After the Chinese mainland's public security authorities issued wanted notice for two individuals from the island of Taiwan on the illegal smuggling case involving Hongtai 58 incident, the China Central Television (CCTV) reveal in a program aired on Thursday the truth behind the Hongtai 58 incident: an accident involving a smuggling ship was manipulated into a political conspiracy.

The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) briefed the media on Monday on a major robbery incident occurred in Sheung Wan in which a total of $1 billion yen ($6.4 million) was stolen, saying that the police have so far arrested 15 people on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery, including the mastermind and all the perpetrators who carried out the attack, according to local media reports. However, the stolen cash has yet to be recovered, the police said.

Several Hong Kong lawyer associations have expressed concerns on Tuesday over some media reports and comments on the conviction of Jimmy Lai case, urging the public to fully understand and carefully read the reasoning behind the judgment and emphasizing their unquestionable trust and confidence in Hong Kong's judicial system, the independence of the judiciary, and the integrity and professionalism of the judges.

Dozens of lawmakers of Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) went to the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau on Tuesday to petition and strongly condemn the US for its unwarranted interference in the Jimmy Lai case, slandering and tarnishing Hong Kong's judiciary.

The Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region sent separate letters on Tuesday to two major US media outlets – the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and the Washington Post – rebutting their editorials on the conviction of the Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong.

The Chinese Embassy in Canada voiced the strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition on Monday local time toward the Canadian side that has made unwarranted remarks about the conviction in the Jimmy Lai case, slandering and tarnishing the National Security Law for Hong Kong. The embassy condemned the blatant interference in China's internal affairs, which severely violates the basic principles of international relations, according to a statement of the embassy.

​The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government expressed late Monday evening strong dissatisfaction with and opposition to the US and Western countries, anti-China media, organizations and politicians for their malicious attacks, false statements, and smears against the HKSAR, following the Hong Kong High Court's conviction judgment in Jimmy Lai's case, which was made strictly in accordance with the law and evidence.

Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang met with a senior official of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Monday local time to lodge solemn representations over the UK side's statement that made irresponsible remarks on the Hong Kong High Court's verdict in the Jimmy Lai case, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in the UK.

The conviction of Jimmy Lai demonstrated that anyone who attempts to endanger national security will inevitably be brought to justice, and that court proceedings will uncover the full truth, and a large amount of evidence and testimony presented in court has shown to the public Lai's leading role in planning, organizing, and instigating social unrest in Hong Kong, Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Monday in commenting the latest verdict.

Asked to respond to criticism from certain international originations and the UK regarding the conviction of Jimmy Lai on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law, and the central government firmly supports the HKSAR in safeguarding national security in accordance with the law and in punishing crimes that endanger national security. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to certain countries' blatant smearing and vilification of the HKSAR's judiciary, Guo said.

Multiple central government departments of China voiced their support on Monday for the verdict on Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong. Lai was found guilty on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

The National Security Department (NSD) of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) arrested nine men on suspicion of unlawful drilling and seized a large number of air guns and explosives. This is the first time the provision on “unlawful drilling” has been invoked in an arrest operation, according to a press conference held by the HKPF on Friday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee announced on Friday the appointment of David Lok as chair of an independent commission to investigate the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, after considering the recommendation of the Chief Justice Andrew Cheung. The commission is empowered to investigate issues such as the cause of the fire and whether the maintenance of the buildings involved met the regulatory requirements. The commission is asked to complete its report within nine months.

Responding to a foreign media reporter's question about the Jimmy Lai case, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests is the highest principle of "One Country, Two Systems."

The Fire Services Department (FSD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) posthumously conferred the honorary title of Senior Fireman on Thursday on the late Ho Wai-ho, in recognition of his exemplary service and selfless dedication to duty, according to an official announcement.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government-led Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po has so far received about HK$3.1 billion in donations from the public, a local official from the HKSAR government said on Wednesday.

After the results of the election of the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) were unveiled early on Monday, several central government agencies on the Hong Kong affairs extended congratulations to the LegCo members elected.

The post-fire search and recovery efforts at Hong Kong's Tai Po Wang Fuk Court continued to make progress, with the work of the Hong Kong Police Force's Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) drawing widespread public attention. On Friday, DVIU Chief Cheng Ka-chun demonstrated during an interview with South, a news platform operated by Guangdong-based Nanfang Daily, two sets of equipment provided by the Chinese mainland. Among them, the exoskeleton suits proved especially valuable for officers responsible for transporting bodies.

