Ho Chi Minh City is Sinking

April 14, 2026

Residents in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering from power loss and flooding because of over extraction of groundwater.

By Cindy Doan

Cracks have started appearing on the walls and the floors inside Duong Duy Khanh’s house in Ho Chi Minh City over the past two years as the city is sinking.

“At first, we didn’t realise what was happening, we just felt that the house seemed to be uneven,” says Duong, the 19-year-old student who lives with his family on the western edge of the city.

His family became aware of the problem after furniture began shifting out of place and doors could no longer close properly.

“We keep having to adjust the tables and cupboards to keep them balanced, we also have to move cabinets away from affected areas,” he says.

The damage to Duong’s home is caused by ongoing land subsidence affecting parts of Ho Chi Minh City, where sections of the ground have gradually sunk.

“Visible cracks have appeared along all the walls and floors. We have done minor repairs almost every month, sometimes even every two to three weeks during the rainy season. So far, we have spent nearly VND 6 million (US $230) on it,” Duong says, “my parents have to spend about 30 minutes every morning checking for new damage.”

Land subsidence refers to the gradual sinking of the ground, often caused by excessive groundwater extraction. Water is pumped out faster than it can be replenished, causing building foundations to weaken and flood risk to increase.

Large areas of Ho Chi Minh City are built on low-lying, water-rich sediment from the Mekong Delta, making the ground particularly vulnerable to compression over time.

“Loud noises, like doors slamming or nearby construction, make us nervous.,” Duong says, “sometimes we even have to rearrange where we sit because parts of the house don’t feel stable.”

Concern that the damage may worsen and threaten his family’s safety also affects Duong’s study. “During exam periods, I keep thinking if the house will remain structurally safe,”he says, “it’s difficult to plan for the future when you don’t even know if your home is safe.”

Despite the challenges, leaving Ho Chi Minh City is not an easy decision. “My family has lived here for generations. Our careers and relationships…everything is here,” he says.

In January 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued a public warning that large parts of the city could become uninhabitable in the coming decades, especially for low-income families.

With over 9.8 million residents in 2025 according to Metro Area Population, nearly 72 km² out of the city’s 2,095 km² have already shown signs of sinking, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction. In many districts, the ground drops by two to five cm each year, partly because of its weakened drainage system.

The Climate Central in Vietnam warns that large parts of Ho Chi Minh City could fall below flood levels by mid-century.

Another resident in the city, Nguyen Thi Mai Anh says her house is flooded several times a year, especially during the rainy season in September and November.

“It was not like this before,” says the 39-year-old shop owner, “now the water comes in almost every rainy season.”

Nguyen’s shop experiences power outages during heavy rainfall in Ho Chi Minh City.
(Photo courtesy of Nguyen Thi Mai Anh)

Nguyen has raised the floor of her living room and installed a small barrier at the entrance to combat flooding. During heavy rain, she moves electrical appliances and furniture onto higher shelves and stays up late to monitor the water level. Electricity is often cut for safety reasons during floods, especially in older residential areas like hers.

“Power outages sometimes last for hours, leaving us without lights and internet. The repeated flooding has increased our maintenance costs and disrupted my business. My children have to do their homework in the dark, and it’s very hot,” Nguyen says.

“Without electricity, the refrigerator stops working and fresh food spoils quickly in the heat. Cooking also becomes difficult because we can’t use electric stoves or rice cookers, and floodwater often reaches the gas burners on the floor,” she says.

When flooding hits,electronic payment systems stop working. Nguyen says she has almost no customers, even if there were, they could not pay because of that. “If this keeps happening, I don’t know how long we can stay,” she says.

As the city sinks by several centimetres a year and sea levels are projected to rise by 50cm by 2070, flood risk will increase in the coming decades, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction.

Vietnamese authorities have introduced a range of policies to address the problem, including restrictions on groundwater extraction, expanded use of surface water supplies, and building tidal gates, embankments and upgrading drainage.

Overloaded drainage systems leave streets submerged after intense rainfall.

Though measures are in place, environmental specialist Le Thi Thu Nguyen at the World Bank’s Vietnam office says implementation varies widely across districts, particularly between central areas and rapidly urbanising outskirts.

“Policies are here. But the progress of execution on the ground can be very different. There is still a gap between policy intentions and what residents experience,” Le says.

“Technical solutions are available. What we need is stronger coordination between departments and long-term commitment. Subsidence is not a problem that can be solved in one or two years. It requires sustained investment and clear accountability,” she adds.

Ho Chi Minh urban planners say the city may learn from Tokyo, where subsidence has been slowed after groundwater extraction was tightly controlled and surface water systems were expanded in 2020, according to the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES).

“If action is delayed, the social cost will be much higher, especially for low-income communities who are already the most vulnerable,” she says.

Edited by Winnie Li

Sub-edited by Isa He

Silent or Silenced?

April 14, 2026

Latin Americans across the globe express their worries after US military intervention in Venezuela

By Sonia Chang and Jóse Cervantes

With many family members and friends living in Venezuela, Carmen Fuentes* is worried. “My friends have quit their WhatsApp groups to avoid getting caught or being sent to jail,” she says.

For decades, the Venezuelan government has kept a close eye on what is said and allowed to be broadcasted in the country. Nothing has changed after the U.S. military intervention in January.

“People are silent in Venezuela now. Police are checking people’s phones on the street, even students’ phones. People cannot use WhatsApp to talk about the government freely, ” Fuentes says.

Even after moving to Hong Kong in 1991 and running her piñata business, she is still afraid of getting into trouble.

While former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros is facing drug charges in a New York City court, Delcy Rodríguez is now serving as the acting president.

“It is a mess in Venezuela now. The biggest problem in the country is the system,” says Fuentes.

“The future of Venezuela remains uncertain,” she says.

“Everything is possible to be done by the U.S. No one can predict that the U.S. would capture the president of a country,” she says.

Calling Hong Kong her home, Fuentes says she has no plan of returning to Venezuela because Hong Kong gives her the sense of safety and an abundant life which her hometown could not offer.

Like Fuentes, Bolivian university student Sofi Rojas* is also concerned about her friends in Venezuela.

