12 Apr 2024獨媒#3342
Reporters Without Borders Member Denied Entry Says She Was Followed Twice During Visit Last Year
無國界記者日前表示，其駐台北倡議專員白奧蘭（Aleksandra Bielakowska）周三（10日）抵港打算旁聽黎智英案，惟入境時遭扣查6小時，其後被遞解出境。無國界記者昨（11日）召記招，白奧蘭透露，被扣查期間被反覆問及組織的工作，又透露去年12月來港旁聽黎智英案時，曾至少兩度被不知名人士跟蹤，及疑被偷錄對話，相信被拒入境是因她曾旁聽黎智英案審訊。入境處指會按照相關法律和政策處理每宗個案，包括考慮旅客入境的「真正目的」，從而決定是否批准有關人士入境。
Reporters Without Borders said recently that its advocacy officer based in Taipei, Aleksandra Bielakowska, arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday (10th) intending to attend the trial of Jimmy Lai, but was detained for questioning for six hours on arrival and subsequently deported. At a press conference held yesterday (11th), Bielakowska said she was repeatedly questioned about the organisation’s work during her detention. She also said that when she came to Hong Kong in December last year to attend the trial of Jimmy Lai, she was followed by unidentified people at least twice and suspected that her conversations had been secretly recorded. She believed she was denied entry because she had attended the trial. The Immigration Department said it handles each case in accordance with relevant laws and policies, including considering visitors’ “genuine purpose” for entering Hong Kong, before deciding whether to approve their entry.
11 Apr 2024集誌社#3331
Reporters Without Borders representative detained for six hours and denied entry after planning to observe Jimmy Lai trial
無國界記者發聲明指，組織兩名亞太區代表昨（10日）抵港，原定計劃旁聽黎智英案件審訊以及與本地記者會面，但代表白奧蘭入境時，在機場被扣留查問六小時，之後被要求即時離境；對其不可接受待遇感震驚，認為當局公然迴避外界監察法庭審訊，反映黎智英案的荒謬。入境處指不評論個別個案，《集誌社》向保安局查詢，事件是否與 23 條有關、如何回應組織批評，仍待回覆。
Reporters Without Borders said in a statement that two of its Asia-Pacific representatives arrived in Hong Kong yesterday (10th), planning to observe the trial in the Jimmy Lai case and meet local journalists. Representative Pak O-lan was detained and questioned for six hours at the airport on arrival, and was then required to leave immediately. The organisation said it was shocked by the unacceptable treatment, claiming that the authorities were openly avoiding external scrutiny of the court proceedings and that this reflected the absurdity of the Jimmy Lai case. The Immigration Department said it did not comment on individual cases. The Collective asked the Security Bureau whether the incident was related to Article 23 and how it responded to the organisation’s criticism; a reply was still pending.
11 Apr 2024獨媒#3335
Dubai prince’s family office website taken down; PR: On Eid holiday
原定上月來港開設家族辦公室、但最終延期至5月的「杜拜王子」阿里（Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum），其家族辦公室官方網站、Linkedln帳戶昨日被發現「消失」。王子家族辦公室公關回覆《獨媒》查詢時稱，不知道網站已下架，但表示現時正值開齋節休假，未能作出回應。
去年《施政報告》提出在2025年年底前推動不少於200間家族辦公室在港設立或擴展業務。財經事務及庫務局聯同投資推廣署早前舉行第二屆「裕澤香江」高峰論壇，阿里王子獲邀參與「慈善及財富傳承」的環節，當局以杜拜統治家族成員尊稱對方。
The official website and Linkedln account of the family office of “Dubai prince” Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum, who had been scheduled to come to Hong Kong last month to open a family office but whose plans were ultimately postponed until May, were found to have “disappeared” yesterday. In response to queries from The Initium, the family office’s public relations representative said they did not know the website had been taken down, but said it was currently the Eid al-Fitr holiday and they were unable to respond.
Last year’s Policy Address proposed promoting the establishment or expansion of operations by no fewer than 200 family offices in Hong Kong by the end of 2025. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong earlier held the second “Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit”. Prince Ali was invited to participate in the “philanthropy and wealth succession” session, and the authorities referred to him as a member of Dubai’s ruling family.