According to multiple Hong Kong media outlets, the Hong Kong Police Force's National Security Department arrested a 26-year-old man surnamed Chan on Wednesday on suspicion of “committing an act with seditious intent.” The suspect, a Chinese nationality, is known as “Kenny” on YouTube and claimed to be a member of the group “White Card Alliance.”

During a press conference jointly held by the Hong Kong Security Bureau, Fire Services Department and the Hong Kong Police Force on Friday afternoon on the updates about the devastating five-alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po housing estate, Secretary for Security Chris Tang revealed that preliminary investigations show that the external scaffolding nets and protective nets on the buildings engulfed in the fire met fire-resistance requirements, but the foam panels attached to the exterior windows were highly flammable.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee, along with the relevant officials, met the media on Thursday afternoon, saying that the fires in all seven buildings in Wang Fu Court in Tai Po housing estate have now been largely brought under control, and the HKSAR will also distribute HK$10,000 in emergency cash to each affected household.

The five-alarm fire at Wang Fu Court in Tai Po starting from Wednesday afternoon has sent shockwaves through Hong Kong. The blaze, which claimed at least 55 lives, also took the life of Ho Wai-ho, a 37-year-old firefighter.

After the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced on Monday that the Secretary for Security is considering to make orders under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to prohibit the operation of two secessionist organizations – the "Hong Kong Parliament" and the "Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union,” Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Tuesday that these organizations attempted to split the country and subvert state power, thereby undermining the fundamental constitutional order of the nation.

Given that the Japanese leader has openly made extremely erroneous remarks concerning the Taiwan question, which hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and challenge the post-war international order—remarks that all Chinese people cannot accept, those highly inappropriate remarks have seriously worsened the atmosphere for China-Japan personnel exchanges, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee said on Monday, according to local media reports.

The "Taiwan independence" separatists are now on the brink of their demise, with no way out. Shen Pao-yang and the DPP authorities' secretive and self-directed visit stunt only exposes their inner panic as the sword of retribution against "Taiwan independence" hangs high, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Friday in response to a question about Shen who went to Germany and claimed that he was "not afraid of the mainland's suppression."

Editor's note: On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration, and following large-scale commemorative events held on the mainland, Xinhua News Agency has consecutively published articles under the byline “Zhong Taiwen,” which for the first time explicitly stated the benefits of reunification, and outlined the “seven improvements” that would follow cross-Straits reunification, drawing intense attention both on and off the island. Starting with this issue, Global Times launches a new column, Discussing Reunification, featuring interviews with well-known experts and prominent figures in Taiwan island to explore the anticipations and expectations of the Taiwan residents regarding cross-Straits reunification. This installment features an interview with Chiu Yi, a well-known current affairs commentator in Taiwan.

In response to a question about the 10th anniversary of the historic meeting between the leaders of the two sides across Taiwan Straits, following a social media post by Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said on Friday that the historic meeting on November 7, 2015, was a major initiative led and promoted by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, to advance the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and promote the cause of national reunification.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Sunday congratulated Cheng Li-wun on being elected chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government held an official ceremony on Wednesday at the Hong Kong City Hall Memorial Garden to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The Hong Kong Police Force laid a charge on Tuesday against a 19-year-old woman with one count of "doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention". The woman was allegedly involved in producing promotional videos for a subversive organization named the "Hong Kong Parliament" from March to May this year, and appealing to others through social media platforms to vote for the purpose of overthrowing and undermining the body of the central power of People's Republic of China or the body of power of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, according to an official statement.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Wednesday that it will publish the Prison (Amendment) Rules 2025 (Amendment Rules) in the Gazette on Friday, which will take immediate effect. The amended rules will help prevent and resolve existing national security risks in a timely manner, a government spokesperson said.

Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced on Wednesday that it has added eight entities from China's Taiwan region to the export control list, a move Chinese mainland analysts described as "precision strike" against the military industrial enterprises supporting secessionist authorities on the island and will weaken the attempts of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to "resist reunification by force."

In response to Western media's hype over the recent proposed amendments to the Prison Rules in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), claiming that the move would further undermine prisoners' rights, some legal experts told the Global Times on Tuesday that the revisions seek to regulate visitation rights, which align with international standards and are deemed urgent and necessary.

A fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, departed Ssouth China's Hong Kong on Monday morning, wrapping up a five-day visit, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

In response to US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairperson and the spokesperson for the EU's Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who attacked the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the law's implementation, slandering Hong Kong's human rights and rule of law, and grossly interfering in China's internal affairs, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of the China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition on Tuesday.

After the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) fired the new chairperson of the infamous Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), some Hong Kong-based observers told the Global Times that the real reason for the US media's action is the long-standing misconduct of the HKJA. Observers believed that springing from concerns that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government could take legal action to regulate such organizations, the WSJ wants to distance itself to avoid being implicated.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee revealed on Tuesday that the National Forestry and Grassland Administration has selected a pair of male and female giant pandas, aged between 5 and 8 years, to make their new home in the city, emphasizing that efforts are being made to ensure the giant pandas to arrive in Hong Kong by October 1.

Regarding the US taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on officials from the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) following the verdict of a case of conspiracy to subvert state power, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that if the US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials, China will resolutely respond with countermeasures.

The Chinese mainland will suspend tariff concessions on 134 import items from the island of Taiwan starting in mid-June, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities bear full responsibility for the move, as it has long imposed unilateral trade restrictions on mainland exports, mainland authorities said on Friday.

Hong Kong police arrested six people on Tuesday on suspicion of violating the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which took effect on March 23. This is also the first arrest operation enforced since the law came into effect.

The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (HKMCD) will be converted into the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance & Coastal Defence on September 3, the date marking victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

Hong Kong has bid farewell to its turbulent recent past and completely ended the history of being unguarded in safeguarding national security. With the protection of national security laws, it is the best time for Hong Kong to fully focus on the economy and seek development, a senior Chinese official on Hong Kong affairs said on Monday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) does not impose import or export restrictions on general books and it is illegal only if a traveler possesses publications which have the intention to incite and lacks a reasonable explanation, the city's Commissioner of Customs and Excise Louise Ho Pui-shan said in a recent interview.

Netizens in Hong Kong hailed the decision of US-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) shutting down its Hong Kong office, calling it “another example that the color revolution failed in Hong Kong,” which also showed that this anti-China agency has a guilty conscience and has fled in panic.

In addressing concerns about whether local residents in Hong Kong would violate the law under the Article 23 legislation of the Basic Law by keeping the secessionist tabloid Apple Daily “as memento” at home, local officials said it depends on whether the possessor has a reasonable explanation. The clarification served as a rebuttal to Western media hype targeting the law.

Following the enactment of the Patriotic Education Law, a deputy from the Macao Special Administrative Region to the 14th National People's Congress proposed enhancing the patriotic education in Macao and stepping up efforts in building national security education bases during the ongoing two sessions.

Since the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong, local authorities and schools in the city have placed increased importance to the patriotic education including adding contents concerning the Constitution, the Basic Law and national security into the curriculum, said Wong Kam-leung, a deputy of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region to the National People's Congress, who hoped that Hong Kong will establish a permanent national security education and training base.

Ahead of the annual national two sessions - National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) - scheduled in early March, delegates of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) to the upcoming two sessions have put forward on Monday at least 30 proposals, including enhancing the patriotic education and pushing forward new measures in facilitating cross-border travel.

Since the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) unveiled a legislative work plan that includes legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, people from all sectors of Hong Kong society have voiced their support.

China has made serious representations to the US over the US State Department's statement on Taiwan's regional election, and opposes the US having any form of official interaction with the island, China's Foreign Ministry stated on Sunday. As the risks of Taiwan secessionists' provocation and cross-Straits conflicts overshadow peace and stability in the Straits with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) remaining in power, experts said it is necessary to caution the US against indulging Taiwan secessionists to prevent an unwanted clash.

The trial of infamous anti-China disruptor Jimmy Lai, also the founder of Next Digital Media, along with three companies associated with the Apple Daily newspaper, entered into its fifth day on Wednesday for alleged violations of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong. While some Western political figures attempted to refute allegations of conspiracy in Lai's case, legal experts believe that presenting evidence of Jimmy Lai's collusion with foreign forces will be legally persuasive. Based on the materials provided in the trial, the facts and evidence of Lai's collusion with foreign forces are clear, some experts said.

