Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Two property owners fined over $110,000 in total for carrying out unauthorised building works
The BD discovered certain UBWs at the two detached houses during a large-scale operation in September 2023 to inspect houses along the coastal area of Redhill Peninsula. Investigation by the BD found that the owners of the two houses had knowingly carried out the concerned building works without the prior approval and consent from the BD, contravening section 14(1) of the BO. Hence, the BD instigated prosecution action against the two owners under section 40(1AA) of the BO in August last year. The two owners were convicted and fined $30,000 and $82,980 respectively yesterday.
A spokesman for the BD said today (June 13), “The Redhill Peninsula incident reveals that coastal detached houses with UBWs or illegal occupation of government land can pose safety hazards and risks to nearby slopes. If such contraventions are discovered, the BD will take vigorous enforcement actions and instigate prosecution actions. Property owners should consult building professionals before carrying out building works to ensure compliance with the BO.”
The spokesperson said that these are the first two convictions for contravening section 14(1) of the BO in relation to the Redhill Peninsula incident. The BD has already instigated prosecutions against 30 detached houses on Redhill Peninsula, including the above two houses. Court hearings for these cases are being rolled out.
Pursuant to section 40(1AA) of the BO, any person who knowingly contravenes section 14(1) (i.e. commencement or carrying out any building works without having first obtained approval and consent from the BD), commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of $400,000 and to imprisonment for two years, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.
The Government has earlier on put forward proposals to amend the BO, including increasing the penalties to enhance deterrence against failure to comply with statutory notices or orders by the specified time and offences against serious UBWs. The Government is drafting the legislative amendments, with a view to submitting the amendment bill to the Legislative Council in the first half of 2026.
Issued at HKT 22:42
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Corporate intern scheme begins
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today officiated at the kick-off ceremony of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland & Overseas 2025.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan said the scheme has been well received by the youth and highly recognised by the participating corporates since its launch in 2018, with over 1,000 Hong Kong young people benefitting so far.
Twenty-eight corporates are participating in the scheme this year, providing internship placements covering financial services, innovation and technology, logistics, property development, construction, retail, hospitality, entertainment and public utilities.
The internship placements span different Mainland provinces and cities and overseas countries including Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Mongolia and Australia. The recruited interns will depart from June onwards to undertake internship placements of no less than four weeks.
Noting that the scheme is dedicated to bringing Hong Kong youth to “go global”, Mr Chan said the young people can accumulate work experience, broaden their horizons and expand their interpersonal networks via the internships, assisting them in planning their future.
Christopher Hui visits Norway
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said during his visit to Oslo, Norway, on June 11 and 12 that Hong Kong and Norway could create a powerful synergy to address global challenges with regards to climate change and digital transformation, leveraging the complementary strengths of the two places.
He was also pleased to note that after a meeting with the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, positive progress was made with the early signing of a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) between Hong Kong and Norway.
At a meeting with Norwegian State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Torgeir Micaelsen and Director General of Tax Law Department Omar G Dajani on June 12, Mr Hui called for an early signing of a CDTA between the two places.
Mr Micaelsen responded positively and indicated that they will look into the matter to expedite the process.
The treasury chief also told the gathering that Hong Kong had just been confirmed by the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation as being among the initial set of jurisdictions having set a target of fully adopting the ISSB Standards, affirming Hong Kong’s efforts and determination in supporting and promoting a common international language in sustainability disclosures.
To unlock new opportunities in the area of maritime finance, Mr Hui visited Norwegian marine and energy insurance provider Gard, which has a strong presence in Hong Kong’s marine insurance market and provides services to manage maritime risk for clients, by meeting its Chief Customer Officer Line Dahle as well as Vice President and Head of Analytics Sigvald Fossum.
He also met Vice-President and Director of Group Government and Public Affairs of DNV Lars Almklov. The global assurance and risk management company DNV has been recognised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority as an approved external reviewer for the Green & Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme.
Mr Hui told the management of the two companies that Hong Kong and Norway possess complementary strengths that can create a compelling case for financial co-operation. While Norway’s maritime industry is the cornerstone of its economy, Hong Kong’s maritime services industry is also a valued brand in the international arena.
Joint ventures in maritime insurance could combine Norway’s expertise in marine risk management with Hong Kong’s accessibility, creating comprehensive solutions for the sector and addressing the new demands arising from geopolitical and climatic challenges.
He highlighted that Hong Kong has a sophisticated ecosystem for ship financing and leasing, supported by tax incentives and its strategic location along global trade routes.
On June 12, Mr Hui paid a courtesy call to Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway Hou Yue.
He also had a meeting with Director of Politics & Society of Finance Norway Jan Erik Fane. Finance Norway is the industry organisation for the financial sector in Norway, representing banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions on regulatory, policy and industry developments.
Mr Hui noted that the Norwegian sovereign fund is one of the largest funds in the world and is positioned as a pioneer in responsible investing with a strong emphasis on environmental, social and governance principles.
He said that the shared focus of Hong Kong and Norway on sustainability creates significant opportunities for collaboration.
