Month: July 2025

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Inland Revenue Department today issued an alert regarding fraudulent emails purportedly issued by the department, which invite recipients to claim tax refunds.

Each fraudulent email provides a hyperlink to a website that seeks to obtain the recipient’s personal particulars and credit card information.

Apart from stressing that it has no connection with such emails, the department said it reported the case to Police for further investigation.

It also reminded the public not to open suspicious emails or visit the attached hyperlinks.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao Health, Animal and Plant Quarantine and Food Safety Control Meeting 2025 was held online for two consecutive days and concluded today (July 24). Representatives from the three places shared experiences and exchanged views on various topics within the fields of health, animal and plant quarantine, and food safety control. The three places agreed to further strengthen exchanges and co-operation.

Speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Irene Young, said that with the acceleration of the integration process of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the movement of people, trade in goods, and economic interactions among the three places have become increasingly frequent. The governments of the three places have been working closely together in areas such as health, animal and plant quarantine, and food safety control, achieving significant results across various fields. The meeting enabled experts from the three places to exchange insights, taking the collaboration to new heights.

The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui, also said at the meeting that the meeting would further strengthen collaboration on health quarantine between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. This will help build a robust cross-boundary public health protection system that safeguards the health and safety of people travelling to and from the three places, creating a “Healthy Bay Area”.

Representatives from the Mainland and the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) attending the meeting included the Deputy Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Feng Guoqing; the Acting Chairman of the Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs of the Municipal Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Mr Mak Kim-meng; and the Director of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Dr Leong Iek-hou.

Other representatives from Hong Kong were the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Mr Donald Ng; the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Mr Mickey Lai; and Acting Controller of the Centre for Food Safety, Dr Yonnie Lam and Dr Terence Cheung.

The Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao Health, Animal and Plant Quarantine and Food Safety Control Meeting is held every two years.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), has invited Zhejiang Jingkun Art Center (Kun Opera Troupe) to present timeless masterpieces in Hong Kong in August, including their signature classic “Fifteen Strings of Cash”, the light-hearted comedy “The Lioness Roars”, and selected opera excerpts showcasing both civil and martial arts. The performances will feature acclaimed artists from the troupe’s Wan and Dai generations, demonstrating the enduring cultural vitality of Kunqu opera through generations of artistic heritage. This programme is also one of the programmes of the 13th Chinese Opera Festival (COF).

　　Kunqu opera gained popularity in the Kunshan area of Suzhou during the Yuan and Ming periods. It has been described as “the mother of Chinese operas”, and was listed by UNESCO as one of the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” in 2001. It is renowned for its elegant libretti commended for literary merit and delicate dance movements.

　　Details of the three performances are as follows:

“Fifteen Strings of Cash”
———————————————————
Date and time: August 15 (Friday), 7.30pm

　　Departing from Kunqu opera’s typical themes of scholar-beauty romance, “Fifteen Strings of Cash” recounts a mysterious murder case triggered by 15 strings of copper coins. This gripping tale follows Judge Kuang Zhong, who overturns a wrongful conviction and uncovers the true culprit, a cunning trickster named Lou Ashu (Lou the Rat). The excerpt “An Investigation in Disguise” features a masterful interplay between the laosheng (old male) and the chou (comic) roles, representing the pinnacle of operatic artistry. This play was first performed by the troupe’s Chuan-generation artists Zhou Chuanying and Wang Chuansong, and has been passed down through five generations over 70 years. The upcoming performance features Bao Chen and Tian Yang of the Wan generation in the lead, who uphold the legacy with this timeless classic.

