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☆ Factbox: Details of Tesla price cuts in China, other Asian markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A Tesla model 3 car is seen in their showroom in Singapore October 22, 2021. The price for the Model 3 rear wheel drive version is now 5.369 million yen ($40,091), down from 5.964 million yen. SOUTH KOREATesla's price cuts in South Korea differed from model to model but ranged from about 6 million won to 10 million won ($4,725 to $7,875), a local Tesla sales official said. The price of Tesla's basic Model 3 rear-wheel drive vehicle was listed as 64.34 million won ($50,637) on the company's website on Friday. Its Model Y Long Range sports utility vehicle was 84.999 million won.

☆ Factbox: Tesla cuts prices globally in a bid to spur demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JAPANTesla cut the prices of Model 3 and Model Y cars by about 10% each in the country, the first time it had done so since 2021. SOUTH KOREATesla's price cuts in the country differed from model to model, but ranged from about 6 mln won to 10 mln won ($4,725 to $7,875), a local Tesla sales official said. The basic version of its Model Y now costs $52,990, down from $65,990 previously. The company also cut prices for its Model X luxury crossover SUV and Model S sedan in the United States. GERMANYTesla cut prices on the Model 3 and the Model Y by about 1% to almost 17% depending on the configuration.

☆ China gives Hong Kong leader power to bar overseas lawyers in national security cases
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | Thomson Reuters Institute | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The NPCSC ruling said Hong Kong courts must now obtain approval from the chief executive before admitting any foreign lawyer without local qualifications to work on national security cases. Under the national security law, the decisions made by the committee cannot be challenged by a judicial review. "Beyond national security cases, then they are most welcome, provided that they satisfied the procedure to obtain an ad hoc admission approval by the court," Lee said. The founder of now shut pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, Lai is one of the most prominent Hong Kong critics of China's Communist Party leadership, including Xi Jinping. Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"It's not a question of if it will happen, it's now just a matter of how many and how fast." As the Lunar New Year holiday - typically a peak travel period for Chinese tourists - starts on Jan. 21, some businesses are already gearing up. Japan, however, is being cautious about Chinese tourism due to the rapid spread of the virus in China. Australia, Germany, Thailand and others, however, said they would not impose additional rules on Chinese travel for now, with France taking to social media platform Sina Weibo to emphasise it welcomed Chinese friends "with open arms". "I suspect any meaningful rebound will have to wait until the travel boom in June or July next year."

☆ Lawyers exit Hong Kong as they face campaign of intimidation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +18 min

The event that precipitated his hasty departure, Vidler said, was the appearance of articles in the state-backed media in Hong Kong about him. “This was in my view state-sponsored intimidation and harassment,” said Vidler, whose wife and children later left Hong Kong. One Hong Kong solicitor who has relocated to England told Reuters that she knew of at least 80 Hong Kong lawyers who had moved to Britain since the security law was imposed in June 2020. Another lawyer, now living in Australia, estimated that several dozen Hong Kong lawyers had moved there. Mainland officials have long sought influence over these two influential bodies, according to senior Hong Kong lawyers.

☆ Tencent chief blasts managers in fiery townhall - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In a rare show of frustration, Pony Ma said at a year-end meeting with staff on Dec. 15 that internal reviews this year had exposed unspecified corruption within Asia's biggest social media and gaming company, the sources said. Tencent reported a second straight quarterly revenue drop last month as China's economic slowdown and regulatory scrutiny hit its ad and gaming businesses. Up to the previous quarter, Tencent had reported double-digit growth for almost every three-month reporting period since going public in 2004. Ma, who mostly stays out of public view, also said the company needed to focus on short video for future growth, and described the WeChat Video Account, Tencent’s short video platform, as the "hope" of the Shenzhen-based company, the sources said. He warned that the video gaming business group would have to get used to Beijing’s strict licensing regime, and the number of new games China would approve would remain limited in the long run.

