Latest news with #ReginaIp
South China Morning Post
06-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong should have ‘real' dialogue on same-sex partnership proposal: LGBTQ groups
LGBTQ organisations in Hong Kong have called for 'real consultations' on a government-proposed framework to recognise same-sex partnerships, even as widespread opposition from lawmakers threatens to derail the plan. The groups said on Sunday that the reaction from legislators was 'not surprising' but the 'hostility' had prompted some people to leave the city altogether. In a paper submitted to the legislature last week, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau proposed allowing same-sex couples to apply to have their relationship recognised in Hong Kong if they had first registered it in another jurisdiction. While the framework was in accordance with a landmark ruling by the Court of Final Appeal in 2023, lawmakers in the Legislative Council hit out at the plan, fuelling speculation that it could hit a dead end. So far, at least 41 members of the 89-strong legislature – including those from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the Business and Professionals Alliance, the Federation of Trade Unions and the Liberal Party – have indicated their objection to the proposal. One of the only lawmakers to express support was Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, the convenor of the key decision-making Executive Council, who has said she and five other members of her New People's Party will vote in favour of the eventual legislation.
South China Morning Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Is proposal to recognise same-sex partnerships in Hong Kong dead on arrival?
A proposal by the Hong Kong government to recognise same-sex partnerships in line with a top court ruling may hit a dead end amid mounting opposition in the legislature, with one legal expert saying authorities may consider a rejection as closing the file on the controversy. Failure to enact the legislation could mean that same-sex couples would continue to be barred from having their relationships officially recognised in the near future and invite more judicial challenges, lawyers warned on Friday. The Court of Final Appeal found the government was violating the Bills of Rights when it ruled in favour of a judicial challenge by activist Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit in 2023. It gave the government two years to draw up laws setting out 'core rights' of same-sex couples, but did not outline what they might be. On Friday, lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, the convenor of the key decision-making Executive Council, said she and five other members of her New People's Party would vote in favour of the 'very practical and basic' proposal by the government, a day after several major political parties voiced opposition to the plan in the Legislative Council. In a paper submitted to Legco on Wednesday, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau proposed allowing same-sex couples to apply to have their relationship recognised in Hong Kong if they had first registered it in another jurisdiction. The move would grant same-sex couples some rights, such as those related to medical and after-death matters, although some LGBTQ activists described the proposal as conservative and vague.
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong can chart path for high-quality growth in the space economy: Regina Ip
A top adviser to Hong Kong has called for the local government to aim for the space economy as the city's answer to stimulating high-quality economic growth, while seeking to host top-tier international events such as the Apec finance ministers' meeting to enhance global ties and boost local consumption. Advertisement Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the key decision-making Executive Council and chairwoman of the New People's Party, also proposed a HK$50 million (US$6.4 million) fund on Wednesday to support local young musicians and artists to train and compete overseas, inspired by award-winning pianist Aristo Sham Ching-tao. The proposals were part of her party's submissions to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ahead of his third policy address, which was expected to be unveiled in September. Ip said that Hong Kong was 'well positioned' to look into outer space and its commercial potential, adding it would complement the low-altitude economy, which the city's leader vowed to boost in his 2024 policy address. 'We have scientists in our university already engaged in supporting the nation's open space development,' lawmaker Ip told reporters after the proposals were submitted. Advertisement 'We are well positioned to provide financial support, fundraising support … We have a common law system that can help our government provide input into how to regulate open space for peaceful uses,' she added, describing the suggestion as one of the party's key suggestions. She cited a Goldman Sachs research report in March, which showed that the global satellite market was expected to become seven times bigger, from US$15 billion in 2024 to US$108 billion in 2035.
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
5 years after national security law, has Hong Kong bounced back?
In the second of a two-part series on the national security law, we look at how the city has had to battle a negative narrative over the past five years. Read part 1 here Soon after Hong Kong reopened in early 2023 as harsh pandemic restrictions were finally lifted, veteran lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee embarked on a solo mission to the West. Visiting Brussels to meet European Union officials in September 2023, she sought to explain fundamental political and legal changes in the city and how it would not be deterred by its critics. Beijing had reshaped the political landscape, first by imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020, then by introducing major electoral reforms to ensure that only 'patriots' ruled the city. By then too, a dark shadow had settled over the city, blanketing more nuanced and varied views about Hong Kong into one coagulated negative narrative that it had become a police state. With the national security law, no one was safe. Diplomats, bankers and business people were told to carry burner phones when entering Hong Kong. The city's future was over, its past a romanticised era where democracy reigned, or so this gloomy tale went. It did not help that Hong Kong residents had also left the city in droves, drawn by easier pathways to emigration laid out by Western nations and partly because of the pandemic restrictions.
