Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Ombudsman probes enhanced management of countryside ancillary tourist facilities to pursue “tourism is everywhere” (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Ombudsman probes enhanced management of countryside ancillary tourist facilities to pursue “tourism is everywhere” (with photo)
The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (May 29) announced the launch of a direct investigation operation to examine the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s management of countryside ancillary tourist facilities to align with its efforts to develop green tourism and the pursuit of the ideas of “tourism is everywhere” and “sightseeing all over Hong Kong”.
In recent years, the Government has actively promoted green tourism to attract visitors from around the world to explore Hong Kong’s natural landscapes. Some hiking routes, such as Dragon’s Back, have been hailed by international media as the best in the city. Country parks and ancillary facilities, including hiking trails, toilets, rubbish bins, emergency distress facilities, drinking water stations, and signage, are primarily managed and maintained by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), while the Civil Engineering and Development Department and the Home Affairs Department are also engaged in related work. In addition, the AFCD, in collaboration with the Tourism Commission, has implemented the Enhancement of Hiking Trails programme since 2018 to improve the ancillary facilities of hiking trails in country parks, which are popular with and appealing to tourists.
However, the Office has noted from media reports the relevant departments’ failure to properly manage and maintain ancillary tourist facilities in countryside areas. Issues include inadequate toilets and poor hygiene conditions, and scattered and rarely updated information on transportation and location of toilets and water filling stations in country parks. Moreover, there have been incidents where damaged hiking trails remained unrepaired and neglected, and fallen trees were unremoved for months after typhoons, extremely heavy rain or landslides, posing potential risks to hikers and visitors. Furthermore, the Office has from time to time received complaints about the slow progress of countryside facility maintenance and insufficient supporting resources, such as delays in rain shelter repairs and insufficient publicity for visitor centres.
Mr Chan said, “Proper management of countryside ancillary tourist facilities not only helps protect the safety of hikers and visitors but also enhances the outdoor experience for members of the public and tourists, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s appeal as a green tourism hotspot. I have noticed that, for example, during the recent Labour Day Golden Week with many people and tourists travelling to the countryside to enjoy the beautiful mountains and coastal scenery of country parks, problems such as garbage accumulation and traffic congestion emerged. I consider it essential to examine how to improve the ancillary facilities in the countryside, so as to ensure that all these facilities function effectively and are maintained in safe and good condition, and information for visitors is accurate and clear. In this light, I have decided to launch a direct investigation operation to examine the work of the AFCD and other relevant departments on the management and maintenance of countryside ancillary tourist facilities, the dissemination of information on hiking activities and countryside facilities, particularly safety-related information for hikers, as well as the division of responsibilities and co-ordination among different departments regarding the management and maintenance of relevant facilities. Where necessary, pertinent recommendations will be made for improvement.”
The Ombudsman welcomes views from members of the public on this topic. Written submissions should reach the Office of The Ombudsman by June 29, 2025:
Address: 30/F, China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Centre
168–200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
Fax: 2882 8149
Email: di483@ombudsman.hk
Issued at HKT 11:00
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Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to stage Henan Yuediao opera plays for first time in Hong Kong in June (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will stage Henan Yuediao opera, a regional operatic genre rarely seen by Hong Kong audiences, for the first time in late June. Shen Xiaomei, currently the leading exponent of the Yuediao opera, will lead a group of outstanding artists from the Henan Provincial Yue Diao Art Protection and Inheritance Center to Hong Kong to perform the classic plays “Jiang Wei Surrenders” and “Li Tianbao Gets Married”, showcasing the unique and traditional artistic charm of Yuediao opera with the best line-up of the troupe. This programme is also one of the 13th Chinese Opera Festival (COF) and the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month 2025 events.
