Better after-death arrangements will spare our loved ones some grief
By Mike Rowse
Any discussion of death makes many people uncomfortable and is a social taboo in some communities. But death is inevitable, something to prepare ourselves for, and before then, to handle in respect of a loved one perhaps. So full marks should go to Hong Kong’s ombudsman, Jack Chan Jick-chi, for taking the initiative to examine the procedures around this awkward subject.
As is his remit, he focused on the role of government departments. In an executive summary of his investigation report, published earlier this month, Chan outlined some of the problems facing family members upon the death of a loved one, and put forward practical proposals to address them.
One main recommendation is that all the relevant departments should get together and examine the feasibility of developing a one-stop website for after-death arrangements. That would certainly be useful. In endorsing the idea, I would also urge any such interdepartmental effort to take an even wider, more holistic view.
Once an individual has died, there are a whole raft of decisions to be made and actions taken. Who is authorised to take them? The surviving spouse would seem an obvious option but that person might be overwrought with grief or otherwise incompetent. The burden would then fall to the children or other relatives, but they might not be able to agree among themselves.
One question that might arise is whether there is a religious angle, because different religions have different customs and requirements. Another is the possibility of a cross-border aspect, say, of someone who has died outside Hong Kong but wished to have their remains disposed of here, or someone dying here having wished to be buried or have their ashes scattered elsewhere, in their province or country of origin.
The deceased may have left instructions, for example, for their organs to be made available for transplant. We need to make sure such information is passed on automatically to the relatives, and similarly with burial or cremation wishes.
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By Mike Rowse
Any discussion of death makes many people uncomfortable and is a social taboo in some communities. But death is inevitable, something to prepare ourselves for, and before then, to handle in respect of a loved one perhaps. So full marks should go to Hong Kong’s ombudsman, Jack Chan Jick-chi, for taking the initiative to examine the procedures around this awkward subject.
As is his remit, he focused on the role of government departments. In an executive summary of his investigation report, published earlier this month, Chan outlined some of the problems facing family members upon the death of a loved one, and put forward practical proposals to address them.
One main recommendation is that all the relevant departments should get together and examine the feasibility of developing a one-stop website for after-death arrangements. That would certainly be useful. In endorsing the idea, I would also urge any such interdepartmental effort to take an even wider, more holistic view.
Once an individual has died, there are a whole raft of decisions to be made and actions taken. Who is authorised to take them? The surviving spouse would seem an obvious option but that person might be overwrought with grief or otherwise incompetent. The burden would then fall to the children or other relatives, but they might not be able to agree among themselves.
One question that might arise is whether there is a religious angle, because different religions have different customs and requirements. Another is the possibility of a cross-border aspect, say, of someone who has died outside Hong Kong but wished to have their remains disposed of here, or someone dying here having wished to be buried or have their ashes scattered elsewhere, in their province or country of origin.
The deceased may have left instructions, for example, for their organs to be made available for transplant. We need to make sure such information is passed on automatically to the relatives, and similarly with burial or cremation wishes.
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In Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, China is proving it is master of the sea
By Jevans Nyabiage
When Chinese destroyer Nanning, frigate Sanya and supply ship Weishanhu made a port call in Gabon in July last year, the Chinese navy was happy to help repair some equipment on the Gabonese frigate Mbini.
While they were there, the Chinese sailors also showed their counterparts how to use weapons and equipment, plus they carried out anti-terrorism, anti-piracy and rescue operations with them.
The Chinese naval stop in Gabon was just one of five visits to countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s Atlantic coastline during that trip to Africa. It is a gulf that stretches 5,700km (3,540 miles) from Senegal all the way down to Angola.
It is an important trade route and a region that is rich in oil – and it is a part of the world where China has been increasing its military engagement, paying port calls, holding joint drills, training and giving financial support to Gulf of Guinea countries.
China is emerging as an influential security player. It is growing its peacekeeping troop contributions, increasing the number of scholarships for study in Chinese military academies, and since 2017 joint naval exercises have become more frequent in West Africa.
