China’s trade moves against US show it’s ready to fight back but willing to make a deal
By Zhao Ziwen
Observers said China’s retaliatory moves in response to US tariffs showed Beijing’s readiness to face escalating trade tensions along with its desire to achieve more at the negotiation table.
Analysts said that compared with the immediate relief the US granted to its neighbours by delaying tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, Washington might take a hardline approach to Beijing, its biggest rival.
On Tuesday, Beijing announced it would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on some US products such as coal, petroleum, agricultural equipment and high-emission vehicles from February 10.
Separately, it launched an anti-monopoly investigation into US tech giant Google and put American clothing company PVH, which owns Calvin Klein, and biotechnology company Illumina on its unreliable entity list.
The measures were announced after US tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese products took effect earlier on Tuesday.
The US levies on Chinese goods came into effect after US President Donald Trump suspended 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Monday.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Zhao Ziwen
Observers said China’s retaliatory moves in response to US tariffs showed Beijing’s readiness to face escalating trade tensions along with its desire to achieve more at the negotiation table.
Analysts said that compared with the immediate relief the US granted to its neighbours by delaying tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, Washington might take a hardline approach to Beijing, its biggest rival.
On Tuesday, Beijing announced it would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on some US products such as coal, petroleum, agricultural equipment and high-emission vehicles from February 10.
Separately, it launched an anti-monopoly investigation into US tech giant Google and put American clothing company PVH, which owns Calvin Klein, and biotechnology company Illumina on its unreliable entity list.
The measures were announced after US tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese products took effect earlier on Tuesday.
The US levies on Chinese goods came into effect after US President Donald Trump suspended 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Monday.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
‘Scam farm’ victim, 31, set to return to Hong Kong on Tuesday evening
By Jess Ma
A third Hongkonger tricked into working at “scam farms” in Myanmar will fly home on Tuesday evening after earlier meeting security officials from the city in Bangkok.
The woman’s flight was expected to land in Hong Kong shortly after 8pm, the Post learned. A spokesman for the Security Bureau said the woman left the Thai capital in the afternoon.
“The Security Bureau’s dedicated task force met the Hong Kong resident in Bangkok on Tuesday morning and was delighted to find that she was in good mental and physical condition,” the spokesman said.
The 31-year-old woman was found on the Myanmese side of the border near Thailand’s Tak province on Sunday. Hong Kong authorities confirmed the rescue in the evening, hours after Thai media reported it.
The woman’s return would leave the bureau with nine outstanding requests for help from Hongkongers trafficked to scam farms in Southeast Asia. Eight of the victims are stuck in Myanmar and one in Cambodia.
The rescue operation for the 31-year-old was reportedly conducted by Thailand’s army and police after they were alerted by their counter-narcotics authorities that the woman was attempting to cross the border into Thailand.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jess Ma
A third Hongkonger tricked into working at “scam farms” in Myanmar will fly home on Tuesday evening after earlier meeting security officials from the city in Bangkok.
The woman’s flight was expected to land in Hong Kong shortly after 8pm, the Post learned. A spokesman for the Security Bureau said the woman left the Thai capital in the afternoon.
“The Security Bureau’s dedicated task force met the Hong Kong resident in Bangkok on Tuesday morning and was delighted to find that she was in good mental and physical condition,” the spokesman said.
The 31-year-old woman was found on the Myanmese side of the border near Thailand’s Tak province on Sunday. Hong Kong authorities confirmed the rescue in the evening, hours after Thai media reported it.
The woman’s return would leave the bureau with nine outstanding requests for help from Hongkongers trafficked to scam farms in Southeast Asia. Eight of the victims are stuck in Myanmar and one in Cambodia.
The rescue operation for the 31-year-old was reportedly conducted by Thailand’s army and police after they were alerted by their counter-narcotics authorities that the woman was attempting to cross the border into Thailand.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
DeepSeek success shouldn’t be seen as a win for China or loss for US
By Brian Y. S. Wong
On January 1, people who don’t closely follow innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) would not have heard of DeepSeek. However, by late January, it became a widely celebrated sensation. US tech corporations such as Meta and OpenAI were shocked by the apparent breakthroughs accomplished by this hitherto obscure Chinese start-up.
