Category Archives: Blog

Few abscondees reply

The one-month public consultation on the Article 23 NatSec law legislation concludes, with a stunning and breathtakingly wonderful 98.64% of responses saying they absolutely love it … A spokesman for the Security Bureau said, “While it takes time to take … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 19 Comments

Budget snooze

HKFP’s Budget round-up. Quick summary: a lack of any original thinking. We must scrap various stamp duties on property transactions in an attempt to push housing prices up, thus – in theory – enabling government to go back to relying … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 17 Comments

Pyrotechnics-vibes

In the days leading up to Hong Kong’s annual budget, the government usually leaks details about a few planned measures the public will like – typically rebates, vouchers or other handouts. This year, with another huge deficit looming and mega-reserves … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 16 Comments

Your tax dollars at work – in the courts

The Glory to Hong Kong injunction appeal continues, with government lawyers arguing that 32 YouTube links should be declared ‘illegal’… Representing the secretary for justice, [Benjamin] Yu argued that the videos were seditious and secessionist in nature and carried the … Continue reading

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More injunction woes

Hong Kong Court of Appeal ‘voices concerns over a lack of clarity and certainty’ about the government’s second attempt to get an injunction to ban and curb distribution – especially on YouTube – of protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong… … Continue reading

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A joke to end the week…

Bloomberg story (quoting a Bloomberg Intelligence report) declares that Singapore has won the race to be Asia’s international business hub… The city state hosted regional headquarters for 4,200 multinational firms in 2023, extending its lead and dwarfing the 1,336 found … Continue reading

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Some of our 20-somethings are missing

The latest population figures include a rebound in Mainlanders coming over on one-way permits – presumably there’s a backlog from Covid. These are family-reunion cases and are probably mostly middle-aged and not especially well educated. There would be other Mainland … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 13 Comments

Official press releases not what they used to be

HK Watch issues a joint statement with dozens of other NGOs asking the Hong Kong government to ensure that the Article 23 NatSec law complies with human rights, and – among other things – urging other governments to sanction Hong … Continue reading

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Dragon slayers’ plan: ransack shops, push officers in closer proximity to bombs

AFP reports that the first trial under new anti-terrorism laws is to take place in Hong Kong. The majority of the 14 defendants face up to life imprisonment… Members of the radical protest group known as “Dragon Slayers” were rounded … Continue reading

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A quick public inquiry fantasy

HKFP op-ed says that the Article 23 consultation document uses a slanted version of the 2019 protests to help justify the additional NatSec law… The official view is generally disseminated via editorials, press releases, official documents, press conferences, trial prosecutions, … Continue reading

Posted in Blog | 6 Comments