Latest from HKFP
HKFP
5 hours ago
- HKFP
HKUST student denied bail after allegedly posing as anti-graft agency officer, defrauding victim of HK$278K
A PhD student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has been denied bail after allegedly posing as an anti-corruption investigator and attempting to defraud a victim of HK$278,000. The defendant, surnamed Zhang, appeared at the Eastern Magistrates' Court on Thursday to face a charge of conspiring to defraud. According to the charge sheet cited by local media outlets, he is accused of conspiring to defraud a man in Sai Ying Pun on May 29. Zhang allegedly posed as an officer from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in an attempt to scam the person out of HK$278,000. According to a media briefing on Wednesday, police arrested Zhang, a 22-year-old student from mainland China, as well as an 18-year-old Form Six student and a 23-year-old woman, on Tuesday. Police were alerted to the cases after receiving reports from four scam victims between March and May. The victims received phone calls from the suspects claiming they were involved in crimes in mainland China, police said. The suspects then showed up at the victims' homes and presented an 'arrest order' as well as fake warrant cards and court papers, saying they needed to pay a refundable investigation fee, police added. The four victims were defrauded of around HK$980,000 in total and only realised something was amiss when they could not reach the callers again. The court denied Zhang bail and remanded him in custody on Thursday, local media reported. The case was adjourned to August 13, but he will appear in court on Tuesday to apply for bail.
HKFP
5 hours ago
- Business
- HKFP
EU bans Chinese firms from major state medical equipment contracts
The European Union on Friday banned Chinese firms from government medical device purchases worth more than five million euros (US$5.8 million) in retaliation for limits Beijing places on access to its own market. The latest salvo in trade tensions between the 27-nation bloc and China covers a wide range of healthcare supplies, from surgical masks to X-ray machines, that represent a market worth 150 billion euros in the EU. 'Our aim with these measures is to level the playing field for EU businesses,' the bloc's trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said. 'We remain committed to dialogue with China to resolve these issues.' In response, China accused the EU of 'double standards'. 'The EU has always boasted that it is the most open market in the world, but in reality, it has gradually moved towards protectionism', foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing. 'Under the guise of fair competition (the EU) actually carries out unfair competition, which is a typical case of double standards.' The European Commission said in a statement the move was in 'response to China's longstanding exclusion of EU-made medical devices from Chinese government contracts.' Brussels said just under 90 percent of public procurement contracts for medical devices in China 'were subject to exclusionary and discriminatory measures' against EU firms. In addition to barring Chinese firms from major state purchases, 'inputs from China for successful bids' would also be limited to 50 percent, it said. Over the last three years, Brussels and Beijing have come into conflict in a number of economic sectors, including electric cars, the rail industry, solar panels and wind turbines. The decision on medical devices comes at a time of heightened trade tensions with President Donald Trump's United States, which has imposed customs surcharges on imports from all over the world, including Europe. The EU has decided to take a tougher stance on trade in recent years, adopting a vast arsenal of legislation to better defend its businesses against unfair competition. In April 2024, the commission opened an investigation into Chinese public contracts for medical devices, the first under a new mechanism introduced by the EU in 2022 to obtain better access to overseas state purchases. China, on the other hand, accuses Europe of protectionism. After a year of negotiations, the commission, which manages trade policy on behalf of the 27 member states, said it had failed to make any progress with China. 'The measure seeks to incentivise China to cease its discrimination against EU firms and EU-made medical devices and treat EU companies with the same openness as the EU does with Chinese companies and products,' Brussels said.
