By Vivian Au
China Eastern Airlines will launch its first commercial C919 cross-border flight between Shanghai and Hong Kong on January 1, 2025, according to state-owned broadcaster China Central Television.
The city’s transport minister on Thursday welcomed the launch of the route while hailing the C919 as “a significant breakthrough in the country’s civil aviation technology”.
The new service will operate as a daily return flight and is part of efforts by China to expand the use of the C919 globally.
By adding Hong Kong as a new destination, China Eastern will expand its C919 network to include nine cities.
China Eastern is the first airline to operate the C919 and currently has nine of such aircraft serving various domestic routes within the mainland.Secretary for Transport Mable Chan has welcomed the new route, saying it reflected Hong Kong’s role as an international aviation hub. Photo: Xinhua
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China’s economy gains new growth and deep scars over past 5 years: NBS census
By Mandy ZuoYuanyue Dang
China’s economy has been transformed in the shadow of the trade war and the pandemic, with deep scars from a sudden property market collapse and runaway expansion in the financial industry, according to a major survey of industrial and services activity.
But the “census”, conducted once every five years by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), also found many economic bright spots, including a resilient manufacturing sector, and rapid growth in the hi-tech sector and the digital economy, which helped to offset the fall in traditional growth drivers.
“Judging from the census results, the Chinese economy has withstood multiple internal and external risk tests over the past five years and has generally maintained a stable and progressive development trend,” NBS head Kang Yi said in Beijing on Thursday.
Kang also noted many positive changes in terms of the economy’s scale, structure, innovation, security and environmental sustainability.
“The Chinese economy has shown a solid foundation, strong resilience and huge potential,” he said.
The bureau’s survey covered all businesses involved in the country’s secondary and tertiary industries, ranging from manufacturing and electricity generation, to financing and real estate.
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By Mandy ZuoYuanyue Dang
China’s economy has been transformed in the shadow of the trade war and the pandemic, with deep scars from a sudden property market collapse and runaway expansion in the financial industry, according to a major survey of industrial and services activity.
But the “census”, conducted once every five years by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), also found many economic bright spots, including a resilient manufacturing sector, and rapid growth in the hi-tech sector and the digital economy, which helped to offset the fall in traditional growth drivers.
“Judging from the census results, the Chinese economy has withstood multiple internal and external risk tests over the past five years and has generally maintained a stable and progressive development trend,” NBS head Kang Yi said in Beijing on Thursday.
Kang also noted many positive changes in terms of the economy’s scale, structure, innovation, security and environmental sustainability.
“The Chinese economy has shown a solid foundation, strong resilience and huge potential,” he said.
The bureau’s survey covered all businesses involved in the country’s secondary and tertiary industries, ranging from manufacturing and electricity generation, to financing and real estate.
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Help urged for construction workers reportedly facing axe at Hong Kong firm
By Fiona Sun
Building industry representatives have urged Hip Seng Construction, a major contractor in Hong Kong, to provide proper transitional arrangements for workers reportedly facing redundancy because of financial strains at the firm.
They also highlighted the issue of wage arrears widely plaguing the sector amid sluggish business conditions, calling on Thursday for more government support to help firms tide over difficulties.
Hip Seng Construction, established in 2012, is working on several projects, including student dormitories for the University of Hong Kong in Wong Chuk Hang, the SkyCity business and entertainment complex near the airport, and Pavilia Farm, a residential development in Tai Wai.
The company is reportedly struggling financially and will lay off employees, with some said to potentially be transferred to another contractor, Hip Hing Construction. It was also reported that some of the firm’s projects would be taken over by Hip Hing Construction.
Hip Seng Construction was reported to have recently sent a letter to employees that there would be “zero” pay rises in January or a discretionary annual bonus, citing a serious shortage of projects in the industry and difficult business environment.
While the number of affected staff was not immediately known, unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing told a radio programme on Thursday that the impact of the company’s financial struggles could go beyond its own workers.
“It had other subcontractors to carry out some projects. Will it have financial difficulties and be unable to pay the subcontractors, which will not be able to pay wages? It will lead to a chain reaction,” said Lam of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions.
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By Fiona Sun
Building industry representatives have urged Hip Seng Construction, a major contractor in Hong Kong, to provide proper transitional arrangements for workers reportedly facing redundancy because of financial strains at the firm.
