given new powers as early as June to investigate government department heads over “serious, widespread or systemic” problems, as part of a broader push to institutionalise accountability for top officials. A Civil Service Bureau spokeswoman stressed that the new system targeted “implementation failures” by senior officials, but a union representative argued that major scandals often stemmed from flawed policy designs in which bureau chiefs and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350052/advisory-body-be-given-power-probe-government-department-heads-serious-offences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350052/advisory-body-be-given-power-probe-government-department-heads-serious-offences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:47:19 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung More than 10,000 posts in the Hong Kong government will be cut by the end of June 2027, with close to 60 per cent being junior roles and about 3 per cent at the senior level, a minister has vowed. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Monday the move was not “fattening the top but thinning the bottom” and was reasonable because the government workforce had far more frontline staff. Yeung was briefing legislators on her bureau’s budget for 2026-27 during a special... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349934/hong-kong-slash-over-10000-civil-service-posts-mid-2027-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349934/hong-kong-slash-over-10000-civil-service-posts-mid-2027-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:32:00 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh When the unthinkable becomes normal, stability becomes the new premium – and Hong Kong is well positioned. The world we thought we understood even two years ago no longer exists. We are living through a period of disruption that, until recently, would have seemed unthinkable. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the US-Israel war against Iran are reshaping long-held assumptions about energy, security and alliances. Trade is being reordered through tariffs, industrial policy and geopolitics.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349612/hong-kong-increasingly-seen-safe-haven-troubled-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349612/hong-kong-increasingly-seen-safe-haven-troubled-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu visited one of the schools offering free after-school care for low-income families last month. After receiving positive feedback from participants, he pledged to extend the programme to benefit more families. Lee said it had helped promote family harmony, with children also reporting “positive development in both academic and social aspects”. There’s little doubt we should celebrate victories, however small, but it is equally important to examine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3349609/education-equality-hong-kong-policymakers-must-do-their-homework?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong’s 21 ministerial-level officials spent more than HK$46.6 million (US$5.9 million) on trips over the past three financial years, with finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po accounting for nearly a quarter of the total. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah was the most frequent traveller, making 50 trips in the past three years at a cost of HK$7.21 million to taxpayers, official records released to legislators showed. Chan made 35 visits during the three financial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349750/hong-kongs-ministerial-team-spent-hk466-million-visits-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349750/hong-kongs-ministerial-team-spent-hk466-million-visits-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has concluded his second visit to the Greater Bay Area in three weeks, a trip that analysts view as a push from the central government to speed up the city’s integration with national development. Xia Baolong, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was in Guangdong province earlier this week, visiting Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou. State-run media said his four-day “research tour” focused on supporting Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349755/beijings-point-man-hong-kong-affairs-wraps-second-bay-area-visit-3-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:12:08 +0000 Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun Wynna Wong,Fiona Sun The head of a civil service union federation in Hong Kong has warned that tighter disciplinary action risks becoming excessive as the government seeks to revise the penalty system to handle underperforming employees this year. Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, was responding to the Civil Service Bureau’s plan to revise the regulations to further improve the disciplinary mechanism, including tightening rules on withholding salaries during suspensions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349736/tighter-civil-service-disciplinary-rules-risk-becoming-excessive-union-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:09:46 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun More than 150 Hong Kong civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal convictions over the past three financial years, with police accounting for the largest number of cases. In a written reply to a lawmaker’s inquiry on Thursday, the Civil Service Bureau said 151 civil servants were dismissed for serious misconduct or criminal offences between 2022 and 2025, with the number of dismissals dropping steadily from 60 in 2022–23 to 51 in 2023–24 and 40 in 2024–25. Of the total, 73... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349620/151-hong-kong-civil-servants-dismissed-misconduct-convictions-past-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:27:21 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hong Kong spent HK$1.13 billion (US$144.27 million) on the Legislative Council election last year, or nearly 35 per cent more than on the previous poll, with authorities citing rising technology expenses, staff salaries and venue rentals for the increased expenditure. In a written response to lawmakers’ inquiries that came to light on Thursday, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau revealed the revised budget for the Registration and Electoral Office for the 2025-26 financial year that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349559/hong-kong-spent-hk113-billion-legco-poll-35-over-figure-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:43:25 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s director of immigration will have his service extended beyond the retirement age until June next year, authorities have announced. The announcement to extend the term of Benson Kwok Joon-fung was made on Wednesday, a day before he reached the retirement age of 57. “The purpose of granting director Kwok’s service extension is to ensure a smooth transition in the senior management of the Immigration Department,” a government spokesman said. He added that Kwok had been granted an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349364/hong-kong-immigration-chief-granted-service-extension-past-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3349364/hong-kong-immigration-chief-granted-service-extension-past-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:59:33 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s No 2 official has pledged to fast-track a new university town’s development following a visit to similar projects in mainland China, saying authorities will devise a strategy to attract top institutions from across the border and overseas to take part. