TOP STORIES
Live: 4th Plenum of 20th Congress
- 2025-10-23
- Politics
- By: Dake LiuEdited by: Xiangwei Wang、Dake Liu
- 2025-10-23
18:39 Among the nine senior generals previously announced as expelled from both the Party and the military following review by the plenum session, eight had been members of the 20th Central Committee. The nine disciplined senior generals are He Weidong, Miao Hua, He Hongjun, Wang Xiubin, Lin Xiangyang, Qin Shutong, Yuan Huazhi, Wang Houbin, and Wang Chunning. (LIU Ci, DU Xiatong) 18:36 Despite consistently ranking as the top four alternate members in votes for two consecutive terms of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Ding Xiangqun, Ding Xingnong, Yu Lijun, and Yu Jihong were not elevated to full membership at this Plenum. Lieutenant General Ding Xingnong serves as the Deputy Political Commissar of the PLA Rocket Force. The other high-vote recipients were Ding Xiangqun (Party Secretary and Chairwoman of China People's Insurance Group Co., Ltd., and also serves as Chairwoman of China People's Property Insurance Co., Ltd), Yu Lijun (Head of the Organization Department of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee), and Yu Jihong (President of Beijing Normal University).（WEI Yanfangru） 18:30 The Plenum proposed to further advance the construction of Digital China. The Digital China initiative, first produced in 2023, stands as the most overarching proposal, encompassing the development of digital infrastructure and data resource systems. It is dedicated to integrating the content, services, and industrial growth within China's existing internet ecosystem. (CAO Zijian, LI Zhongyi) 18:30 The Plenum proposed accelerating the pursuit of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening to lead the development of new quality productive forces, a concept not only including the well-concentrated industries like AI, Biotech, and Electric Vehicle, but also including frontier industries like Quantum Technology and Life Science. (CAO Zijian, LI Zhongyi) 18:26 The Plenum pointed out that efforts should be intensified to rectify wage arrears. (LI Xiang) 18:25 The Plenum urged more …
Aberdeen faces challenges amid its deep-rooted fishing culture
- 2025-10-22
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: CHEN Ziyu、MA Tsz Chiu OscarEdited by: MA Tsz Chiu Oscar
- 2025-10-22
Every typhoon, the two Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters are filled with fishing vessels seeking refuge from strong winds. On the southwest coast of Hong Kong Island, across from the small island of Ap Lei Chau, Aberdeen Harbour is a natural shelter for boats. When Super Typhoon Ragasa struck Hong Kong and prompted the Observatory to hoist the highest level T10 signal in September, the two shelters were full. “Ragasa left a trail of destruction in Hong Kong, but it didn’t affect Aberdeen much,” said Lee Choi-wah, 68, the former president of the Hong Kong Chamber of Seafood Merchants, who owns a seafood store in Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market. Because of its geographic location, this naturally protected harbour made Aberdeen the most important fishing village in Hong Kong before the 1970s, with more than 50,000 residents active here, according to the Fishermen Museum. They were known as “boat dwellers” and many of them worked as fishermen. “Aberdeen is an important spot for seafood trading,” said Lee. “At its peak, 80% of seafood products in Hong Kong were traded here.” Boat dwellers in Aberdeen operated grocery stores and restaurants on boats, forming a community on the water. This includes Jumbo Floating Restaurant, the most well-known seafood restaurant on boats in Aberdeen, which operated for 44 years before it was closed during the pandemic and subsequently sank in the South China Sea in 2022. Lee, from a family of boat dwellers, spent his childhood living on a boat. “It was exciting when I could just jump off and swim with other kids after finishing my homework,” said Lee. He added that sometimes he and his friends casually fished together between the moored boats. The 1961 Hong Kong Census recorded the highest number of boat dwellers since the end of World War II. Over 138,000 …
Mental health stigmas stop treatment, scholars say
- 2025-10-17
- Health & Environment
- The Young Reporter
- By: Fu RongEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2025-10-17
