Hong Kong Free Press on MSN2h
In Pictures: Hong Kong’s ‘panda economy’ at work as authorities hope bears can boost spending
Hong Kong's giant panda population grew by 200 per cent last year, and authorities hope that the bears' presence can help boost domestic consumption.
Rubio warns of risk of China shutting down Panama Canal in any conflict
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he had "zero doubt" that China has a contingency plan to shut down the Panama Canal in the event of a conflict with the U.S. and that Washington intends to address what it sees as a national security threat.
Balls, soup, stir-fry, wine: See how Hong Kong celebrates snake
The Year of the Snake is a perfect time to try snake soup at one of Hong Kong’s family-run restaurants. Artisan Setaro is the only producer left in Italy's first capital of pasta

China Vanke's Hong Kong shares climb

China Vanke's Hong Kong shares climb after reshuffle of top management
Hong Kong shares rise after China's DeepSeek triggers rout in global AI stocks
China Vanke Shares Jump as Management Reshuffle Raises Government Bailout Hopes
Shares of China Vanke jumped after key management changes fueled hopes that the government is stepping in to rescue the troubled property developer. The company's stock gained as much as 14% to HK$6.43 in early trade in Hong Kong on Tuesday,
In China, Government Data on Drugs Blocked From Public After Backlash
Criticism over how the Chinese government buys drugs for its public health care system has ignited frustration over the quality of medicine.
China Market Update: Year Of The Dragon Slayed The Bears
It was a quiet night as DeepSeek was by far the topic du jour in the region, though Mainland China (closed until next Wednesday), Indonesia (closed until Thursday), Malaysia (closed until Friday), and Taiwan (closed until next Monday) were closed for Chinese New Year while South Korea is closed until Friday for Korean New Year.
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‘Let’s talk about something else’: China’s AI chatbot DeepSeek answers questions on Hong Kong, Tiananmen crackdown
China's AI bot DeepSeek censored answers about Hong Kong's protests, Taiwan's status and other topics when asked questions by HKFP.
Even China’s Property Stalwart Isn’t Immune From the Crisis
Troubles at Vanke raise questions about the continued spread of the property crisis and whether the Chinese state will step in.
China Market Update: DeepSeek Deep-Sixes Global Semiconductor Stocks
So much for the quiet pre-holiday trading session as Asian equities were mixed though Australia was closed for Australia Day, Indonesia was closed for Al Isra’ wal-Mi’raj, South Korea was closed for the Korean New Year,
China and India agree to resume direct commercial flights for first time in five years
China and India have agreed to resume direct commercial flights, in the latest sign of an easing of tensions between the world’s two most populous countries.
US lawmakers seek rights sanctions over Hong Kong, text shows
Republican and Democratic U.S. lawmakers will introduce a bill on Friday requiring the Trump administration to review whether Hong Kong officials should be sanctioned for human rights violations, according to a bill text seen by Reuters.
China chiefs turn to Hong Kong for help growing squash team ahead of 2028 LA Olympics
There are just 150 squash courts across mainland China, while Hong Kong has 450, and men and women ranked inside the world top 40.