In a comprehensive and publicly available post, the Chinese “David” revealed that it had managed to develop a R1 model with performance comparable to OpenAI’s o1, at a fraction of the cost that American “Goliaths” have poured into AI over the years. Yet DeepSeek’s triumphs should not be construed as a victory for China or a loss for the US. Instead, the breakthrough vindicates the importance of Sino-American cooperation over AI development and governance.
The China-located venture succeeded by fusing the best of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship, the grit and perseverance of home-grown Chinese talent and a stroke of genius rooted in its intellectual openness. As with many other top Chinese AI and advanced technological firms, the start-up has a uniquely horizontal and non-hierarchical corporate culture.
Its staff are driven by a common devotion to purpose but are granted considerable flexibility in the workplace. Indeed, founder Liang Wenfeng – an engineering-trained venture capitalist-turned-AI whizz – once declared, “experience is not that important”. DeepSeek had acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 graphics processing units (GPUs) before export controls imposed by Washington.
In embracing the open-source ethos, however, the start-up eschewed an iron grip over its innovation and data, as embraced by many of its American peers.
The intellectual Earth thrives best when it is flat. The whole world benefits when users globally can download and tweak models. Indeed, for those who criticise DeepSeek for its apparent censorship, they can download the application, run it on their own GPUs or cloud servers, as they wish.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Brian Y. S. Wong
On January 1, people who don’t closely follow innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) would not have heard of DeepSeek. However, by late January, it became a widely celebrated sensation. US tech corporations such as Meta and OpenAI were shocked by the apparent breakthroughs accomplished by this hitherto obscure Chinese start-up.
In a comprehensive and publicly available post, the Chinese “David” revealed that it had managed to develop a R1 model with performance comparable to OpenAI’s o1, at a fraction of the cost that American “Goliaths” have poured into AI over the years. Yet DeepSeek’s triumphs should not be construed as a victory for China or a loss for the US. Instead, the breakthrough vindicates the importance of Sino-American cooperation over AI development and governance.
The China-located venture succeeded by fusing the best of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship, the grit and perseverance of home-grown Chinese talent and a stroke of genius rooted in its intellectual openness. As with many other top Chinese AI and advanced technological firms, the start-up has a uniquely horizontal and non-hierarchical corporate culture.
Its staff are driven by a common devotion to purpose but are granted considerable flexibility in the workplace. Indeed, founder Liang Wenfeng – an engineering-trained venture capitalist-turned-AI whizz – once declared, “experience is not that important”. DeepSeek had acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 graphics processing units (GPUs) before export controls imposed by Washington.
In embracing the open-source ethos, however, the start-up eschewed an iron grip over its innovation and data, as embraced by many of its American peers.
The intellectual Earth thrives best when it is flat. The whole world benefits when users globally can download and tweak models. Indeed, for those who criticise DeepSeek for its apparent censorship, they can download the application, run it on their own GPUs or cloud servers, as they wish.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Jimmy Lai rejects claim he used Hong Kong activist to lobby West for sanctions
By Brian Wong
Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has denied using an activist to urge Western governments to impose sanctions on the city and mainland China as part of an international lobbying campaign.
Prosecutors on Tuesday said Lai’s regular contact with paralegal Wayland Chan Tsz-wah in 2019 and 2020 involved more than just discussions on how to end the violence of the anti-government protests as the Apple Daily tabloid founder had previously claimed.
The defendant maintained he had only known Chan as a potentially influential figure among the “valiant” frontline faction of the protest movement, but not as one of those behind the “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong” (SWHK) lobbying group.
But the founder of the now-defunct tabloid acknowledged he had introduced two British political figures to the activist in late 2019, a move which had nothing to do with the de-escalation of violence in the protests.
Lai, 77, is standing trial at West Kowloon Court on two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications in breach of colonial-era legislation.
The outspoken Beijing critic is accused of orchestrating a lobbying campaign by using Chan to relay his instructions to SWHK’s core members in the hope of mobilising Western governments to take hostile actions against Hong Kong and the mainland.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Brian Wong
Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has denied using an activist to urge Western governments to impose sanctions on the city and mainland China as part of an international lobbying campaign.