“Street controls and phone checks have been more frequent. People who say bad things about Nicolas Maduro are put behind bars. It is extreme and scary,” Rojas mentions.

“Taking the dictator out of the country does not solve any existing problems in Venezuela. Venezuelans are not freed from the corrupt system left behind,” the 19-year-old student who opposes the military invasion says.

“The interest of the U.S. is clear. Donald Trump has long planned to control the oil in Venezuela. The military invasion was just a means used by the U.S. to an end. It was never about the life of Venezuelans,” Rojas says.

“The military invasion in Venezuela is just the beginning…any Latin American country could be next,” she adds.

Not only Rojas, but many Latin Americans are upset by the U.S. involvement in Venezuela.

“I am 100 per cent against the military invasion. The U.S. government is invading the sovereignty of Venezuela,” says Xaime*, a Mexican business manager based in Shenzhen.

Lambasting the U.S. military operation inside Venezuela against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the arrest of its president, Xaime criticises Trump for threatening Mexico and Greenland with similar actions.

“I am concerned about what the United States can do without any limitations from international organisations or international law,” he says.

Having arrived in China more than a decade ago, the businessman says he tried to build bridges between Mexico and other countries even before setting foot in Asia.

“I always say no when someone proposes to talk about politics with friends or other outlets, I draw the line to focus on my job and the quality of it,” Xaime says.

Like many other Latin Americans in China, Xaime has received many questions from curious or intrigued people since the U.S. attacked Venezuela in early January. He thinks the U.S. intervention is absurd.

“What has been going on in Venezuela is a choice made by them many years ago by electing former president Hugo Chávez,” he says, adding that while Maduro is deposed to the American justice system, the institutional skeleton of the dictatorship still remains in Venezuela.

“We live in a two-faced world, where some countries can act in the wrong way and still be supported. One thing I am 100 per cent in disagreement with is the violation of a country’s sovereignty,” he says.

Despite his strong opinions against the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, he thinks it is possible for the Mexican government and the U.S. government to collaborate as an alternative to fighting drug cartels across Mexico.

“If the United States is really concerned about helping Mexico against drug trafficking… Go for it! The Mexican government has not been able to do so in decades,” Xaime says.

*Names changed at interviewees’ request

Edited By Swara Kamble

Sub-edited by Pauline Yau

A Hidden Life

April 14, 2026

Underaged Compensated Dating – a form of prostitution involving young women who provide dating and sexual services in exchange for money or presents, remains a prevalent issue in Hong Kong

By Jovie Wong

Coming from a broken family and being cash-strapped, Ruomi Cheung has worked in “compensated dating” offering companionship, and even sexual favours to older men in return for money and luxury gifts since she was 16.

Now 18, Cheung reveals she has to do whatever it takes to escape from her family. Her parents are divorced, and her stepfather is abusive. The family owes more than HK$200,000 (US$25,525) in debt.

“I must leave this sick place,” she says, adding that she was bullied in school for three years starting at age 13. Then she was transferred to the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and has continued her studies to this day.

Living alone, Cheung says she has to make a living through compensated dating, since working as a maid cafe hostess and a bar hostess cannot make ends meet.

“I have to pay rent. It’s hard to live in a metropolitan city as an 18-year-old girl,” she says.

Compensated daters meet clients in bars and clubs at Lan Kwai Fong

Sharing her life as a part-time girlfriend on Threads has attracted many followers. She sells photos, videos, and even her underwear, and dates men who contact her via Instagram and Threads for “Rewards”, usually money, sometimes luxuries.

“I post pretty pictures of myself, and they’ll come. It’s so effortless,” she says.

“I just have to post photos and wait for messages. Men pay me HK$150 (US$19) for 15 minutes of FaceTime, wearing shorts and a tight vest,” she adds, noting that it is not a small amount for a poor student who survives on only HK$250 (US$32) a week in living expenses from parents.

“Then people in the chat room offer HK$300 (US$38) for pulling down a bit of my vest, then HK$800 (US$102) for touching my breast when dating, then… more and more,” she says.

Cheung earns about HK$300 (US$38) from selling underwear and HK$500 (US$64) from posting photos and videos.

“At first, I didn’t realize I would go this far,” says Cheung, adding that she later offers sexual services (limited to manual and oral sex) in return for HK$1,300 (US$166) or more.

She also has a so‑called “sugar daddy”, who covers all her expenses and gives her an extra HK$15,000 (US$1,914) a month for her companionship and sexual services.

“I cannot resist such temptations, so I say yes to them,” Cheung adds.

Wong, another teenage compensated dater who mainly meets and serves clients in bars and clubs, thinks she was born for the job because of her love for drinking and high tolerance of alcohol.

Compensated daters are paid to attend social events and drink

“I knew I was made for this job,” the 17-year-old girl says.

Clients pay Wong to attend social events and fend off drinks for them. “I don’t need to do anything in those few hours, just drink. Then HK$2,000 (US$255) comes,” she says.

With a cigarette in her hand, a faint trail of smoke lingering in the air between words, Wong reveals she also comes from a divorced family.

“I have to live with my mom, but I cannot get along with her. Home is just a place to sleep,” she says. Her mother gives her no extra money. The relationship between them is more like that of roommates. So she has to earn on her own.

Unsatisfied with earning HK$2,000 (US$255) for hours of drinking followed by headaches or nausea, she began offering sexual services to earn the same amount in 30 minutes.

But she wants even more. She later becomes an agent, recruiting new girls into compensated dating. “Every time I introduce girls to jobs, I get extra commission. Now, I don’t even have to work, and money keeps rolling in,” she says, adding that she has made around HK$20,000 (US$2,553) in the past 20 days living on commission.

Tong Choi Chun, a social worker and founder of Ching Yin Centre, which mainly helps teenagers with special educational needs, says the economic factors are not the only reason why girls engage in compensated dating.

Terrence Tong, Social Worker Officer and founder of Ching Yin Center

“Emotional needs, like not feeling loved and cared for, or being ignored or neglected by family, are also a strong factor,” Tong says.

Apart from money and luxury goods, Tong says special experiences that teenage girls can rarely encounter–such as a client-service provider relationship that mimics father-daughter bonding is also a reason behind it.

