Latest news with #JohnLeeKa-chiu
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Hong Kong leader vows to make city 'preferred destination' after 12% surge in tourists
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to adopt innovative thinking to make the city a "preferred travel destination", following a 12% increase in tourist arrivals during the first half of the year. Latest figures by the Hong Kong Tourism Board showed that the city welcomed about 3.48 million visitors in June, bringing the total number from January to June to more than 23.6 million, a 12% year-on-year increase. Three-quarters of the arrivals, or 17.8 million, came from mainland China. The board said on Saturday that about 5.84 million visitors arrived from the rest of the world, marking a 17% increase compared with the same period last year. "Visitors from most short-haul markets, including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, increased by at least 25% year on year," it said. "Among long-haul markets, Australia recorded a notable growth of 33% year on year." In a Facebook post, Lee attributed the tourism boom partly to a string of arts, cultural and sports mega-events. He also pointed to the opening of Kai Tak Sports Park, the city's newest hub for world-class concerts and sporting events. "Achieving such remarkable results amid fierce competition with neighbouring regions is no small feat, reflecting Hong Kong's appealing 'East-meets-West' tourism elements and its growing attractiveness in the international tourism market," the chief executive said. Lee also promised that his government would strive to keep its finger on the pulse of the market and adopt more "innovative thinking to make Hong Kong a preferred tourist destination". "We will keep creating tourist attractions and organising mega-events, offering different activities every day to attract visitors from around the world to Hong Kong," he said. Last year, Hong Kong received 44.5 million visitors, up 30.9% from 2023. Roughly 76% of them arrived from the mainland. Those from other short-haul markets, excluding the mainland and Macau, grew by 53.4% year on year, while those from long-haul markets saw a 50.9% year-on-year jump in 2024. The city welcomed a record 65 million visitors in 2018. But the tourism sector has since been hit by Covid-19. Although inbound tourism has started to recover since the pandemic, the composition of mainland tourists has changed, with many spending less than before.
South China Morning Post
20-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Happiness in Hong Kong must be the focus, along with civil service efficiency
Poised to deliver his fourth policy address in September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is gearing up to show that his administration is delivering on his ' result-oriented ' leadership. This may be the reason he revealed last month that the government was considering a new accountability system for senior officials. Advertisement Lee seems to have started paving the way for the proposed reform around the time the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development released its World Competitiveness Ranking in June. Hong Kong made it back into the top three for the first time since 2019, ranking third. Lee quickly took credit for the city scoring 99.2 out of 100 by attributing the rise in the ranking to enhanced efficiency due to his civil service reforms. It's worth noting the survey ranked Hong Kong second on government efficiency, beaten only by Switzerland. It may be quite a leap to conclude that increased government efficiency came from civil service reforms. The institute ranked Hong Kong first for tax policy and business legislation. We ranked sixth in public finance, 10th in institutional framework and 30th for societal framework. These are all factors that the institute considers when scoring for government efficiency. Switzerland, meanwhile, is first in institutional framework and fourth in societal framework. Singapore, which came in second overall, is second in institutional framework and 12th in societal framework. Advertisement Institutional framework takes into account the adaptability and stability of government policy, and this is where I believe Lee is looking to improve. While Lee framed Hong Kong's ranking as being the result of civil service reforms, recall that Hong Kong ranked first in government efficiency from 2019 to 2021.