Prosecutors on Tuesday said Lai’s regular contact with paralegal Wayland Chan Tsz-wah in 2019 and 2020 involved more than just discussions on how to end the violence of the anti-government protests as the Apple Daily tabloid founder had previously claimed.
The defendant maintained he had only known Chan as a potentially influential figure among the “valiant” frontline faction of the protest movement, but not as one of those behind the “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong” (SWHK) lobbying group.
But the founder of the now-defunct tabloid acknowledged he had introduced two British political figures to the activist in late 2019, a move which had nothing to do with the de-escalation of violence in the protests.
Lai, 77, is standing trial at West Kowloon Court on two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications in breach of colonial-era legislation.
The outspoken Beijing critic is accused of orchestrating a lobbying campaign by using Chan to relay his instructions to SWHK’s core members in the hope of mobilising Western governments to take hostile actions against Hong Kong and the mainland.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Is India’s regional clout waning over Bangladesh cosying up to China?
By Vasudevan Sridharan
As Bangladesh continues to strengthen its ties with China and Pakistan, India risks being shut out from wielding any influence on Dhaka and the broader South Asian region.
Since the downfall of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, China has held several talks with Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. In contrast, contacts between India and Bangladesh were put on the back burner amid tensions between two neighbours that previously enjoyed a close partnership under the Hasina regime, analysts said.
Bilateral ties have worsened in recent months over New Delhi’s decision to grant shelter to Hasina, its inertia over Dhaka’s request to extradite the former prime minister and reports of mounting violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
“The fact that the interim government is cosying up to countries with which India has historically had difficult relations – not only China but also Pakistan – has deepened mutual suspicions,” said Chietigj Bajpaee, a senior research fellow at the London-based policy think tank Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific programme.
Last month, Md Touhid Hossain, Bangladeshi foreign affairs adviser, met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.
“China supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path that suits its national conditions, respects the choice of the Bangladeshi people, and is willing to continue to provide assistance for Bangladesh’s economic and social development,” Wang Yi told Touhid Hossain, according to a report by the Deccan Herald.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Vasudevan Sridharan
As Bangladesh continues to strengthen its ties with China and Pakistan, India risks being shut out from wielding any influence on Dhaka and the broader South Asian region.
Since the downfall of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, China has held several talks with Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. In contrast, contacts between India and Bangladesh were put on the back burner amid tensions between two neighbours that previously enjoyed a close partnership under the Hasina regime, analysts said.
Bilateral ties have worsened in recent months over New Delhi’s decision to grant shelter to Hasina, its inertia over Dhaka’s request to extradite the former prime minister and reports of mounting violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
“The fact that the interim government is cosying up to countries with which India has historically had difficult relations – not only China but also Pakistan – has deepened mutual suspicions,” said Chietigj Bajpaee, a senior research fellow at the London-based policy think tank Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific programme.
Last month, Md Touhid Hossain, Bangladeshi foreign affairs adviser, met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.
“China supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path that suits its national conditions, respects the choice of the Bangladeshi people, and is willing to continue to provide assistance for Bangladesh’s economic and social development,” Wang Yi told Touhid Hossain, according to a report by the Deccan Herald.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
ComplexCon to return to Hong Kong in March with Metro Boomin, Zico in line-up
By Ambrose Li
Pop culture festival ComplexCon will return to Hong Kong in March after making its Asia debut last year, with organisers hoping international stars such as American hip hop artist Metro Boomin and South Korean rapper Zico will attract more overseas and mainland Chinese visitors to the event.
The first non-US edition in 2024 drew about 30,000 attendees, 55 per cent of which were from more than 40 places outside Hong Kong including the mainland, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. An estimated 10 to 20 per cent more people are expected to attend this year’s event.
The festival at AsiaWorld-Expo will also be expanded compared with last year. Its merchandise sales area will occupy four halls this year, rather than three, and concerts have moved from one of the smaller venues to the 14,000-seat AsiaWorld-Arena.
