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HONG KONG, March 21 (Reuters) - The screening of "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey", a British slasher film due to be released in Hong Kong this week, has been cancelled after cinemas in the city declined to show it, its distributor said on Tuesday. These 30+ screens in Hong Kong are the only ones with such issues." Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 cracking down on dissent after the city was rocked by anti-government, pro-democracy protests a year earlier. Two films were dropped from Hong Kong's international film festival last year after failing to get approval from authorities. The cancellation comes as Hong Kong hosts the Art Basel contemporary art fair, with authorities eager to promote the city as a vibrant cultural hub.

☆ Time and money for love: China brainstorms ways to boost birth rate
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Farah Master | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China dug itself into a demographic hole largely through its one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015. Young people cite high childcare and education costs, low incomes, a feeble social safety net and gender inequalities, as discouraging factors. "But without any fertility encouragement policy then fertility will decline even further." China's birth rate last year fell to 6.77 births per 1,000 people, from 7.52 births in 2021, the lowest on record. Demographer Yi Fuxian remains sceptical whether any measures would have a significant impact by themselves, saying China needed a "paradigm revolution of its entire economy, society, politics and diplomacy to boost fertility."

☆ China to raise retirement age to deal with aging population - media
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, March 14 (Reuters) - China is planning to raise its retirement age gradually and in phases to cope with the country's rapidly aging population, the state-backed Global Times said on Tuesday, citing a senior expert from China's Ministry of Human Resources. Jin Weigang, president of the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security Sciences, said China was eyeing a "progressive, flexible and differentiated path to raising the retirement age", meaning that it would be delayed initially by a few months, which would be subsequently increased. "People nearing retirement age will only have to delay retirement for several months," the Global Times said, citing Jin. China has yet to formally announce a change to its retirement age, which is among the lowest in the world at 60 for men, 55 for white-collar women and 50 for women who work in factories. The state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences sees the pension system running out of money by 2035.

"Most luxury retailers don't think Hong Kong will return to the dizzy levels of 2014 when the market here peaked," said Simon Smith, Savills' senior director of research and consultancy in Hong Kong. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) forecast Hong Kong visitor numbers this year will reach just 70% of 2018 arrivals. It estimates retail sales will grow 15%, holding at around 80% of retail trade from the pre-COVID year. That outstripped total Hong Kong retail sales from a peak hit in 2013 at HK$494.5 billion ($63.0 billion), according to the city's statistics department. ($1 = 6.8510 yuan)($1 = 7.8498 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Farah Master, Jessie Pang, Anne Marie Roantree, Angel Woo and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong, Sophie Yu in Beijing, and Mimosa Spencer in Paris; Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/5] Elderly visitors enjoy the sunshine, at a nursing home of Lendlease's Ardor Gardens in Shanghai, China February 27, 2023. Lim says "stigma" around retirement homes in China is quickly disappearing. About 4% of people aged 65 and over in Britain live in retirement homes, according to information service Lottie. Ding Hui, China managing director at Australian real estate firm Lendlease (LLC.AX), expects demand for retirement homes to rise sharply in the next five to 10 years. Government-run nursing homes with basic facilities in Shanghai and Beijing are much cheaper, at about 2,000 yuan ($290) a month.

☆ Free education, equal rights for unmarried women among proposals to boost China's fertility
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Farah Master | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Tingshu WangHONG KONG, March 2 (Reuters) - Free college education and equal rights for unmarried women are among proposals being urged by members of China’s top political advisory body to boost the country's birth rate after its population fell last year for the first time in six decades. The proposals come ahead of the upcoming Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which kicks off on March 4. China should remove restrictions on marital status used to register newborns, allowing unmarried women to enjoy fertility services like married women do, Xie Wenmin, a member of China's top political advisory body, told the state-backed Global Times this week. Even after authorities scrapped the rule, high childcare and education costs are cited as a key reason for having fewer children. Currently IVF and egg freezing in China are banned for unmarried women.

