Latest news with #HKers
RTHK
01-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
HKers get a treat on SAR anniversary
HKers get a treat on SAR anniversary Discounts of up to 29 percent are available at more than 3,800 eateries around town. Photo: RTHK Hongkongers have been enjoying discounts and freebies that are on offer on the 28th anniversary of the SAR. On Tuesday, more than 3,800 restaurants rolled out discounts of up to 29 percent, and for some eateries, the campaign will last for an entire week. At lunch time, there were queues at a local chain restaurant taking part in the campaign. A customer surnamed Lee said he was here because of the cheaper meals. "Because they have a discount for the celebration... If you don't have the discount, I will go away, I won't queue up here," he said. But Dyujoy did not learn about the offer until an RTHK reporter told him about it. "I didn't know about this discount... so it would be better if it's more advertised, so that we know that there's a discount going on." The number of establishments joining the scheme was up from about 2,000 a year ago. Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said he hopes discounts offered by restaurants would boost revenue by about 10 percent. "Due to the effect of last year's July 1 campaign, more restaurants have joined this year. "We also see an increase in people flow in malls, and they are also spending more in restaurants." As for public transport, several ferry services are free, as are tram rides. Foreign domestic helper Elma said she usually takes the train to go from Central to Causeway Bay, but this time she opted for the tram instead. "[The] more faster [option] is the MTR. But now that the tram is free, I take the tram going here." The MTR Corporation, for its part, is giving away 71,000 e-single journey tickets through a lucky draw. Many people also flocked to museums across the city, including the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which offer free admission, along with various indoor and outdoor facilities operated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department that are available free of charge. Attractions such as Ocean Park and Ngong Ping 360 have also rolled out ticket discounts.
RTHK
25-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
HKers 'buying bread up north fuelled Taipan closure'
HKers 'buying bread up north fuelled Taipan closure' The lawmaker representing wholesale and retail said on Wednesday he believes people buying bread from the mainland contributed to the demise of bakery chain Taipan. After more than four decades, the firm announced it had ceased operations on Tuesday. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Peter Shiu said baked goods are cheaper on the mainland and come in greater variety. "Now that travelling north is very convenient, if people go there, sometimes they will buy some bread to bring back," he said. "Of course, if they buy it on the mainland, then that can have an effect on sales here. "Or perhaps even some cross-border online shopping platforms are taking orders for Hong Kong. "That would also severely compromise the local bakery sector." Shiu also said rents are one of the significant burdens for firms, and suggested tenants talk to their landlords sooner regarding the matter. The Hotels, Food and Beverage Employees Association's general secretary, Nerine Yip, told the same show that the group has so far helped about 200 staff file reports with the Labour Department, with total claims amounting to around HK$38 million. She said the claims mainly involved salaries for May, payment in lieu of notice, severance and long-term service payments, as well as holiday pay. Yip also said workers had anticipated the closure before the announcement was made. "The staff said that, based on past experiences, Taipan should have started selling snowy mooncakes in mid-June, and it would then have started recruiting factory workers to make snowy mooncakes as well as for the packaging," she said. "As there had been no news of this this year, they were not optimistic." Yip said a well-known and large-scale baked goods factory is interested in recruiting Taipan staff, and that the association will also work with the Labour Department to hold job fairs to help those affected.
RTHK
24-06-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
21 HKers sought assistance amid Israel-Iran conflict
21 HKers sought assistance amid Israel-Iran conflict John Lee says the government will assist the last of the 21 SAR residents who had sought assistance after helping the other 20 to leave Israel and Iran. Photo: Reuters Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday 21 SAR residents who were stuck in Israel and Iran during the ongoing conflict between the two countries have contacted the Immigration Department. As of yesterday, all but one have left the two countries safely. The government raised the outbound travel alert to "black" for the two Middle East countries last week – the highest level in a three-tier system, indicating a severe threat. Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said the government will maintain close contact with the remaining resident and provide assistance. "It is important that Hong Kong residents in these two countries or in areas where threats may spiral up to pay close attention to personal safety," he said. "Leave and relocate to other more safe areas. "Pay attention to developments through the news, what we, the government broadcast, and also the website of the Security Bureau." Lee went on to say that the administration will keep in close contact with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as relevant embassies. The Chief Executive also said he supports the nation's stance on the Israel-Iran conflict and efforts to ensure the safety of civilians and resolve issues through diplomatic means. He called on the international community to jointly safeguard peace. Lee said the SAR's cooperation with the Middle East will be even closer given the current situation as he believes every government in the region will ensure that trade continues.