Stigmas over mental health stop people from seeking out help, said scholars at a global conference on mental health in Hong Kong yesterday. Breaking stigmas is important for getting better social support and professional engagement, said Paul Wong Wai-Ching, a professor of social work and social administration at the University of Hong Kong and one of thirteen scholars speaking at the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Conference Hong Kong 2025. “The main issue is that people don’t come to counselling or therapy,” said Kenneth Law, a social worker from the Zubin Foundation, a local charity that works with ethnic minorities. “Either they are afraid or don’t know how to.” Hong Kong fell at 88 out of 147 in Oxford University’s World Happiness Report this year, its lowest-ever position. Around a quarter of Hong Kong children suffer from mental disorders and a quarter of people aged 15 to 24 show suicidal behavior, according to surveys by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong in 2023. “I got inspired on what to do in my field,” said Cathy Wu Jiaxu, a student at Hong Kong Baptist University who attended the conference. “This conference provided me an opportunity to be updated and prepared,” said Caroline Shaw, a wedding planner for more than two decades who changed careers and is studying to be couples counselor. Other talks included female menstrual mentality from Vanessa Wong; athletic performance from Karen Lo Eugene-chuang; narcissistic relationships from Armani Durvasula and teenage digital usage from Nicolson Siu Yat-fan, Evgeny Evseev and Kimberly Carder; suicide bereavement by Paul Wong Wai-Ching. The conference will move to Malaysia and then the Philippines in October and November.
Hong Kong eyes tech-driven online platform for port community to catch port trade opportunities| LSCM Logistics Summit 2025
- 2025-10-11
- Business
- By: TANG Siqi、CHEN YongruEdited by: WANG Ruoshui、BO Chuxuan
- 2025-10-11
The city’s officials and industry leaders emphasised the Port Community System, an electronic platform to optimise port operations and seize opportunities in the evolving port trade market, at this year’s Logistics Summit on Friday. The PCS, which caught the attention in numerous discussions among industry experts, refers to a digital platform that leverages cutting-edge technology to “provide a comprehensive, real-time cargo tracking function, creating a seamless digital thread that connects sea, land, and air networks,” according to an opening remark speech delivered by Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, on Friday morning. According to government data citing Alphaliner's ranking of the world's top 30 container ports, Hong Kong fell to 11th place in 2023 from 8th place in 2019. Alphaliner’s latest ranking shows Hong Kong dropped further to 13th place in 2024. Kazunori GOTO, the deputy head of the Yusen Logistics Global Management (Hong Kong) Limited, mentioned that many logistics companies today only provide basic transportation services, which fail to meet customers' demands for visibility. GOTO stated that the logistics process involves seven participants, including factories, customs, and end-users, and the complexity of communication between these links often leads to disconnections, resulting in inefficiencies, delays, and information gaps. Kenneth Law, the manager of LSCM, stated that compared to traditional ports, the PCS platform integrates all information on a single platform, which significantly improves information accessibility. Law believes that this system will reduce corporate costs in areas such as IT and cargo tracking, effectively lowering transaction costs and thereby driving the overall development of the port economy. Chan believes that the PCS can directly enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness as an international trade, finance and logistics hub. "By its nature, it is government-run, it is official, so in a way it instils and upholds a high level of confidence in …
Blazing fire dragon dance ignites Tai Hang to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival
- 2025-10-08
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: SIU Tsz Hang、YAM Long Hei JamieEdited by: AO Wei Ying Vinci
- 2025-10-08
Reported by Jamie Yam Long-hei, Henry Siu Tsz-hang Edited by Vinci Ao Wei-ying Video description: The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, a century-old Mid-Autumn Festival tradition, was held from October 5 to 7. A 67-metre dragon, illuminated by 12,000 burning incense sticks, winded through the community to pray for peace and prosperity.
