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Letters

Letters

Letters | Hong Kong airport has recovered well from the pandemic

Travellers arrive at Hong Kong International Airport on December 27, during the holiday season. Photo: Eugene Lee

Readers discuss the competitiveness of HKIA, the impact of the medical fee hike, and the success of the high-speed rail link.

Letters | Educate visiting hikers and seriously deter them from littering

A policeman directs a taxi as hikers visit High Land Reservoir in Sai Kung on May 1. Photo: Dickson Lee

Readers discuss the need to protect natural landscapes in Hong Kong, the new seat belt requirement, and AI-assisted teaching.

Letters | Bondi response must go beyond policing and towards rebuilding unity

Mourners gather at Bondi Pavillion for a tribute to the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 15. Photo: AFP

Readers discuss social cohesion in Australia, a commission into the Bondi shooting, and US interventions.

Letters | 5 years on, digital banks are taking root in Hong Kong

People use ATMs in Central in 2024. A 2025 survey found a majority of respondents reporting that digital banks could meet at least half of their daily banking needs. Photo: Eugene Lee

Readers discuss perceptions of virtual banks, vetting of English teachers, and the outlook for Hong Kong.

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Letters | As Hongkongers unite around Tai Po, the fire probe must deliver

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on January 5. Photo: Dickson Lee

Readers discuss how to sustain social cohesion in Hong Kong, the kindness of Hongkongers, and why the world must respond to the Venezuela raid.

Letters | What US military action in Venezuela looks like to Southeast Asia

Motorcyclists queue at a petrol station in Caracas on January 3, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela remains an important energy producer and instability could add volatility to global oil markets. Photo: AFP

Readers discuss the possible repercussions of the Venezuela raid, and water supplies management in Hong Kong.

Letters | Besides part-time employees, Hong Kong should protect gig workers

A food delivery rider drives in Jordan on June 12. Hong Kong’s workforce is increasingly shaped by gig-based and project-based work. Photo: Jelly Tse

Readers discuss the status of gig-based work, a health safety net, and the seizure of Nicolas Maduro.

Letters | The US’ unilateral Venezuela strikes should worry the world

People look for personal belongings among the rubble following US strikes in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, on January 4. Photo: Reuters

Readers discuss the US’ latest intervention in Latin America, the Trump presidency, and Hong Kong’s EV-charging subsidy.

Letters | Scolding not the right way to curb children’s social media use

if children spend too much time on online games and social media, parents have good reason to intervene. But brute force or scolding are not recommended. Photo: Reuters

Readers discuss the parenting styles that are conducive to growth, raising awareness of Hong Kong’s new smoking rules, and minimising disruption in our water supply.

Letters | Hong Kong must take pragmatic approach to improving animal welfare

Horse racing is a Hong Kong tradition. Photo: Kenneth Chan.

Readers discuss the complexities of balancing animal protection with economic imperatives, the benefits of engaging the elderly in esports, and traffic arrangements on Christmas Eve.

Letters | Lesson from Tai Po fire: Hong Kong must close the regulatory loopholes

Thick smoke and flames rise as a major fire engulfs apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26. Photo: AFP

Readers discuss the scourge of dishonest practices in industries, creating longer breaks for Hong Kong workers, combating illegal parking, and the live-fire drills around Taiwan.

Letters | How universities can rein in the abuse of AI

One way to reduce the irresponsible use of AI in the classroom might include increasing the weighting of assessments such as written exams or impromptu oral responses. Photo: Getty Images

Readers discuss ways to ensure ethical artificial intelligence use in academia, the importance of activating Hong Kong’s emergency alerts, and the city’s healthcare fee hikes.

Letters | May 2026 bring more peace and more jobs

A Palestinian woman walks along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Sheikh Radwan, a residential district of Gaza City, on December 30. Photo: AP

Readers discuss hopes for the new year, the prospect of an EU-like Asian union, and the cult of ‘result-oriented’.

Letters | Annual spending cap protects the medically and financially at risk

The shroff office at Kwong Wah Hospital in Mong Kok on December 16. Photo: Sun Yeung

Readers discuss the healthcare revamp, greater public usage of the Central Kowloon Bypass, and higher education.

Letters | How government-led building repairs can work in Hong Kong

Bamboo scaffolding encases a building under repair in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po district on December 5. Hong Kong’s stock of ageing buildings presents a structural challenge. Photo: EPA

Readers discuss the safeguards needed to ensure fairness and effectiveness, and public demand for the coin collection service.

Letters | China’s Latin America policy paper speaks language of multipolarity

Chinaís President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum of China and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), in Beijing on May 13. Photo: AFP

Readers discuss why Beijing’s outreach to the region should not be seen as a challenge to Washington, the HK$2 subsidised transport fare for the elderly, and Hong Kong’s New Year countdown.

