SCMP Hong Kong·Thursday, January 15, 2026

SCMP Hong Kong - Thursday, January 15, 2026

10 stories~15 min

Listen to this episode

Hear all 10 stories summarized and read aloud.

▶Play on Tera.fm

Stories Covered

Mapping issues in 7 of 8 power bank rental platforms tested by Hong Kong watchdog

Seven out of eight power bank rental platforms tested by Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog displayed inaccurate navigation or positioning data on map applications, a problem that may waste users’ time and incur extra charges due to delays. The Consumer Council on Thursday also found a significant variance in rental fees across different stations within the same platforms, with charges for a 30-minute rental differing by nearly 1.3 times and the daily cap on charges differing by more than 2.3...

Read original →

Tougher building checks may add costs, slow projects, Hong Kong lawmaker says

Extra costs and the use of public resources may be incurred under the Hong Kong government’s proposed moves to increase professional scrutiny of building maintenance projects following the deadly Tai Po inferno, a lawmaker has said, calling for further discussion. Election Committee lawmaker Andrew Lam Siu-lo, a town planner by training, said on Thursday that expanding the Urban Renewal Authority’s (URA) role in such projects might require extra time and money, urging the government and...

Read original →

61 million passenger trips at Hong Kong airport in 2025, up 15% year on year

Passenger trips at the Hong Kong International Airport reached 61 million in 2025, marking a 15 per cent year-on-year increase, after a full year of operation with the facility’s third runway. The Airport Authority said on Thursday that the strong figures came on the back of a busy Christmas season, which saw over 200,000 daily passenger trips over eight days in December. Cargo throughput for the year also rose by 2.7 per cent to 5.07 million tonnes. “The strong traffic performance in 2025 marks

Read original →

Hong Kong consumer watchdog urges better elderly services after 9,206 complaints

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has called on businesses to improve services for elderly customers after receiving more than 9,200 complaints in the past three years, including a woman who spent HK$400,000 (US$51,294) on beauty treatments. The Consumer Council said on Thursday that improving services for seniors would help boost the spending potential of the “silver economy”, a priority for the city’s government amid a rapidly ageing population. “The council urges traders to review their sales...

Read original →

Hong Kong, Shenzhen ‘to deepen’ ties in finance and AI to build world-class fintech hub

Hong Kong and Shenzhen can work closely to empower finance with artificial intelligence, delegates said on Thursday at the China Conference: Greater Bay Area, an event hosted by the South China Morning Post. Joseph Chan Ho-lim, undersecretary for Financial Services and the Treasury in the Hong Kong government, said Hong Kong and Shenzhen were seeking deeper cooperation between finance and technology. Chan said at the event in Qianhai, a bonded zone in Shenzhen, that Hong Kong, as a...

Read original →

Time to end bid-rigging in Hong Kong with criminalisation and tougher enforcement

Recent events in Hong Kong, particularly the tragic blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last November, have focused society’s attention on reforms to the legal system, especially those concerning building management and maintenance. Corruption and improper practices in the tendering process for large-scale building renovation or maintenance have also become a hot-button issue. In response, the government has established an independent committee to uncover the causes of the fire and examine...

Read original →

Hong Kong lawmaker Duncan Chiu leads Legco affluence list with 54 properties

Hong Kong lawmaker Duncan Chiu owns 54 properties at home and overseas, more than any of the other 89 lawmakers, a review of their declaration of interests shows. But Chiu indicated that he is considering selling his properties in the West, citing geopolitical risks and his limited time for managing them. Chiu, the son of the late entrepreneur Deacon Chiu, represents the technology and innovation sector. He is among the five lawmakers who have declared ownership of more than 10 properties, and..

Read original →

Hong Kong, China stocks to outpace US equities all year after quick start, analysts say

Hong Kong and mainland Chinese stocks outpaced their US peers for the first two weeks of 2026 and should continue to do so for the rest of the year on the back of relatively cheaper valuations, a firmer yuan and policy tailwinds, as geopolitics drives more global investors to look to China as a hedge against rising risks in US assets, according to analysts. The CSI 300 Index has gained 2.4 per cent so far this year, while the Hang Seng Index has climbed 5.3 per cent, both outpacing a 1.7 per...

Read original →

Hong Kong Cantopop singer Raymond Lam cancels 2 concerts in Japan amid China friction

Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actor Raymond Lam Fung has cancelled two coming concerts in Japan, adding to a growing list of high-profile entertainment disruptions amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. Japanese promoter Promax Inc said on Wednesday that Lam’s “Go With The Flow in Japan” tour – originally scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Tokyo Garden Theatre – had been postponed indefinitely. “After careful consideration and extensive discussions with all...

Read original →

Gaps laid bare by deadly Hong Kong fire focus of first Legco meeting of new term

Hong Kong’s newly elected lawmakers, many of them fresh faces on the political scene, held their first meeting on Wednesday, with officials pledging to address policy gaps exposed by the deadly Tai Po inferno, from tightening oversight of maintenance project tenders and raising homeowner voting thresholds to imposing a smoking ban at construction sites. Wednesday also marked the first time since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty 28 years ago that a city leader had addressed the first...

Read original →