Hong Kong Times

Hongkong Post to End Permanent Employment Contracts as Financial Losses Mount

Hongkong Post will phase out permanent employment contracts in favor of more flexible hiring arrangements as the statutory body faces rising operating deficits and continued declines in traditional mail volumes.

Chinese University of Hong Kong Performs City’s First Robot-Assisted Pelvic Surgery

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have completed the city’s first robot-assisted pelvic fracture surgery, using a minimally invasive approach intended to improve treatment as the population ages.

Kai Tak Sports Park to Host Asia’s Largest Professional Pickleball Tournament

Kai Tak Sports Park will host what organizers describe as Asia’s largest professional pickleball tournament in October, featuring a US$1.1 million prize pool and attracting a major international sporting event to the new venue.

MTR Manager Loses HK$74 Million in Fraudulent Green Bond Investment Scheme

Hong Kong police are investigating a syndicate accused of defrauding a senior MTR Corporation manager of HK$74 million through a fake green bond investment scheme involving people posing as British banking executives.

Hong Kong Overhauls Senior Secondary Science Curriculum to Strengthen Technology Talent

Hong Kong’s Education Bureau plans a major revision of the senior secondary science curriculum, with the changes aimed at encouraging more students to pursue STEM subjects and supporting the city’s long-term technology ambitions.

Alibaba Launches HK$80 Billion Hong Kong Share Placement to Fund AI Expansion

Alibaba has begun an approximately HK$80 billion follow-on share offering in Hong Kong, its first new equity placement since its secondary listing, as the technology group raises funds for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Hong Kong Exchange Extends IPO Application Window to Clear Backlog of About Five Hundred Listings

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has extended the validity period for listing applications by twelve months as the exchange works through a backlog of roughly five hundred prospective initial public offerings.

Hong Kong Gold Futures Deliveries Reach Record Levels Amid Shifting Global Capital Flows

Physical deliveries of gold futures on the Hong Kong exchange have more than doubled previous records, highlighting the city’s growing role in gold trading as sanctions and changing global trade patterns reshape international asset flows.

Hong Kong Luxury Rents Forecast to Rise Five Percent as Expatriate Demand Strengthens

JLL expects luxury residential rents in Hong Kong to increase by at least five percent this year as international and mainland Chinese professionals increase demand for high-end homes in established districts.

Hong Kong Exports Surge More Than Fifty Percent for Second Straight Month on AI Demand

Hong Kong’s exports grew by more than fifty percent in July for a second consecutive month, driven by strong global demand for advanced electronics and artificial intelligence hardware and reinforcing the city’s role as a major re-export...

Hong Kong Consortium Wins Northern Metropolis Site With Planned HK$16.8 Billion Investment

A six-company consortium has secured a ten-hectare commercial and residential site in Hung Shui Kiu, committing an estimated HK$16.8 billion and signaling strong developer interest in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis project.

SJM Holdings Reports HK$295 Million First-Half Loss as Macau Gaming Competition Persists

Macau casino operator SJM Holdings reported a first-half net loss of HK$295 million, reflecting continuing profitability pressures and changing consumer spending patterns in the gaming and hospitality sector.

Barclays Sees Hong Kong Wealth Management Holding Up Despite Tighter Offshore Rules

Barclays expects Hong Kong’s private banking and wealth management sectors to remain resilient as Beijing tightens oversight of offshore assets and tax arrangements used by mainland investors.

PDD Holdings Beats Profit Expectations as Temu Expansion Loses Momentum

PDD Holdings reported second-quarter profit above market expectations, while revenue missed forecasts as international expansion of its Temu e-commerce platform slowed amid higher supply chain spending and increased regulatory scrutiny.

China Revokes Evergrande Life Insurance License Over Illegal Use of Funds

Chinese financial regulators have revoked Evergrande Life’s operating license over violations involving the illegal use of corporate funds, further dismantling the failed property conglomerate’s financial operations.

Leapmotor Cuts Full-Year Profit Outlook as China’s Electric Vehicle Price War Intensifies

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor has sharply lowered its full-year profit target despite a six hundred percent increase in first-half net profit, citing the continued impact of intense price competition in the domestic market.

