Society & Politics
Budget 2023: Hong Kong introduces new investment entrant scheme to attract talent
- 2023-02-22
- Society
- By: Junzhe JIANG、Yuhan WANG、Xiya RUIEdited by: Kei Tung LAM
- 2023-02-22
Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po plans to attract capital investors to settle in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government will introduce the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, said Chan in his budget speech this morning. Applicants who invest HK$10 million in Hong Kong’s asset market are eligible to apply for the scheme, but investing in property is excluded, Chan said. The Hong Kong government will establish a new committee to promote the policy and assist the applicants to start and expand their business in Hong Kong. According to IMD World Talent Ranking 2021, Hong Kong dropped from 18th to 26th in attracting and retaining talent, while Singapore rose to 15th. The scheme may have little impact to attract investors because Hong Kong lacks competition, compared to other popular immigration countries, Chung Man-kit, an economics professor from Hong Kong Baptist University, said. “Many people believe Singapore is the greatest alternative for immigration rather than Hong Kong because of the suspension of the previous investment immigration program,” Liu Yajun, 43, a former human resources director from the mainland who plans to migrate to Hong Kong through the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme. Liu plans to invest HK$ 10 million to purchase financial products in Hong Kong. However, Liu said she may not spend a lot of time in Hong Kong. “I may migrate to the UK after obtaining Hong Kong permanent residence,” Liu said. “Not only me, but most of my friends also use Hong Kong's investment scheme as a springboard to apply for foreign status,” Liu added. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong has lost around 140,000 workers in the past two years. Chung, the economics professor, said Hong Kong has big drain because of lack of local development. Chung said the Hong Kong government should learn lessons …
Smart ID Exhibition reminds citizens renewal program is drawing to a close
- 2023-02-10
- Society
- By: Hanzhi YANG、Yiyang LIEdited by: Tsz Yin HO、Ming Min AW YONG
- 2023-02-10
The last application date for replacement of new smart identity cards at the Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres (SIDCCs) has been extended from the original date, February 11 to March 3. Meanwhile, the identity card collection service will be maintained through to March 3, 2023. A roving exhibition by the Immigration Department has been held in PopCorn mall in Tseung Kwan O from February 8 to 9. The exhibition aimed to promote publicity on applications for smart identity cards and appeals for ID cards. Failing to apply for a new ID card within the time limit would be against the law unless there is a reasonable excuse and could result in a maximum fine of HK $5,000. Hongkongers are also not allowed to keep their old ID cards and are required to return them to the Registration of Persons Office. Those found in possession of more than one ID card can be fined up to HK$5000 and imprisoned for two years without a reasonable excuse. The exhibition includes showcases of ID card history, panels showing the requirements for the renewal of ID cards, and the rules for applying for the new smart ID cards. There are also staff from the immigration department stationed to help citizens with any enquiries about the replacement. According to the information shown in the exhibition, the new smart ID card uses a variety of new security features, including colourful UV patterns that appear under ultraviolet light, which improves overall security measures. The new smart ID cards are also more durable than the old ID cards. “Most of the people we helped and explained to are the elderly, and this exhibition surely provided them with what they needed to know," said Lin Si-en, a staff member of the immigration department. Neighbours staying near the mall are …
Prosecutors in Hong Kong’s largest national security trial allege unofficial political election could have harmed stability
- 2023-02-08
- Politics
- By: Junzhe JIANG、Juncong SHUAIEdited by: KOO Chi Tung 顧知桐
- 2023-02-08
Prosecutors on Tuesday said the unofficial 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy legislative primaries diminished the city’s livelihood and stability in the trial of 47 defendants charged with subversion. Prosecutors listed the details of how defendants organized the Legco primaries in May 2020 and showed videos and posts in their opening remarks during the first two days of Hong Kong’s largest national security trial. The prosecutor said the 47 defendants were inspired by Hong Kong legal scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting’s article outlining 10 steps of lam chau, a slogan used by democracy activists often translated as “burn together”, to control the Legislative Council through the pre-election. Deputy director of public prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang said the objective of the group was to snatch at least 35 out of 70 Legco seats and then vote down the government budgets, forcing Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to resign. Evidence shown in court on Tuesday included a statement signed by some of the accused from Kowloon East and New Territories West asking the then-Chief Executive to respond to the “five major demands”. Sixteen out 47 defendants pleaded not guilty on Monday. Of the defendants who have not pleaded guilty, six are on remand, four of whom have spent more than 700 days in custody. Former member of the Yuen Long District Council Ng Kin-wai and founder of local retail chain AbouThai Mike Lam King-nam plead guilty on Monday. Lam will testify for the prosecution with three other organizers of the primary. In August, Security for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok ordered a non-jury trial because of “involvement of foreign factors” and “the protection of personal safety of jurors and their family members”. From midnight, hundreds waited outside the court for public seats. Long queues caused the judiciary to extend the trial to the entire fourth floor and …