[1/7] Farmer Wang Zhanling sits next to his wife in their house in Quansheng village, Heilongjiang Province, China, February 8, 2023. The state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences sees the pension system running out of money by 2035. "If the pension system does not change, this is unsustainable," said Xiujian Peng, senior research fellow in the Centre of Policy Studies at Victoria University in Australia. The province has the lowest birth rate in China, with just over 100,000 births in 2021 and 460,000 deaths. Many experts, including Macquarie's chief China economist Larry Hu, suggest implementing a unified national pension system, backstopped by the more resourceful central government rather than cash-strapped local administrations.

☆ As China's birth rate slumps, political advisor urges egg freezing for single women
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Lu, a fertility doctor in China's southern Hainan province, said giving single women access to freezing their eggs enables them "to preserve the eggs before they pass their peak reproductive years. Currently fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and egg freezing in China are banned for unmarried women. Lu's recommendations come as authorities try to bolster a faltering birth rate with incentives including expanding maternity leave, financial and tax benefits for having children as well as housing subsidies. Last year, China recorded its lowest ever birth rate, of 6.77 births per 1,000 people. While nine of the 10 most populous nations in the world are experiencing declines in fertility, China's 2022 fertility rate of 1.18 was the lowest and well below the 2.1 OECD standard for a stable population.

☆ Hong Kong to scrap COVID mask mandate from March 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Farah Master | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The special administrative region of Hong Kong is one of the last places globally that still imposes a mask mandate. Hong Kong and Macau both followed China's zero-COVID policy for much of the past three years. Hong Kong started unwinding its stringent COVID rules last year but mask-wearing has remained constant since 2020. People wearing face masks walk through Wan Chai during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, April 14, 2022. Reporting by the Hong Kong newsroom; Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Four appear in Hong Kong court charged with gruesome murder of model
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Four people charged in connection with the killing of 28-year-old model Abby Choi appeared in court on Monday morning, after police found parts of her body in a village house on the outskirts of the financial city. Hong Kong police said on Sunday they had charged three men, aged 28-65, with murder, and a 63-year old woman with one count of obstructing the case. Those charged with Choi's killing included her ex-husband, Alex Kwong, Kwong's brother Anthony and their father Kwong Kau, police said. Police discovered parts of her body in the three-storey house in rural Tai Po district last week. Reporting by Jessie Pang and Joyce Zhou; writing by Farah Master; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gambling hub Macau drops COVID mask mandate for most locations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Authorities in Macau, the world's biggest gambling hub, said on Sunday they would drop COVID 19-related mask requirements for most locations, except for public transportation, hospitals and a handful of other areas. "The epidemic situation in Macau has continuously remained stable over the last two months," it said. Hong Kong and Macau both followed China's zero-COVID policy for much of the past three years. Hong Kong started unwinding its stringent COVID rules last year but mask-wearing has remained constant since 2020. Residents of mainland China are not required to wear masks outdoors, although authorities encourage them to do so in public indoor areas such as airports and train stations.

☆ Hong Kong police charge three after model found dismembered in fridge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police said on Sunday they had charged three people in connection with the murder of 28-year-old model Abby Choi, whose legs were found in a refrigerator in a house on the city's outskirts along with tools used for dismembering bodies. Police found portions of Choi's body on Friday but have yet to locate her head, torso and hands. They also found a meat slicer and an electric saw at the scene in the financial hub's rural Tai Po district, according to a police statement. Police statements said that four people have been arrested and three charged in the case, but did not identify them by name. Choi disappeared on Tuesday and was last seen in the Tai Po district, where she was found, police said.

☆ Hong Kong police charge three in murder of model
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police said on Sunday they had charged three people in connection with the murder of 28-year-old model Abby Choi, whose legs were found in a refrigerator in a house on the city's outskirts. They also found a meat slicer and an electric saw at the scene in the rural Tai Po district, according to a police statement. The gruesome murder of local influencer Choi, who recently appeared on the digital cover of L'Officiel Monaco fashion magazine, has gripped local tabloids. Police statements said that four people have been arrested and three charged in the case, but did not identify them by name. Choi disappeared on Tuesday and was last seen in the Tai Po district, where she was found, police said.