According to experts, the increase in China’s military engagement with Gulf of Guinea countries is no coincidence. The Gulf of Guinea is a dangerous place, rife with pirate attacks and kidnappings, which gives Beijing the opportunity to both protect China’s African interests and citizens, and test the People’s Liberation Army’s abilities.
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By Jevans Nyabiage
When Chinese destroyer Nanning, frigate Sanya and supply ship Weishanhu made a port call in Gabon in July last year, the Chinese navy was happy to help repair some equipment on the Gabonese frigate Mbini.
While they were there, the Chinese sailors also showed their counterparts how to use weapons and equipment, plus they carried out anti-terrorism, anti-piracy and rescue operations with them.
The Chinese naval stop in Gabon was just one of five visits to countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s Atlantic coastline during that trip to Africa. It is a gulf that stretches 5,700km (3,540 miles) from Senegal all the way down to Angola.
It is an important trade route and a region that is rich in oil – and it is a part of the world where China has been increasing its military engagement, paying port calls, holding joint drills, training and giving financial support to Gulf of Guinea countries.
China is emerging as an influential security player. It is growing its peacekeeping troop contributions, increasing the number of scholarships for study in Chinese military academies, and since 2017 joint naval exercises have become more frequent in West Africa.
According to experts, the increase in China’s military engagement with Gulf of Guinea countries is no coincidence. The Gulf of Guinea is a dangerous place, rife with pirate attacks and kidnappings, which gives Beijing the opportunity to both protect China’s African interests and citizens, and test the People’s Liberation Army’s abilities.
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Hong Kong man arrested after 31 motorbikes damaged in suspected arson case
By Emily Hung
Hong Kong police have arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of arson after more than 30 motorcycles were damaged in a blaze in Kwun Tong district.
The motorbikes were parked outside Yung Fung Shee Memorial Centre on Cha Kwo Ling Road, with the fire on Sunday morning also blackening one of the public clinic’s exterior walls and burning the rear section of an electric vehicle at the scene.
Police were notified of the incident at around 5am, with firefighters rushing to the scene and putting out the blaze. No injuries have been reported in connection with the case.
The force said its preliminary investigation suggested 12 of the motorcycles were set on fire, with the flames spreading to another 19 bikes and the electric vehicle.
Police arrested the man in the same district after deeming the cause of the fire to be suspicious.
The suspect is currently being held in police custody.
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By Emily Hung
Hong Kong police have arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of arson after more than 30 motorcycles were damaged in a blaze in Kwun Tong district.
The motorbikes were parked outside Yung Fung Shee Memorial Centre on Cha Kwo Ling Road, with the fire on Sunday morning also blackening one of the public clinic’s exterior walls and burning the rear section of an electric vehicle at the scene.
Police were notified of the incident at around 5am, with firefighters rushing to the scene and putting out the blaze. No injuries have been reported in connection with the case.
The force said its preliminary investigation suggested 12 of the motorcycles were set on fire, with the flames spreading to another 19 bikes and the electric vehicle.
Police arrested the man in the same district after deeming the cause of the fire to be suspicious.
The suspect is currently being held in police custody.
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Crime in Hong Kong: Post looks back on 2024’s biggest arrests, scams and heists
By Jess Ma
While Hong Kong only saw a slight rise in crime by 4.8 per cent in the first three quarters of this year, a number of incidents have made the headlines, ranging from the emergence of a new narcotic to a HK$200 million (US$25.7 million) deepfake scam.
The Post rounds up 10 cases that shocked the city in 2024.
Merchant Jamie Tzewee Chapman, 34, was charged with murdering Indonesian Novitasari Mevi in October at Waterfall Bay Park in Pok Fu Lam.
Mevi’s body was found at the bottom of the waterfall in the park at 7am on October 28, with Chapman and his wife arrested when they returned to the city at 5pm that day.
After a court appearance on November 1, Chapman was remanded in custody.
The defendant is set to appear in court again on January 24, 2025.
