

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Carol Musgrave and Ben Tse2025-03-06
Thursday
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Selected audio segments:
China GDP growth tipped to reach 5pc in 2025
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The annual "Two Sessions" is under way in Beijing. Members of the country's legislature, the National People's Congress, and the top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, are meeting in the capital to map out China's future directions. On Wednesday, China unveiled its economic growth forecast for 2025 at the opening of the NPC session. For more, here's Vanessa Cheng from Beijing.
'Mild inflation target still a concern'
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Raymond Yeung, Greater China chief economist at ANZ Bank, said while he believes the five percent growth target is achievable, questions loom over the nation's persistently low consumer price growth. He spoke to Chloe Feng.
'AI startups boosting nation's development'
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For more on the efforts to back the use of artificial intelligence models, Senior Fellow at the Taihe Institute and the Chairman of Asia Narratives, Einar Tangen spoke to Carol Musgrave. She asked him how much Chinese AI startups had affected policymaking.
Beijing backs SARs in national integration: Xia
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A top Beijing official overseeing SAR affairs said Hong Kong and Macau have the full backing of the central government in integrating into the country’s development. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, made the comment during a meeting with Chief Executive John Lee on the sidelines of the NPC opening session in the capital. Priscilla Ng reports.
Hospital patient chokes to death after meal blunder
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The Caritas Medical Centre is investigating what led to an elderly patient choking to death. The 75-year-old man was given a regular meal despite not being able to eat solid food. Hailey Yip reports.
Air passenger departure tax to go up from Oct 1
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Travellers purchasing a plane ticket to fly out of Hong Kong from October first will have to pay HK$200 in air passenger departure tax instead of the current HK$120. The increase was announced in the financial secretary's budget last month to boost revenue. But as Priscilla Ng reports, some passengers will be exempted from the fee.
'Govt will support NGOs amid funding cuts'
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Labour and welfare minister Chris Sun has pledged to help non-governmental organisations - or NGOs - save costs by streamlining administrative procedures. Because of the fiscal deficit, the government has proposed a seven percent funding cut for NGOs, but smaller ones will not bear the full brunt. Sophie Hui reports.
Officers make meth bust in Kwai Chung
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Customs say they've arrested three men including a driver for allegedly smuggling 680 kilogrammes of suspected meth from Mexico with an estimated market value of about HK$360 million. Officers say the drug was concealed inside 80 heating panels inside a cargo container that arrived at the Kwai Chung cargo terminal last month. Joseph Kwok, divisional commander of drug investigation bureau, spoke to Kimmy Lau about the operation.
US automakers granted temporary tariff reprieve
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Automakers have received temporary reprieve from US President Donald Trump's tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico. As Aaron Tam reports, concerns had been mounting over consumer impacts, and there was no immediate breakthrough after talks between Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Ultra-accurate clock goes on sale for US$3.3mn
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Resembling a squat, wide fridge, the world's most accurate clock has gone on sale in Japan for US$3.3 million. Todd Harding has more.
Malaysia signs deal with Arm to bolster chip ambitions
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The Malaysian government has said it will pay the semiconductor and software design company, Arm Holdings, to acquire the firm’s chip design plans for local manufacturers. Last April, the country said it planned to build Southeast Asia's largest integrated-circuit design park. It also said it would offer incentives including tax breaks, subsidies and exemption from visa fees to attract global tech companies and investors. The Southeast Asian nation plans to produce its own graphics processing unit chips in the next five to ten years, as demand for artificial intelligence and data centres grows. Jamie Clarke has more.
Greenlanders shrug off Trump's takeover bid
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Greenland’s prime minister has said the island is not for sale, in a post to social media. It came after US President Donald Trump declared in his address to Congress that he intends to gain control of Greenland, quote, “one way or the other”. Since taking office six weeks ago, Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in the mineral-rich island. In his speech yesterday, Trump made a direct appeal to Greenlanders, just a week before the island’s voters cast their ballots in the parliamentary elections - as Jamie Clarke reports.
Broad Strokes: The longest symphony in classical music
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How can costume, make-up and body language transform a person's identity? That's a question that two masquerade artists have been delving into over the previous decades. And their work is currently on show at the M-plus museum. Also in this edition of our arts and culture podcast, Broad Strokes - with Ben Tse and Jacqueline Guico - we look at the longest symphony in classical music.