At a dinner reception co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, London, and the Norway-Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce on June 11, Mr Hui said that even though there is a geographical distance of around 8,600 km between Norway and Hong Kong, the two places share more commonalities in the financial market than perceived.
The first one is the commitment to green and sustainable developments. The other commonality is expertise in wealth management.
Mr Hui noted that Norway’s expertise in long-term asset management driven by its sovereign fund aligns seamlessly with Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier wealth management centre.
Capitalising on Hong Kong’s advantages of having a solid financial infrastructure and an extensive international client base, abundant co-investment opportunities are available for Norwegian capital in the Asian markets, particularly in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Mr Hui returned to Hong Kong this evening.
Speech by CE at Opening Ceremony of Chinese Culture Festival 2025 (with video)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Speech by CE at Opening Ceremony of Chinese Culture Festival 2025 (with video)
I would now like to turn to our English-speaking friends.
Welcome to the opening reception of the Chinese Culture Festival 2025.
Launched last year by the Government, the Chinese Culture Festival aims to showcase the remarkable virtues of traditional Chinese culture to the world. In 2024, we successfully presented over 250 performances and activities, attracting a substantial attendance of 900 000.
This year, the second edition of the Chinese Culture Festival will present more than 280 programmes and activities. To kick-start the Festival, this evening we are presenting a contemporary dance drama to you. Titled “Dongpo: Life in Poems”, this performance is brought to you by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, and uses a variety of innovative means to present Chinese poetry, calligraphy, painting and music.
Other Festival programmes include Chinese operas, local performances as recognised by the China National Arts Fund, as well as specially curated programmes co-organised with the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association and arts and cultural organisations.
Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong is the only world city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. We will make full use of Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange to promote the beauty of Chinese culture.
An important strategic direction featured in the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, published by the Government last year, is on the promotion of the profound traditional Chinese culture. I am confident that the Chinese Culture Festival will become a new major annual cultural event in Hong Kong, attracting not only local residents but also Mainland and overseas tourists with its vibrant programme.
I wish the Festival a resounding success, and all of you an enjoyable evening. Thank you.
Issued at HKT 20:00
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Innovation and Technology leadership series thematic seminar held to explore Hong Kong locally developed generative AI model technology and application (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Innovation and Technology leadership series thematic seminar held to explore Hong Kong locally developed generative AI model technology and application Issued at HKT 19:14
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HYAB Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 2025 officially kicks off (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Ms Shirley Lam, and representatives of participating corporates today (June 13) officiated at the kick-off ceremony of the HYAB Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 2025.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan said that the Scheme has been well received by the youth and highly recognised by the participating corporates since its launch in 2018, and has benefited over 1 000 Hong Kong youth so far. The Scheme is dedicated to bringing Hong Kong youth to “go global”. Through participating in summer internships, young people can accumulate work experience, broaden their horizons, gain a better understanding of the country and explore the world, and expand their interpersonal networks, which will help them in planning their future development.
Mr Chan expressed his sincere gratitude to the participating corporates for providing quality internship placements as well as comprehensive training and support to enable the smooth implementation of the Scheme. He highlighted that the Government will continue to rally the efforts of all sectors in society to nurture young people, supporting them to thrive and contribute to the development of the country and Hong Kong in future.
A total of 28 corporates are participating in the Scheme this year (refer to the Annex for the list of participating corporates). They provide internship placements covering multiple industries, including financial services, innovation and technology, logistics, property development, construction, retail, hospitality, entertainment and public utilities, spanning different Mainland provinces and cities and overseas countries, including Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Mongolia and Australia. The recruited interns will depart from June onwards to undertake internship placements of no less than four weeks.
Three senior appointments announced
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Government today announced the appointments of three senior officials.
Commissioner for Labour May Chan will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Education on July 2. She will succeed Michelle Li, who will begin pre-retirement leave on the same day.
Deputy Secretary for Health Sam Hui will take up the post of Commissioner for Labour on July 2.
On July 3, Head (Policy Coordination) of the Chief Secretary’s Private Office Kinnie Wong will take up the post of Registrar of Companies. She will succeed Helen Tang, who is on pre-retirement leave.
Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said the appointees are all seasoned administrative officers with proven leadership and management skills.
“I have every confidence that they will continue to serve the community with professionalism in their new capacity.”
On the retirements of the two senior officials, Mrs Yeung thanked them for each rendering over 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community and making significant contributions to the Government. She also wished them a fulfilling and happy retirement.
“During Ms Li’s tenure as Permanent Secretary for Education, she made commendable efforts in formulating and overseeing the implementation of various policies to promote quality education, developing Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent, and nurturing young people to become virtuous and capable lifelong learners with global competitiveness, positive values and love for our country and the city.
“She made valuable contributions to enhancing the quality of education, strengthening the professionalism of teachers, enhancing governance of schools and institutions, expanding vocational and professional education and training, promoting the internationalisation and diversification of the post-secondary sector, as well as catering for students with diverse learning needs.”
Regarding Miss Tang, the civil service chief said that during the latter’s tenure as Registrar of Companies, she capably led it in providing efficient, cost-effective and quality services for companies.
“She also paved the way for the company re-domiciliation initiative in Hong Kong, which complements the Government’s efforts in proactively attracting enterprises and investment.”
