Latest news with #EdmondSo
South China Morning Post
03-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Homebuyers flock to SHKP's new batch of Sierra Sea flats on sale as demand remains strong
Demand for flats at Sierra Sea , a mega residential project of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) in the New Territories, remained strong for the second consecutive weekend, as homebuyers took advantage of discounted prices that are about 20 per cent lower than those of similar properties in the district. Advertisement As of 12pm on Saturday, Hong Kong's largest property developer already sold 123 of the second batch of 288 new flats put up for sale at Sierra Sea, according to property agents. That comes a week after homebuyers snapped up all 318 of the first batch of flats made available by SHKP. In total, the developer has sold more than 400 Sierra Sea flats that it has put for sale since April 26. 'The project is so popular primarily because of its low price, which is 20 per cent cheaper than other properties in the same district,' said Sammy Po Siu-ming, chief executive of Midland Realty's residential division. 'Everyone believes the project has great potential for appreciation.' The flats on sale this weekend – ranging in size from 301 sq ft to 702 sq ft – include 39 one-bedroom, 170 two-bedroom and 79 three-bedroom units. Prices for these units cost from HK$3.27 million to HK$8.99 million (US$422,000 to US$1.16 million), while the price per square foot is between HK$9,992 and HK$13,533. A general view of Sun Hung Kai Properties' new Sierra Sea residential development at Sai Sha in the New Territories. Photo: Edmond So About 20 to 40 per cent of the prospective homebuyers of Sierra Sea flats are from mainland China, according to property agents.
South China Morning Post
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet the young women leaping to prominence in Hong Kong's lion dance scene
On a weekday night, beneath the gritty underbelly of a bypass in Hong Kong's Tai Kok Tsui area in Kowloon, two lions – one clad in green and the other in purple – hop up and down a metal platform, their bright manes swaying with each movement. Advertisement Manoeuvring under these vibrant costumes are four young women – a rarity in the city's lion dance scene – who have dedicated over half their lives to this traditional art form. They are the Kwok's Girls, female members of the Kwok's Kung Fu and Dragon Lion Dance Team, which was founded in 1969. Between the working hours of their day jobs, they practice at least once a week. The girls have gained a notable online presence in recent years. One of their videos gained two million views on their Instagram page, which has more than 30,000 followers. Lion dancers stretch. In the past, women were not allowed to become lion dancers. The lion and dragon costumes were consecrated, and females were seen as 'unclean' in certain Chinese religions and forbidden to touch holy items. Photo: Edmond So Their videos have shone a spotlight on the blood, sweat and tears that go into the practice of this distinctive and difficult art form. In one clip, one of the girls lifted another above her head and did three spins, while another showed two coordinated performers leaping from one tall pole to another.
South China Morning Post
18-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Mainland manufacturers at Hong Kong trade show look to Middle East as US tariffs bite
Mainland Chinese manufacturers at a trade show in Hong Kong have been keen to diversify their markets towards the Middle East to mitigate the impact of the intensifying trade war. Advertisement More than 150,000 products were on display at the second phase of the Global Sources Hong Kong Shows held at the AsiaWorld-Expo from Friday to Monday, spanning categories such as mobile electronics, smart homes and lifestyle. Among them was Doogee, a mainland manufacturer specialising in rugged smartphones designed to withstand extreme weather and rough environments, which said it was looking to diversify its markets amid the tariff war. The firm cited one of their bestsellers – the S200X model – as an example. Priced at about US$300, the phone is compatible with the AI system developed by Google Gemini and different models support features such as projectors. 'Europe accounts for 60 per cent of our market, and the US 20 per cent,' Yuki Zhu, a spokeswoman for the company, said. 'We're looking at the Middle Eastern market to lessen the reliance on the US market. We export 200,000 tablets to the region every year.' More than 150,000 products are showcased at the Global Sources Hong Kong Trade Show 2025 at Asia World-Expo. Photo: Edmond So US President Donald Trump had imposed cumulative tariffs of 145 per cent on all Chinese goods over several rounds, with the White House also revealing the figure to be as high as 245 per cent on some goods.
South China Morning Post
15-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's first-quarter home purchase forfeitures drop in boost for market sentiment
Wavering sentiment in Hong Kong's residential property market appears to have stabilised, as prices have declined far enough to persuade more buyers to follow through with their commitments, according to one of the city's largest networks of sales agents. Advertisement Forfeitures of deposits, a proxy for homebuyers' confidence, declined to 83 cases in the first three months of this year, a 20 per cent drop from the 104 cases in the last quarter of 2024, according to Centaline. The figure fell 47 per cent year on year, the agency said. Confidence was bolstered by a policy last year by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to relax mortgage requirements for buyers of in-progress flats, which reduced the risk that the buyers would forego the initial deposits placed at the peak of the market, said Yeung Ming-yee, a senior associate director at Centaline. The policy, introduced in December, was a one-off scheme to allow buyers who had bought under-construction homes during the market peak to pay in stages, thus easing their financial burden. Under the plan, banks may lend up to 80 per cent the value of the homes, while the debt-servicing ratio is adjusted to 60 per cent from 50 per cent. Potential buyers at the sales office of State Pavilia project developed by New World Development at K11 Atelier in North Point on February 15. Photo: Edmond So The scheme covered uncompleted homes for self-occupation sold between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023, where the buyer had paid more than the valuation for the property.
South China Morning Post
05-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Tennis' version of rugby's Hong Kong Sevens? New beach tournament spreads word
Hong Kong's first international beach tennis tournament sanctioned by the sport's global governing body began on Friday, with 28 nationalities represented and comparisons drawn with the spirit of the city's world-renowned rugby sevens showpiece. Advertisement Organisers hope that the debut edition in Discovery Bay can stimulate interest in a similarly fast-paced variant on a traditional game and be a stepping stone to staging higher-level International Tennis Federation (ITF) events. Arnault Brac de la Perriere, unofficially the city's leading player, was responsible for making ITF Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong happen. He said the aim was to generate a little of the party atmosphere, and tap into the accessibility, of the shortened form of rugby, as seen days earlier during the Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium. 'I see the joy that people get, it's really like rugby sevens,' he said. 'You have the stadium, a big party and the best players in the world coming.' Arnault Brac de la Perriere on court at Beach Tennis World Tour Hong Kong in Discovery Bay. Photo: Edmond So Getting the event off the ground was the culmination of three years of work, and the end goal is to bring a grand slam tournament to town, said Brac de la Perriere, who hails from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and moved to Hong Kong 20 years ago.
