Latest news with #Law
HKFP
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Gov't vows strict vetting of applications for event subsidies, performance venues to prevent ‘soft resistance'
Hong Kong will strictly vet applications for event subsidies and performance venues, as well as exhibition content and library collections, to better safeguard national security, the city's culture minister has said. Hong Kong is still facing threats from 'soft resistance,' which may take the form of performance content, song lyrics, and storylines, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said in an interview with Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po published on Friday. Law said the authorities must 'remain vigilant' at all times and that safeguarding national security was an 'ongoing process.' 'There is no completion, only continuation. We must continue to take national security work seriously and carry it out diligently,' the minister said. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau has stepped up training for its personnel to 'deepen their sense of national awareness,' Law said. The bureau also vowed strict vetting of event subsidies, venue performances, exhibition content, and library collections to 'eliminate any elements that may harm national security,' she added. Since 2021, government officials have cited 'soft resistance' as a threat to national security, although they have not provided a clear definition of the term. A recent example cited by the authorities was the mobile game Reversed Front: Bonfire, which the government said promotes secessionist agendas, advocates 'armed revolution,' and calls for the overthrow of the 'fundamental system of the People's Republic of China.' Commissioner of Police Joe Chow warned of 'undercurrents' and 'soft resistance' in the art, culture, and media sectors during a press conference in April, shortly after taking the helm at the force. He later said national security legislation does not affect artistic creation in Hong Kong, adding that many artists or performers understand the 'boundaries of the law.' Last month, former district councillor Katrina Chan Kim-kam, one of the first people arrested under Hong Kong's domestic security law, said she was told to withdraw from a play after a government department – from which the organisers rented out the venue to host the production – threatened to cancel the rental, citing a potential breach of the national security clause. Chan was set to perform in a play at Tsuen Wan Town Hall. The venue's conditions of use for facilities state that hirers and those admitted to facilities must abide by the Beijing-imposed national security law. In response to HKFP, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) said all bookings are processed 'in accordance with the established booking procedures and the terms and conditions of hire.' The department also refused to comment on individual bookings. In 2021, an HKFP report revealed that 29 out of 149 books about the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown were removed from the shelves over the past 12 years. Local media reported in May 2023 that political titles by authors including academics Simon Shen and Ma Ngok, former lawmaker and barrister Margaret Ng, and the late prominent democrat Szeto Wah had been purged from the shelves of local public libraries. According to Ming Pao, around 40 per cent of books and recordings about political topics or figures have been removed from public libraries since 2020. Of 468 political books and recordings identified by the newspaper, at least 195 have been removed, the newspaper reported. In July 2023, LCSD said members of the public are 'welcome' to report books that may endanger national security, as part of its new channels for collecting views on the city's library collections. The LCSD told HKFP in October that year that 50 reports were made by the public about suspected 'objectionable' content found in library books and other titles. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs. LATEST FROM HKFP AI surveillance cameras helped prosecute 6 people for monkey feeding, Hong Kong gov't says Taiwan says UK Navy ship sailed through Taiwan Strait 'Moving Great Wall': China's towering teen basketball star set to play at Women's Asia Cup Meta sues Hong Kong-based company behind AI deepfake app that creates fake nude images
RTHK
15 hours ago
- Business
- RTHK
Rosanna Law committed to enhancing her bureau's work
Rosanna Law committed to enhancing her bureau's work Rosanna Law said her bureau still has significant work ahead and numerous opportunities to explore. Photo: RTHK Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said she is committed to strengthening Hong Kong's cultural, sports and tourism offerings with the aim of creating enriching experiences for both residents and visitors. Speaking to RTHK to mark the third year of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Law expressed deep enthusiasm for her work, emphasising the fulfillment she finds in her position. She said her bureau still has significant work ahead and numerous opportunities to explore. 'I really want to ensure that Hong Kong's culture, sports and tourism [bureau] not only upholds a good reputation but also achieves tangible results," Law said. "These results can be economic benefits, notable achievements or how we showcase positive aspects to the public, including our various artists and athletes gaining recognition internationally. 'However, the most important point is that culture, sports and tourism [events] should bring joy to people. "If citizens and tourists find happiness in participating in our cultural and sports activities, I will already be very satisfied.' The tourism chief said many new attractions like Hong Kong Disneyland's World of Frozen and Kai Tak Sports Park have drawn a significant number of visitors to the city, but there is still a need to manage surges in tourism. 'What we need to work on is managing crowd movements during peak times, especially at popular spots like, for example, the High Island Reservoir East Dam,' Law said. 'We definitely need better management when it comes to distributing the flow of people effectively because Hong Kong's capacity to accommodate visitors should be completely fine.' Law said plans are underway to deploy real-time crowd monitoring and alert systems at key sites to better manage crowds. 'In the future, we hope to establish alerts for certain scenic spots,' she said. "If there are too many people, we could use red and green indicators to inform travellers. 'We often talk about 'off-peak travel,' encouraging people to visit when it's less crowded or to leave before peak times. "Even for travel dates, if we can promote off-peak options, it would help manage the situation better.' Looking ahead, Law said the Tourism Board is leveraging artificial intelligence capabilities to tailor experiences for visitors based on demographics and preferences while factoring in real-time attraction capacity and crowd conditions.