SFST made positive progress with signing of CDTA with Norway during his visit
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SFST made positive progress with signing of CDTA with Norway during his visit
To unlock new opportunities in the area of maritime finance, Mr Hui met with the Chief Customer Officer, Ms Line Dahle, and Vice President and Head of Analytics, Mr Sigvald Fossum, of Norwegian marine and energy insurance provider Gard, which has a strong presence in Hong Kong’s marine insurance market and provides services to manage maritime risk for clients. He also met with the Vice-President and Director of Group Government and Public Affairs of DNV, Mr Lars Almklov. The global assurance and risk management company DNV has been recognised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority as an approved external reviewer for the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme.
Mr Hui told management members of the two companies that Hong Kong and Norway possess complementary strengths that can create a compelling case for financial co-operation. While Norway’s maritime industry is the cornerstone of its economy, Hong Kong’s maritime services industry is also a valued brand in the international arena. Joint ventures in maritime insurance could combine Norway’s expertise in marine risk management with Hong Kong’s accessibility, creating comprehensive solutions for the sector and addressing the new demands arising from geopolitical and climatic challenges. He highlighted that Hong Kong has a sophisticated ecosystem for ship financing and leasing, supported by tax incentives and its strategic location along global trade routes.
On June 12 (Oslo time), Mr Hui paid a courtesy call to the Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway, Ms Hou Yue.
He also had a meeting with the Director of Politics and Society of Finance Norway, Mr Jan Erik Fane, and other management staff. Finance Norway is the industry organisation for the financial sector in Norway, representing banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions on regulatory, policy and industry developments.
Mr Hui noted that the Norwegian sovereign fund is one of the largest funds in the world and is positioned as a pioneer in responsible investing with a strong emphasis on Environmental, Social and Governance principles. He said that the shared focus of Hong Kong and Norway on sustainability creates significant opportunities for collaboration.
At a dinner reception co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, and the Norway-Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce on June 11 (Oslo time), Mr Hui said that even though there is a geographical distance of around 8 600 kilometres between Norway and Hong Kong, the two places share more commonalities in the financial market than perceived.
The first one is the commitment to green and sustainable developments. Hong Kong is striving to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, and the Government launched a roadmap last December to require publicly accountable entities (PAEs) to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards – Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) and to provide a well-defined pathway for large PAEs to fully adopt the ISSB Standards no later than 2028.
Just last week, Hong Kong issued a new round of Government green bonds and infrastructure bonds to channel market capital to support green projects and promote sustainable developments in Hong Kong. This round of bonds amounts to a total of around US$3.5 billion, denominated in Hong Kong dollars, Renminbi, US dollars and euros. The offering attracted participation from a wide spectrum of investors from more than 30 markets across Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the Americas, with total orders amounting to an equivalent of around US$30 billion, representing a subscription ratio of almost nine times.
The other commonality is expertise in wealth management. Mr Hui noted that Norway’s expertise in long-term asset management driven by its sovereign fund aligns seamlessly with Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier wealth management centre. Capitalising on Hong Kong’s advantages of having a solid financial infrastructure and an extensive international client base, abundant co-investment opportunities are available for Norwegian capital in the Asian markets, particularly in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
More commonalities lie in fintech and digital finance. Norway is a highly digitalised economy that has fostered advancements in mobile payment systems, blockchain technology, and digital asset management. At the same time, Hong Kong is home to around 1 100 fintech companies and start-ups. The Government endeavours to boost fintech developments through measures such as enhancing fintech infrastructures, nurturing talent, establishing regulatory regimes for digital assets such as the stablecoin regulatory regime to be enacted on August 1. The second edition of a policy statement on digital assets will also be promulgated soon. By combining Norway’s technological innovation with Hong Kong’s access to Asian markets, the partnership could drive cutting-edge solutions that redefine digital finance on a global scale.
Mr Hui has returned to Hong Kong in the evening of June 13.
Issued at HKT 18:33
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Beware of fraudsters posing as HKMA staff
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
​The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has received enquiries from members of the public about fraudsters posing as HKMA senior staff, issuing forged documents falsely claiming that certain securities or investment companies are “recognised financial institutions”, in an attempt to deceive members of the public into placing funds with these securities companies as a prerequisite for loan approval.
The HKMA wishes to clarify that the above schemes are fraudulent, and the HKMA will not contact individual members of the public regarding personal financial matters.
Should members of the public wish to verify whether an institution is authorized by the HKMA, they should refer to the Register of Authorized Institutions and Local Representative Offices available on the HKMA website.
The HKMA has reported the case to the Hong Kong Police Force.
Members of the public who suspect that they have become victims of any fraudulent acts should contact the Police or the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012 for follow-up actions and investigation by the Police.
Import of poultry meat and products from Kirklees District of West Yorkshire County in UK suspended
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Import of poultry meat and products from Kirklees District of West Yorkshire County in UK suspendedIssued at HKT 18:12
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 13) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Kirklees District of West Yorkshire County in the United Kingdom (UK), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 210 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 440 000 poultry eggs from the UK in the first three months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the British authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Issued at HKT 18:12