“Over time, many girls grow emotionally attached and struggle to quit the industry,” he says.

Tong says clients emotionally manipulate these girls, making them willing to meet any demand, even those close to sexual assault or violence, as long as the price is right. Many cases Tong has handled involve severe distress and depression.

In 2015, the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong conducted a telephone survey on participation in compensated dating in Hong Kong and found that only three percent of interviewees had ever engaged in compensated dating, but many social workers, including Tong, note that there are many unknown cases and not many girls seek help.

To help these girls, Tong recommends combining financial education with personal growth programmes to help them understand their monetary value and develop a healthy self-perception.

Edited by Swara Kamble

Sub-edited by Jennifer Liu

Cooking Pho Refugees

April 14, 2026

Farah Đặng, once a child in Hong Kong’s Kai Tak refugee camp, now runs a restaurant built on resilience and giving back.

By Calliope Nguyen

Born in a refugee camp and raised amid an immigrant influx, Farah Dang now runs a restaurant chain in Hong Kong and cooks for refugees in need every weekend at the Christian Action Centre for Refugees.

“When I cook for the refugees, I see myself in them. It takes me back to the camp, to my roots, to the journey my family and I have been through,” she says.

Dang was born in 1981 during the peak of the Vietnamese exodus to Hong Kong. After fleeing from a war-torn Vietnam, her family was settled at Kai Tak North Refugee camp.There, Dang spent 11 years growing up beside her mother’s hawker stall.

“My mother would be up at 2 or 3 a.m. to make pork congee. I would help her cook the soup, wash dishes, and bring goods to the market. That was our life,” Dang recalls her earliest memories. It was the daily three-hour routine of stirring pots of cháo sườn (pork rib congee) and steaming xôi vò (mung bean sticky rice), before attending classes at the nearby New Horizons school.

“I just remember having the most amazing childhood regardless of the conditions inside the camp,” she notes. Eight children shared two bunk beds. The tight space makes great space for small talks.

Dang (left) in Kai Tak camp. Photo courtesy of Farah Dang.

Even the ever-present rats and cockroaches became unlikely friends. “We used to feed them bits of food under my bed,” she laughs, confessing that the sight would terrify her now. It is this deep sense of community and belonging that sweetened the life at Kai Tak camp.

The camp, she insists, was not just about hardship.

“My most vivid memory was playing. There were a lot of children inside the camp. I was never lonely,” she says. Her days were filled with the simple joys of badminton and rope-skipping; she and her friends even fashioned their own jump ropes from elastic bands.

This playful environment had an extra boost from a unique source—her family’s three arcade machines. A gift from her father’s friend, the machines brought in coins from neighbourhood kids, giving Dang and her brother pocket money and endless entertainment.

“All the kids from the camp used to come play because we had it all—Tetris, Munchies, Snake, you name it. That’s probably why I’m always so entrepreneurial, always finding a solution to something,” she says, crediting this early experience with shaping her mindset.

Dang at the former New Horizons Vietnamese Refugee Departure Centre, once operated by Christian Action to aid Vietnamese refugees. Photo courtesy of Christian Action

At 11, Dang’s family resettled in the United Kingdom. For the first time, she stood out. “Before that, we were all the same. In the UK, though, I was the only Asian. People told me to go back to my own country,” she remembers.

While she learned to turn the fear and fluster into a thick skin, this defensiveness did not translate into pride about her identity. “Still, I’d be afraid to even say that I’m a refugee, because I didn’t want any disadvantage or discrimination against myself. But now, I could happily say I’m a second generation Vietnamese refugee. These are my experiences, this has made me who I am.” she says.

After 11 years in the United Kingdom as a chartered accountant, however, Dang realised her true calling was the kitchen. “I miss how I was able to connect with people through a simple bowl of phở. Feeding people is exactly what my parents and my grandparents would have done! It is their way of showing love, of saying “How are you?”, and now it’s my way too,” she says.

Finally, when Dang’s husband relocated to Hong Kong for work, she accompanied him. In 2018, alongside a fellow Vietnamese woman, she launched Soho Banh Mi. What started in a small Mid-levels alley has since grown into three locations across Hong Kong, but it remains a tribute to her past and a space for giving back.

For Dang, her restaurants can be the stepping stones for the community. “Anyone who wants or is willing to learn is welcome here. It’s a love I want to share for whomever I happen to meet across my path. I just hope the very best for them,” she shares.

Dang making a bowl of *bún chả,* one of the restaurant’s best-sellers.

Her commitment extends far beyond the restaurants. Having been nurtured by the caring teachers in the camp, Dang understands how one act of care can change a life. She now volunteers with Christian Action for Refugees, the very charity that managed the Kai Tak camp. On weekends, she prepares lunches and delivers food under the footbridges to refugees seeking shelter.

“Each time I hand out a meal, I feel a mix of gratitude and strength. I’m reminded of how far I’ve come, and I’m inspired and proud knowing that I can now be the one who offers hope,” she reflects.

“I’m sure it’s not much, but I want to do as much as I can. Whatever you can do, you should do it—out of conviction, not because of any fame or money attached to it. You should just do it because it’s truly the right thing to do,” she adds.

Looking ahead, she hopes to expand both her restaurant chain and her cycle of care. “That’s why I keep on opening my shop. It’s not just for me; it’s also to inspire other people to give back,” she envisions, ensuring the resilience born in Kai Tak would continue to nourish generations to come.

Edited by Mike Chu

Sub-edited by Pauline Yau

A Vietnamese vlogger: “I love Hong Kong!”

April 14, 2026

Loyal Hong Kong fan, Vietnamese travel vlogger Nguyễn Lan Minh shares her love story with the city.

By Fami Nguyen

Hong Kong travel vlogger Nguyễn Lan Minh met nearly 100 TVB actors in 2025, including Moses Chan Ho, Linda Chung Ka-yan, Raymond Lam Fung, Helena Law Lan, Nancy Sit Ka-yin, Felix Wong Yat-wah and many more. For the 32-year-old office worker from Vietnam, it is a memorable footnote in her 25-year love story with Hong Kong.

“There are many cities which are more beautiful and modern than Hong Kong. But for me, nowhere gives me this special feeling. Only Hong Kong!” She says.

