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David Dodwell
David Dodwell is the executive director of the Hong Kong-APEC Trade Policy Study Group, a trade policy think tank.
After almost four years of adversity, the fragile economy needs support and many remain stressed and sceptical about prospects.
Anxiety remains over the contentious and emotional issue – described as tantamount to inviting Chinese spies into US ports – with union negotiations set to resume in January.
The coming UN Summit of the Future looks destined to fall short despite its vital agenda to tackle the many challenges facing humanity.
Amid the current wave of adversity, the wealthiest among us must acknowledge they are obliged to dig deeper into their pockets.
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The deals sealed and friendships renewed at FOCAC summit underline China’s role as a prime force of global power rebalancing.
With the new Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link boosting prospects for the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong must move fast to improve transport links with nearby cities.
Opec and top oil firms are fiercely opposing efforts to reduce oil and gas demand, seeing economic doom if climate goals are given priority.
About three-quarters of all crop types must be pollinated, mostly by insects threatened by climate change and habitat loss. The implications are clear.
North American rail and port woes are adding to a long list of challenges facing global shippers, while China is developing new trade routes.
We need to move away from consumerism and find better measures of economic progress – if we want to avoid a climate catastrophe
Studies show that US tariffs have not only hit the economy, but also failed to meaningfully reduce trade deficits.
Paranoia over grave and imminent dangers all around is distracting America from the serious risks of domestic terrorism and political violence.
International migration is a force for good that developed economies need, despite the protests of xenophobes and populists.
The UN projects a drop in the global population by 2100 as longer life expectancy and migration shape communities amid a collapse in fertility.
In particular, Trump’s exotic plan to replace income tax with universal export tariffs threatens catastrophe.
The Council on Foreign Relations’ China-focused project could be a chance to rethink flawed assumptions underpinning the rules-based order.
The results of the 2024 UK general election have humbled the Conservative Party, but also put on display some of the quirks of the democratic process.
True, no one has ever bet against Hong Kong and won. But it would be a foolhardy administration that underestimates the challenges still faced.
The first US presidential debate was alarming not just for US voters but for anyone who cares about the integrity of our political systems.
Far from being a particularity in Hong Kong, rodent problems are a fixture of urban environments the world over.
The rapid emergence of AI has sparked concerns about its attendant risks, and few sectors exemplify that more than the production of sex robots.
Rather than end wildfires, humanity’s challenge is to restrain destructive fire and reduce the amount of combustion driving climate change.
After bananas and coffee, oranges are the latest breakfast staple to succumb to disease and weather as Brazil’s crop collapses.
While the end of globalisation is much touted today, nations are grappling with too many issues that cannot be solved unilaterally.
Environmentalists want an overhaul of world aquaculture, but not enough focus is on countries that can make the biggest difference.
Hong Kong should focus on connections with people and organisations that can serve the city’s unique role in global trade and investment.
Sports shoe tech development is moving at a sprinter’s speed, with smart shoes offering wearers more information than ever. Such advances are, however, far beyond the needs of most runners, who would be better off looking for discounts at outlet stores.
After shelving Hong Kong’s waste charging scheme, the government needs to rid itself of the bureaucratic shackles that have led to decades of inaction. Officials must create a system that can meet the city’s needs before its landfills run out of space in 2026.
Two cases in Britain have recently been concluded, with damning evidence of abuse of government power and cover-ups. In drawing a line under the infected blood scandal, the British prime minister acknowledged that it was “a day of shame for the British state”.
The world is seeing a renewed focus on spying amid heightened geopolitical stress, alarming wars, new invasive technologies and national security fears. Engaging in espionage is a dangerous, expensive habit few countries can truly afford, and we must pray all of them choose to engage in it responsibly.
