The latest from HKFP on the battle against the coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong.
LATEST NEWS & VIEWS
Covid-19: New leader John Lee ‘discussing’ quarantine relaxations with Beijing for both mainland and int’l travel
The issue of relaxing Covid-19 travel rules is under discussion with Beijing, Hong Kong’s newly-inaugurated Chief Executive John Lee said on Sunday. He added that the number of infection cases should be curbed, but “not necessarily” with citywide compulsory testing More nucleic acid tests should be conducted, as rapid antigen tests would provide a “false…
Hong Kong 25: Hong Kong’s blurring border with China a sign of things to come
By Holmes Chan From the hill in northernmost Hong Kong where Jasper Law stood, the border with China was obvious — a narrow river dividing farmlands and fishponds from the gleaming skyscrapers of megacity Shenzhen. Friday was the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese rule. While the view from the hilltops…
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COVID-19 FEATURES
‘Ghost bikes’ commemorate cyclists killed on Hong Kong’s roads
At a busy intersection in Prince Edward on Saturday, a bicycle placed on the roadside caught the eyes of passers-by. Completely covered in white paint, it sat hauntingly beside a bunch of white silk flowers and a plastic card which read: “In memoriam Mr Yuen-cheung, 68.” It included the date and time of the road…
‘What’s his name again?’: Hong Kong stages election, unbeknownst to families celebrating Mother’s Day
The sole contender in Hong Kong’s small-circle chief executive race, John Lee, was selected by 1,416 pro-establishment voters on Sunday, which also happened to be Mother’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday, a public holiday. As votes were cast on Sunday morning, a dim sum restaurant in Mong Kok was packed with families, some taking advantage of…
In Pictures: Hongkongers wait in hours-long queues to register for proof of overseas Covid jabs
By 9 a.m. on Friday, a queue of dozens of people had formed outside Wan Chai Post Office, one of Hong Kong’s 18 designated post offices that issue Covid-19 vaccination record QR codes for anyone who received their jabs overseas. Some brought portable chairs and books, in anticipation of a long wait. Geraldine, who was…
Testing times: An unwanted ‘summer break’ for students in Covid-hit Hong Kong
“I guess time does fly. I don’t mean ‘time flies when we’re having fun’.” University entry exams began on Friday in Covid-hit Hong Kong, as schools resumed in-person teaching following a 38-day early “summer break.” HKFP spoke to two students who were left feeling confused, lost and frustrated during months of strict social distancing rules.…
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
Covid-19: Let’s seek a new deal for domestic workers as Hong Kong gets back on its feet
By Manisha Wijesinghe More than two years on, Hong Kong is still grappling with the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some have prospered, others are struggling with the fallout. As the city begins to return to normality, social and economic recovery is key to making progress. With hybrid work arrangements in place, corporate…
Give domestic workers across Asia and the Pacific the rights they deserve
Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific As the Covid-19 pandemic slowly abates, it is time for countries in Asia and the Pacific to provide better social protection for domestic workers and fully recognise and regulate their work as equal to any other. According to an International Labour Organization (ILO) publication…
Covid-19: Is China’s pandemic response a sign of strength or weakness?
The Chinese government launched an infectious boomerang in late 2019 when it covered up a viral outbreak in Wuhan that turned out to be Covid-19. That boomerang has returned home with a mighty thwack, threatening to slow China’s economic rise while undermining its global reputation. Two and a half years into the pandemic, Covid restrictions…
PR can’t help Hong Kong when the rhetoric is at odds with the reality
I have been struck lately by the difficulty of reconciling happenings in the real world with the way they are described in official verbiage. Our new Chief Executive says press freedom needs no defence in Hong Kong even as we drop to the murky depths of international rankings; the Chief Justice says we enjoy unquestioned…