Month: July 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Jointly presented by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the “Bank of China (Hong Kong) Presents: National Development and Achievements Series – Endless Exploration: The Journey of Chinese Aerospace, Aviation and Navigation” exhibition will be launched at the Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) from tomorrow (August 1) to September 7. This is the first time for Hong Kong to showcase the country’s achievements in these three major arenas in the same exhibition. Featuring a rich array of artefacts, models, graphics, videos and interactive exhibits, the exhibition not only presents important developments in relevant fields, but also aims to inspire the public, especially youngsters, with a passion for technological innovation while enhancing national confidence in science and technology.
 
     Addressing the opening ceremony today (July 31), the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that the Chang’e-6’s successful return to earth bringing lunar soil samples from the far side of the Moon last year represents a global first, underscoring China’s leading position in lunar exploration. Hong Kong is proactively integrating into national development matters and making significant contributions, with local scientists having the opportunity to participate in major national scientific research projects. These achievements affirm Hong Kong’s unique advantages in contributing to national development with an international vision. He further said that this exhibition showcases the remarkable achievements of the Chang’e lunar exploration programme as well as the country’s remarkable accomplishments in aerospace, aviation and navigation. It also highlights Hong Kong’s role as a cultural hub connecting China with the world, telling the good story of China and promoting patriotism to the public.

     Other officiating guests today included the Chief Engineer of the CNSA, Dr Li Guoping; the First-level Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Liu Maozhou; the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, Mr Sun Yu; the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Legislative Council Member, Dr Starry Lee; the Chairperson of the Science Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Alexander Wai; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; and the Museum Director of the HKScM, Mr Patrick Lau.
 
     This exhibition achieves several “firsts”, including the first concurrent display in Hong Kong of lunar soil samples collected from the far side and near side of the Moon by the Chang’e-6 and the Chang’e-5 respectively. Other exhibits debuting in Hong Kong include the Chang’e-6 returner and parachute, seawater samples collected from 10,000 metres under the sea, as well as models of the “three pearls” of the shipbuilding industry, namely an aircraft carrier, a luxury cruise ship and a liquefied natural gas carrier.
 
Moreover, the HKScM will display large-scale aerospace, aviation and maritime models concurrently, including an approximately 12m-tall 1:5 Long March-5 launch vehicle and a full-size Fendouzhe full-ocean-depth manned submersible with a length of approximately 10m displayed outdoors, as well as a 1:8 model of a Y-20 heavy lifter with a wingspan of approximately 6m displayed indoors for the first time.
 
     Apart from the exhibits from the Mainland, the exhibition also presents Hong Kong’s significant contributions to the space and deep-sea exploration projects of the country. There are also interactive exhibits, namely the “Lunar Base”, the “Zhurong Rover Expedition” and more, for visitors to experience the challenges of building a lunar base and exploring Mars.
 
Fixed-point guided tours will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays from August 9 to September 7. A series of lectures will be conducted on August 1 and August 4 by experts invited from the Mainland, who will share their knowledge of aviation, aerospace and navigation, as well as the achievements and future plans of the country in related fields. Members of the public are welcome to participate in the tours and lectures on-site. Other activities include experiment classes, workshops and demonstrations for the public to explore the scientific principles behind aviation and deep-sea navigation.
   
     The exhibition is jointly organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the News Center of the CNSA, as solely sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. It is one of the activities of the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit the HKScM website at hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/exploration2025.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Three incoming male passengers were sentenced to three to seven months’ imprisonment and fined between $1,000 and $2,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (July 30) and today (July 31) for importing or possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
 
Customs officers intercepted the three incoming male passengers, aged between 30 and 46, at Hong Kong International Airport on May 19 and July 23. A total of about 80 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 24 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $425,000 and a duty potential of about $264,000, were seized from their personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested.
 
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
 
Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
 
Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
 
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

To support World Breastfeeding Week, the Department of Health (DH) today (July 31), in collaboration with the Hospital Authority (HA), the Hong Kong Committee for United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association, held a celebration event for World Breastfeeding Week 2025 to fully promote and support breastfeeding.
 
World Breastfeeding Week is observed annually between August 1 and 7. The theme of this year is “Prioritise breastfeeding and create sustainable support systems”, which urges all sectors in the community to attach importance to breastfeeding, collaborate to provide comprehensive support to increase the sustainability of breastfeeding with the aim to enhance overall maternal and child health.
 
International research shows that breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. Breastmilk is safe, clean and contains antibodies which can help prevent many common childhood illnesses. Breastfed children perform better in intelligence tests, are less likely to become overweight or obese, and are less prone to develop diabetes later in life.
 
