Month: July 2025

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to AUKMIN joint statement stressing importance of cross-strait peace and stability

July 26, 2025  Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles met with United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs David Lammy and Secretary of State for Defence John Healey for the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) on July 25 in Sydney, Australia. 
 
Following the meeting, a joint statement was released underscoring the importance of cross-strait peace and stability, opposing unilateral changes to the cross-strait status quo, and expressing concern at China’s recent military exercises. The two sides also offered support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and reiterated that they would continue to strengthen relations with Taiwan in the areas of the economy, trade, science, technology, and culture. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomes and affirms this statement.
 
The United Kingdom and Australia are among Taiwan’s like-minded partners and share the universal values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. The joint statement confirms that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region is a global consensus. Taiwan is an indispensable member of the international community and will continue to work with like-minded democracies to defend the rules-based international order and strengthen democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to EU leaders expressing concern over Taiwan Strait situation at the 25th EU-China summit

July 25, 2025 

On July 24, European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy Kaja Kallas attended the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing. There they met first with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and later with Premier Li Qiang. 

In a press release issued following the summit, the European Union reaffirmed its consistent commitment to its “one China policy,” expressed concerns about increased tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and pointed out that heightened instability in the East and South China Seas threatened regional and global prosperity and security. In addition, the press release stressed that the European Union opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and insisted that disputes be resolved through peaceful means in accordance with international law. 

In recent years, the European Union has consistently paid attention to and showed support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. For instance, on three occasions since May last year, the European External Action Service (EEAS) expressed concern over China’s large-scale military drills targeting Taiwan and stated that the European Union had a direct interest in the preservation of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. In addition, the White Paper for European Defence—Readiness 2030, released this March by the European Union, expressed concern over China’s expanded coercion of Taiwan and emphasized that cross-strait peace and stability were of profound importance to Europe. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes and appreciates the fact that the European Union continues to take the opportunity during high-level talks with China to directly express the importance it attaches to cross-strait peace and stability, as well as its opposition to unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force or coercion. In the future, MOFA will continue to work with the European Union and other like-minded partners so as to jointly advance peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and defend the rules-based international order. 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to joint statement following Japan-EU summit stressing importance of peace and stability across Taiwan Strait

July 24, 2025 

On July 23, Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba, President of the European Council António Costa, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen met in Tokyo for the 30th Japan-European Union Summit. In a joint statement released following the meeting, the two sides underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. They also reiterated their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomes the statement, which marked the fourth consecutive summit since the 27th Japan-EU Summit in May 2021 during which the two sides had issued a joint statement that highlighted the significance of cross-strait peace and stability. Minister Lin also expresses appreciation to Japan for continuously voicing concern over Taiwan Strait issues during international gatherings with other like-minded countries, including the US-Japan leaders’ summit in February, the meeting between Prime Minister Ishiba and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in April, and Japan’s summit meetings with Latvia and Guatemala in May and with Finland in June. The concerns repeatedly expressed in these meetings demonstrated once again that ensuring cross-strait peace and stability has become a matter of international consensus and interest.

At a time when the expansion of authoritarianism poses a threat to regional peace and stability and challenges the rules-based global democratic order, Taiwan, as an important nation in the Indo-Pacific region and a responsible member of the international community, will uphold the ideals of integrated diplomacy. It will continue to strengthen cooperation with Japan, the European Union, and other like-minded partners so as to defend shared democratic values and jointly advance freedom, openness, peace, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region and around the globe.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs on July 23 seized about 5.8 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $1.2 million at Kwai Chung.

Through risk assessment, Customs on July 23 inspected two air parcels, declared as ginseng tea, arrived in Hong Kong from the United States, at a warehouse of a logistics company in Kwai Chung. Upon inspection, Customs officers found that both parcels had suspected cannabis buds concealed inside. The batch of dangerous drugs were packed in vacuum bags and were camouflaged as ginseng tea.

After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers today (July 29) conducted a controlled delivery operation in Tseung Kwan O and arrested a 28-year-old male.

An investigation is ongoing.

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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/en).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government delegation met with a delegation led by Deputy Director of the Public Hygiene and Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality Ms Zhou Liping at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Clinical Trial Collaboration meeting held in Shenzhen today (July 29), continuing to promote cross-border medical collaboration between the two places.
 
     The Clinical Trial Collaboration meeting provides strategic guidance on promoting clinical trial collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, co-ordinating joint research efforts, supporting the launch of international multi-centre clinical trials, and addressing the challenges encountered during implementation. During the meeting, representatives from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen had in-depth exchanges and discussions on the Implementation Plan for Collaborative Advancement of International Clinical Trials in the GBA, with the goal of further strengthening co-ordination and driving execution of the initiatives.
 
     The executive bodies of the Clinical Trial Collaboration – representatives from the GBA International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the GBA International Clinical Trials Center (BAY TRIAL) in the Shenzhen Park – also gave a progress report on key initiatives to advance clinical trial collaboration. This included the latest developments and proposed services of the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform, which will be jointly established by the end of this year. The key areas include project evaluation, trial design consultation, and subject recruitment planning for multi-centre clinical trials, provided by a joint Shenzhen-Hong Kong advisory team; introduction of artificial intelligence technologies to assist with matching of clinical trial institutions and researchers, as well as offering consultation services; establishment of a co-ordinated ethics review mechanism between the two places to enhance approval efficiency; promotion of talent exchange, collaboration, and professional training; building of a research talent pool to facilitate talent mobility and regional collaboration; and as a pilot, the development of clinical databases and biobanks based on diseases in which Shenzhen and Hong Kong have advantages. In addition, the Shenzhen and Hong Kong sides also discussed further integrating the measure of using Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the GBA with real-world studies in an effective manner, exploring the use of real-world data to support drug registration and approval in the Mainland at the meeting.
 