☆ Chinese provinces give 30 days' paid 'marriage leave' to boost birth rate
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A newly wed couple pose for pictures on Valentine's Day at a marriage registration office in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China February 14, 2023. China Daily via REUTERSHONG KONG, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Some Chinese provinces are giving young newlyweds 30 days of paid leave in the hope of encouraging marriage and boosting a flagging birth rate, the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily Health said on Tuesday. China's minimum paid marriage leave is three days, but provinces have been able to set their own more generous allowances since February. "Extending marriage leave is one of the effective ways of increasing the fertility rate," Yang Haiyang, dean of the Social Development Research Institute of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, was quoted as saying. Yang said a host of other supporting policies were still needed, including housing subsidies and paid paternity leave for men.

☆ In aging China, a call for 'bold' steps to cut cost of having babies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A Chinese health official has urged local governments to take "bold" steps to lower the cost of having babies and raising children to reduce the burden on families and boost fertility, a state-backed publication reported on Friday. In addition to that is the prospect of a rapidly aging population slowing the economy as revenues drop and government debt increases because of soaring health and welfare costs. Yang Wenzhuang, director of Department of Population Monitoring and Family Development under the National Health Commission (NHC), stressed the importance of family support for improving the fertility rate, the publication the Paper reported. China had to "firmly grasp the important window period of population development" during its 14th five-year plan which runs until 2025, to accelerate "the promotion of childbearing support", he said. Yang's comments were published in the latest issue of NHC-managed magazine, Population and Health, the Paper said.

HONG KONG, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The world should "calm down" about the possibility of new COVID-19 variants circulating in China, leading Chinese scientist George Gao said. "The world should completely calm down from the fear that there are new variants or special variants circulating (in China)," Gao, professor at the Institute of Microbiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Reuters. The variants causing infections in China were the same Omicron sub-variants - BA.5.2 and BF.7 - seen elsewhere in the world, he said by email. Gao said China was continuing widespread viral genomic sequencing, and would identify any new variants if they emerged. A total of 13 cases of variants were found, including 1 case of XBB.1, 5 cases of BQ.1.1, 1 case of BQ.1.1.17, 4 cases of BQ.1.2 and 2 cases of BQ.1.8.

HONG KONG, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The world should "calm down" about the possibility of new COVID-19 variants circulating in China, leading Chinese scientist George Gao said. "The world should completely calm down from the fear that there are new variants or special variants circulating [in China]," Gao, professor at the Institute of Microbiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Reuters. The variants causing infections in China were the same Omicron sub-variants - BA.5.2 and BF.7 - seen elsewhere in the world, he said by email. Gao said China was continuing widespread viral genomic sequencing, and would identify any new variants if they emerged. The authors said there were some limitations to the study, including China's decision to end large-scale mandatory testing.

☆ China to fully resume travel with Hong Kong, Macau on Feb 6
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 3 (Reuters) - China said on Friday that cross border travel between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau would fully resume from Feb. 6, dropping existing quotas and scrapping a mandatory COVID-19 test that was required before travelling. Group tours between China and its two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau would resume, while the number of customs checkpoints open will return to pre-pandemic levels, China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said in a statement on its website. Even after China reopened its borders to the world on Jan. 8, a quota system and COVID testing requirement remained for travellers between the mainland and Hong Kong. Hong Kong dropped most of its remaining COVID rules in December, but mask-wearing remains mandatory unless exercising, and students must take daily rapid antigen tests. Reporting by Farah Master and Twinnie Siu in Hong Kong, Liz Lee in Beijing and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hong Kong says 'hello' to woo back visitors after COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Performers dance during "Hello Hong Kong" campaign to promote city tourism in Hong Kong, China February 2, 2023. The "Hello Hong Kong" campaign was launched with dancers and flashing neon lights in the city's main convention centre, next to its famous harbour, with a backdrop bearing the slogan in various languages including Russian and Spanish. Hong Kong dropped most of its remaining COVID rules in December but the wearing of masks remains mandatory unless exercising, as well as daily rapid antigen testing for students. There remains a quota system for travellers between the mainland and Hong Kong and a requirement that they must do a COVID test. Hong Kong business groups, diplomats and many residents deplored Hong Kong COVID rules, saying they threatened its competitiveness and standing as an international financial centre, especially after a period of political tension over pro-democracy protests.