They also highlighted the issue of wage arrears widely plaguing the sector amid sluggish business conditions, calling on Thursday for more government support to help firms tide over difficulties.
Hip Seng Construction, established in 2012, is working on several projects, including student dormitories for the University of Hong Kong in Wong Chuk Hang, the SkyCity business and entertainment complex near the airport, and Pavilia Farm, a residential development in Tai Wai.
The company is reportedly struggling financially and will lay off employees, with some said to potentially be transferred to another contractor, Hip Hing Construction. It was also reported that some of the firm’s projects would be taken over by Hip Hing Construction.
Hip Seng Construction was reported to have recently sent a letter to employees that there would be “zero” pay rises in January or a discretionary annual bonus, citing a serious shortage of projects in the industry and difficult business environment.
While the number of affected staff was not immediately known, unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing told a radio programme on Thursday that the impact of the company’s financial struggles could go beyond its own workers.
“It had other subcontractors to carry out some projects. Will it have financial difficulties and be unable to pay the subcontractors, which will not be able to pay wages? It will lead to a chain reaction,” said Lam of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions.
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Hong Kong logs 3 deaths from 4 severe flu cases, low Covid-19 activity uptick
By Fiona Sun
Hong Kong has recorded four severe cases of influenza resulting in three deaths over the past week, with health authorities also observing a slight increase in local Covid-19 activity.
The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday released an update of influenza and coronavirus infections for the week from December 15 to 21.
The data revealed four adult influenza cases that required intensive care unit admission or resulted in death during the period, a decrease from the six cases reported the previous week that resulted in five deaths.
The centre also recorded an outbreak of Covid-19 infections in a care home for the elderly involving four people during the period, a rise from no cases in the prior week.
Two severe Covid-19 cases including deaths were recorded, compared with just one over the previous week.
“The latest surveillance data showed that the overall local activity of Covid-19 has slightly increased but still remains at a low level,” it said, adding that the overall influenza activity also remained low.
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By Fiona Sun
Hong Kong has recorded four severe cases of influenza resulting in three deaths over the past week, with health authorities also observing a slight increase in local Covid-19 activity.
The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday released an update of influenza and coronavirus infections for the week from December 15 to 21.
The data revealed four adult influenza cases that required intensive care unit admission or resulted in death during the period, a decrease from the six cases reported the previous week that resulted in five deaths.
The centre also recorded an outbreak of Covid-19 infections in a care home for the elderly involving four people during the period, a rise from no cases in the prior week.
Two severe Covid-19 cases including deaths were recorded, compared with just one over the previous week.
“The latest surveillance data showed that the overall local activity of Covid-19 has slightly increased but still remains at a low level,” it said, adding that the overall influenza activity also remained low.
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Chinese legal experts condemn police for sending blogger to psychiatric hospital
By Yuanyue Dang
Chinese legal experts have condemned police in the eastern province of Jiangxi, saying they abused their power by once again sending a blogger – who previously accused an auxiliary officer of sexual assault – to hospital for psychiatric treatment.
Police in Jiangxi’s provincial capital Nanchang said on Sunday they had sent Li Yixue – a twenty-something blogger with more than 800,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok – to hospital for treatment after a Beijing hospital diagnosed her with “obsessive-compulsive disorder” and “personality disorder”.
In April 2022, Li accused a Nanchang auxiliary police officer of sexually assaulting her, but local police said their investigation did not support her claims. They then sent Li to a psychiatric hospital for two months of treatment, citing the possibility that Li might take her own life.
In December 2022, Li sued the hospital after tests conducted at other institutions after her release showed she was mentally healthy, drawing widespread attention on Chinese social media. A court heard the case that month but a verdict has not yet been announced.
Earlier this month, Li posted a plea for help on Douyin, saying that police had broken into her home “with a dozen people” and damaged a camera on her front door.
Nanchang police denied the claim in Sunday’s statement, saying local law enforcement officers and experts from a Beijing hospital had examined Li at her home from late December 13 until early on December 14 and had also spoken to her father.
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By Yuanyue Dang
Chinese legal experts have condemned police in the eastern province of Jiangxi, saying they abused their power by once again sending a blogger – who previously accused an auxiliary officer of sexual assault – to hospital for psychiatric treatment.
Police in Jiangxi’s provincial capital Nanchang said on Sunday they had sent Li Yixue – a twenty-something blogger with more than 800,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok – to hospital for treatment after a Beijing hospital diagnosed her with “obsessive-compulsive disorder” and “personality disorder”.