The Hong Kong loyal fan has come to Hong Kong 18 times in the past nine years, including seven trips alone in 2025. Her company supports her by allowing her to work during her stay in the city.

Her journeys are made possible by a three-year multiple-entry tourist visa that she received in 2025, which allows stays of up to 14 days for each visit. She makes the most of this visa, spending all her permitted days in the city and returning every two months.

Each 14-day trip to Hong Kong costs her between VND 30 million to 35 million (approximately US$1,200 to $1,400). She pays for all her trips without accepting advertising or sponsorship from any brands.

The media administrator for an IT company in Vietnam dedicates all her time outside of work to “Long Nhong Hong Kong”, a Facebook page that has over 29,000 followers.

Nguyễn Lan Minh, and two co-founders of “Long Nhong Hong Kong”, Phát, and Thi, in the 2018 trip to Hong Kong

In 2018, she came to Hong Kong with two childhood friends who share the dream nurtured by TVB. They had so many photos, videos, and memories that they decided to create the Facebook page in 2019 to make a record of the trip.

Nguyễn collaborates with an artist to sell Hong Kong-themed stickers and key chains to sustain the Facebook page. “Others might use their channel to earn money. I make money to feed this channel,” she says.

On the page, Nguyễn shares daily images and street scenes in Hong Kong. For example her breakfasts at Hong Kong cafes or known as Cha Chaan Teng, elderly couples holding hands on the street, trams, the bustling flow of people in Hong Kong, and even the colourful manhole covers in Central, along with her experiences meeting celebrities and stories with local people.

The post of highest interaction, with 8,000 likes is the farewell post for the late actor Benz Hui Shiu-hung in October 2025. Besides that, her everyday life and street videos are the most popular posts on her page, with approximately 300,000 views and 2,500 likes.

“Many followers have messaged the page saying that they see a Hong Kong they love on screen, now much closer and more familiar through my films. I film as I go, but I don’t post immediately. I focus on enjoying Hong Kong while I’m there. I edit and share the videos after I return to Vietnam,” she says.

After visiting more than 20 famous tourist spots and islands like Peng Chau, Lantau, and Lamma, Nguyen shares,: “I am done with the stage of visiting touristy spots in Hong Kong. I now just enjoy sitting by Victoria Harbour, riding the “ding ding” tram and seeing the city, or feeling the first raindrops of a storm. I just need to be in Hong Kong, just seeing Hong Kong is enough.”

Nguyễn Lan Minh prayed at Wong Tai Sin Temple in 2023

She often visits temples and her favourite one is the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Kowloon. “I believe that if you keep loving, dreaming, and praying, your dreams can come true, and I always pray that I will have more opportunities to return to Hong Kong,” she says.

The travel vlogger’s love story with the city began when she started watching the “Journey to the West” (1996 and 1998) from TVB with her grandmother when she was six years old. “That time, watching TVB dramas with my granny was the happiest period in my memory,” she says.

She lost her grandmother when she was nine and her old home to a landslide the following year. The world of TVB dramas then became a treasure trove, keeping her cherished childhood memories alive.

“Before I even knew where Hong Kong was on a map, I knew what it looked like and what its people were like. I had a dream that I must get to Hong Kong before turning 25. I wanted to go to the city that has a big role in my childhood memories,” she says.

She saved up for years, but when she contacted a travel agency for a visa in 2015, her application was not approved. “They said that as a young and single woman who had never travelled abroad, applying for a visa to travel alone was not easy,” she says.

On February 9, 2017, Nguyễn finally set foot in Hong Kong with her elder brother. “Why does Hong Kong look exactly like the old neighbourhood I have lost?” She wondered when she found the architecture and the atmosphere of her vanished childhood home in the old quarters in Hong Kong.

She was overwhelmed by a feeling of déjà vu that went beyond the movies when she walked on the street for the first time in Hong Kong.

Nguyễn Lan Minh and her elder brother came to TVB headquarters for the first time travel to Hong Kong in February 2017

She visited the TVB headquarters on her first trip to Hong Kong. “The first time I saw the TVB building with its mascot on the rooftop from afar, I stood there and cried. I never imagined that the land I saw on the small screen when I was a child would now appear before my eyes. Even my brother thought I was crazy for crying just from seeing the TVB building,” she recalls with laughter.

In 2019, she began learning Cantonese, taking classes twice a week for six years. “I feel incredibly happy to be able to speak Cantonese, even if it’s just a simple phrase like ‘Jo-sun’ or Good Morning in Cantonese,” she shares.

This effort has helped her connect with local Hong Kong residents. Nguyễn met a Hong Kong family at the Doraemon exhibition at K11 MUSEA in August 2024. They kept in touch and became close friends. In 2025, Nguyễn celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas with the family.

“I believe that if I treat Hong Kong gently, Hong Kong will reciprocate with the sweetest treatment,” the travel vlogger asserts.

Looking ahead, Nguyễn’s heart-compass remains firmly pointing at Hong Kong, but she has no plan to move to the city. “What I have now is already beyond my imagination,” she says.

“I feel the term ‘travel vlogger’ is too strong for me. I don’t see exploring Hong Kong as a job. I record these videos purely out of my genuine love for Hong Kong. I consider myself a Hong Kong lover,” she says.

She encourages others with similar dreams not to compare their journeys to others but to bravely pursue them. “I believe if you have Hong Kong in your heart, you will get to Hong Kong. Everyone has a different path,” she says.

For Nguyễn Lan Minh, the future is a continuation of a love story, one where Hong Kong only needs to be Hong Kong, and she is simply happy to be there.

Edited by Christine Ge

Sub-edited by Winnie Li

Beat Scalpers by Going Abroad

April 14, 2026

Hong Kong fans prefer watching concerts overseas than buying scalped tickets in the city.

By Rita Yau

Instead of paying a scalper HK$7,000 (US $897.72) for a concert ticket, Nic Chau spent HK$11,000 (US $1410.6) to watch YOASOBI concerts in Singapore and Jakarta in a seven-day trip.

Chau planned to watch the concert in Hong Kong. He tried to purchase concert tickets the moment sales opened at noon on September 4, 2024 via the KKTIX platform.

