DotDotWeekly | HK news highlights from Sept. 9 to 13

Welcome to DotDotWeekly. Every Friday, we take you on a journey through the latest local news and captivating stories from DotDotNews this week.

HK can play key role in realizing BRI as most open city in China, John Lee says

The 9th Belt and Road Summit, co-organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), was held from Sept. 11 to Sept. 12 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

The opening session featured an opening address by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, John Lee.

Lee stated that with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) entering its next decade, external trade with Belt and Road economies outside of Hong Kong and the Mainland has increased by nearly 60% over the past ten years, with these economies accounting for over 43% of Hong Kong's external trade value. This, he noted, reflects the significant impact of BRI-related trade on Hong Kong.

He emphasized that investors from around the world can take full advantage of Hong Kong's strengths in finance, law, construction, engineering, and logistics to develop projects under the BRI, highlighting that Hong Kong is the only region in China that implements common law, aligning its legal system with many international financial centers.

63-year-old HK singer Andy Lau experiences accident during concert in Shenzhen

An accident happened to 63-year-old Hong Kong singer Andy Lau during his concert in Shenzhen on the evening of Sept. 9, which startled the audience and fans. He was singing when the door of the underground passage on stage unexpectedly opened, making him miss his footing and fall over. Fortunately, he did not fall off the stage.

Lau said that his finger was injured and apologized to his fans.

After the concert, many fans commented on the official Weibo account of the concert, pointing out that this was not the first time that Andy Lau had experienced such an accident during the tour.

Closure of PHYSICAL Fitness & Beauty leaves customer stuck with unrecoverable 10-year contracts

The Hong Kong gym chain, "PHYSICAL Fitness & Beauty," announced a sudden closure last Friday (Sept. 6), leaving customers with prepaid

memberships and class packages facing significant financial losses.

The Consumer Council's Chief Executive, Gilly Wong, reported receiving 605 complaints by 8 a.m. on Sept. 9, involving nearly HK$19 million, with the highest individual loss at HK$650,000 and an average of HK$31,000 per case.

One customer shared on a radio program that he spent over HK$10,000 for a 10-year membership and prepaid for coaching sessions in batches of ten, expecting to lose all invested money. He also mentioned that even if the Wan Chai branch reopens, it would be inconvenient for him due to distance.

Monkeys climb on exterior walls of building in Yuen Long

Some Hong Kong netizens uploaded a video on Facebook in which monkeys are causing a ruckus in the Yuen Long residential area. In the video, at least four monkeys can be seen climbing on the exterior wall of a building on Hop Yick Road in Yuen Long.

The monkeys are climbing up a water pipe to the rooftop on the sixth floor, with one leading monkey reaching the rooftop first, followed by the others.

Some monkeys are seated on air conditioning units or standing on the railings of balconies, which attracted a crowd of curious onlookers who took out their phones to film the scene.

Nearly 35% of upper primary school students surveyed report having been bullied on campus

The Hong Kong Council of Early Childhood Education and Services conducted an online survey in July, which surveys 528 people, including 272 students in Grade 5 and Grade 6 aged 10 to 12, as well as over 100 parents and 100 teachers.

The survey shows that nearly 35% of the upper primary school students surveyed reported having been bullied on campus. 41% of them expressed a desire for revenge, and nearly 17% contemplated suicide.

Additionally, students who exhibited unusual behavior or appearance were more likely to be bullied, followed by students with language barriers, those who were physically weak, and those with social difficulties.

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DotDotWeekly | HK news highlights from Sept. 2 to 6

63-year-old HK singer Andy Lau experiences accident during concert in Shenzhen