Taiwan is ‘life-or-death question’ for China, Hong Kong’s dog meat scam, Chinese space junk hitting the moon: SCMP’s 7 highlights of the week

From Hong Kong’s dog meat scam to Chinese space junk hitting the moon, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting

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Britain offered the BN(O) visa scheme after Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in 2020. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 12:10pm, 24 Nov 2023

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. Half of BN(O) migrants jobless, but 99% do not plan to return to Hong Kong: poll

Hongkongers who have moved to Britain have struggled to find work, with half unemployed and those with jobs complaining of being overqualified and underpaid, despite being more highly educated than locals, a study has found. Still, BN(O) migrants had elected overwhelmingly to stay in the United Kingdom, with 99 per cent saying they had no plans to return to Hong Kong.

2. US team says Chinese rocket booster hit the moon with secret payload

The Chinese rocket remnant that crashed into the moon was part of a 2014 test mission to prepare for the better-known Chang’e-5 mission, shown here, which brought lunar samples back to Earth in 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Researchers in the US say a remnant of a Chinese rocket slammed into the moon’s surface last year with some unusual devices on board, according to a new study they say “conclusively” identifies a much-watched piece of space junk and highlights the importance of tracking defunct space hardware.

3. Taiwan is ‘life-or-death question’ for China, Cui Tiankai says

“The Taiwan question is a matter of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. So this is something like a life-or-death question for China … there’s no room for concession,” veteran Chinese diplomat Cui Tiankai told Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo.

“This is life and death for all Chinese. So we have to be prepared to do anything to defend our national sovereignty.”

4. Malaysia’s rare earths goal fuels China’s displeasure fears, ‘betrayal’ cries

A protest in front of Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, in 2011 against the proposed Lynas rare earth plant to be built in Gebeng. Photo: Shutterstock

Malaysia wants a bigger piece of the lucrative global rare earths pie by tapping into an estimated US$173 billion in underground mineral reserves, as the government looks to bolster foreign investments and hasten economic growth amid fears of environmental damage and risks to public health.

5. From 72 hours to 30 days: 4 visa-free ways to visit China by land, sea and air

China only reopened its borders and abandoned quarantine in January after shedding three years of zero-Covid. In October, the Ministry of Public Security and National Immigration Administration confirmed that travellers from dozens of countries can again enter China through several visa-free schemes.

6. Buyer of HK$25 noodles loses HK$415,000 in new twist to Hong Kong dog meat scam

Police believe the scammers aimed to attract animal lovers to engage with the dog meat “sellers” and lure them into attempting to download the app. Photo: SCMP

A scam involving the sale of dog meat has taken a new turn after a Hong Kong police probe found that at least nine customers buying other products were duped out of HK$1.36 million through the same app, including a man who lost HK$415,000 after trying to purchase HK$25 instant noodles.

7. Chinese ‘traitors’ wearing Son shirts mobbed by angry fans in South Korea loss

A fan who had been wearing a Son Heung-min jersey is escorted away by police as angry Chinese supporters surrounded him outside the stadium in Shenzhen. Photo: Weibo

Chinese fans wearing Son Heung-min football jerseys were subjected to abuse as China lost 3-0 to South Korea in their Fifa World Cup qualifier.

“Switching to a No 7 Tottenham jersey, you are arrogant for a while and sad later,” a user on Weibo wrote regarding the incident. “As a Chinese, you can wear the uniform you like, you can also like your stars, and you can cheer for your favourite team, but you cannot despise and provoke the Chinese, because you are also Chinese.”