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By Jess Ma
While Hong Kong only saw a slight rise in crime by 4.8 per cent in the first three quarters of this year, a number of incidents have made the headlines, ranging from the emergence of a new narcotic to a HK$200 million (US$25.7 million) deepfake scam.
The Post rounds up 10 cases that shocked the city in 2024.
Merchant Jamie Tzewee Chapman, 34, was charged with murdering Indonesian Novitasari Mevi in October at Waterfall Bay Park in Pok Fu Lam.
Mevi’s body was found at the bottom of the waterfall in the park at 7am on October 28, with Chapman and his wife arrested when they returned to the city at 5pm that day.
After a court appearance on November 1, Chapman was remanded in custody.
The defendant is set to appear in court again on January 24, 2025.
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China’s health bonds with strategic African partner Djibouti grow closer over TCM
By Enoch Wong
Beijing has stepped up public health assistance to its strategic African partner Djibouti – home to China’s only overseas military base – with a new focus on dengue fever and plans for the country’s first traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) centre.
Djiboutian Health Minister Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, a medical doctor and also a TCM advocate, has pledged to “serve as an ambassador for promoting the culture of Chinese traditional medicine”.
Abdilleh made the pledge during a meeting with the director of China’s National Health Commission in Beijing in early December, on the sidelines of an international conference on TCM sponsored by the World Health Organization.
China aims to train 1,300 overseas health workers in TCM over the next three years and has been encouraging more use of its therapies, which include acupuncture, massage and cupping, especially among its Belt and Road Initiative partners.
Mainland Chinese medical teams stationed in Djibouti have been helping the country with health issues for a number of years, in partnership with GX Foundation, a Hong Kong-based NGO.
The NGO’s founder, Leung Chun-ying – a former chief executive of Hong Kong – and members of the mainland Chinese medical teams discussed the benefits of TCM at a reception last month with Abdilleh in Djibouti.
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By Enoch Wong
Beijing has stepped up public health assistance to its strategic African partner Djibouti – home to China’s only overseas military base – with a new focus on dengue fever and plans for the country’s first traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) centre.
Djiboutian Health Minister Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, a medical doctor and also a TCM advocate, has pledged to “serve as an ambassador for promoting the culture of Chinese traditional medicine”.
Abdilleh made the pledge during a meeting with the director of China’s National Health Commission in Beijing in early December, on the sidelines of an international conference on TCM sponsored by the World Health Organization.
China aims to train 1,300 overseas health workers in TCM over the next three years and has been encouraging more use of its therapies, which include acupuncture, massage and cupping, especially among its Belt and Road Initiative partners.
Mainland Chinese medical teams stationed in Djibouti have been helping the country with health issues for a number of years, in partnership with GX Foundation, a Hong Kong-based NGO.
The NGO’s founder, Leung Chun-ying – a former chief executive of Hong Kong – and members of the mainland Chinese medical teams discussed the benefits of TCM at a reception last month with Abdilleh in Djibouti.
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‘I just want a child’: brain-damaged Chinese woman defends her desire to become mum
By Zoey Zhang
A woman in China with cerebral palsy has defended her desire to become a mother against online criticism accusing her of being “irresponsible”.
Li Man, 24, comes from a rural family in Anhui province in eastern China.
She developed cerebral palsy due to oxygen deprivation at birth. While her intellect is normal, she suffers from a severe physical condition which limits her mobility.
Li was raised by her grandparents while her parents worked away.
As a result of her condition many schools initially refused to admit Li, but her grandmother’s persistent pleas eventually secured her a spot at a primary school.
However, she endured discrimination and ridicule from classmates.
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By Zoey Zhang
A woman in China with cerebral palsy has defended her desire to become a mother against online criticism accusing her of being “irresponsible”.
Li Man, 24, comes from a rural family in Anhui province in eastern China.
She developed cerebral palsy due to oxygen deprivation at birth. While her intellect is normal, she suffers from a severe physical condition which limits her mobility.