Hong Kong residents began lining up in front of polling stations across the city early on Sunday morning as the city kicked off its first large-scale election since the introduction of new electoral reforms, which requires that only patriots can administer the city. Over 1 million voters had cast their votes, equal to a turnout of 24.53 percent as of 19:30 pm.

Unless anti-government figure Chow Ting surrenders and turns herself in, otherwise she will be hunted for life, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government CE John Lee said on Tuesday, emphasizing that the Hong Kong police will fully pursue any criminal who endangers national security.

The ongoing visit by taikonauts and Chinese experts to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has sparked a wave of enthusiasm for pursuing aerospace advancement and a growing sense of national pride among young locals. On Wednesday, the delegation continued their visit by heading to a number of schools to talk with students. The delegation from China's manned space program, which will stay in Hong Kong for four days before heading to Macao, arrived at several primary and middle schools on Wednesday, during which time they exchanged views with some 1,400 students and teachers from more than 40 schools.

The largest national security case in Hong Kong entered the final stage as dozens of former local politicians and separatist activists involved in the infamous "35-plus" political project in 2020 began the closing argument on Wednesday. Some legal experts believe the verdict of this case will become an important precedent in Hong Kong's legal system.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Chief Executive John Lee delivered the 2023 policy address on Wednesday at the Legislative Council with the core idea of implementing the One Country, Two Systems, developing economy and improving people's livelihoods. The city will also finalize the legislation of the Article 23 of the Basic Law within 2024.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on the island of Taiwan have always stood on the wrong side of history and against the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said in response to the DPP's smearing of the mainland's latest document to facilitate integrated development across the Taiwan Straits.

The US intends to keep creating the tension of the Taiwan question to provoke China rather than to ease the tension, analysts said on Thursday, as US President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer to the island of Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, which is normally used for sovereign states.

A local organization that was set up to promote Cantonese in Hong Kong was disbanded on Monday after the Hong Kong Police Force's national security department visited the family residence of the group's organizer last Tuesday.

The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday dismissed the appeal of a former university student who had pleaded guilty to violating the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong, which experts noted was an “instructive, authoritative, and binding” ruling that upholds the spirit of the rule of law.

The separatist deputy regional leader of Taiwan island Lai Ching-te has been snubbed by the US, as he made a "stopover" in San Francisco on Thursday, his second during this trip, as his act of soliciting support from the US for "Taiwan independence" saw no participation of senior US political figures, with experts saying that the Chinese mainland has enough strength and options to take countermeasures against Lai's separatist acts, and these could be seen soon after Lai returns to Taiwan.

The deputy regional leader of Taiwan island Lai Ching-te, via interviews with media, has tried to reshape his image of being an extreme Taiwan separatist into a "controllable and useful puppet for the US to contain China," as he recently claimed that he supports "maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Straits." The Chinese mainland countered that his statement proves that he and his ilk in Taiwan want "peaceful separation" - to keep the island separated from China forever and are using "peace" as an pretext, and that the mainland will not tolerate their tricks.

The deputy regional leader of Taiwan island Lai Ching-te, who is also a candidate of the separatist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the 2024 Taiwan regional leader's election, has been snubbed by the US during his short stay in New York and his event to propagate separatism was given the cold shoulder as no senior officials or politicians attended, while many people in the US who oppose Taiwan separatism and support peace in the Taiwan Straits came to protest against him.

The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF)'s Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit launched a citywide campaign on Tuesday to encourage taxi drivers to report suspicious messages related to terrorism and violence. If they successfully assist in solving a case and securing a conviction, they may receive a reward.

The US Senate passed the first agreement signed under the US' "Initiative on 21st-Century Trade" with Taiwan island, a gesture of support for Taiwan secessionists in the name of economy and trade.

After Hong Kong's security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung revealed that local authorities are studying including the crime of espionage as part of the legislative scope of Article 23 of the Basic Law to strictly prevent modern-day spying, local legal experts said on Monday that it's a necessary move to prevent Hong Kong from being a center of espionage for countries like the US and the UK and it's a must that the city establish laws and regulations by taking into account non-traditional national security and cybersecurity issues.

