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🌊Her Majesty’s still alive! (In un-updated HK laws)

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🌊Her Majesty’s still alive! (In un-updated HK laws)

Commercial Chinese Space Travel by 2025 (for the very rich)

Harbour Times
Sep 20, 2022
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🌊Her Majesty’s still alive! (In un-updated HK laws)

www.hightide.harbourtimes.com

Good morning.

It’s been less than two weeks since I’ve been back in HK and I already hate the weather. I mean, I’ve warned everyone about the weather on Tide all summer so I should’ve been prepared, but honestly the stuffiness, humidty and heat of this year’s ‘Autumn’ is incredible.

This is not weather fit for human habitation.

Literally me writing Tide in the heat.

— Cyril


On Today’s Tide

  • Transport |

    • Taxi gets stuck in cement (just like my life)

    • MTR fare adjustment open to consulation

  • COVID |

    • Marathon back for 12 Feb

    • Partygate: Celia Wong in court

  • Law | Her Majesty’s still alive! In HK law

  • Events | Ponte Choir and Orchestra 2022 season

Behind the paywall:

  • Greater China | Commercial Chinese space travel by 2025

  • International | Beijing v Joe “we’ll protect Taiwan” Biden

Become a premium subscriber for just $8US a month – extra daily news and weekend roundups!


Taxi in cement

New HK meme just dropped - a taxi in Kennedy Town ran headfirst into wet cement yesterday morning, becoming unable to move until the police arrived and organised a tow truck.

The driver claims he couldn’t see the cement because there was a bus in the way.

Memes and edits of course quickly surfaced, with some comparing the stuck taxi to Hong Kong’s COVID policy. While others described the whole situation as ‘performance art’

Twitter avatar for @TripperheadToo
Sweary Aaron @TripperheadToo
Obligatory.
Image
7:43 AM ∙ Sep 20, 2022
218Likes42Retweets

I’m less politically inclined. It’s just like my life.

Twitter avatar for @Cyrildoesthings
Cyril Ma @Cyrildoesthings
Look at me spreading Hong Kong news objectively and properly like a responsible journalist
Image
6:01 PM ∙ Sep 20, 2022

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MTR fare adjusment mechanism up for consulation

The MTRCL is inviting public consulation on its fare adjusment mechanism (FAM) which dictates how on the subway changes prices.

FAM was set up in 2007 after the merger of the MTR and the KCR as an ‘objective, transparent and direct-drive formulaic approach’ to replace market competition between the two train companies.

Essentially, the MTR is only allowed to raise prices in line with inflation, average earnings, their productivity and some math I don’t fully understand.

As the MTR plays a big role in Hong Kong’s transportation policy, FAM is to be publicly consulted every five years.

If you want your voice heard, then contact the Transport Department before 19 Dec.

  • Post: Bus and Railway Branch of the Transport Department, 16/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon

  • Fax: 2802 2679

  • Email: fam-review2022@td.gov.hk 

And read the full consultation paper which explains the math I don’t get here.

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COVID in Hong Kong

Twitter avatar for @newsgovhk
Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk
The Govt announces that the existing #SocialDistancingMeasures will be extended to Oct 5 #COVID19
news.gov.hkSocial distancing rules maintainedThe Government announces that the existing social distancing measures will be extended to October 5.
3:48 PM ∙ Sep 20, 2022

COVID-19 in Hong Kong

  • New cases: 5594 (135 imported)

  • Total cases: 1,719,349

  • New deaths: 7

  • Total deaths: 9,908

  • Compulsory Testing locations: 65

Marathon returns

Despite announcing cancellation only a few days prior, the Hong Kong Marathon will be returning on 12 Feb.

This comes after the government expressed confusion and disappointment over the cancellation, saying they had always been in close communication with the Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates which organises the marathon. Sports Commissioner Yeung Tak-Keung said that just hours before the cancellation, both sides had touted the idea of a February marathon.

CE John Lee made a personal appeal saying “we feel disappointed that the organizer made the decision before the government’s reply”.

Partygate returns

Celia Wong, honorary chairperson of the Youth Committee of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association, has been called to court over providing fake information to police during the Witman Hung Partygate investigations in Janurary. She also faces charges of not submitting her LeaveHomeSafe data to authorities.

She did not attend her hearing yesterday, with only her lawyer representing her.

Deputy Magistrate Yu Cheuk-Man recommends that Wong show up to the next court date on 25 Oct as the crimes could warrant imprisonment.

Already forgot everything about Witman Hung’s partygate scandal because there are more important COVID stories to think about?

Check out our in-depth coverage on it from Jan.

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Her Majesty’s still alive! In
.Hong Kong law

Eagle-eyed journalists (much more than me) and solicitors have noticed in the wake of Her Majesty’s death that the term ‘Her Majesty’ and ‘The Crown’ among others are still well and alive in Hong Kong law.

Twitter avatar for @RazvenHK
Razven @RazvenHK
Oh, the irony of prosecuting a harmonica player with a colonial era sedition law that still contains references to Her Majesty at her own funeral/vigil.
Image
9:16 AM ∙ Sep 20, 2022
157Likes67Retweets

The Crimes Ordinance (Cap 200) which includes laws against treason and sedition include references not only to the Crown, but also ‘Parliament’, ‘British Territories’ and ‘Her Majesty’s dominions’.

However, the weirdly half-updated patchwork also incriminates ‘seduc[ing] members of the People’s Liberation Army from his duty and allegiance to the People’s Republic of China’ under ‘Offences against the Crown’.

According to Schedule 8 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap 1), all references to Britain, the Commonwealth, Her Majesty and other colonial remnant language has a direct translation into modern Hong Kong and should be read as such.

This is exactly the sort of cop-out I’d use to not proofread and edit several hundred laws!

Solicitor, LegCo and NPC member Maggie Chan said on her Facebook page that she has already written to the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services on the issue.

Sorry for lying yesterday when I said I wouldn’t mention the Queen on Tide again, clearly she’s still around in spirit and refuses to leave.

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Events and deals

Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes

  • Ponte Orchestra 2022 Season

Our friends at Ponte Choir and Orchestra have announced their 2022 season starting with two concerts in October - Moment: Music and Mindfulness Concert and International Ponte Music Festival: Concerto Competition (Grand Finale).

Moment: Music and Mindfulness is a collaboration between Ponte and music therapist Howard Ho which uses narration and carefully selected classical pieces to combine arts and mindfulness.

pontemusic
A post shared by Ponte Orchestra & Singers (@pontemusic)

Where: Tsuen Wan Town Hall
When: 8 Oct, 8pm
Cost: $180-350 (student and senior discounts applicable)

  • Official media partner: ReThink HK returns 5-6 Oct

HT is proud to once again be a media partner for ReThink - HK’s biggest and most exciting sustainability conference. This year’s conference invites more than 300 expert speakers to share their visions and insights, covering important topics like economic progression while coexisting with nature harmoniously, efficient use of resources, transformation to a low-carbon society, and circular economy for future generations.

For more local events, check out yesterday’s High Tide.

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UPDATED 9/6/2022 If you’re on this page, congrats! It means you’ve chosen to support one of the best newsletters in Hong Kong! To thank you for your support, we’ve teamed up with local businesses to give special discounts only to you guys. We’re calling it the ‘Harbour Times x’ programme because I’m a weeb

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