Li was raised by her grandparents while her parents worked away.
As a result of her condition many schools initially refused to admit Li, but her grandmother’s persistent pleas eventually secured her a spot at a primary school.
However, she endured discrimination and ridicule from classmates.
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Meituan to end late delivery penalty amid regulatory crackdown on algorithm misuse
By Ben Jiang
Chinese food delivery giant Meituan will phase out a late delivery penalty in 2025 amid a crack down by regulators on internet platforms’ misuse of algorithms.
The Beijing-based company said it would continuously optimise its management practice and explore fairer and more human-centric incentive mechanisms after it abolishes the fine, according to a notice published on its website on Friday.
The move aims to incentivise food delivery riders for on-time deliveries instead of penalising them, the statement added.
The policy shift was announced as part of a raft of changes to the company’s overarching algorithms that determine a series of operational procedures for its army of couriers, from the sequence of picking up orders to the routes they take, to ensure speedy delivery.
Although the algorithms and the late delivery penalty policy have effectively helped the company stay ahead of competitors like Alibaba Group Holding’s Ele.me, they have also sparked controversy. The strict delivery deadlines have previously prompted couriers to violate traffic rules, leading to accidents. Alibaba owns the Post.
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By Ben Jiang
Chinese food delivery giant Meituan will phase out a late delivery penalty in 2025 amid a crack down by regulators on internet platforms’ misuse of algorithms.
The Beijing-based company said it would continuously optimise its management practice and explore fairer and more human-centric incentive mechanisms after it abolishes the fine, according to a notice published on its website on Friday.
The move aims to incentivise food delivery riders for on-time deliveries instead of penalising them, the statement added.
The policy shift was announced as part of a raft of changes to the company’s overarching algorithms that determine a series of operational procedures for its army of couriers, from the sequence of picking up orders to the routes they take, to ensure speedy delivery.
Although the algorithms and the late delivery penalty policy have effectively helped the company stay ahead of competitors like Alibaba Group Holding’s Ele.me, they have also sparked controversy. The strict delivery deadlines have previously prompted couriers to violate traffic rules, leading to accidents. Alibaba owns the Post.
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Chinese Salt Typhoon cyberespionage targets AT&T, but networks secure, carrier says
By Reuters
The Chinese-linked Salt Typhoon cyberespionage operation targeted AT&T’s systems, but the wireless carrier’s US networks are now secure as it works with law enforcement and government officials, the company said on Saturday in its first acknowledgement of the attacks.
“We detect no activity by nation-state actors in our networks at this time. Based on our current investigation of this attack, the People’s Republic of China targeted a small number of individuals of foreign intelligence interest,” an AT&T spokesperson said.
While only a few cases of compromised information were identified, AT&T was monitoring and remediating its networks to protect customers’ data, and continued to work with authorities to assess and mitigate the threat, the spokesperson said.
On Friday, US officials added a ninth unnamed telecoms company to the list of entities compromised by the Salt Typhoon hackers and said the Chinese involved gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access, giving them the capability to “geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will.”
The US Department of Defence and the Federal Communications Commission did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment outside regular hours. China’s foreign ministry could not immediately be contacted for comment.
Officials previously alleged hackers targeted Verizon, AT&T, Lumen, and other telecoms companies, and stole telephone audio intercepts along with a large swathe of call record data.
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By Reuters
The Chinese-linked Salt Typhoon cyberespionage operation targeted AT&T’s systems, but the wireless carrier’s US networks are now secure as it works with law enforcement and government officials, the company said on Saturday in its first acknowledgement of the attacks.
“We detect no activity by nation-state actors in our networks at this time. Based on our current investigation of this attack, the People’s Republic of China targeted a small number of individuals of foreign intelligence interest,” an AT&T spokesperson said.
While only a few cases of compromised information were identified, AT&T was monitoring and remediating its networks to protect customers’ data, and continued to work with authorities to assess and mitigate the threat, the spokesperson said.