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and his working group on the university town’s planning and construction, which falls under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis, concluded their three-day visit to the mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348906/university-town-be-fast-tracked-eric-chan-says-after-mainland-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3348906/university-town-be-fast-tracked-eric-chan-says-after-mainland-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:55:23 +0000 Ken Chu Ken Chu Hong Kong is preparing its own medium-term development blueprint alongside China’s coming 15th five-year plan, which officials have described as a “golden strategic period” for the city. This is more than a procedural shift. For the first time, Hong Kong is attempting to align its policy cycle in advance with national planning priorities, yet alignment on its own is not a strategy. The more pressing question is whether the city can define a role that is distinct, necessary and difficult to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348403/hong-kongs-next-five-years-must-take-city-alignment-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348403/hong-kongs-next-five-years-must-take-city-alignment-action?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Emily Hung,Olga Wong Emily Hung,Olga Wong Retired civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wa has been appointed the new secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, with her top priority being the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Monday that he had nominated the 61-year-old Tse to the State Council because of her strong passion for the five-year plan and capability, stemming from her 38 years of working for the government. “The first local five-year plan must be formulated within this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348334/janice-tse-appointed-new-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-chief-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348334/janice-tse-appointed-new-constitutional-and-mainland-affairs-chief-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:38:26 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Last week, a friend and I chatted about our children’s favourite art pieces after happening upon an auction house’s exhibition in a building in the heart of Hong Kong’s business district. We both recalled stopping to look at Yayoi Kusama’s Mount Fuji prints. “I pass by the space twice every day,” my friend said. She told me that my son’s pick – a piece by Sam Francis – was a new installation, replacing what had been a display of handbags. How often do we pause to notice art, or enjoy life in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348095/hong-kong-can-draw-art-marchs-success-keeping-it-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng The official transcript of a public hearing into Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades has wrongly recorded several key details, the South China Morning Post has found, prompting an academic to urge that future proceedings be live-streamed to strengthen transparency and public trust. The errors included incorrect figures for the number of residents who escaped using lifts and the percentage of flats suffering severe damage, according to the SCMP’s review of the committee hearing investigating... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348259/errors-hong-kong-tai-po-blaze-hearing-transcript-raise-transparency-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348259/errors-hong-kong-tai-po-blaze-hearing-transcript-raise-transparency-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has met Hong Kong political heavyweights and business leaders – including former Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang and Richard Li Tzar-kai, the son of tycoon Li Ka-shing – in what he described as a “short but meaningful visit” to the city. Wrapping up his first official visit to the city since he became prime minister in 2024, Wong said in a Facebook post on Saturday that closer cooperation between the two Asian financial centres would contribute to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348251/singapores-lawrence-wong-wraps-short-meaningful-visit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348251/singapores-lawrence-wong-wraps-short-meaningful-visit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:51:53 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing has summoned the United States’ top envoy in Hong Kong to protest against the consulate’s move to issue an alert to American citizens about legal changes in the city that punish those who withhold smartphone passwords from police during national security investigations. The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong revealed on Saturday that its commissioner, Cui Jianchun, had summoned and lodged “solemn representations” with US Consul General Julie Eadeh the day before in response to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:23:25 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong and Macau affairs has concluded a five-day fact-finding trip to three mainland Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area to explore ways of deepening the international financial hub’s integration into the national blueprint. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said its director, Xia Baolong, had visited Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and Foshan on the trip from Monday to Friday, accompanied by officials from the mainland and Hong Kong. “[The trip] focused on how... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348201/beijing-official-visits-greater-bay-area-cities-explore-integrating-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348201/beijing-official-visits-greater-bay-area-cities-explore-integrating-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:47:50 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Singapore will explore opportunities arising from Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject and its coming five-year development plan, the city state’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said, stressing that relations between the two sides are “more important than ever” in a fragmenting world. