Hong Kong’s commerce minister has rejected a lawmaker’s suggestion to merge public broadcaster RTHK with the government’s press department, saying there were no overlaps in job responsibilities. RTHK also came under fire on Wednesday over its staffing levels, with lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee calling for in-depth reforms at the broadcaster and better use of…
Hong Kong will follow a strategy of “fiscal consolidation”, with the government “strictly controlling” public spending to address the deficit even as it seeks to improve services related to residents’ livelihoods, the finance chief has said. Three days before he is set to deliver his 2025-26 budget speech, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday…
Hong Kong’s lowest paid workers will get HK$2.10 (27 US cents) more in their hourly salary, from the current HK$40 to HK$42.10, under a recommendation adopted by the government’s key decision-making Executive Council. The government announced on Tuesday that Exco had accepted the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Commission to raise the statutory minimum wage…
Hong Kong’s HK$2 fare scheme for elderly residents should be adjusted by offering those aged 60 to 65 only limited usage, a top government adviser has said, while the city’s finance chief has described the concession as “unfeasible” in the long run. Lam Ching-choi, a member of the city’s top advisory body the Executive Council,…
With the slow pace of economic recovery still weighing heavily on society, adjustments in public utility charges may yet be another burden for the public if they are not carefully taken into consideration. Officials should always ensure increases are reasonable and justified. Passengers are set to dig deeper into their pockets after three local bus…
Three Hong Kong franchised bus companies have applied to increase fares by between 6.5 and 9.5 per cent, despite two of them reporting profits in the last financial year. KMB and New Lantao Bus both applied to raise fares by 6.5 per cent, while Citybus was seeking an increase of nearly 9.5 per cent for…
Hong Kong’s leader has warned that the United States will ultimately “reap what it sows” with its plan to clamp down on outbound investment in China’s semiconductor, quantum technology and artificial intelligence industries. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that the move by Washington was not only harmful to others but also…