Politics
Policy Address 2022: Hong Kong needs new talents, John Lee said
- 2022-10-19
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Kei Tung LAM、Tsz Yin HOEdited by: Tiffany Ma
- 2022-10-19
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu wants to attract new foreign talents to Hong Kong with a two-year working visa for eligible university graduates and high-earning professionals. The Hong Kong government will launch the Top Talent Pass Scheme, said Lee in his inaugural policy address this morning. Graduates from the world’s top 100 universities with at least three years of work experience over the past five years are eligible. Graduates with no work experience are also eligible with a cap of 10,000 a year. Applicants with an annual salary of HK$ 2.5 million or above can also apply for the visa. “The government will proactively trawl the world for talents,” Lee said. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong has lost around 140,000 workers in the past two years. The scheme may not have an impact on attracting talents whose salary is below the requirements, Tang Hei-hang, an assistant professor of education policy from the Education University of Hong Kong said. In Hong Kong, job titles that earn HK$2.5 million or higher include chief information officer and chief financial officer, according to an article by recruiting company, Michael Page. “Although not many professionals are able to meet the requirements, the policy would be effective in its own way,”Tang added. Tang said that the quota of 10,000 for fresh graduates is reasonable. Ibitit Hashmi, who just got her mechanical engineering degree at the University of Glasgow and is eligible for the visa, said that she will not come to Hong Kong as a high salary may not be guaranteed. The average annual salary of a mechanical engineer in Scotland is £40,413 (HK$357,158) while only HK$317,055 in Hong Kong, according to job search engine Adzuna. “With the low tax rate and high quality of education, Hong Kong still has its attractiveness …
Policy Address 2022: Hong Kong’s CE proposes building artificial islands
- 2022-10-19
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Nola YipEdited by: Editor
- 2022-10-19
Chief Executive John Lee said on Wednesday that he and his team will put forth detailed proposals on the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands in two months to expand Hong Kong’s development opportunities. “We will put forth proposals on the scope of reclamation, land use, transport infrastructure network and financing options regarding the Artificial Islands within this year,” said Lee in his first Policy Address. Chief Executive John Lee said on Wednesday that he and his team will put forth detailed proposals on the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands in two months to expand Hong Kong’s development opportunities. “We will put forth proposals on the scope of reclamation, land use, transport infrastructure network and financing options regarding the Artificial Islands within this year,” said Lee in his first Policy Address. The proposed 1,000 hectare Artificial Islands are within reach of Lantau Island, providing close connections to the Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. A fourth cross-harbour tunnel is under proposal as the development of the Artificial Islands will require the construction of new rails and road transport network to link Hong Kong Island West, Lantau Island and Northwest New Territories. Previously under the “Lantau Tomorrow Vision” project, the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands have three major aims: 1) to develop into Hong Kong’s third CBD, 2) to build a green-living space, and 3) to become an innovative smart area. The target is to start the Environmental Impact Assessment process in 2023 and start reclamation in 2025, Lee said. The EIA is required by law before starting the project to avoid, minimise and control negative impact on the environment. “The Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands will expand the scope and capacity of Hong Kong’s development and greatly enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as …
Policy address 2022: Hong Kong to speed up the development of Northern Metropolis
- 2022-10-19
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Zimo ZHONG、Chengqi MOEdited by: Kate Zhang
- 2022-10-19
Hong Kong is planning to push ahead with developing the Northern Metropolis area bordering mainland China, including by buying up all the land needed to develop the project within five years and moving 40% of the Queensway Government Offices that are currently in Admiralty to that location, according to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. “The Northern Metropolis is the foothold for Hong Kong's strategic development as well as the new engine for Hong Kong to scale new heights,” Lee said in his first policy address. “The current-term Government will take forward the development of the Northern Metropolis in full steam.” Former Chief Executive Carrie Lam first proposed the Northern Metropolis plan in last year’s policy address. This 20-year plan aims to strengthen ties between Hong Kong and the mainland by developing a 30,000-hectare area covering Hong Kong's North District and the northern part of Yuen Long district. Lee said he would personally lead a steering committee, which will be advised by a group of experts and stakeholders headed by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, to oversee the development of the region. The government plans to start land resumption procedures for all development projects within five years. The speed of each resumption session has been improved, and will cut the time it will take for the government to purchase the land in half. The goal is to acquire 40% of the new development land and build the new flats within 10 years. To drive the development of various landmark facilities in culture, education, sports and hygiene, certain government offices will move to the Northern Metropolis. Almost 40% of government offices in Queensway will be relocated. “Moving some government functions to a particular district can largely support the development of this area, attracting more people and promoting …
Policy address 2022: 30,000 public housing units to be provided under new housing policy
- 2022-10-19
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Rex Cheuk、Mei Ching LEE、Nga Ying LAUEdited by: Kiki Lo、Kelly Pang
- 2022-10-19
