Hong Kong

Chinese President Xi Jinping stood bolt upright and impassive on Friday as he inspected more than 3,000 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops in Hong Kong, the largest military parade in the city since its handover to China in 1997.

Hong Kong leader-elect Carrie Lam said on April 11 there is no room for moves towards independence in the former British colony which she said needs the support of the central government in Beijing to boost economic development over the next five years. 

Being a global financial, logistics and trading hub, Hong Kong will continue to play the important role of a "super-connector" between Slovenia, Mainland China and the markets of the Belt and Road.

A Beijing-backed civil servant, Carrie Lam, was chosen to be Hong Kong's next leader on March 26 amid accusations that Beijing is meddling and denying the financial hub a more populist leader perhaps better able to defuse political tension.

Hong Kong has been exploring options for investments in Bulgaria in the area of infrastructure, the Deputy Representative for Economic and Trade Affairs of that Chinese region for the European Union Sam Hui told the Bulgarian National Radio.

He said that Hong Kong could play a special role and was looking for opportunities for furtherance of cooperation with partners in Bulgaria.

A former leader of Hong Kong was sentenced on Feb. 22 to 20 months in prison for misconduct after failing to disclose plans to rent a luxury apartment for his retirement from a businessman applying for a broadcasting license.

It was a stunning downfall for Donald Tsang, 72, who served as Hong Kong's leader, or chief executive, from 2005 to 2012.

Hong Kong's tough pro-Beijing number two Carrie Lam announced her bid to lead the deeply divided city on Jan. 12 after stepping down from her current post.  

Lam is deputy to Hong Kong's unpopular leader Leung Chun-ying and rose through the ranks as a career civil servant before taking public office.  

U.S. fast-food giant McDonald's will sell a controlling stake in its China and Hong Kong business for up to $2.08 billion to a consortium including state-owned Citic and the Carlyle Group, it was announced on Jan. 9.

Hong Kong's leader said Nov. 7 he would "fully implement" a ruling by Beijing which effectively bars two elected pro-independence lawmakers from the city's legislature after they deliberately misread their oaths of office.

Giant panda Jia Jia is seen eating her birthday cake made from ice and vegetables as she celebrates her 37-year-old birthday last year in Hong Kong. 

The world's oldest ever giant panda in captivity died on Oct. 16 aged 38 at a Hong Kong theme park, officials said.