The annual festival secured HK$15 million (US$1.9 million) from the government’s Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund for its coming edition. The fund was set up to develop the arts and help promote Hong Kong as a centre for cultural exchanges, while bringing back tourists to the city after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The line-up of the event, which runs from March 21 to 23, also includes Migos rap group member Quavo, Chinese rap collective Digi Ghetto, Japanese rappers ¥ellow Bucks and DJ Shuzo, as well as South Koreans B.I and Changmo.
The festival will include a marketplace with merchandise sales curated by Daniel Arsham, the artistic director for the coming edition, with products and collaborations exclusive to the event.
Organiser Complex China’s CEO, Bonnie Chan Woo Tak-chi, said Hong Kong should not be complacent about its ability to host festivals and concerts despite its strong international reputation, as the city faced fierce competition in the region.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Ambrose Li
Pop culture festival ComplexCon will return to Hong Kong in March after making its Asia debut last year, with organisers hoping international stars such as American hip hop artist Metro Boomin and South Korean rapper Zico will attract more overseas and mainland Chinese visitors to the event.
The first non-US edition in 2024 drew about 30,000 attendees, 55 per cent of which were from more than 40 places outside Hong Kong including the mainland, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. An estimated 10 to 20 per cent more people are expected to attend this year’s event.
The festival at AsiaWorld-Expo will also be expanded compared with last year. Its merchandise sales area will occupy four halls this year, rather than three, and concerts have moved from one of the smaller venues to the 14,000-seat AsiaWorld-Arena.
The annual festival secured HK$15 million (US$1.9 million) from the government’s Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund for its coming edition. The fund was set up to develop the arts and help promote Hong Kong as a centre for cultural exchanges, while bringing back tourists to the city after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The line-up of the event, which runs from March 21 to 23, also includes Migos rap group member Quavo, Chinese rap collective Digi Ghetto, Japanese rappers ¥ellow Bucks and DJ Shuzo, as well as South Koreans B.I and Changmo.
The festival will include a marketplace with merchandise sales curated by Daniel Arsham, the artistic director for the coming edition, with products and collaborations exclusive to the event.
Organiser Complex China’s CEO, Bonnie Chan Woo Tak-chi, said Hong Kong should not be complacent about its ability to host festivals and concerts despite its strong international reputation, as the city faced fierce competition in the region.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
DeepSeek’s success isn’t just a wake-up call for the US, there are lessons for China too
By Josephine Ma
After DeepSeek became a worldwide talking point and sent shock waves through the US stock market, many observers have been trying to find out how a relatively small company could become a game-changer for the AI industry.
The Hangzhou-based start-up was founded only two years ago by a hedge fund High Flyer and it was little known before the launch of its large language model (LLM) last month.
It not only challenges the dominance of similar US products such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, but also conventional wisdom about the cost of producing these products.
In recent weeks, the company has launched two powerful AI models – DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1 – which were built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by US tech giants for their products.
The announcement sent shares of semiconductor giant Nvidia and other AI-related stocks tumbling.
Another surprise was that a Chinese company had been able to make such a breakthrough despite US sanctions.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Josephine Ma
After DeepSeek became a worldwide talking point and sent shock waves through the US stock market, many observers have been trying to find out how a relatively small company could become a game-changer for the AI industry.
The Hangzhou-based start-up was founded only two years ago by a hedge fund High Flyer and it was little known before the launch of its large language model (LLM) last month.
It not only challenges the dominance of similar US products such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, but also conventional wisdom about the cost of producing these products.
In recent weeks, the company has launched two powerful AI models – DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1 – which were built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by US tech giants for their products.
The announcement sent shares of semiconductor giant Nvidia and other AI-related stocks tumbling.
Another surprise was that a Chinese company had been able to make such a breakthrough despite US sanctions.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Malaysian parents urged to educate children on vapes as government holds back on ban
By Hadi Azmi
Malaysia’s education ministry has put the onus on parents to educate their children about the dangers of vaping, as the government appears to edge back from banning a sector worth US$780 million a year, despite mounting evidence of damage to health.
Malaysia has witnessed a 600 per cent surge in the use of vapes and e-cigarettes over the past 12 years, according to the Malaysian Thoracic Society, with 6 per cent of the country’s adults using the products.
Health campaigners have warned that vape companies are targeting young people to reel in a new generation of users, while hospital admissions with vape-related lung damage are rising alarmingly.