But he failed. Tickets were sold out in three hours.

“When I checked on Carousell and Facebook, tickets selling at HK$1,480 (US $189.8) were resold for about HK$6,000 – 7,000 (US $769.47-897.72),” he recalls.

Ticket scalping is the practice of reselling event tickets. Scalpers usually buy tickets in bulk and resell them, leaving fans unable to purchase directly through official channels. Scalped tickets are usually sold at prices significantly above their original value, with markups averaging 49% but sometimes exceeding 1,000%, depending primarily on the event’s popularity, timing, and seat location.

“Ticket scalping should not be encouraged. The money doesn’t go to performers but those illegal scalpers,” Chau says.

“The price of a scalped ticket equals the cost of airfare and two concert tickets in Singapore and Jakarta. So why not go to overseas concerts instead? I also got the chance to visit other countries,” Chau adds.

He joined the online queue immediately when tickets for the concert in Singapore were still available on September 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. via the Ticketmaster SG platform.

“The sale was quite competitive. I waited for 30 minutes online before I managed to get the tickets,” he says.

Chau successfully purchased one VIP Standing ticket of the Singapore YOASOBI concert at face value HK$1,561.01 (US $200.19).

The venue of the YOASOBI concert in Jakarta. (Photo courtesy of Nic Chau)

For the Jakarta concert, the situation differed. Sales there began on October 12, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. through the official website yoasobiinjakarta.com.

“I didn’t buy tickets for the Jakarta concert immediately after the sale started. The cheapest ticket sold out on the first day, but tickets of other kinds were available for over a week,” he recalls.

From February 22 to 27, 2025, he spent four days in Singapore and three days in Jakarta, spending about HK$11,000 (US $1410.6) in total for attending two concerts in Singapore on February 23, 2025 and another in Jakarta on February 26, 2025.

Fans attending YOASOBI concert in Singapore. (Photo courtesy of Nic Chau)

The following table is the breakdown of his expenditure:

K-pop fan Lai Wing-sze also gave up getting tickets for the 2NE1 concert in Hong Kong and flew to Kuala Lumpur for the show instead. The cost of her entire trip was HK$4,000 (US $512.98) cheaper than a single scalped ticket.

Lai first attempted to buy tickets for the 2NE1’s Hong Kong concert of Asia Tour <Welcome Back> on October 23, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. through the Cityline platform as soon as sales started.

“I checked the ticket page to queue as soon as ticket sales started. All tickets were sold out in an hour. I still failed to reach the website page for buying tickets,” Lai recalls.

She then searched for tickets through scalper chat groups on Telegram.

“The official price of a ticket was HK$2,299 (US $294.84), but scalpers were selling up to about HK$10,000 (US $1,282.45). It is just ridiculously expensive,” she says.

Lai then found out it was a much better deal to watch the concert outside Hong Kong.

“It is much more worthwhile to buy overseas concert tickets at the original price and turn it into a trip. No matter where I go, it still beats paying HK$10,000 just to watch a single show in Hong Kong,” she says.

The ticket sale of the Kuala Lumpur concert began on December 17, 2024 at 11 a.m. via the GoLive Asia platform.

“When the concert tickets in Kuala Lumpur went on sale, my friend managed to buy two and she asked if I wanted to go. I said yes right away,” Lai recalls.

They successfully purchased two VIP Soundcheck tickets at face value HK$2,531.01 (US $324.59).

Lai travelled to Kuala Lumpur from January 31, 2025 to February 3, 2025 and attended the 2NE1 concert on her second day. The entire trip cost her around HK$6,000 (US $769.47) in total, HK$4,000 (US $512.98) less than the price of a scalped ticket for the same concert in Hong Kong.

The following table is the breakdown of her expenditure:

In Hong Kong, ticket scalping is illegal. Section 6 of The Public Entertainment Ordinance (Cap. 172) states that no person shall sell or offer tickets with a price higher than the fixed amount set by the event organizer held at licensed venues. Any person who violates will be fined HK$2,000 (US $256.49).

Fans unable to purchase tickets for Hong Kong concerts

But this rule does not cover venues run by the Leisure and Culture Services Department such as the Hong Kong Stadium and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

Since the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park last year, online concert ticket scams have increased significantly, surging 60% to 2,805 cases. The police urge the public to avoid purchasing or obtaining tickets through channels not authorized by the event organizers to prevent falling victims to scams and incurring losses.

In an operation near Kai Tak Sports Park on April 8, 2025, police arrested six people for allegedly selling two Coldplay concert tickets at a price above face value. Tickets originally priced at HK$399 (US $51.06) were being sold for HK$1,499 (US$191.82), a markup of 2.7 times.

Edited by Christine Ge

Sub-edited by Alexa Lau

Great Wall of Curriculum

March 26, 2026

Foreign teachers in China struggling with tighter control in classrooms.

By Victoria Zhang

English teacher Isabella Green* from the United Kingdom, who has taught in China for 14 years, finds tighter control over curriculum and classroom teaching in international schools for Chinese nationals.

“After I started teaching at an international school for Chinese citizens for the semester of 2020-2021, I realised we weren’t supposed to host Western celebrations such as Christmas and Halloween. It’s because the people from the Education Bureau say celebrating these events in school is forcing Chinese citizens to celebrate events that are not of their own culture,” Green, who has worked at an international school for Chinese nationals since 2020, says.

“Nobody really cared about what the schools did or did not do before 2021. This is because the rules were mainly enforced by the people the Education Bureau sent to monitor the school. After 2021, they started monitoring us more and more, so we have to follow the rules,” she says.

Mainlanders come to Hong Kong to celebrate Christmas as they are not allowed to publicly celebrate western holidays

Green started teaching in China in 2012 at an international school for foreign passport holders which is not regulated by rules that apply to international schools for Chinese nationals like where she works now.

“In the school for foreign nationals, we can celebrate Western holidays and teachers have shorter workdays in general as the students don’t have evening study,” she says.

There are two types of international schools in China. Expat schools, which are for students with foreign citizenship, are not required to follow the Education Bureau’s rules and regulations, while private bilingual schools or international schools with Chinese and foreign nationals are under the Education Bureau’s restrictions.

