logo
Xia Baolong holds 3-hour closed-door talks with Hong Kong business leaders

Xia Baolong holds 3-hour closed-door talks with Hong Kong business leaders

Beijing's top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs held a three-hour closed-door discussion with local tycoons and business leaders on the third day of his inspection trip to the city on Friday.
Advertisement
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also visited Ocean Park in the afternoon before taking a boat trip to Lamma Island.
The exchanges on Friday morning, held at the government headquarters in Admiralty, marked the first time since last November that Xia had direct talks with local business elites in Shenzhen.
Tycoons at the meeting included Peter Lee Ka-kit, chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development; Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, chairman of Hopewell Holdings; Stephen Ng Tin-hoi, chairman and managing director of the Wharf Holdings; and Sonia Cheng Chi-man, executive director of New World Development.
Wingco Lo Kam-wing, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, and Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, were also among those seen streaming into the venue.
Xia Baolong meets the city's tycoons and other business leaders at government headquarters. Photo: Handout
Financial sector heavyweights, including Carlson Tong Ka-shing, chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, and Haywood Cheung Tak-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Gold Exchange, also showed up.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Central Asia friendship pact bolsters stability
Central Asia friendship pact bolsters stability

South China Morning Post

time44 minutes ago

  • South China Morning Post

Central Asia friendship pact bolsters stability

Amid wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and geopolitical tensions, Central Asia is a comparative oasis of peace, stability and cooperation. This was reflected this week in the second China-Central Asia Summit. Advertisement The six countries signed a landmark permanent friendship pact, and President Xi Jinping pledged 1.5 billion yuan (HK$1.6 billion) in livelihood and development assistance to China's five partners – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. China shares land borders with 14 neighbouring countries, and Central Asia is one of the least troublesome regions. In his keynote summit address, Xi stressed the need for cooperation amid global upheaval and transformation. Reiterating that there would be no winners in the tariff and trade war, he said: 'Supporters of protectionism and hegemonism will harm others and themselves.' The region, where Russia is historically dominant, is integral to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative global development strategy, evidenced by heavy investment in energy pipelines, infrastructure and mining projects. Expansion plans include renewable energy and sustainable development – a focus of Xi's talks with the leaders of the five states. He also defended multilateralism and the global trade order at meetings, reflecting China's efforts to position itself as a reliable trade partner. Advertisement Beijing sees terrorism, separatism and extremism as threats to national and regional security, and Xi returned to this theme repeatedly in meetings with leaders. Notwithstanding the historical emphasis on economic development in the region, China has expanded its security presence through joint counterterrorism exercises, training programmes and aid.

Bill finally regulating subdivided flats in Hong Kong calls for speedy passage
Bill finally regulating subdivided flats in Hong Kong calls for speedy passage

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

Bill finally regulating subdivided flats in Hong Kong calls for speedy passage

It is four years since Beijing's top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs called on the city to get rid of its notorious subdivided flats by 2049. Xia Baolong happened to be on an inspection tour of the city when the government finally outlined proposed legislation next month to regulate them. That it has taken this long says something about the complexity of reconciling so many people's needs for shelter with a decent standard of housing. Advertisement This is a step in the right direction of finally eradicating substandard housing infamous for its shoebox size, poor hygiene and safety hazards. Under the bill, expected to pass before the end of the current Legislative Council term in October, the authorities plan to enforce the new laws from 2027, plus a three-year grace period, with landlords able to register their subdivided flats for compliance with official standards as early as March next year. The government is to be commended for taking a pragmatic approach to an emotive issue for both landlords and tenants. Definition is important. Thanks to media-fuelled perceptions, subdivided flats are all overcrowded, unhygienic and unsafe homes. Defining characteristics include less than 80 sq ft of living space, and lack of a separate toilet and an external window. But there are better-quality examples and a market demand for them, in common with some other countries, including Japan. It would not take much to bring them up to standard. Advertisement To make the regulation work, the authorities had allowed a grace period beyond 2027 of three years, a Housing Bureau spokesman said. There would be relief from accreditation fees for early registration.

Why has China set up a new Hong Kong-based international mediation body?
Why has China set up a new Hong Kong-based international mediation body?

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

Why has China set up a new Hong Kong-based international mediation body?

China is seeking to become the chief architect of new models of global governance in the wake of the rapid retreat of the US from the international stage under Donald Trump, with Beijing saying the existing mechanisms do not properly represent the interests of developing nations. One striking example came last month when Beijing launched the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) , which it described as the world's first intergovernmental legal body dedicated to mediation that would help 'fill an institutional gap'. Placing the organisation in Hong Kong also sent a message to the world that the city is moving beyond its traditional image as a gateway to the mainland's economy and can play an increasingly political role as China's bridge to the Global South. A rare trip by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Hong Kong at the end of May for IOMed's convention signing ceremony also highlighted Beijing's ambition to reach out to developing countries as a way of enhancing its global prominence. 'Let's improve the participation of developing countries … and strengthen the representation and voice of the Global South in international governance,' Wang said during his speech at the signing ceremony. He added that the body was 'intended to fill a gap in the existing international mediation mechanisms and serve as an important rule-of-law public good for improving global governance'. 'Building IOMed is an important effort by China to participate in global governance and to expand multilateral mechanisms in action,' said Zhu Feng, the executive dean of Nanjing University's school of international studies.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store