3 in Hong Kong remanded in custody for allegedly seeking secession
national security law
National security police on Friday levelled a charge of conspiring to commit secession under the Beijing-imposed law, a day after
announcing their arrests and their alleged roles in the Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union.
The 15-year-old Secondary Three student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, courier Chan Tai-sum, 26, and waiter Ng Chi-tung, 25, were arrested between 11am and 4pm on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to subvert state power.
Police decided to charge the trio with conspiracy to commit secession after consulting with the Department of Justice.
A 47-year-old man also arrested in the action has been released on police bail without charge.
According to a charge sheet available for press inspection, the defendants had since November 6 last year conspired with others in an attempt to separate Hong Kong from mainland China and alter the city's legal status or 'surrender' the city to a foreign country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
US to release result of chip import investigation in 2 weeks
The Trump administration would announce the results of a national security investigation into imports of semiconductors in two weeks, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday, as President Donald Trump suggested higher tariffs were on the horizon. Lutnick told reporters after a meeting between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the investigation was one of the 'key reasons' the European Union sought to negotiate a broader trade agreement that would 'resolve all things at one time'. Trump said many companies would be investing in semiconductor manufacturing in the US, including some from Taiwan and other places, to avoid getting hit by new tariffs. He said von der Leyen had avoided the pending chips tariffs 'in a much better way'. Trump and von der Leyen announced a new framework trade agreement that included across-the-board 15 per cent tariffs on EU imports entering the US. Trump said the agreement included cars, which face a higher 25 per cent tariff under a separate sectoral tariff action.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's tech hub Shenzhen mandates leniency for innovators whose state-funded projects fail
Authorities in China's southern tech hub of Shenzhen have called for leniency towards innovators whose government-funded projects fail or do not pass evaluation. Advertisement The first policy statement of its kind from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission comes as China aims to cement the city's status as a hi-tech powerhouse and reduce reliance on foreign technology amid a sustained strategic rivalry with the United States. The new rules applied to all universities, hospitals and companies that undertake technical innovation with government financial aid, the commission said in a statement on its website last Monday. It said that if the mistakes did not involve misconduct, there was no abuse of power and the innovators took reasonable actions to correct the errors, then they should not be punished. The statement further listed scenarios where such exemptions could be made, such as goals stalled due to technical difficulties, products developed but rendered unviable due to market changes, or research remaining incomplete because of the need to explore new mechanisms, methods, models or technologies. Advertisement 'These units and individuals should not be held accountable, nor should their performance evaluations be affected. They should not be hindered from applying for government-funded scientific and technological projects again,' the document said. It urged that researchers be encouraged to 'boldly explore uncharted territories and strive to become creators of significant scientific achievements', as well as to set up a long-term mechanism to avoid losses caused by failed innovations.
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Vanuatu looks to Hong Kong to support digital finance plans, economic transformation
Vanuatu is seeking closer ties with Hong Kong to support its ambitions in digital finance and economic diversification as the South Pacific island nation positions itself as a gateway for collaboration between the Global South and Asia. Advertisement The country is entering a new era of economic stability with a renewed focus on infrastructure, digital transformation and international commercial engagement, according to Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Koanapo Rasou. 'We've gone through years of [political] instability, but now we have a government that's stable and serious,' he said in an interview with the Post in Hong Kong on Friday. 'We want to deepen our engagement, especially in digital finance. The goal is to create a well-regulated environment that allows responsible innovation, and Hong Kong is a role model in that space.' He said the government was building airports, upgrading roads and investing in new townships. More importantly, it had passed legislation to pursue its ambitions, including the country's first public-private partnership law and land reforms allowing investors to lease state-owned properties for up to 99 years from 75, he added. Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Koanapo Rasou says Vanuatu is ready to embrace more foreign investors. Photo: Edmond So 'I've come to Hong Kong to say Vanuatu is ready,' said Rasou, who is also the minister of finance and economic management. 'I feel it is the time to invite companies, investors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, across Asia, Europe and other places to come to Vanuatu and have meaningful commercial engagements.' Advertisement Vanuatu, a nation of about 330,000 people spread across an archipelago of 83 islands. To lay the digital groundwork, the government recently introduced the Virtual Assets Services Providers (VASP) Act, a legal framework aimed at regulating businesses involved in blockchain-based assets and stablecoins.