Solving the housing problem is the government’s top priority, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his first policy address today, announcing a new policy to provide 30,000 light public housing units in five years. “To deal with the problem of inadequate accommodation including subdivided flats, we need breakthroughs in housing supply and solutions to address the long-term problem of housing shortage,” Lee said. The “Light Public Housing” scheme allows Hongkongers who have been waiting for public housing units for three years or more to apply for an earlier allocation of the new units featuring basic facilities with lower rent. Lee said priority will be given to family applicants. The new scheme is expected to increase the city’s total public housing supply by 25% and shorten the waiting time by one and a half years by taking into account the total supply of light and traditional public housing. “The target is to cap the waiting time at the existing level of about six years and shorten it to about four and a half years in four years’ time,” Lee said. He added that the authorities will work closely with different government departments in enhancing the quantity, speed, efficiency and quality to shorten the waiting time for public housing. However, the deputy director of the Society of Community Organisation, Sze Lai-shan, said she would like to see a further reduction in waiting time for public housing. “Although reducing the waiting time to four and a half years should already be a challenging task, we hope the waiting time for public housing can be reduced to three years,” said Sze. Wong Kin-yip, 36, a construction worker living in a subdivided unit, is not satisfied with the introduction of light public housing. “The light public housing …
Policy Address 2022: Hong Kong’s new leader announces no new measures to boost international tourism; support for local tourism instead
- 2022-10-19
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Aruzhan ZEINULLA、Le Ha NGUYEN、Angela HuangEdited by: Malick Gai
- 2022-10-19
Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu announced support for existing measures to boost local tourism in his maiden policy address, with no timeline as to when the city will fully reopen to international tourists. The government will allocate HK$600 million (US$76 million) towards the three-year “Cultural and Heritage Sites Local Tour Incentive Scheme” to boost local tourism with an emphasis on cultural and heritage elements, a policy that was also mentioned in this year’s Budget Address. “To re-establish Hong Kong's position as the region's premier travel destination, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will enhance its support for tourism in light of the epidemic development so as to attract more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong,” said Lee. A new round of “Spend-to-Redeem Local Tours” and “Staycation Delights,” campaigns providing the public with guided local tours and hotel staycation discounts, will be launched with an increased quota to enhance local consumption, the chief executive said in his policy address. “I would prefer tourists over government subsidies. There's very little opportunity for sustainable business with just local tourism,” said Amy Overy, the owner of Hong Kong Greeters, a travel agency that provides private tours for tourists. The city is still longing for further relaxation on quarantine requirements to attract mainland and overseas tourists. “HKTB is yet to find any unique elements to promote the city,” said Dave Chan, an instructor from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Chan said the government has been promoting cultural and historical elements but it failed to draw foreign tourists’ interest. Chan added that around half of the travellers arriving in Hong Kong every year come from mainland China but because the border is yet to open, the recovery of the …
National Security Law and Covid-19 behind exodus of Hong Kong journalists
- 2022-10-14
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Aruzhan ZEINULLA、Le Ha NGUYENEdited by: Malick Gai
- 2022-10-14
Cliff Buddle, 58, editor and columnist at the South China Morning Post, said farewell to Hong Kong after 28 years and returned to the UK in August. “Leaving the city that means so much to me, it was a very tough decision,” said Buddle. “I recognize that the situation in Hong Kong has changed, and that undeniably had an impact on my decision to leave.” Journalists are reportedly leaving Hong Kong amid an emigration wave blamed on restrictive Covid-19 policies and changes in the political environment following the introduction of the National Security Law in 2020. Mandatory hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals was lifted on Sept 26, but the loosening of Covid policies has come too late for some. “The vast majority of journalists left Hong Kong due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions,” said Keith Richburg, director of journalism at the University of Hong Kong and president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, a group of journalists and non-media professionals whose mission is to promote journalism and defend press freedom. He said correspondents based in Hong Kong and responsible for covering stories in Asia relocated because travel was too restrictive. “It was a bit of a double whammy for Hong Kong to get both the Covid restrictions and the National Security Law coming at the same time,” said Richburg. A survey conducted by Hong Kong Journalists Association and the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute found that 97% of 169 professional journalists said the reporting environment has become much worse during 2021. Almost half of the journalists polled said that they were considering leaving the city due to a decline in press freedom, according to a survey conducted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in 2021. The city’s press freedom rankings since the 1997 handover to China have also been steadily dropping. …
National Day under patriots administering Hong Kong
- 2022-10-02
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yongyi CAOEdited by: Karmen Li
- 2022-10-02
A sea of red national and regional flags displayed in Hong Kong marks the 73 years since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1. Some citizens celebrated the anniversary by waving red flags, while no rallies or demonstrations were held this year. “Hong Kong now undergoes the critical transition from stability to prosperity,” said John Lee, Chief executive of Hong Kong, at the National Day reception. Lee delivered a speech as the Chief Executive for the first time since his swearing on Jul. 1. Local media reported that 7,000 to 8,000 police officers were mobilized on National Day. The police force did not receive any application to hold a protest on Oct. 1. Chan Po-ying, a chairperson of the League of Social Democrats (LSD), told the HKFP that the national security police warned her not to hold any activities on National Day.
