Category Archives: Blog

Rectification of names

The Hong Kong government unveils a cunning plan to fight illegal drugs… Hong Kong plans to rename the drug “space oil” in a bid to reduce its appeal, security chief Chris Tang has said. Speaking at an anti-drug event on … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 9 Comments

Historical anniversaries

In the SCMP, a fascinating semantic and logical conundrum about who has the right to ‘own’ celebrations for the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. (Put aside debate about: 1) whether China ‘defeated’ Japan, which … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 7 Comments

Spirit OK, but not voice

A chatty Bloomberg ‘weekend essay’ tries to paint a rosy picture of a Hong Kong that is poised to thrive once more…   As a global city, Hong Kong is starting to resemble the place it was before the drama of … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 7 Comments

While I was away…

July 1 marked 28 years since the handover of Hong Kong. But the Big Event this year was the fifth anniversary of Beijing’s National Security Law in the city, which officials are celebrating with posters, banners, speeches and various ceremonies. … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 10 Comments

Do you mean ‘things we don’t like’?

‘Soft resistance’ is to the Hong Kong authorities what ‘woke’ is to the MAGA/Fox News brigade – a mortal threat, even though no-one knows what it is. The Chief Executive is adamant that it exists… Speaking during a weekly press … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 13 Comments

More ‘soft resistance’ agonizing

The recent visit of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office boss Xia Baolong seems to have prompted a flurry of interviews with senior Hong Kong officials in Wen Wei Po stressing their devotion to perpetual NatSec. The latest is Secretary … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 8 Comments

Why we haven’t looked at an SCMP op-ed for ages

Writing in the SCMP, Regina Ip sees… Hong Kong … at risk of splitting up into two economies. On one end, Hong Kong’s financial, professional and business services are being revived on the back of China’s resurgent, tech-driven economy and … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 9 Comments

Winning hearts and minds on YouTube

Bloomberg looks at how the Hong Kong government rolls out the welcome mat for online influencers who promote the city and counter Western media’s perceived bias… “Influencers, from Hong Kong’s perspective, allow [officials] to circumvent traditional media gatekeepers,” said Arun … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 9 Comments

The ageing workforce

For stats nerds – changes in employment numbers by age group since 1985, courtesy of Joel Chan. A big rise in the number of 60-years-plus in work over the last 20 years. This could reflect an aging population, people remaining … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 3 Comments

Suggesting improvement ‘is legal’

It’s not illegal to criticize the government. Except when it is. Justice Secretary Paul Lam says it’s OK if you’re suggesting improvement… “If you’re expressing views with the intent of wishing the government to do better, or making so-called criticism … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 4 Comments