Chinese Cloud Firms Expand Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Across Southeast Asia

Major Chinese technology companies are expanding cloud infrastructure and data centers across Southeast Asia as they seek new growth markets and a larger role in the region’s rapidly developing artificial intelligence economy.

Evergrande Founder Hui Ka Yan Sentenced to Life in Prison for Corporate Fraud

Hui Ka Yan, founder of collapsed property developer China Evergrande Group, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to extensive corporate fraud, underscoring Beijing’s tough response to misconduct in the property s...

Study Finds China’s Medical Insurance System Provides Greater Benefits to Higher-Income Earners

A new academic study says China’s fragmented medical insurance system and flat-rate premiums disproportionately benefit higher-income citizens, prompting calls for contributions based more closely on income.

Hong Kong Stocks Fall as Mainland China Targets Offshore Insurance Income

Hong Kong equities came under pressure after reports that mainland Chinese tax authorities were collecting taxes on income from offshore insurance policies held by mainland residents, weighing heavily on major insurers.

China Advances Hypersonic Weapons Capable of Targeting Distant Support Aircraft

The People’s Liberation Army has integrated air-to-air missile capabilities into hypersonic glide vehicles, creating a system designed to strike high-value support aircraft and command centers at very long ranges.

Goldman Sachs Forecasts Rapid Expansion of China’s Domestic Semiconductor Capacity

Goldman Sachs expects China’s domestic wafer output to grow forty-six percent annually through two thousand thirty-five, driven by capacity expansion at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation and rising demand for artifici...

China and India Resume High-Level Border Talks to Pursue Settlement

Chinese and Indian diplomatic and military officials have agreed to maintain negotiations and accelerate efforts toward a broader resolution of their prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control.

China Signals No Large-Scale Fiscal Stimulus as Policymakers Defend Growth Strategy

Chinese state media has signaled that Beijing will avoid a major debt-funded stimulus despite weak domestic demand, defending four point seven percent first-half growth while warning against relying heavily on borrowing to support the ec...

Cash-Strapped Chinese Local Governments Turn Increasingly to Administrative Fines for Revenue

Chinese municipalities facing revenue shortfalls are increasingly relying on fines and other forms of enforcement to raise funds, according to an economic study highlighted by Caixin, adding pressure on small businesses and investment.

China Drafts Tighter Rules on Outbound Investment by Wealthy Individuals

Chinese regulators have proposed new rules expanding oversight of outbound investment, with particular attention to wealthy individuals and offshore capital transfers as Beijing seeks to curb capital flight and direct investment toward n...

China Completes Major Artificial Island Construction at Antelope Reef in South China Sea

Satellite imagery indicates China has completed primary construction of a roughly one-thousand-four-hundred-acre artificial island at Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel Islands, including a protective lagoon and a potential runway.

Xiaomi Expands In-House Chip Development for Smartphones, AI and Autonomous Driving

Xiaomi has unveiled new internally developed processors for smartphones, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving as the technology company seeks greater control over its semiconductor supply despite the high cost of developing and...

Hong Kong Raises 2026 Growth Forecast After Strong Artificial Intelligence Export Demand

The Hong Kong government lifted its full-year economic growth forecast to 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent after the economy expanded 5.1 percent in the first half, supported heavily by global demand for artificial intelligence-related electro...

Consortium Wins Hung Shui Kiu Land Tender for More Than HK$1 Billion as Northern Metropolis Development Advances

A six-company consortium secured a 10.5-hectare site in Hung Shui Kiu for more than HK$1 billion, with the project expected to involve total investment of about HK$16.8 billion and advance development of Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis.

Southwest Kowloon Housing Project Sells All 180 Units in Opening Weekend

China Resources Land sold all 180 units at a Southwest Kowloon residential development for nearly HK$1.6 billion during its first weekend, pointing to continued buyer interest in selected areas of Hong Kong’s primary housing market.

Hong Kong Suspends Hospital Contractors After Lift Defects Delay Queen Mary Hospital Services

Authorities suspended contractors after defects were found in 24 of 28 lifts at a newly built Queen Mary Hospital block, delaying the launch of clinical services until repairs and safety inspections are completed.

