Policy Address 2022 Key Takeaways: leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages for economic recovery
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivered his maiden policy address yesterday after his swearing-in. His speech this year clocked two hours and 45 minutes, seven minutes longer than the previous chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s longest policy address last year.
Using President Xi Jinping's speech on June 1 as a blueprint for the administration of the current government, Lee announced a series of policies to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantage of “enjoying strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world under the ‘One Country, Two Systems.’”
Here are key takeaways from his first policy address speech:
Free at last: Hong Kong to scrap hotel quarantine from Monday
Hong Kong announced on Friday it will end the hotel quarantine for all arrivals from next Monday, a long awaited move after an over two-year period of tough pandemic control amid Covid-19.
“We will give Hong Kong the greatest space to connect with the world, give society the greatest economic impetus, reduce inconvenience for those who come to Hong Kong and not retrace our steps,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said at a press briefing on Friday.
John Lee Ka-chiu confirmed to be the new leader in Hong Kong
John Lee Ka-chiu, 64, the sole candidate, secured his seat as the sixth chief executive in Hong Kong today with only eight votes against him.
Lee won 1,416 votes out of 1,428, including four blank votes, gaining trust from over 99% from the election committee, a record high of support. Thirty-three members did not vote.
Singapore: Easing policy on COVID-19 prevention takes effect from today
Relaxed COVID-19 restrictions in Singapore kicked in today. Main changes include the easing of mandatory mask-wearing outdoors that had been in place for almost two years.
Wearing masks outdoors is now optional for residents in Singapore, but people still need to follow the one-metre safe-distance rule and wear a mask indoors.
Investigative Story: Mainland housing agency u-turn on student evictions; failed payments to landlords
At least 113 mainland students from seven Hong Kong universities were threatened with eviction notices on March 2, The Young Reporter has found.
The students rent accommodation from Gang Piao Jia Management Limited, a Shenzhen-based housing agency that provides services to mainland students studying in Hong Kong.
Budget 2022: How do Singapore and Hong Kong’s pandemic relief measures for the hardest hit compare?
Singapore and Hong Kong, two small and open Asian economies that are often compared, have adopted completely different COVID-19 policies.
Singapore has moved to "living with COVID-19" while Hong Kong sticks to China’s "dynamic zero COVID" strategy.
But the effects of the pandemic have not been equal, and both cities have implemented financial relief for the hardest hit.
With the Hong Kong government announcing its 2022-23 budget today and the Singapore government delivering its 2022 Budget Plan last Friday, The Young Reporter explains five ways both Singapore and Hong Kong have attempted to alleviate COVID-19’s impact on its neediest residents.
Photo Essay: Chinese New Year in Singapore’s Chinatown under COVID
Chinese New Year is approaching. In Singapore, Chinatown is bedecked with festive light displays and colorful lanterns. It also serves as a shopping centre where Singaporians prepare for the new year. However, the celebration is subjected to COVID-19 restrictions, including group gatherings of a maximum of five people and five guests at home. Religious ceremonies are also forbidden.
“We will be celebrating this Chinese New Year during the pandemic again, but what matters is the spirit of this joyous occasion,” Lee Hsien-loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, said in his Facebook account on Jan. 24.
Leave Home Safe: controversial policy on restaurants leads to complaints of strict dining restrictions, unclear exemptions and privacy security
After the close of business on Dec. 8, Roy Lam took down the sign listing his restaurant as Type A and put up a Type B notice.
“There was no choice other than closing for good,” said Lam, the manager of Agape Garden, a small restaurant located in Sham Shui Po.
Starting tomorrow, type A modes of operation of restaurants would be cancelled, and diners who do not meet the exemption policy will be required to scan the QR code of the restaurant using the LeaveHomeSafe, a government contact tracing app during the pandemic.
“We made it to the last day,” Lam said.
Lowest ever turnout under revamped LegCo Election system
The first Legislative Council election under the revamped electoral system ended last night with a 30.2% turnout rate in the geographical constituency races, the lowest since the handover in 1997.
About 1, 350, 680 people cast their ballots in 10 geographical constituencies, a 28% percent decrease from the last Legco election in 2016.
The turnout in the Election Committee constituency was 98.5% and 32.2% for the functional constituencies, according to official statistics.
154 candidates to fight for 90 seats as nomination period ends in first LegCo elections after Beijing overhaul
The nomination period for the 2021 Legislative Council general election ended Friday with 154 candidates getting enough endorsements to run, according to official statistics.
In the December election, 20 of the 90 seats will be directly elected by geographical constituencies. The Election Committee will appoint 40 seats. The remaining 30 are elected by functional constituencies.
Premier League Opening: Kitchee 1-0 Eastern
In the opening game of the 2021/22 Hong Kong Premier League on Saturday afternoon, Kitchee, the champion of last season, beat the Eastern by one goal at the Mong Kok Stadium.
In the 14th minute, Gavilán, No. 11 of Kitchee, used a made-up shot to score, which made his team win.
Policy Address 2021: Carrie Lam to set up a new Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
The Hong Kong government hopes to establish a culture, sports and tourism bureau as a “east-meets-west centre for international cultural exchange,” said Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, in the policy address today.
The central government’s latest five-year plan supports Hong Kong's development into a cultural and art exchange centre between China and the world.
More details will be announced after consultations in the coming months, Lam said.
Election Committee poll: two lonely candidates outside pro-establishment camp hope to bring different opinions in newly revamped electoral system
Chau Yin-ming, chairman of the Sai Kung District Council, realized he was likely to fail in the Election Committee polls, but it was too late to do anything about it.
He told the media before the results came out that he had little chance of winning the election.
His comments attracted attention because he was one of only two candidates outside the pro-establishment camp in the election, which is the first main poll after the electoral overhaul of Hong Kong.
Election Committee poll sees ‘patriots’ fill hundreds of seats on body to appoint Hong Kong’s leader next year in first poll after system revamp; delay in results had candidates waiting overnight
The polls for Hong Kong’s Election Committee closed last night ending the city’s first election since Beijing revamped the electoral system in March. According to official statistics, 4,380 people cast their ballots, a turnout of about 90%, a record-high rate despite a drastic reduction in the number of eligible voters this year.
Beware of overseas relocators’ hidden charges and delivery delays, says Consumer Council
The Consumer Council has received 20 complaints against overseas removal companies in the first seven months of this year, as the number of people emigrating overseas soared.
Most of them related to last-minute price increases, hidden charges or delivery delays.
China’s Olympic volunteers train for Winter Games in Beijing bubble
Training for China’s Olympic volunteers is in full swing as the country prepares for the Winter Games while unveiling strict COVID-19 precautions.
Around 27,000 volunteers selected from more than 1 million applicants will be part of the Olympic bubble in Beijing that will isolate staff, athletes and others connected to the event from the rest of the country.
“Moat city”: Covid policy raises questions in Shijiazhuang
Since the beginning of this month, Covid precautionary measures in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province have forced the closure of cinemas, and cancellation of face-to-face classes in kindergartens and tutorial schools. Some events have been cancelled and department stores have stepped up their disinfection routines.
However, there has not been a single case of Covid in Shijiazhuang for more than five months.
Imported Delta strain spreads to 15 provinces and municipalities
The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has yesterday spread to 15 provinces and municipalities on the mainland since it was first detected on July 20 in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province in eastern China.
As local authorities try to stem the outbreak, lockdowns and travel restrictions have been imposed in many parts of the country...