RTHK
15 hours ago
- Sport
- RTHK
'HK is ready to host the National Games'
'HK is ready to host the National Games' Hong Kong is set to co-host the National Games with Guangdong and Macau for the first time in November. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said Hong Kong is confident of its readiness to co-host the upcoming National Games, stating that all test events are now complete. For the first time, Hong Kong will co-host the Games in November alongside Guangdong and Macau, overseeing eight sports, including fencing and basketball. Speaking to RTHK to mark the third year of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Law said the trials helped determine standards and identify improvements needed to ensure the events' success this year. 'The goal of our test events was to identify areas for adjustments," she said. "For example, in the recent fencing event, everyone felt the venue was excellent, providing an atmosphere that had never been experienced in Hong Kong before. 'However, we noted that the changing rooms and warm-up areas may need to be larger, and the air-conditioning settings should be adjusted to ensure that athletes compete comfortably, as their uniforms are quite heavy. "But we need to make adjustments to ensure it won't be too cold for the audience as well. "Many different events will have similar considerations.' Law expects a turnout of around 100,000 tourists and spectators. She said authorities are committed to delivering events "on schedule, smoothly, safely, fairly and justly". Law added: 'This involves many aspects, including the venue, detailed arrangements, security and technology applications. "On the other hand, we hope to attract as many local citizens as possible to participate fully since Hong Kong is one of the hosts. 'We also want to encourage more people from the Greater Bay Area and other provinces in the mainland to come to Hong Kong to watch the events, while also experiencing the latest developments in the city. "Of course, it's also very important that our Hong Kong representative teams achieve good results.' Law emphasised the Games' tourism potential, citing opportunities to offer travel packages or multi-stop itineraries to attract visitors to all three host regions. She also aims to introduce cultural and artistic experiences beyond sports to visitors in Hong Kong.
HKFP
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Kai Tak Sports Park drew 590,000 concertgoers in first 3 months since opening, Hong Kong gov't says
Around 590,000 people attended concerts held at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park in the first three months after it opened, with over half of them tourists, the government has said. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said in a written reply to lawmakers on Wednesday that 15 large-scale concerts had been held at Kai Tak Stadium and Kai Tak Arena since the sprawling sports park officially opened on March 1. As of May 31, the two Kai Tak facilities welcomed about 590,000 concertgoers, more than the total attendance in the first five months this year at two other major concert venues in the city, Law said. Around 221,000 people attended concerts held at the AsiaWorld-Expo, near the International Airport, from January to May, while concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom over the same period attracted about 275,000. Law also said more than half of Kai Tak's concertgoers came from mainland China and overseas, whereas tourists comprised over 30 per cent of the concertgoers at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The government estimated that around 285 large-scale pop concerts would be held throughout 2024 and the first half of 2025, drawing 3.9 million spectators, including 1.4 million tourists, she said. The tourists would spend an estimated HK$3.4 billion in the city, Law added. Transport plans When asked how to ensure mainland Chinese concertgoers could cross the border smoothly after each concert, Law said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the police, and the Transport Department would work closely with event organisers, venue management, and public transport operators. She said that the number of cross-boundary coaches on the night of May 24, when Singaporean pop star JJ Lin took the stage at Kai Tak Stadium, was double the figure on normal days. About 3,300 passengers who purchased tickets in advance were transported within one hour after the concert ended, Law said. The 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium has seen international and local acts, such as British band Coldplay, Taiwanese band Mayday, and Hong Kong pop star Nicholas Tse. Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou is set to perform for three nights at the end of June at the venue.
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PPP MP criticises FBR's ‘harsh' steps
ISLAMABAD: A member of National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, Tuesday, said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was moving towards measures like 'Martial Law' and taking very tough measures against business community. During the NA Standing Committee on Finance's meeting held here on Tuesday, MNA Nafisa Shah from the PPP stated that the FBR is declaring a 'martial law' on the taxpayers' community. Responding to this, the FBR chairman said that tax matters did not have any relation with martial law, as he served as a civil servant under a democratic regime. He said that there was a potential to bring one million retailers into the tax net. The FBR shared its plan to expand its enforcement plan for bringing three million retailers into the tax net. He said that the FBR will extend the tier-1 retailers regime to large retailers. The stringent requirements with opportunity of safeguards will be placed, and all those who do not get themselves registered their utilities will be blocked, freezing of bank accounts, attachment of properties, sealing of premises, and appointment of a receiver. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