On Tuesday, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh told parliament that it was up to families to keep their children away from vapes.
“I ask for everyone’s cooperation, including parents and the public, to help the health ministry in increasing awareness on the risk and dangers of vaping and electronic cigarettes on our children,” Wong told parliament.
According to the deputy minister, the education ministry has recorded an increase in the number of students caught vaping, saying the figure is five times higher than those found smoking cigarettes.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Hadi Azmi
Malaysia’s education ministry has put the onus on parents to educate their children about the dangers of vaping, as the government appears to edge back from banning a sector worth US$780 million a year, despite mounting evidence of damage to health.
Malaysia has witnessed a 600 per cent surge in the use of vapes and e-cigarettes over the past 12 years, according to the Malaysian Thoracic Society, with 6 per cent of the country’s adults using the products.
Health campaigners have warned that vape companies are targeting young people to reel in a new generation of users, while hospital admissions with vape-related lung damage are rising alarmingly.
On Tuesday, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh told parliament that it was up to families to keep their children away from vapes.
“I ask for everyone’s cooperation, including parents and the public, to help the health ministry in increasing awareness on the risk and dangers of vaping and electronic cigarettes on our children,” Wong told parliament.
According to the deputy minister, the education ministry has recorded an increase in the number of students caught vaping, saying the figure is five times higher than those found smoking cigarettes.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
‘De minimis’ exemption: US tariff move ‘will not kill’ Chinese e-commerce, analysts say
By Ralph JenningsMia Nulimaimaiti
US President Donald Trump’s elimination of a long-standing tariff exemption that benefited China’s cross-border e-commerce giants will hurt American consumers – especially those on low incomes – more than the companies themselves, analysts said.
The “de minimis” exemption that allowed packages worth less than US$800 to enter the United States duty-free was removed as part of an executive order signed by Trump on February 1 raising tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 per cent.
The tax loophole played a big role in driving the growth of China’s cross-border e-commerce industry, as vendors sending small shipments directly to US consumers were able to avoid US import duties and customs checks.
Over the past decade, the number of shipments entering the US under the de minimis exemption has surged by more than 600 per cent, rising from about 139 million in the 2015 financial year to over 1 billion in the 2023 financial year, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
Between 2018 and 2021, the US received an estimated US$228.3 billion of de minimis shipments from China, including US$79.3 billion from Hong Kong, which made up more than two-thirds of the US’ total de minimis imports, the Congressional Research Service said in a report published last week.
Removing the exemption means that goods from Shein, Temu and other Chinese cross-border e-commerce players will now be subject to US duties on Chinese imports – which already stood at more than 20 per cent in some industries and are set to rise by another 10 per cent following Trump’s latest executive order.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Ralph JenningsMia Nulimaimaiti
US President Donald Trump’s elimination of a long-standing tariff exemption that benefited China’s cross-border e-commerce giants will hurt American consumers – especially those on low incomes – more than the companies themselves, analysts said.
The “de minimis” exemption that allowed packages worth less than US$800 to enter the United States duty-free was removed as part of an executive order signed by Trump on February 1 raising tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 per cent.
The tax loophole played a big role in driving the growth of China’s cross-border e-commerce industry, as vendors sending small shipments directly to US consumers were able to avoid US import duties and customs checks.
Over the past decade, the number of shipments entering the US under the de minimis exemption has surged by more than 600 per cent, rising from about 139 million in the 2015 financial year to over 1 billion in the 2023 financial year, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
Between 2018 and 2021, the US received an estimated US$228.3 billion of de minimis shipments from China, including US$79.3 billion from Hong Kong, which made up more than two-thirds of the US’ total de minimis imports, the Congressional Research Service said in a report published last week.
Removing the exemption means that goods from Shein, Temu and other Chinese cross-border e-commerce players will now be subject to US duties on Chinese imports – which already stood at more than 20 per cent in some industries and are set to rise by another 10 per cent following Trump’s latest executive order.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Henderson Land to launch 12 projects with 5,400 units this year, citing market optimism
By Salina Li
Henderson Land Development said it would launch 12 projects with 5,400 units this year, with the belief that home prices will rebound in the second half amid demand from buyers and lower interest rates.