Hongkongers’ Book Fair goes online after last-minute cancellation
- 2022-07-15
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Lokman YuenEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2022-07-15
A private book fair was forced to go online after the owner of the venue where it was to be held threateend to take legal action against the organiser. Raymond Yeung Tsz-chun, organiser of the Hongkongers’ Book Fair, received a notice of from Mall Plus in Wan Chai on July 12. The venue owner, Permanent Investment Company Limited issued a lawyer's letter through Man Hing Hong Properties Company Limited the following day, accusing Yeung of “sub-letting” and “causing nuisance, annoyance or danger to occupants or visitors” and would no longer rent out the premises. As a result, the online version of “Hongkongers’ Book Fair” can only showcase products from Yeung’s bookstore, Hillway Culture. Publications from seven other publishers and at least six commercial outlets which originally participated in the book fair are not in the online event. “I believe that anything related to the name “HongKongers’ Book Fair” is considered politically sensitive now,” said Yeung. Yeung organised the private book fair after the Hong Kong Trade Development Council being rejected his application to take part in the Hong Kong Book Fair by on May 16. Yeung claimed he then invested more than HK$500,000 to run his own fair instead. He said he contacted Man Hing Hong Properties after receiving the notice and scheduled a meeting with the property agent on July 12 at 10:30 a.m., but the agent did not show up. He did not have the contact number of Permanent Investment, the venue owner. TYR tried to contact Man Hing Hong Properties Company Limited and Permanent Investment Company Limited through email. They did not respond to our inquiries. “We made sure we followed all laws and regulations. We believed we can hold an independent book fair under the Rule of Law in Hong Kong,” Yeung said. “But it seems …
New Executive Council to consider border reopening and Article 23 legislation
- 2022-07-05
- Society
- By: Lokman YuenEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2022-07-05
Chief Executive, John Lee Ka-chiu has promised that the government will strike a balance between reducing inconvenience to travellers and public health safety in reopening Hong Kong’s border. He was speaking at the first Executive Council meeting of the new administration. He added that his government will also consider legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. Lee was joined by the Convenor of the Executive Council, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and 15 non-official members in this morning’s meeting. Secretary for Health, Lo Chung-mau expressed hope yesterday for the border with the mainland to reopen in August. Lee said this morning that he has asked Lo to look into measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 while reducing inconvenience to travellers. Hong Kong recorded an average of 1600 new COVID-19 cases a day in the past week. “ If the figure goes up, then hospitalisation will increase and other hospital services will be affected.“ Lee said. “Even if emergency services can be maintained, other services will be affected, particular for patients who require consistent and persistent treatment,” Lee said ahead of the Executive Council meeting. Lee said the government has the responsibility to legislate under Basic Law Article 23 , and this administration will conduct thorough legal research and consider new and ‘very harsh’ national security measures practised in another common law jurisdiction. Article 23 states that Hong Kong "shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government. “We will do it as soon as possible … I hope this law, when it is completed, will work and can handle all kinds of problems that we can imagine. I do not want to see any amendments,” he said.
Trouble in mainland quarantine after escaping pandemic in Hong Kong
- 2022-05-11
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Ziyu Bruce ZhaoEdited by: Summer Li
- 2022-05-11
As the pandemic hit Hong Kong with unprecedented Omicron variants, many people working and studying in the city have started their journey to escape to mainland since mid February to avoid the health crisis. However, the poor living condition, extraordinary high prices and awful food during the 21-day quarantine caused a lot of inconvenience to the people longing to return home.