Hong Kong Times

French National Assembly Overrides Senate to Pass Historic Assisted-Dying Legislation

A decisive lower house vote concludes years of intense national debate, establishing a legal framework for medically assisted suicide amid constitutional challenges.

Thomas Tuchel Faces Fierce Backlash After Tactical Retreat Costs England World Cup Final Berth

English manager's defensive substitutions and post-match remarks ignite a national controversy following a late collapse against Argentina in the semi-final.

A Quiet Bastille Day: France Grapples with World Cup Heartbreak and Leftover Fireworks

After a devastating semi-final loss to Spain on their national holiday, French fans experience the bitter reality of digital-era football as the national team heads south for a third-place playoff.

Hang Seng Index Closes Above 25,000 for First Time in Latest Market Rally

Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 1.33 percent to finish at 25,008.6 points, surpassing the 25,000 mark as improving investor sentiment continued to support the city's financial markets.

SingWealth Holdings Establishes PFP Capital to Expand Hong Kong Asset Management Business

SingWealth Holdings has launched Hong Kong-based PFP Capital Limited to provide research-driven investment management services focused on Greater China and global technology markets for professional investors.

Hong Kong Expands School-Based After-School Care Program for Working Families

The Social Welfare Department has broadened its after-school care scheme for the 2026–27 academic year by removing enrollment caps, allowing more single-parent and dual-income households to access support through participating organizati...

Hong Kong Updates Workplace Rules for Rainstorms and Extreme Weather

The Labour Department has issued revised guidance urging employers to establish clear workplace arrangements during severe weather, with the aim of protecting employees while helping prevent unnecessary disputes over pay and attendance.

Hong Kong Police Arrest Five People, Including Former Journalists, in National Security Investigation

Hong Kong's National Security Department raided the Have a Nice Stay bookstore in Mong Kok and arrested five people, including former reporters, on allegations of displaying seditious publications in violation of the Safeguarding Nationa...

Chinese Semiconductor Companies Accelerate IPO Plans as AI Investment Surges

Chinese chipmakers are moving ahead with stock market listings on Shanghai's STAR Market to finance expansion in areas including silicon photonics and data-center storage, supported by policies aimed at strengthening domestic technologic...

China Reaffirms Strategic Partnership With North Korea During High-Level Visit to Pyongyang

Senior Chinese official Wang Huning met leaders of the Workers' Party of Korea to reinforce agreements reached by President Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un, highlighting Beijing's commitment to maintaining close ties with North Korea amid a c...

China Expands Anti-Sanctions Framework to Counter Foreign Regulatory Measures

Beijing is broadening its legal tools to respond to foreign sanctions and export controls, including draft legislation that would allow public interest litigation against foreign organizations, adding another layer of regulatory complexi...

World Bank Sees China’s Growth Moderating as Property Market Adjustment Continues

The World Bank forecasts China's economic growth will slow to 4.4 percent in 2026 and 4.3 percent in 2027, saying resilient exports and high-tech investment are expected to offset part of the drag from the prolonged adjustment in the pro...

China Elevates Domestic Consumption as Core Driver of New Five-Year Economic Strategy

China's National Development and Reform Commission has released a dedicated five-year plan to expand domestic consumption, underscoring Beijing's effort to make household demand the primary engine of economic growth as the country contin...

China Introduces First Rules Governing AI Companion Services

China has unveiled new regulations requiring artificial intelligence companion platforms to limit excessive use, identify signs of emotional distress, and intervene during crises, prompting services including Doubao, Qwen and Yuanbao to ...

China Strengthens Oversight of Outbound Investment Under New State Council Regulations

New rules in force from July 1 raise outbound investment controls to the administrative regulation level, expanding scrutiny to include China-based individuals and certain indirect overseas investments while increasing penalties for non-...