On Friday, US officials added a ninth unnamed telecoms company to the list of entities compromised by the Salt Typhoon hackers and said the Chinese involved gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access, giving them the capability to “geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will.”
The US Department of Defence and the Federal Communications Commission did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment outside regular hours. China’s foreign ministry could not immediately be contacted for comment.
Officials previously alleged hackers targeted Verizon, AT&T, Lumen, and other telecoms companies, and stole telephone audio intercepts along with a large swathe of call record data.
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Hong Kong worker killed by falling curtain glass wall at Kowloon West site
By Oscar Liu
A Hong Kong worker was killed when a 1.2-tonne curtain glass wall struck him after it fell at a construction site atop the West Kowloon high-speed rail station.
Police said on Sunday that the incident, which took place a day earlier, had been classified as an industrial accident, adding the force would follow up with the Labour Department.
An employee at the Sun Hung Kai Properties-developed site had filed the police report, saying the victim was a 53-year-old man surnamed Leung and had been installing a glass curtain wall at a commercial building unit, the force added.
The 2.5-by-2-metre glass wall fell and struck Leung when a lifting strap broke. He immediately lost consciousness.
Paramedics took Leung to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His cause of death is pending confirmation after a postmortem examination.
The construction site, located at the intersection of Jordan Road and Lin Cheung Road atop the West Kowloon Terminus, is part of a commercial project that Sun Hung Kai Properties has been developing since it won the tender in 2019.
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By Oscar Liu
A Hong Kong worker was killed when a 1.2-tonne curtain glass wall struck him after it fell at a construction site atop the West Kowloon high-speed rail station.
Police said on Sunday that the incident, which took place a day earlier, had been classified as an industrial accident, adding the force would follow up with the Labour Department.
An employee at the Sun Hung Kai Properties-developed site had filed the police report, saying the victim was a 53-year-old man surnamed Leung and had been installing a glass curtain wall at a commercial building unit, the force added.
The 2.5-by-2-metre glass wall fell and struck Leung when a lifting strap broke. He immediately lost consciousness.
Paramedics took Leung to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His cause of death is pending confirmation after a postmortem examination.
The construction site, located at the intersection of Jordan Road and Lin Cheung Road atop the West Kowloon Terminus, is part of a commercial project that Sun Hung Kai Properties has been developing since it won the tender in 2019.
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China’s record dividend payout puts yuan under pressure amid US-China tensions
By Bloomberg
China’s ambitious campaign to revive its flagging stock market has made the yuan an unintended casualty, with record dividend payouts leading to outflows.
Interim dividends paid by Hong Kong-listed Chinese firms are set to reach US$12.9 billion between January and March, a record level for the first quarter, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. That comes as fourth quarter levels have already topped US$16.2 billion, the most ever for the period and up 47 per cent compared with a year ago.
The dividend bonanza is adding pressure on the Chinese yuan already weighed by a resurgent dollar and the prospect of growing US-China tensions. The firms mostly pay dividends in Hong Kong dollars but earn most their revenue in yuan, which requires conversion.
The looming outflows will test Beijing’s ability to achieve short-term market stability without compromising longer term goals in the world’s No 2 economy. That is especially important as policymakers also ramp up efforts to defend the currency currently hovering near one-year lows.
The higher client demand for foreign currency can mostly be pinned on dividend flows as many Hong Kong-listed firms introduce interim dividends, said Xing Zhaopeng, a senior strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. “The increase in both the frequency and the net amount of dividends will continue to weigh as firms convert to other currencies for payment.”
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By Bloomberg
China’s ambitious campaign to revive its flagging stock market has made the yuan an unintended casualty, with record dividend payouts leading to outflows.
Interim dividends paid by Hong Kong-listed Chinese firms are set to reach US$12.9 billion between January and March, a record level for the first quarter, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. That comes as fourth quarter levels have already topped US$16.2 billion, the most ever for the period and up 47 per cent compared with a year ago.