Five arrested after yelling in store linked to 47 democrats case
- 2023-02-07
- Society
- By: KOO Chi Tung 顧知桐Edited by: Yu Yin WONG
- 2023-02-07
Police arrested five men over the past 48 hours for alleged disorderly behaviour at the Mong Kok branch of AboutThai grocery store. The chain store was founded by Mike Lam, one of 47 defendants currently being tried for a national security law case. The five, aged 14 to 28 years, were taken away by police on Monday night and early Tuesday morning in Kwai Chung, Kowloon City, and Hung Hom. Staff at AbouThai told police that the five were yelling and harassing customers last Friday and two of them returned on Sunday. An online video shows one entering an AbouThai store and yelling Mike Lam King-nam’s name. “Lam King-nam, come out! Where are you, betrayer?”, the man in the video said. Lam was charged in February 2021 with 46 other pro-democracy activists under the national security law after he stood for election in an unofficial 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy primaries. He pleaded guilty on Monday and has agreed to be a prosecution witness at the West Kowloon Magistrates Court. Some businesses which claimed to be on the pro-democratic side announced that they would no longer trade with AbouThai. “MeeApp”, an application which provides rewards for people spending at “pro-democratic” stores and restaurants, announced on their Facebook page on Monday that they would remove AbouThai from their platform. “AbouThai is one of the most popular businesses on the platform and Mee purchased their vouchers with money for members to redeem. We have spent tens of thousands of dollars,” the statement reads. “As fellows, we could understand each other’s hardships and circumstances.” “However, this should not include pointing your knife at fellows as it is the foundation for being ‘fellows’.” Chapman To, a Hong Kong actor with a food importing business, said on Facebook that he won’t be selling his products at …
HK-Mainland border fully reopens on Monday
- 2023-02-04
- Society
- By: Yuhan WANG、Yuqi CHUEdited by: Chengqi MO、Ming Min AW YONG
- 2023-02-04
Revised on 5/2/2023 All travel restrictions between Hong Kong and mainland China will be lifted from Monday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced today. There will be no more quota limits and PCR tests. Crossing points at Lo Wu, Heung Yuen Wai, and Huanggang will be back in service after three years of Covid restrictions. “Hong Kong’s economic activities will be promoted with the increased travellers and cultural exchange,” said Lee. Hong Kong's GDP has declined by 3.5% year on year between 2021 and 2022 according to the Census and Statistics Department. “Since the border shutdown in 2019, passenger flow at our store has been reduced by two-thirds,” said Irene So, a promoter at a branch of Watsons in Sheung Shui, a business district near the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau border crossing. “It may take a month to recover,” she added, “but the situation will finally get better and better.” Nancy Meng, the owner of a currency exchange store in Sheung Shui, said that during the past three years of the pandemic, there has almost been no renminbi to exchange. That has heavily affected her business. “I was at a loss,” she said. Meng has seen a gradual recovery in her business since border policies began to ease last month.“I decided to renovate the store for future business,” she said. Marine Sun moved her cosmetics store to Sheung Shui three months ago. She is also busy preparing for the reopening by putting up signs and plaques to attract new passengers next week. “Not only our store, but also the whole business district is looking forward to the reopening,” she said. Daniel Cai, 22, was a cross-border high school student before the Covid shutdown. He moved to Hong Kong to study at a local university. He doubts if life …
A Tale of Two Hotels: Food quality varies wildly between Hong Kong’s budget and luxury quarantine hotels
- 2022-07-29
- People
- The Young Reporter
- By: Tracy LeungEdited by: AMALVY Esten Carr Claude Ole Eriksen
- 2022-07-29
Hong Kong’s government-designated quarantine hotels are required to provide three meals a day to guests. But many staying in the least expensive hotels have been horrified by what they are served, while those that can afford it, order delivery or stay in more expensive hotels, often double or triple the price. “Can’t believe this is called a hotel. Motels overseas are much better than this, even Airbnb. The food tastes bad and there is even no chair for eating. I feel helpless,” said Fanny Chan, a guest at the Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel in Sai Ying Pun on quarantine day 16. Ms Chan said she paid HK$12,390 for 21 nights. Ms Chan reported that after a week, she had developed an allergic skin reaction due to the dirty state of the room and poor quality of the food she was offered. The hotel did not provide any help for her, she said. The Ramada hotel has yet to comment. “Healthy food includes grains, dairy such as milk and soya milk, vegetables, fruit and meat or alternatives like nuts and canned fish,” Director of the Hong Kong Community Dietitian Association, Bonnie Leung said. “It is highly recommended for people with special needs to notify hotels about their history of allergy when they first move in,” Ms Leung said. Nicholas White and Edith White stayed at the Sheraton Hong Kong & Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui in September for 21 nights. They paid HK$36,330 for a room with a city view, nearly double the cost of Ms Chan’s room. “We were fully aware of how difficult a 21-day quarantine stay would be so prepared to pay a bit more for a decent sized room with reasonably good food,” said Mr White. “Frankly speaking, most dishes are not bad compared to …