By , BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China will have overarching powers over the enforcement of a new national security law in Hong Kong, according to details released on Saturday that signalled the deepest change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.The planned law has alarmed foreign governments as well as democracy activists in Hong Kong, who were already concerned that Beijing is eroding the high degree of autonomy granted to the territory when it was handed over from British rule.According to details released by the official Xinhua news agency, Hong Kong...…By , BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China will have overarching powers over the enforcement of a new national security law in Hong Kong, according to details released on Saturday that signalled the deepest change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.The planned law has alarmed foreign governments as well as democracy activists in Hong Kong, who were already concerned that Beijing is eroding the high degree of autonomy granted to the territory when it was handed over from British rule.According to details released by the official Xinhua news agency, Hong Kong...WW…

By , BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China will have overarching powers over the enforcement of a new national security law in Hong Kong, according to details released on Saturday that signalled the deepest change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.The planned law has alarmed foreign governments as well as democracy activists in Hong Kong, who were already concerned that Beijing is eroding the high degree of autonomy granted to the territory when it was handed over from British rule.According to details released by the official Xinhua news agency, Hong Kong...…By , BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China will have overarching powers over the enforcement of a new national security law in Hong Kong, according to details released on Saturday that signalled the deepest change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.The planned law has alarmed foreign governments as well as democracy activists in Hong Kong, who were already concerned that Beijing is eroding the high degree of autonomy granted to the territory when it was handed over from British rule.According to details released by the official Xinhua news agency, Hong Kong...WW…

By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong officials lashed out on Saturday at moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for imposing national security laws on the global financial hub.Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and that some officials could face sanctions, security minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws.“I don’t think they will succeed in using any means to threaten the (Hong Kong) government, because we believe...…By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong officials lashed out on Saturday at moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for imposing national security laws on the global financial hub.Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and that some officials could face sanctions, security minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws.“I don’t think they will succeed in using any means to threaten the (Hong Kong) government, because we believe...WW…

By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong officials lashed out on Saturday at moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for imposing national security laws on the global financial hub.Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and that some officials could face sanctions, security minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws.“I don’t think they will succeed in using any means to threaten the (Hong Kong) government, because we believe...…By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong officials lashed out on Saturday at moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for imposing national security laws on the global financial hub.Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and that some officials could face sanctions, security minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws.“I don’t think they will succeed in using any means to threaten the (Hong Kong) government, because we believe...WW…

By , , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Global wealth managers are examining whether their clients in Hong Kong have ties to the city’s pro-democracy movement, in an attempt to avoid getting caught in the crosshairs of China’s new national security law, according to six people with knowledge of the matter.The designation, called politically exposed persons, can make it more difficult or altogether prevent people from accessing banking services, depending on what the bank finds about the person’s source of wealth or financial transactions.The checks at some wealth managers have involved combing through...…By , , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Global wealth managers are examining whether their clients in Hong Kong have ties to the city’s pro-democracy movement, in an attempt to avoid getting caught in the crosshairs of China’s new national security law, according to six people with knowledge of the matter.The designation, called politically exposed persons, can make it more difficult or altogether prevent people from accessing banking services, depending on what the bank finds about the person’s source of wealth or financial transactions.The checks at some wealth managers have involved combing through...WW…

United States HONG KONG (Reuters) - When a team of producers at Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) heard on May 19 that the publicly funded broadcaster planned to axe one of its most popular weekly shows, they rushed to the building next door to confront the station’s head. A group of about 20 producers and other employees from RTHK’s TV and radio operations barged into a conference room where Leung Ka-wing, director of broadcasting, was meeting with top executives.  Some staff demanded to know why the satirical and current affairs television show “Headliner” – which had drawn official...…United States HONG KONG (Reuters) - When a team of producers at Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) heard on May 19 that the publicly funded broadcaster planned to axe one of its most popular weekly shows, they rushed to the building next door to confront the station’s head. A group of about 20 producers and other employees from RTHK’s TV and radio operations barged into a conference room where Leung Ka-wing, director of broadcasting, was meeting with top executives.  Some staff demanded to know why the satirical and current affairs television show “Headliner” – which had drawn official...WW…

By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - The Hong Kong government on Thursday confirmed a Reuters report that it had told 14 countries to stop accepting a British travel document that many of its young people use to apply for working holiday visas in Europe, North America and parts of Asia.In a move seen by some envoys as a diplomatic affront, the government informed the foreign consulates in a letter that it no longer considered the British National Overseas (BNO) passport a valid travel document as of Jan. 31.The letter, seen by Reuters and confirmed by the Hong Kong government after the story was...…By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - The Hong Kong government on Thursday confirmed a Reuters report that it had told 14 countries to stop accepting a British travel document that many of its young people use to apply for working holiday visas in Europe, North America and parts of Asia.In a move seen by some envoys as a diplomatic affront, the government informed the foreign consulates in a letter that it no longer considered the British National Overseas (BNO) passport a valid travel document as of Jan. 31.The letter, seen by Reuters and confirmed by the Hong Kong government after the story was...WW…

By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong has denied access to foreign consulates seeking to provide assistance to detained dual nationals in the global financial hub, the Canadian foreign ministry said on Wednesday.Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has traditionally accepted dual nationals unlike its Chinese sovereign, but it has the right to deny consular access under treaties signed when the former British colony returned to China in 1997.Five diplomats say, however, that consular access to dual nationals had largely been granted by local authorities since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule more than...…By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong has denied access to foreign consulates seeking to provide assistance to detained dual nationals in the global financial hub, the Canadian foreign ministry said on Wednesday.Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has traditionally accepted dual nationals unlike its Chinese sovereign, but it has the right to deny consular access under treaties signed when the former British colony returned to China in 1997.Five diplomats say, however, that consular access to dual nationals had largely been granted by local authorities since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule more than...WW…

By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai became the highest-profile person arrested under a new national security law on Monday, detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as around 200 police searched the offices of his Apple Daily newspaper.Mainland-born Lai, who was smuggled into the British colony of Hong Kong on a fishing boat when he was a penniless 12-year-old, has been one of the most prominent democracy activists in the now Chinese-ruled city and an ardent critic of Beijing.His arrest comes amid Beijing’s crackdown against pro-democracy opposition in...…By , HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai became the highest-profile person arrested under a new national security law on Monday, detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as around 200 police searched the offices of his Apple Daily newspaper.Mainland-born Lai, who was smuggled into the British colony of Hong Kong on a fishing boat when he was a penniless 12-year-old, has been one of the most prominent democracy activists in the now Chinese-ruled city and an ardent critic of Beijing.His arrest comes amid Beijing’s crackdown against pro-democracy opposition in...WW…