In April 2022, Li accused a Nanchang auxiliary police officer of sexually assaulting her, but local police said their investigation did not support her claims. They then sent Li to a psychiatric hospital for two months of treatment, citing the possibility that Li might take her own life.
In December 2022, Li sued the hospital after tests conducted at other institutions after her release showed she was mentally healthy, drawing widespread attention on Chinese social media. A court heard the case that month but a verdict has not yet been announced.
Earlier this month, Li posted a plea for help on Douyin, saying that police had broken into her home “with a dozen people” and damaged a camera on her front door.
Nanchang police denied the claim in Sunday’s statement, saying local law enforcement officers and experts from a Beijing hospital had examined Li at her home from late December 13 until early on December 14 and had also spoken to her father.
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Chinese lithium firm reaches milestone in Mali mine project despite strict new rules
By Jevans Nyabiage
Chinese company Ganfeng Lithium has completed a major lithium processing plant in Mali – defying security challenges, a strict new mining code and a lithium supply market glut.
China’s largest lithium producer, Ganfeng announced that the first phase of its Goulamina lithium mine, in the southern region of Bougouni, had gone live in mid-December. It has a planned annual capacity to produce 506,000 tonnes of lithium, which will grow to 1 million tonnes in the second phase.
Considered one of the world’s largest deposits of the critical mineral, it is estimated that the mine could be explored for more than 23 years, producing 15.6 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate over that period.
Lithium is a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and electronics.
At the launch of the plant, Mali’s transitional President Assimi Goita described his country’s cooperation with China as a “strategic and sincere” partnership. Goita said the lithium mine is extremely important for the West African nation and the launch of the processing plant “marks a significant step forward in the exploitation of the country’s natural resources”.
Chinese ambassador to Mali Chen Zhihong, who attended the inauguration ceremony, said the Goulamina mine “is a new example of win-win cooperation”.
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By Jevans Nyabiage
Chinese company Ganfeng Lithium has completed a major lithium processing plant in Mali – defying security challenges, a strict new mining code and a lithium supply market glut.
China’s largest lithium producer, Ganfeng announced that the first phase of its Goulamina lithium mine, in the southern region of Bougouni, had gone live in mid-December. It has a planned annual capacity to produce 506,000 tonnes of lithium, which will grow to 1 million tonnes in the second phase.
Considered one of the world’s largest deposits of the critical mineral, it is estimated that the mine could be explored for more than 23 years, producing 15.6 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate over that period.
Lithium is a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and electronics.
At the launch of the plant, Mali’s transitional President Assimi Goita described his country’s cooperation with China as a “strategic and sincere” partnership. Goita said the lithium mine is extremely important for the West African nation and the launch of the processing plant “marks a significant step forward in the exploitation of the country’s natural resources”.
Chinese ambassador to Mali Chen Zhihong, who attended the inauguration ceremony, said the Goulamina mine “is a new example of win-win cooperation”.
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Taiwan son scams online scammers to get back US$21,000 father loses to crooks
By Yating Yang
A son in Taiwan devised an ingenious plan and played three different roles to save his father from a cash swindling gang.
He successfully lured the racketeers into believing they would receive further investments, ultimately helping to recover NT$700,000 (US$21,400) after his father had lost the money to the gang.
The racket was first disclosed in an online post by the victim’s son and was subsequently reported by Taiwan EBC News on December 17.
The report revealed that the father, from Nantou county, in central Taiwan, had fallen victim to an online investment scam.
After adding the scammer online who posed as a woman and used constant flattery, he was persuaded to invest NT$700,000 in cash.
Not only did the scammer personally collect the money, but they also convinced the father to install an unknown app on his phone.
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By Yating Yang
A son in Taiwan devised an ingenious plan and played three different roles to save his father from a cash swindling gang.
He successfully lured the racketeers into believing they would receive further investments, ultimately helping to recover NT$700,000 (US$21,400) after his father had lost the money to the gang.
The racket was first disclosed in an online post by the victim’s son and was subsequently reported by Taiwan EBC News on December 17.
The report revealed that the father, from Nantou county, in central Taiwan, had fallen victim to an online investment scam.
After adding the scammer online who posed as a woman and used constant flattery, he was persuaded to invest NT$700,000 in cash.
Not only did the scammer personally collect the money, but they also convinced the father to install an unknown app on his phone.
