Month: October 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Constitutional Affairs visited the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) today (October 13) to observe a demonstration of the electronic counting system (ECS) for the functional constituency (FC) election of the 2025 LegCo General Election.

     Members first received a briefing by representatives of the REO on the design and operation of the ECS, as well as the preparatory work regarding the use of the ECS, including system testing, workflow design and contingency plans to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the entire counting process. Members then observed the demonstration of the ECS, and exchanged views with representatives of the Government on the relevant workflow. 

     The 2025 LegCo General Election will be held on December 7. Members noted that the new ECS had been successfully deployed for the first time during the Election Committee subsector by-elections in September this year. The system will be utilized for the FC election in the upcoming LegCo General Election to enhance the vote-counting efficiency.

     A total of 13 members and non-members of the Panel on Constitutional Affairs participated in the visit.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The “China Mobile Cup” road cycling event, a men’s individual competition forming part of the 15th National Games, will be staged on November 8.

 

The race will be the sole event during the games that will be spread across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

 

The course for the competition spans around 231.8 km in length, with the section in Hong Kong measuring 55.8 km. It is expected that 104 athletes, across 25 teams from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, will compete.

 

Vice Mayor of Zhuhai Huang Zhenqiu said at a press conference today that the course will make use of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to link roads in Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai, as well as the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

 

Mentioning that the three regions organised a test event last November, and conducted a review afterwards, Mr Huang said adjustments to the race route had been made and a competition command structure established. He added that a comprehensive drill, in which the operation of various systems were inspected, has been conducted.

 

Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) Yeung Tak-keung stated that as the only competition event spanning Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, the race will demonstrate the distinctive features of the games being co-hosted by the three places, a pioneering arrangement for major sports events in the Greater Bay Area.

 

He added that every detail of the race requires joint planning and close co-ordination among the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Moreover, he stressed, this cross-regional collaboration will help to strengthen people-to-people bonds and promote the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism in the bay area.

 

Highlighting that the race route in Macau will pass through locations such as the Macao Bridge and the Taipa Ferry Terminal, Head of the Preparatory Office in Macau Pun Weng-kun said the historic cross-boundary event will put on display Macau’s unique charm and showcase the concerted efforts of the three places.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Registration & Electoral Office (REO) today hosted a briefing and demonstration session for Legislative Councillors on the operation of the electronic counting system to be adopted in the functional constituencies in the upcoming LegCo General Election (LCGE).

The Electoral Affairs Commission will introduce the electronic counting system for the first time for the functional constituencies in the 2025 LCGE scheduled for December 7. This is to ensure the poll will be conducted openly, honestly and fairly, while applying technology at the same time to enhance the efficiency for a more accurate and smooth counting process.

REO representatives briefed the legislators on the counting process and the electronic counting system, followed by a demonstration on the operation of the high-speed scanner, which included scanning of ballot papers and consolidation of counting results of individual functional constituencies.

The LegCo members also received a presentation on the stringent tests and audits conducted for the running of the electronic counting system, including independent tests by third parties, computer audit, as well as stress tests and red team security tests arranged by the Digital Policy Office for large-scale information technology systems.

The legislators then engaged constructive exchanges with the REO representatives on the practical operation of the electronic counting system, discussing details of counting arrangements and ways to ensure the counting process will be conducted in an efficient and orderly manner.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

In response to media inquiries regarding the latest situation of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination (SIV) School Outreach Programme, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 13) gave the following response:

Over 2.09 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccines were administered under the various SIV programmes in 2024/25, reaching a record high. This successfully reduced severe influenza cases among adults and children by 20 per cent and 60 per cent respectively compared to the influenza seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic. School outbreaks of influenza-like illnesses also plummeted by nearly 90 per cent.

To further boost SIV rates, enrolment for the SIV School Outreach Programme has started since the beginning of June this year, which was earlier than last year. With the concerted efforts of the Government and various community sectors (including the medical sector and schools), approximately 2 300 schools (99 per cent) are going to arrange SIV school outreach activities. Among these, over 1 330 schools (58 per cent) have scheduled to carry out the outreach activities by the end of October, and over 2 140 schools (93 per cent) by the end of November, which are respectively higher than last year’s 45 per cent and 83 per cent. Currently, about 300 schools have held school outreach activities, with the earliest session taking place on September 29.