The dividend bonanza is adding pressure on the Chinese yuan already weighed by a resurgent dollar and the prospect of growing US-China tensions. The firms mostly pay dividends in Hong Kong dollars but earn most their revenue in yuan, which requires conversion.
The looming outflows will test Beijing’s ability to achieve short-term market stability without compromising longer term goals in the world’s No 2 economy. That is especially important as policymakers also ramp up efforts to defend the currency currently hovering near one-year lows.
The higher client demand for foreign currency can mostly be pinned on dividend flows as many Hong Kong-listed firms introduce interim dividends, said Xing Zhaopeng, a senior strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. “The increase in both the frequency and the net amount of dividends will continue to weigh as firms convert to other currencies for payment.”
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Did a wet climate give rise to China’s first empires over 2,000 years ago?
By Holly Chik
North China had a humid climate more than 2,000 years ago, contributing to an agricultural boom and the success and prosperity of China’s earliest empires, according to an international team of researchers.
They found that rainfall in the region 2,200 years ago, during the start of the Qin dynasty (221-207BC), was around 18 to 34 per cent higher than precipitation levels between 1951 and 2015. This trend continued through the Western Han dynasty (206BC – AD24).
The Qin was China’s first imperial dynasty, with its capital at Xianyang in what is now the northwestern province of Shaanxi.
Its successor, the Han dynasty (206BC-AD220) – split into two periods, the Western and Eastern Han – was so powerful that the word “Han” is used to denote China’s majority ethnic group. The Western Han’s capital was in Xian, then called Changan, also in Shaanxi.
The persistently wet conditions increased food production and contributed to socioeconomic prosperity in these historical periods, according to the researchers, who shared their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on Monday. .
“We conclude that the stable and consistently warm and humid climate conditions during the Qin–Western Han dynasties favoured large-scale agricultural food production and promoted regional economic and demographic prosperity,” they wrote.
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By Holly Chik
North China had a humid climate more than 2,000 years ago, contributing to an agricultural boom and the success and prosperity of China’s earliest empires, according to an international team of researchers.
They found that rainfall in the region 2,200 years ago, during the start of the Qin dynasty (221-207BC), was around 18 to 34 per cent higher than precipitation levels between 1951 and 2015. This trend continued through the Western Han dynasty (206BC – AD24).
The Qin was China’s first imperial dynasty, with its capital at Xianyang in what is now the northwestern province of Shaanxi.
Its successor, the Han dynasty (206BC-AD220) – split into two periods, the Western and Eastern Han – was so powerful that the word “Han” is used to denote China’s majority ethnic group. The Western Han’s capital was in Xian, then called Changan, also in Shaanxi.
The persistently wet conditions increased food production and contributed to socioeconomic prosperity in these historical periods, according to the researchers, who shared their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on Monday. .
“We conclude that the stable and consistently warm and humid climate conditions during the Qin–Western Han dynasties favoured large-scale agricultural food production and promoted regional economic and demographic prosperity,” they wrote.
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Bucking tradition, some Hong Kong churches host memorial services for pets
By Danny Mok
Hymns resonated and eulogies filled the air at a church in Hong Kong one afternoon, much like at any other Christian memorial service.
What made the funeral service unusual was that the deceased, Siu Dou, was a dog.
Church-goer Michael Leung* said that long before he welcomed the shiba inu into his life, he believed it was essential to hold memorial services for animals that had died, just as one would for any member of the community.
The loss of his 13-year companion, Siu Dou, or “little bean”, in August devastated Leung, who is in his 40s. He said the dog had offered him endless love, and he wanted to pay his final tribute to his furry friend with a proper funeral in September.
“This is my love and respect for him, and I hope he might know that dad and mum [his wife] had arranged a funeral for him when he returned to the side of Jesus,” said Leung, who holds a doctorate in theology.
Unlike the Buddhist and Taoist communities, conducting a memorial service for deceased pets is not a common practice among local Protestant and Catholic churches.
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By Danny Mok
Hymns resonated and eulogies filled the air at a church in Hong Kong one afternoon, much like at any other Christian memorial service.
