The US warned Hong Kong that assisting sanctioned people could threaten its status as a financial hub, after a megayacht linked to one of Russia’s richest men docked in the territory’s harbor.
The US$500 million Nord vessel tied to tycoon Alexey Mordashov arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday last week, after making a week-long voyage from the Russian city of Vladivostok. Mordashov, believed to be an ally of President Vladimir Putin, was sanctioned by the EU, the UK and the US following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
“The possible use of Hong Kong as a safe haven by individuals evading sanctions from multiple jurisdictions further calls into question the transparency of the business environment,” a US Department of State spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement.
Photo: Reuters
The territory’s reputation as a financial center depends on its adherence to international laws and standards, the spokesperson added.
The Hong Kong Marine Department on Friday said that while it enforces UN Security Council sanctions, it does not implement “unilateral sanctions imposed by other jurisdictions.”
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) has been sanctioned by the US, along with several other territory officials, for his role in the government’s crackdown on civil liberties.
There are concerns Russian tycoons might seek to circumvent sanctions imposed by the US and its allies by shifting their assets to Hong Kong. China has refused to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, with President Xi Jinping (習近平) declaring a “no limits” friendship with Putin on the eve of the invasion.
“US companies increasingly view Hong Kong’s business environment with wariness,” the US spokesperson said, adding that China’s move to dilute the territory’s political autonomy had exacerbated such concerns. “We strongly encourage all jurisdictions to take actions under their domestic authorities to help implement sanctions.”
More than a dozen yachts connected to sanctioned Russian oligarchs have been seized by US and European governments to punish them for their ties to Putin. Mordashov, the largest shareholder in steelmaker Severstal, in May joined other businessmen in trying to challenge the restrictions in European courts.
When Nord, which features two helipads, a cinema and 20 luxury cabins, departed Vladivostok, it listed the Vietnamese port of Da Nang as its destination. A few days later it changed its destination to Hong Kong, vessel location data showed.
The ship also changed its flag — the maritime authority under which the vessel is registered — to Russia from the Cayman Islands in June, Marine Traffic showed.
A new online voting system aimed at boosting turnout among the Philippines’ millions of overseas workers ahead of Monday’s mid-term elections has been marked by confusion and fears of disenfranchisement. Thousands of overseas Filipino workers have already cast their ballots in the race dominated by a bitter feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and his impeached vice president, Sara Duterte. While official turnout figures are not yet publicly available, data from the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) showed that at least 134,000 of the 1.22 million registered overseas voters have signed up for the new online system, which opened on April 13. However,
ALLIES: Calling Putin his ‘old friend,’ Xi said Beijing stood alongside Russia ‘in the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying’ Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday was in Moscow for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin’s grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia’s army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce. More than 20 foreign leaders were in Russia to attend a vast military parade today marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, taking place three years into Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and has marshaled the memory of Soviet victory against Nazi Germany to justify his campaign and rally society behind the offensive,
ENTERTAINMENT: Rio officials have a history of organizing massive concerts on Copacabana Beach, with Madonna’s show drawing about 1.6 million fans last year Lady Gaga on Saturday night gave a free concert in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the biggest show of her career. “Tonight, we’re making history... Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd. The Mother Monster, as she is known, started the show at about 10:10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary. Cries of joy rose from the tightly packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Concert organizers said 2.1 million people attended the show. Lady Gaga
CONFLICTING REPORTS: Beijing said it was ‘not familiar with the matter’ when asked if Chinese jets were used in the conflict, after Pakistan’s foreign minister said they were The Pakistan Army yesterday said it shot down 25 Indian drones, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India launched deadly missile strikes on Wednesday morning, escalating days of gunfire along their border. At least 45 deaths were reported from both sides following Wednesday’s violence, including children. Pakistan’s military said in a statement yesterday that it had “so far shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones” at multiple location across the country. “Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations,” Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed
RSS