HKFP
7 hours ago
- HKFP
UK court sentences Chinese student to life in prison for ‘campaign of rape'
A Chinese post-graduate student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the UK and China and suspected of having attacked more was on Thursday jailed for life by a London court. Police in London say they have evidence to suggest he may have targeted more than 50 other women. Serial rapist Zhenhao Zou, 28 — described in court as 'calculated and predatory' — targeted young Chinese women whom he invited to his London flat for drinks or to study before drugging and attacking them. Zou filmed nine of the rapes with hidden or handheld cameras, but only three of the 10 victims have ever been identified. Sentencing him at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage said there was 'no doubt that you planned and executed a campaign of rape' that had caused 'devastating and long term effects'. To the world he appeared 'well to do, ambitious and charming' but this was a mask hiding a 'sexual predator', she said. He treated his victims 'callously' as 'sex toys' for his own gratification, and his desire to assert 'power and control over women' meant that he would be a 'risk for an indefinite period', she added. Zou, wearing a dark suit and glasses, listened impassively in the dock to the sentence via a translator. He will serve a minimum of 22 years in jail, after accounting for time already spent in custody. The former engineering student at University College London was found guilty by a jury in March of 28 offences including 11 counts of rape — with two of the counts relating to one woman — three counts of voyeurism and one of false imprisonment. He was found guilty of raping three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. He was also convicted of three counts of possessing butanediol — an industrial solvent — with intent to commit a sexual offence and 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image. 'Prolific' rapist Victims told the sentencing hearing in impact statements of the psychological damage they suffered including nightmares, self harm and a sense of despair and isolation. One recalled 'wandering like a trapped animal trying to find an exit' after she was attacked. 'What happened that night is etched into my soul forever,' she said, adding that Zou's family was 'very powerful in China' and she feared he would 'seek revenge'. After the sentence, Saira Pike of the Crown Prosecution Service described Zou as a 'serial rapist and a danger to women'. 'His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society.' Analysis of footage and web chats showed the former student's 'meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes'. And Pike paid tribute to the 'courageous women' who came forward to report his 'horrific crimes' and whose evidence — combined with his own videos — helped secure his conviction and life sentence. Since he was convicted, and following an international appeal by UK police, some 24 women had come forward to say they might have been sexually assaulted by Zou. London's Met police have said they have evidence to suggest he may have targeted more than 50 other women and urged possible victims to come forward, adding that he had also studied in Belfast in Northern Ireland in 2017. 'Our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou,' said Commander Kevin Southworth of the Metropolitan Police. 'Please come forward and speak with our team -– we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.' LATEST FROM HKFP Schools must be national security 'gatekeepers,' gov't says after principal warns against US consulate event Gov't vows strict vetting of applications for event subsidies, performance venues to prevent 'soft resistance' UK court sentences Chinese student to life in prison for 'campaign of rape' Hong Kong proposes registration of subdivided flats from March 2026 to phase out 'substandard' living spaces
HKFP
7 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
HKFP
7 hours ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Schools must be national security ‘gatekeepers,' gov't says after principal warns against US consulate event
A Hong Kong school principal has warned teachers not to take part in Independence Day activities hosted by the US consulate after the city's authorities reportedly warned that participation may violate national security legislation. The unnamed school principal's remarks were quoted in a Wednesday post by Edu Lancet – a social media page run by former Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) subject manager Hans Yeung. A screenshot of the principal's message attached to the post reads: 'Per a reminder received from the Education Bureau's regional education office, teachers are reminded to be careful about Independence Day activities held by the US consulate in Hong Kong.' The principal advised against taking part in the celebrations 'to avoid violating the national security law and Hong Kong laws.' The message said, 'If you learn that there are students participating, please put the protection of students first and discourage them from doing so.' 'Clear guidelines' In a reply to Ming Pao, the Education Bureau (EDB) said: 'Schools have the responsibility to properly carry out their role as gatekeepers and enhance teachers' and students' sensitivity to national security.' However, the EDB did not confirm whether it had issued such a directive, nor did it clarify whether participating in US Independence Day events would amount to a violation of Hong Kong's national security laws. The bureau pointed out that Hong Kong would soon mark the fifth anniversary of the enactment of Beijing's national security law and said its multi-pronged approach included activities inside and outside the classroom to enhance students' understanding of the law. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po, published on Wednesday, Secretary for Education Christine Choi said that Hong Kong should be the first line of defence against what she called 'soft resistance' – a term used by government officials since 2021 without a clear definition. Choi said that the EDB had issued 'clear guidelines' to schools, including ordering them to conduct background checks on external organisations to ensure there were no 'anti-China disruptors' and to review their own off-campus activities and books to prevent the proliferation of 'illegal and harmful information'. Choi did not spell out those vetting guidelines or provide examples of partner organisations that were off-limits to schools for national security reasons. HKFP has reached out to the EDB and the US consulate for comment. The education chief also appeared to take aim at Edu Lancet. Without naming the page, she accused it of exaggerating safety concerns about Hong Kong schools' study tours in mainland China. 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.