What made the funeral service unusual was that the deceased, Siu Dou, was a dog.
Church-goer Michael Leung* said that long before he welcomed the shiba inu into his life, he believed it was essential to hold memorial services for animals that had died, just as one would for any member of the community.
The loss of his 13-year companion, Siu Dou, or “little bean”, in August devastated Leung, who is in his 40s. He said the dog had offered him endless love, and he wanted to pay his final tribute to his furry friend with a proper funeral in September.
“This is my love and respect for him, and I hope he might know that dad and mum [his wife] had arranged a funeral for him when he returned to the side of Jesus,” said Leung, who holds a doctorate in theology.
Unlike the Buddhist and Taoist communities, conducting a memorial service for deceased pets is not a common practice among local Protestant and Catholic churches.
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Bushfire in northern Hong Kong still raging after over 20 hours
By Vivian Au
A bushfire in northern Hong Kong has continued to burn for more than 20 hours as of Sunday morning.
The blaze broke out at 2.49pm the day before near Tai Tong in Yuen Long. Trails of flames stretched as far as 200 metres (656 feet) and burned overnight.
The Government Flying Service deployed a helicopter to help with firefighting efforts in the area.
Authorities earlier said they suspected the blaze had been caused by wild grass catching fire.
Jason Leung Min-kin, a Yuen Long district councillor, said on Sunday morning that the scene had produced lots of smoke. He added that no casualties had been reported so far.
“The weather is dry and the winds are strong. And residents are safe,” he wrote on social media.
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By Vivian Au
A bushfire in northern Hong Kong has continued to burn for more than 20 hours as of Sunday morning.
The blaze broke out at 2.49pm the day before near Tai Tong in Yuen Long. Trails of flames stretched as far as 200 metres (656 feet) and burned overnight.
The Government Flying Service deployed a helicopter to help with firefighting efforts in the area.
Authorities earlier said they suspected the blaze had been caused by wild grass catching fire.
Jason Leung Min-kin, a Yuen Long district councillor, said on Sunday morning that the scene had produced lots of smoke. He added that no casualties had been reported so far.
“The weather is dry and the winds are strong. And residents are safe,” he wrote on social media.
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National security law, minister sackings bookend big year in Hong Kong politics
By Jeffie Lam
Several major events made 2024 an exceptional year in Hong Kong politics, as the city continued to wrestle with the long shadow of the 2019 social unrest, introducing new security legislation and clamping down on activists.
By enacting its domestic Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the city added to similar legislation imposed by Beijing in the wake of the unrest and fulfilled a constitutional obligation 27 years after its return to Chinese sovereignty.
But the laws continued to place Hong Kong in the crosshairs of attacks by the West amid escalating US-China tensions.
Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs met the city’s business leaders in two high-level meetings this year, gauging tycoons’ views on how to boost the economy, while urging them not to be “bystanders” as the local government pressed for long-term development projects.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ended the year by sacking two ministers – those in charge of tourism and transport – as he continued his race to deliver concrete results at the halfway mark of his tenure.
Here is what you need to know about Hong Kong’s major political developments this year.
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By Jeffie Lam
Several major events made 2024 an exceptional year in Hong Kong politics, as the city continued to wrestle with the long shadow of the 2019 social unrest, introducing new security legislation and clamping down on activists.
By enacting its domestic Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the city added to similar legislation imposed by Beijing in the wake of the unrest and fulfilled a constitutional obligation 27 years after its return to Chinese sovereignty.
But the laws continued to place Hong Kong in the crosshairs of attacks by the West amid escalating US-China tensions.
Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs met the city’s business leaders in two high-level meetings this year, gauging tycoons’ views on how to boost the economy, while urging them not to be “bystanders” as the local government pressed for long-term development projects.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ended the year by sacking two ministers – those in charge of tourism and transport – as he continued his race to deliver concrete results at the halfway mark of his tenure.
Here is what you need to know about Hong Kong’s major political developments this year.
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