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Sanctions extension will hurt US business interests, Hong Kong warns Washington
By Willa Wu
Hong Kong authorities have warned the United States that extending sanctions against local and mainland Chinese officials will “ultimately undermine” American business interests, citing the country’s long-standing trade surplus with the city.
The city government on Thursday slammed US President Joe Biden over his earlier signing of the US National Defence Authorization Act, annual legislation that finances and directs policy for the country’s military and security agencies for the coming financial year.
The bill includes provisions not directly linked to defence, such as the extension of sanctions against local and mainland former and current officials for another five years under the 2019 Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
The Hong Kong government said the decision would damage American business interests, citing the about US$270 billion trade surplus the country had enjoyed with the city over the past decade and the presence of about 1,390 US companies in the city.
“If the US insists on its acts, it will ultimately undermine the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US, harming the interests of the US and its companies,” the spokesman said in a statement.
Biden signed the US$895 billion National Defence Authorization Act on Monday, which included extending sanctions against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who served as the city’s security minister amid the 2019 protests, and then leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
The legislation prohibits individuals, US banks and companies from dealing with those targeted by the sanctions.
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By Willa Wu
Hong Kong authorities have warned the United States that extending sanctions against local and mainland Chinese officials will “ultimately undermine” American business interests, citing the country’s long-standing trade surplus with the city.
The city government on Thursday slammed US President Joe Biden over his earlier signing of the US National Defence Authorization Act, annual legislation that finances and directs policy for the country’s military and security agencies for the coming financial year.
The bill includes provisions not directly linked to defence, such as the extension of sanctions against local and mainland former and current officials for another five years under the 2019 Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
The Hong Kong government said the decision would damage American business interests, citing the about US$270 billion trade surplus the country had enjoyed with the city over the past decade and the presence of about 1,390 US companies in the city.
“If the US insists on its acts, it will ultimately undermine the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US, harming the interests of the US and its companies,” the spokesman said in a statement.
Biden signed the US$895 billion National Defence Authorization Act on Monday, which included extending sanctions against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who served as the city’s security minister amid the 2019 protests, and then leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
The legislation prohibits individuals, US banks and companies from dealing with those targeted by the sanctions.
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Man, 61, dies after being found unconscious along Sai Kung trail in Hong Kong
By Oscar Liu
A 61-year-old man has died after emergency responders found him unresponsive along a hiking trail in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung.
Police received a report at 10.36am on Thursday from two hikers, who found the man lying unconscious next to a tent on the Biu Tsim Kok trail, while hiking from the High Island Reservoir East Dam to Long Ke Wan.
The Government Flying Service dispatched a helicopter to airlift the man to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan for urgent medical attention.
Meanwhile, paramedics applied a chest compression machine on the man while rushing him to hospital.
The man, surname Ho, was pronounced dead after attempts to resuscitate him in hospital failed.
The force said the cause of the man’s collapse and unconsciousness was unclear, and a postmortem investigation was under way to determine the cause of death.
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By Oscar Liu
A 61-year-old man has died after emergency responders found him unresponsive along a hiking trail in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung.
Police received a report at 10.36am on Thursday from two hikers, who found the man lying unconscious next to a tent on the Biu Tsim Kok trail, while hiking from the High Island Reservoir East Dam to Long Ke Wan.
The Government Flying Service dispatched a helicopter to airlift the man to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan for urgent medical attention.
Meanwhile, paramedics applied a chest compression machine on the man while rushing him to hospital.
The man, surname Ho, was pronounced dead after attempts to resuscitate him in hospital failed.
The force said the cause of the man’s collapse and unconsciousness was unclear, and a postmortem investigation was under way to determine the cause of death.
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Next Christmas, let’s do more to feed the world’s hungry
By Thomas Tang
It’s the time of the year when the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” makes its rounds on the airwaves. Band Aid, a group of music stars, produced this poignant song in 1984 about the famine in Ethiopia. The crisis was caused by a combination of drought, conflict and economic instability, affecting millions of people living in rural Ethiopia and exposing the consequences of inadequate infrastructure, ineffective government and international neglect of developing nations.
Not much has much changed in the years since. According to the World Food Programme, nearly 350 million people across the globe still suffer from severe hunger, with 49 million on the brink of famine. Conflict is the leading cause as it destroys supply chains bringing food to populations, but climate change excesses also contribute to crop failures through drought, flooding and extreme temperatures.
