Mainland Chinese Turn to Hong Kong Banks Amid Economic Uncertainty: Insiders Highlight Capital Transfer MethodsDue to a weakening domestic economy and declining Yuan value, mainland Chinese citizens are increasingly setting up bank accounts in Hong Kong to seek better interest rates and invest in financial products as a hedge. Following new foreign exchange restrictions by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), individuals have engaged in “ant migration,” which involves bypassing official channels through various methods, including informal money exchanges, to funnel money into Hong Kong. Insiders reveal that these unofficial channels often have tacit approval from high-ranking CCP officials. Veteran banker Victor Ng Min-tak asserts that such fund outflows to Hong Kong could not occur without some level of CCP involvement, stating that officials selectively “give the green light” to these transactions....

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Neon Lights Depicting Hong Kong Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Lights up in SydneyA neon light exhibit depicting a detained Nobel Peace Prize nominee will be shining in Sydney’s CBD until this year’s prize is announced. Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-shut pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, is facing a trial in December on one charge under the British colonial-era sedition law and three charges under the city’s national security law, including collusion with foreign forces. The 75-year-old media tycoon, one of the most prominent Hong Kong critics of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership, including CCP leader Xi Jinping, was arrested in August 2020 for violating the national security law—a law with vaguely defined crimes and often used to stamp out dissent by the Beijing-controlled Hong Kong authorities....

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No Cause Given for Deaths of High-Ranking Officials and Celebrities in ChinaBetween Aug. 22, 2023, and Sept. 8, 2023, at least 19 high-ranking officials and celebrities passed away in China in just 18 days. All of them were members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Chinese regime has largely stopped the customary practice of mentioning the cause of death in obituaries, as the actual death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic is being kept as a state secret. Meanwhile, the EG.5 variant of COVID-19 has become the dominant strain in most provinces of China. Netizens from across the country have been sharing instances of themselves or people they know are contracting the virus for the third time. CCP’s Continued Coverup Since the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the CCP has been under fire for withholding information about the outbreak from the public....

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ANALYSIS: Evergrande Bankruptcy Linked to Xi's Purge of Political RivalsAs the bankrupt Evergrande Group struggles in an abyss of colossal liability, Chinese news media and online platforms have been inundated by rumors about the property conglomerate’s founder, Xu Jiayin (also known as Hui Ka Yan). As various stories swirl, one thing is certain: like everything in China, Mr. Xu’s fortunes, and those of his company, are tied to those of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Some political observers say Evergrande’s collapse is evidence of a fierce power struggle within the highest echelons of the CCP. Mr. Xu may have been caught between top CCP boss Xi Jinping and former vice president Zeng Qinghong—with whom Mr. Xu has close ties. Mr. Zeng and his supporters have been repeatedly targeted by Mr. Xi’s moves to consolidate power....

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