Henan Yuediao is one of the three major Chinese opera genres in Henan Province. With a history of more than 300 years, it was inscribed onto the First National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006. Known for its distinctive vocal styles and intricate musicality, Yuediao opera is celebrated for possessing the rich artistic charm of “nine vocal tones, 18 variations, and 72 ending utterances”. The Shen School of Henan Yuediao has gained acclaim for its “Three Kingdoms” repertory, and Shen Fengmei, the founder of the Shen School, was famous for her unique portrayal of Zhuge Liang in female “xusheng” (bearded male) roles. —————————————————–
Date and time: June 27 (Friday), 7.30pm———————————————————
Date and time: June 28 (Saturday), 7.30pm
HKMA and HKUST sign MoU to advance cybersecurity innovation for Hong Kong’s financial sector (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKMA and HKUST sign MoU to advance cybersecurity innovation for Hong Kong’s financial sector (with photo)Issued at HKT 10:37
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Fatal traffic accident in Mong Kok
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Fatal traffic accident in Mong Kok
At 3.16am, a private car driven by a 46-year-old male police officer was travelling along Nathan Road towards Yau Ma Tei. When approaching the junction of Nathan Road and Prince Edward Road West, the private car reportedly knocked down a 60-year-old foreign man who was crossing the road.
The man was trapped under the private car and subsequently rescued. Sustaining multiple injuries, he was rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 4.34am.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, Kowloon West is under way.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 9062.
Issued at HKT 8:32
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Government welcomes passage of Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government welcomes passage of Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025Issued at HKT 19:54
The Government welcomed the passage of the Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025 by the Legislative Council today (May 28) to implement the proposal in the 2025-26 Budget to increase the air passenger departure tax (APDT) from $120 to $200 per passenger. It is anticipated that government revenue will increase by about $1.6 billion per year. The new tax rate will be applicable to air tickets purchased on or after October 1, 2025.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Government has struck a balance between increasing revenue and minimising the impact on passengers when considering increasing the APDT. The impact of the increase on the overall cost of travelling for air passengers (including tourists) is minimal.”
The Bill also streamlines the Government’s financial arrangement for paying administrative fees to the airlines and helicopter company. It empowers the Financial Secretary to approve their retention of part of the APDT collected for offsetting the administration fees payable by the Government to them, and provides that the retained fees do not form part of the general revenue under the Public Finance Ordinance (Cap. 2).
The Bill passed will be gazetted on June 6.
Ends/Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:54
Issued at HKT 19:54
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Notice of website maintenance
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
Notice of website maintenance
Date：2025-05-16
Data Source：Public Diplomacy Coordination Council
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (www.mofa.gov.tw) and its subdomains, including the Youth Programs website (www.youthtaiwan.net) and the Minister’s Mailbox (eyes.mofa.gov.tw), will be unavailable due to maintenance work from Friday, May 23, 19:00 (Taipei time) to Saturday, May 24, 20:00 (Taipei time). We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Yuen Long Swimming Pool to reopen tomorrow
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Yuen Long Swimming Pool to reopen tomorrowIssued at HKT 22:12
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State visit by Palauan President Whipps concludes; successfully deepens bilateral relations
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
State visit by Palauan President Whipps concludes; successfully deepens bilateral relations
Date：2025-05-24
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
May 24, 2025No. 173President of the Republic of Palau Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. and his delegation concluded a successful state visit to Taiwan on the morning of May 24. Following President Lai Ching-te’s December visit to Pacific allies entitled “Smart and Sustainable Development for a Prosperous Austronesian Region” and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung’s January trip to Palau as special presidential envoy and head of an industrial fact-finding mission, this visit marked the further deepening of diverse and robust cooperation between Taiwan and Palau under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. It also underlined the significant accomplishments that the two countries had achieved thanks to their staunch commitment to jointly promoting sustainable development. During his visit, President Whipps met with President Lai, attended a state banquet, and together with President Lai witnessed the signing of bilateral agreements on technical cooperation and diplomatic staff training and cooperation. Accompanied by Minister Lin, President Whipps also visited industries related to the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in central and southern Taiwan. The tour reflected Taiwan’s continuing efforts to strengthen the resilience of Palau’s tourism-centered economy through integrated diplomacy and demonstrated the substantive success of bilateral collaboration.Leaving Taiwan today, the Palauan delegation was seen off at the airport by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Remus Li-kuo Chen. Since establishing diplomatic ties 26 years ago, Taiwan and Palau have enjoyed a solid friendship, mutual trust, and steadfast cooperation across all domains. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to uphold the close and cordial cooperative partnership between the two countries, promote the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, and deepen bilateral relations. It will also work with Palau to advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (E)
Former President Tsai visits UK Parliament and delivers speech at LSE, deepening bilateral ties
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
May 20, 2025
No. 165
Former President Tsai Ing-wen visited Europe from May 10 to 19, traveling to Lithuania and Denmark before continuing to the United Kingdom. On May 15, the first day of her stay in the United Kingdom, she visited the UK Parliament at the invitation of British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Cochairs Sarah Champion MP and Lord Rogan. She was warmly welcomed by parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.
