Hong Kong facing ‘challenges' of rising unilateralism, Beijing official warns
The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses 'a certain amount of challenges' to Hong Kong's development, Beijing's top envoy in the city has said, while urging youngsters to embrace patriotism.
Cui Jianchun, the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry's office in Hong Kong, said on Saturday that some 'large countries' were obsessed with putting themselves first, imposing unilateral sanctions and threatening the use of tariffs.
'Hong Kong is currently in a new stage of going from stability to prosperity, where there are infinite opportunities. At the same time, the world is facing major changes not seen in a century,' he said at the Hong Kong Cup Diplomatic Knowledge Contest.
'Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, which brings a certain amount of challenges to Hong Kong's development.'
Cui urged the city's youth to 'take up responsibility for their home soil' amid the 'current situation'.
'They should also have a sense of home and country so they can find their way among the changes happening in the world,' he said.
Hong Kong has been caught in the crossfire of US-China tensions, with the city feeling the effects of many of the measures imposed by US President Donald Trump in his tariff war with Beijing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
38 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Ombudsman sets a new year zero by removing reports from website
The need to better protect official archives and ensure public access to them has long been recognised in Hong Kong. Unlike other parts of the world, the city lacks a law providing clear rules for the safeguarding of records. But despite a public consultation in 2018, progress has not been made. The calls for an archives law have, in the past, been supported by the Office of the Ombudsman, the watchdog tasked with supervising the government and guarding against maladministration. Last year, the body celebrated its 35th anniversary with an international conference. Ombudsman Jack Chan Jick-chi spoke of the body's mission to 'propel administrative fairness, accountability and transparency'. One of the watchdog's values is 'making ourselves accessible and accountable to the public'. It is, therefore, a concern that it has removed content dating back years, including investigation reports, from its website. New arrangements introduced last month make public access to these valuable resources much more difficult. Only records published since April 2023 remain on the website. A new year zero has been set. The watchdog said the removed records were no longer up to date and might even be misleading, adding that they 'no longer reflect the current situation'. This is not a convincing explanation. Historical records, naturally, reflect the position at the time.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
China slams US ‘political manipulation' as research pair face fungus smuggling charge
China has condemned 'political manipulation' by the United States and its 'overstretched concept of national security', days after two Chinese researchers were charged with illegally importing a toxic fungus described by US authorities as a 'dangerous biological pathogen'. The Chinese Consulate in Chicago said in a statement on Saturday that it was seeking information about the case and had lodged a 'stern representation' with the US side. This comes after the US Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that Chinese citizens Jian Yunqing , 33, a research fellow at the University of Michigan, and her boyfriend, Liu Zunyong, 34, had been accused of attempting to smuggle the fungus pathogen Fusarium graminearum into the country last year. They allegedly planned to carry out research on the material at a University of Michigan laboratory where Jian worked. In its statement, the consulate said: 'The Chinese government has always required Chinese citizens abroad to strictly abide by local laws and regulations, including those related to entry and exit. 'At the same time, China lawfully safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens overseas and firmly opposes the US side's political manipulation of the case under the pretext of ideology and an overstretched concept of national security.'
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
US-China trade talks round 2 in London ‘positive step' but rough road ahead: analysts
US-China trade talks in London next week would signal positive development in ties but the negotiations would not be easy, observers said. Meanwhile, Chinese state media reaction to the expected talks was muted, with commentaries reminding the US to honour its pledges while asserting Beijing's red lines. On Friday, a day after his much-anticipated phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump announced that a new round of high-level bilateral meetings were due to take place in the British capital. 'I am pleased to announce that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal,' Trump wrote on his social media platform. 'The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' During their phone conversation on Thursday – the first since Trump returned to the White House in January – the two leaders agreed to advance talks aimed at resolving trade disputes between the world's two largest economies.
