Hong Kong Times

Hong Kong Sailing Team Wins Two Gold Medals at Asian Games

Hong Kong sailors won two gold medals and a silver in youth skiff events at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, delivering one of the city’s strongest performances in the competition.

Golden Week Lifts Hong Kong Hotels and Restaurants as Mainland Arrivals Near 1.3 Million

Hong Kong’s hospitality sector reported strong business during the National Day holiday as mainland visitor arrivals approached 1.3 million, though retailers said spending remained cautious and more focused on experiences than luxury goods.

Hong Kong Raises Minimum Wage for Foreign Domestic Helpers to HK$5,220

The Labour Department increased the minimum monthly wage for foreign domestic helpers by 2.35% to HK$5,220 as authorities respond to higher living costs.

Bain Capital Weighs Investment in New World Development After 11 SKIES Handover

Bain Capital is reportedly considering an investment in New World Development after the Hong Kong developer returned control of the 11 SKIES retail and entertainment project to the Airport Authority, potentially supporting its restructur...

Hong Kong Astronaut Delivers National Day Message From Tiangong Space Station

Payload specialist Lai Ka-ying broadcast a National Day greeting to Hong Kong from China’s Tiangong space station, marking a symbolic milestone for the city’s participation in national aerospace programs.

Hong Kong Agritech Startup MetaGreenX Expands Into Malaysia

MetaGreenX, founded by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology graduates, is expanding its solar-powered soil and environmental monitoring technology into Malaysia as it targets wider Southeast Asian markets.

Hong Kong Consumer Council Investigates Collapse of Hotstone Yoga

The Consumer Council launched an investigation after the sudden closure of Hotstone Yoga left hundreds of members facing financial losses and renewed debate over protections for prepaid service contracts.

Tencent Leases 100,000 Oracle AI Chips to Expand Cloud Capacity

Tencent signed its largest overseas chip-leasing agreement with Oracle for access to 100,000 advanced artificial intelligence processors that are unavailable in mainland China, highlighting efforts to work around semiconductor export res...

Hang Seng Index Falls Nearly 3% in Steepest One-Day Drop Since March

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid nearly 3% to 23,972 after the National Day holiday as heavy selling in technology and banking shares drove the benchmark below key support levels.

China Completes Main Tunneling on 17-Kilometer Jiaozhou Bay Undersea Highway

Construction crews completed shield tunneling on the second Jiaozhou Bay tunnel in Qingdao, advancing a 17-kilometer undersea highway project in Shandong province.

Guangzhou Caps Property Deposits and Tightens Oversight of Home Sales

Guangzhou introduced new limits on deposits and stricter controls over property transactions as local authorities seek to protect buyers from developer insolvencies and stabilize the housing market.

U.S. Financial Firms Move to Withdraw Insider-Trading Cases Against Chinese Brokerages

American financial institutions have begun withdrawing lawsuits in an insider-trading dispute involving major Chinese brokerages, potentially easing one area of legal friction in cross-border finance.

Former China Securities Regulator Yi Huiman Charged With Bribery

Chinese prosecutors formally charged former securities regulator chairman Yi Huiman with bribery, extending the country’s anti-corruption campaign into the senior ranks of the financial sector.

Zhu Zhongming Elected Mayor of Shanghai

Shanghai’s municipal legislature elected former vice finance minister Zhu Zhongming as mayor, placing an experienced financial official in charge of China’s largest commercial center. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="2"}

China’s New Economy Gauge Weakens as Technology, Capital and Labor Inputs Slow

A Caixin indicator tracking high-value-added industries declined in its latest reading, reflecting weaker technology, capital and labor inputs despite government support for advanced manufacturing.

Volkswagen and Gotion Expand European Battery Manufacturing Partnership

Volkswagen and Chinese battery producer Gotion High-Tech deepened their manufacturing partnership in Europe as the companies scale battery operations despite growing trade barriers around electric vehicles.

Chinese Researchers Develop Lithium-Ion Cathode Designed for Faster Charging

Chinese researchers unveiled a new lithium-ion battery cathode material designed to improve charging speed, durability and performance at low temperatures, adding to advances in the country’s battery technology sector.

Huawei Launches Mate 90 Series With New Kirin 9050 Pro Chip

Huawei unveiled its Mate 90 smartphone lineup featuring the Kirin 9050 Pro and LogicFolding Tau chipsets, with the company reporting processing gains of up to 31% as it expands its use of domestically developed semiconductor technology.

China Surpasses 700 Million Generative AI Users

Industry data show more than 700 million people in China are using domestic generative artificial intelligence services, reflecting rapid adoption across consumer applications and workplace tools.

People’s Bank of China Introduces Mortgage Subsidies and Additional Housing Support

China’s central bank introduced mortgage interest subsidies for eligible first-time buyers and lowered the Pledged Supplementary Lending rate from October 1 as authorities seek to support the property market with targeted monetary measures.

Taiwan Receives First Two F-16V Block 70 Fighters From United States

Taiwan took delivery of the first two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets ordered from the United States, marking a major step in its air-force modernization after delays to the program. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}

China Demands Copper Supply Commitments in Anglo American-Teck Merger Review

China’s market regulator is seeking commitments to protect copper supplies before approving the proposed Anglo American and Teck Resources merger, using its antitrust review to address access to a critical industrial raw material.

U.S. and China Agree $30 Billion Tariff Cuts and Launch AI Dialogue After Trump-Xi Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to reciprocal tariff reductions covering $30 billion of each side’s goods, alongside a bilateral trade council and formal talks on artificial intelligence governance. :c...

