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HKFP
5 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor July 26, 2025: The impact of state media attacks, and rare tension among lawmakers over same-sex bill
This week, Beijing-backed media ramped up the 'soft resistance' narrative with a full-on, week-long attack on indie bookshops, cafés, and other businesses – raising questions about what they signal. Meanwhile, tension is brewing in Hong Kong's 'patriots-only' legislature, as some lawmakers push back against a bill granting limited rights to same-sex couples – a rare sight since the electoral overhaul. With the next LegCo election looming, the political scene remains unusually quiet. A local column suggests hopefuls are holding back, waiting for the green light to run. And finally, a cheerful celebrity photo turned political drama as stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee rushed to apologise after being pictured with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee. Chinese state-run newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao have ramped up their attacks on indie bookshops, stores, and media outlets they label as pro-democracy — devoting a week of full-page reports accusing them of 'soft resistance.' Their reporters visited shops, cafés, as well as a tea house, a boutique, and even a claw machine store, digging for signs of ideological 'threats.' They even published a map showing a cluster of so-called 'yellow' shops in Sham Shui Po. According to the reports, some stores sold items with protest-linked slogans like 'We fucking love Hong Kong' and 'May good people have peace throughout their lives' -though social media page HK Propaganda noted that Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao had themselves used the latter phrase multiple times. Books by indie newsrooms The Witness and The Collective were also singled out, accused of bias and with their founders' backgrounds highlighted. So what's going on? These attacks aren't new. Since the national security law came into force in 2020, state media have often acted as both a test balloon to gauge public reaction – and a warning shot to their targets. Former Wen Wei Po deputy editor Ching Cheong told HKFP in 2021 that such campaigns usually reflected central planning more than spontaneous journalism. And they've worked before. In 2021, four members of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council resigned after similar accusations. But this time, some seem to be unfazed. Hunter Bookstore – targeted on Wen Wei Po's front page for two straight days – called the claims 'ridiculous,' adding it hoped more people would 'stand firm under pressure' and 'do what's right.' Since Hong Kong overhauled its electoral system in 2021 to create a 'patriots-only' legislature, it has been rare to see lawmakers push back on government bills. But the proposed Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is sparking rare tension between the executive and the legislature. The bill, introduced earlier this month, is the government's response to a 2023 top court ruling requiring legal recognition of same-sex couples within two years. According to the proposal, limited rights would be granted to same-sex couples married overseas. LGBTQ groups have slammed it as inadequate. Meanwhile, many lawmakers are pushing back hard, claiming it amounts to recognising same-sex marriage and could undermine 'fundamental family values.' So far, only Regina Ip — who officiated at the 2023 Gay Games — and lawmakers from her New People's Party, as well as solicitor Paul Tse, have voiced open support. Chief Executive John Lee has stressed that the government must comply with the court's ruling, warning that ignoring it could lead to 'serious consequences.' The bill is currently under review by a 15-member bills committee before heading to a full Legislative Council (LegCo) debate. It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will hold their ground in rejecting it – and how the government plans to meet the court's October deadline without breaching the ruling. | LOCAL MEDIA MONITOR Unusually quiet? Local newspaper Ming Pao's political gossip column said on Wednesday that Hong Kong is seeing an 'unusually quiet' lead-up to the LegCo election in December. According to the anonymous writer, most politicians hoping to enter or stay in the 'patriots-only' legislature are still 'waiting for instructions,' with barely any public moves being made. Nominations opened on Monday for a by-election to fill 93 vacant seats in the 1,500-member Election Committee – the powerful body that nominates the city's chief executive and LegCo candidates, and directly elects 40 lawmakers. The column also mentioned a rumour swirling in political circles: around one-third of current legislators might not be staying. Apparently, securing a second term could hinge on passing an informal 'assessment' by the chief executive. Some unnamed lawmakers even claimed that senior government officials have written reports on certain legislators — reports that could influence their future in LegCo. Pro-establishment figure Lau Siu-kai said he had heard the rumour too but expressed doubts that the city's top leader has the final say. Beijing, he said, wouldn't want LegCo to be just a rubber stamp and still values lawmakers who offer constructive criticism. Celebs photo row: Hong Kong stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee took to Chinese social media site Weibo over the weekend to apologise after a photo surfaced showing them posing with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his outspoken criticism of mainland China. In the photo, Bee was seen with his hand on Namewee's shoulder. While they didn't mention the Malaysian singer by name, Bee said he had 'no idea' about the person's background or 'inappropriate words and actions.' Had he known, he added, he wouldn't have interacted with him. 'This was an inadvertent mistake and in no way reflects my support for his views,' Bee wrote in a signed statement. Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, originally shared the group photo on Threads but later deleted it. He said it was to protect the 'safety of comrades in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area,' and to avoid affecting the 'peace and stability of the motherland.' Namewee is best known for his satirical 2021 track Fragile, which pokes fun at hypersensitive Chinese nationalism. He's also had multiple run-ins with Malaysian police over the years in connection with his provocative music videos and film. HKFP PHOTO OF THE WEEK This giant calendar shows every inspection Hunter Bookstore has faced from various government departments since 2022 – with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department making the most appearances. The inspections are part of a broader wave of bureaucratic pressure on indie bookstores across the city. In our exclusive report last week, six independent publishing companies said they had all been hit with simultaneous tax audits over the past 18 months. Those in the independent news sector, including HKFP, previously said they were facing similar scrutiny too.