From its original epicentre in the north, including the capital Beijing, COVID-19 infections are spreading throughout the country and cases are impeding workforces in manufacturing belts, including the Yangtze River Delta, near Shanghai. With mass testing halted after China abruptly dropped its zero-COVID policy this month, official data no longer reliably captures new case numbers. Some estimates, however, predict the wave currently sweeping the country could infect up to 60% of China's 1.4 billion-strong population. LOGISTICS LOGJAMLeading automobile chipmaker, Renesas Electronics Corp (6723.T) suspended production at its Beijing plant last Friday due to COVID-19 infections, but said it would re-open Tuesday. For now, however, that impact is being limited in part by economic hardships elsewhere in the world denting demand for products from China.

☆ Musk to step down as Twitter CEO once he finds 'someone foolish' enough as successor
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Elon Musk's Twitter profile is seen on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos in this picture illustration taken April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoDec 20 (Reuters) - Billionaire Elon Musk said on Tuesday he will step down as chief executive of Twitter Inc once he finds a replacement, but will still run some key divisions of the social media platform. After that, I will just run the software & servers teams," Musk wrote on Twitter. He has not provided a time frame for when he will step down and no successor has been named. Musk has himself said he had too much on his plate, and that he would look for a Twitter CEO.

☆ Hong Kong court adjourns trial of tycoon and China critic Jimmy Lai
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/4] Armed police stand guard as they escort a prison van that is believed to carry media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, to the High Court in Hong Kong, China, December 1, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong court on Thursday adjourned to Dec. 13 the high-profile trial of tycoon and China critic Jimmy Lai, who is charged with two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign countries or external elements, and one count of collusion with foreign forces under a national security law. Lai is also charged with conspiracy to print seditious publications. Reporting by Hong Kong Newsroom; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Overseas-based Chinese and their supporters rallied in Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York and Toronto, with more protests planned in coming days. Outside the Chinese consulate in New York, hundreds gathered, some waving blank white placards, which have become a protest symbol in China. About 50 mainland Chinese students attended the rally, which was the biggest protest by mainland Chinese in Australia, said Chen Yonglin, a democracy activist who promoted the vigil on social media. "They will try to find out who are the organisers," said Chen, a former Chinese consulate official who defected in 2005. The Chinese embassy in Australia and the education office of the Chinese consulate in Sydney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[1/4] FILE PHOTO: The logo of Foxconn is seen outside the company's building in Taipei, Taiwan November 10, 2022. The plant owned by Taiwan-based Foxconn, battered by China's strict COVID restrictions and facing critical year-end holiday demand, was offering enticing hiring bonuses and excellent pay. Hou said he was promised up to 30,000 yuan ($4,200) for just under four months' work - far above the 12,000-16,000 yuan Foxconn workers usually get for four months. In a rare example of large-scale labour unrest in China, Foxconn workers in COVID masks clashed with security personnel in white hazmat suits holding plastic shields. The company previously apologised to workers for a pay-related "technical error" that it said occurred when it was hiring.

[1/4] Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee delivers his first annual policy address at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader John Lee said on Tuesday the central government in Beijing was "highly concerned" about the issue of foreign lawyers appearing in national security cases, with a landmark legal interpretation on the matter by Beijing expected soon. Lee said Hong Kong authorities are seeking a delay to the start of the trial. "It is a grim moment," said one veteran Hong Kong criminal lawyer. Hong Kong officials, including Lee, have said repeatedly that Hong Kong is strongly committed to the rule of law, and its independent judicial power is constitutionally protected.

☆ Market watchers' comments on COVID-19 protests in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what market watchers are saying about the unrest:ALLAN VON MEHREN, CHIEF ANALYST, DANSKE BANK, COPENHAGEN:"Normally protests in China are aimed at local governments but a crowd in Shanghai directed their protest against the Communist Party and Xi Jinping." "The protests come as the recent tweaks in the zero-Covid policy seem to have backfired as they led to rising cases across the country that subsequently triggered new restrictions being implemented. MARK HAEFELE, GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT CIO, UBS, ZURICH:"We do not expect economic or market headwinds in China to abate significantly over the coming months. KEN CHEUNG, CHIEF ASIA FX STRATEGIST, MIZUHO, HONG KONG:"The China economy is heading to the direction of reopening but the road to the reopening could be a bumpy one. GARY NG, ECONOMIST, NATIXIS, HONG KONG:"The market does not like uncertainties that are difficult to price and the China protests clearly fall into this category.

