At least 5 dead, 6 missing after China chemical plant blast
Rescuers work at the explosion site of a chemical plant operated by Shandong Youdao Chemical in Gaomi, Shandong province, China May 27, 2025. (Reuters)
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South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Spark Study Buddy (Explorer): MacLehose Trail marker removal sparks safety fears
Content provided by British Council [1] A video has surfaced online showing a man removing a distance marker on Hong Kong's MacLehose Trail. The act has upset many internet users. They are concerned that his actions could pose risks for hikers who might need emergency assistance. [2] The 21-second clip has been widely shared on the Chinese social media platform RedNote. It shows a man pulling up marker No. 148 along the Tai Mo Shan trail. While speaking in Mandarin, he says something that can be translated as 'I easily handled the MacLehose Trail.' He then lifts the pole onto his shoulder and jogs a short distance. [3] The man in the video also says: 'Goodbye to this 148, don't even think about taking photos here; I'm taking it away.' Later in the clip, he returns the marker to its original position and says: 'That was too tiring'. [4] The user had recently posted content referencing the MacLehose Trail. But this clip raised safety concerns. Distance posts are important markers that help hikers understand where they are and ensure rescuers can locate them during emergencies. [5] The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department stated that it had immediately dispatched staff to the location upon learning of the incident. 'We discovered that the base of distance post number M148 was loose. We have cordoned off the post and will arrange for repairs and reinforcement as soon as possible,' a department spokesman said. 'Regarding the online video, the department will follow up and conduct an investigation.' [6] Intentionally or carelessly damaging any installations, including distance posts and fences managed by the department within country parks or special areas, is a criminal offence. One can be fined up to HK$2,000 (approximately US$257) and face up to three months in jail. Ongoing damage can lead to an additional HK$100 fine per day. [7] In recent years, Hong Kong's scenic hiking trails have become increasingly popular among visitors from mainland China. The MacLehose Trail stretches nearly 100km across the New Territories. Source: South China Morning Post, May 11 Questions 1. What does 'the act' in paragraph 1 refer to? 2. According to what the man says in paragraph 3, why did he return the marker? 3. One of the primary purposes of distance posts is for hikers to ..., according to paragraph 4. A. get help quickly B. take photographs C. take rest D. find out how far they have walked 4. In paragraph 5, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said post number M148 needs to be … and … . A. repair; reinforces B. repairing; reinforce C. repaired; reinforced D. repairs; reinforcement 5. What is the maximum amount of time a person could go to jail for purposely damaging trail markers, according to paragraph 6? 6. Based on paragraph 7, the MacLehose Trail is almost 100km … A. deep. B. high. C. wide. D. long. Distance markers are very important on hiking trails, and it is against the law to damage them. Photo: Handout Answers 1. A man removing a distance marker from Hong Kong's MacLehose Trail. 2. It was too tiring carrying it. (accept all similar answers) 3. A 4. C 5. three months 6. D
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Why Germany's leader called China's over Ukraine – and why it matters
In an era when diplomacy often postures as virtue signalling and foreign policy has grown allergic to nuance, Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has executed a move of startling clarity and daring. He called President Xi Jinping , not to lecture him on human rights or wave the banner of Western liberalism but to propose a deal: help end the war in Ukraine. Merz's appeal, couched in the anodyne language of international cooperation, was anything but soft. He told Xi that Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine has a bearing on Germany's national security and urged Beijing to throw its weight behind joint US-European efforts for a ceasefire. According to the read-out, the call included appeals to common cause on climate, trade, and stability, while Xi lauded the partnership between the two nations and emphasised the need for 'sound and stable' ties in a time of global flux. After all, Chinese-German trade volume alone accounted for around €246 billion (US$278 billion) last year. This was not a routine call, but a statement of doctrine that signals a conscious pivot from values-based idealism to strategic realism. In short, it was a turn to realpolitik in its purest, Bismarckian sense. The contrast with the previous German government could not be more striking. Under Olaf Scholz and his Green Party foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, Berlin embraced a high-minded but ultimately sterile approach to China. Baerbock called Xi a 'dictator' , while human rights advocates pushed Scholz to link Beijing's conduct in Xinjiang and Hong Kong to the future of Sino-German ties. The message was that Germany would engage China, but only on Europe's moral terms. Merz has rejected that framework. The tone has changed and the priorities have shifted. No lectures, no preconditions – just interests.
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Not mere pawns' in big power rivalry: Asean asserts agency at Shangri-La Dialogue
Asean defence chiefs emphasised individual agency at the Shangri-La Dialogue, after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Indo-Pacific allies to boost military spending and cooperation to counter what he called the 'real' threat posed by China. Among them was Philippine Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro Jnr, who asserted that his country, a US treaty ally, was not a mere pawn with 'no strategic agency'. Despite China's pursuit of being a superpower, 'we must not overemphasise this reality', Teodoro told a panel at Asia's premier annual security conference on Sunday. 'Doing so unfairly portrays [that] the legitimate actions taken by smaller states [are] being carried out at the behest of major powers, as if we were mere pawns with no strategic agency of our own,' he said, though he also highlighted a deficit of trust with Beijing. On Saturday, Hegseth had raised concerns over Taiwan and the South China Sea as he warned regional defence leaders of the possibly 'imminent' threat from Beijing. However, an observer said those views were unlikely to be fully endorsed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as they still faced economic uncertainties from steep US tariffs under President Donald Trump and sought to diversify trade ties away from the great powers.
