HONG KONG CHRONICLES — Friday, 21st July 2023
𝗠𝗬 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦.
𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡.
Last week, the government launched a public consultation on new tobacco control strategies, focusing on regulating tobacco supply and expanding non- smoking areas. There’s been mixed reaction — largely, in my view — because of the proposal title, which is “Tobacco-Free Hong Kong.”
By naming our city a tobacco-free zone, it could create confusion among tourists who may think that smoking is banned in Hong Kong. The last thing we need is to deter tourists.
Of course, the real news were the remarks of health chief Lo Chung Mau. He suggested that Hong Kongers should adopt a disapproving stare at smokers, which would stop them from lighting up. This comment has become a popular meme in Hong Kong and travelled the world since last Friday. I first heard of it when my sister sent me a WhatsApp from the UK.
𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗚.
Eight Hong Kong bars are among the annual Asia’s 50 Best Bars list this year, with Coa on Shin Hing Street in Central winning the top spot for the third year running.
Other fancy and frequent award winners, Argo in the Four Seasons and Darkside in The Rosewood in Kowloon, made into the top 10. The Aubrey in the Mandarin Oriental; Penicillin and Quinary on Hollywood Road; and The Old Man on Aberdeen Street were once again in the top 50. Mostly Harmless in Sai Ying Pun joined the list for the first time.
I admit to having to look up the addresses of almost all these establishments; because they are rather out of my price bracket. But congratulations to one and all.
𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗡 “𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚.”
Journalists will still be allowed to report news related to a well-known protest song. This is according to the Hong Kong Journalists Association, which made the announcement in the run-up to today’s hearing at the High Court, as the government seeks an injunction to ban the song. The judgement will be handed down in a week’s time.
According to the HKJA, the Department of Justice has agreed that journalists will be exempt from prohibition and civil proceedings in relation to the song in news reporting and in publications that make observations about it in news and current affairs in or outside Hong Kong.
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗠 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗦 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗧.
The first T8 signal of the year was raised in the early hours of last Monday and lowered at 4 pm, effectively knocking out a day of useful retail business and stock trading. Typhoon Talim slowly skirted the SAR all day, but fortunately did not cause damage. In fact, in places like Central, it largely passed by unnoticed. Still, nice to have a WFH day. But nothing like it was in pre-email days, when a typhoon meant a full-on, fun day off.
Until next week …
