Month: August 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The three-day 15th National Games bowling mass participation event, held at the Kai Tak Sports Park Bowling Centre, concluded today.

 

The event comprised men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles, and team of five competitions. A total of 166 athletes, spanning 27 teams – from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau – took part. Hong Kong fielded 10 bowlers, five men and five women. Click here for the results.

 

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law expressed gratitude to the General Administration of Sport of China’s Multiball Games Administrative Center of China, as well as the Chinese Bowling Association, for providing valuable guidance for the event, and to the Hong Kong, China Tenpin Bowling Congress, which co-organised the event.

 

She also thanked staff from various government departments and other organisations, as well as event volunteers, for rendering assistance.

 

Separately, Hong Kong will host a para dance mass participation event, part of the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, at Ma On Shan Sports centre from September 6 to 7. Free admission will be offered through real-name registration. Full details are yet to be announced.

 

Furthermore, the first batch of tickets for 15th National Games competition events will go on public sale from August 28. These will cover four events hosted by Hong Kong, namely beach volleyball, handball (men), basketball (men’s U22) and rugby sevens.

 

Citizens can log in to the official ticketing website or the official “mini programme” on WeChat and use real-name registration to be eligible to purchase tickets once they are released.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government announced today a new round of enhancements to the “M” Mark System.

 

The new measures will apply to all applications received from September 16 onwards. From that date, applications must be submitted at least six months prior to either the hosting or the announcement of an event.

 

Outlining that the enhancements refine the vetting criteria and the funding mechanism under the “M” Mark System, the Government said these changes will optimise resources, ensure the quality and attractiveness of “M” Mark events, strengthen events’ appeal to spectators, and proved greater economic benefits.

Adjusting vetting criteria

• The vetting criteria will be refined to better reflect the importance of “major sports events” in contributing to sports development, and the contribution of “exhibition matches/tournaments” to tourism and other aspects of the local economy.

• The total funding ceiling for each event will range from $6 million to $15 million, depending on the vetting outcome. In other words, not every approved application will receive the maximum funding of $15 million.

• To encourage organisers to gradually increase private sponsorship, and to promote the development of sports as an industry, direct grants for new “major sports events” will be provided on a sliding scale, from a maximum of $6 million in the first year, followed by $5 million in the second year, and $4 million in third year.

Adjusting selection criteria

• The “M” Mark System will focus on supporting world-class “major sports events”, in order make government funding more effective.

• For “exhibition matches/tournaments”, applications received within the same six-month application cycle will be processed and considered together based on their merits. Under normal circumstances, there will be a maximum of three “exhibition matches/tournaments” in the same cycle.

Strengthening monitoring and reporting mechanisms

• After the signing of terms and conditions for funding support and the presentation of proof demonstrating the amount of cash sponsorship secured, organisers may receive a maximum of 50% of the matching funds they are eligible for before an event is held.

• Should organisers fail to stage events as proposed – with regard to participating athletes, spectator numbers, sports development plans, and marketing and promotion activities – or fail to meet key performance indicators (including those relating to tourism promotion and economic impact), the Major Sports Events Committee may adjust the final amount of funding support.

• Organisers are required to appoint an independent professional agent to conduct an exit survey with participants and submit reports so as to evaluate events’ effectiveness.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following are the remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, at a media session after attending a radio programme this morning (August 23):
 
Reporter: Regarding the Consumer Council’s report on tele-health, is the current mechanism in regulating medical staff enough in terms of protecting patients seeking such services and what should patients also be aware of? Secondly, with the expansion of regulation towards more public areas on smoking that would start tomorrow, what does the government hope to achieve and what is expected in the next stage? 
 
Secretary for Health: Regarding the Consumer Council’s report on tele-medicine, tele-medicine involves not only patient consultation but also communication between professional bodies and also education training etc. Focusing on the issue of patients’ consultation via electronic media or even online, I would like to highlight the importance of the quality and safety in healthcare services. Tele-medicine is medicine, and a tele-consultation is a medical consultation. So, I would like to remind our citizens that when they have a health issue and want to seek healthcare advice, they should ensure that whether they see the doctor personally in person or via electronic media, they have to ensure that the person concerned is a qualified registered practitioner, whether is a Western medicine doctor or a Chinese medicine practitioner. In Hong Kong, we have measures and legislations that regulate the provision of healthcare services; and relevant professional bodies and councils have already issued guidelines to ensure that the practice of medicine via electronic means will follow the guidelines and ensure that patient safety and quality will be safeguarded.  
 
About tobacco control, we have put in the bill to Legislative Council for amending the tobacco control ordinance and we are going to have the second and third reading in September. We are confident that we will have the support from the Legislative Council. The whole exercise of the amendment actually started almost two years ago in 2023 when we started the public consultation and we had overwhelming support from the whole city. Over 90 per cent of the respondents supported more measures to control and reduce our smoking rate, so as to ensure the health of our citizens. Over the last two years, we have also heard the opinion from various stakeholders and made appropriate amendments, in order to ensure that all these measures will be safely and effectively implemented. The more important thing is about flavoured tobacco products — we will start with the non-mint flavoured tobacco, and we will put in all these measures in a timely manner. 
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Civil Aid Service (CAS) Cadet Corps held the Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in War of Resistance and Patriotic Education Exchange Programme Sharing Session 2025 today (August 23) at the CAS headquarters. CAS Deputy Commissioner (Development and Youth) and Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee for the Promotion of the Constitution and Hong Kong Basic Law, Dr Wong Kong-tin, was invited as the keynote speaker, and 100 cadets participated in the event.
 