Phase two of Belgravia Place in Cheung Sha Wan with 248 units was likely to be launched this month, said Thomas Lam Tat-man, general manager of the sales department.
A 300-unit project at Nam Kok Road in Kowloon City would be launched in the first quarter, according to Mark Hahn Ka-fai, another general manager of sales. In addition, a 2,060-unit development at 18 Shing Fung Road in Kai Tak would also be launched.
Other developments coming online include two phases with 881 units at 72 To Kwa Wan Road, 240 units at MidTown South phase C1 in Hung Hom, as well as a luxury project at 29A Lugard Road on The Peak.
Lam said housing demand was substantial and reduced rates would lead to lower mortgage repayments, allowing more investors to enter the market.
“It is expected that the first half of the year will be the starting point for the property market and it is likely that property prices will rebound from the second half,” he said, adding that the number of primary transactions was expected to reach 20,000 units this year.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Salina Li
Henderson Land Development said it would launch 12 projects with 5,400 units this year, with the belief that home prices will rebound in the second half amid demand from buyers and lower interest rates.
Phase two of Belgravia Place in Cheung Sha Wan with 248 units was likely to be launched this month, said Thomas Lam Tat-man, general manager of the sales department.
A 300-unit project at Nam Kok Road in Kowloon City would be launched in the first quarter, according to Mark Hahn Ka-fai, another general manager of sales. In addition, a 2,060-unit development at 18 Shing Fung Road in Kai Tak would also be launched.
Other developments coming online include two phases with 881 units at 72 To Kwa Wan Road, 240 units at MidTown South phase C1 in Hung Hom, as well as a luxury project at 29A Lugard Road on The Peak.
Lam said housing demand was substantial and reduced rates would lead to lower mortgage repayments, allowing more investors to enter the market.
“It is expected that the first half of the year will be the starting point for the property market and it is likely that property prices will rebound from the second half,” he said, adding that the number of primary transactions was expected to reach 20,000 units this year.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Panama court urged to cancel Hong Kong firm’s canal contract amid Trump threat
By Agence France-Presse
Two Panamanian lawyers filed a complaint on Monday to cancel the concession of a Hong Kong-based company for operating two ports on the Panama Canal, following US President Donald Trump’s threats to seize the vital waterway.
A subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings – owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing – manages two of the canal’s five ports, an arrangement in place since 1997 via a concession from the Panama government.
But Norman Castro, one of the lawyers in the case brought before the Supreme Court, told reporters the contract “violates what the constitution says in about 10 articles”.
“After a detailed analysis of the contract … we decided that an action for unconstitutionality was the appropriate means” to challenge the concession, said Julio Macias, another lawyer behind the suit.
The complaint also accuses the Hong Kong subsidiary of not paying taxes and benefits due to a series of advantages that are allegedly against the law.
Panama Ports Company – a CK Hutchison Holdings subsidiary – currently manages the ports of Cristobal on the canal’s Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific side.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Agence France-Presse
Two Panamanian lawyers filed a complaint on Monday to cancel the concession of a Hong Kong-based company for operating two ports on the Panama Canal, following US President Donald Trump’s threats to seize the vital waterway.
A subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings – owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing – manages two of the canal’s five ports, an arrangement in place since 1997 via a concession from the Panama government.
But Norman Castro, one of the lawyers in the case brought before the Supreme Court, told reporters the contract “violates what the constitution says in about 10 articles”.
“After a detailed analysis of the contract … we decided that an action for unconstitutionality was the appropriate means” to challenge the concession, said Julio Macias, another lawyer behind the suit.
The complaint also accuses the Hong Kong subsidiary of not paying taxes and benefits due to a series of advantages that are allegedly against the law.
Panama Ports Company – a CK Hutchison Holdings subsidiary – currently manages the ports of Cristobal on the canal’s Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific side.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Barbie ‘Big S’ Hsu’s family to bring ashes back to Taiwan on Thursday
By Jess Ma
The ashes of recently deceased Taiwanese host and actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan will reportedly be brought home from Japan on Thursday by her husband and younger sister.