The Star
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
AI porn case student facing criminal probe by Hong Kong privacy watchdog
Law student at the University of Hong Kong is accused of using AI to generate pornographic images of classmates and other women. — SCMP Hong Kong's privacy watchdog has started a criminal investigation into a university student accused of using AI to generate pornographic images of classmates and other women, while the city's leader has pledged to examine regulations elsewhere and look for 'best practices'. A spokesman for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data warned on July 15 that anyone who disclosed another person's information without their consent with the intent to harm or with reckless disregard for potential harm could be criminally liable. 'The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has begun a criminal investigation into the said matter. We have no further comments at this stage,' the spokesman said. The case centres on a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student who received a warning from the institution after he was found to have used AI to generate explicit images. Three of the victims made public their accusations against the student referred to as 'X' in social media posts on Saturday as they alleged the university had not done enough to hold the man accountable. The trio said they had no plans to report the incident to police, as they had learned that 'such acts had not been regulated by the local criminal framework'. Weighing in on the case on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu called on institutions to deal with students' misconduct seriously, saying any illegal acts should also be reported to law enforcement agencies. Lee pointed to current legislation such as the Crimes Ordinance, which covered Internet activities and countered threats to publish intimate images without consent and access to a computer with dishonest content. But he conceded that artificial intelligence (AI) was an emerging technology that was evolving 'very rapidly', with new capabilities and developments appearing in a very short period of time. 'The government will closely monitor the situation regarding the fast development and application of AI, examine global regulatory trends, and conduct in-depth research into international best practices to see what we should do in regard to the case,' Lee said before his weekly meeting with the government's top decision-making Executive Council. He warned that any conduct that caused harm to others could constitute a criminal offence and infringe individual rights and privacy. 'Universities should deal with student misconduct seriously,' he said, stressing that institutions were responsible not only for imparting knowledge but also for cultivating students' moral character. 'While some misconduct may be dealt with under internal university rules, any act that may [run] counter [to] the law should be reported to law enforcement agencies for action.' In their earlier statement on social media, the three victims said a friend of X had discovered pornographic images of multiple women on his personal laptop in mid-February. When questioned, X admitted he had used photos of the victims – mainly screenshots from social media – as material to generate pornographic images using free online AI software. But questions have been raised about whether he can be charged under the law as the city's regulations covered acts of voyeurism and the publication or distribution of images – rather than just their creation. The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau earlier said that existing laws would be reviewed if necessary. HKU said on Monday that it was conducting a review of the incident and pledged to take further action after several victims demanded that more be done. In a letter addressed to students of HKU's law faculty on Sunday, dean Fu Hualing expressed his 'deepest concern' regarding the incident that involved 'offensive, abusive and deplorable' behaviour. 'The faculty unequivocally condemns all forms of gender discrimination, harassment, and misconduct,' he said, vowing to conduct a thorough review of the case and take appropriate action to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all students and staff. Acknowledging the challenges created by emerging AI tools in the school environment, he said the faculty had been working closely with the university to review and strengthen existing policies and outreach efforts to address the issue. – South China Morning Post
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong docks in Hong Kong for ceremony
July 3 (UPI) -- Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong docked at Victoria Harbour for a ceremony on Thursday. The task force was welcomed with a ceremony held by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government at the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks as Shandong (Hull 17), guided missile destroyers Yan'an (Hull 106) and Zhanijiang (Hull 165), and guided missile frigate Yuncheng (Hull 571) arrived in Hong Kong. "This visit represents national defense and security safeguarding high-quality development, demonstrating that national security is rock-solid," said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. Lee noted how this visit served as a reminder that the country's stability and prosperity "has not come easily." From July 4 to 6, the warships will be open to visitors to explore areas, view fighter jets and helicopters, and see training displays. "This visit by the Shandong fleet will allow Hong Kong residents to personally experience the magnificence and advanced nature of the nation's modern naval vessels and gain a deeper understanding of the achievements of national defense modernization," Lee said. Helicopters flew above the fleet as a fireboat sprayed water to welcome them. Jets were on Shandong's deck with personnel in white suits arranged to write out "with national security, our homes are safe," in Chinese characters. Fans from across the border traveled to Hong Kong in order to see a glimpse of the fleet's arrival. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The Star
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
John Lee vows to be ‘reformer' as Hong Kong shows benefits of security to world