5 Apr 2024獨媒#3307
Dubai prince said to have suddenly left Hong Kong over downgrading of opening ceremony Aaron Wan Lung Shum: Many officials who had promised to attend were absent
「杜拜王子」阿里（Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum）原定3月28日來港開設家族辦公室，但最終因「緊急事務」回國延期至5月，近日更被傳媒翻查曾為歌手。有報章引述消息指，阿里突然叫停開幕禮或與政府嘉賓不斷降格有關，香港中東經貿協會會長沈運龍今早在電台訪問中稱很多官員曾應承出席：「收尾一路一路有好多事發生，你知啦香港嗰幾日，有啲又病咗，中咗招呀，變咗啲官員好似俾人感覺降格，唔知王子嗰邊會唔會覺得有啲唔舒服呢？」
The “Dubai prince”, Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum, was originally scheduled to come to Hong Kong on March 28 to establish a family office, but ultimately returned home over “urgent matters”, postponing the event until May. The media have recently also reported that he was formerly a singer. A newspaper, citing sources, said that Ali’s sudden cancellation of the opening ceremony might have been related to the repeated downgrading of government guests. In a radio interview this morning, Aaron Wan Lung Shum, president of the Hong Kong Middle East Economic and Trade Association, said that many officials had previously promised to attend: “As things came to a close, many things happened one after another. You know, in Hong Kong during those few days, some people fell ill, and some caught it. It made some officials seem as though they had been downgraded. I wonder whether the prince’s side might have felt somewhat uncomfortable about it?”
5 Apr 2024光傳媒#3309
Screening of “Chow Hang-tung in Prison” by Malaysian Civic Group Halted; Police Confiscate Hard Drive
支聯會前副主席鄒幸彤涉「煽動顛覆國家政權」案還押至今逾兩年，近日紀錄片《幸彤在監獄》在全球多地放映。馬來西亞公民組織「柔南黃色行動小組」於上週六（30日）新山場放映活動開始前，內政部和警員到場以「未經電檢局批准」為由禁止放映，並帶走負責人李成鋼問話，李其後獲釋。他向《光傳媒》透露，警員在盤問期間詢問關於租場接洽對象、影片內容及放映目的，執法人員更「充公」了儲存影片的硬碟，未知何時歸還。
Chow Hang-tung, former vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, has been remanded in custody for more than two years in connection with a case involving the charge of “inciting subversion of state power”. The documentary “Chow Hang-tung in Prison” has recently been screened in various places around the world. Before a screening organised by the Malaysian civic group Southern Johor Yellow Action Group in Johor Bahru last Saturday (30th), the Ministry of Home Affairs and police officers arrived and prohibited the screening on the grounds that it had not been approved by the Film Censorship Board. They took the person in charge, Lee Sing-kong, away for questioning, and he was subsequently released. He told Light Media that during questioning, police asked about the people contacted regarding the venue rental, the film’s content and the purpose of the screening. Law enforcement officers also “confiscated” the hard drive containing the film, and it is not known when it will be returned.
4 Apr 2024RFA#3305
International Shipping Industry Restructures Global Routes; Hong Kong May Be Removed as a Transshipment Port
受香港政治局勢影響，不但西方政界，連國際商界都正在重新評估香港的經濟地位。數據顯示，一向以航運中心自居的香港，正在急劇退化中。有美國業界直言，對香港是否能保持轉運港地位極不樂觀，因為國際航運業正放棄香港 。另外，多間跨國際會計師和律師事務所亦決定短期內大幅縮減在香港的規模。
本台在兩個月前拍攝到葵青九號貨櫃碼頭已完全閒置。丹麥物流數據分析公司（Sea-Intelligence）近日撰文指出，主要航運公司由於想提高準時交貨率，正在將托運的貨物從香港轉至其他更新、更大的港口，更加把香港從轉口港名單中剔除。
Amid Hong Kong’s political situation, not only Western political circles but also the international business community are reassessing the city’s economic status. Data show that Hong Kong, which has long regarded itself as a shipping centre, is undergoing a sharp decline. A US industry representative said he was highly pessimistic about whether Hong Kong could retain its status as a transshipment port, as the international shipping industry is abandoning Hong Kong. In addition, several multinational accounting and law firms have decided to substantially reduce their operations in Hong Kong in the short term.
Our station filmed Kwai Tsing Container Terminal No. 9 two months ago and found it completely idle. Danish logistics data analysis company Sea-Intelligence wrote recently that, in an effort to improve on-time delivery rates, major shipping companies are transferring cargo from Hong Kong to other newer and larger ports, and are further removing Hong Kong from their list of transshipment ports.
