The sleeping dragon is now wide awake. China is rapidly industrialising and growth rate trends are spectacular.

The countries sportsmen and sportswomen are not getting left behind either. We have the mouth watering prospect of China topping the medals table in the next Olympics, scheduled for Beijing in 2008 (and if that's news to you then you really have been in hibernation).

The Chinese rugby team will have their work cut out at this weekends Hong Kong 7's World Cup though. Whilst they have shown great advances in recent years they are not quite ready to topple England off their thrown just yet. Mind you, recent 6 Nations results have suggested the only thrown England are still sitting on is this one:-

BLACKWHITE. Hong Kong enters the contrary world of George Orwell’s 1984. Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie acknowledged that the government has adjusted its understanding of the Basic Law. Now, having listened to mainland legal experts, she has seen the light and realises that the law should be interpreted in a way contrary to its literal meaning. So now, while the Basic Law still says five years, it really means two years. Five is two. Black is white. Blackwhite means not only a loyal willingness to say that black is white when party discipline demands this. But it means also the ability to believe that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary.
Observer Frank Ching, SCMP 15 March 2005

Monitor with Jake van der Kamp. Cathay Pacific, our very own airline, Hong Kong's flag carrier (chorus, please), has just reported its second-highest annual profit in history, earnings before tax of $5.02 billion, up from $1.76 billion last year. And how much did this loyal corporate citizen pay back to its home country in Hong Kong profit tax? Your answer is a grand total of $55 million, representing an effective profits tax rate here of 1.1 per cent. But things are looking up. This was $5 million more than last year. jake.vanderkamp@scmp.com SCMP 11 March 2005

Bulletin Board Postings & Responses

1 Letter from Denna Jones for Blueprint
2.When black is really white
3.More Government Gall for PPP
4.VW Passat 1.8T 1998 for sale

RUGBY  - click here for Trevor's Dream Team

News Headlines

Use harbour in cultural plans, urges architect
CHLOE LAI, SCMP 15 March 2005
The unique visual impact of Victoria Harbour rivals Manhattan and should not be left out of any cultural plans, celebrated American architect Frank Gehry said yesterday.

Public would prefer a park on West Kowloon site, says group
CHLOE LAI , SCMP 14 March 2005

The West Kowloon waterfront site designated to be a cultural hub should be turned into an open green park, a citizens' group said.

Long wait for diagnosis of harbor health
Chester Yung, The Standard 14 March 2005

A team of 10 marine scientists are investigating whether the government's multibillion-dollar scheme to clean up Victoria Harbor is cost-effective. AFP

Cultural hub faces delay
Sylvia Hui, The Standard 14 March 2005
Tsang likely to drag out West Kowloon to avoid row on single-developer approach.

Swire airs lofty aims for Castle Steps site
ERNEST KONG , SCMP 12 March 2005
The Mid-Levels skyline will take on a new dimension after Swire Properties yesterday finally completed the acquisition of a Castle Steps site, clearing the way for a luxury 63-storey residential tower.

$1b plan to revamp Shamshuipo site
ELAINE WU , SCMP 12 March 2005

The Urban Renewal Authority has proposed demolishing 17 old buildings in a rundown area of Shamshuipo in a $1.1 billion project that would create 390 flats.

Swire plan cuts runway into islands
CHLOE LAI and ERNEST KONG

An artist's impression of the Swire redevelopment, showing how the Kai Tak runway would look divided into islands.

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