Hong Kong also Complains about Trump Tariffs

Chan criticised the "constantly changing" US policies

Hong Kong has joined the chorus of outrage and frustration over US President Donald Trump's constant barrage of announcements regarding tariffs on imported goods.

Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki spoke out Tuesday against higher tariffs on Chinese foods, including those from Hong Kong.

Trump has signed an executive order imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports, and the Hong Kong government vowed to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

There was confusion over US-bound parcels  

"This is absolutely inconsistent with WTO rules... and also they have totally disregarded that Hong Kong is a separate customs territory," Chan said.

The SAR is calling on the US to take immediate action "to rectify its wrongdoing".

Chan, like many other world leaders, has described American policies as "constantly changing", pointing out the issue of sending parcels to relatives and friends in the US.

Last week there was confusion when the United States Postal Service suspended inbound parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong, which caused Hongkong Post to temporarily stop accepting US-bound parcels. 

Then in less than a day the USPS reversed its decision, but Hongkong Post only resumed service to the US today after Washington confirmed it would not impose additional duty on mail items containing goods from Hongkong Post.

Parcels are only the tip of the iceberg... Trump believes the US economy is going to be powerful again thanks to punitive measures when every other economist says it will hurt everyone including America.

And it's only the third week since he's been in office...

Investigation Into Illegal Structures at Tai Tam

The slope is unstable at Redhill Peninsula following landslide

Today Hong Kong's weather has heavy rains, and in parts of Kowloon and Sai Kung there are even flash floods. Seems like the city can't get a break from the rain, let alone have enough time to clear all the drains so that the water can be removed from roads.

In the aftermath of the record-breaking rainstorm, there are now questions as to whether there are illegal structures built in the tony area of Tai Tam. 

One house at 72 Redhill Peninsula had to be evacuated because of the landslide caused by the heavy rains, while the two houses next to it, 70 and 74 will undergo safety checks, as they could be affected as well.

Linn says the homes will be inspected for safety

An initial investigation revealed illegal structures at all three houses, including digging below to create basements. The occupants not only violated the terms of the leasing conditions, but also the extensions occupied land that belongs to the government.

"As to whether there are unauthorised building structures or unlawful occupation of government land, our initial evidence shows there is indeed some breach of leases and unlawful occupation, but our primary focus at the moment is to stabilise the slope to ensure public safety," said Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho.

Government contractors will inject cement into the slope in a bid to stabilise it, Linn said.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the authorities would strictly enforce the law in response to discovering any illegal structures.

"We place a lot of importance on that, as [the illegal structures] could affect public safety," he said.

Will the occupants be prosecuted if illegal structures are found? An NGO that focuses on land and development research found satellite images that suggest a garden extension at 70 Redhill was done 13 years ago.

Landslide reveals possible illegal structures

Mostly celebrities and wealthy businessmen live in these houses that can cost some HK$112 million for 3,136 square feet.

Jason Poon Chuk-hung is a structural engineer who says the digging at Redhill Peninsula to create basements could have aggravated the pressure on the slope.

He said the Buildings Department would need to issue a demolition order to the owners of the three sites if illegal structures are found on their properties, and this could cost some HK$10 million per property.

"But the slope has collapsed, which cannot be rebuilt. The best the government can do is to build an artificial slope, which will cost about HK$50 million," Poon said. "Whether or not the government can claim the construction costs from the property owners will depend on the courts."

Poon added the three houses would be plagued by structural risks going forward, and their property prices would drop by 25 percent.

It has now been reported that the owner of 74 Redhill Peninsula refuses to allow government teams to inspect the house, and so the authorities are currently applying for a court warrant to investigate any other illegal structures.

Get out the popcorn, folks. It's going to be a a dramatic show.

Fact-Checking HK Officials on Flooding

A shopping mall in Chai Wan flooded with muddy water

Hong Kong continues its massive clean-up after the apocalyptic rainstorm that deluged the city, though people are questioning the government's response -- or lack thereof -- in warning residents to prepare in advance.

But Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu described the rainstorm as "once in 100 years", while his deputy Eric Chan Kwok-ki said it was a "once-in-500 years" rainstorm.  

Who is right?

Lee appears at Yiu Tung Estate in Shau Kei Wan

Journalistically it is correct to say the worst rainstorm since 1884 when records of rain levels were kept.

How can Chan say 500 years when no one was around then to measure the water levels if there even was a torrential rainstorm in 1523 during the Ming dynasty?

