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Dancers perform at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre piazza on November 16, as part of the Asia+ Festival programme this year. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong society

Letters | Commercialisation of Hong Kong’s public venues must come with a caveat

Readers discuss the government’s bid to open up underused public venues, call for a Firefighters’ Day, and take issue with the sensationalisation of news.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Safety lapses in Hong Kong’s construction industry must be fixed

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Investigate real causes of Tai Po fire before blaming bamboo scaffolding

Hong Kong society

Letters | A kinder, gentler Hong Kong forged in shared pain

Readers praise Hongkongers’ empathetic response to the Tai Po fire tragedy, clarify the workings of the Observatory’s chatbot, and call on Hong Kong to consider a social media ban for adolescents.

Volunteers organise aid distribution for residents affected by the Tai Po apartment fire in Hong Kong on November 28. Photo: EPA
Volunteers organise aid distribution for residents affected by the Tai Po apartment fire in Hong Kong on November 28. Photo: EPA
2025 National Games

Letters | In the National Games, Hong Kong has a model of a green mega event

Readers discuss the features of the games that safeguard sustainability and the passing of an Indian cinema legend.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | Hong Kong will emerge stronger from Tai Po fire tragedy

Readers offer condolences to the bereaved, call for prompt action to improve fire safety measures and pay tribute to the inspiring outpouring of help from all quarters of the community.

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Hong Kong fires and safety

Letters | Hong Kong fire must force rethink on use of bamboo scaffolding

Readers discuss the massive fire at a housing estate in Tai Po, and how a clumsy response to sexual abuse can result in re-traumatisation.

Fire burns the bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, on November 26. Photo: Reuters
Fire burns the bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, on November 26. Photo: Reuters
Jobs

Letters | To prevent an AI job apocalypse, take a leaf from immigration policy

Readers discuss managing AI like foreign hires, rewilding open spaces in Hong Kong, and economic rebalancing.

Malaysia

Letters | Academic theories deserve rigorous scrutiny, not public shaming

Readers discuss the controversy over a Malaysian academic’s hypothesis about Roman shipbuilding, the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, and cutting back Hong Kong children’s screen time.

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Hong Kong should consider easing visa rules for belt and road partners

Readers discuss the difficulties of securing entry to Hong Kong, investing in people’s well-being as an economic strategy, and child protection measures in Singapore.

Commuters in Hong Kong’s Central district on November 19. The Hong Kong government should consider revising current visa policies to strengthen its role as a regional hub for talent. Photo: Jelly Tse
United States

Letters | US lawmakers are finally putting a check on the executive branch

Readers discuss the signs of recovery in the US system of checks and balances, how to better leverage Hong Kong Observatory’s resources, and appreciation for the city’s emergency response.

Epstein abuse survivors and Congressional lawmakers attend a bipartisan vigil hosted by the Democratic Women’s Caucus on November 18 in Washington, DC. The US Senate unanimously approved passage of the House’s Epstein Files Transparency Act. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Epstein abuse survivors and Congressional lawmakers attend a bipartisan vigil hosted by the Democratic Women’s Caucus on November 18 in Washington, DC. The US Senate unanimously approved passage of the House’s Epstein Files Transparency Act. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Letters | Jackson Yee sets benchmark for young actors with Best Actor win

Readers laud the Chinese actor’s dedication to his craft and warn of a crisis of the mind in the age of AI.

Education in Hong Kong

Letters | Hong Kong’s AI education quest needs human connection to succeed

Readers discuss the importance of emotional and social learning, a suggestion to internationalise Hong Kong’s university entrance exam, and a way to encourage more Chinese to get married.

Hong Kong society

Letters | Hong Kong’s laws targeting false credentials must apply equally

Readers discuss a recent case involving an applicant to the city’s talent scheme, a diplomatic row over the Japanese prime minister’s remarks, and Trump calling a journalist ‘piggy’.

A statue of Lady Justice at Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal. The Department of Justice should review its prosecution policies to ensure that deterrence, fairness and consistency remain the guiding principles in every case. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Rare stingray in Victoria Harbour a welcome sign of nature’s restoration

Readers discuss how Hong Kong’s marine conservation efforts are paying off, plans for a residential development in a Tai Po site, and geopolitical contests in Central Asia.

The eagle ray fished from Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour earlier this month is an endangered species. Photo: Handout
The eagle ray fished from Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour earlier this month is an endangered species. Photo: Handout
Israel-Gaza war

Letters | Why boycott art when it connects us in common humanity?

Readers discuss the protest on the opening night of the Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival, making our electoral process more accessible, and the practical use of the word ‘cum’.

Education in Hong Kong

Letters | As edtech tools grow, schools need to know which ones really work

Reader discuss the drive for quality assurance in educational technology, scholars’ responsibility to uphold transparency over AI use, and treating The Cenotaph with respect.

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Hong Kong society

Letters | Hong Kong’s AI push must include safeguards against AI hallucination

Readers discuss a lesson learned from a recent academic scandal, easing the rules of tax residency in Hong Kong, and dire predictions about the Chinese economy.

HKU has launched an investigation into a published doctoral thesis, after it was found to contain fictitious AI-generated references. Photo: Shutterstock
HKU has launched an investigation into a published doctoral thesis, after it was found to contain fictitious AI-generated references. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Letters | Let the elderly enjoy mahjong as a sport – with all its benefits

Readers discuss promoting the game as a way to improve health, and Hong Kong’s advantages as an education hub.

Hong Kong society

Letters | Help our children step out of virtual playgrounds into real ones

Readers discuss the need to limit phone and social media use, Hong Kong’s role in easing US-China tensions, and the Australian government’s move to provide free solar power.

China-EU relations

Letters | Europe must separate legitimate security concerns from politics

Readers discuss the Nexperia dispute between China and the Netherlands, a suit against the Malaysian government, and Hong Kong patient records.

An employee holds a box with wafers in a production line of Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia in Hamburg, Germany, on June 27, 2024. Photo: Reuters
Climate change

Letters | Leaders at Cop30 must act with conscience to prevent climate hell

Readers discuss our slow progress towards limiting global warming, China’s priorities in scientific research, and diversity in the Legislative Council.

Security personnel clash with indigenous people and students as they storm the venue during the Cop30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on November 11. The clash underscored frustration among indigenous groups who demand forest protection. Photo: AFP
Security personnel clash with indigenous people and students as they storm the venue during the Cop30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on November 11. The clash underscored frustration among indigenous groups who demand forest protection. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong society

Letters | Regulation of Hong Kong’s beauty industry cannot be skin deep

Readers discuss the need for stricter oversight of a fast-growing sector, the proper usage of the archaic ‘cum’, and Trump’s plan to cut the budget deficit.

Hong Kong society

Letters | Hong Kong must overhaul its Medical Council to shore up public trust

Readers discuss criticism over the council’s handling of medical complaints, the significance of a functioning legislature, and putting the emergency alert system to better use.

Crime

Letters | Donkeys slaughtered for their skin is a tragedy on multiple levels

Readers discuss the illicit trade’s damage to animal, human and environmental well-being, and how the city can have both halal and pet-friendly restaurants.

Donkey skins, dried shark fins and other smuggled goods are displayed at a Hong Kong customs press conference on October 27. Photo: Jelly Tse
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