Month: June 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025 co-organised by the Highways Department and the Hong Kong Institution of Highways and Transportation opened today (June 12). Themed on “Building Smart and Green Transport Infrastructure”, the conference takes place on two consecutive days at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with over 30 Mainland, overseas and local experts in road and railway development and industry leaders leading nearly 700 participants to jointly explore the latest worldwide practices and technological advancements of smart and green transport infrastructure, as well as the development direction of future major transport infrastructure in Hong Kong through thematic speeches and panel discussions. Representatives from various consulates, industry leaders, scholars and government officials also attended the conference this morning.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, officiated at the ceremony and said that roads and railways have long been the backbone of economic growth and social advancement. In the era of rapid technological advancement and growing climate urgency, the infrastructure has to be built smarter and greener, and the key strategy amidst is the planning approach of transit-oriented development which integrates high-density urban development with efficient public transport systems. Mr Chan also said that Hong Kong is happy to share the experiences on professional knowledge and expertise in transport infrastructure with the world. Taking the Northern Metropolis as an example, he mentioned that the development of this future major innovation and technology hub of Hong Kong with a projected population of 2.5 million and over 650 000 new jobs will be “infrastructure-led” and “capacity-creating”. He indicated that Hong Kong is committed to making the transport systems smarter and greener, and the Government also invests heavily in technology areas, including AI and robotics, new energy and new materials, and more; they will contribute to enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the transportation system. He also pointed out that Hong Kong is Asia’s leading green bond market, accounting for nearly half of the region’s total issuance. The city is also pioneering innovative financing models to unlock capital for global infrastructure development.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today held the first round of LexGoTech Roundtable to explore the opportunities and challenges brought about by lawtech and artificial intelligence.

Deputy Secretary for Justice and Chairman of the Consultation Group Cheung Kwok-kwan noted that the legal sector in Hong Kong is welcoming a new era, with lawtech reshaping the delivery of legal services.

He said lawtech will strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Hong Kong’s legal professional services and solidify the city’s position as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

The department established the Consultation Group earlier this year, comprising representatives from the legal and dispute resolution sector, law schools and experts on lawtech applications, to explore ways to promote the integration of legal services and lawtech in Hong Kong.

To further enhance the sector’s understanding of the application of lawtech, Mr Cheung said the DoJ organised the roundtable following the Consultation Group’s recommendations and plans to hold a series of related events this year.

In the long term, the department will promote the connection between lawtech service providers and legal practitioners, enhance the capabilities of legal professionals in lawtech, and disrupt traditional work models in the legal sector to create an ecosystem conducive to the development of lawtech in Hong Kong.

Mr Cheung highlighted that the DoJ has been sparing no effort to promote lawtech and support the development of online dispute resolution and transaction platforms.

The department has also launched the LawTech Fund and the Hong Kong Legal Cloud services to subsidise small and medium-sized law firms and chambers in enhancing their information technology capabilities, benefitting over 4,000 local legal professionals to date, he added.

The roundtable engaged legal professionals from the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Small & Medium Law Firms Association of Hong Kong.

They exchanged views on the risks associated with the use of lawtech and discussed how to embrace the era of artificial intelligence through policies, hardware and software upgrades, and capability building.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The total number of reported drug abusers in the first quarter of 2025 was 1,644, lower than the figure of 1,738 for the same period in 2024, the Action Committee Against Narcotics announced today.

According to data from the Central Registry of Drug Abuse, the number of reported drug abusers aged under 21 in the first quarter of 2025 was 285, with 128 of them having abused “space oil”.

“Space oil” has replaced cannabis to become the most common type of drug abused by young drug abusers, followed by cannabis and cocaine. 

The Government has listed the drug’s main ingredients – etomidate and its three analogues metomidate, propoxate and isopropoxate – as dangerous drugs, as regulated under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO).

The Government also plans to list the remaining etomidate analogues as dangerous drugs, and consulted the Legislative Council Security Panel on the matter earlier this month.

Action Committee Against Narcotics Chairman Donald Li said the committee fully supports the Government’s proposal.

