News
Mid-Autumn Fun: Thousands gather for annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance
- 2024-09-17
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: MAO Anqi、LI Sin TungEdited by: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTO
- 2024-09-17
Thousands of revellers gathered along Wun Sha Street in Tai Hang in Causeway Bay yesterday for the first night of the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. This year’s event includes a 20-metre-long LED fire dragon held by around 100 children, a first for the annual night-time event. The fire dragon dance route also extends to Causeway Bay Road, passing souvenir booths for event-goers to visit and take photos. “The participation of children can help promote the younger generation's understanding of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and better inherit our culture,” said Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun at the opening ceremony. A small area with old public housing estates, Tai Hang livens when the dragon dance attracts a tide of admirers. Dancers manoeuvred the dragon while carrying over 30,000 burning incense sticks. The event included performances accompanied by traditional drumming and gongs. Among the thousands in attendance was Gao Junyang, who creates and sells hand-made dragon lanterns. His first time visiting, the 17-year-old described the atmosphere as "full of life" "Every corner is teeming with excited people, who stretch their necks and hold phones above their heads,” he said. Zoe Wong, one of the Lotus Sisters, a team consisting of little girls dressed in pink cheongsams and carrying pink lotus lanterns, in this year’s show said her excitement overwhelmed her feelings of exhaustion. “I can play with friends, and grab some incense sticks for fun and fortune,” the 7-year-old said. “I would love to come and perform again next year.” Linda Chen, 23, from Fujian Province in mainland China, also enjoyed the fire dragon dance. “Seeking happiness, health and unity with family not only means a lot to me but also follows the tradition,” she said. However, Chen said the horde of people made it difficult to see …
Midea’s Hong Kong IPO drives the market to a two-week high in its first-day trading
- 2024-09-17
- Business
- By: XIA Fan、WANG RuoshuiEdited by: Junzhe JIANG
- 2024-09-17
Midea Group pushes the Hang Seng Index to reach its highest in the past fortnight as the city’s biggest initial public offering in over three years amid the sluggish local market. Under code 0300, the shares of the global electronic appliance giant opened at HK$ 59.2, an 8% increase from its listing price of HK$ 54.8, and closed at HK$59.1. The Hang Seng Index reached a two-week high and closed at 17660.02 accordingly. The Company’s Shenzhen-listed shares climbed by 1.83% last Friday, while the CSI300 index, which indicates the performance of the Top 300 Chinese companies, dropped by 0.42% compared with the previous close. The Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets are closed today due to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Midea Group's IPO this time received 5.31 times oversubscription for the public offering and 8.06 times oversubscription for the international offering. It sold 566 million shares after exercising the option to expand its offering by 15% due to the excess demand, according to the company’s filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Foshan-based Midea priced its share at the top of the marketed range of HK$54.8 to raise $4 billion (around HK$31.2 billion), which made it the city’s biggest debut after Kuaishou Technology since early 2021. The Chinese manufacturer introduced 18 cornerstone investors who subscribed to 179.0327 million shares, approximately $1.258 billion (around HK$9.811 billion) of the offered shares. The list includes COSCO Shipping Hong Kong, UBS AM Singapore, and BYD’s subsidiary Golden Link, according to its IPO documents. Despite its strong performance today, Renee Wu, 28, an insurance agent at AIA Group and individual stock trader, remains sceptical about purchasing Midea’s shares. “I won't touch Chinese concept stocks anymore. I feel they lack investment value,” Wu said. “The risks they bring outweigh what they can provide. Chinese concept stocks are …
Huawei unveils world’s first tri-fold phone
- 2024-09-11
- Business
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG HaicenEdited by: Ji Youn Lee
- 2024-09-11
Chinese tech giant Huawei unveiled the first tri-fold smartphone, priced at 19,999 yuan (HK$22,000), yesterday at a launch ceremony in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen. Pricier than earlier models such as Huawei’s double-fold phone Mate X5, the newly launched Mate XT is more than double the starting price of Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max, which was unveiled just hours ahead. Huawei's foldable phone Mate XT allows users to fold it into three sections like an accordion screen door. According to Yu at the launch, prices for the new smartphone start at 19,999 yuan for 256 gigabytes, with higher memory versions available for 21,999 yuan and 23,999 yuan. The phone comes in red and black colours. “The average consumer has limited knowledge of smartphones, let alone the benefits and value of the products,” said Will Wong, a senior researcher at IDC Consulting. “Therefore, they may be put off by its high price.” New products from both Apple and Huawei will be available from 20 September. Jene Park, an analyst at research firm Counterpoint, said the upcoming new Huawei products are not expected to have a major impact on Samsung's and Apple's business in terms of volume. “With a starting price of 20,000 yuan, more than double the starting price of the comparable iPhone 16 Pro Max, and limited production, the tri-fold phone is likely to be more of a symbol of Huawei's tech prowess than a major sales driver,” said Wong. Although Apple has shown strong demand in China as a mobile phone producer, a recent report released by Canalys in the second quarter shows it has fallen out of the top five in terms of sales for the first time in China, dropping from third to sixth place. “Huawei's new product may not have a huge impact on sales …
