In 2025, Hong Kong's political landscape was shaped by key events, including the halted sale of ports in the Panama Canal by Li Ka-shing's firm and the conviction of Jimmy Lai in a national security trial.
A series of consequential political developments and controversies made 2025 a significant year for Hong Kong.
In March, Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings, owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing, disclosed a deal to sell its Panama Canal port interests to a BlackRock-led consortium. The transaction was caught in the crossfire of US-China tensions and eventually put on hold under pressure from Beijing.
Locally, the city held its second Legislative Council election under Beijing’s “patriots-only” overhaul, with voter turnout slightly surpassing the previous record low.
By the end of the year, former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was convicted in a high-profile national security trial, which again sparked a war of words between Beijing and several Western countries.
These events collectively shaped Hong Kong's political scene in 2025, intertwining geopolitical tensions, economic interests, and internal governance issues.