Yet, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, we can produce more than enough food to feed everyone in the world. The problem lies both in the inability to get the food to starving populations as well as our profligate wastage of food, with about 30 per cent – or about 1.3 billion tons – of food produced for human consumption wasted or lost each year.
Hong Kong is a good example of where this is happening. More than 10,800 tons of municipal waste were disposed of each day in 2023, of which nearly 30 per cent was food waste. A large amount of this waste comes from commercial sources such as restaurants, hotels, wet markets, food production and processing industries. Yet according to the Hong Kong Council for Social Service, around 71,000 low-income households in the city are unable to meet their basic nutritional needs, with some surviving on less than HK$15 (US$2) per meal per person.
So how do we square the dual problem of edible food not reaching deprived households and the mounds of wasted food that ends up in landfills? Non-governmental organisations such as Feeding Hong Kong, Foodlink Foundation and Food Angel have applied different delivery models to salvage edible food and distribute it to the needy. This is not enough, though, and more has to be done to institutionalise this effort so an efficient ecosystem links up the supply and demand for nutritious food.
This would involve scaling up logistics chains and food centres to collect and distribute the food, ostensibly through better use of data enabled by digital technology. Ideally, the same technology could be used by the retail sector to manage how much food to serve to customers and what to do with leftovers, whether they are donated to feed the poor or put to other uses.
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By Thomas Tang
It’s the time of the year when the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” makes its rounds on the airwaves. Band Aid, a group of music stars, produced this poignant song in 1984 about the famine in Ethiopia. The crisis was caused by a combination of drought, conflict and economic instability, affecting millions of people living in rural Ethiopia and exposing the consequences of inadequate infrastructure, ineffective government and international neglect of developing nations.
Not much has much changed in the years since. According to the World Food Programme, nearly 350 million people across the globe still suffer from severe hunger, with 49 million on the brink of famine. Conflict is the leading cause as it destroys supply chains bringing food to populations, but climate change excesses also contribute to crop failures through drought, flooding and extreme temperatures.
Yet, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, we can produce more than enough food to feed everyone in the world. The problem lies both in the inability to get the food to starving populations as well as our profligate wastage of food, with about 30 per cent – or about 1.3 billion tons – of food produced for human consumption wasted or lost each year.
Hong Kong is a good example of where this is happening. More than 10,800 tons of municipal waste were disposed of each day in 2023, of which nearly 30 per cent was food waste. A large amount of this waste comes from commercial sources such as restaurants, hotels, wet markets, food production and processing industries. Yet according to the Hong Kong Council for Social Service, around 71,000 low-income households in the city are unable to meet their basic nutritional needs, with some surviving on less than HK$15 (US$2) per meal per person.
So how do we square the dual problem of edible food not reaching deprived households and the mounds of wasted food that ends up in landfills? Non-governmental organisations such as Feeding Hong Kong, Foodlink Foundation and Food Angel have applied different delivery models to salvage edible food and distribute it to the needy. This is not enough, though, and more has to be done to institutionalise this effort so an efficient ecosystem links up the supply and demand for nutritious food.
This would involve scaling up logistics chains and food centres to collect and distribute the food, ostensibly through better use of data enabled by digital technology. Ideally, the same technology could be used by the retail sector to manage how much food to serve to customers and what to do with leftovers, whether they are donated to feed the poor or put to other uses.
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South Korea’s acting president faces his own impeachment threat as political crisis grows
By Park Chan-kyong
South Korea’s opposition filed an impeachment motion against acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday after he refused to appoint Constitutional Court justices needed to rule on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment.
The move escalates the country’s political uncertainties following Yoon’s failed martial law bid on December 3.
Yoon, who was impeached on December 14 over the debacle, has been suspended from office pending a decision by the Constitutional Court, leaving Han, who is also the country’s prime minster, to step in as acting president under South Korea’s constitutional line of succession.
The Constitutional Court currently operates with only six of its nine justices due to the retirement of three in October, raising questions about whether its eventual decision on the impeachment will be considered legally valid and widely accepted.
Acting president Han announced he would “shelve” the appointment of new justices, urging rival parties to first agree on whether an interim leader has the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices – a demand widely considered impractical.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DKP) responded furiously, introducing a motion to impeach Han himself.
