logo
Woo Guangdong visitors under cross-border scheme, Hong Kong transport chief says

Woo Guangdong visitors under cross-border scheme, Hong Kong transport chief says

A highly anticipated cross-border driving scheme for Guangdong residents will provide a boost for Hong Kong's tourism-related industries, the transport chief has said, as she called on different sectors to offer a variety of tailored packages linked to hotels, restaurants and events to woo the new source of visitors.
Advertisement
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan on Thursday noted the business sector's enthusiasm over the launch of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme, which will allow a daily quota of 100 vehicles to enter the city's urban areas via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
'I am pleased to note the positive response from different sectors, especially the business industry including hotels, catering, retail, AsiaWorld-Expo, and business chambers. They are all very supportive,' she told the media, a day after
announcing that the scheme would be launched in November, a month earlier than planned.
'The business sector is actually very quick-witted. Industry players can actively explore launching packages, such as parking combined with accommodation, exhibitions, or other activities and mega-events.'
Chan stressed that packages tailor-made for Guangdong drivers would help improve supporting facilities and connections, and inform promotional strategies that would better capitalise on this new group of visitors.
Advertisement
'With the package offerings which cater to Guangdong visitors, we can help disseminate relevant information and promote the scheme to the mainland. With our joint efforts we can make this good policy even better,' she said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Huawei to open-source self-developed programming language Cangjie
Huawei to open-source self-developed programming language Cangjie

South China Morning Post

time5 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Huawei to open-source self-developed programming language Cangjie

Huawei Technologies is set to open-source its self-developed programming language, Cangjie, marking the latest step in the company's pursuit of technological self-sufficiency. First unveiled a year ago, Cangjie will be open-sourced and accessible to all developers starting July 30, Huawei announced during its annual developer conference in June. Open-sourcing allows public access to a software program's source code, enabling third-party developers to modify or share its design, fix issues, or expand its capabilities. This initiative reflects Huawei's ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on foreign software and other technologies amid tighter export restrictions from Washington. Cangjie, named after a legendary figure in Chinese mythology credited with inventing written Chinese characters, is designed for 'full-scenario intelligence', according to Huawei. It features native artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and robust security, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, according to its official website. Huawei's smartphones are displayed at its flagship store in Beijing. Photo: Reuters The language primarily supports general programming for apps on HarmonyOS Next, a version of Huawei's cross-device operating system that is entirely independent of Android.

Number of semi-private schools seeking fee increases falls by 26% in Hong Kong
Number of semi-private schools seeking fee increases falls by 26% in Hong Kong

South China Morning Post

time5 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Number of semi-private schools seeking fee increases falls by 26% in Hong Kong

The number of Hong Kong semi-private schools applying for a tuition fee increase has dropped by more than a quarter against a year ago, with the sector attributing the decline partially to the sluggish economy. A spokesman for the Education Bureau said on Friday that as of June it had received 40 applications from schools belonging to the direct subsidy scheme (DSS) to adjust tuition fees upwards, a 26 per cent decrease from the 54 recorded last year. The number has not been this low since 2022. The number of schools notifying the bureau of an intent to freeze fees this September rose to 38, up from 25 last year, marking a 52 per cent increase. Dion Chen, chairman of the Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, said the sluggish economy could be one reason for the schools' reluctance to raise fees. 'Like during the pandemic, most of the DSS schools did not raise school fees. And DSS schools would also study whether they have such a need and sufficient surplus before applying to raise the fees,' he said. About 470 preschools receiving subsidies and around 130 private ones have applied for a fee increase, marking a 10 per cent drop from the 660 recorded last year.

Could hi-tech China revive the US rust belt – and steady superpower ties?
Could hi-tech China revive the US rust belt – and steady superpower ties?

South China Morning Post

time6 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Could hi-tech China revive the US rust belt – and steady superpower ties?

China could draw on its innovation in advanced manufacturing to improve business – and overall – ties with the United States amid a fragile trade truce, according to a prominent American political scientist. Advertisement In an interview, Robert Pape, a professor at the University of Chicago, also said China could 'rise peacefully' to be the world's leading superpower through its strength in innovation if it continued 'moderate responses' to US President Donald Trump 's foreign policy – while America grappled with domestic fractures and a rise in political violence. Pape, who specialises in international security affairs, pointed to what he called the 'Wuhan model' – integrated university-industry clusters in second-tier Chinese cities that focus on advanced manufacturing, which he said opened up possibilities for reinvigorating rust-belt cities in the US. Political scientist Robert Pape visited some of China's biggest tech firms last month. Photo: LinkedIn 'They're integrating university research in private industry. But it's not just happening in Stanford and Silicon Valley or Harvard, MIT and the Boston area. This is happening in a second-tier city,' Pape said. He made the remarks after a 10-day trip to China last month when he visited some of the country's big tech firms in cities including Wuhan, Hangzhou and Shenzhen. Wuhan – capital of central Hubei province and home to a hi-tech manufacturing cluster known as Optics Valley – has traditionally been seen as a second-tier city but in recent years has moved into the ranks of the 'new first-tier cities' as its innovative and industrial strength has grown. Advertisement Pape's visit took place amid a temporary de-escalation of the US-China trade war following separate talks in Geneva and London in June.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store