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CBC
19 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Hong Kong has issued a warrant for his arrest, but this Vancouverite isn't worried
Social Sharing Last week, Hong Kong issued arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists, all members of a group called Hong Kong Parliament, which promotes self-determination in Hong Kong and the establishment of a Hong Kong constitution. But Hong Kong alleges the group is using illegal means to overthrow institutions in China. Among the 19 is Victor Ho, a Canadian citizen and Vancouver-based journalist who works for the B.C. edition of Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily. It's not the first time he's been faced with an arrest warrant from Hong Kong, Ho said. A warrant was issued for Ho's arrest in 2021, and again in December 2024. Ho said this most recent arrest warrant was expected. He spoke with CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Victor, how did you hear about this warrant? I learned this message from social media last Thursday evening when I was attending a concert in downtown Vancouver. It's a bit of a strange feeling. How can a Canadian be wanted by the Hong Kong government three times? The first time is 2021. The second one is last December — the Hong Kong government gave one million Hong Kong dollar bounty for me. Are you concerned? Are you, are you afraid at all? No, because this is the third time. The Canadian government approached me many times after the first time I was wanted by the Hong Kong government, including Global Affairs Canada, including CSIS and including the RCMP. Even the public safety ministry, they approached me. They had various information for me about my personal safety, about my immediate danger. They have a lot of information to advise me not to go to the countries with extradition treaties with Hong Kong. They are trying to protect me and ask me what they can do to make me feel safe. WATCH | Victor Ho among those wanted in Hong Kong: Hong Kong police issue fresh wave of arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists 19 hours ago What about the accusations here? Police say that your group sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means. How do you respond to that? In my opinion, that is inappropriate. And this is not in proportion. We just express our willingness to organize a universal suffrage for Hong Kong people overseas and in Hong Kong proper. So me and a group of overseas Hong Kong people try to organize in a grassroot democracy style to say that the Hong Kong people have the right to self-determination, their sovereignty should be honoured. So we try to materialize these rights, democratic rights only. I don't think we have enough power to overthrow the government. What about your friends, even family in Hong Kong? What is life like for them there? Actually, I cut off all ties, all connections with my Hong Kong family members last year. This was my suggestion to cut off. I don't want to involve them. I don't want the police to come to their doorsteps and ask them a lot of questions. I just cut off all connection. Even telephone. I have a lot of relatives in Hong Kong. I have eight sisters and brothers. I haven't received any bad news from my family members in Hong Kong. So far so good. But I hope they can find no evidence from my relatives in Hong Kong because I left my original family in early 20s. For over 40 years, I don't have very close connections with them so they cannot find evidence to bother my relatives there. Why is it so many of them stay, in light of what you've described this afternoon? Why don't they leave like you have? There are various reasons: because of financial capacity, because of their ties with relatives in mainland China. Some of my elder brothers have wives from mainland China. So the cultural connection cannot be easily cut off on their standpoint. So I understand their situation. I immigrated to Canada because of my career. I know the sensitivity of my career to a communist regime. They don't like any journalists, so after a discussion with my wife, we decided to leave Hong Kong in 1997 to play it safe.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada condemns Hong Kong authorities after warrants issued for overseas activists
OTTAWA – The Canadian government is condemning Hong Kong's law enforcement authorities after they issued bounties and warrants for 19 pro-democracy activists, some of whom live in Canada. In a joint statement, federal Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree say Canada will not tolerate what it describes as an attempt for Hong Kong 'to conduct transnational repression abroad.' The statement came after Hong Kong police announced the warrants and rewards offered for 19 activists for 'suspected contravention' of its National Security Law for their roles in promoting self-determination in the Chinese special administrative region. Some of the activists named, including Canadian Victor Ho, already face warrants stemming from an announcement from Hong Kong in December and have a HK$1 million reward for information for their arrests. The new list of 19 people adds at least three other Canadian residents to the list with rewards of HK$200,000 offered. Hong Kong police also says they are calling on those on the wanted list to return and turn themselves in instead of 'making more mistakes.' In a text message to The Canadian Press, Ho says he was not surprised to hear his name on the new warrant list again, and the best policy on handling the situation is 'to keep everyday business as usual as possible.' Ho adds he is not concerned about his personal safety and has cut off all contact with Hong Kong family members since last year, and Global Affairs Canada has reached out to find out how many people living in the country are being targeted. In their joint statement, Anand and Anandasangaree criticize the warrants and say Canada 'stands in solidarity' with other 'international partners whose citizens and residents have also been affected by the new development,' which it calls an 'act of transnational repression.' 'The individuals targeted yesterday under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law in Hong Kong include Canadians and people with close ties to Canada,' their statement says. 'Canada reiterates its previous calls to repeal this law, which violates Hong Kong's international human rights obligations, and withdraw all related warrants and bounties.' Back in December, Ho responded in a Facebook post to his name being on the wanted list as the 'best Christmas present.' 'A Canadian citizen like me … has the protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and exercised his right to the freedom of speech,' said Ho, who is the former editor-in-chief of the Sing Tao Daily newspaper. Ho helped launched a plan in Canada to elect an unofficial 'Hong Kong parliament' in 2022, and the organizers' Facebook page says voting wrapped in June and garnered 15,702 total votes. — with files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.