RTHK
24-06-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
21 HKers sought assistance amid Israel-Iran conflict
21 HKers sought assistance amid Israel-Iran conflict John Lee says the government will assist the last of the 21 SAR residents who had sought assistance after helping the other 20 to leave Israel and Iran. Photo: Reuters Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday 21 SAR residents who were stuck in Israel and Iran during the ongoing conflict between the two countries have contacted the Immigration Department. As of yesterday, all but one have left the two countries safely. The government raised the outbound travel alert to "black" for the two Middle East countries last week – the highest level in a three-tier system, indicating a severe threat. Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said the government will maintain close contact with the remaining resident and provide assistance. "It is important that Hong Kong residents in these two countries or in areas where threats may spiral up to pay close attention to personal safety," he said. "Leave and relocate to other more safe areas. "Pay attention to developments through the news, what we, the government broadcast, and also the website of the Security Bureau." Lee went on to say that the administration will keep in close contact with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as relevant embassies. The Chief Executive also said he supports the nation's stance on the Israel-Iran conflict and efforts to ensure the safety of civilians and resolve issues through diplomatic means. He called on the international community to jointly safeguard peace. Lee said the SAR's cooperation with the Middle East will be even closer given the current situation as he believes every government in the region will ensure that trade continues.
RTHK
20-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
HKers can use FPS for payments up north from Sunday
HKers can use FPS for payments up north from Sunday HKMA chief executive Eddie Yue says Payment Connect will allow local residents to make transfers of small sums in a much simpler way. Photo: RTHK China's central bank governor Pan Gongsheng hails Payment Connect as a milestone in deepening financial connectivity between Hong Kong and the mainland. Photo: RTHK Residents from Hong Kong and the mainland will soon be able to use a new fast payment tool to conduct cross-border transactions involving small sums in real time from Sunday, with monetary authorities from both sides hailing the launch as a milestone in deepening connectivity. The announcement came after the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's launch on Friday of the cross-border payment method, Payment Connect, which links its electronic payment network – Faster Payment System (FPS) – with the mainland's Internet Banking Payment System. The linkage allows cross-bank transactions using simply the recipients' mobile numbers or account numbers, with small-value payments settled instantly at any time. "I'm very much looking forward to Sunday when we will further connect the fast payment systems between Hong Kong and the mainland using Payment Connect, as it breaks through the boundaries of time and place," HKMA chief executive Eddie Yue said at the launching ceremony in Beijing. "Residents from both places will only need to click on our phones, enter the recipient's mobile phone number, and they can easily make small personal remittances or pay for various living expenses [using it], achieving simple and immediate transfers," he said, adding that the FPS system has been very popular among Hong Kong residents since 2018. Under the new service, residents can use FPS to transfer small sums of up to HK$10,000 each day per account to the mainland, while the total annual remittance limit is set at HK$200,000. And such transfers will not affect another 80,000 yuan of northbound daily quota set for local residents. While there's no limit set for mainland residents using the tool for southbound transfers, they will still be subject to the current annual foreign exchange quota of US$50,000 per person. The launch of the tool also comes as the number of FPS users closes on 17 million, with one million new accounts being set up in the first five months of the year. The number of registered users is far more than the total population of Hong Kong as an individual can have more than one account. For his part, People's Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng said the launch marks another milestone in the deepening of financial connectivity between Hong Kong and the mainland, as Beijing highly values the SAR as a global financial centre. "The cross-border Payment Connect, which is directly connected to the infrastructure of the monetary authorities of the two places, provides online fast bilateral local currency and bilateral renminbi remittance services for residents of the two places, which will further enhance the efficiency and experience of cross-border payments," he said. "It'll also provide conveniences for economic and trade cooperation as well as personnel exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, injecting new vitality into Hong Kong's development while further promoting the cross-border adoption of the renminbi," he added. The two sides have been working on the service since August. The new tool will see six SAR banks join the first batch of institutions to provide such services – Bank of China (Hong Kong), HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, Bank of East Asia, as well as two state-backed lenders. There'll also be six mainland banks supporting the tool.