“The Lioness Roars”
———————————————————
Date and time: August 16 (Saturday), 7.30pm

　　As one of the rare light comedies in Kunqu opera, “The Lioness Roars” retains the elegance of Kunqu’s lyrical singing while infusing the scholar-beauty romance with a touch of mundane charm, making it a staple of the Kunqu repertoire. The play follows the story of Chen Jichang, a talented scholar who appears timid but deeply devoted to his wife Madam Liu (the Lioness of Hedong). She is portrayed as dominating and prideful, but never to the extent of being objectionable. Chen’s friend Su Dongpo tries to mediate but only adds fuel to their quarrels. Through the couple’s everyday squabbles, the play highlights the importance of family harmony. The play is one of the signature works of Kunqu master Wang Shiyu. Now, the troupe’s star duo Zeng Jie and Hu Ping of the Wan generation take on the roles of this quarrelsome yet loving couple, promising a performance of exceptional artistry.

Traditional Opera Excerpts
———————————————————
Date and time: August 17 (Sunday), 2.30pm

　　The finale will present five opera excerpts drawn from classic masterpieces of Kunqu opera featuring “The Celestial Place” from “The Dream of Nanke” (one of Tang Xianzu’s “The Four Dreams at Linchuan” of Ming dynasty); “Cancelling the Birthday Celebrations” from the zaju play “The Pavilion of Chanting in the Wind” of Qing dynasty; “Rendezvous at the Pavilion” from the chuanqi “Red Pear Blossom” of Ming dynasty; “Entrusting His Son” from “The Beauty Washing Silk by the River”, the earliest chuanqi in Kunqu; and the spectacular martial piece “Fighting on the Water” from “Leifeng Pagoda”. This programme combines both civil and martial pieces, with the troupe’s outstanding actors demonstrating their exceptional artistry, which makes the performance a must-see for opera enthusiasts.

　　Zhejiang Jingkun Art Center (Kun Opera Troupe) was established in 2019 through the merger of Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe and Zhejiang Peking Opera Troupe. The Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe, founded in 1956, brought Kunqu opera back into the national spotlight when it adapted the traditional play “Dream of Two Bears” into “Fifteen Strings of Cash”. This production became a landmark in Chinese opera reform, with People’s Daily publishing an editorial, hailing it as “a single play that revived an entire genre”. The success spurred the establishment of Kunqu troupes across China. Over the years, the troupe has nurtured outstanding talents, maintaining a lineage of six generations of performers, namely Chuan, Shi, Sheng, Xiu, Wan and Dai. It has also produced numerous award-winning works, earning widespread recognition.

　　The three performances will be held at the Auditorium of Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $250, $350 and $450 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discounts and package booking discounts are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the “Chinese Opera Film Shows” of the COF 2025 and the “Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters” lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/zhejiang-jingkun-art-center-kun-opera-troupe.

　　The programme will also feature two Kunqu opera masterclasses (in Putonghua), with actors Hu Ping and Zeng Jie to share the crafting of Dan (female) roles and Sheng (male) roles in Kunqu respectively. The two sessions will be held at 2pm and 4pm on August 14 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. In addition, a meet-the-artists session entitled “Six Generations of Kunqu Performers: The Sustaining Growth of the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe” (in Putonghua and Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on the same day at the same venue. The speakers include Gu Jiong, Bao Chen, Zeng Jie, Hu Ping and Tian Yang, while Chinese opera researcher Chan Chun-miu will be the moderator. Additionally, a demonstration talk entitled “Kunqu Classics as a Living Tradition” (in Putonghua) will be held at 5pm on August 18 (Monday) at the Theatre, Block I, Jao Tsung-I Academy. The speakers include actors Wu Xinyi and Wang Hengtao. Admission is free. Since the quotas for online registration are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby quota on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis.

　　The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, “Tan Dun WE-Festival”, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Three co-owners were convicted and fined $84,660 in total, of which $76,660 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on May 14 and yesterday (July 23) respectively.

The case involved two unauthorised building works (UBWs) on and over the yard on the ground floor of a composite building in Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po. A removal order was served on the co-owners under section 24(1) of the BO. Due to their failure to comply with the removal order, they were prosecuted by the BD.

A spokesman for the BD said today (July 24), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety. ”

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Labour Department has called for registration for a seminar on the Employment Ordinance to be held at 2.15pm on August 21 (Thursday) at the Lecture Theatre (WB), 4/F, West Block, Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre, 19 Suffolk Road, Kowloon Tong.

