Author Archives: biglychee

Some ‘sweeping conclusions’

From HKFP – Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung uses the ceremonial opening of the legal year to state that courts are not designed to serve political ends… The chief justice said on Monday that national security cases, despite attracting attention … Continue reading

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In which we hear from Mike Pence, and others

The former US VP speaks at the UBS Wealth Insights summit in Hong Kong and calls for the release of Jimmy Lai… One of the charges against Mr. Lai is an allegation that he met with the then-VP in 2019 … Continue reading

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Shots (allegedly) taken but not fired

What do the heavily manned and funded NatSec police do all day? We don’t know. What state of mind do you end up in if you have to spend weeks trawling through Facebook or surreptitiously inspecting people’s T-shirts in an … Continue reading

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Go to Japan to escape tourists

The number of Hongkongers visiting Japan reaches all-time highs: 2.7 million in 2024, up 17% from 2019, and 285,000 in December 2024, up 14% from December 2023.  Could it be that inbound tourism encourages the outbound variety? The more Mainlanders, … Continue reading

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What about their pet dog?

NatSec police put pressure on family members of PORI deputy director and academic Chung Kim-wah… The wife and son of wanted former pollster Chung Kim-wah have been questioned by national security police, local media has reported, a day after Chung’s … Continue reading

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Be careful who you contact

Robert Chung of PORI opinion polls is questioned by NatSec Police for ‘assisting an absconder’ – his former deputy Chung Kim-wah, who is in the UK and is one of the latest batch of people to be declared wanted for … Continue reading

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Red Cotton

This is pretty much a restaurant-review-free-zone (apart from once, maybe), but a few comments on Tanya Chan’s Taipei private kitchen Red Cotton… As a pro-democracy politician, the former Civic Party lawmaker was last heard of in Hong Kong being hounded … Continue reading

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HK retail sales test new, low normal

Hong Kong retail sales down 7.3% in November year-on-year, and 8.3% by volume/inflation-adjusted. Big falls in cars, electronics, Chinese medicine, furniture and many other consumer items, except supermarket goods. In volume terms, sales are around 30% lower than in 2015-19.  … Continue reading

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‘Aircraft able’: Mable

The COMAC C919 aircraft makes its first commercial scheduled flight into Hong Kong, receiving a rapturous reception from RTHK… The homegrown passenger jet, operated by China Eastern airlines and carrying around 160 passengers, took off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport … Continue reading

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Yes, we have no new ideas

The government’s new tourism blueprint – looks a lot like all the existing banal initiatives bundled up into one document, plus something called ‘bleisure travel’. Eco-tourism, mega-events, East-meets-West culture, ‘coastal platforms’, pandas, Lantau, Lamma, hotels, spas, horse-racing, cruise tourism, and … Continue reading

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