In November 30, 2025, since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enforced the “Hong Kong version of the National Security Law” and prematurely ended the “One Country, Two Systems” in Hong Kong 27 years ago, Hong Kong has become increasingly mainlandized. I have paid little attention to the news from Hong Kong.
However, at the end of 2025, a piece of news from Hong Kong suddenly became the focus of global media attention. It was not about Hong Kong’s glory, but rather a great disaster – the unprecedented major fire in Hong Kong.
On November 26, a fierce fire broke out at Ho Fuk Yuen in the New Territories of Hong Kong, engulfing 7 out of 8 buildings, resulting in at least 128 deaths, 83 injuries, and 150 missing persons.
This is the second largest fire in Hong Kong’s history since the deadly fire that killed 600 people at the Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918.
This century-old fire in Hong Kong is not only a huge pain for the 1894 residents of Ho Fuk Yuen, but also for the over 7 million residents of Hong Kong, as well as for all conscientious people around the world who care about Hong Kong.
Why did such an unprecedented major fire occur in Hong Kong?
Many people are now discussing the cause of the fire. While this exploration is necessary, just focusing on immediate issues may lead to addressing symptoms rather than the root cause.
In my view, looking beyond immediate problems, this major fire is a tremendous disaster caused by the CCP’s replacement of “One Country, Two Systems” with “single-party dictatorship” in Hong Kong.
In 2019, Hong Kong witnessed the largest-ever anti-CCP protest, the Anti-Extradition Law Movement. This movement stemmed from the continuous erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms by the CCP since it took back Hong Kong on July 1, 1997.
At that time, the most significant demand of the Hong Kong people was opposing the extradition law amendment, which allowed the CCP to arrest and transfer individuals to mainland China for trial.
Hong Kongers were concerned that under CCP rule in mainland China, where there is no judicial independence, those sent from Hong Kong could potentially face being “disappeared,” with their basic human rights not guaranteed.
Facts have since proven Hong Kongers’ concerns to be valid.
Today in China, “disappearing” has become a common phenomenon, affecting not only ordinary citizens but also well-known individuals, whether innocent or accused of crimes.
For instance, China’s most renowned human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, has been “disappeared” for over 8 years; prominent private entrepreneur Ye Jianming, who accompanied Xi Jinping in meeting foreign presidents multiple times, has been “disappeared” for over 7 years. Peng Zhaizhu, who displayed “anti-Xi” slogans on a bridge in Beijing, has been “disappeared” for over 3 years. Even top CCP officials are frequently “disappeared.” Since 2023, the first “disappeared” top CCP official was Qin Gang, the youngest party and state leader personally promoted and utilized by Xi, who has been “disappeared” for 2 years and 5 months. By 2025, the highest-ranking official “disappeared” was He Weidong, a CCP Politburo member and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, specially promoted by Xi.
Reflecting back, the 2019 Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Movement was not just about fighting for the human rights of Hong Kongers; it also aimed to protect the human rights of mainland Chinese people, including high-ranking CCP officials.
However, the 2019 Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Movement was violently suppressed by the CCP. This indicates that the CCP fundamentally disregards the human rights of the people of Hong Kong.
On November 25, 2019, the results of the Hong Kong District Council elections were revealed: supporters of the Anti-Extradition Movement, the democratic camp, won by a large margin; while the pro-CCP establishment camp suffered a major defeat. In the 452 seats across 18 districts, the democratic camp took 388 seats compared to the establishment camp’s 59 seats.
This District Council election in Hong Kong took place amidst nearly six months of violent repression of the Anti-Extradition Movement by the CCP. This election result reflected the most authentic voice of the people of Hong Kong.
If the CCP truly respects the will of the Hong Kong people and follows their hearts, it should stop eroding the freedom of Hong Kongers, directly address their demands, and ensure the full protection of their human rights.
However, the CCP has never prioritized the “will of the people” and “popularity”; it only represents the “people,” makes decisions for the “people,” uses the “people” as protective “walls of iron” for the party, harvests them like “leeks,” exploits them as “ore,” and enslaves them as “donors” for live organ harvesting.
For the CCP, the benefits of “single-party dictatorship” lie in power, profit, and ideology. The single-party dictatorship the CCP practices in mainland China encompasses three monopolies: monopolizing power, the economy, and the “truth.”
The consequence of these three monopolies is that a tiny number of CCP privileged families amass vast wealth unjustly, profiting from national calamities, ill-gotten gains, and dishonest wealth.
When it comes to Hong Kong, in terms of power, the party governs all aspects of life in Hong Kong; in terms of profit, the greatest benefits of Hong Kong belong to the party, its officials, their families, or those loyal to the party; in terms of ideology, whatever the party says goes, true becomes untrue, and untrue becomes true.
