
Hong Kong flower market bustling on Mother's Day, but bargains bloom on mainland
Last-minute shoppers headed to a famous Hong Kong flower market on Sunday to pick up carnations and roses to celebrate Mother's Day, although some vendors expressed worries about increased competition from florists offering delivery from mainland China.
Advertisement
The Mong Kok Flower Market was bustling with activity throughout the day, pleasing some shops that said sales were higher than usual for the occasion.
But worries persisted over low-cost options available online from across the border, with speedy delivery making them a popular choice for Hongkongers.
Wen Chak Florist worker Jessie, who only gave her first name, said her shop had felt the impact of customers ordering fresh flowers directly from the mainland and she hoped the government could take measures to respond.
'There are so many advertisements on social media promoting flower transport across the border at very low prices,' she said.
Advertisement
'It feels unfair because they don't even have operating licences here, yet they can still sell flowers to Hong Kong customers. We have no way to compete with them in prices unless the government chooses to regulate this.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Asia is finally cool in the eyes of those who matter
The late Joseph Nye, who coined the term 'soft power' , often warned that US President Donald Trump's actions were harming America's reputation abroad. Meanwhile, perceptions of China and other Asian countries are on the rise. Could this indicate a shift towards the fabled ' Asian century '? More than a third of people in Southeast Asia were born since the beginning of the 21st century, amounting to more than 250 million people. As a result, none of them personally experienced the 1997 Asian financial crisis. A small minority encountered the September 11 attacks and the subsequent 'war on terror', while only a few can recall the 2008 global financial crisis. However, most of them have been directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic . Some have now entered the workforce and can afford to travel abroad. Many Southeast Asians consume a diverse range of foreign content and products online and offline. What does the world look like to them? Geopolitics is back and globalisation is no longer taken for granted. Meanwhile, regionalism might be stronger than ever, especially given Trump's 'America first' doctrine China is leading the way in shaping socioeconomic and political developments across Southeast Asia and beyond. Part of the reason for this is its Belt and Road Initiative , which has been instrumental in expanding its influence across different domains. This initiative encompasses physical and digital infrastructure, including roads, trains, bridges and the technological foundations for future connectivity such as 6G and beyond, which will power smart cities.


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump says his top economic officials will meet with China counterparts in London next week
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his top economic officials will meet with their Chinese counterparts next week to discuss trade, just days after he conducted a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping , and also reiterated that Beijing agreed to restart exports of critical minerals. '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 said on social media 'The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Already buoyed by a US jobs report on Friday that narrowly exceeded forecasts, stocks extended gains after Trump's announcement, with the benchmark S&P 500 index advancing by more than 1 per cent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gaining around 1.3 per cent. The talks planned for next week will come just four days after Trump held a phone call with Xi to discuss a frayed trading relationship before extending invitations to visit each other's capitals. 05:05 Trump and Xi discuss Taiwan, troubled US-China trade ties in call breaking stand-off Trump and Xi discuss Taiwan, troubled US-China trade ties in call breaking stand-off Trump said shortly after the call on Thursday that the exchange 'resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries'.


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Unitree eyes pre-IPO fundraising, valuing robot maker up to US$2 billion: report
Advertisement Hangzhou -based Unitree's latest financing initiative would value the company between 10 billion yuan and 15 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion and US$2.1 billion), Chinese digital media outlet Sohu Tech reported on Friday, citing sources. That would follow Unitree's restructuring last week, when it changed from a limited liability company into a joint stock limited firm, according to Chinese corporate database Tianyancha. A joint stock limited structure lets a company issue and transfer shares, allowing it to raise more capital as it scales up its operations. This move appears to put the firm another step closer to going public on mainland China's stock exchanges. In a letter to business partners, Unitree said the conversion into a joint stock limited company was done to address the firm's 'development needs', according to a report by the state-owned financial newspaper Securities Times. Advertisement Unitree did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday about its latest effort to generate new investment.