☆ Macau casino revenues surge in Jan after COVID rules lifted
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Farah Master | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Still investors took cheer, sending shares in Macau casinos up between 3% to 5%, while executives and analysts said it was an encouraging sign of a solid recovery to come. A special administrative region of China, Macau has seen a resurgence of tourists from the mainland since Jan. 8 after the territory dropped all COVID-19 testing requirements for inbound travellers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. January's revenues were the first for Sands China (1928.HK), Wynn Macau (1128.HK), MGM China (2282.HK), Galaxy Entertainment (0027.HK), MGM China (2282.HK) and SJM Holdings (0880.HK) under new 10-year contracts. Visitors pose for photos outside the Grand Lisboa casino operated by SJM Holdings during Lunar New Year in Macau, China, January 24, 2023. REUTERS/Lam Yik/File PhotoThe new contracts, with more government oversight and control, were struck after COVID-19 restrictions decimated Macau's gambling revenues and sent net debt soaring.

☆ China's Sichuan frees unmarried people to legally have children
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Beijing, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Health authorities in China's southwestern province of Sichuan will allow unmarried individuals to raise a family and enjoy benefits reserved for married couples, in the latest effort to bolster a falling birth rate. From Feb. 15, married couples and any individuals who want offspring will be allowed to register with the government in China's fifth most populous province, with no ceiling on the number of children they can register for. Until now, the commission had allowed only married couples who wanted to have up to two children to register with local authorities. China's population shrank last year for the first time in six decades, a historic turn expected to usher in a period of decline. Much of China's demographic downturn stems from its one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015.

☆ China says COVID deaths, severe cases have fallen over 70% since peak
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China Daily via REUTERSHONG KONG, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Critically ill COVID-19 cases in China are down 72% from a peak early this month while daily deaths among COVID-19 patients in hospitals have dropped 79% from their peak, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday. The CDC said the number of critically ill patients in China peaked on Jan. 4 at 128,000 cases and fell to 36,000 cases by Jan. 23. The number of deaths in hospitals, meanwhile, reached a daily peak of 4,273 on Jan. 4 and fell to 896 by Jan. 23. Visits to fever clinics fell 96.2%, from a peak of 2.867 million on Dec. 22 to 110,000 on Jan. 23. On Jan. 12, authorities announced that nearly 60,000 people with COVID had died in hospitals since China dismantled its strict zero-COVID policy.

☆ Tourists swarm gambling hub Macau over Lunar New Year after COVID curbs dropped
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Macau has seen a resurgence of tourists from mainland China since Jan. 8 after the special Chinese administrative region dropped all COVID-19 testing requirements for inbound travellers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Macau welcomed more than 71,000 visitors on Monday, the highest single day record since the pandemic, its government said in a statement late on Tuesday. It was lifeless during lockdown and not very good," said a man surnamed Lam, who travelled to Macau from Jiangmen in nearby Guangdong province in southern China. More than 94% of visitors to Macau over the first three days of the Lunar New Year, Jan. 21-23, came from mainland China and neighbouring special administrative region Hong Kong. Local residents said they hoped the rise in visitors would bring a permanent boost to the city's beleaguered economy.

But retailers in popular Asian destinations are desperate to take advantage of the return of a first wave of Chinese tourists as the country reopens borders after three long years of COVID-19 curbs. And robust demand for destinations like Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand has boosted prospects for the battered travel industry, Ctrip booking data shows. Still, destinations elsewhere show that the return of Chinese tourists remains at a very early stage. Fresh COVID testing requirements for Chinese tourists in some locations may be acting as a barrier, while some countries also require visas that take time to process. Retailers in South Korea are also not seeing a huge influx in Chinese tourists yet, citing the suspension of short-term visas for travellers between both countries.

☆ Hong Kong to scrap isolation requirement for people with COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Hong Kong said it will no longer require people infected with COVID-19 to quarantine from Jan. 30, removing one of the last major coronavirus restrictions in place in the Asian financial hub. This is one of the important steps towards normalcy," city leader John Lee told a legislative meeting on Thursday. People in Hong Kong are, however, still required to wear masks unless exercising. Last week, high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and mainland China resumed for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. The re-opening comes amidst a massive wave of infections on the mainland following China's abrupt U-turn on its "zero-COVID" policy.

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