China Suspends Diesel and Gasoline Exports as Domestic Supply Takes Priority

China’s National Development and Reform Commission ordered major refiners to halt exports of refined diesel and gasoline to prioritize domestic supplies, a move that pushed international crude prices higher.

Hong Kong Expects 1.2 Million Mainland Visitors for Golden Week as Spending Remains Cautious

Hong Kong is expecting more than 1.2 million mainland visitors during the National Day holiday, although retail and hospitality groups warn that more price-conscious travel could limit the economic boost. :chatgpt-content-reference{index...

Central Kowloon Route Opens New Section to Ease Hong Kong Traffic

Hong Kong opened a key section of the Central Kowloon Route, advancing a major transport project designed to reduce congestion and improve movement across the city. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="8"}

Hong Kong National Security Police Arrest Boom News Founder Tang Ho-wing

Authorities detained Boom News founder Tang Ho-wing and one other person in an operation involving Hong Kong’s national security framework and online publishing activity. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="7"}

Hong Kong Police Warn Triad Networks Are Shifting Toward Digital Fraud

Security experts and former gang members say organised crime groups in Hong Kong are increasingly moving away from traditional street activity and recruiting young people online for digital fraud schemes. :chatgpt-content-reference{index...

Education Groups Lease Nearly 50,000 Square Metres in Hong Kong as Student Demand Grows

Education providers have taken nearly 50,000 square metres of commercial space in Hong Kong over the past 20 months as universities expand non-local enrolment and demand for student housing and teaching facilities rises. :chatgpt-content...

Hotstone Yoga Collapse Prompts Hong Kong Consumer Council Investigation

The sudden closure of Hotstone Yoga left hundreds of customers with prepaid memberships and reported losses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, prompting scrutiny of consumer protections for prepaid fitness services. :chatgpt-content...

Macau Casino Stocks Slide After Weak September Gaming Revenue

Major Macau gaming shares fell in Hong Kong, led by a 6% decline in Galaxy Entertainment, after September revenue data pointed to continued weakness in the territory’s casino and tourism sector. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}

Five Hong Kong Universities Rank Among World’s Top 100

Five Hong Kong universities placed in the top 100 of the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while Lingnan University climbed by nearly 100 places. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="5"}

Hong Kong Residents Head to Shenzhen for Cheaper Shopping and Wellness Services

Large numbers of Hong Kong residents travelled to Shenzhen during the Golden Week holiday for lower-cost groceries and wellness services, extending a cross-border spending trend that is reshaping local retail demand. :chatgpt-content-ref...

Chinese AI Startups Advance Native Multimodal Models Amid Investment Surge

StepFun and Zero One Artificial Intelligence reported progress in multimodal systems capable of handling text, images and video as Chinese developers race to strengthen domestic generative AI capabilities.

China’s Golden Week Shows Strong Outbound Travel but Weak Domestic Spending

Early National Day holiday data points to a sharp rebound in overseas tourism, particularly to Southeast Asia, while domestic retail spending remains subdued amid continuing economic uncertainty.

ByteDance Enterprise AI Division Says It Has Processed 120 Trillion Tokens

ByteDance’s enterprise technology division reported processing 120 trillion tokens through its large language model systems, highlighting intensifying competition among Chinese technology companies developing commercial generative AI ser...

Japanese Corporate Expansion in China Remains Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

More than 1,200 Japanese companies have entered China since the previous survey, but overall business expansion and investment from Japan remain significantly below levels seen before the pandemic.

People’s Bank of China Reaffirms Moderately Accommodative Monetary Policy

China’s central bank said it will continue using targeted liquidity tools and open-market operations to support economic growth while allowing greater market influence over the exchange rate.

Hong Kong Stocks Fall More Than 2.5% as Bond Yields and Oil Prices Rise

Hong Kong equities dropped more than 2.5% on the first trading day of October as elevated US Treasury yields, higher oil prices and the suspension of mainland Stock Connect flows during China’s National Day holiday weighed on the market....

China Warns Record El Niño Could Threaten Agriculture and Food Security

Chinese meteorological authorities warned that the current El Niño system could become the strongest on record, increasing risks to agricultural production across major farming regions.

China Converts Empty Schools Into Aged-Care Facilities as Birth Rate Falls

Local governments across several Chinese provinces are repurposing underused primary and secondary schools as eldercare centres as a shrinking youth population and rapid ageing reshape demand for public infrastructure.

Chinese Plug-In Hybrids Take More Than 35% of European Market

Chinese automakers have increased their share of European plug-in hybrid registrations to more than 35%, supported by competitive pricing and strong demand as petrol costs remain elevated.

US Slows Aircraft Component Exports to Comac Amid Rare-Earth Dispute

The US Commerce Department has delayed approvals for critical aerospace components bound for Chinese aircraft maker Comac as Washington seeks leverage over Beijing’s restrictions on rare-earth supplies.

China Unveils Five-Year Plan to Strengthen Domestic Equity Markets

The China Securities Regulatory Commission and People’s Bank of China introduced a five-year strategy aimed at attracting high-quality technology listings to domestic exchanges and drawing more capital back from offshore markets.

China-EU Trade Talks Stall Over Electric Vehicles and Medical Devices

Negotiations between China and the European Union have reached an impasse over tariffs on electric vehicles and Chinese procurement restrictions affecting imported European medical equipment.

HKG Times