☆ Comments from market watchers on the COVID-19 protests in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ALVIN TAN, ASIA FX STRATEGIST, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, SINGAPORE:"The scale of the protests will necessarily elicit a response from Beijing. KEN CHEUNG, CHIEF ASIA FX STRATEGIST, MIZUHO, HONG KONG:"The China economy is heading to the direction of reopening but the road to the reopening could be a bumpy one. "Overall, the China Q4 growth outlook should remain grim given the COVID resurgence and the related mobility tightening. GARY NG, ECONOMIST, NATIXIS, HONG KONG:"The market does not like uncertainties that are difficult to price and the China protests clearly fall into this category. MARTIN PETCH, VICE PRESIDENT, MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE:"We expect the protests ... to dissipate relatively quickly and without resulting in serious political violence.

A source familiar with the situation in Zhengzhou said production at the plant was unaffected by the worker unrest and output remained "normal". It makes most of the phones at the Zhengzhou plant, though it has other smaller production sites in India and southern China. Shares of Foxconn have slipped 2% since the unrest emerged in late October. Before the unrest, the Zhengzhou plant employed some 200,000 people. To retain staff and lure more workers Foxconn has had to offer bonuses and higher salaries.

☆ Debt-laden China Evergrande gives back land sites to Wuhan city
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Nov 22 (Reuters) - A Chinese municipal district said it had taken back 134,500 hectares (332.4 acres) of land formerly held by a unit of debt-laden developer China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) and had made no payment for doing so. The government of Jiangxia District in the central city of Wuhan retrieved its land-use rights over the undeveloped sites at the Evergrande Technology Tourism City on November 16, according to a statement by the district's Planning and Natural Resources Bureau. China Evergrande unit Wuhan Baden City Investment Co Ltd has held the land as developer of Evergrande Technology Tourism City. A right to use land is the Chinese equivalent of ownership, since title is always ultimately held by the state. read moreThe land parcels taken back by Jiangxia comprised nine residential sites, two commercial and one for mixed development, the filing, dated Nov. 18 showed.

☆ Six former staff of Hong Kong newspaper plead guilty to conspiracy to collude
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Jessie Pang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Six former members of staff at Hong Kong's defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces in a closely watched national security case. Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Apple Daily was used as a platform to advocate for foreign sanctions. Beijing and Hong Kong's government denied that and accused the protesters of undermining the stability at the heart of Hong Kong's economic success, at the behest of foreigners. Lai and the six former Apple Daily staff members were charged with conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces under the law. Lai and his three companies have pleaded not guilty to the national security and sedition charges.

☆ Berkshire Hathaway sells shares worth $80.7 mln in China's BYD
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company owned by Warren Buffett, has sold 3.23 million Hong Kong-listed shares of electric vehicle maker BYD (002594.SZ) for HK$630.33 million ($80.67 million), a stock exchange filing showed. The sale lowered Berkshire Hathaway's holdings in BYD's total issued H-shares to 15.99% on Nov. 17 from 16.28%, a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed on Tuesday. The Hong Kong-listed shares of BYD fell as much as 2.3% to HK$174.10 on Wednesday, their lowest since Oct. 31. Berkshire Hathaway last sold 5.78 million Hong Kong-listed shares in BYD on Nov. 8 for HK$1.14 billion. ($1 = 7.8188 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Twinnie Siu and Donny Kwok; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree andOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hong Kong leader tests positive for COVID-19 after APEC summit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