The CCP adheres to the belief that “the party leads everything,” meaning the party wields absolute power, inevitably leading to absolute corruption. The consequence of the CCP leading everything in mainland China has resulted in it becoming the most corrupt party globally.
Now, regarding the Hong Kong major fire.
The fire at Ho Fuk Yuen in Hong Kong occurred during maintenance. The construction work at Ho Fuk Yuen involved power, with authorities from the Hong Kong Chief Executive down to officials from the Hong Kong Housing Department, Building Department, Fire Department, and Labour Department having the power to intervene. In terms of profit, it is said that the cost of maintenance was exorbitant, described as “astronomical.” The Owners’ Corporation commissioned the construction work to the Hung Yip Construction Company, with the costs involved reaching 330 million Hong Kong dollars, considered the most expensive in the maintenance plan. Both officials from the government and businesses could potentially profit from this situation.
On February 20, 2024, a long post titled “Hung Yip Construction Violated 140 Times + Using thinnest non-flame-retardant shade net, Strongly Demand Termination of HKD 330 Million Major Repair Contract” appeared on the Facebook group “Ho Fuk Yuen Residents Exchange Group.”
The post’s author attached screenshots of public records from the Building Department, fine and license revocation documents for Hung Yip as well as images of the flimsy shade nets on site (so thin they were see-through with no fire hazard warnings) and warned, “These nets melt as soon as they catch fire, engulfing all 8 buildings, and when the northeastern wind blows, the entire village could burn to the ground!”
On February 22, 2024, the then District Councilor for Tai Po and member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Wong Bik Kiu, publicly responded: “Some residents here are spreading misinformation, claiming that the shade nets will catch fire and that Hung Yip has issues, spreading fear. Don’t believe these rumors! The construction has been tendered and contracted; government departments are overseeing it, using compliant materials. Everyone can rest assured.”
On November 26, 2025, the major fire broke out at Ho Fuk Yuen, resulting in 128 deaths, 83 injuries, and 150 missing persons, leading to significant loss of life and property.
What caused the fire? Did Hung Yip Construction Company and Hong Kong government officials engage in substantial profiteering? Who within the Hong Kong government will take leadership responsibility? How will the government handle this fire?
Today’s Hong Kong government is essentially under the CCP’s influence.
Based on my understanding of the CCP, the Hong Kong government is likely to handle this in the manner of the CCP’s stability maintenance approach, shifting the blame onto a few “scapegoats,” while those truly responsible for the fire and those important officials who benefitted from the maintenance likely escape punishment.
Signs are already indicating that the CCP is moving in this direction.
Less than 24 hours after the fire, the Hong Kong Security Bureau swiftly arrested 2 directors and 1 consultant from Hung Yip, charging them with “culpable homicide.”
On the afternoon of November 28, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Tang Ping-keung, stated during a press conference that initial inspections revealed that the bamboo shade net used in the building had flame-retardant properties. It is believed that the fire initially started from a lower-level shade net, extended to other areas, and then ignited the foam boards sealing the windows and doors. Burnt bamboo branches fell, causing fires on other floors, spreading rapidly.
The authorities have chosen to blame the “bamboo shade net.”
Seasoned commentator Fang Wei posted screenshots of the investigative report by the Hong Kong government, marking key sections, and photos of the building after the fire, stating, “My questions are: 1, how come the flame-retardant nets that meet the requirements vanished after the fire? 2, why did the bamboo, which is highly flammable, remain intact after the fire? What is flame-retardant and what is flammable? 3, how did bamboo branches falling from a building set fire to the shade nets on a building several tens of meters away? Was this a horizontal fall?”
Former Beijing lawyer Lai Jianping remarked, “This fire in Hong Kong feels three parts natural disaster and seven parts human-made disaster. After the fire started, why were there no timely discoveries and reports made? What was the response time of the firefighters? Were the firefighting equipment and facilities sufficient? These factors are entirely man-made.”
Lai Jianping believed that the most critical aspects were the building materials and construction management. Since Hong Kong was completely taken over by the CCP, it has become a direct-controlled city of the CCP. Not only has it been assimilated legally with mainland China, but its ideologies and practices have mirrored those of the mainland, with deceitful practices, unscrupulous methods, deceit and deception, cut corners, illicit gains, and kickbacks.
However, the CCP will never acknowledge this.
In managing this fire incident, anything related to the party’s misuse of “power” (including negligence, malfeasance) and illegal gains of party officials or party loyalists (including bribery and other illicit flows of benefits), the party will spare no effort in concealing, evading, hoodwinking, making excuses, shifting blame, minimizing issues, or feigning ignorance.
Nevertheless, a few “scapegoats” may be made accountable for this unprecedented major fire.
Epoch Times, First to Report