Hong Kong's leader has vowed his team will be 'reformers' who rise to challenges rather than become 'complacent idlers', pledging to seize development opportunities to let the city showcase 'the certainties of safety and stability' the world needs in the face of geopolitical tensions, as he enters his fourth year in office. In a speech to mark the 28th anniversary of the city's handover to Chinese rule on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu laid down three governance priorities: boosting development backed by security; expediting the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with mainland China; and improving residents' livelihoods. The day's celebrations began with a flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in the morning, followed by a reception where Lee gave the keynote address. Throughout the day, residents and tourists took advantage of free museum visits, complimentary transport rides and discounted meals as part of the government-coordinated festivities. Authorities also adorned the city with 130,000 decorations, including national and city flags. But some residents chose to spend the public holiday in Shenzhen, disappointing some restaurants in Hong Kong. In his speech, Lee reaffirmed his determination to undertake reforms, pledging to fully seize opportunities to demonstrate 'the certainties of safety and stability' that the world needed. He cited a Chinese saying that described a hard task becoming easy through determined effort and an easy task growing difficult due to inaction. 'We would rather be reformers who rise to challenges than become complacent idlers,' Lee said at a reception held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. 'Amid an ever-changing geopolitical landscape and constantly increasing uncertainties, Hong Kong is able to showcase exactly to the world the certainties of safety, stability and development opportunities. These are precisely what the world needs and seeks.' Hong Kong had been 'a place where national and global opportunities converge', he said, adding that the chances available to Hong Kong still outweighed the challenges it faced amid economic restructuring, thanks to the advantages of the 'one country, two systems' governing principle. 'As long as we are determined to fully seize the opportunities, keep enhancing our value and competitiveness, undertake reforms for progress and foster innovation, I am confident the wisdom and experience of the people of Hong Kong will help our 'Pearl of the Orient' shine brighter than ever on the world stage,' Lee said. Elaborating on his three priorities, Lee vowed to safeguard 'high-quality development' with 'high-level security', stressing the city would remain vigilant in safeguarding national security and fully seize national opportunities as it fostered economic growth. The government would also help companies upgrade their operations and expand in domestic and overseas markets, as well as introduce new technologies and industries to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, he said. 'We will deepen international exchanges and cooperation, explore new markets and opportunities, bolster the provision of extensive supply chain services, and expand and strengthen regional trade with the aim of offsetting the risk of over-reliance on a single market in business trade,' Lee said. Lee also pledged to speed up the development of the Northern Metropolis, a project near the border with the mainland that aims to turn 30,000 hectares (74,130 acres) of land in the northern New Territories into an economic powerhouse and housing hub. 'By introducing new concepts and new methods, removing potential barriers and leveraging market forces, we aim to enhance the speed and efficiency of developing the Northern Metropolis, the San Tin Technopole and the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone,' he said. The government would focus on attracting top scientific research talent from around the world in a bid to promote the city as a hub for high-calibre talent, he added. Lee also said his administration would in the coming years 'proactively' improve Hongkongers' livelihoods in areas such as housing, health, education, welfare and overall quality of life, while pressing ahead with various railway projects. 'We will remain committed to the strategy of targeted poverty alleviation, focusing on directing resources to those most in need,' he said. Looking back on his three years in office, the city leader said he had built a 'result-oriented' government and 'rebuilt a safe Hong Kong' by enacting the domestic national security law. He also said his team had attracted more than 210,000 high-quality migrants and 84 strategic enterprises to Hong Kong, enhanced the competitiveness of the financial sector and shortened the waiting time for public housing by more than nine months to 5.3 years, among other achievements. The event at the convention centre was also attended by the central government's top representatives in the city, including new liaison office director Zhou Ji, Beijing's Office for Safeguarding National Security head Dong Jingwei, and Cui Jianchun – the nation's top diplomat in Hong Kong. Police ramped up security at the site, as well as at some major tourist spots and in commercial districts. Other celebratory events included two major horse races at the Sha Tin Racecourse, which also featured live music, a fishing boat parade in Victoria Harbour and a fun run with participants carrying national and city flags. Since last Saturday, Lee has highlighted 'reforms' in all his speeches and social media posts marking the city's handover. Over the weekend, he posted two videos on social media, both using a metaphor 'from a cocoon to a butterfly' to underline the importance of seeking reforms. On Monday, he pledged to strive to reform for a more prosperous Hong Kong in a speech. On the same occasion on Monday, Zhou urged Hong Kong to further embrace reforms to broaden its economy. On Tuesday, Mao Ning, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted two photos on X: one showing masked protesters brandishing umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas in the 2019 protests and another dated 2025 showing national and city flags hanging between commercial buildings. She wrote that Hong Kong was 'headed to a brighter future of stability and prosperity'. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
