The Washington Post is in no position to cast stones at Hong Kong. While the almighty USA is in tatters with its leader Donald Trump sending the national guard to restore law and order in key cities, the Post maintains Hong Kong “is no longer an open, freewheeling city it once was.”
The paper’s editorial board posted on September 19 that investors were staying away from Hong Kong, journalists were being routinely denied entry visas, and western tourists were advised not to travel to the city or face arbitrary arrest under the national security law.
Scary stuff from the country’s foremost newspaper that carries tremendous clout in the corridors of power. But it’s all untrue, fake news. It may still be an authoritative newspaper in the eyes of a naive local population, but to the international community it has lost all credibility.
In the latest World Population Review, Hong Kong was placed fourth in the world for net inflows of foreign investments. It is estimated that the total foreign investment in 2024 brought to Hong Kong's economy exceeds more than HK$67.7 billion, which also represents a record high and a nearly 10 per cent increase compared to 2023. These companies expected to create 6,864 job opportunities in Hong Kong during their first year of operation, an over 67 per cent increase compared to 2023. That’s hardly investors staying away as claimed by the Post.
The Post complained about journalists being routinely denied visas to Hong Kong. There was only one case this year and another in 2018. And the reasons could be multiple, including having a criminal record, reporting that incites hatred etc. One case this year does not imply “routinely denied.” Hong Kong enjoys being host to about 70 foreign news organizations with Bloomberg alone employing several hundred manning its financial and news desks. In the almighty US, all media covering the Pentagon for example – local and foreign – must submit all articles to the newly named Department of War for approval before publication. So much for freedom of the press and expression with the media continualy being harassed by the president and his cronies.
The focus of the Post’s editorial was Jimmy Lai and the national security law.
It claimed that Lai was facing “manufactured charges of sedition” and that it was “a foregone conclusion that he’ll be found guilty.” How dare they suggest that Hong Kong “manufactures” criminal charges. The Post has made a groundless accusation without providing any evidence. Obviously, it has not done its homework, nor checked its facts, a prerequisite of any publication, especially when an editorial board of the Post’s reputation is headed by extremely experienced journalists. It’s unfathomable.
Hong Kong is a fair and just city. According to the 2024 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, Hong Kong ranked sixth in East Asia and the Pacific and was placed 23rd out of 142 countries and jurisdictions globally. The almighty US was three points lower at 26. In other words, Hong Kong is better placed in maintaining the rule of law than the US.
And, according to the Post it’s a “foregone conclusion [Jimmy Lai] will be found guilty.” Again, how dare they. In Hong Kong a person is innocent until found guilty. It is not a “foregone conclusion.” The Jimmy Lai trial for sedition and colluding with foreign forces lasted for 156 days during which ample evidence for and against was presented to a panel of three judges. They are currently weighing up that evidence and will present their findings in due course. Only then will Lai and the public know his fate. There is no “foregone conclusion.” By making this statement, the Post’s editorial board is accusing the Hong Kong courts of bias. They owe the Hong Kong judiciary an apology for the accusation.
The paper concluded its editorial that it was up to “China’s communist rulers in Beijing” to decide if Lai is to be ever released from jail. Poppycock! The trial of Jimmy Lai has nothing to do with Beijing, as implied by the Post. Lai was arrested in Hong Kong, charged for alleged crimes committed in Hong Kong, and tried in Hong Kong.
It is a pity that an upstanding publication such as the Washington Post should tarnish its reputation by publishing a story with such bias that is harmful to Hong Kong without checking the facts.
Mark Pinkstone
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
As Hong Kong has been developing in leaps and bounds, so has its medical services increased to meet local demands.
And with planned new hospitals in the Northern Metropolis along with current expansion and construction development, expertise is expected to increase and the dreaded waiting times for patients will be considerably reduced.
Hong Kong is poised to be the medical centre of Asia.
Currently, Hong Kong has about 36,000 beds in 43 public hospitals and 14 private hospitals. And already they are overcrowded, aided undoubtedly by an increasing aging population. Patients have to wait up to two hours for a consultation in public hospitals and up to a year or more for onward specialised bookings for appointment.
But that is about to change. Opening on December 11 in Tseung Kwan O will be the 400-bed Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong run by the Baptist University under the umbrella of the Health Bureau of the government and not to be confused with the Hospital Authority which runs all public hospitals and clinics in Hong Kong.
This is a major breakthrough for Chinese medicine (CM) to be fully integrated with research into western-Chinese medicines while serving the community. It will be the flagship for the 18 Chinese medicine clinics already operating in all districts in Hong Kong.
In its first year of operation, it will provide only outpatient 25 beds and day-patient services and six specialised CM services – internal medicine, external medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and traumatology, and acupuncture and moxibustion. It will also provide 12 special disease programs including those for elderly degenerative diseases and stroke rehabilitation.
Inpatient services will start from late next year, with other services expanding year by year, including the remaining 11 special disease programs. It is expected that by the end of 2030, the hospital will provide full inpatient services with its 400 patient beds, as well as outpatient services of 400 000 annual attendances.
Construction is also well underway and above the foundations for the North District Hospital (NDH) extension in Sheung Shui. The expansion of NDH mainly covers the construction of a new hospital block, refurbishment, alteration and addition to existing hospital building, and the provision of associated internal roadworks as well as external and landscaping works. Upon completion of the expansion project in about 2028, the hospital will provide about 1,500 additional beds, atop of its 680 existing beds.
And then comes the mother of all hospitals: The Northern Metropolis Hospital in Ngau Tam Mei, south of Yuen Long, is developing a new integrated medical teaching and research hospital which will become the flagship hospital of the Northern Metropolis with about 3 000 beds, providing comprehensive healthcare services for the new population in the area.
Last year in his policy address, the Chief Executive John Lee announced plans for developing a new integrated medical teaching and research hospital which will become the flagship hospital of the Northern Metropolis, providing comprehensive healthcare services.
The area is a goldmine for development. Representing about one third of Hong Kong’s total land area, existing agricultural land and fishponds will be turned into a massive hub for international scientific and technical research and development.
In the First Hospital Development Plan, there are three projects in two clusters, including the expansion of North District Hospital, the redevelopment of Prince of Wales Hospital, and the extension of Operating Theatre Block for Tuen Mun Hospital. It is anticipated that a total of 1 950 additional beds and other hospital facilities will be provided by 2031 in the New Territories after the completion of the three projects, bringing the physical bed capacity in the east and west clusters in the New Territories to about 12 000 beds.
Most importantly on the backburner is a decision by the Chief Executive in Council (ExCo) last year that a site of about two hectares be reserved in the San Tin Technopole (between Yuen Long and Sheung Shui) for healthcare facilities “which may include private hospital use.”
A private hospital in the New Territories opens up many possibilities, including medical tourism.
The Chinese medical hospital will draw in many tourists from the mainland and Asia seeking medical help through traditional Chinese and western medicine methods. A tourism hospital situated along the Chinese boundary will boost tourism figures ten-fold.
A case in point is the Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a classic example of how the private sector can benefit in healthcare. Founded in 1980, Bumrungrad International Hospital has been a global pioneer in providing world-class healthcare services and international patient support for nearly four decades. The hospital is an internationally accredited, multi-specialty hospital listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand since 1989. It is, perhaps the largest private hospital in Southeast Asia, caring for more than 1.1 million patients annually from more than 190 countries.