In 2003, international schools for Chinese nationals were required to have both a Chinese principal and a foreign principal, with department regulators visiting for inspection.

Green recalls the practice was not strongly enforced before 2021. Spot checks without prior notice and inspections of these schools have become more frequent in recent years.

“Starting from 2021, students in compulsory education (Grade 1-9), are required to learn the Chinese curriculum for the Zhongkao, (Junior High School Scholastic Aptitude Examination) and Gaokao, (Nationwide Unified Examination for Admissions to General Universities). But the exams are in English. To cope with that, we teach those materials mixed with a bit of A-Level materials,” the teacher shares.

In May 2021, the revised Regulations on the Implementation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of Privately-Run Schools announced that foreign curriculum (such as A-Level and International Baccalaureate) should not be used for compulsory education in international schools for Chinese nationals.

Official statement: Foreign curriculum is not to be used for compulsory education.

Green points out foreign curriculum is only used as supplementary learning. The number of English classes is capped at four per week for Grades 7 to 9 students, three for Grades 4 to 6, two allowed for Grades 1 to 3.

“I think it’s because the Education Bureau wants to give more time for the compulsory grade students to learn the Chinese curriculum. They teach subjects like Chinese history and politics,” Green shares.

According to a statement issued by the General Office of the State Council in 2022, the change is made to lighten students’ and parents’ academic and financial burdens, students spend the most time studying English during after-school tutoring.

Official reason for limiting English lessons: to relieve students’ and parents’ burden of after-school tutoring

“As the students don’t have great English foundations, the allowed number of English classes is not enough. We would change the name of English lessons to ‘reading’ or ‘literature’ to help them get ready for exams. It is vital for the students if they were to take a foreign graduation exam,” she says.

In 2025, there were 1,124 international schools in China, with the annual tuition fee ranging from RMB ¥120,000-¥200,000 (US $17,219-$28,699).

Michael Porter* also shares that international schools for Chinese nationals are under tighter control and inspection than before.

The former chemistry teacher and principal who worked at an international school for Chinese nationals from 2020 to 2025, says the Education Bureau quite liked the school song when the school was set up in 2020.

“But when they found out it was a religious hymn, they decided it wouldn’t be appropriate so we stopped the idea. In these situations I thought it would be better to respect the country’s values than to push back,” Porter recalls.

“There is a saying that the further away from the capital the school is, the less important the policies were and more local interpretation. For example, rules might be looser in Shenzhen and Guangzhou compared to areas closer to the capital,” he says.

The former principal also shares that rule changes are based on the will of the Chinese principal and their relationship with the Education Bureau.

“If he (a school principal) has great relations, his school can do things others can’t do and trouble would be solved with a drink at the bar. Students might have different experiences based on how under the microscope the school is,” he shares.

Porter states that his school’s main goal is to make profit, and satisfying parent and students’ requests is his main priority as a principal. But with contradicting voices and changing rules, his job is very difficult.

“To cope with the regulation on foreign curriculum, we kind of tread a grey area where we try to combine the foreign and Chinese curriculums. We split students into classes based on English proficiency. Those with lower English proficiency are taught mainly in Chinese, those with higher English proficiency are hopefully taught all in English,” he says.

“We need to find middle ground for everything. We try our best to incorporate international experience while following the rules,” he adds.

Qin Rongfang, a parent with both sons, aged 18 and 19, enrolled in international schools, shares that she hopes her sons can have a wider social network so they can look at things from different perspectives of the world by attending international schools.

But her goal is not achieved.

“My son enrolled in his first international school in 2020 and went there for a year. The principal was from the United Kingdom, then he was replaced by a Chinese principal who added many rules such as mandatory evening study until 9 p.m. and no devices. It felt like the school changed into a Chinese public school,” Qin says.

Qin recalls many foreign teachers left, and the remaining of the lessons were taught by local teachers. Parents were not happy and changed schools for their children, leading to the school’s closure in 2022.

“The education was not very international. It’s literally studying a foreign curriculum (A-Level) in the traditional Chinese school system,” the mother of two says.

“My sons gave up the ZhongKao exam in 2021 as the schools said it was not necessary for their students. After seeing that international education in China wasn’t like what we expected, it was too late to go back to public schools,” Qin says.

Qin Rongfang’s 18-year-old son using Chinese to help study English materials

Qin shares that her youngest son’s lacking English skills makes it hard to study for his upcoming A-Level exam. He needs to use Chinese books to help him understand the English A-Level materials.

“That has caused a lot of frustration, and fellow parents have shared that our children’s education journey should not be this complicated. After all, we paid 140k a year for the tuition fees,” she says.

*Names changed at the request of interviewees

Edited by Alexa Lau

Sub-edited by Flavia Zhou

Representing Germany abroad

March 16, 2026

The German Consul General in Hong Kong shares her diplomatic work around the world, and what inspired her to become a diplomat.

By Jette Kremer

The life of German Consul in Hong Kong, Dr. Annika Bolten-Drutschmann, is defined by constantly moving between countries. Be it in Indonesia, Russia or Iraq. Her job has just taken her to Hong Kong.

“In my job, there is actually no typical day here at the Consulate General in Hong Kong – and I enjoy that a lot,” she says adding her work varies from political analysis , writing reports, organising events, accompanying delegations or networking or filming a video.

After being stationed in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, alone, where she had a personal protection detail 24/7, Dr. Annika Bolton-Drutschmann, a German Consul General, is enjoying the peaceful lifestyle in Hong Kong with her family.

Hong Kong’s hiking trails and orderly public transport offers comfort for her demanding work.

“On the weekends, I am always on the way up somewhere on the hiking trails with my husband and kids,” she says. She also spends a lot of time in Happy Valley where the kids play football. She cites Dragon’s Back as one of the trails on her bucket list.

“What really impresses me is the calm and mutual respect with which Hongkongers board public transport,” she says. She also loves the strong walking culture and how often she sees elderly people exercising taking care of their health.

“I believe taking responsibility for one’s own body at an elderly age is something that aging societies like Germany and Hong Kong can greatly benefit from,” she says.

Her love for the city extends to its food culture, “My children love dim sum and are big fans of the chain Tim Ho Wan. And the other thing they really love is eating hot pot in Tsim Sha Tsui. That is an absolute highlight for them,” she says.