Perhaps Chan likes to stretch the truth to be more dramatic and claim this was a one-off?

Regardless he and Lee should look into a phenomenon called climate change and how there will be more incidents of either more drought and wildfires, or more powerful rainstorms and flooding.

That rainstorm was not a once in a century. There will be more to come.

You have been forewarned.

Hong Kong Deluged by Flooding

A bus submerged in the torrential rains that flooded HK

A few hours ago pictures and videos of the epic flooding in Hong Kong were posted all over social media -- the muddy waterfall pouring into Wong Tai Sin MTR station, vehicles plowing through water in the Cross Harbour Tunnel, a woman still holding onto her umbrella as she slid about 50 metres along a street, trying to grab onto the railing.

The city is still under a black rainstorm warning 14 hours after it was posted, with rain falling 158.1mm deep between 11pm and midnight last night, an unprecedented amount since records were kept in 1884. In total over 400mm of rain has fallen.

Needless to say today schools are closed, and most people are working from home as the black rainstorm warning is expected to continue until midnight this evening.

Wong Tai Sin MTR station deluged by water

Chai Wan seems to have received the brunt of the intense rain left over from Typhoon Haikui. The New Territories also suffered with the Shenzhen government giving very little notice to its Hong Kong counterpart that it would discharge water from the reservoir -- that knock-down effect left 15 minutes for residents in the area to prepare to evacuate.

So far there are no reports of fatalities, but residents are not impressed by the government's response, with the Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki holding a press conference right now (2.30pm HK time) to report on what the authorities are doing together with the Security Bureau some 12 hours later.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu didn't make any public statements and instead published two social media posts urging people to stay safe. Hongkongers bombarded the comments section questioning why the government's response was so behind, compared to the preparations made when Typhoon Saola was approaching the city.

One commenter by the name of Veronica Law wrote: "Not everyone was on Facebook. Why wasn't even an SMS sent to residents in this kind of situation?" Another user named Emi An said: "Is the chief executive sleeping? Are you aware of the severe flooding out there?"

A shopping mall in Chai Wan flooded

At the press conference going on now, acting director of drainage services Chui Si-kay said Hong Kong's drainage system could not cope with the torrential rainfall, and denied that Shenzhen releasing water from the reservoir did not cause flooding in the New Territories, that it was all from the rainfall. 

One may never be quite sure what the situation was there, but for sure the city will have a lot of water and sludge to get rid of in the streets, in shopping malls, MTR stations, and people's flats. 

There are still questions on how the city's authorities and the Hong Kong Observatory did not prepare residents with the possibility of a deluge of rain...

Whale's Misadventure in HK Waters

A dead whale carcass was found Monday morning in Sai Kung

Fishermen spotted a whale carcass floating in the waters off Shelter Island in Sai Kung, Hong Kong, and now police and officials from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department are trying to assess whether the 7-metre-whale is the one that was spotted in mid-July.

It was a surprise to see a Bryde's whale in Hong Kong, with conservation groups speculating it may have lost its way. As a result tourist-boats filled with people rushed out to see the whale, which was found to have two large gashes in its back about a week ago. The wounds may have been caused by a propeller.

A Bryde's whale was spotted July 13

If the carcass is the same whale, its demise may have been caused by the injury, though people encroaching on it, would have inflicted greater stress on the animal, having so many boats only metres away from it.

The authorities and conservation groups had called for people to be at least 100 metres away from the mammal.

Even Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, currently acting Chief Executive as John Lee Ka-chiu is away, to order marine police to increase patrols in the area to keep boats away from the Bryde's whale.

At the time marine biologist Taison Chang Kai-tai, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society urged the public not to go too close to the animal to avoid causing further injuries, and that it may have lost its way.

Two gashes were on the whale's back

"With the injuries, it will face bigger difficulties in finding its way out [to its habitat]," Chang said, adding it was also facing more challenges in feeding.

The demise of the whale is a sad reminder of the ignorance of Hongkongers when it comes to wild animals. The keyword is wild.

Plans Push Ahead to Reopen HK-China Border

Border between HK and China plans to open in mid-January

On Christmas Eve in Hong Kong, the city recorded over 20,000 cases of Covid-19, the highest level since March, and yet the government is actively working towards re-opening the border with China by mid-January -- only weeks away.

The border has effectively been shut for almost three years due to the pandemic, making it very hard for people to go to work or school across the border at specific border control points and of course the dreaded hotel quarantine.