Taiwanese media also reported on Tuesday that Hsu, 48, already suffered flu symptoms during her family trip to Japan before she succumbed to pneumonia.
Hsu’s husband Koo Jun-yup and sister Dee Hsu, also known as “Little S”, will bring back the ashes of the actress to Taiwan on February 6 following cremation in Japan, while Hsu’s mother will fly home on Tuesday, according to local media.
Hsu’s death, confirmed by her family on Monday, shocked fans around the world. She became a household name in Hong Kong and across Asia for her starring role in the 2001 television drama Meteor Garden.
A screenshot allegedly from a tour guide for Hsu’s family circulated online on Tuesday, saying the actress had begun to show flu symptoms four days before her death.
Taiwanese outlet EBC News reported based on the screenshot that the alleged tour guide said Hsu had begun coughing and displaying asthma symptoms on January 29 and did not leave a hotel for the next two days.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Jess Ma
The ashes of recently deceased Taiwanese host and actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan will reportedly be brought home from Japan on Thursday by her husband and younger sister.
Taiwanese media also reported on Tuesday that Hsu, 48, already suffered flu symptoms during her family trip to Japan before she succumbed to pneumonia.
Hsu’s husband Koo Jun-yup and sister Dee Hsu, also known as “Little S”, will bring back the ashes of the actress to Taiwan on February 6 following cremation in Japan, while Hsu’s mother will fly home on Tuesday, according to local media.
Hsu’s death, confirmed by her family on Monday, shocked fans around the world. She became a household name in Hong Kong and across Asia for her starring role in the 2001 television drama Meteor Garden.
A screenshot allegedly from a tour guide for Hsu’s family circulated online on Tuesday, saying the actress had begun to show flu symptoms four days before her death.
Taiwanese outlet EBC News reported based on the screenshot that the alleged tour guide said Hsu had begun coughing and displaying asthma symptoms on January 29 and did not leave a hotel for the next two days.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Flu jab inquiries, bookings rise in Hong Kong after death of Barbie Hsu
By Elizabeth CheungWilliam Yiu
Hong Kong clinics have received a surge in inquiries and bookings for influenza jabs following the death of popular Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan, who died from pneumonia after contracting flu.
Hsu’s death, which was publicly revealed on Monday and happened while she was travelling in Japan with her family, not only sent shock waves through the Chinese-speaking world, but also appeared to prompt more Hongkongers to get flu vaccinations.
Family medicine specialist Dr Angus Chan Ming-wai said there had been an increase in the number of people making inquiries and appointments for flu jabs at his private practice since the news had broken.
“There were already around a dozen inquiries so far [on Tuesday morning],” Chan said, adding they included those making bookings for the next few days.
He recalled that there were no inquiries around the same time in previous years, as people who routinely got vaccinated usually did so much earlier.
There were, however, some who “made a last-minute effort as they don’t find it a [priority] issue if nothing happens,” Chan said of those who got vaccinated later.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Elizabeth CheungWilliam Yiu
Hong Kong clinics have received a surge in inquiries and bookings for influenza jabs following the death of popular Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan, who died from pneumonia after contracting flu.
Hsu’s death, which was publicly revealed on Monday and happened while she was travelling in Japan with her family, not only sent shock waves through the Chinese-speaking world, but also appeared to prompt more Hongkongers to get flu vaccinations.
Family medicine specialist Dr Angus Chan Ming-wai said there had been an increase in the number of people making inquiries and appointments for flu jabs at his private practice since the news had broken.
“There were already around a dozen inquiries so far [on Tuesday morning],” Chan said, adding they included those making bookings for the next few days.
He recalled that there were no inquiries around the same time in previous years, as people who routinely got vaccinated usually did so much earlier.
There were, however, some who “made a last-minute effort as they don’t find it a [priority] issue if nothing happens,” Chan said of those who got vaccinated later.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Trump tariffs push gold prices to record high as investors seek safe haven
By Alice Li
Gold prices surged to a record high on Monday as investors sought out safe-haven assets amid uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and lingering inflation concerns.
The price of international spot gold rose 0.57 per cent to US$2,813.34 per ounce on Monday, after reaching a record high of US$2,830.49 earlier in the session.
