China condemns Japanese politicians over Yasukuni Shrine offerings
A new subject called information and innovation technology (IIT) will be introduced gradually in Hong Kong primary schools from September 2028 to boost students’ digital literacy, with artificial intelligence (AI) one of its highlights. Students as young as seven will be able to hold simple “conversations” with an AI system, using simple prompts or commands, after learning about the technology. The Education Bureau said the aim of the “Information and Innovation Technology Curriculum Framework...
Hong Kong’s development chief has rejected accusations of a policy U-turn over the establishment of a dedicated agency to help flat owners with building repair tenders, insisting the agency’s planned remit differs fundamentally from one rejected a decade ago. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, in a press conference on Friday, elaborated on the scope of work of the Building Maintenance Support and Services Council, which will be established by the end of this year. She was asked if...
Ministers have defended their decision not to step down over the deadly Tai Po fire, insisting they are putting Hong Kong’s well-being ahead of personal considerations. A senior official also hinted that a successor might not be named to replace Winnie Ho Wing-yin, who resigned as housing minister to take political accountability for the city’s deadliest disaster in decades. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun, who is now serving as acting housing minister, apologised alongside three...
A planned renovation monitoring body could be held liable for poor oversight when recommending and keeping tabs on consultants and contractors, Hong Kong’s development chief Bernadette Linn Hon-ho has warned, as officials detailed broader reforms to curb malpractice during major building repairs. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun also gave assurances on Friday that a new department overseeing major renovation projects would adopt a fresh approach and provide training, despite being...
China and America have escalated uncrewed aircraft deployments across sensitive Indo-Pacific waters, with mainland drones patrolling strategic passages near Japan while a US Marine detachment operates near disputed South China Sea islands. In recent days, Japan has detected an uptick in Chinese military aircraft operations in important waters that enable Beijing’s naval forces to transit beyond the first island chain. The activity coincided with large-scale joint military exercises between Tokyo...
China and the European Union can resolve their differences through dialogue, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday. “China has always regarded the European Union as a partner,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV, adding that cooperation between the two sides outweighed competition. “As long as [both sides] stay anchored to their partnership and engage in dialogue on an equal footing, differences and challenges can always be resolved...
Hong Kong police are investigating the suspected theft of five styrofoam sculptures created by local artist Keith Lam Yan-kit. The sculptures were discovered missing from Hong Kong City Hall in Central hours before the opening of a major new exhibition. At just after 2.30pm on Friday afternoon, officers received a report from the Microwave International New Media Arts Festival 2026 about the missing art pieces, which are part of an eight-piece work. The case has been classified as theft and...
Beijing is expected to gradually restore military representation in its top leadership, analysts say, as the Communist Party seeks to strike a delicate balance in its relations with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) amid an anti-corruption drive that has hit the top ranks. They said the process was expected to be completed at next year’s 21st party congress, which will usher in a new leadership line-up for both the party and military. The party wrapped up its fifth plenum of the 20th Central...
At the recent Valdai Discussion Club, I asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if he would be open to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Shenzhen. I also asked, more broadly, what role China could play in promoting peace in Ukraine, mediating and contributing to peacekeeping. Putin was receptive, warmly welcoming the idea of a China-hosted meeting. Trump, too, has expressed a willingness to meet Xi and...
The Chinese coastguard has carried out an exercise featuring water cannons and drones near two disputed reefs in the South China Sea to prepare for “foreign infringement”, according to state broadcaster CCTV. A China Coast Guard (CCG) flotilla “recently” conducted “comprehensive maritime law-enforcement training” in the waters around Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, CCTV said on Friday, without specifying when these took place. The two shoals – part of the disputed Spratly Islands – are at...
Hong Kong’s security chief has expressed confidence that a new joint task force led by him will eradicate the decades-long problem of bid-rigging, while denying that the reforms came too late after the deadly Tai Po fire. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Friday that law enforcement officers would attend meetings of owners’ corporations where the risk of bid-rigging was deemed high to gather frontline intelligence and intervene early. Authorities also hope to pass new...
Hong Kong will be the exclusive host of Vinexpo Asia from 2027 to 2031, ending a rotation with Singapore. The organiser of the fair, Vinexposium, confirmed its five-year commitment to Hong Kong on Friday, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Tourism Board. Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok called the partnership a milestone that underscored a commitment to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading destination for wine, spirits and culinary experiences. “[Vinexposium’s]...