Speaking at the celebration event, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan, noted that cross-sector collaboration is crucial in achieving comprehensive support. The Government has long attached importance to the promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding, and has set up a multisectoral Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding to promote breastfeeding through collaboration and a multipronged approach.
 
The DH has fully launched and expedited the accreditation process for Baby-Friendly Health Facilities at its Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs). Seven newly accredited Baby-Friendly MCHCs this year received certificates from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association at the event today. Currently, there are 15 Baby-Friendly MCHCs under the DH, while the remaining 14 MCHCs are undergoing the accreditation process. All eight public hospitals with obstetrics departments under the HA have been accredited as Baby Friendly Hospitals (BFHs). Two private hospitals providing delivery services have also started the accreditation process, with one of them already accredited. The Government encourages more private hospitals to join the BFHs. A dedicated working group under the Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding has been set up to enhance and reinforce baby friendly measures at hospitals with maternity services. Accredited facilities have to formulate infant feeding policies and action plans, provide relevant training to staff members and continue to monitor the implementation of breastfeeding support measures, etc.
 
Apart from the healthcare systems, the Government is also committed to creating a breastfeeding-friendly environment. Since early 2019, the Government mandated the provision of babycare and breastfeeding facilities in the newly built government premises for public and staff members’ use. Separately, since 2017, the Government has specified detailed requirements in the Conditions of Sale of new commercial land sale sites, including the area and number of babycare facilities and/or lactation rooms that shall be provided in these commercial development projects. Regarding workplaces, the Government encourages the implementation of the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace policy. The DH issued guidelines for employers and employees with specific advice on supporting breastfeeding to enable working mothers to continue breastfeeding after returning to work. The Health Bureau, the DH and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF jointly launched the large-scale community-based campaign Say Yes to Breastfeeding since 2015 which aims to enhance breastfeeding support among premises and workplaces. 
 
Comprehensive support is also provided for premature and critically ill babies. Dr Fan expressed that the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank (HKBMB) which commenced service early this year, provides the best possible nutrition to many clinically needy infants through breast milk donated by selfless lactating mothers. The celebration event also invited breastfeeding families, a peer counsellor and a mother who benefited from the HKBMB, to share their experiences and feelings, with a view to reaffirming the importance of breastfeeding and appealing to family members, the community and workplace to support breastfeeding.
 
With the start of the World Breastfeeding Week, a series of promotional activities will be launched by the DH, including displaying of publicity materials across the territory, producing a new Announcement in the Public Interest for TV broadcasts and advocating breastfeeding through radio, newspapers, social media and webpages etc.
 
The Government will continue to encourage all sectors of the community to further promote, protect and support breastfeeding with a view to creating a breastfeeding-friendly environment and enhancing the sustainability of breastfeeding.
 
Members of the public can visit the thematic website www.fhs.gov.hk/wbw2025/index.html for more information on World Breastfeeding Week 2025.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The “National Development & Achievements Series – Endless Exploration: The Journey of Chinese Aerospace, Aviation & Navigation” exhibition will be launched at the Science Museum from tomorrow to September 7.

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said at the expo’s opening ceremony that the Chang’e-6’s successful return to earth bringing lunar soil samples from the far side of the Moon last year represents a global first, underscoring China’s leading position in lunar exploration.

He added that the exhibition showcases the remarkable achievements of the Chang’e lunar exploration programme and the country’s remarkable accomplishments in aerospace, aviation and navigation.    

The exhibition includes the first concurrent display in Hong Kong of lunar soil samples collected from the far side and near side of the Moon by the Chang’e-6 and the Chang’e-5 respectively.

Other debut exhibits include the Chang’e-6 returner and parachute, seawater samples collected from 10,000 metres under the sea, and models of the “three pearls” of the shipbuilding industry, namely an aircraft carrier, a luxury cruise ship and a liquefied natural gas carrier.

The expo will display large-scale aerospace, aviation and maritime models concurrently, including an approximately 12m-tall 1:5 Long March-5 launch vehicle and a full-size Fendouzhe full-ocean-depth manned submersible with a length of approximately 10m displayed outdoors, as well as a 1:8 model of a Y-20 heavy lifter with a wingspan of approximately 6m displayed indoors for the first time.

It will also present Hong Kong’s significant contributions to the space and deep-sea exploration projects of the country. Plus, interactive exhibits of the “Lunar Base”, the “Zhurong Rover Expedition” and more are available for visitors to experience the challenges of building a lunar base and exploring Mars.

Fixed-point guided tours will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays from August 9 to September 7. Additionally, lectures will be conducted tomorrow and on August 4, and the public is welcome to participate in lectures and tours on-site. Other activities include experiment classes, workshops and demonstrations.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Task Group on New Medical School convened its fourth meeting today to conduct an overall evaluation of the proposals for the establishment of the third medical school and discuss the next steps for the task group’s work.
 