The main provisions of the Employment Ordinance and abolition of the Mandatory Provident Fund offsetting arrangement will be introduced.

The seminar will be conducted in Cantonese and participation is free of charge. Interested participants should complete the registration form, which can be downloaded from the Labour Department’s website (www.labour.gov.hk), and return it by email by August 7 (Thursday). Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For enquiries, please call 3575 8671.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Housing Authority’s Building Committee and Tender Committee today (July 24) approved the award of the completion contract for construction of the Public Housing Development at Tung Chung Area 100, the Public Housing Development at Tuen Mun Area 29 West and the underground link of Pak Tin Estate redevelopment Phase 10. These three projects were previously carried out by Aggressive Construction Company Limited. The remaining works will be taken up by China Overseas Building Construction Limited.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson announced the following senior appointments today (July 24):

     Dr Terry Lau Chu-leung will be appointed as Hospital Chief Executive (HCE) of Pok Oi Hospital (POH) and Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH) with effect from August 1, succeeding Dr Chong Yee-hung upon his retirement.

     Dr Lau, currently the Deputising HCE of POH and Chief of Service (Accident & Emergency) of POH, TSWH and Tuen Mun Hospital in the New Territories West Cluster (NTWC), is a specialist in emergency medicine by background. Since 2021, he has also served as the Deputy HCE of POH, demonstrating a proven track record in enhancing operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Under his leadership, the NTWC Accident & Emergency Department has achieved a sustained low medical admission rate over the past seven years with a 25 per cent reduction in admissions while maintaining a zero access block. As the cluster co-ordinator for the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area, Dr Lau has effectively managed cases of transfer of patients through smooth processing and strong collaboration with multiple stakeholders.

     Dr Simon Tang Yiu-hang will be appointed as Cluster Chief Executive of New Territories East Cluster and HCE of Prince of Wales Hospital with effect from August 25.

     Dr Tang, a specialist in emergency medicine by background, is a seasoned senior executive with extensive experience in management positions at both the corporate and cluster levels. As the Director of Cluster Services at the HA Head Office since 2022, he has achieved significant outcomes across diverse areas, such as the establishment of the Global Healthcare Professional Recruitment Centre to attract non-locally trained doctors and nurses to the HA, the implementation of new procurement strategies which effectively reduced costs in purchasing medical equipment and drugs, and the acceleration of new drug enlistments into the HA Drug Formulary and safety net.

     During the COVID-19 epidemic, Dr Tang played a key leading role in combating the disease by chairing daily morning meetings in the HA to ensure optimal allocation of treatment facilities for patients. He also spearheaded the establishment of the HA TeleHealth platform and drug delivery services to enhance healthcare service accessibility during critical periods.

     The Chairman of the HA, Mr Henry Fan, and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, congratulate Dr Lau and Dr Tang on their new appointments and wish them every success in taking up the new roles. Mr Fan and Dr Ko also express their appreciation to Dr Chong for his dedicated service over the years and wish him a happy retirement.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 24) that the shark prevention net at Shek O Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, has been repaired, and the beach is reopened.

The beach was temporarily closed earlier for shark prevention net maintenance work.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Government Property Agency (GPA) is inviting tenders for a three-year licence of a fee-paying public car park on portions of Basement Two and a portion of Basement One of Chai Wan Municipal Services Building, 338 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.

     The premises should only be used to operate a fee-paying public car park for the parking of private cars and motor cycles.

     The tender notice was uploaded today (July 24) to the GPA Property Portal: www.gpaproperty.gov.hk/en/index.html. Tender documents are available for collection at the GPA, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the GPA Property Portal.

     Interested tenderers who wish to conduct a site inspection of the premises should make a prior appointment with the GPA by calling 3842 6775 by August 6.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box placed on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, before noon on August 14. Late tenders will not be accepted.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region