A group of students and teachers from five universities in the Chinese mainland visited the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) on Saturday , which is the biggest semiconductor manufacturer in the Taiwan region. The tour marked the start of a nine-day visit to the island, the first of its kind in three years.

The newly formed Hong Kong and Macao work office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee made its first public appearance with a meeting on Tuesday chaired by Xia Baolong, director of the office. The high-profile appearance of the office's leadership shows that the formation of the top office overseeing Hong Kong and Macao affairs has completed and that the leadership and decision-making mechanism of the office and relevant institutions in the two special administrative regions (SARs) are now unified, providing a firm guarantee for the Party's leadership in Hong Kong and Macao-related work, experts said.

Endangering national security is a serious offence. Law enforcement must be strict and, regardless of where in the world these individuals go, all legal means will be used in a lifelong pursuit, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday

Fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly approached the 24-nautical-mile line of the island of Taiwan on Saturday, a move experts said on Sunday is totally legitimate and will become more frequent if "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces continue to provoke.

The National Security Law for Hong Kong lays important foundation for the city's future development, said a representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at the 53rd regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), dismissing slander that the law may have undermined residents' rights.

Hong Kong's High Court dismissed on Friday the judicial review filed by anti-government media tycoon Jimmy Lai concerning hiring an oversea lawyer to defend him in the national security trial.

John Shing-Wan Leung, a Hong Kong resident, was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment, deprivation of political rights for life, and confiscation of personal property of 500,000 yuan ($71,700), the Suzhou Intermediate People's Court in Jiangsu Province announced on Monday.

Only via deepening economic exchange and cooperation with the mainland, can the Taiwan island achieve better economic development and benefits for its people amid a world full of uncertainties, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council Zhu Fenglian responded Wednesday when asked for comments on decreasing trade volume between the two sides on the Taiwan Straits as the Democratic Progressive Party on the island attempts to follow the US' footsteps and decouple from the mainland

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)'s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday revealed that the review of district administration has entered its final stage and the District Councils will be retained with a certain electoral component. At same time, he stressed that Hong Kong would not allow District Councils to become a platform for "Hong Kong secessionism."

Former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the mainland fully demonstrates that the 1992 Consensus is the key plank for the peaceful development of both sides of the Taiwan Straits, a spokesperson of Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council said on Wednesday, while the transit of Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen through the USonly reveals the essence of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is to sacrifice the public welfare for their own political aims.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command organized its multiple affiliated military services and branches and conducted joint precision strike simulations on the island of Taiwan on Sunday, the second day of its Taiwan Island encirclement combat alert patrols and "Joint Sword" exercises, continuing to pressure "Taiwan independence" forces and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Chinese mainland welcomes former Taiwan regional leader Ma Ying-jeou's visit and is willing to offer necessary assistance for his trip, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said in a release on Monday.

The US Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, on Friday started a trip to Central America with a stop in Honduras, which is widely believed to be a move aimed at pressuring the country and soothing the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island of Taiwan.

Both cross-Straits ferry service operator and mainland-based Taiwan residents expressed high anticipation on closer exchanges on Friday, after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities announced on Thursday that the scope of the cross-Straits ferry service between the island-administrated Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu to Chinese mainland's Fujian Province will be expanded to all Taiwan residents and their mainland spouses, from March 25, with also sailings increasing.

The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) should consider issuing medical visas for people from the Chinese mainland seeking treatment in Hong Kong, a deputy to the National People's Congress from Hong Kong proposed at this year's two sessions. Rising demand for medical services among mainland residents in Hong Kong has been observed since borders between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland reopened. Notably, the needs for receiving vaccinations, major operations and treatments of intractable diseases, according to the proposal of Dennis Lam Shun-chiu that obtained by the Global Times.

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reportedly is planning to meet Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen in the US in coming weeks. Chinese analysts warned of more tensions should the US continues to violate the one-China principle.

In implementing the overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, it requires to resolutely launch major fights against separatism while promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday. Although adopting slightly different wording compared with the Government Work Report released last year, experts said the Party's policy for solving the Taiwan question remains the same, and the signal from government work report offers the island of Taiwan an opportunity to meet the mainland halfway toward a peaceful reunification. However, this signal should not be interpreted as the mainland abandoning other options, said experts.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government expressed strong dissatisfaction on Wednesday toward an incident involving the wrong Chinese national anthem played at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division III in Bosnia, urging the Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) to conduct an in-depth investigation and follow up on the incident.