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By Park Chan-kyong
South Korea’s opposition filed an impeachment motion against acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday after he refused to appoint Constitutional Court justices needed to rule on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment.
The move escalates the country’s political uncertainties following Yoon’s failed martial law bid on December 3.
Yoon, who was impeached on December 14 over the debacle, has been suspended from office pending a decision by the Constitutional Court, leaving Han, who is also the country’s prime minster, to step in as acting president under South Korea’s constitutional line of succession.
The Constitutional Court currently operates with only six of its nine justices due to the retirement of three in October, raising questions about whether its eventual decision on the impeachment will be considered legally valid and widely accepted.
Acting president Han announced he would “shelve” the appointment of new justices, urging rival parties to first agree on whether an interim leader has the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices – a demand widely considered impractical.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DKP) responded furiously, introducing a motion to impeach Han himself.
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Singapore warns about meddling over supposed Communist Youth League of China-linked ads
By Kimberly Lim
Singapore is investigating a case of job offers on LinkedIn supposedly posted by a branch of the Communist Party of China and its Communist Youth League for purportedly two roles at an educational institution in the city state.
“The Singapore government will not tolerate the importation of the politics of other countries into Singapore. Foreigners visiting, studying, working or living in Singapore should not carry out their political agendas or activities here. We will deal firmly with any individual or group found to be doing so,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in response to queries from This Week in Asia.
According to a report by the government-owned broadsheet The Straits Times, the two job listings were posted on LinkedIn on December 20 by an account on the professional social networking site that named itself the Communist Youth League of China, which comes under the Communist Party of China.
The listings were for a party branch secretary and deputy branch secretary for a supposed Ngee Ann Polytechnic branch of the youth league.
The account and job listings have since been taken down.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs [MHA] is aware of job offers on LinkedIn supposedly related to a branch of the Communist Party of China and its Communist Youth League, in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Police reports have been received and MHA is looking into the case,” the ministry said.
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By Kimberly Lim
Singapore is investigating a case of job offers on LinkedIn supposedly posted by a branch of the Communist Party of China and its Communist Youth League for purportedly two roles at an educational institution in the city state.
“The Singapore government will not tolerate the importation of the politics of other countries into Singapore. Foreigners visiting, studying, working or living in Singapore should not carry out their political agendas or activities here. We will deal firmly with any individual or group found to be doing so,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in response to queries from This Week in Asia.
According to a report by the government-owned broadsheet The Straits Times, the two job listings were posted on LinkedIn on December 20 by an account on the professional social networking site that named itself the Communist Youth League of China, which comes under the Communist Party of China.
The listings were for a party branch secretary and deputy branch secretary for a supposed Ngee Ann Polytechnic branch of the youth league.
The account and job listings have since been taken down.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs [MHA] is aware of job offers on LinkedIn supposedly related to a branch of the Communist Party of China and its Communist Youth League, in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Police reports have been received and MHA is looking into the case,” the ministry said.
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Hong Kong police investigate dead puppies found on shopping centre rooftop
By Vivian Au
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation into animal cruelty after two puppies were found dead on a shopping centre rooftop in Cheung Sha Wan.
Police said they received multiple reports from residents alerting them of the dead animals at Lai Kok Shopping Centre on Thursday morning.
Both dogs were female and around one month old, sources said.
Officers and staff from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who arrived on site confirmed that both puppies were dead before removing the bodies from the location.
The case has been classified as one of cruelty to animals. No arrests have been made yet.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,750) and imprisonment for three years.
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By Vivian Au
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation into animal cruelty after two puppies were found dead on a shopping centre rooftop in Cheung Sha Wan.
Police said they received multiple reports from residents alerting them of the dead animals at Lai Kok Shopping Centre on Thursday morning.
Both dogs were female and around one month old, sources said.
Officers and staff from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who arrived on site confirmed that both puppies were dead before removing the bodies from the location.
The case has been classified as one of cruelty to animals. No arrests have been made yet.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,750) and imprisonment for three years.
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Will delayed launch put China plans to build Starlink rival at long-term risk?
By Ling Xin
China has paused deployment of its Qianfan broadband satellite network amid reports of major propulsion problems, potentially hindering plans to catch up with SpaceX’s Starlink.
A fourth batch of 18 satellites was due to leave the Wenchang spaceport on the southern island province of Hainan on December 23 but departure was postponed to next year, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
According to videos shared on Chinese social media, the Long March-8 rocket that was to carry the satellites into low Earth orbit arrived at Wenchang in November and was rolled out to the launch pad 10 days ago, before it was returned to its assembly building.
