Latest news with #ShamShuiPo
HKFP
2 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
New director of Beijing's top organ in Hong Kong visits neighbourhoods on third day of office
Zhou Ji, the new director of Beijing's top organ in Hong Kong, visited Sham Shui Po and Tsing Yi on his third day in office, saying his new appointment reflected the 'deep trust' placed in him by China's president Xi Jinping. Zhou said in a statement released by the central government's liaison office on Sunday that he hoped to understand Hong Kong's 'community work' and 'people's livelihoods' through his first district visit. The top official went to a women's services centre run by a pro-Beijing group in Sham Shui Po's Fu Cheong Estate. He also visited a community hall in Cheung Hang Estate in Tsing Yi. Zhou, 61, succeeded Zheng Yanxiong as head of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, according to a brief statement on Friday. Zhou was formerly the executive deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. His predecessor, Zheng, had headed the liaison office since January 2023, three years after becoming the director of the central government's Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. Born in China's Hubei province, Zhou graduated from Huazhong University with a master's degree in electronic and communication engineering, according to Chinese media outlets. Zhou rose through local government ranks first in Hubei province and later in Henan province. He said in the Sunday statement that he had seen Hong Kong's transition 'from governance to prosperity' while working as the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office, adding that the city had 'enhanced district governance.' 'It is a privilege to work at the liaison office, which reflects the deep trust placed in me by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Committee of the Party,' Zhou said in the Chinese statement. 'I fully understand the weight of my responsibilities and will ensure the comprehensive, accurate, and unwavering implementation of the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy and the principle of 'patriots governing Hong Kong,'' he said. Plans to overhaul the District Council elections were unveiled in May 2023 to ensure only 'patriots' were elected, following a pro-democracy landslide at the last polls in 2019. The number of seats chosen democratically by the public were slashed from 452 to 88 – reducing the power of public votes to a fifth. The rest are to be chosen by the city's leader and government-appointed committees. Constituency boundaries were redrawn, the opposition were shut out, voting hours were slashed by an hour, and each local council is to be chaired by a government official, similar to colonial-era arrangements. All candidates undergo national security vetting to ensure patriotism. Meeting with John Lee Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee met with Zhou 'in a cordial and productive atmosphere' on Saturday, welcoming Zhou on his new appointment and expressing gratitude for Beijing's care and support for Hong Kong, according to a government statement. 'Director Zhou Yi has extensive experience in local governance and a broad perspective on policy-making,' the Chinese statement read, adding that Zhou was 'well acquainted' with China's policies on Hong Kong. According to the statement, Zhou led a delegation to visit Hong Kong last year and 'gain better insights into its economic development.'
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
New liaison office chief in first public appearance with Hong Kong community visit
The director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong made his first visit to the community on Sunday, two days after he took up the role , saying his appointment came with heavy responsibilities but reflected the trust Chinese President Xi Jinping placed in him. Zhou Ji, the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), replaced Zheng Yanxiong as head of the central government's liaison office, the State Council announced on Friday. Zhou also met Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday. According to the liaison office's website, Zhou visited a community centre of the Kowloon Women's Organisations Federation in Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po and Cheung Hang Community Hall in Tsing Yi on Sunday. He was seen meeting local residents and volunteers of a community care team, which set up booths for free health check-ups. Zhou said Xi was deeply concerned about the well-being of Hong Kong residents. 'It is a great honour to work at the liaison office. This signifies the profound trust placed in me by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Committee,' Zhou said. 'I deeply understand the immense responsibility this entails and am resolved to fully, accurately and unswervingly implementing the 'one country, two systems' and 'patriots ruling Hong Kong' principles.' He said he would resolutely uphold the constitutional order and the Basic Law, as well as firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Keeta rider with no ID or work visa risks arrest to eke out living in Hong Kong
Azfar* struggles to make ends meet by working illegally as a rider for food delivery platform Keeta in Hong Kong, putting him at risk of arrest as he lacks an ID card and work visa. Advertisement For the past eight months, the 27-year-old Pakistani has used the Keeta rider account belonging to his cousin, a Hong Kong resident whom he pays HK$3,000 (US$382) a month under a 'rent' deal they struck. 'My cousin has been living in Hong Kong for a long time and he suggested that I use his food delivery [platform] account,' he said. 'After he scans his face to login for a shift, I take his phone to work.' Azfar is a non-refoulement claimant who holds a recognisance form, commonly known as a 'going-out pass', allowing him to temporarily stay in Hong Kong but not to work. After paying his cousin, he is left with about HK$17,000 a month, which he uses to cover the HK$6,000 rent for a tiny subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po and his daily expenses. Advertisement He is one of a significant number of illegal workers who operate as riders for food delivery platforms, which have become a pillar of the gig economy. Other than Keeta, Foodpanda is the other major local player after Deliveroo folded in April.
