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City Beat
The latest news, analysis and opinion on City Beat. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
CK Hutchison Holdings has decided to sell 43 of its ports, including two in Panama, to a consortium led by US investment firm BlackRock. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong politics

City Beat | Beijing is upset, but why is it limiting criticism of Hutchison’s Panama deal?

Closer look at Beijing’s mixed ‘semi-official’ approach to voicing disapproval shows what is at stake in saga involving Li Ka-shing’s conglomerate.

Hong Kong society

City Beat | What ‘facts’ for Beijing’s top man on Hong Kong affairs on his fact-finding mission?

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Hong Kong economy

City Beat | Hong Kong needs to engage international stakeholders to get back on world stage

Coronavirus Hong Kong

City Beat | How ‘two systems’ under ‘one country’ can help Hong Kong fully reopen

While Hong Kong must operate as part of the nation, its high degree of autonomy also offers the chance to show the mainland what responses to the pandemic work.

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Onlookers wave national and Hong Kong flags as fishing boats marking the 25th anniversary of the handover sail through Victoria Harbour. Photo: AFP
John Lee

City Beat | It’s John Lee’s turn for a test all Hong Kong leaders take – dealing with Beijing

It would be odd for both sides to keep up any pretence of maintaining a distance, as political practices over time have changed.

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Hong Kong politics

City Beat | Why picking a Hong Kong leader under US sanctions may be part of Beijing’s game plan

The takeaway here is that the change of Hong Kong’s leadership cannot be subject to direct or indirect factors concerning the US.

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Coronavirus Hong Kong

City Beat | Hong Kong is forewarned about the next Covid wave, but is it forearmed?

Carrie Lam’s decision to suspend universal testing has raised questions about city’s commitment to ‘dynamic-zero infection’ strategy.

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Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Photo: Edmond So
Coronavirus Hong Kong

City Beat | Why Xi Jinping used ‘Communist Party chief’ title to direct Hong Kong’s Covid fight

Instruction to Hong Kong to shoulder ‘main responsibility’ in containing fifth wave of infections is Xi’s first direct order to city as general secretary.

Hong Kong politics

City Beat | Hong Kong leadership election 2022: one-horse race or real competition?

Beijing has been tight-lipped on whether having a single candidate or more contenders is better for chief executive race on March 27.

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Hong Kong politics

City Beat | 2 hit songs reflect mainland Chinese sentiment over Hong Kong, Taiwan policy

Communique at end of Chinese Communist Party’s sixth plenum touched on city and self-ruled island for the first time, putting both under spotlight.

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National and city flags in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui marking the 24th anniversary of the handover. Photo: May Tse
Taiwan

City Beat | What does Hong Kong’s experience of ‘one country, two systems’ mean for Taiwan?

Unique governing formula will mean ‘stick’ as well as ‘carrot’ if Beijing’s sovereignty is not recognised, but the telling story of Hong Kong is that one country, or ‘one China’ prevails, like it or not.

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The Hong Kong flag (left) flies alongside the Chinese flag. Photo: Dickson Lee
Deng Xiaoping

City Beat | Should capitalist Hong Kong worry about Beijing’s common prosperity drive?

State media has denied any Chinese version of a Robin Hood-style approach to wealth inequality, but message to city is loud and clear: it cannot rely on real estate to be its engine for future development.

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Hong Kong housing

City Beat | Even Olympic gold is not enough to buy a decent home in Hong Kong’s notorious property market

The HK$7.5 million awarded to fencer Edgar Cheung for bringing home the city’s first gold in 25 years may seem like a princely sum, but even modestly sized flats can go for much more.

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Hong Kong politics

City Beat | What Wendy Sherman’s China visit tells foreign investors in Hong Kong

With city remaining a sticking point in China-US relations, the deputy secretary of state simply turning up at bargaining table is best result in the circumstances.

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US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman arrived in the major port city of Tianjin on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE

City Beat | Is Hong Kong’s administrative officer-led governing system over?