Tourist numbers rise but shoppers report cautious purchasing at Mid-Autumn Festival
- 2025-10-07
- By: Zhou Xinying、Yau Ka MingEdited by: XIA Fan、BO Chuxuan
- 2025-10-07
Consumers at the Mid-Autumn festival night markets showed weak purchasing desire, despite increased visitor numbers reported by the government during the double-festival period. Sheen Zhang, a local who visited the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Victoria Park with her husband, said they are here to experience the festival’s vibe instead of purchasing. She prefers more budget-friendly options on Taobao, an online shopping platform, when considering shopping. Vinchi Cheung, a retail seller at LIFE MART Mid-Autumn Festival Market in Lai Chi Kok, found that consumers are more hesitant and less eager to spend than in previous years, as most of their purchases over the festival were limited to essential and rational expenditures. “Sales during the Lunar (Chinese) New Year were better, as customers were less price-conscious and more willing to buy,” Cheung added. This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival coincided with the Mainland’s 8-day Golden Week holiday. While mainland tourists enjoyed extended vacation time, Hong Kong residents had only two extra public holidays, October 1 and the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Paul Chan Mo-po, the Financial Secretary of this city, shared on his blog that 877,000 mainland tourists visited Hong Kong in the first four days of Golden Week, a 7% increase over the same period last year. This influx led to a surge in border crossings in early October, surpassing those of other months. Driven by Golden Week, the cumulative number of mainland border crossings in the first six days of October was significantly higher than the cumulative mainland border crossings in the first six days of other months. This cautious consumer behaviour is part of a broader shift in visitor spending patterns that has emerged over the past few years. Compared to 2023, daily per capita spending by inbound tourists in 2024 has declined, with many prioritising festive experiences, such …
Lantern display paired with traditional chinese costume records the ever largest scale
- 2025-10-03
- Culture & Leisure
- By: MAO Anqi、QIN ZiyangEdited by: NG Natasha Goa Sheng
- 2025-10-03
Thousands turned up in West Kowloon on Wednesday night to see a giant outdoor lantern exhibition as part of a series of events across Hong Kong to celebrate National Day. A 12.8-metre Hong Kong fairy lantern is the largest ever to be displayed in Hong Kong and is based on the character Zixian Fairy from a Hong Kong film. It is one of four in the Art Park designed to look like fictional fairies dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. The lanterns are made in Zigong style, a national heritage from Sichuan province known for its complexity, craftsmanship and large scale. The lantern features a fairy in traditional Chinese attire as its central motif, complemented by bouquets of Bauhinia and peonies. This symbolises national prosperity and the flourishing of wealth, embodying heartfelt wishes for both the motherland and Hong Kong. Many residents were impressed by the scale and craftsmanship. “The lanterns show Chinese traditional culture in an innovative way. It gives greater value to costumes when they are presented together with intangible heritage,” said Cheng Heng-tai, 35, who travelled from Macau after knowing the event through social media. “The current lantern designs are just large figures. I would like to see more different styles, with a greater artistic feel,” said Pauline Mak, 66, a local resident. She added that she found the blinking lantern figures quite frightening in the beginning. “But later, when all the lights along the road were turned on, I got used to it,” she said. “I hope the carnival can include booths that sell local street foods, such as fishball and siu mai, instead of only selling creative handmade crafts. Because we spend a long time here, having snacks available helps pass the time pleasantly,” said Elsa Chow, 52. “Many children also come to this event, so …
Hong Kong celebrates 76th Chinese National Day
- 2025-10-01
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: AO Wei Ying Vinci、MA Tsz Chiu OscarEdited by: NG Natasha Goa Sheng
- 2025-10-01