Hong Kong's first school that offers a Chinese mainland curriculum will start operation as early as the 2026-27 school year, the Global Times learned. Yew Wah School of Hong Kong plans to offer 12 years of primary and secondary mainland curriculum education, ensuring students have a deep understanding of Chinese history, culture and values while cultivating their global vision and bilingualism in Chinese and English.

Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met with Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party and his delegation on Thursday. Song said that the mainland is willing to enhance exchanges and build up mutual trust with the KMT and work with the KMT to promote relations between the two parties and two sides of the Taiwan Straits, based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A national security law trial of 47 opposition figures began on Monday in Hong Kong, drawing worldwide attention. Experts on Hong Kong affairs stressed that the court must reveal to the public that the ultimate intention of these suspects was to take power in Hong Kong by using loopholes in the city's electoral system and then to seek independence by colluding with external forces. The case is an opportunity to show the public why it is necessary to reform the electoral system in Hong Kong and what is the bottom line of the national security law for Hong Kong, experts noted.

The good old days returned on Monday as the borders between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland reopened fully after three years, with daily quotas and COVID-19 tests dropped for travelers. People on both sides jumped on the first trains to the opposite side, some for work, some for school, and some just for a bite. Chris Lau, owner of a food company in Hong Kong, was among the first group who crossed the border and arrived in Shenzhen on Monday. He said he can't wait to visit his factories in South China's Guangdong Province.

Hong Kong further adjusted its COVID-19 response by ending compulsory quarantine for infected people starting from Monday, and those who tested positive are not required to report. In the eyes of experts, this move reflects the general trend of normalizing epidemic management and shows that the conditions for the city to treat it as endemic are already mature.

A Hong Kong legislator condemned the latest decision of UK parliamentary group to withdraw an invitation to the Hong Kong Legislative Council for attending an upcoming seminar in March, calling that the decision by the UK was “childish,” and it is hypocritical for British politicians to claim that they are in a democratic country but refuse to listen to voices from different jurisdictions, the legislator said.

John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said in his latest interview with local media that the government hopes to complete legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law in 2023, which is expected to prevent national security risks, particularly targeting spying activities, with the help of new technologies.

In speaking to the press on the first day of assuming the duty as director of the liaison office of the central government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Zheng Yanxiong said that as long as there is no social turmoil in the city and it doesn't go in a wrong direction, Hong Kong will embrace a bright future.

Hong Kong's high-speed rail link to Guangzhou resumed services on Sunday after three years of border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move that is of great significance for holiday-goers and family reunions in the lead-up to Chinese Lunar New Year.

of the top legislature's interpretation of provisions in the national security law for Hong Kong into local laws, said a Hong Kong LegCo member, after the top legislature in December gave an interpretation of the law in deciding the case of whether infamous secessionist media tycoon Jimmy Lai is allowed to hire a London-based barrister to defend him in his national security case.

At a Tuesday press briefing on "adjusting the structure" of the military and defense, Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen announced to extend mandatory military service from its current four months to one year starting from 2024.

The Civic Party in Hong Kong has been left with no choice but to dissolve itself as its new executive committee cannot be formed, said the party's chairman and founder Alan Leong Kah-kit on Saturday, local media reported on Saturday. Observers noted that the Civic Party's dissolution is inevitable after a series of its moves over the years intended to disrupt Hong Kong. Its dissolution means disruptive forces are no longer welcomed by Hongkongers.

Hong Kong's top court rejected an appeal by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to overturn the permission to allow a UK barrister to represent Jimmy Lai, the imprisoned owner of Next Digital Media, in an upcoming national security trial, which is seen as a disappointing result.

The top court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday reserved a ruling on local prosecutors' last-ditch attempt to prevent jailed Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying from hiring a UK lawyer for his upcoming high-profile national security trial.

Officials and experts on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are working together to treat the seriously ill giant panda Tuan Tuan despite the strained situation across the Straits since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reckless visit to the island in early August. Authorities on the mainland are helping two experts from the mainland to go to Taiwan island as soon as possible to help treat Tuan Tuan, a mainland official said Friday.

Newly joined teachers and those who eye on a promotion in all the publicly-funded schools in Hong Kong are required to join a study tour to the Chinese mainland, Secretary for Education told local media on Saturday.