The delay sparked widespread discussion among China’s space community. Industry experts and enthusiasts have speculated on the possible cause on Chinese social media platforms, with many focused on the possibility of malfunctioning propulsion systems.
China’s plans for the Qianfan Constellation, which saw its first components launched in August, called for the launch of 108 satellites in 2024 – enough to establish initial commercial service capabilities, a goal that now seems out of reach.
In the long run, however, the constellation’s development may remain on track. Building a network of more than 10,000 satellites is, by its nature, a long-term endeavour that will span a decade or more.
Observers also noted that technical challenges are not uncommon in the early stages of constellation deployment, with about 3 per cent of Starlink’s first 800 satellites declared “dead” because of design or manufacturing defects.
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By Ling Xin
China has paused deployment of its Qianfan broadband satellite network amid reports of major propulsion problems, potentially hindering plans to catch up with SpaceX’s Starlink.
A fourth batch of 18 satellites was due to leave the Wenchang spaceport on the southern island province of Hainan on December 23 but departure was postponed to next year, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
According to videos shared on Chinese social media, the Long March-8 rocket that was to carry the satellites into low Earth orbit arrived at Wenchang in November and was rolled out to the launch pad 10 days ago, before it was returned to its assembly building.
The delay sparked widespread discussion among China’s space community. Industry experts and enthusiasts have speculated on the possible cause on Chinese social media platforms, with many focused on the possibility of malfunctioning propulsion systems.
China’s plans for the Qianfan Constellation, which saw its first components launched in August, called for the launch of 108 satellites in 2024 – enough to establish initial commercial service capabilities, a goal that now seems out of reach.
In the long run, however, the constellation’s development may remain on track. Building a network of more than 10,000 satellites is, by its nature, a long-term endeavour that will span a decade or more.
Observers also noted that technical challenges are not uncommon in the early stages of constellation deployment, with about 3 per cent of Starlink’s first 800 satellites declared “dead” because of design or manufacturing defects.
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Will South Korea draw closer to China if ties with US worsen under Trump?
By Maria Siow
The constitutional crisis gripping South Korea in the wake of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law bid could be the window of opportunity that China has been waiting for to reshape ties with its economically and diplomatically vital neighbour, analysts say.
While some believe a more balanced South Korean foreign policy less tilted towards the United States and Japan might take shape under a new administration, others suggest Seoul’s strategic ties and Beijing’s economic competition with Washington may limit progress in ties between the two East Asian countries.
Jae-Hung Chung, director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at Sejong Institute, a South Korean think tank, said China could view the potential for leadership changes in South Korea as an opportunity to adjust their bilateral relations.
“Under South President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul aligned more closely with the US-Japan framework, often seen as countering Beijing’s interests in the region. A new administration could provide an opening for Beijing to advocate for greater neutrality or even collaboration on regional issues,” Chung said.
After Yoon’s martial law decree was quickly reversed earlier this month, the country’s National Assembly voted to impeach him following a massive public outcry.
While the South Korean constitutional court deliberates on Yoon’s fate in the weeks ahead – with the first pretrial hearing to be held on Friday – the president continues to face a ban on foreign travel.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Maria Siow
The constitutional crisis gripping South Korea in the wake of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law bid could be the window of opportunity that China has been waiting for to reshape ties with its economically and diplomatically vital neighbour, analysts say.
While some believe a more balanced South Korean foreign policy less tilted towards the United States and Japan might take shape under a new administration, others suggest Seoul’s strategic ties and Beijing’s economic competition with Washington may limit progress in ties between the two East Asian countries.
Jae-Hung Chung, director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at Sejong Institute, a South Korean think tank, said China could view the potential for leadership changes in South Korea as an opportunity to adjust their bilateral relations.
“Under South President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul aligned more closely with the US-Japan framework, often seen as countering Beijing’s interests in the region. A new administration could provide an opening for Beijing to advocate for greater neutrality or even collaboration on regional issues,” Chung said.
After Yoon’s martial law decree was quickly reversed earlier this month, the country’s National Assembly voted to impeach him following a massive public outcry.
While the South Korean constitutional court deliberates on Yoon’s fate in the weeks ahead – with the first pretrial hearing to be held on Friday – the president continues to face a ban on foreign travel.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