HONG KONG, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving back in the city from an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Bangkok, the government said in a statement. Reporting By Twinnie Siu; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"We will definitely work all out to adjust our production capacity and output, so there is no impact on demand for these two holidays," Liu said. On Wednesday, Foxconn said it would continue production in Zhengzhou under a "closed loop" system, where staff live and work on-site in a bubble isolated from the wider world. "Of course there may be other factors that require the reconfiguration of production capacity, such as geopolitics," Liu said. Having said on Monday it would "revise down" its fourth quarter outlook given the situation in Zhengzhou, Foxconn said revenue in the final three months of this year would be flattish. read moreReuters last month reported that Foxconn's production of Apple's iPhones at the Zhengzhou factory could slump by as much as 30% in November due to tight COVID-19 restrictions.

☆ Easing Hong Kong's COVID curbs, opening China border top bankers' wish list -HKMA chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Anne Marie Roantree | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Eddie Yue Wai-man, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) poses for a picture during an interview with Reuters in Hong Kong, China November 4, 2022. Anti-government protests in 2019 and a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 have also clouded Hong Kong's image. The Hong Kong government has said it's working towards lifting COVID-19 rules. While Hong Kong's currency regime is under significant pressure, caught between the United States and China, Yue said the HKMA was prepared for worst-case scenario. "Hong Kong has a very unique advantage, which is the connection between the world and China ...

☆ What people are saying about Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 28 (Reuters) - U.S. billionaire Elon Musk became Twitter Inc's (TWTR.N) owner on Thursday, firing top executives and providing little clarity over how he will achieve the lofty ambitions he has outlined for the influential social media platform. BIZ STONE, CO-FOUNDER, TWITTER:"Thank you to @paraga, @vijaya and @nedsegal for the collective contribution to Twitter. Massive talents, all, and beautiful humans each!," Stone said in a Tweet, referring to sacked Twitter executives Parag Agrawal, Vijaya Gadde and Ned Segal. CHANGPENG ZHAO, FOUNDER, CEO, BINANCE, CO-INVESTOR IN MUSK'S TWITTER DEAL"We're excited to be able to help Elon realize a new vision for Twitter. We aim to play a role in bringing social media and Web3 together in order to broaden the use and adoption of crypto and blockchain technology."

[1/3] The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., November 17, 2021. Google's results bode ill for Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META.O), which is especially reliant on advertising and reports results on Wednesday. Microsoft fell 2% and chipmaker Texas Instruments , which forecast quarterly revenue and profit below estimates, was down 5%. Shares in Spotify (SPOT.N), which also warned on slow advertising growth, slid 4%. "During the quarter we experienced expected weakness in personal electronics and expanding weakness across industrial," said TI boss Rich Templeton.

☆ Analysis: Chinese property developers on tenterhooks ahead of Communist Party Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

HONG KONG, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Chinese real estate developers are delaying their debt restructuring moves until after the upcoming Communist Party Congress, hoping the crucial gathering offers clues on how Beijing plans to stabilise the embattled sector. Smaller peers, which have done bond exchanges to extend the maturities of their debt, are also considering restructuring, the developers told Reuters. China's gigantic real estate debt China's gigantic real estate debtChina's twice-a-decade party congress kicks off on Oct. 16, during which President Xi Jinping is poised to secure a precedent-breaking third leadership term as general secretary. Echoing that apprehension ahead of the party congress, some fund managers and brokers have been told to avoid big share sales, two sources told Reuters. For some stakeholders, the stalling of the debt restructuring ahead of the party congress is frustrating.

The 465-foot superyacht "Nord", owned by the sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov is seen docked, in Hong Kong, China October 7, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader John Lee said on Tuesday there was "no legal basis" for the city to act on Western sanctions, when asked about a Russian yacht berthed in the financial centre that belongs to a sanctioned Russian oligarch. Hong Kong authorities were criticised by the U.S. State Department for allowing a luxury yacht belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov to dock in Hong Kong waters last week. Instead, Lee said Hong Kong would only abide by United Nations sanctions. Officials in Hong Kong do what is right to protect the interests of the country and the interests of Hong Kong.

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