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Friday that Wong’s visit – his first official trip to Hong Kong since becoming prime minister in 2024 – was indicative of the strong ties and friendship between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348166/singapore-explore-opportunities-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-lawrence-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348166/singapore-explore-opportunities-hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-lawrence-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:07 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong has condemned the United Kingdom for undermining the city’s rule of law and meddling in local affairs after British authorities pledged to use “every opportunity” to press for the release of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was jailed for 20 years over national security offences. The government issued a strong rebuttal in the early hours of Friday, dismissing London’s comments as “misleading and irresponsible” after the UK expressed concerns over Hong Kong’s erosion of human... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:29:47 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Matthew Cheng,Danny Mok Beijing has selected Zhang Dongmei, a former vice-president of the All-China Women’s Federation, as a new deputy director of the top office overseeing Hong Kong affairs, making her the first woman to take on the role since the body’s status was elevated in 2023. Zhang’s appointment as the new deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) fills the vacancy left by the departure of Xiang Bin, a Communist Party of China group member of the office, earlier this year. The State... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347890/zhang-dongmei-named-new-deputy-director-office-overseeing-hong-kong-affairs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:17:34 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong and Hainan should forge a strong partnership and explore new models of cooperation, the city’s leader has said, urging the business sector to capitalise on the mainland Chinese province’s free-trade port status by offering professional services in areas such as finance, law and accounting. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s call followed a meeting with Feng Fei, the Communist Party secretary of the Hainan provincial committee, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia annual... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347807/hong-kong-hainan-can-forge-strong-partnership-build-strengths-john-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:36:42 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities will be able to demand any “specified person” decrypt electronic devices during national security investigations and may punish suspects who provide wrong passwords or falsely claim to have forgotten them, the security chief has told lawmakers. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stressed on Tuesday that recent amendments to the national security law’s implementation rules did not create new law enforcement powers. “These amendments have only improved some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:41:53 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will respond to uncertainty brought by intensifying geopolitical tensions “with openness rather than isolation”, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged at an annual forum in Hainan, calling on economies to join hands to promote free trade. Speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference – regarded as a platform for high-level government dialogue – Lee said China had been committed to multilateral trade in a “turbulent world”, urging economies to unite in the face of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347761/hong-kong-meet-uncertainty-openness-john-lee-tells-boao-forum-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:38:37 +0000 Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Changes to Hong Kong’s implementation rules for the national security law will improve operational efficiency amid heightened geopolitical risks, experts have said, while a criminal law specialist has argued that the amendments expand authorities’ powers and that some legal privacy protections may be too technical to apply. Another legal expert and a former security minister said the amendments aimed to clearly lay out investigation procedures for searches under existing national security law... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hongkongers who refuse to provide passwords for smartphones or other electronic devices during national security investigations face up to a year in jail under legal changes that also allow police to question organisations if they have reasonable belief that they are overseas political groups or agents of foreign forces. The government said the new rules would not affect people’s daily lives or how institutions normally operated. The amendments, gazetted on Monday, are the first substantial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:57:09 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong In my experience, most people misunderstand the concept of “separation of powers”, and so I would not be at all surprised if most people also misunderstand the term “executive-led government”. In the case of separation of powers, the confusion usually arises from the use of the word “separation”. It connotes a meaning of absolute independence or alienation. A better word would have been “division”. The concept of separation of powers focuses on the division of power in a government and how that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong will continue its efforts to expand business opportunities in the Middle East despite recent geopolitical tensions, as the city remains a safe and stable investment hub amid global volatility, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said. Despite his optimism, Lee conceded that the conflict in the Middle East had affected Hong Kong due to a surge in fuel prices, urging suppliers to increase transparency in pricing and warning of regulatory action in cases of commercial wrongdoing. “[The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346860/hong-kong-press-ahead-expanding-middle-east-ties-despite-regional-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346860/hong-kong-press-ahead-expanding-middle-east-ties-despite-regional-unrest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:02 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Hong Kong government will set up a collaborative mechanism with the legislature to craft the city’s first five-year plan to align with national development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said, with the blueprint expected to be ready by the end of this year. Lee also stressed on Tuesday that the platform would reflect the city’s executive-led governance model, adding that a public consultation on the plan would be launched in the fourth quarter before its publication. “The plan will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346832/executive-work-legco-under-new-mechanism-craft-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346832/executive-work-legco-under-new-mechanism-craft-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:04:41 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014. It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong lawmakers have said Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot be extradited to the UK or Romania – where they face prosecution – without formal requests from those governments, as the infamous influencer brothers continued their visit to the city on Monday. The legislators also rejected claims that the city had become a haven for fugitives following the suspension of extradition treaties with several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, in 2020. The controversial influencers entered... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Young people can opt to make self-declarations to be exempted from producing proof of address to register as electors under a new Hong Kong government drive to boost voter numbers, lawmakers have been told. A commissioner for oaths will be stationed at each Immigration Department registration of persons office, where young people replace their juvenile identity cards with adult ones upon turning 18. The initiative was outlined as officials presented the 2026 voter registration campaign at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346785/hong-kong-new-push-get-young-people-register-voters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346785/hong-kong-new-push-get-young-people-register-voters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:33:01 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu After the annual “two sessions” in Beijing, it’s clear that Hong Kong policymakers have their work cut out for them. It has been made abundantly clear what is expected of Hong Kong: stop messing around and get on with the national programme. Hong Kong is part of the nation’s plans to move forward. The country knows exactly where the city fits into the big picture, how it can catapult growth in key areas and play the role of superconnector between China and the rest of the world. The 15th... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346468/mainland-style-oversight-system-could-help-legco-deliver?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Emily Hung,Oscar Liu Emily Hung,Oscar Liu The Panamanian government has asked Chinese shipping giant Cosco to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Balboa port amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic gateway and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings. Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza told reporters on Friday that Cosco’s decision had caught the government off guard. “The Cosco issue has actually taken us a bit by surprise. All cargo is important, and certainly, Cosco cargo is important for us,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346674/panama-urges-chinese-shipping-giant-cosco-resume-operations-canal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346674/panama-urges-chinese-shipping-giant-cosco-resume-operations-canal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:58:48 +0000 Kitty Tam,Calvin Au Kitty Tam,Calvin Au When people picture Hong Kong, they often imagine a relentless concrete jungle – a vertical city where glass and steel dominate the skyline. Yet a quiet revolution is beginning to reshape how our city develops. Last week, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines. This landmark document signals a shift in how we think about infrastructure and urban planning. It... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should move beyond a “city-centred” approach that merely seeks Beijing’s policy support and instead take steps to align with national priorities by advancing the internationalisation of the yuan and supporting mainland Chinese enterprises’ global expansion, observers have said as this year’s “two sessions” came to a close. With the annual political gathering ending amid the widening war in the Middle East, observers also said Beijing would expect local companies to pursue investments... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346563/what-are-hong-kongs-next-best-steps-after-two-sessions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346563/what-are-hong-kongs-next-best-steps-after-two-sessions-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:23 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to align with national strategies outlined in the country’s latest five-year plan and transform the city’s “new positionings, functions and missions” assigned by Beijing into “tangible outcomes” to drive economic growth. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Thursday that he would lead the local government in fulfilling its primary responsibility to unite society in proactively aligning with the 15th five-year plan, which outlines China’s economic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346399/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-align-chinas-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346399/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-align-chinas-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:13:26 +0000 Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Edith Lin,Matthew Cheng Hong Kong should step up education on Chinese history and culture while highlighting security threats to cultivate public awareness about the need to defend the country, experts have said, as the nation’s legislature is set to pass a law promoting ethnic unity. The expert’s comments came ahead of the closing session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Thursday, which is due to pass the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. The law aims to forge a strong “sense of community for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3346246/how-will-hong-kong-follow-mainland-chinas-ethnic-unity-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s legislature will consider establishing a dedicated mechanism to scrutinise the implementation of approved bills and funding, drawing inspiration from mainland China’s law enforcement inspection system, according to its president. Legislative Council president Starry Lee Wai-king also dismissed concerns that the city’s first five-year plan would undermine the “one country, two systems” governing principle, emphasising the blueprint would be consistent with the capitalist system and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345994/hong-kong-legco-explore-mainland-style-oversight-system-bills-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3345994/hong-kong-legco-explore-mainland-style-oversight-system-bills-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The annual “two sessions” in Beijing are under way, and this year the annual ritual of reading tea leaves in this city has been made easier for politics watchers. That is because Beijing has been blunt about the problems it thinks our city faces. There is the usual praise for the Hong Kong government and Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s leadership. One striking difference is that Premier Li Qiang included in his annual work report, delivered at the opening session of the National People’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345732/beijings-message-clear-hong-kong-must-shape-and-speed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000