Schools participating in the School Outreach Programme must coordinate with participating medical teams when scheduling school outreach activities, taking into account various objective factors such as the school calendar and staffing. Schools negotiate suitable times with the healthcare teams directly.

In view of this year’s summer influenza season, coupled with the recent increase in seasonal influenza activity and the number of school outbreaks, the CHP has contacted the schools, urging them to try to further advance school outreach activities where feasible. The CHP has also contacted the private doctors participating in the SIV School Outreach Programme to seek their support, urging them to provide assistance as far as possible.

Medical teams and relevant schools are planning to advance school outreach activities under the SIV School Outreach Programme, but staffing coordination and appropriate arrangements require time. The CHP will proactively provide feasible assistance to meet the needs of the schools.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Health Bureau will launch the “eHealth+ Connectivity Support Scheme” tomorrow, aiming to encourage private healthcare providers (HCPs) to adopt clinical management systems (CMSes) that allow patients’ medical records to be deposited into their personal eHealth accounts.

The “eHealth+ Connectivity Accreditation Scheme” will be rolled out on the same day, making it more convenient for patients to identify and choose eHealth-connected HCPs.

Under the support scheme, the Government will provide dedicated technical support and sponsorship to private HCPs, encouraging them to adopt or upgrade to eHealth-connected CMSes.

Such HCPs are also urged to deposit patients’ electronic health records into their personal eHealth accounts upon authorisation.

Starting from tomorrow until March 31 next year, eligible private HCPs can apply for monthly sponsorship of $500 per eligible registered doctor, for up to 12 months, to support their use of the accredited CMSes.

As for the accreditation scheme, the bureau explained that at present shareable data in eHealth includes 11 types of electronic health records (eHRs). The scheme will introduce three levels of accreditation – gold mark, silver mark, and bronze mark – corresponding to HCPs’ levels of capability in depositing eHRs into eHealth.

Special marks are also introduced for medical laboratory centres and radiology diagnostics centres that can deposit reports into eHealth, with a view to assisting patients in selecting these services.

The first phase of the accreditation scheme encompasses Western medicine HCPs, medical laboratory centres, and radiology diagnostics centres, the bureau stated.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will auction stalls at next year’s Lunar New Year fairs from October 27.

The fairs will be held at 14 locations from February 11 to 17.

A total of 915 wet goods stalls, 647 dry goods stalls and 26 fast food stalls will be hosted at the venues.

Opening prices range from $380 to $6,530 for wet goods stalls, $450 to $8,540 for dry goods stalls of regular size, $680 to $12,810 for large-size dry goods stalls, and $2,290 to $120,470 for fast food stalls.

Of the 14 fairs, six – involving a total of 823 stalls – will be on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, or Islands District. The remaining eight fairs will be held in the New Territories and will provide 533 wet goods stalls, 226 dry goods stalls and six fast food stalls.

The fair at Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island will house 400 stalls.

Click here for details.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (October 13) that stalls at the 2026 Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs will be put up for open auction in batches starting from October 27 (Monday).
 
     The LNY fairs are to be held at 14 locations and will be open for seven days from February 11 to 17, 2026. A total of 915 wet goods stalls, 647 dry goods stalls and 26 fast food stalls will be provided.
 
     The upset prices range from $380 to $6,530 for wet goods stalls, $450 to $8,540 for dry goods stalls (regular size), $680 to $12,810 for dry goods stalls (large size) and $2,290 to $120,470 for fast food stalls.
 
     The six fairs on Hong Kong Island, in Islands District and in Kowloon will be located at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, Tat Tung Road Garden in Tung Chung, Fa Hui Park and Cheung Sha Wan Playground in Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground in Kwun Tong and To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground in Kowloon City. A total of 823 stalls will be put up for auction.
 
