Hong Kong’s leader yesterday promised to revive the territory’s struggling economy as the Chinese Communist Party marked its 73rd anniversary in power under strict COVID-19 controls.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) said in a speech that COVID-19 “still overshadows” the territory of more than 7 million people, but promised to revive the struggling economy and “safeguard people’s livelihood” as travel and other disease prevention measures are eased.
Lee, who took office in July, is a former police chief who oversaw a crackdown that imprisoned pro-democracy activists, shut down a prominent newspaper and triggered an exodus of residents to Taiwan, the US and the UK.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Hong Kong now undergoes the critical transition from stability to prosperity,” said Lee, who wore a red mask the color of the Chinese national flag and was flanked by masked dignitaries at a downtown convention center.
“I have full confidence in the future of Hong Kong, and so should you,” he said.
Lee invoked the slogan “patriots administering Hong Kong,” a reference to official efforts to block pro-democracy activists from holding public office.
He said a speech given by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during a July 1 visit would be his administration’s “blueprint for governance.”
On Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) promised at a National Day reception in Beijing to keep economic performance “within an appropriate range” despite the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported.
The US, the UK and other governments have said that Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong in response to pro-democracy protests that began in 2019 breached its promise of autonomy for the former British colony.
Washington and other governments have imposed sanctions on some officials associated with the crackdown and withdrawn trade and other privileges that treated Hong Kong as a separate territory from China.
In Taiwan, members of the Taiwan People’s Communist Party raised the Chinese flag in Tainan and chanted: “Long live the motherland.”
The party is led by Lin Te-wang (林德旺), a businessman based in China. He once prompted controversy by driving a vehicle with Chinese license plates in Taiwan.
Tropical Storm Koinu is expected to come closest to Taiwan from Wednesday through Friday as it passes through the Bashi Channel, but it remained uncertain how it would affect the weather, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am yesterday, Koinu was about 1,000km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving northwest at 12kph, the CWA said. Koinu is likely to strengthen into a typhoon today or tomorrow and turn west as it enters the Bashi Channel to the south of Taiwan proper, CWA forecaster Chao Hung (趙竑) said. The storm’s trajectory is still unclear, so more time is
Taichung prosecutors yesterday indicted three people on charges of fraud for allegedly passing off watches assembled in Taiwan as Swiss-made timepieces and earning NT$400 million (US$12.4 million) in illicit gains. The Taichung branch office of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said in a statement that the group, headed by Mei Hua Precision Industry Co (梅華精密) and Laora Trading Co (仁徠貿易) manager Yang Hung-pin (楊鴻斌), had purchased the rights to use the Swiss trademark Ogival years ago and from November 2006 to December 2020 sold 26,282 counterfeit watches in department stores and online platforms in Taiwan. The branch office said they received
PALAU LAUNCHES: The source said that Taiwanese military personnel traveled to Palau, where a US brigade watched their work amid plans for a defense network The military last month participated in live-fire launches of MM-104F Patriot (PAC-3) missiles under US observation in an undisclosed location in Palau, a step forward in a US-led plan to create a joint defense missile system in the first island chain, a source said on condition of anonymity. The PAC-3 is the mainstay surface-to-air missile of the US, NATO and democratic nations in East Asia, the source said, adding that it has never been live-tested within Taiwan’s borders, the source said. The proximity of Taiwan to China and China’s close surveillance of the nation’s borders and nearby sea zones is a significant
TRAJECTORY: Koinu’s outer rim is expected to reach Orchid Island early tomorrow and Taitung at about noon, where waves of at least 6m are forecast A sea warning for Typhoon Koinu was issued at 11:30pm last night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that a land warning could be issued today. High waves of about 2m were observed in Taitung yesterday, while waves of 6m or higher were forecast for today, said Huang Chia-mei (黃嘉美), head of the CWA’s Taitung Weather Station. At noon yesterday, Koinu was about 660km southeast of Taitung, she said, adding that it was moving more to the north and its center could possibly make landfall. The storm’s outer rim would likely reach Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) in the early hours tomorrow and
RSS