The former president met with House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and took part in a reception at the House of Lords, where she delivered a speech. She exchanged greetings with nearly 50 parliamentarians and staff, including former Lord Speaker Baroness D’Souza, House of Lords Deputy Speaker Baroness Finlay, Trade Envoy to Taiwan Lord Faulkner, Labour Friends of Taiwan Chair Navendu Mishra MP, former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Conservative Shadow Minister for Innovation and Technology Ben Spencer MP, and Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller MP.
In her address at the House of Lords, former President Tsai said that the growing threat of antidemocratic forces was testing democracy around the world, adding that this demonstrated the need for Taiwan and the United Kingdom to work together in defense of freedom and democracy. She commended the House of Commons for passing a motion last November clarifying that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 made no reference to Taiwan. This was important in countering reckless behavior in the Taiwan Strait, she explained. Highlighting Taiwan’s position on the front line of defending democracy, former President Tsai said that Taiwan was a critical deterrent to China’s expansionist ambitions and would continue to contribute to protecting democratic values.
APPG Cochair Champion noted that Taiwan and the United Kingdom had a deep friendship and shared core values. She said that the United Kingdom should continue to pay attention to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which she added were essential to global security and prosperity. Cochair Champion noted that in recent years the Taiwan-UK partnership had deepened. She expressed hope that cooperation would expand in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, economic resilience, and other areas.
Former President Tsai also delivered a speech titled “In an Era of Shifting World Order: Taiwan as a Stabilizing Force” at her alma mater, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The event was moderated by incoming LSE Law School Dean Andrew Murray, who represented the university and LSE President Larry Kramer. Around 100 people, including General Counsel Elizabeth Messud, attended the speech. In her remarks, former President Tsai noted that the international community was experiencing a reassignment of security responsibilities and a rebalancing of trade relations. She said that to appropriately respond to multiple challenges such as economic fragmentation, political extremism, and military conflict, the function of multilateralism was becoming even more important. The former president emphasized that Taiwan had shown a high degree of resilience in turbulent times in the past, such as during supply chain restructuring, and had proven to be a trustworthy and competitive strategic partner. She added that Taiwan was ready to play a more proactive role in the new world order by further deepening cooperation with democratic countries and contributing to the global trade system. Her remarks were enthusiastically received by the audience.
During her visit to the United Kingdom, former President Tsai also gave an address at Cambridge University, met with faculty and students at the School of Oriental and African Studies, attended a forum hosted by the Royal United Services Institute, and met with Taiwanese people working in the United Kingdom on technology startups and in the arts.
Taiwan-UK relations have witnessed significant progress in recent years. In 2023, the United Kingdom signed the Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement with Taiwan, becoming the first European country to establish a formal economic and trade framework with Taiwan. The United Kingdom is Taiwan’s fourth-largest trading partner in Europe, third-largest source of investment, and fifth-most popular destination for Taiwanese students studying abroad. The countries collaborate closely in fields such as technological innovation, renewable energy, and societal resilience. Taiwan will further work together with the United Kingdom and other like-minded countries to advance democratic resilience and prosperity. It looks forward to the United Kingdom continuing to demonstrate its commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region by deploying naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait and taking other concrete actions.