But after Beijing abruptly pulled a U-turn from its "zero-Covid" policy recently, there are plans to re-open the border very soon.

Lee met with Xi to discuss border reopening

"The central government has agreed to the full reopening of the border in a gradual and orderly manner," Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told the media.

Local authorities on both sides of the border will present a proposal for Beijing's approval, "intending to be implemented before mid-January," he added, and that there will probably be a daily quota of mainlanders coming into Hong Kong.

While many businesses will be eager for these tourists to come back, flooding the streets, buses and MTR trains, others will miss having Hong Kong to themselves. That almost three-year privilege will come to an end soon.

Government officials like Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki who is leading the Coordination Group on Resumption of Normal Travel, is feeling the time crunch.

"We must race against time to prepare for resumption of normal travel, with a two-pronged approach adopted. We need to formulate a sound proposal on such resumption as soon as practical," he said.

Chan needs to come up with plan with Guangdong

"At the same time, we need to maintain close liaison with the relevant authorities at the Central level, as well as from the Guangdong province and Shenzhen municipality, and submit the proposal to the Central Government for approval after reaching a consensus with them. The target is to resume normal travel by mid-January next year, such that various types of cross-boundary activities between Hong Kong and the mainland can regain momentum in a progressive and orderly manner."

Interesting he made no mention of the current situation of the rapidly rising number of Covid-19 infections in both Hong Kong and China, or that both visitors and residents should get fully vaccinated to protect themselves when the onslaught returns.

While Hong Kong residents in general might fare better than their mainland counterparts health-wise when it comes to having exposure to the virus and its variants, isn't it not good timing to reopen soon? Or is it all about gaining political points for Lunar New Year... but then these family reunions will lead to an even greater spike in infections?

Doesn't seem like anyone is thinking this out clearly and is just racing towards the goal of opening up without realising the possible outcomes...

Living with Covid, HK and Vancouver

Nine or more per table and everyone needs to show RAT tests

With the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong, the government has introduced a new measure sure to hit Chinese restaurants again. People dining with more than eight at the table must produce negative rapid antigen tests a maximum of 24 hours before entry.

Previously people who wanted to go to bars and clubs had to produce RAT tests, but now it's locals having family gatherings or birthday parties that will also have to do the same, making it more egalitarian in a way, and not targeting one segment of the population.

Chinese restaurants have seen bookings of nine people or more cancelled, or perhaps they will see two different people booking tables and requesting to be next to each other? This is where Hongkongers get creative and restaurants are willing to turn a blind eye...

Those going to bars, clubs must show RAT results

William So Man-sing, assistant general manager of London Restaurant, a Chinese cuisine outlet in Mongkok anticipates a 20 percent drop in business. He has also bought extra RAT tests for customers who show up forgetting to do the test, though they have to pay HK$10 for it. 

"I have to cater space for a test area and also need to clean and disinfect the place every time. I hope patrons can do their rapid tests at home, it will be more convenient," So said.

There is a seven-day grace period, but restaurants are hoping the government can extend it by another week. 

Some people reacted by saying they are not deterred from organising large gatherings and will make conducting RAT tests a habit, while others think it's a good idea to do the test before meeting friends and loved ones.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on a radio show he hoped residents would cooperate and self-test before attending gatherings and banquets.

"As people take off their masks at such events, the risk of spreading the coronavirus is larger," he said.

In Vancouver masking is a personal choice

"The daily caseload has been increasing, and could possibly exceed 10,000 infections. We need to strike a balance between people's livelihood and anti-epidemic needs," he added. 

"We hope that when the infection numbers decreases, we can relax the rules again."

Yet another setback for restaurants, particularly Chinese ones as they struggle to make ends meet after over two years of the pandemic. 

There are still many people who refuse to go out much, let alone eat in big groups, while others go about life almost as normal -- with a mask on -- except when dining in restaurants.

It also shows the government is trying to be somewhat reasonable, but how do you decide eight to a table and say not 10? For wedding banquets it's totally understandable for everyone to produce a negative test, but for a dim sum gathering? 

Everyone has different comfort levels. 

Henry is not calling for mask mandates again

Here in British Columbia, the provincial health officer Bonnie Henry is not enforcing a mask mandate, but instead urges people to get vaccinated, including children, observe good hygiene and if you don't feel well, stay at home.