“Apart from the legislation, the committee will continue to carry out relevant publicity and education work,” he said.

On the enforcement front, the total number of people arrested for drug offences in the first quarter of 2025 was 940. Of these, 140 are youngsters aged under 21.

“Space oil”, cannabis and cocaine were the main drugs involved in these arrests. In court cases concluded in the same period, the conviction rate of those prosecuted for drug offences was as high as 86%.

With the summer holidays approaching, the Security Bureau reminded youngsters not to participate in drug trafficking out of greed or by way of gambling on their luck.

Youth is not a valid mitigating factor for drug offences, and pleas of ignorance are no way to avoid legal liability, the bureau added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region:

     The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that a thematic exhibition will be held at the National Security Exhibition Gallery to mark the fifthth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. The opening ceremony of the thematic exhibition was launched today (June 12) at the Hong Kong Museum of History, and the exhibition is now open to all Hong Kong citizens.  
 National security is the bedrock of national rejuvenation, and social stability is a prerequisite for building a strong and prosperous China. The overarching principle of “one country, two systems” is to safeguard national security, sovereignty and development interests.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Authority will launch a new round of the Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) Flats in the third quarter offering a total of 2,576 flats from the new GSH project Wang Chi Court in Kowloon Bay.

The GSH 2024 will also involve rescinded or unsold flats which were first put up for sale under GSH 2020-21 and GSH 2022, and a new batch of recovered Tenants Purchase Scheme flats.

The Wang Chi Court flats have saleable areas of about 17.9 sq m to about 43.3 sq m. More than a quarter of them are large flats, with saleable areas of about 41.8 sq m to about 43.3 sq m.

Pursuant to the prevailing pricing mechanism, GSH flats will be sold at a discount greater than that in the preceding Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) sale exercise. As the discount rate for the sale of HOS 2024 flats was 30%, the discount rate for all GSH flats offered under this sale exercise will be set at 40%.

The selling prices of Wang Chi Court flats range from about $1.15 million to about $3.49 million, the authority added.

As an enhancement measure, this sale exercise will allocate an extra ballot number to applicants who had failed to purchase a flat in GSH 2022 and GSH 2023, so as to increase their chances of success.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government has welcomed the publication today of jurisdictional profiles by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, with Hong Kong being confirmed as one of the first jurisdictions to set a target of fully adopting the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure (ISSB) Standards. 

The Government said this demonstrates the city’s commitment to enhancing the transparency of information on sustainablity in capital markets, enabling investors to make informed investment decisions.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said the IFRS Foundation’s confirmation affirms Hong Kong’s efforts and determination to support and promote a common international language on sustainability disclosures.

“It also demonstrates Hong Kong’s strengths in the field of sustainable finance, helping to consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international sustainable finance hub.

“As a leading international financial centre, Hong Kong will continue to be at the forefront in aligning with international standards and promoting market best practices.”

The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants published in December last year the Hong Kong Sustainability Disclosure Standards (Hong Kong Standards), which will be effective from August 1 this year. These standards are fully aligned with the ISSB Standards.

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau also launched, in December last year, a Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure in Hong Kong, which sets out Hong Kong’s approach to requiring publicly accountable entities (PAEs) to adopt the ISSB Standards, and provides a well-defined pathway for large PAEs to fully adopt these standards no later than 2028.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) noted at its meeting today (June 12) the figures of the Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CRDA) and other drug-related figures for the first quarter of 2025. ACAN noticed that the total number of reported drug abusers in the first quarter of 2025 was lower than that of 2024. However, the figures tend to show greater volatilities in the first quarter of each year. The ACAN will closely monitor the situation in the remaining quarters of 2025, and will at the same time continue to carry out its anti-drug work.
 
Figures from the CRDA revealed that the total number of reported drug abusers in the first quarter of 2025 was 1 644 while that of the same period in 2024 was 1 738. The most common type of drug abused in the first quarter of 2025 was heroin, followed by cocaine and cannabis.
 