Spain in Ecstasy: "We Feel Unbeatable, We Taught the Whole World a Lesson"

European champions Spain beat France 2-0 to reach the World Cup final, extending their unbeaten run to 37 matches and setting a record with eight consecutive knockout victories at major tournaments.

Hong Kong Fast-Tracks Huanggang Port Legislation Ahead of Border Upgrade

The Legislative Council is holding special sessions to approve legislation before the redeveloped Huanggang Port opens later this month, paving the way for new co-location border clearance arrangements intended to speed passenger process...

New Energy Vehicles Account for Nearly Two-Thirds of China's Passenger Car Sales

Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles made up 62.8 percent of domestic passenger car sales in June, extending a three-month run above the 60 percent mark as Chinese automakers continued expanding their presence in overseas markets, includ...

Hong Kong Reaffirms Economic Growth Outlook as Technology Exports Support Expansion

The Hong Kong government maintained its full-year growth forecast of 2.5 to 3.5 percent after first-quarter economic growth of 5.9 percent, saying resilient demand for advanced electronics and artificial intelligence-related exports is h...

Thailand and China Deepen Cooperation on Technology, Energy and Security

Thailand's prime minister began a five-day visit to China for talks with Premier Li Qiang focused on trade, artificial intelligence, cross-border investment, the ASEAN Power Grid and participation in the 2026 World Artificial Intelligenc...

Chinese Investment in Silicon Photonics Gains Momentum as AI Competition Intensifies

State-backed investors and domestic capital markets are increasing support for silicon photonics and other advanced semiconductor technologies as China expands its artificial intelligence infrastructure alongside growing cross-strait tec...

Service Spending Outpaces Retail Goods as Consumer Trends Diverge

China's retail sales rose 2.7 percent in the first half of the year, with stronger growth in services supported by tourism and visa-free travel policies while spending on physical goods remained comparatively weak.

Hong Kong Commercial Property Market Shows Signs of Recovery

Grade A office leasing rose 23 percent in the second quarter, led by demand from financial and insurance firms, while residential transactions increased 32 percent as institutional investors acquired distressed commercial buildings for c...

Hong Kong Wins Three-Year Hosting Rights for Saudi Arabia's LEAP East Technology Summit

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre secured an exclusive three-year agreement to host LEAP East after the inaugural event attracted 25,000 participants and 600 international investors managing more than US$6 trillion in assets...

Retail Investors Shift From Gold Funds to Equities as Central Bank Adds to Gold Reserves

Chinese gold exchange-traded funds recorded record monthly outflows in June as retail investors increased equity investments, while the People's Bank of China continued adding to its official gold reserves.

Hong Kong Pension Funds Deliver Strong First-Half Returns on Global Technology Gains

Hong Kong's Mandatory Provident Fund posted an average return of 6.8 percent in the first six months of 2026, with gains largely driven by investments in international semiconductor, artificial intelligence and healthcare companies despi...

High-Tech Exports Drive China's First-Half Trade Growth

China's goods trade reached 25.47 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, led by a sharp rise in computing hardware exports and strong growth in high-tech products, highlighting the increasing role of advanced manufacturing in the c...

People's Bank of China Injects 760 Billion Yuan to Support Private Sector Lending

China's central bank provided 760 billion yuan in targeted relending funds during the first half of the year, aiming to encourage lending to private businesses and ease pressures from weak domestic demand and localized economic bottlenecks.

Shanghai Eases Listing Rules to Accelerate Semiconductor and AI Financing

China's securities regulator has relaxed profitability requirements under Shanghai's STAR Market to support semiconductor and artificial intelligence companies, paving the way for more technology firms to raise capital through public lis...

China's Economic Growth Slows to 4.3 Percent in Second Quarter as Property Weakness Persists

China's economy expanded by 4.3 percent in the second quarter, bringing first-half growth to 4.7 percent as sharp declines in property investment and private fixed-asset investment offset continued strength in high-tech manufacturing.