2 Apr 2024獨媒#3295
Dubai Prince’s Family Office Launch Ceremony Postponed to May; Hong Kong Operations on Track
阿聯酋杜拜統治家族成員、酋長侄子Sheikh Ali Rashed Ali Saeed Al Maktoum 原定上周四（28日）在香港開設家族辦公室，但啟動禮最後延期，引起外界不同的猜測。該名杜拜王子昨日透過公關發聲明，指啟動禮延至5月舉行，強調在港的營運會按計劃進行，更會在未來到內地南沙考察。
Sheikh Ali Rashed Ali Saeed Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai’s ruling family and nephew of the emir, was originally due to open a family office in Hong Kong last Thursday (28th), but the launch ceremony was ultimately postponed, prompting various speculation. The Dubai prince said in a statement issued through public relations representatives yesterday that the ceremony would be held in May, stressing that operations in Hong Kong would proceed as planned. He would also visit Nansha on the mainland in the future to conduct an inspection.
1 Apr 2024Channel C#3292
Dubai royal family member’s Hong Kong family office launch ceremony postponed to end-May; office issues apology, says it is highly interested in development opportunities in mainland China, Hong Kong and Asia
杜拜皇室成員代表阿里（Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum）王子家族辦公室發聲明，表示延至5月底舉行香港家族辦公室開幕禮，屆時阿里王子將再次訪港，強調會按計劃進行在港營運，亦會再考察南沙，重申對內地、香港及亞洲的發展機會非常感興趣。聲明表示，家族辦公室對各方及港府因較早前安排的新聞發布會延期而造成的不便致歉，對各界尤其港府的支持表達衷心感謝。
A statement from the family office of Prince Ali Al Maktoum, representing a member of Dubai’s royal family, said the opening ceremony for the Hong Kong family office had been postponed until the end of May. Prince Ali will visit Hong Kong again at that time. The statement stressed that operations in Hong Kong would proceed as planned and that he would also revisit Nansha, reiterating strong interest in development opportunities in mainland China, Hong Kong and Asia. The family office apologised to all parties and the Hong Kong government for the inconvenience caused by the postponement of the previously scheduled press conference, and expressed sincere gratitude for the support from all sectors, particularly the Hong Kong government.
1 Apr 2024Now#3293
Group Protests Planned US Visa Restrictions on Hong Kong Officials by Secretary of State Blinken
有團體到美國駐港總領館抗議，不滿美國國務卿布林肯早前宣布因應香港通過23條立法，將會對多名香港官員實施簽證限制。
一批「保衛香港」成員到美國駐港總領事館叫口號抗議，又踩印有美國國務卿布林肯頭像的紙張。他們批評布林肯污名化港區國安法及基本法23條立法，支持香港官員無懼美方打壓。
A group protested outside the US Consulate General in Hong Kong against Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s earlier announcement that visa restrictions would be imposed on a number of Hong Kong officials in response to Hong Kong’s passage of Article 23 legislation.
Members of Defend Hong Kong Campaign chanted slogans in protest outside the consulate and stepped on sheets of paper bearing images of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. They criticised Blinken for stigmatising the Hong Kong national security law and the enactment of Article 23 of the Basic Law, and expressed support for Hong Kong officials in facing pressure from the US without fear.
30 Mar 2024獨媒#3286
US State Department Imposes New Visa Restrictions on Hong Kong Officials; Foreign Ministry’s Hong Kong Office Accuses US of Hegemony, High-Handedness and Bullying
美國國務卿昨日（3月29日）發聲明，指《基本法》第23條立法定義模糊、廣泛，可用作消除香港內部異議，亦適用於境外作為中國「持續進行的跨國鎮壓活動的一部分」。本年國務院向國會提交的《香港政策法案報告》，再次確認不能確保香港擁有1997年7月1日之前的待遇，國務院宣布將採取措施，對多名負責的港官實施新的簽證限制。外交部駐港公署發聲明，指該《報告》為「謊言報告」，「早該被掃進歷史垃圾堆」，《報告》是美方霸權霸道霸凌的可鄙註腳。
The US Secretary of State issued a statement yesterday (March 29) saying that the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law was vague and broad, and could be used to eliminate dissent within Hong Kong. It also applied outside Hong Kong as part of China’s “ongoing transnational repression activities”. This year’s Hong Kong Policy Act Report submitted by the State Department to Congress again confirmed that it could not ensure Hong Kong would retain the treatment it enjoyed before July 1, 1997. The State Department announced that it would take measures to impose new visa restrictions on several Hong Kong officials responsible. The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR issued a statement calling the report a “report of lies” that “should have been swept into the dustbin of history long ago”, and a deplorable footnote to US hegemony, high-handedness and bullying.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
