Latest news with #MurrayMacLehose
South China Morning Post
23-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Others must step in if US abandons humanitarian aid legacy
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement As the date of the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon draws closer, my family feels forever grateful to Murray MacLehose, the former governor of Hong Kong, and Queen Elizabeth. They allowed my family to stay in a Hong Kong refugee camp after we fled Saigon on April 30, 1975, the last day of the Vietnam war. When I was four years old, my family was rescued by the Clara Maersk, a Danish cargo boat, which docked into Hong Kong harbour on May 4, 1975. In a moment of serendipity, Queen Elizabeth was making her first visit to Hong Kong as we arrived. On May 2, the Clara Maersk's captain Anton Olsen answered the mayday message of Captain Pham Ngoc Luy of the Truong Xuan cargo boat, which was sinking on the high seas. We were among the 3,628 refugees who had been squashed onto the Truong Xuan after we escaped the communist army as it advanced into Saigon on April 30. These captains are my heroes. Our journey from Saigon to Hong Kong took four days. According to Luy's memoir, the US 7th Fleet sailed by the Truong Xuan but was unable to help as the fleet was far away. My aunt, who was also on board the Truong Xuan, later told me that the US government helped pay the expenses for our journey, given that there were US allies – South Vietnamese army members – on board. I am grateful for the US' goodwill. Advertisement However, I have an ambivalent relationship with the United States. I love American culture, but I feel immense grief because the US war machine was so destructive to civilian lives during the war. Yet today, I hope the US will not fully withdraw its foreign aid for vulnerable people who face numerous illnesses. If there are gaps in US foreign aid, then I hope that Europe and Australia can contribute to programmes.
South China Morning Post
21-04-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
When the Terracotta Army came to Hong Kong
'The publisher of a local leftwing newspaper [Ta Kung Pao], Mr Fei Yi-ming, who was recently elected a Standing Committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Peking, is to head an eight-member committee to supervise the work on next month's exhibition in Hongkong of archaeological finds from China ,' reported the South China Morning Post on March 25, 1978. 'In all, 99 items unearthed in 14 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China since 1949 will be on display, according to a press release.' The South China Morning Post reports on the coming exhibition on March 25, 1978. Photo: SCMP Archives On April 18, the Post detailed 'some of the wonders of ancient China […] put on show in Hongkong yesterday and among those who went along to see them were the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose , and Lady MacLehose. They were attending the preview of the exhibition […] held at the Chinese Export Commodities Exhibition Hall in Star House'. Governor Sir Murray MacLehose (third from right), Lady MacLehose (fourth from right) and Wang Yeh-chiu (second from right), director of China's Cultural Relics Administrative Bureau, looking at the famed jade suit during the Star House exhibition in 1978. Photo: SCMP Archives 'About a quarter of the exhibits have never been shown outside China before. They include several bronze artefacts of the Shang dynasty and pottery warriors of the Chin [Qin] dynasty . During the Shang dynasty (13th century BC), tremendous advancement was made in bronze casting and this is well illustrated by the bronze wine vessels on show. Advertisement Three life-size terracotta warriors of the Chin (Qin) dynasty displayed at the Exhibition of Chinese Archaeological Finds held at Star House in 1978. Photo: SCMP Archives On June 6, the Post reported that 'the 48-day of exhibition of Chinese archaeological finds ended yesterday with record-breaking crowds. A spokesman for the exhibition's organisers said more than 11,800 people viewed the cultural relics yesterday, the highest number for a single day. 'More than 258,000 people have seen the exhibition since it opened on April 18, the spokesman said. 'The entire exhibit will be taken back to China and items will be returned to the many provincial museums from where they came.'
South China Morning Post
27-01-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong aviation milestones, including the first ever night flight
Discover some the pivotal moments from the South China Morning Post archives covering Hong Kong's aviation history, from Concorde's supersonic debut in 1976 to the arrival of Cathay Pacific's first Boeing 747. Explore landmark events such as Cathay Pacific's first night flight, the fierce rivalry sparked by Dragonair's launch and the rise, and rapid fall, of Oasis Hong Kong Airlines. 1. When Concorde first landed in Hong Kong in 1976 it brought Imelda Marcos on a shopping trip In November 1976, Concorde made its historic first landing in Hong Kong, marking the dawn of supersonic travel in Asia. Thousands descended on Kai Tak Airport to witness the iconic jet's arrival from the Philippines which took a mere 51 minutes, or, as the was reported, the same time it took the ferry to reach Hong Kong from Cheung Chau. 2. When Hong Kong's first night flight took off from Kai Tak to write a new chapter in the city's civil aviation history A Cathay Pacific Airways DC-3 took off at 8.30pm on July 18, 1959, in a landmark event that marked Hong Kong's first ever night flight. The short 20-minute trip carrying newsmen and assembled special guests was made possible by Kai Tak Airport's new runway lighting system. 3. Cathay Pacific's first Boeing 747 lands in Hong Kong, bringing the era of the jumbo jet to the city Cathay Pacific's first Boeing 747 landed in Hong Kong in 1979 and marked a significant milestone for the airline and for the city as an aviation hub. It's arrival, which was welcomed by governor Sir Murray MacLehose and a military band, marked the end of a fierce selection process of airlines vying for Cathay's business. Cathay Pacific's first Boeing 747 lands at Kai Tak Airport in 1979. Picture: SCMP Archives 4. Hong Kong's second airline Dragonair's 1985 take-off sparked a rivalry with Cathay Pacific Hong Kong's aviation landscape shifted with the launch of Dragonair, a new airline backed by prominent local and Chinese investors. This move sparked a fierce battle with Cathay Pacific, which ultimately led to the acquisition of Dragonair in 1990. 5. Oasis Hong Kong Airlines took off with a bold promise of cheaper flights but landed with a bump just 18-months later Oasis Hong Kong Airlines launched in 2005 aiming to offer cheaper flights to European destinations but struggled with operational issues and regulatory hurdles. After just 18 months, Oasis filed for liquidation, leaving thousands of passengers and staff in uncertainty. Part of this article was produced with the assistance of generative AI
