Hong Kong & Mainland China: Headlines
Boris Johnson lays out visa offer to nearly 3m Hong Kong citizens
Boris Johnson has opened the path to what he called one of the “biggest changes” ever to the British visa system, stating he was ready to offer a right to live and work in the UK to any of the nearly 3 million Hong Kong citizens eligible for a British National Overseas passport.
Ministers have been ambivalent since last Thursday on whether the government’s offer of an extendable 12-month visa would be available only to the 350,000 current BNO passport holders in Hong Kong, or would also include the more than 2.5 million eligible to apply for the passport.
In the Commons on Tuesday the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, implied the offer was only available to the narrower group stressing the government needed to be realistic about what it could offer. However, writing in Wednesday’s edition of the Times, Johnson appeared to make a far wider offer to all those eligible to hold a BNO passport.
The prime minister’s offer would only come into play if China presses ahead with new security laws that strip Hong Kong of its traditional freedoms.
Johnson wrote in the Times that if the security laws were pursued, “Britain would have no choice but to uphold our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong”.
He said: “Today about 350,000 people hold British Nationals (Overseas) passports and another 2.5 million people would be eligible to apply for them. At present these passports allow for visa free access for up to six months.
Full coverage: The Guardian
Tensions simmer in Hong Kong as controversial anthem law back up for debate
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong lawmakers are set to resume a debate on Wednesday over a controversial bill that would make disrespecting China’s national anthem a criminal offence, as the city ramps up for fresh protests amid simmering anti-government tensions.
An annual vigil to mark the June 4, 1989, anniversary of Chinese troops opening fire on pro-democracy students in and around Tiananmen Square has been cancelled for the first time ever due to the coronavirus but activists still plan to rally.
The ban comes on the heels of China’s plan to directly impose national security laws on Hong Kong, a move that has drawn international condemnation and revived anti-government demonstrations in the former British colony.
On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Beijing’s decision would “dramatically” erode Hong Kong’s autonomy and the United Kingdom is prepared to change its immigration rules to accommodate Hong Kong residents.
Even before China announced its plan for the security law, there was a surge in renewals of British National Overseas Passports by Hong Kong residents, while immigration consultants have reported a rush of inquiries from people looking to move overseas.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam accused foreign governments on Tuesday of “double standards” in their reaction to Beijing’s plans. Lam, along with officials from the justice and security departments, arrives in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss the new legislation.
Full coverage: Reuters
Majority of U.S. firms in Hong Kong concerned about security laws: Amcham survey
HONG KONG (Reuters) – An overwhelming majority of U.S. firms in Hong Kong responding to an Amcham survey published on Wednesday are concerned about Beijing’s move to impose national security legislation on the global financial hub.
The survey, to which 180 or 15% of Amcham members responded on June 1-2, showed 30% of respondents were “moderately” concerned and 53.3% were “very concerned” about the legislation, which aims to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong.
The legislation, which could also see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in the city, has sent ripples through the legal, diplomatic and business communities amid concerns it could erode rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
Beijing and local authorities have repeatedly said it would not affect the city’s high degree of autonomy, agreed with its former colonial master Britain before it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
About 60% of the respondents thought the legislation would harm their business operations, citing concerns about ambiguity in scope and enforcement, erosion of autonomy, talent drain, Hong Kong’s international status, social unrest and the independence of the justice system among others.
Full coverage: Reuters
Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil has been banned, but the city’s spirit of commemoration for June 4th shines on
Honouring lost lives with white flowers, lit candles, evocative songs and speeches has long been part of the annual Tiananmen Square vigil at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park. But none of that can happen at this year’s anniversary.
The cancellation of the event for the first time in 30 years has upset political exiles, the event’s organisers and faithful participants who have decried the move, saying the only large-scale public gathering on Chinese soil to remember the crackdown, a taboo subject in the country’s recent history, risks being permanently scrubbed from the political calendar.
Zhou Fengsuo, a student leader during the Tiananmen Square protests who now lives in exile in the United States, told the Post he was distressed to learn that the city’s police had banned this year’s vigil because of social-distancing rules in place over the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The generation of 1989 and those who experienced the protests in person have always yearned for and paid close attention to the candlelight vigil in Hong Kong, no matter where we are, for 30 years. It means a lot to us,” the 52-year-old said.
“When the Communist Party tried everything to obliterate the memory of the crackdown, candles in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park continued to be held up, and comforted sufferers. It is so precious that no other commemoration can replace it.”
Since 1990, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China has held the vigil in remembrance of the crackdown ordered by Beijing on June 4, 1989 to end a weeks-long, student-led democracy protest.
Full coverage: South China Morning Post
China unveils plan to make Hainan a free trade hub like Hong Kong, Singapore as risks of US decoupling loom
China has unveiled a package of special policies for Hainan, including scrapping import duties, in an effort to turn the tropical island into the mainland’s answer to Hong Kong or Singapore and dampen the risk of decoupling with the United States.
Beijing on Monday outlined its plan to make the 35,000 sq km island a “free trade port” by lowering the income tax rate for selected individuals and companies to 15 per cent, and relaxing visa requirements for tourists and business travellers.
The island province of 9.5 million people will also enjoy freedoms in terms of trade, investment, capital flows and the movement of people and data by 2035, as it moves toward becoming a hub of “strong international influence” by the middle of the century.
The project to make Hainan, which covers an area 30 times that of Hong Kong, into a regional trade, shopping and shipping centre has been “planned, arranged and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping personally”, according to the government statement.
Xi announced in April 2018 that the island, a popular holiday destination sometimes referred to as China’s Hawaii, would be made into the nation’s largest free-trade zone. The Hainan government has sent delegations to Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai to learn “free trade” practices.
The detailed blueprint has been released as the threat of decoupling between the US and Chinese economies grows, with tensions between the two nations escalating on multiple fronts beyond trade.
Full coverage: South China Morning Post
Deloitte resigns as auditor for 50 Hong Kong-listed companies to focus on high-growth mainland firms
Deloitte, one of the Big Four international accounting firms, has resigned as an auditor for 50 Hong Kong-listed companies this year to focus on higher-growth companies, according to newly appointed China chairman Dennis Chow Chi-in.
The resignations cut the number of listed companies it audits from about 350 to about 300. In terms of revenue, the reduction represents a very small percentage of Deloitte China’s combined audit and advisory sales as these companies are relatively small.
Its audit income has dropped to only 35 per cent of all its businesses, down from more than 60 per cent a decade ago. The rest is from advisory services.
“This is part of our client portfolio rebalancing as we want to focus on serving bigger customers who are market leaders as well as the high-growth companies, ” Chow said in an interview.
Its client list includes online shopping firm JD.com, delivery firm Dada Nexus, reproductive services provider Jinxing Fertility, cancer drug maker Alphamab Oncology with many more in its pipeline of initial public offerings.
Deloitte will hire a net 2,300 more people in China, including about 300 in Hong Kong, this year, boosting its headcount to about 20,000 within the 24 offices in the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau from about 18,000, he said.
Full coverage: South China Morning Post