5 days ago
- Politics
Hong Kong announces arrest warrants, rewards for exiles who formed political committee in Canada
Police said in a statement Friday that the group, Hong Kong Parliament, aimed to promote self-determination and establish a so-called Hong Kong constitution, alleging it was using illegal means to overthrow and undermine China's fundamental system or overthrow the institutions in power in the city or China. At the request of police, the city's court issued arrest warrants for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others (new window) . They are alleged to have organized or participated in an election abroad for the Hong Kong Parliament, as well as setting up or becoming members of the group. While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was founded in Toronto in 2022 and its influence is limited. According to a Facebook statement by the group on Jun. 30, its recent election (new window) drew some 15,700 valid votes through mobile app and online voting systems. It said the candidates and elected members came from various regions, including two based in Canada, as well as individuals now in Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the U.S. and Britain. Yuen said in a Facebook live broadcast that the police campaign would help the group rally support for the resistance movement. It helps us with a lot of advertising, Yuen said. During the live chat with Yuen on Facebook, Sasha Gong, another person targeted by the bounties, accused Hong Kong of becoming a police state. She said she is a U.S. citizen and would report her case to the U.S. authorities and lawmakers. B.C. resident targeted a 2nd time Among the 19 activists, police have already offered one million Hong Kong dollars ($174,580 Cdn) for information leading to the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok and Choi when arrest warrants for separate activities were issued against them. Ho, the former editor of the Sing Tao Daily based in British Columbia, told CBC News at that time he would not be deterred in his advocacy for the rights of Hong Kongers free from Beijing interference. WATCH l Victor Ho of B.C. was among 6 named in a previous announcement: For the remaining 15 people, rewards of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars ($34,915 Cdn) were offered, urging residents to provide information about the case or the people. The investigation is still ongoing. If necessary, police will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case, police said. They also called on those wanted to stop their actions while they still can, saying that they hoped the activists will take this opportunity to return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than making more mistakes. Over the past two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants for various activists based overseas, including former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. They also cancelled the passports of some of them under a recent security law introduced in the city last year. The moves against overseas-based activists have drawn criticism from foreign governments, especially given that the former British colony was promised that its Western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomy would be kept intact for at least 50 years when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Calls for sanctions In March, the United States sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it alleged were involved in transnational repression and acts that threaten to further erode the city's autonomy. But Beijing and Hong Kong insist the national security laws were necessary for the city's stability. In retaliation for the U.S. move, China in April said it would sanction U.S. officials, lawmakers and leaders of non-governmental organizations who it says have performed poorly on Hong Kong issues. The previous Liberal government in Ottawa announced sanctions on Chinese officials in two separate instances over the past five years, including in December (new window) , but not related to Hong Kong's crackdown on protesters, critics and politicians. Organizations such as Hong Kong Watch Canada (new window) and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (new window) are among those who have called on Ottawa to consider sanctions for officials involved in Hong Kong's repression. Jenny Kwan, the Hong Kong-born NDP MP for Vancouver East, has also called for targeted sanctions (new window) on Hong Kong officials. With files from CBC News
RTHK
21-07-2025
- RTHK
CCTV cameras effective in stopping crime: Joe Chow
CCTV cameras effective in stopping crime: Joe Chow Joe Chow said the surveillance cameras have effectively reduced the number of crimes. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow says surveillance cameras have effectively prevented street crime in the city. In an interview with Sing Tao Daily, Chow said the police launched the 'SmartView' programme in April last year to install surveillance cameras in busy public areas. So far, police officers have solved 351 cases based on the camera footage, which is an inspiring result, he said. Chow also said the number of street crimes including car theft, pickpocketing, robbery, wounding and arson has fallen by up to 42.5 percent since the cameras were installed. According to the force's plan, 2,000 CCTV cameras will be installed this year. Chow said the force will install another 2,000 cameras next year, adding that he aims to connect the police CCTV system with those at government departments and the MTR by 2026 or 2027. The police also hope to introduce facial recognition and artificial intelligence in the CCTV system in the future, he said. In addition to CCTV cameras, the police are also deploying drones to enhance efficiency, Chow said.
Business Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
HSBC-backed Hang Seng Bank to cut jobs as part of restructuring
[HONG KONG] Hong Kong-based lender Hang Seng Bank said on Thursday (May 15) that it was restructuring its business and streamlining duplicate roles in a move that would lead to job losses for about 1 per cent of its 'core staff'. Hang Seng Bank, which is 63 per cent-owned by global banking group HSBC, 'reviews and restructures its business from time to time' in response to 'the ever-changing market condition and diversified client needs', it said in a statement. The lender will use technology to improve operational efficiency and service quality, it added. Hang Seng Bank did not respond immediately to a request for comment on how many of its employees were considered 'core staff'. It employed around 8,300 people, mainly in Hong Kong and mainland China, as of the end of 2024. The statement from Hang Seng Bank came a day after Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily reported the lender, which has rarely made large-scale layoffs, was cutting 10 per cent to 50 per cent of staff in some teams. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The bank is opening up new roles, for which impacted staff can apply as part of the restructure, it said in the statement, without providing further details. The Hong Kong and mainland China-focused lender has reported rising bad loans over the last few years due to its relatively high exposure to the property sector in those key markets. The impaired loans reached 6.1 per cent of its gross loans as of end-2024, up sharply from 2.8 per cent at the end of 2023. Reuters last year reported that due to worries about a potential rise in bad loans amid growing economic headwinds and the property sector crisis in China, HSBC in early 2024 started planning to tighten risk management at Hang Seng Bank. Parent HSBC last year launched a global overhaul and began trimming its workforce to remove duplicated roles to bring down costs. HSBC said on Wednesday it plans to cut 348 jobs in France through a voluntary redundancy scheme, amounting to about 10 per cent of its workforce in the country. The job losses are part of a cost-cutting drive led by CEO Georges Elhedery, who aims to reduce expenses by US$1.8 billion by the end of 2026. REUTERS
