When I was governor of Hong Kong, one of my noisiest critics was Sir Percy Cradock, a former British ambassador to China.

Hong Kong authorities on Monday banned a pro-democracy group from holding a rally on China's National Day, the latest refusal in the semi-autonomous city where protest has been all but outlawed.The People's Republic of China marks its founding on 1 October with a holiday and carefully choreographed celebrations, but in Hong Kong it has become a day of grievance for those worried about authoritarian Beijing's increased control over the city.Last year, the founding's 70th an

Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu urged the international community Wednesday to help defend his country and region against "expansionist" Chinese moves, saying Taipei feared Beijing would resort to force.Taiwan was "on the front-line defending democracies from being taken over by the communist China" and needed help from other countries, he told the France 24 TV station.Wu said China "has been intensifying its military threat against Taiwan" in recent yea

At the Koon Chun Sauce Factory workers are scrambling to cover hundreds of thousands of bottles with new "Made in China" labels as the popular Hong Kong brand falls victim to spiralling diplomatic tensions.Founded nearly a century ago, the family-owned factory has survived a world war, multiple economic crises and the slow withering of Hong Kong's manufacturing base as companies looked for cheaper labour in mainland China.It remains one of the financial hub's most enduring

When university student Rung calmly read out 10 demands to reform Thailand's monarchy before thousands of protesters at a pro-democracy rally this month, she defied the country's biggest political taboo.Backed by an arch-royalist military and shielded by draconian royal defamation laws, the super-rich monarchy wields enormous influence in nearly every sphere of Thai society.But 21-year-old Rung – real name Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul – said the 10 August protest at Thammasat Univer

I belong to a fortunate generation. Born in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1944, toward the end of a world war that killed between 70 million and 85 million people, I have neither been bombed nor had to fight on any battlefields. I grew up in a country and continent that were at peace and thus able to enjoy the economic benefits of unprecedented cross-border cooperation.

China is trying to turn democratic Taiwan into another Hong Kong, the island's foreign minister warned Tuesday as he met with a senior US official making a historic diplomatic trip.A crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong has gathered pace since China imposed a sweeping security law on the financial hub in June, with opposition politicians disqualified and activists arrested.That has caused alarm in Taiwan, a self-ruled island of 23 million people that Beijing claims as its own territory and

Hong Kong's democracy supporters were dealt a huge blow Friday as authorities postponed local elections for a year because of the coronavirus, capping a devastating month of political disqualifications, arrests for social media posts and activists fleeing overseas.Chinese state media reported late Friday that Hong Kong police have ordered the arrest of six pro-democracy activists living in exile on suspicion of violating a new national security law.The city's democracy camp has come

Four Hong Kong students involved in a recently disbanded pro-independence group were arrested by police on Wednesday under a controversial new national security law, officers and members of the group said.The arrests are the first to target public political figures since the sweeping legislation was imposed on the city by Beijing late last month.Police said three men and one woman aged between 16 and 21 were arrested on suspicion of organising and inciting secession."Our sources and inve

Limited democracy but high living standards and stability form a trade-off that most Singaporeans seem willing to live with - and some now suggest rival Asian finance hub Hong Kong can emulate the model as China tightens control.The two trading centres have long been compared but recent events have brought the issue into sharper contrast as Hong Kong faces a new era of curtailed civil liberties following China's imposition of a wide-ranging national security law.Supporters argue that aft