     In his welcome speech, the Chief Staff Officer of the CAS, Mr Leung Kwun-hong, said that this year marks the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. To highlight the historical significance of this victory, the Cadet Corps organised today’s event to allow members to reflect on the history of the war and honour the martyrs, enabling them to “learn from the past and understand the future”, thereby cherishing peace even more.
 
     He said that the history of the war is a shared memory of the Chinese nation and serves as the best patriotic education material. The first Patriotism Education Base for Hong Kong and Macao Youth has recently been established in Beijing, marking a new milestone in patriotic education in Hong Kong. This has significant implications for deepening the understanding of the country among young people from Hong Kong and Macao and strengthening their patriotism. It encourages young people to reflect seriously on the fact that if the country is not secure, it is the common people who suffer, and only with a strong and prosperous nation can there be peace and happiness today.
 
     In addition, Dr Wong discussed how the Chinese nation united in the face of adversity during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, transforming and advancing the process of national modernisation amid suffering.
 
     The CAS Cadet Corps organised and participated in nine exchange programmes this year in Mainland China and overseas, with over 150 cadets involved, including Shandong Chinese Cultural and Sports Industry Exchange 2025, Sichuan Ancient and Modern Technology Tour 2025, and Economic and Cultural Visit to Malaysia, among others.
 
     During the sharing session, the cadets who participated in the exchange activities said that visiting historical sites and modern constructions of the country and engaging in face-to-face interactions with local people allowed them to gain a more comprehensive and profound understanding of the growth of their country and boost their national pride. This enhanced their sense of national identity and significantly broadened their knowledge horizons.
 
     Recruitment of CAS cadets is ongoing throughout the year. Application details and forms are available on the CAS website (www.cas.gov.hk/eng/org/cadet_corps.html). 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     A man who went missing in Yuen Long has been located.

     Poon Yu-kei, aged 39, went missing after he left his caring home on Long Wo Road on August 21 night. Staff of the caring home made a report to Police yesterday (August 22).

     The man returned to his caring home in the small hours of today (August 23). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Street hygiene and anti-rodent work are key aspects of the Government’s district governance, with the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) playing a significant role.

Cleaning tech
A recent inspection carried out in Tsuen Wan highlighted the department’s progress, with the use of advanced cleaning technologies and enhanced pest control measures.

FEHD outsourced cleansing workers used a newly introduced pressure washer surface cleaner to thoroughly remove stubborn stains from the streets. 

One of the workers, Chu Chui-yin noted that using the cleaner instead of the previous method of dragging hoses to wash the streets meant they were able to work more efficiently while also obtaining a better cleaning result.

“What’s more, the cleaner is light, handy and uses less water, which makes our work much easier than the former practice of scrubbing the streets hard to clean the stains.”

Waste management
In an effort to maintain the cleanliness of the city’s alleyways, the department has rolled out a trial scheme to regulate the disposal of waste generated by food premises.

Under specific conditions, food premises are permitted to place large containers in adjacent back alleys for storing waste, which are then collected by cleaning workers hired by the premises.

Department personnel regularly inspect these areas to ensure proper waste management, while strict enforcement targets illegal dumping and clutter in back alleys. 

Positive response
Chairman of the Tsuen Wan South Area Committee William Chan lauded the initiative.

“After the implementation of the programme on the black spots, the FEHD has proactively tackled the problem, resulting in a marked improvement in the hygiene conditions of the community.

“Streets are clean and hygienic, rear lanes are free from piles of miscellaneous items and stubborn stains, and the condition of road surfaces has improved. Both traders and residents have reported a drastic reduction in rodent sightings.”

Recent data showed a substantial increase in the number of rodents caught in 2024. Across the city, approximately 89,600 live rodents were captured – about 40% more than in 2023.

Near Hau Tei Square in Tsuen Wan, around 270 rodents were caught in 2024, a threefold increase from the 89 recorded in 2023, demonstrating the effectiveness of new control measures.

AI support
Apart from traditional trapping and baiting, the FEHD has introduced thermal imaging cameras equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology as a more accurate means of detecting rodent activity.

FEHD Chief Health Inspector (Tsuen Wan) So Yeung-fung explained that the cameras capture images from 7pm to 7am over three consecutive nights. AI analysis of the thermal images then enables staff to identify the presence of rodents more precisely than conventional methods such as searching for gnaw marks on sweet potato bait. 

“Staff can get a clear picture of the rodents’ activities and their dispersal routes at the locations concerned, which enables them to take more appropriate anti-rodent actions.”

Fruitful partnership
Community involvement remains a key component of success. The FEHD partners with property management companies to promote participation in routine anti-rodent efforts.

Management Office of Tsuen Wan Plaza Anti-rodent Liaison Ambassador Ran Lau pointed out that the Anti-rodent Charter launched by the FEHD has already yielded good results.

“Since our estate signed the charter in February this year, the FEHD has deployed staff to our estate to provide free technical support and offer professional advice on our rodent prevention and control measures, significantly enhancing the overall effectiveness of rodent prevention.

“Our liaison ambassadors have also attended seminars organised by the FEHD to keep abreast of new anti-rodent information and exchange our experience with other estate management offices, thereby increasing rodent prevention capability in the community.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region