Hong Kong and Mainland China Regulators Announce New Measures to Deepen Capital Market Links

The China Securities Regulatory Commission and Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission unveiled 10 measures covering cross-border listings, exchange-traded funds, index cooperation and professional qualifications to strengthen fina...

Hong Kong Hosts International AI Cybersecurity Challenge With 40 Teams

The Digital Policy Office and Hong Kong Police Force brought together 40 regional and international teams at Cyberport for an automated cyber attack-and-defence exercise focused on vulnerability detection and digital infrastructure secur...

Hong Kong Launches Five-Year Chinese Government Bond Futures to Expand Offshore Renminbi Market

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has introduced a five-year Chinese government bond futures contract, giving international investors an offshore exchange-traded tool for managing Chinese interest-rate risk and supporting wider renminbi use.

Shein Moves Ahead With Hong Kong IPO Targeting Nearly $2 Billion

Singapore-headquartered fast-fashion company Shein is preparing to raise nearly $2 billion in Hong Kong at a valuation of about $27 billion, giving the city’s capital markets a major potential listing after regulatory hurdles in Western ...

Alibaba Plans HK$80 Billion Share Placement to Fund Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Expansion

Alibaba Group plans to raise HK$80 billion through a major share placement to finance large investments in artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure as competition in advanced technology intensifies.

Concerts and Major Events Boost Hong Kong Tourism and Summer Consumer Spending

Rising demand for international concerts and sporting events is drawing more regional visitors to Hong Kong, with major performances at Kai Tak Stadium supporting the government’s push to use large-scale events to increase tourism and do...

Hong Kong Uses Artificial Intelligence to Cut Environmental Review Times by Half

The government has introduced its first batch of artificial intelligence applications across 13 departments, with one system already cutting environmental impact assessment processing times by half while other initiatives target licensin...

Alibaba Shares Fall After $12 Billion Offering to Fund AI and Cloud Expansion

Alibaba shares weakened after the company announced a $12 billion share sale intended to finance major investments in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure, underscoring the high cost of competing in China’s AI market.

China Holds Key Loan Rates Steady as Policymakers Balance Growth and Currency Risks

The People’s Bank of China kept the one-year loan prime rate at 3 percent and the five-year rate at 3.5 percent in August, maintaining cautious monetary support while weighing property-sector weakness, currency pressures and bank margins.

China Approves Marine Monitoring Station in Disputed Zhongsha Islands

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has approved an automated marine environmental monitoring network for the disputed Zhongsha Islands, with the project expected to strengthen environmental surveillance and maritime oversight in the South C...

Leapmotor Cuts 2026 Profit Target Despite Sharp First-Half Earnings Growth

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor lowered its full-year profit outlook despite a 600 percent increase in first-half net profit, highlighting the intense price competition and margin pressure facing China’s domestic auto industry.

China Study Finds Medical Insurance Benefits Tilt Toward Wealthier Urban Residents

A review of China’s public healthcare system found that higher-income urban residents receive disproportionately greater financial benefits from medical insurance, highlighting persistent challenges in achieving broader welfare and incom...

Shein Targets $1.8 Billion Hong Kong IPO at $27 Billion Valuation

Singapore-headquartered Shein is seeking to raise about $1.8 billion in Hong Kong at a valuation of roughly $27 billion, shifting its listing ambitions after regulatory and political obstacles in Western markets.

Chinese Municipalities Turn to Fines for Revenue as Fiscal Pressures Mount

A new economic study found that financially strained local governments are increasingly relying on punitive fines to generate revenue, a practice that researchers say is discouraging business formation and complicating Beijing’s efforts ...

China Introduces Rules Making Financial Institutions Accountable for AI-Driven Payments

Chinese financial regulators have established “Know Your Agent” protocols that require licensed institutions to take responsibility for transactions conducted by autonomous artificial intelligence systems, setting a new framework for the...

Xiaomi Accelerates Domestic Semiconductor Push With New Smartphone and Autonomous Driving Chips

Xiaomi has unveiled proprietary processors for smartphones, artificial intelligence applications and self-driving vehicles as Chinese technology companies intensify efforts to reduce dependence on foreign chip suppliers.

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