Diverse sailors make splashes at Hong Kong Race Week
- 2024-07-23
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG HaicenEdited by: Jemima Badajos
- 2024-07-23
The 2024 Hong Kong Race Week drew to a close on Feb.4. The six day event was the second time it was held since the Covid-19 lockdown in 2019. Ten classes of the event including both professional and amateur levels competed in Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, Stanley, Tai Tam and Lo Chau. This year’s Hong Kong Race Week was co-organised with the 29er Asian Sailing Championships, attracting 273 local and overseas sailors. Asia's top ranked sailors, Hangzhou Asian Games medallists and the winners in the last Hong Kong Race Week also gathered at Middle Island to compete. Many junior athletes from Shenzhen, Nanjing and Qingdao travelled to Hong Kong accompanied by their club coaches or parents to participate in the juniors category, a first for the event.
How is Cantonese opera inherited and evolving in modern society
- 2024-07-22
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yuqi CHU、Yuhan WANG、Jiaxing LiEdited by: Ziyu Bruce Zhao、Yuqi CHU
- 2024-07-22
Cantonese opera is an important part of Hong Kong's historical and cultural heritage. Despite the challenges this art form faces, many people are still dedicated to promoting and preserving it. At the same time, the Cantonese opera industry has also been adapting to the pace of the new era.
Taiwan Presidential Election 2024: Canvassing Inside the Temples
- 2024-07-21
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yuqi CHU、Juncong SHUAI、Lisheng CHENGEdited by: Yuqi CHU、Juncong SHUAI、Lisheng CHENG
- 2024-07-21
On the afternoon of January 8, nearly 2,000 people gathered at a small venue in front of Jinlian Temple in the Madou District of Tainan. They had been waiting in an orderly fashion for more than two hours. Suddenly, there was a thunderous cheer from the street corner as the person they had been waiting for appeared. TPP's Presidential Candidate Ko Wen-Je was ushered into Jinlian Temple amidst guards, media reporters, and the exuberant public. It was five days before the voting day for Taiwan's presidential election. Ko Wen-Je had come to Jinlian Temple to pray and canvass for votes, just like all the other candidates. Whenever there is an election, candidates in Taiwan will actively visit numerous temples, not only to bai bai (pray) but also as a significant step to win votes. As temples represent a fusion of religious and political life in Taiwan, they are valued by candidates as a political strategy. Two weeks before the election, three presidential candidates had already shuttled between different temples all over Taiwan. DPP's President Lai Ching-te had visited temples 184 times since he declared his candidacy on November 20 of the previous year, closely followed by Kuomintang's Hou Yu-ih with 162 visits. Ko Wen-je from the new force TPP lagged behind his two competitors with only 93 visits. Itineraries related to temples increased nearly 30% compared to the last election. Lai's lead was not surprising since the DPP has always maintained close contact with temples and was the first party to establish the Committee on Religion in 2017, which collaborates with other departments to arrange the itineraries of electoral campaigns. Huang Yuanyuan, 70, Chairman of the Lion Choan Temple, sees these visits as more than mere tradition. "Candidates come here seeking blessings for peace and health, and it's a way …
Women in male-dominated industries try to break the glass ceiling but still face difficulty
- 2024-05-07
- People
- The Young Reporter
- By: LIU Yutong、BO ChuxuanEdited by: Yuqi CHU
- 2024-05-07
Christina Ho tried to keep the airplane’s rudder steady while responding to air traffic controls. She used to be a fashion designer but became an airline pilot for one of Hong Kong's leading airlines five years ago. Only 5.8% of the commercial airline pilots in the world are women, according to the data released by the International Society of Women Pilots. “As one of the few girls with no experience or engineering background in the class, I always reminded myself not to compare with others but only try my best,” Ho said. “I’ve never worried about the difficulties of being a woman or other people’s prejudice.” Ho once had an opportunity to enter the cockpit and watch the captain's professional operation when she was a flight attendant. She fell in love with this career and was attracted by its multi-tasking characteristics. “My heart beats faster and faster while taking off and speeding up, ” Ho said. “This experience inspired me to take hold of the motivation to learn when I come across something that captures my interest. ” At first, Ho’s mother didn't understand the hard work involved in the pilot training course. “After I flew with my mother for more than two hours in Australia when I graduated, my mother learned more about my work, understood my pilot dream and supported my career,” Ho said. Being a pilot is one of a number of professions that’s traditionally dominated by men. According to LinkedIn’s 2021 Opportunity Index, 41% of women in Asia Pacific believe they have fewer career development opportunities than men. A third of them thought gender was a barrier and there’s a lack of mentorship for women. Taki Li, 33, a head bartender at Bar Leone in Central, has been in this field for eight years. “My family …
Hong Kong kickstarts monthly pyrotechnics on Labour Day
- 2024-05-07
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: AU YEUNG Jim、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: Jemima Badajos
- 2024-05-07
A 10-minute pyrotechnic display lit up the sky of Victoria Harbour on Labour Day. It is the first instalment of the government’s plan to hold pyrotechnics and drone displays every month to better utilise harbourfront resources, boost tourism and stimulate consumption, as explained in this year’s budget address.