Korea Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Global Prosperity Summit 2025 successfully concludes
Event underscores Hong Kong's bridging role, contributions in people-to-people diplomacy HONG KONG, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Prosperity Summit 2025 (GPS2025), jointly organised by Savantas Policy Institute, the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, came to a close today following two days of insightful discussions by distinguished leaders and experts from around the world on the most pressing issues impacting global prosperity. The event also underscored Hong Kong's bridging role and soft power in advancing people-to-people diplomacy and facilitating dialogue for addressing geopolitical issues. Mrs Regina Ip, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Savantas Policy Institute, said that the final two panel discussions at this year's Global Prosperity Summit focused on climate change and sustainable development, as well as Hong Kong's role. Quoting speakers at the event, she underscored the importance of enhancing efforts to showcase Hong Kong's cultural richness and achievements to the global audience, for the world to see the city's diverse identity, so that Hong Kong can fully demonstrate its role as a bridge, and continue to play a unique role on the international stage. Today's programme began with the first panel discussion on "Climate Change and Sustainable Development", a panel that brought together international experts for an in-depth exploration of issues such as climate change and green transformation. The Summit then concluded with "Hong Kong's Bridging Role in a Changing World", where international relations experts from the United Kingdom and United States shared their unique perspectives and insights. (Key points from these discussions can be found in the Annex.) Regarding the many strengths of Hong Kong, Ambassador Craig Allen, Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group, noted that "Hong Kong has some of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world"; "The financial markets are superb"; and "diversity is Hong Kong's strength." Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO, Chair, China-Britain Business Council and Senior Adviser to the Group, HSBC Holdings plc, also pointed out that "I've always thought that Hong Kong undersells itself, not realizing its extraordinary assets, which in this time and this world, make it exceptionally well-placed. I think I'm right in saying that 70% of the foreign direct investment coming out of China goes through Hong Kong, 60% of the incoming investment into China comes through this territory. Britain does about as much trade with Hong Kong as we do with Japan." He also said "You only have to walk through Central, dance in Lan Kwai Fong, do what you always do in Hong Kong, to know that it is special and different and will remain so. So I say to my friends from Hong Kong here - keep selling Hong Kong. Be confident that it is what the mainland wants, it is what the leadership wants, and it is what the leadership will support." The organisers of GPS2025 said they are grateful to the speakers and experts who came to Hong Kong from the mainland and countries across the globe to share their profound insights and forward-thinking perspectives. They added that the summit will continue to invite renowned experts with a view to fostering global prosperity and strengthening cross-region and cross-sector collaboration. About Global Prosperity Summit Global Prosperity Summit was initiated by a group of business, academic and experts in Hong Kong to provide a platform for frank, objective and rational discussion of dominant issues impacting global prosperity. The inaugural Summit was held in Hong Kong in 2024. About Savantas Policy Institute Savantas Policy Institute (SPI) was founded in 2006 by a group of Hong Kong belongers with overseas experience who care deeply about Hong Kong. The core vision of SPI is to enhance Hong Kong's transformation into a knowledge-based economy. SPI engages mainly in conducting public policy research and analysis and recommending appropriate long-term developmental strategies, as well as promoting public understanding of and participation in the economic and social development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. About Shanghai Institutes for International Studies Established in 1960, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) has played a crucial role in conducting strategic research, providing policy recommendations and contributing to the understanding of international politics, economics, security and other related fields. It has evolved into an important institution informing and shaping China's foreign policy and global engagement and has been accredited as one of the most influential think tanks in China and around the world. About European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Initiated in 1997, the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (EuroCham) is a non-governmental business interest group. The EuroCham is a 'Chamber of Chambers' with its membership comprising 16 European Chambers based in Hong Kong. The appointed representatives of these chambers make up EuroCham's Board of Directors. Over 1,600 European companies are operating in Hong Kong. In 2019, Europe maintained its position as Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner after mainland China and Hong Kong's second-largest export destination and third-largest import supplier.