     The auction for stalls of the LNY fair in Victoria Park will be held over three days on October 27, 28 and 30 (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon. The first auction day (October 27) is scheduled for fast food stalls and wet goods stalls, while the second auction day (October 28) and the third auction day (October 30) are scheduled for dry goods stalls. The auction sessions are scheduled from 9am to 12.30pm (AM session) and 2pm until completion of the auction (PM session). Due to the limited number of seats, those who are interested in bidding for the specific type of stalls at the Victoria Park LNY fair are invited to participate in the respective auction at the Lai Chi Kok Government Offices on the designated date.
 
The auction for stalls of Tat Tung Road Garden LNY Fair in Tung Chung will be held at the above-mentioned venue on October 31 (Friday). The auction session is scheduled from 9am until completion of the auction.
 
The auctions for stalls of the LNY fairs in Fa Hui Park and Cheung Sha Wan Playground in Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground in Kwun Tong and To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground in Kowloon City will be held at the above-mentioned venue from November 3 to 6. The auction sessions are scheduled from 9am to 12.30pm (AM session) and 2pm until completion of the auction (PM session).
 
Details of the auctions are as follows:
 
Victoria Park (Causeway Bay)
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Number of stalls: 400
 
Auction date: October 27 (Monday)
AM session: Fast food (Stall Nos. A to D) and wet goods (Stall Nos. 217 to 289)
PM session: Wet goods (Stall Nos. 290 to 396)
Opening prices:
Fast food: $120,470
Wet goods: $6,530
 
Auction date: October 28 (Tuesday)
AM session: Dry goods (Stall Nos. 1 to 59)
PM session: Dry goods (Stall Nos. 60 to 138)
Opening prices:
Dry goods (regular size): $8,540
Dry goods (large size): $12,810
 
Auction date: October 30 (Thursday)
AM session: Dry goods (Stall Nos. 139 to 216)
Opening price:
Dry goods (regular size): $8,540
 
Tat Tung Road Garden (Tung Chung)
——————————————–
Auction date: October 31 (Friday)
Number of stalls: 27
Stall types: Wet goods and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $380
Dry goods (regular size): $450
Dry goods (large size): $680
 
Fa Hui Park (Sham Shui Po)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 3 (Monday)
Number of stalls: 136
AM session: Wet goods
PM session: Fast food and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $3,540
Fast food: $17,480
Dry goods (regular size): $7,800
Dry goods (large size): $11,700
 
Cheung Sha Wan Playground (Sham Shui Po)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 4 (Tuesday)
Number of stalls: 89
AM session: Wet goods
PM session: Fast food and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $500
Fast food: $2,290
Dry goods (regular size): $550
Dry goods (large size): $830
 
Kwun Tong Recreation Ground (Kwun Tong)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 5 (Wednesday)
Number of stalls: 89
AM session: Wet goods
PM session: Fast food and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $2,180
Fast food: $3,030
Dry goods (regular size): $2,130
Dry goods (large size): $3,200
 
To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground (Kowloon City)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 6 (Thursday)
Number of stalls: 82
AM session: Wet goods
PM session: Fast food and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $1,340
Fast food: $2,660
Dry goods (regular size): $1,340
Dry goods (large size): $2,020
 
     In the New Territories, 533 wet goods stalls, 226 dry goods stalls and six fast food stalls will be set up at eight fairs. They are located at Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan, Tin Hau Temple Fung Shui Square in Tai Po, Tung Tau Industrial Area Playground in Yuen Long, Shek Wu Hui Playground in North District, Tin Hau Temple Plaza in Tuen Mun, Po Hong Park in Tseung Kwan O, Kwai Chung Sports Ground in Kwai Tsing and Yuen Wo Playground in Sha Tin.
 
     The auctions for stalls of the LNY fairs in Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long will be held at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, on November 7 and 11. The auction sessions are scheduled from 9am to 12.30pm (AM session) and 2pm until completion of the auction (PM session).
 
     The auctions for stalls of the LNY fairs in Tai Po, North District, Tseung Kwan O, Kwai Tsing and Sha Tin will be held at the above-mentioned venue on November 10, 12, 14, 17 and 18. The auction session is scheduled from 9am until completion of the auction.
 
     The auction for stalls of Tin Hau Temple Plaza LNY fair in Tuen Mun will be held at Tseng Choi Street Community Hall, 27 Tseng Choi Street, Tuen Mun, on November 13. The auction session is scheduled from 9am until completion of the auction.
 
