Latest news with #JohnLeeKaChiu
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's John Lee holds first forum to gauge views for coming policy address
Hongkongers have shared their concerns with the city's leader on issues such as housing, innovation and technology, youth development and poverty, with the chief executive pledging to continue collecting public views before mapping out 'pragmatic' policies. In the first public consultation exercise ahead of his fourth annual policy address, John Lee Ka-chiu on Sunday met about 120 residents at Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School in Hung Hom, a neighbourhood where he grew up. Residents issued a string of calls and suggestions at the two-hour forum, covering topics such as land and housing, transport, innovation and technology, financial services development, culture and sports, education, youth issues, poverty alleviation, healthcare services, social welfare and more. 'There are issues that members of the public care deeply about, so I attach great importance to district consultations,' Lee said after the forum, which was attended by the city's top three principal officials and nearly all ministers. 'These views will let me have a better grasp on formulating policies and the allocation of resources when I prepare the policy address.' Lee said he brought forward the policy address to September from October.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Football Festival: record crowd brings Kai Tak Stadium to life amid tourism boom
Nearly 50,000 fans packed into Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday for the first game of the inaugural Hong Kong Football Festival, providing a raucous atmosphere and highlighting what the city's leader had earlier called an energised tourism industry. Advertisement And after days of community events, fan visits and anticipation, the real business got under way, with Liverpool and AC Milan serving up the sort of pre-season clash Hong Kong has been starved of in recent years. A Noah Okafor double, plus goals from Rafael Leao and Ruben Loftus-Cheek earned Milan a 4-2 win in the Standard Chartered Trophy in front of a record 49,704 crowd. For Liverpool, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo briefly gave their supporters something to cheer about. Either side of 90 minutes of action on the pitch, there was the traditional dragon dance before kick-off and fireworks after to celebrate the Italian side's triumph. For Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the atmosphere would have further cemented his belief in the city's 'growing attractiveness in the international tourism market', even as he vowed to further innovate and make Hong Kong a 'preferred travel destination'. AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan could do nothing about Dominik Szoboszlai's equaliser. Photo: Elson Li Official figures on Saturday outlined just how much of an economic boon Kai Tak Sports Park has been, with the number of visitors to the city up 12 per cent year on year for the first six months of 2025.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Liverpool v AC Milan in Hong Kong: Reds equalise at raucous Kai Tak after Jota tribute
So, here we are, it's time for the business end of the Hong Kong Football Festival, the latest in an increasingly long line of mega-events driving an economic and tourism boom. On Saturday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu revealed there had been a 17 per cent jump in overseas visitors compared to the first six months of last year, and plenty of them have travelled for Liverpool's game against AC Milan. The Premier League champions are well supported in Hong Kong, as are their Italian rivals, and fans are already swarming around outside Kai Tak Stadium ahead of the 7.30pm kick off. And the weather is playing its part too. Gone is the heavy rain that hammered Milan during their training session on Friday, replaced with bright sunshine and blue skies. It's a good day for some pre-season football, so stick with us as we bring you all the action from Kai Tak. Reporting by Willa Wu, Timon Johnson, Paul McNamara, Andrew Cesare Richardson, Lars Hamer and Tom Bell
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
John Lee vows to make Hong Kong ‘preferred destination' after 12% surge in tourists
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to adopt innovative thinking to make the city a 'preferred travel destination', following a 12 per cent increase in tourist arrivals during the first half of the year. Latest figures by the Hong Kong Tourism Board showed that the city welcomed about 3.48 million visitors in June, bringing the total number from January to June to more than 23.6 million, a 12 per cent year-on-year increase. Three-quarters of the arrivals, or 17.8 million, came from mainland China. The board said on Saturday that about 5.84 million visitors arrived from the rest of the world, marking a 17 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. 'Visitors from most short-haul markets, including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, increased by at least 25 per cent year on year,' it said. 'Among long-haul markets, Australia recorded a notable growth of 33 per cent year on year.' In a Facebook post, Lee attributed the tourism boom partly to a string of arts, cultural and sports mega-events. He also pointed to the opening of Kai Tak Sports Park, the city's newest hub for world-class concerts and sporting events.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Liverpool v AC Milan: crowds gather at Kai Tak, latest tourism boost revealed
So, here we are, it's time for the business end of the Hong Kong Football Festival, the latest in an increasingly long line of mega-events driving an economic and tourism boom. On Saturday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu revealed there had been a 17 per cent jump in overseas visitors compared to the first six months of last year, and plenty of them have travelled for Liverpool's game against AC Milan. The Premier League champions are well supported in Hong Kong, as are their Italian rivals, and fans are already swarming around outside Kai Tak Stadium ahead of the 7.30pm kick off. And the weather is playing it's part too. Gone is the heavy rain that hammered Milan during their training session on Friday, replaced with bright sunshine and blue skies. It's a good day for some pre-season football, so stick with us as we bring you all the action from Kai Tak. Reporting by Willa Wu, Timon Johnson, Paul McNamara, Andrew Cesare Richardson, Lars Hamer and Tom Bell