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
HK actor Moses Chan decides to stand in queue at a restaurant, commended by netizens
HONG KONG: With an annual salary of HK$30 million (S$4.9 million), actor Moses Chan is considered the highest-paid talent on TVB. His admirers are still impressed by his extraordinary modesty . Photo: Instagram/Moses Chan The internet has been buzzing a bit about Chan, who is 54. Apparently, someone saw him just casually queueing up alone outside a popular, crowded eatery in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong. It just goes to show that even big celebrities do the same things we do, like waiting for a good meal. Chan was seen wearing a plain yet refined outfit, consisting of a beige short-sleeved shirt, matching shorts, socks, and sandals, in a photo shared on Xhiohongshu. Knows how to dress well In the caption, the netizen wrote that the Hong Kong artist always knows how to dress well and is considered the best-dressed TVB male artist. Chan's decision to wait in line like any other customer, rather than using his popularity to secure a reservation, was immediately praised by netizens. The actor still managed to stand out in the crowd, as noted by others, even in casual wear and a face mask. Someone online was impressed, saying that Chan is a true superstar because he chose to wait in line like everyone else instead of trying to pull strings and get a reservation. Captivating and manly persona Chan has received numerous honours since entering the entertainment business in 1994. He is well-known for his captivating and manly persona. Chan is definitely a top-notch actor! He's actually won the Best Actor award at the big TVB Anniversary Awards not just once, but twice—first for his amazing performance in Heart Of Greed back in 2007 and then again more recently for Narcotics Heroes in 2023. He has been in numerous popular series over the years. You might remember him from classics like War and Beauty. For his role in War and Beauty (that was way back in 2004!), Chan won the 'My Favourite Television Character' award at the TVB Anniversary Awards. He also won My Favourite Male Character at the TVB Anniversary Awards for Heart of Greed (2007). Real family man What's also great about Chan is that he's a real family man at heart. He's married to Aimee Chan, a Canadian actress who also lives and works in Hong Kong, and they've built a beautiful family with three children: Aiden, who is 11, Nathan, who is 10, and their little girl, Camilla, who is nine. They appear to be a close and happy family. People in the industry and fans alike often call him 'TVB's most gentlemanly star,' and it's easy to see why. He's known for being extremely friendly, totally dedicated to his family, always polite, and genuinely chivalrous. Chan is more than just a familiar face on TV. He's a talented actor with a great reputation, both on and off-screen.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Wait time for Hong Kong public rental flat still at 5.3 years, but applications plummet
The average waiting time for a Hong Kong public rental flat has remained at 5.3 years as of the first quarter of this year while there has been a significant drop in application numbers, which authorities have attributed to the new supply and higher turnover of homes in the city. Advertisement The city's largest public housing provider, the Housing Authority, also revealed on Wednesday that about 4,700 general applicants – families or elderly households – were allocated homes between January and March. Among them, a total of 2,300 households were allocated new flats in Hin Fat Estate in Tuen Mun and Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po, while the remaining families were housed in refurbished homes recovered from tenants, including those who surrendered their properties after purchasing subsidised flats or who were evicted due to tenancy abuse. As of March, the city had about 116,400 general applicants for public rental homes, marking a 26 per cent drop from the peak of 156,400 cases in September 2020. 'Following the gradual completion of new public housing projects and the Housing Department's enhanced effectiveness in combating tenancy abuse, coupled with intakes of [subsidised sale flat projects], a number of public rental housing tenants vacated their flats as a result of the purchase of subsidised sale flats,' the authority said. Advertisement '[It] expedited the turnover of public rental flats [and] the number of general applicants has therefore decreased.'