Promotion of tough security officials to the top of government reflects Beijing’s determination to transform civil service culture from political neutrality to patriotism.

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Carrie Lam with Chris Tang (left) and John Lee. Photo: Simon Song
Hong Kong housing

City Beat | What does Hong Kong’s defiantly buoyant property market tell us – and Beijing?

New bill ensuring only ‘patriots’ govern Hong Kong effectively signals an end to big business’ influence in shaping policies, but it does not mean a quick fix for deep-rooted livelihood issues, particularly the city’s housing problem.

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Coronavirus pandemic

City Beat | Hong Kong’s coronavirus policy U-turn comes at a price, so lessons must be learned

In recent days, city leader Carrie Lam’s administration has had to make two major policy reversals that could have been avoided. Now, it needs to reflect on how to grow out of its habitual Hong Kong-centric thinking.

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Coronavirus pandemic

City Beat | Vaccination is means, end goal is making Hong Kong safe for economic recovery

Uncertainty over mutant strain, difficulties achieving ‘zero infection’ goal leave Hong Kong’s hoped-for economic rebound in limbo.

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People queue up for BioNTech Covid-19 jab at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre in Sai Ying Pun. Photo: Nora Tam

City Beat | Vaccine incentives are fine, but what we really need is herd immunity timeline

Cautious approach to getting second jab is understandable in these uncertain times.

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Hong Kong politics

City Beat | As electoral system is overhauled, is Hong Kong reaping what it sowed?

The year-long anti-government protests and street violence of 2019 finally broke the back of any remaining patience Beijing might have had. But while the opposition bloc’s future remains uncertain, there are tougher challenges ahead for their pro-establishment rivals too.

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US-China relations

City Beat | Year of the Ox signals political turbulence as China-US wrestling over Hong Kong continues

Hong Kong electoral reform may become another point of contention between the US and China, but does Beijing have any reason to back down now?

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A woman poses for a selfie with statues of oxen in Causeway Bay. The Year of Ox is likely to bring more US-China wrangling over Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong

City Beat | What Beijing silence on British citizenship offer may mean for Hong Kong BN(O)

However China strikes back, pragmatism should prevail to allow Sino-British relations to survive the row, even if the BN(O) arrangement doesn’t.

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Britain last July offered a so-called pathway for Hong Kong’s BN(O) passport holders to full British citizenship. Photo: Fung Chang

City Beat | Hongkongers deserve more than just being ‘alive’ in 2021

The city’s coming budget is a test of whether the government can put it on the right track in 2021.

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City Beat | Will a Biden presidency give Hong Kong a break, or is it the other way round?

Whether Joe Biden adopts a harder or softer approach to China, or maintains the status quo, it’s not going to matter much to how Beijing calibrates its Hong Kong policy.

Greater Bay Area

City Beat | From ‘favourite’ to ‘spoiled child’ – what’s next for Hong Kong?

As Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s trip to Beijing showed, the days of receiving preferential treatment are over. The city will have to rebuild its ‘can do’ spirit and leverage its role in the Greater Bay Area, which will require strong leadership.

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam arrives for a press conference in Beijing on Friday. Photo: AP
Shenzhen

City Beat | Hong Kong cannot afford to say ‘I don’t mind’ to being overtaken by Shenzhen

Carrie Lam’s indifference, even if diplomatic, to Shenzhen surpassing Hong Kong economically goes down badly in proud city.

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Shenzhen, a poor fishing village just decades ago, has now left Hong Kong in its wake economically. Photo: Xinhua

City Beat | Beijing envoy’s interest in Hong Kong livelihood issues not good for local officials

Luo Huining’s job request for unemployed man he visited raised eyebrows, but was it a sign that central government sent a senior party official to supervise Chief Executive Carrie Lam?

City Beat | Is ‘zero’ infection a myth or achievable for Hong Kong’s fight against Covid-19?

Questions linger over whether city’s high-profile testing scheme has reassured nervous residents or provided a clearer timeline for a return to normalcy.

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