With locals being pragmatic, she has found Hong Kong an enjoyable place to live in, and a fascinating place for diplomatic work.

“Hongkongers are goal-oriented, reliable and open,” says Bolton-Drutschmann.

“Sometimes I am a little surprised that Hongkongers are even more rule-loving than Germans,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve also consistently encountered a great willingness to find pragmatic solutions, and I really appreciate that,” she adds.

Citing developing the ties between Germany and Hong Kong as her major duty, the Consul General says, “I believe that Hong Kong and Germany share an interest in preserving Hong Kong’s unique characteristics that are foundational to its success.”

She points out Hong Kong has an international character with its multiculturalism, rule of law, financial sophistication and the excellence of science and research institutions in the city.

“In this quintessential geoeconomic city, it is particularly interesting in the current geopolitical context. So, along with good international schools for my children and a good quality of life, Hong Kong is a very attractive package for me,” she says.

Bolten-Drutschmann dreamt of becoming a diplomat representing her home country and living in a foreign land when listening to a former German ambassador BBC Radio Four in the UK when she was a student.

“From then on, this curiosity about the world out there basically never let go of me. All my career plans and considerations when I did my European Baccalaureate in Italy always had an international dimension,” she remembers.

She was also inspired by the program to devote to the country she was born in.

“He explained very effectively to a British audience how Germany works, conveying an image of my country that was very close to how I see Germany: a cosmopolitan, liberal country committed to peace, democracy, and freedom. A country that is successful precisely because of its diverse society, a society that worked through the painful lessons from the Holocaust and German crimes during the Second World War,” she says.

“This image was not widespread in the UK at that time. That’s why this task of explaining Germany abroad, of representing a modern Germany in the world, seemed to me to be a really exciting, important but also challenging task,” she adds.

Bolten-Drutschmann joined the Federal Foreign Office in 2008. Her positions took her to Singapore, Jakarta and Moscow. One of the most challenging but also rewarding roles was her time as Chargée d’affaires at the embassy in Baghdad.

She explains, “It is very important for us as diplomats to stay well-connected to life and institutions in Berlin. Hence it is key that after four to eight years abroad we spend some time back at the capital before being posted again.” She expects to represent Germany in Hong Kong for the next four years.

To be a good diplomat, Bolten-Drutschmann says, “You need somebody who can balance interests and build trust whilst also having a very clear compass based on the interests and values of the country they represent.”

“When it comes to one’s own compass, you need, above all, integrity. The diplomatic lifestyle requires flexibility, a lot of curiosity and resilience. As a diplomat, one must not forget that our status derives from our assigned function,” she says.

What is not clear is where she and her family will go after this. The Consul General would like to continue to work on Asian affairs but it depends on what positions are free.

“It’s the challenge of constantly familiarising yourself with new topics, new countries, new networks, and also acquiring new skills, like karaoke singing, the ability to play golf or acquiring knowledge of local art and crafts,” she shares about the charm of her job.

“Depending where you are, these skills help you to work effectively … always having a steep learning curve ahead of me is something I find incredibly fascinating and motivating,” she adds.

Her children turn out to be her best teachers when she tries to learn new things in new places.

“I believe that culture shocks are largely reserved to us adults. Children approach other people and other cultures with far less prejudice. They are more open-minded and find it easier to adapt. I learn a lot from my children in a new place. They observe life around them with great attention to detail and oftentimes perceive things very differently,” she says.

Looking back on her own path, her advice for students is to seek out interesting experiences.

“The main point is that you should really use this time before you enter the profession to really invest in yourself and all your strengths. This means learning languages and gaining overseas experience, for example,” she says.

“You shouldn’t always follow the well-trodden path. A less used path may be more challenging but it offers new experiences, which may give you more valuable insights into your own interests, abilities and ambitions than following the crowd,” she adds.

For Bolten-Drutschmann, home is not a single place. “It’s really where the people who are important to me are,” she shares, but it is also a personal ritual. “It is always a special moment when the moving boxes are delivered and my books are back on the shelves,” she adds.

“Perhaps, now that I think about it, there is one ultimate feeling of “being home”: When I have the opportunity to cycle through the bright yellow rapeseed fields of Schleswig-Holstein during bloom,” Bolten-Drutschmann explains with a smile.

Edited by Pauline Yau

Sub-edited by Mike Chu

A Taste of Germany in Hong Kong

March 13, 2026

A German Michelin chef shares his story of opening a restaurant in Hong Kong.

By Jette Kremer

Moving from a village of 800 citizens in central Germany to Hong Kong, a metropolis of 7.5 million citizens might sound unreal to some, but not to Peter Find.

Also known as “Chef Peter” on his socials, Find, 60, born and raised in Bersrod in the southwest of the state of Hesse in Germany, moved to Hong Kong over 30 years ago.

Having worked in numerous Michelin-starred Restaurants in Europe, Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong, Find now runs restaurant HEIMAT, which was launched in 2022, in Central.

“Everything here is German from the glasses to the cutlery, even the potatoes. Those are very important to me. In my childhood I used to help my aunts during the potato harvest, and the best part was the breakfast. My aunts would always pack some fresh buns with homemade jam and bring it to the harvest,” he says.

A typical day starts at 10 a.m. for Find. “When my day ends a bit earlier, I am home around 10 in the evening, and sometimes when it gets late, I get home around 1am,” he says.

“Home is always cozy. A big hug. A place where you cook your favourite food, and I wanted my guests to feel exactly that, like coming home, having a feeling of belonging and being taken care of,” Find explains why the restaurant is called HEIMAT, or “home” in English.

To make sure his guests feel at ease and at home, Find greets and says goodbye to each guest.

“When you have a job that you like, you don’t look at the time or how tired you are. You just make sure you run a bit faster,” he says.

Most think German dishes are sausages or pretzels. By cooking dishes from all regions of Germany, Find wants to refute these stereotypes. The chef highlights, “It is a declaration of love to German cuisine. When I see my guests with finished plates or asking for more, that makes my day,” he says.