HKFP
06-05-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
NGO Reporters Without Borders defends Press Freedom Index rankings after state-backed media criticism
State-backed newspaper Ta Kung Pao has blasted Reporters Without Borders (RSF), calling the NGO 'a political thug' and its press freedom rankings 'a political smear tool.' In a Chinese op-ed published on Saturday, the newspaper claimed that RSF did not represent 'the true media industry.' 'RSF has long become a political thug, and the World Press Freedom Index has degenerated into a political smear tool in recent years,' it wrote. 'Its smear of the press freedom situation in Hong Kong has reached unimaginable levels.' RSF published its latest press freedom rankings on Friday, one day before World Press Freedom Day. The list saw Hong Kong tumble five places, entering the 'red zone' – meaning a 'very serious' situation – for the first time. The city now sits at 140th place, sandwiched between Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, China fell six spots to 178th place. In response to the op-ed, RSF told HKFP on Tuesday that its index exists 'to compare the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories. It is an independent tool, based on the transparent methodology that is available publicly on the RSF website.' The newspaper went on to state that press freedom has its limits, and that reporters do not have the freedom to spread 'fake news' and 'separatist ideas.' However, RSF said that its survey respondents emphasised a decline in press freedom and an uptick in harassment: 'Since 2020, at least 28 journalists and press freedom defenders have been prosecuted under various pretexts, 10 of whom remain in detention. Dozens of independent media outlets who used to provide the public with reliable, factual and sourced information have been closed down due to the pressure.' 'Red zone' ranking In last week's index, Hong Kong saw sharp dips in all five of the watchdog's indicators: political context, legal framework, economic context, socio-cultural context, and safety. The free expression NGO said: 'The main factor behind this decline is the deterioration of the political indicator (-7.28 pts), notably due to the September 2024 conviction for 'sedition' of Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam.' RSF was referring to two former editors of Stand News, who were found guilty last September of conspiring to publish and reproduce seditious publications 'Politically extreme' In the op-ed, Ta Kung Pao said RSF was using the closure of some media outlets, as well as some 'so-called' journalists leaving Hong Kong, to smear the press freedom situation. 'But they never said why these media outlets closed, [or] why some 'so-called' journalists left for overseas,' the op-ed read, adding that the 'reason' was that some outlets had breached Hong Kong's national security laws. Ta Kung Pao also singled out the watchdog's Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Manager Aleksandra Bielakowska, saying she had openly stated her political stance by appealing for people to read and subscribe to some independent outlets that are 'surviving under pressure.' The paper also questioned RSF's funding. In response, RSF told HKFP that its management is transparent, ethical, independent, and 'no political tendency, economic interest or religious belief guides the action of RSF.' 'RSF financing is based, in a balanced manner, on the generosity of the public and our members (donations, memberships, legacies, donations, French and international public subsidies, private sponsorships, RSF albums sale). Each year our accounts are certified by an independent auditor and published in the French Journal Officiel.' Press freedom in Hong Kong has been under the spotlight since the Beijing-imposed national security law came into effect in 2020. Alongside the shuttering of dozens of civil society groups, two of Hong Kong's biggest independent media outlets – Apple Daily and Stand News – also saw their offices raided and their top staff arrested. Apple Daily's founder Jimmy Lai, who has been remanded since December 2020, was charged with two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the Beijing-imposed national security law, and a third count of conspiring to publish seditious materials under colonial-era legislation. His trial, which had gone on for 145 days, was adjourned in March for the defense and prosecution to prepare closing arguments in July. A verdict is expected in October.