Letters | Why lapses in the Tai Po tragedy are both shocking and familiar

People walk past the blackened blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on December 20. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Readers discuss Hong Kong’s light-touch culture, the city’s struggling retail sector, and meeting the emotional needs of men.

Letters | New benchmarks for Hong Kong language teachers underline policy shift

Students sit for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education English test on April 21, 2023 at a school in Hong Kong’s North Point district. Photo: Dickson Lee

Readers discuss the new requirements for native-speaking English teachers, the need to prioritise safety and well-being in building renovation, and the commercialisation of Christmas gift-giving.

Letters | Let 2026 be the year we are kinder to animals

Peta members wearing dolphin masks protest against the Ocean Park’s dolphin shows on August 20. Photo: Nora Tam

Readers suggest what Hongkongers can do in the coming year to make a difference and reflect on the constant pursuit of gratification.

Letters | To kick our social media habit, let’s start with the adults

Hongkongers engrossed in their phones are a common sight on the MTR. Photo: Eugene Lee

Readers discuss the missing link in efforts to restrict screen time for children, concern over the Jimmy Lai trial and verdict, and rampant illegal parking in Hong Kong.

Letters | Hong Kong’s AI grant for schools shouldn’t leave out teacher training

Primary students in class on December 10. Effective transformation of teaching and learning begins and ends with human capital. Photo: Sam Tsang

Readers discuss the flaws of a hardware-first, training-last approach, shoring up accountability of owners’ corporations, and the aftermath of the Bondi Beach attack.

Letters | Shenzhen-Hong Kong special zone could better serve national economy

The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone on April 24. Photo: Edmond So

Readers discuss takeaways from the central economic work conference, native-level English proficiency, and how to honour those lost in the Tai Po fire.

Letters | Medical volunteers’ joint effort on Tai Po fire relief made a difference

A woman receives medical attention at a temporary shelter, after a fire started across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26. Photo: Reuters

Readers discuss the collaborative spirit of and bonds forged through the mobilisation, and smoking in public in Hong Kong.

Letters | Building renovation management should not be entrusted to laymen

A worker removes netting from a scaffold in Hong Kong on December 5, following the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Photo: EPA

Readers discuss the law that makes owners responsible for common parts of buildings, the opening of the Chinese Medicine Hospital, and a robot’s record-breaking feat of endurance.

Letters | Asia is not built for extreme weather. This must change

Workers try to restore the damaged railway track after landslides in Badulla, Sri Lanka, on December 13. Many parts of the island were inundated in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. Photo: EPA

Readers discuss the urban planning features essential to climate resilience, the demise of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, and the Legislative Council election.

Letters | Tai Po fire tragedy shows importance of disaster risk reduction

The buildings of Wang Fuk Court seen on December 16, a month after the devastating fire that engulfed the housing estate. For sudden‑onset disasters like fires, risk reduction is especially vital given the limited response time. Photo: Sam Tsang

Readers discuss how addressing risk factors can save lives and minimise loss, the turnout of the Legislative Council election, and the Japanese prime minister’s controversial remarks on Taiwan.

Letters | As Greater Bay Area shifts to carbon-free trade, Hong Kong must catch on

President Xi Jinping speaks at the annual central economic work conference in Beijing on December 11. Photo: Xinhua

Readers discuss a key role for the city gleaned from China’s central economic work conference, promotion of indoor sports, and the mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach.

Letters | World must learn to live with China’s manufacturing prowess

Vehicles intended for export are lined up at Longtan Container Terminal of Nanjing Port in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on December 7. Photo: Xinhua

Readers discuss China’s record trade surplus so far this year, Hong Kong’s ambitions to be a cryptocurrency hub, and how to effectively curb social media overuse.

Letters | Hong Kong’s ageing buildings need better care under stronger rules

Workers carry out emergency repair works outside Po On Building in Mong Kok on July 5, 2023, after concrete chunks fell off the building for a second time in three days. Photo: Jelly Tse

Readers call on the government to revamp the city’s governance of building management and repair, and rethink its approach to teenagers’ social media use.

Letters | Hong Kong’s ‘coin carts’ are not serving residents who need them most

Hong Kong Monetary Authority staff collect coins from residents in Lam Tin in 2024. Photo: Edmond So

Readers discuss the city’s coin collection programme, Hongkongers’ response to the Tai Po fire, and why Russia can’t be framed through a Western or Eastern lens.

Related Topics
AustraliaSocial mediaVenezuelaBanking & financeEducation in Hong KongGreater Bay AreaArtificial intelligenceHong Kong environmental issuesHong Kong healthcare and hospitalsExtreme weather