The upwards trend continued into Tuesday, with gold trading at US$2,819.46 per ounce by the morning.
In China, gold product prices have also been rising since the beginning of the year, with major jewellery brands such as Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang reporting prices at over 850 yuan per gram (US$3,325 per ounce) on Tuesday.
“The trade disputes have significantly heightened market risk aversion, driving gold prices to new highs,” Citic Securities analysts said in a research note on Monday. “We believe that further intensification of trade tensions will continue to serve as a catalyst for gold prices.”
Central banks around the world – including those of China, Russia, India and the United Arab Emirates – have been increasing their gold reserves in recent months, but demand for safe-haven assets began to spike after Trump announced on Saturday that the US would impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Alice Li
Gold prices surged to a record high on Monday as investors sought out safe-haven assets amid uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and lingering inflation concerns.
The price of international spot gold rose 0.57 per cent to US$2,813.34 per ounce on Monday, after reaching a record high of US$2,830.49 earlier in the session.
The upwards trend continued into Tuesday, with gold trading at US$2,819.46 per ounce by the morning.
In China, gold product prices have also been rising since the beginning of the year, with major jewellery brands such as Chow Tai Fook and Chow Sang Sang reporting prices at over 850 yuan per gram (US$3,325 per ounce) on Tuesday.
“The trade disputes have significantly heightened market risk aversion, driving gold prices to new highs,” Citic Securities analysts said in a research note on Monday. “We believe that further intensification of trade tensions will continue to serve as a catalyst for gold prices.”
Central banks around the world – including those of China, Russia, India and the United Arab Emirates – have been increasing their gold reserves in recent months, but demand for safe-haven assets began to spike after Trump announced on Saturday that the US would impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Will India’s Harley Davidson-linked tariff cut rev up Modi-Trump talks?
By Biman Mukherji
India’s move to slash tariffs on goods ranging from electronics to Harley-Davidson motorcycles is seen as New Delhi paving the ground to ease trade tensions with Washington ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US for talks with President Donald Trump.
Delhi lowered tariffs on goods in the federal government’s budget on Saturday, reducing the average import duty by one percentage point to 10.66 per cent.
Among them are 1,600cc engine motorcycles – a category dominated by heavyweight touring and cruiser bikes, which are Harley-Davidson’s speciality. Tariffs on fully built imported motorcycles were reduced to 30 per cent from 50 per cent. The move should benefit the American company and help it sell more motorcycles to India, analysts said.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles were highlighted by Trump in 2023 when he criticised India’s high tariff structures, citing the duties imposed on the vehicles made by the US company as an example.
Modi is set to make a two-day visit to the US from February 12 and hold talks with Trump on issues ranging from trade to defence, a Press Trust of India report said on Monday.
Analysts said Delhi’s measure was aimed at fending off the threat of higher US tariffs similar to those recently imposed on Canada, Mexico and China. On Monday, Trump decided to hold off on the tariffs against Canada and Mexico for 30 days after both countries agreed to bolster security along their borders with the US.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Biman Mukherji
India’s move to slash tariffs on goods ranging from electronics to Harley-Davidson motorcycles is seen as New Delhi paving the ground to ease trade tensions with Washington ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US for talks with President Donald Trump.
Delhi lowered tariffs on goods in the federal government’s budget on Saturday, reducing the average import duty by one percentage point to 10.66 per cent.
Among them are 1,600cc engine motorcycles – a category dominated by heavyweight touring and cruiser bikes, which are Harley-Davidson’s speciality. Tariffs on fully built imported motorcycles were reduced to 30 per cent from 50 per cent. The move should benefit the American company and help it sell more motorcycles to India, analysts said.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles were highlighted by Trump in 2023 when he criticised India’s high tariff structures, citing the duties imposed on the vehicles made by the US company as an example.
Modi is set to make a two-day visit to the US from February 12 and hold talks with Trump on issues ranging from trade to defence, a Press Trust of India report said on Monday.
Analysts said Delhi’s measure was aimed at fending off the threat of higher US tariffs similar to those recently imposed on Canada, Mexico and China. On Monday, Trump decided to hold off on the tariffs against Canada and Mexico for 30 days after both countries agreed to bolster security along their borders with the US.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