Compared to Hong Kong it seems very lax and many people refuse to go back to mask-wearing or don't see the effectiveness of it, or have pandemic fatigue.

One colleague said she stopped wearing masks everywhere she goes and thinks our office is too extreme in recommending employees wear masks, while a few of us wear it because we live with elderly parents and don't want to inadvertently pass on the virus. 

That made her realise there still is a broad spectrum of opinions when it comes to the pandemic, and those who are cautious need to be respected for their concerns.

Waving the Patriotic Flag

Flag fanatics decorated Kam Shek House in red flags

In the run up to the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover, someone in two housing estates in Kwun Tong decided to be very patriotic and decorated the entire Lam Shek House and Kam Shek House with alternating Chinese and Hong Kong flags hanging on every level of above the courtyard.

Some flags were found to be desecrated

Of course the Bauhinia flag is markedly smaller than the Chinese one...

Pictures of it went viral on social media and yesterday the police received a report that 12 of the national flags at Lam Shek House were desecrated, some with black stains on the big stars, while one flag at the housing estate and another at Kam Shek House were stolen.

Some uniformed police collected the desecrated flags, putting them in plastic bags for investigation and no one has been arrested yet.

Eventually all the flags were taken down probably as a precaution.

This exercise in extreme patriotism in Hong Kong is a touchy subject to say the least. While residents accept that the city is a part of China, it isn't quite ready for the show of nationalism that mainlanders expect. 

The push for patriotism is overwhelmingly red

And the government's efforts in trying to shove patriotism down residents' throats isn't helpful either, fuelling further frustration. The 2019 protests are still raw in people's minds, and they are still trying to process what has happened in the last three years, particularly after the implementation of the national security law.

Forcing people to celebrate an anniversary that seems bleaker by the day is hardly something worth rejoicing about. And the red flags seem to inflame people even more.

At least all the flags were removed and maybe the mastermind will have learned his/her lesson.

But wait -- the Hong Kong police are adopting the "goose-step" used in China from July 1.

"To promote patriotism and enhance the awareness of national identity, the Hong Kong Police Force will fully adopt Chinese foot drills from July 1," the HKPF said in a statement.

HKPF will debut its goose-stepping style July 1

Last year the People's Liberation Army trained Hong Kong police cadets the goose-step style where soldiers march without bending their knees.

Sounds painful... on the knees!

In the meantime it's been reported the two senior government officials who caught Covid-19 a few days ago have now tested negative.

Eric Chan Kwok-ki and Erick Tsang Kwok-wai have started to test negative, and if they have two more negative tests, then they could possibly attend Friday's ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

The government will have the final say if Chan and Tsang can attend in person. 

And still no word on Xi Jinping coming or not... 

Is He or Isn't He?

Xi has yet to announce if he's attending in person or not

Hong Kong has had over 1,000 Covid-19 cases a day, today there are over 1,700. The Centre for Health Protection has warned it could go over the 2,000 mark soon.

It seemed the chances of Chinese President Xi Jinping coming to Hong Kong would be slimmer by the day.

So it was very surprising to the territory that a few hours ago Xinhua announced that Xi will attend the 25th anniversary of the handover celebrations and swear in John Lee Ka-chiu as the next chief executive.

Chan (left) and Tsang have tested positive

The key word is "attend", as it was not clear if he would come in person, or participate virtually. Zoom, perhaps?

Originally guests attending the event would have to quarantine in the hotels near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for seven days, but that has been cut to one day, but not the battery of PCR tests.

It was also reported yesterday that incoming chief secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and constitutional and mainland affairs minister Erick Tsang Kwok-wai both tested positive for Covid-19. 

There were concerns that Chan may have infected Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor as he spoke to her on Monday, but the media was told that both were wearing masks and at a distance from each other so she was not considered a close contact.

No Penny's Bay for her...

Leung advises swearing-in ceremony kept simple

Infectious disease expert Leung Chi-chiu of Chinese University says it's hard to tell how quickly Chan and Tsang will recover and if they can attend the July 1 ceremony.

"Because most of our senior officials have been undergoing Covid-19 testing regularly, their recent positive tests might indicate that they have just developed the disease. For that, because of the new onset disease, it's difficult to tell at this moment whether their disease course will be short enough to have completed recovery by July 1," Leung said.

He suggested that the ceremony next week be kept as simple as possible, and everyone have their masks on and avoid mingling too much. 

But back to Xi... what are the chances of him actually coming in person next Friday?