Hang Seng Index Rises as Softer US Inflation Lifts Asian Markets

Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index gained 1.46 percent to 24,695.62 points by the midday session on Wednesday, tracking broader advances across Asian markets as investors responded positively to fresh economic data and easing inflatio...

Mainland China's Luxury Housing Market Outpaces Hong Kong's High-End Property Sector

A report by Gavekal Dragonomics found that affluent mainland Chinese investors are increasingly keeping capital at home, driving stronger price gains in Shanghai's luxury housing market while activity in Hong Kong's ultra-prime residenti...

Police Arrest Two Men Over Alleged Crash-for-Cash Insurance Fraud Scheme

Hong Kong police arrested two suspects accused of staging at least 123 traffic accidents and allegedly obtaining more than one million Hong Kong dollars through fraudulent insurance claims, in one of the city's larger suspected crash-for...

Hospital Authority Expands Cross-Boundary Organ Donation Cooperation

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority reaffirmed its cooperation with mainland Chinese medical institutions under the cross-boundary organ donation and matching mechanism to improve access to timely, life-saving organ transplants for eligible p...

Cushman & Wakefield Sees AI Supporting Long-Term Commercial Real Estate Demand

A new Cushman & Wakefield study projects that wider adoption of artificial intelligence will strengthen demand for commercial real estate across Asia-Pacific as companies expand facilities to support innovation, production, and technolog...

Newmark Expands Hong Kong Project Management Business

Commercial real estate adviser Newmark has appointed Nick Hinton as Head of Project Management in Hong Kong, expanding its local construction and project delivery capabilities to meet growing demand for integrated real estate services ac...

Keeta Unveils Technology Whitepaper at Hong Kong's Inaugural LEAP East Conference

Delivery platform Keeta introduced a whitepaper examining how technology-enabled delivery services can support digital transformation during the first LEAP East technology conference held in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Completes Ballot for New Public Columbarium Niches

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has completed open lot drawings and computer balloting for new extendable niches at major public columbarium facilities, including Wo Hop Shek, Cape Collinson-San Ha, and Shek Mun.

Hong Kong SMEs Accelerate AI Adoption as Northern Metropolis Gains Strategic Importance

A Dah Sing Bank survey of more than 340 small and medium-sized enterprises found that 23 percent have already adopted artificial intelligence, while nearly 70 percent identified the Northern Metropolis and Hetao Hong Kong Science Park as...

China Introduces New Rules Governing Human-Like Artificial Intelligence Services

New regulations issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China have taken effect, requiring AI services that simulate human personalities to clearly identify themselves, include anti-addiction measures, and avoid creating virtual intim...

China's June Exports Jump 27 Percent on Strong AI and Electric Vehicle Demand

Chinese exports rose 27 percent from a year earlier in June, supported by robust global demand for AI-related chips, electric vehicles, and electronic components, helping offset softer domestic demand and underpin industrial production.

China's Integrated Circuit Output Climbs 23.1 Percent in First Half of 2026

China produced 279.8 billion integrated circuits during the first six months of the year, up 23.1 percent from a year earlier, reflecting continued investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and efforts to strengthen supply chain...

China's Largest Memory Chip IPO Begins Subscription on Shanghai STAR Market

Changxin Memory Technologies has launched subscriptions for a 57.9 billion yuan initial public offering on Shanghai's STAR Market, marking the largest listing in China's semiconductor industry and highlighting the country's drive to stre...

China's Economy Grows 4.7 Percent in First Half as Domestic Demand Remains Soft

China's economy expanded by 4.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2026, with second-quarter growth slowing to 4.3 percent as weakness in the property market and consumer spending continued to weigh on activity, while high-end man...

Chinese Automakers Face Margin Pressure Despite Record Vehicle Export Growth

China's vehicle exports exceeded one million units in a single month for the first time, but manufacturers continue to face shrinking profit margins as intense domestic competition, lower vehicle prices, and higher battery material costs...

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