     The Clinical Trial Collaboration meeting today marks a critical step forward in enhancing co-ordinated development of clinical research and promoting biomedicine innovative application within the GBA, creating a good start for the Clinical Trial Collaboration. The simultaneous launch of the GBAICTI and the BAY TRIAL last year marked the beginning of a new chapter in cross-border collaboration under the “one zone, two parks” model by the “one institute, one center” framework, showcasing the joint commitment and concerted efforts of both places to promote medical innovation. The Clinical Trial Collaboration meeting aims to create a more efficient co-ordination mechanism, overseeing Shenzhen-Hong Kong clinical research collaboration at the strategic level.
 
     Representatives from the GBAICTI and the BAY TRIAL signed a Memorandum of Understanding after the meeting to further strengthen collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the field of clinical research. Shortly after, the two parties also signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with representatives from Immuno Cure BioTech, based in the Hong Kong Science Park, and Shenzhen Branch of the Hong Kong Science Park in Futian District, for the first ever cross-border clinical trial project. Together, they will jointly promote the cross-border multi-centre Phase II clinical trial of ICVAX, a therapeutic nucleic acid vaccine for HIV co-developed by Immuno Cure and the AIDS Institute of the University of Hong Kong.
 
     The HKSAR Government delegation was led by the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, with members comprising Deputy Secretary for Health Ms Elaine Mak; the Deputising Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Simon Tang; the GBAICTI Chief Executive Officer, Professor Bernard Cheung; and representatives from the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong and the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 29) urged the public not to consume a batch of imported prepackaged salami, as the product might have been contaminated with Salmonella, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Primo Reserve Hot Sopressa Salami
Brand: Primo 
Pack size: 80 grams
Place of origin: Australia
Use-by date: September 9, 2025
Distributor: Parknshop (HK) Limited

A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notification from the Singapore Food Agency that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated by Salmonella and is being recalled. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed-up the case. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned distributor had sold the affected product.”

The distributor concerned has stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected product and has initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2606 8658 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

 “Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death,” the spokesman said.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) is highly concerned about recent cybersecurity incidents affecting public and private organisations in Hong Kong, and held a special meeting with the Internet Infrastructure Liaison Group today (July 29) to discuss strategies for addressing increasingly severe cybersecurity challenges. The meeting also invited the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited and President of the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Professional Association, Dr Rocky Cheng, to participate in discussions, aiming to strengthen collaboration with the cybersecurity industry and collectively safeguard the security and resilience of Hong Kong’s digital and cyber ecosystem.
 
     The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, stated during the meeting, “The DPO has always placed great importance on cybersecurity. This special meeting not only thoroughly analysed the causes of recent cybersecurity incidents and discussed optimising technical measures, but also enabled the industry to identify potential risks earlier and enhance defences, thereby improving Hong Kong’s overall cybersecurity environment.”
 
     Mr Wong stressed, “Several major events will take place in Hong Kong in the second half of this year, including celebrations for the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, the Election Committee Subsector By-elections, the 15th National Games, and the eighth-term Legislative Council general election, etc. These events extensively utilise information technology, and cybersecurity is critical to ensure the smooth execution of the large-scale events. The Internet infrastructure and cybersecurity industries stakeholders must collaborate closely and remain vigilant.”
 
     The DPO will maintain close communication with the Internet infrastructure stakeholders and the cybersecurity industry to strengthen protective measures for digital infrastructure, enhance cybersecurity monitoring, threat intelligence sharing and analysis, and conduct large-scale cybersecurity attack and defence drills to improve the defence and response capabilities of relevant systems and teams. These efforts aim to ensure the security of Hong Kong’s Internet infrastructure and digital government services during these major events, while fully supporting the smooth operation of information systems related to these significant activities.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs, in collaboration with Singapore Customs, mounted the second phase of a joint operation codenamed “Cutflow” to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities between mid-May and July this year, and dismantled a transnational illicit cigarette smuggling syndicate. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs seized a total of about 58 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $260 million and a duty potential of about $192 million, and arrested five men.

Through intelligence exchanges with Singapore Customs, as well as risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Hong Kong Customs seized the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes in 13 seaborne containers from Singapore and arrested five male drivers, aged between 62 and 71.

Investigations into the related cases are ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

The outcomes of the operation fully demonstrate Customs’ notable enforcement effectiveness on combating cross-boundary illicit cigarette activities at source through international co-operation. Customs will continue to maintain close liaisons and strengthen intelligence exchanges with Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies to vigorously combat cross-boundary illicit cigarette activities.

Customs stresses that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Moreover, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two 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: Government of Singapore

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board:

The Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board (HKMPDB) held its first meeting today (July 29). Members were briefed on experts’ analysis of the latest developments in Hong Kong’s port and maritime industry and discussed the strategy for positioning Hong Kong as an international maritime centre under the current geopolitical situation. With the target of developing Hong Kong into a “global maritime capital”, the HKMPDB worked to formulate a more outgoing and comprehensive Mainland and overseas promotional plan, and identify key research areas for relevant committees to commence studies in the near term.