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This meeting, split over two sessions, focused on ways in which China’s domestic affairs interact with its foreign policy, and the implications these have for the UK’s engagement with China.
Hong Kong’s present status and future, including the UK’s role and responsibilities, were also brought up. In choosing to group these two issues together, given the committee’s wide-ranging remit, the UK government seemingly hints at several points.
Having publicly stated he believes it wrong that a Cambridge college award Carrie Lam an honorary fellowship, Evan explores how he arrived at this conclusion. Ms.Lam may be a good candidate on paper, but the Hong Kong that she has shaped is increasingly authoritarian in nature, and represents the antithesis of what the university should champion.
編按：《金融時報》亞洲新聞編輯、香港外國記者會 (FCC) 副主席馬凱 (Victor Mallet) ，被入境署拒絕工作簽證續期申請，外間質疑這是與早前主持民族黨午餐會引起，是打壓新聞自由之舉。 Evan 認為事件已顯示香港已撤底地改變，馬凱為新聞自由而作的行為不單是不被接受，更會被懲罰。
Let there now be no shadow of doubt. Any pretence that Hong Kong has not changed fundamentally, and that the city’s core values, way of life and institutions remain intact and functioning has now to be dropped.
The news that the Hong Kong authorities refused to renew a working visa for Financial Times Asia editor Victor Mallet has deservedly caught the headlines not only in Hong Kong but around the world. Questions will be raised in the UK parliament and statements will be made by the relevant government departments. Academics, journalists and other China-watchers are twittering privately.
編按： Evan 在本文之中評論英國導演杜浩綸 (Matthew Torne) 最新紀錄片作品《分域大道》，他認為《分》雖然某些部份節奏太慢，但整體捕捉到 2014 年後的香港民主與身份認同的政治多樣性，是罕見誠實、有深度的政治紀錄片 。
Evan reviews Matthew Torne’s new documentary film, and finds a film that despite being slow at times dares to capture the diverse nature of the politics of democracy and identity in Hong Kong post-2014 with a rare honesty and depth.
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Last Exit to Kai Tak, which has its Hong Kong premiere today (26.9) at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, is British filmmaker Matthew Torne’s third documentary film on Hong Kong’s increasingly complex pro-democracy movement. Torne’s new film expands on the narrative of his previous films, Lesson’s in Dissent (2014) and Joshua, Teenager vs. Superpower (2017), which won an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival, in a way that mirrors both the changing circumstances and social and political complexities of Hong Kong as well as the directors own maturity.
The results of this month’s Legislative Council by-election were split evenly between the pro-democracy and pro-establishment camps, with each returning two of the four seats contested.
The results however do represent a loss for the pro-democracy camp, given that the by-election was called following the disqualification of four of pro-democracy legislators. The loss of these two seats is an effective loss, as the pan-democrats will no longer have sufficient seats in the Legislative Council to veto legislation. Indeed, two further seats may be vacated pending upcoming court rulings.
Hong Kong has a lot going for it. Victoria Harbour is world renowned, a natural and man-made haven that has sheltered a variety of merchantmen from stormy weather.
The city of the same name, once perched precariously on the steep slopes of mountains that rise majestically from the South China Sea, now stands a beacon of modernity — and yet, between its towering skyscrapers, streets and alleyways full of business, life continues.
Then there is Kowloon, the sister city across the water, built in the shadow of the Lion Rock. It is a city developed along connections, between roads that once ran from the waterfront fort to the colonial boundary, and others that long ago linked local settlements and clans to the North. Through its heart runs the first boulevard in China, Nathan Road.
The government’s 2018 budget address has generally been positively received. Paul Chan, the Financial Secretary, glows in an almost embarrassment of riches.
Last year the economy grew by 3.7 per cent, whilst inflation fell to 1.7 per cent. Government revenues continue to grow, and a record surplus of HK$138 billion was recorded for the last financial year.
Hong Kong now has HK$1.1 trillion in reserves, and another HK$3.6 trillion in the Exchange Fund. For any city in the world — indeed for most sovereign states — these would be outstanding figures.