The task group is co-chaired by Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin.
 
Previously, the task group had in-depth discussions with the three universities that submitted proposals, namely Baptist University, Polytechnic University and the University of Science & Technology. Subsequently, the expert advisors conducted a comprehensive review of the proposals.
 
Apart from carrying out an overall assessment of the proposals today, the expert advisors also initiated the next phase of follow-up work involving a thorough study of the proposals’ funding arrangements and financial sustainability.
 
A final recommendation on the establishment of the new medical school is expected to be provided to the Government later this year.
 
Prof Lo said: “We will consolidate the views of all task group members and submit our recommendation to the Chief Executive as soon as possible.
 
“The Government will thoroughly consider the task group’s report and announce the results in due course.”
 
Ms Choi thanked the expert advisors and members of the task group for their efforts and valuable professional input throughout the evaluation process.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The “space oil drug” has officially been renamed as etomidate to help promote anti-drug messages, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said today.
 
Mr Tang made the announcement when he spoke to the media this afternoon after attending the Fight Crime Committee meeting and explained the reason behind giving the dangerous drug a new name.
 
“When we look at the increase in drug offences, for the first half of 2025 we have 591 cases of serious drug offences. Among those drug (cases), one-fourth of them is relating to etomidate.
 
“Previously we called it ‘space oil drug’, and some of the drug traffickers make use of the name to promote a sort of fantasy and some positive feelings after taking drugs. I think this is absolutely wrong.
 
“Etomidate only brings you harm. It will make you behave abnormally, and will cause (defacement) in your appearance, such as losing hair. I think we have to properly name it as etomidate.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     All Members of the Seventh Legislative Council (LegCo) today (July 31) issued the following statement through the LegCo Secretariat:
 
     Safeguarding national security is the highest principle of “One Country, Two Systems”. All Members of the Seventh LegCo have full confidence that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) fully and faithfully implements, and resolutely protects the authority of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. This is also the constitutional duty and the bottom line of the HKSAR. The HKSAR Government and the governance team of the HKSAR, including LegCo, have resolute determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
 
     All LegCo Members stress that the Basic Law of the HKSAR of the People’s Republic of China (Basic Law) clearly stipulates that LegCo of the HKSAR shall be the legislature of the region. Fugitives endangering national security who fled overseas have been challenging the bottom line of “One Country, Two Systems” and the HKSAR’s national security. They blatantly organised the so-called “election” for the “Hong Kong Parliament”, seriously violating the Basic Law and the HKNSL, and undermining the Constitution and constitutional order of the HKSAR as established by the Basic Law. The unlawful election is nothing but a farce. Their aim was to disrupt the hard-earned stability and peace in Hong Kong, and attempted to commit the offence of subversion of state power, seriously endangering national security.
 
     Safeguarding national security is in line with international practice. LegCo Members firmly reject and castigate the biased, groundless, smearing and double-standard remarks by some politicians in western countries against the HKSAR Government’s lawful pursuit of individuals who endangered national security.
 
     The HKSAR Government’s decisive and swift law enforcement actions are not only righteous, but also reasonable, legal and constitutional. The actions are also widely supported by various sectors of the community. All LegCo Members fully support the Hong Kong Police Force in their lawful efforts to apprehend national security offenders who fled overseas. They also resolutely support the statement issued by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, and firmly support sanctions against the fugitives in order to safeguard national security and the stability of Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The value of total retail sales in June, provisionally estimated at $30.1 billion, was up 0.7% compared with the same month in 2024, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate for the month was 0.3% lower year on year.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales was up 0.3% in the second quarter compared with the first quarter, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales increased by 2.7%.

Online sales accounted for 8.5% of the total retail sales figure for the month. Provisionally estimated at $2.5 billion, the value of online retail sales rose 8.4% compared with a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased by 6.8%.

There were also increases in the value of sales in the following categories: “other consumer goods not elsewhere classified” (+7.2%); commodities in supermarkets (+0.4%); medicines and cosmetics (+6%); commodities in department stores (+5.7%); and optical items (+1%).

By contrast, the value of sales of apparel decreased by 4.3% for the period. Also down were sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-1.5%); electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (-9.3%); motor vehicles and parts (-6%); fuels (-8.7%); furniture and fixtures (-16.3%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-7.2%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-2%); and books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (-4.7%).

The Government said that retail sales have shown signs of stabilisation in recent months. Looking ahead, it expects that continued increases in employment earnings and a buoyant local stock market, coupled with the Government’s efforts in promoting tourism and mega events, as well as enterprises’ efforts to provide more diversified experiences, will support consumption.