The warmly lit bar at restaurant HEIMAT, reflecting Chef Peter’s attention to detail

Being trained as a butcher when he was 14 for three years back in the 80s, followed by receiving training as a chef, Find found his passion in food. “I cooked for weddings in my village, for as many as 100 people. I was 17,” he recalls.

Find moved to Switzerland to work as a chef for two years in 1986 and 1987. During that time, he had to cook an eight course tasting menu on the weekends.

“It was nice, and it changed almost every week. It was stressful but I enjoyed it,” he says.

Eventually, Find made it to his first Michelin restaurant, the Altes Bauhaus in Eberbach in 1988. “Once you’re in, you don’t go back,” he says.

Having moved from Germany to Switzerland to London and back to Germany to work as a chef, Find found his way to Hong Kong in the 90s when the Asian wave hit German restaurants.

“Every fine dining kitchen started to experiment, and I realised I wanted to try more,” he says.

Find applied at different hotels varying from Macau to Thailand and Singapore where he eventually got accepted and from there referred to Hong Kong.

“Once I got the offer, I sold my car, hugged my mom and left, all within one year,” he says.

The inside of Chef Peter’s Restaurant HEIMAT and its cozy atmosphere

After working as a chef in Hong Kong for several years, Find made his way to Singapore and Macau and, in 2010, came back to Hong Kong.

“My wife is from here, and after working abroad for so many years, coming back to Hong Kong, and my wife, felt like coming home,” he says.

Chef Peter recently turned 60. “I was 29 when I moved to Hong Kong. I’ve been away longer than I was in Germany,” he says.

But there are also things he misses. From watching sports on Saturday evening or reading the sports section in the newspaper on Monday morning to the fresh baked buns from the bakery with homemade jam, or playing soccer with his friends.

“In a small village like mine, playing soccer was sacred. That was more important than going to church. These are things that are part of you, and of course, that is what you miss every now and then,” he says.

In Hong Kong one of Find’s favourite food spots is Chongqing Happy Valley. “I go there for the atmosphere and the pineapple buns, that one is really good there,” he recommends.

Another recommended food spot by Find is Feng Ming House Mong Kok. “They are open 24/7. It is incredible. I go there at least every two weeks to have dim sum,” he says.

What Find appreciates most about Hong Kong is the friendliness of Hongkongers. Be it a chat with the taxi driver about soccer or walking through a market and everyone greeting each other.

“It’s more about the human aspect of the city that I appreciate most, and less about the materialistic one. It’s these little moments with the people that make all the difference,” he says.

In the future, Find would like to open a restaurant in China.

“It is still a plan of mine but because Hong Kong is expensive we need to find a place a bit cheaper to rent than here. For now we will wait but it is still somewhere in our minds,” he says.

It can be seen with how much passion Find contributed to the diversity of Hong Kong and its melting pot of cultures. As Find put it very nicely during the interview, “If everyone had the same taste, everyone would eat the same thing. That wouldn’t be good either.”

Edited by Swara Sanket Kamble

Bringing Germany to Hong Kong and Beyond

March 11, 2026

Director of Goethe-Institute in Hong Kong shares his journey of cultural exchanges from Germany to the world, and how he thinks of Hong Kong as a work destination.

By Jette Kremer

Moving from Brazil, Latvia, Korea and then Hong Kong, Arendt Röskens, who is from Wilhelmshaven, a city in the north of Germany and around five hours away from Berlin, has lived in different parts of the world promoting German culture.

As the director of the Goethe Institute in Hong Kong, a significant part of his role involves meetings with cultural departments and artists to discuss new project ideas. He is deeply involved in designing these cultural initiatives, which he finds rewarding due to the curiosity and spontaneity of the Hong Kong people.

The institute, with 150 branches in 99 countries, is the official cultural institution of Germany, offering a platform for international cultural exchange as well as learning German.

The entrance to the building in which the Goethe-Institute is located

Events like German film screenings offer a glimpse of Germany while promoting language learning.

“The German language is not the central theme all the time but is always conveyed in some way,” he says. The director also enjoys attending various cultural events.

Röskens has to rotate every few years to different countries. He came to Hong Kong before settling in the city two years ago. “When I had to apply for a new position after my previous one, Hong Kong was advertised. I already knew Hong Kong and liked it a lot,” he says.

“In terms of work, Hong Kong is extremely interesting due to its rich and dynamic culture. Hong Kong’s global connection is strong, hence there is an interest in the exchange with Germany too,” Röskens says.

“With all the Filipinas and Indonesians working in households here, and the large Indian and Western communities, particularly from Anglo-Saxon countries, Hong Kong is already a huge melting pot. Of course, this is also evident in the culture, which is less strict in many respects than in other East Asian locations,” he adds.

The Goethe-Institute library offers a quiet space for exploring German literature and language

Based in Hong Kong now, Röskens particularly likes the natural beauty in the city and appreciates its large variety of landforms, from beaches to hills where there are hiking trails.

“It’s a city with a high quality of life. The infrastructure is very good. Everything works, from public transportation to healthcare,” he says.

Food is another highlight for him here. “Ichitora Ramen” in Wan Chai is his favourite food spot. “It is a vegetarian restaurant, which can be a little bit hard to find in Hong Kong, and they are very, very delicious,” he says.

Röskens finds it easy to build a social life in Hong Kong where English is one of the official languages. “There is no language barrier. One has the opportunity to build a diverse circle of friends here,” he says.

A glimpse into the art gallery space within the Goethe-Institute in Wan Chai

While enjoying all the fun living in the city, the 56-year-old father also faces challenges about handling family issues. “When you have children, for example, you are facing questions such as education. Is there a German-speaking school, or will the child go to an English-speaking school, or perhaps something completely different?” he says.

Another challenge, he shares, is the working opportunities for spouses. “They are generally not allowed to work outside Europe if they move with their spouses, only under specific circumstances such as an independent work visa,” he explains.

“You have to be aware that you’ll be moving again every time. You always have to start from zero. That takes a lot of energy. I really enjoy doing that. But you have to want it,” he adds.

It is not yet known where Röskens will be posted next. “When you go abroad, it’s important to have a job that you enjoy because otherwise you’re bound to suffer,” he said.

Edited by Mike Chu

Sub-edited by Alexa Lau