South China Morning Post
29-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Beijing office posts article critical of splitting ports off in Hutchison deal
A reported plan by Hong Kong's CK Hutchison Holdings to separate two Panama Canal facilities from its controversial port deal would not bring 'any practical significance' as the crux was whether the docks sold would be under Washington's control, an article by pro-Beijing media and reposted by a key Beijing office has argued. Advertisement The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) reposted a second article by Ta Kung Pao critical of the deal on its website on Tuesday, the second in two days. The latest article cited Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with Beijing's semi-official think tank, the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, as saying that splitting up the port sale would not have much practical significance. 'The fundamental issue revolves around whether the ports are subject to the pressure and control from the US government, rather than the transaction details,' he said. 'In the context of an increasingly complex global landscape, every decision made by the Chinese government starts from national interests and security, which is an important safeguard for upholding national sovereignty and development.' Advertisement He added that discriminatory measures against Chinese vessels or companies could be imposed at the two relevant ports under pressure of the US government if the transaction was completed.
Straits Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump, China ramp up Panama canal pressure with Li deal in limbo
The US and China have been embroiled in an escalating war of words over the Panama Canal. PHOTO: REUTERS HONG KONG – China dialed up scrutiny of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing's planned Panama ports sale to a BlackRock-backed group while Donald Trump sought preferential treatment for US ships in the waterway, adding to uncertainty over whether the blockbuster deal will proceed. China's market regulator said April 27 that its review of Li-owned CK Hutchison Holdings' sale of dozens of ports would cover all parties involved, and that the deal should not be implemented without the body's approval. Although the transaction only concerns CK Hutchison's assets outside of China and Hong Kong, the regulator's statement is seen as an assertion of Beijing's control over businesses based in the Greater China region. The US and China have been embroiled in an escalating war of words over the Panama Canal, which handles roughly 3 per cent of global seaborne trade, with the US and China being its two main users. It is piling further political pressure on Li as he tries to sell the two Panama ports, putting him in the crosshairs of tensions between the US and China. The escalating pressure from both sides highlights the increasingly tricky business environment that CK Hutchison and other major global companies have to navigate as trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies ramp back up. Trump started pushing for the US to 'reclaim' the waterway soon after taking office this year, and the latest statements from Beijing follow his call for 'free of charge' passage of American ships through the Panama and Suez canals. 'Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America,' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Aril 26, saying he had asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to 'immediately take care of' the situation. China, meanwhile, recently told its state-owned firms to hold off on any new collaboration with businesses linked to 96-year-old Li and his family, Bloomberg reported in March, irked by his plan to sell them to the global consortium. The relevant enterprises must abide by national laws and 'immediately stop the relevant transactions,' according to an opinion column in pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao. Otherwise, 'the consequences will be very serious.' 'American consortium BlackRock' The deal was first announced in March, and involves 43 CK Hutchison-run ports in 23 countries. While work on the deal is still proceeding, including due diligence, accounting and tax checks, CK Hutchison already missed a target to sign a definitive agreement on the Panama part of the deal by April 2. If finalised, the transaction would net CK Hutchison US$19 billion (S$24.96 billion) in cash proceeds. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that there are discussions around separating the two Panama ports from the US$22.8 billion deal to buy dozens of ports from CK Hutchison. Ta Kung Pao called it out as nothing more than a 'public relations manipulation.' 'No matter how the name is changed, the subject of the transaction has always been the American consortium BlackRock,' the outlet said. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Bloomberg
27-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Hong Kong Hotels in High Demand for ‘Golden Week,' Ta Kung Pao Reports
Hong Kong hotels are in high demand for China's upcoming 'Golden Week,' with many already almost fully booked, Ta Kung Pao reported. Booking apps show hotels in neighborhoods popular among tourists are either sold out or have few remaining rooms available, according to the report. One operator told the newspaper that his establishment was more than 80% booked for Golden Week, which starts on May 1 and marks one of China's longest national holidays.