Flags and banners are displayed around Hong Kong while celebrating China's 76th National Day on October 1, 2025. Hong Kong’s regional flag and Chinese national flag were raised at the ceremony held in Wan Chai’s Golden Bauhinia Square at 8am today to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Ceremony attendees including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and other government officials. The public watched the ceremony at a distance from Wan Chai Ferry Pier, as the government announced no public viewing area for the ceremony. Lee Ka-chun, 16, who is a local student, said he secured a spot with his friends at the Wan Chai Ferry Pier observation deck at around 7am. He said it is a pity that he can only view the ceremony through his telephoto lens on a camera today, citing his past flag-raising viewing at the Tiananmen Square allowed him to be nearer to the ceremony, after passing through security checks. During the national anthem, two helicopters hanging a Chinese national flag flew over Victoria Harbour, while ships under the Police and the Fire Services Department sailed along the harbour. It is the first time Kai Tak Sports Park hosted a flag-raising ceremony, outside the city’s largest stadium at 11am. Free ice cream and beverages were distributed near the venue by the park’s authorities. Leah Zhang, 27, travelled from Jiangmen to Hong Kong for two days during the National Day Golden Week. She said she came across a social media post on RedNote about the flag-raising ceremony at Kai Tak. “I thought more people would be here to see the flag-raising ceremony. There are only limited promotions from the Kai Tak Sports Park, which could be the reason,” said Zhang. A firework display is held at 8pm on the same …
Zijin Gold price jumps nearly 70% on Hong Kong debut amid heated gold market
- 2025-09-30
- Business
- The Young Reporter
- By: ZHONG Xinyun、LIN XiaoyouEdited by: ZHAO Runtong、BO Chuxuan
- 2025-09-30
The international unit of a Chinese mining giant has raised almost HK$25 billion (US$3.22 billion), taking the crown as the second-largest Initial Public Offering in Hong Kong, and achieved a robust first-day performance on Tuesday amid a rising gold market. Priced at its IPO price of HK$71.59, Zijin Gold International(Zijin Gold), a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Co., Limited(Zijin Mining), saw a 68.5% jump to close at HK$120.6, after opening at HK$111.50 and reaching an intraday high of HK$123. Trading under code 02259, Zijin Gold sold 349 million shares globally during its IPO, with 90% of the shares allocated to international investors. The city’s investors received a 10% allocation of the total, resulting in a 240.7 times oversubscription, according to the firm’s allocation result announced on Monday. The Hang Seng Index added 0.87% to 26,855.56 as of market close. < img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/25390467/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="chart visualization" /> “In the Hong Kong capital market, pure-play-play gold mining mining listed companies are relatively scarce,” wrote Tang Yan, a risk director of Sunflower Investment, a Shanghai-based asset manager, in a written reply to the reporter. She added that what makes the company an attractive choice this scarcity for investors makes the company an attractive choice seeking gold exposure for investors seeking gold exposure. With a total of 29 cornerstone investors committing HK$12.47 billion (approximately US$1.6 billion), the company received solid support from prominent asset managers and investment giants, including GIC Private Limited, BlackRock, Schroders, UBS AM Singapore, Fidelity Hong Kong, and Millennium Management. The funds raised by the gold miner are primarily planned for the acquisition of the Raygorodok Gold Mine in Kazakhstan and the upgrade and construction of existing mines, accounting for aboutabout 33.4% and 50.1% respectively. Kenny Wen, Executive Committee Member of the Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts, said that the …
Typhoon Ragasa: Windthrown trees blocked several roads in Wong Tai Sin
- 2025-09-27
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: AO Wei Ying Vinci、LAU Ka YanEdited by: AU YEUNG Jim
- 2025-09-27
Super typhoon Ragasa hit Hong Kong on Wednesday, bringing gale and heavy rainfall to the city. The Observatory issued the highest-level T10 signal to alert the public about the extreme weather conditions. Staff members from the Fire Services Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department examined the road blockage by fallen trees in Wong Tai Sin during Wednesday evening after the T8 signal was cancelled. Workers continued clearing remaining debris in Diamond Hill on Thursday morning. The government's 1823 call centre, the Fire Services Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had received 1,224 reports of fallen trees as of 8pm on Wednesday. The Hospital Authority said 101 people were injured during the typhoon period. Individuals concerned received the necessary medical treatment at the Accident and Emergency departments of designated public hospitals.