The Wild Side of Hong Kong
- 2024-05-02
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: XIA Fan、ZHANG YipingEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTO
- 2024-05-02
Intrepid snake watchers trudged through dense vegetation in northern Hong Kong, New Territory. Holding flashlights and expensive cameras, they trekked through wet grass and heavy mud in search of slithering snakes and vicious vipers. Leading them is William Sargent, a grizzled tour guide. He used to be the snake catcher who was authorised by Hong Kong police. Since 2017, he has been organising "Snake Safaris", nighttime excursions in the lush and diverse landscapes of Hong Kong. Sargent’s groups venture into areas such as Tai Mo Shan Country Park, where some of Hong Kong’s highest peaks are located. Every year from May to August, Sargent leads hundreds of adventurous visitors on these exciting expeditions. Snake Safari is a way for Sargent to improve awareness and build appreciation of snakes among the public. He sees it as a privilege to help people explore Hong Kong’s venomous, nocturnal wildlife. “Some people are very scared of snakes but they want to learn more. Some people are very interested. Some people want to introduce their children to wildlife to make them more interested,” Sargent said. “People that come on are very positive.” Apart from the reputation of being a metropolitan and financial hub, Hong Kong is rich and dense in biodiversity. These attributes have attracted people worldwide to appreciate its unique charm and strive to protect its teeming wildlife. According to government data, Hong Kong boasts a rich biodiversity with around 3,300 plant species, 55 species of land-dwelling mammals, 115 species of amphibians and reptiles, 194 species of freshwater fish, and over 375 species of insects. Professor Timothy Bonebrake, a Hong Kong University professor in biological sciences who studied snakes in Hong Kong, said snakes, being the main predators of many species, play an important role in the local ecosystem. “The diversity of snakes in …
“Enough is Enough”: Thousands Rally in Brisbane to End Violence against Women
- 2024-04-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: KURNIAWAN Trista VaniaEdited by: Lisheng CHENG
- 2024-04-30
Around 3,500 to 4000 people chanted and marched around the centre of Brisbane City, to and from King George Square, to call for an end to gender-based violence on April 28. There were similar rallies across Australia at 17 locations including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide. The marches demanded government action, including more funding for domestic, family and sexual violence support services, and acknowledgement that this is a ‘national emergency’. Data from an advocacy group Destroy the Joint revealed that 27 women have died in gender-based violence since the beginning of the year, 11 more than for the same period last year. The rallies also followed a stabbing attack at a Sydney shopping centre this month in which six people were killed, including five women. Astrid Raschke, 21, a trans-non-binary protester shared their experience of sexual violence from their teenage years. “By the time I was 21, I had experienced more sexual violence, more rape, than I had consensual sex. I will live with this trauma forever, and on the worst days, it feels like it has marred and touched every aspect of my life,” Raschke said. The police, they said, did not respond to their reports. As of now, the Queensland Police Service's duties include providing an investigation into the location of any domestic violence incident and taking the perpetrator into custody. Raschke believed that every major organisation is complicit in violence against women and there must be more funds to encourage domestic violence conversations. “I don’t know a single woman, a single non-male, that hasn’t experienced sexual harassment, been touched by domestic violence. That’s not good enough,” they said. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at least one in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 between 2021 and 2022. The rally was …