The number of reported young drug abusers aged under 21 in the first quarter of 2025 was 285, of which 128 abused the “space oil drug”. The “Space oil drug”, followed by cannabis and cocaine, has replaced cannabis to become the most common type of drug abused among reported young drug abusers.
 
Regarding the main active ingredients currently found in the “space oil drug”, the Government has listed etomidate and its three analogues (metomidate, propoxate and isopropoxate) as dangerous drugs, which are regulated under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO) (Cap. 134). The Government plans to list the remaining etomidate analogues as dangerous drugs, and has consulted the Legislative Council Panel on Security earlier this month.
 
The Chairman of ACAN, Dr Donald Li, said, “When facing the ‘space oil drug’, the Government should not lower its guard. ACAN fully supports the Government’s proposal to list all etomidate analogues as dangerous drugs under the DDO, with a view to nipping this drug abuse problem in the bud. Apart from the legislation, ACAN will continue to carry out relevant publicity and education work.”
 
On the enforcement front, according to the figures from the law enforcement agencies, the total number of persons arrested for drug offences in the first quarter of 2025 was 940. Among them, 140 of them are youngsters aged under 21. The “space oil drug”, cannabis and cocaine were the main drugs involved in these arrests in the first quarter. According to the court cases concluded for the same period, the conviction rate of persons being prosecuted for drug offences was as high as 86 per cent. As for young offenders aged under 21 who were sentenced to imprisonment for drug trafficking, more than half of them were sentenced to over five years in prison, and the longest imprisonment was 20 years.
 
A spokesman for the Security Bureau (SB) said, “As the summer holidays approach, we remind youngsters not to  participate in drug trafficking out of greed or gambling on luck, including giving out their addresses for receiving ‘drug parcels’ and joining free trips to transport dangerous drugs across borders as ‘drug mules’. Young age is not a valid mitigating factor for drug offences. A plea of ignorance is not an excuse to avoid legal liability. Young drug offenders will also be sentenced to lengthy imprisonment.”
 
Moreover, the spokesman reminded youngsters that they need to stay vigilant at all times when travelling outside Hong Kong, with a view to avoiding drug traps when trying something new. Foods and drinks, or even health supplements, skincare products (such as facial masks, massage oil), etc, may contain dangerous drugs. Products that are marked with the words “CBD”, “THC”, “cannabis”, “cannabinoids”, “ganja”, “hemp extracts” or “marijuana”, or with a picture of a cannabis leaf, may contain substances that are illegal in Hong Kong or prohibited for transit at the airport. Members of the public are reminded to pay close attention to product labels during online or in-store shopping. If in doubt, members of the public should not risk purchasing, consuming or bringing these products back to Hong Kong to not to breach the law inadvertently. Information and a video about examples of CBD products have been uploaded onto the Narcotics Division’s (ND) dedicated webpage about CBD (www.nd.gov.hk/en/CBD.html) for the public’s reference.
 
The ACAN also noted the findings of the 2023/24 Survey of Drug Use among Students (Survey). The Survey is a triennial research project conducted by a research institute commissioned by the ND of the SB, with the aim of obtaining the latest drug taking trends in students and knowing more about students’ knowledge of drugs as well as their attitudes towards drug taking. Such information assists the Government in formulating anti-drug initiatives that would respond better to the actual situation. The Survey successfully surveyed 99 600 students from upper primary to post-secondary levels, accounting for about 15 per cent of the student population in Hong Kong.
 
The Survey results indicated that the proportion of students who claimed to have taken dangerous drugs rose to 2.7 per cent from 2.5 per cent in the previous survey (i.e. the one conducted in 2020/21). Psychotropic substances are the most common types of drugs abused by these students. These findings are in line with the statistics recorded by the CRDA.
 
The CRDA figures for the first quarter of 2025 are available on the ND’s website (www.nd.gov.hk/en/index.html).
 
The ND’s website, as well as its official accounts (narcotics.divisionhk) on Facebook and Instagram, also contain detailed information about dangerous drugs including the “space oil drug” for reference by the public.