     Details of the auctions are as follows:
 
Sha Tsui Road Playground (Tsuen Wan)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 7 (Friday)
Number of stalls: 126
AM session: Wet goods (Stall Nos. 1 to 64)
PM session: Wet goods (Stall Nos. 65 to 96) and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $1,770
Dry goods (regular size): $8,480
Dry goods (large size): $12,720
 
Tin Hau Temple Fung Shui Square (Tai Po)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 10 (Monday)
Number of stalls: 61
Stall types: Dry goods, wet goods and fast food
Opening prices:
Dry goods: $1,450
Wet goods: $2,270
Fast food: $5,480
 
Tung Tau Industrial Area Playground (Yuen Long)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 11 (Tuesday)
Number of stalls: 158
AM session: Dry goods and wet goods (Stall Nos. 57 to 72)
PM session: Wet goods (Stall Nos. 77 to 156) and fast food
Opening prices:
Dry goods (regular size): $1,350
Dry goods (large size): $2,030
Wet goods: $700
Fast food: $5,480
 
Shek Wu Hui Playground (North District)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 12 (Wednesday)
Number of stalls: 92
Stall types: Wet goods and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $710
Dry goods (regular size): $1,540
Dry goods (large size): $2,310
 
Tin Hau Temple Plaza (Tuen Mun)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 13 (Thursday)
Number of stalls: 62
Stall types: Wet goods, dry goods and fast food
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $1,490
Dry goods: $2,140
Fast food: $2,740
 
Po Hong Park (Tseung Kwan O)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 14 (Friday)
Number of stalls: 93
Stall types: Dry goods, wet goods and fast food
Opening prices:
Dry goods (regular size): $1,540
Dry goods (large size): $2,310
Wet goods: $830
Fast food: $4,570
 
Kwai Chung Sports Ground (Kwai Tsing)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 17 (Monday)
Number of stalls: 98
Stall types: Wet goods and dry goods
Opening prices:
Wet goods: $490
Dry goods (regular size): $2,250
Dry goods (large size): $3,380
 
Yuen Wo Playground (Sha Tin)
——————————————–
Auction date: November 18 (Tuesday)
Number of stalls: 75
Stall types: Dry goods and wet goods
Opening prices:
Dry goods (regular size): $4,570
Dry goods (large size): $6,860
Wet goods: $3,580
 
     Bidders for LNY fair stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.
 
     Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A bidder must pay the bid price and register in person with his or her own name as the licensee of the stall immediately after successfully bidding for a stall. The bidder is also required to sign at once a licence agreement with the FEHD, or he/she will forfeit the rights to operate the stall.
 
     All fair sites will be made available to the licensees three days in advance of the fairs (from February 8 to 10, 2026) for the setting up of stalls. In the event of any unforeseeable incident that will cause reduction of the whole licence period (including the duration for setting up stalls and the business period of the fair), the Government has the right to postpone the commencement date and shorten the duration of the period. The bidding price (licence fee) paid will be refunded to the successful bidder on a pro-rata basis without interest.
 
     Stall licensees must completely remove the stall structure and all paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise) from the licensed area before 7am on February 17, 2026 (9am for the Victoria Park LNY Fair).
 
     The FEHD reminded licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of the permitted commodities, and no other activities are allowed in the licensed area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show or sell any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, contrary to the interest of national security, immoral or incompatible with the object of the LNY fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction.
 
     Stall licensees should not destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at or in the vicinity of the stall. They may surrender unsold flowers and plants left behind at the stall to the FEHD at no charge, cost or compensation whatsoever, before 7am on February 17, 2026 (9am for the Victoria Park LNY Fair).
 
     According to the licence agreement, except inside designated stalls, licensees must not keep, store or use any compressed helium cylinder in the licensed area. Whereas licensees of the designated stalls may keep, store or use helium cylinders in the licenced area, the quantity of helium should be such that a licence is not required pursuant to the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Cap. 295E), i.e. equivalent to 150 litres of helium. Sales of floating LED glowing balloons and aquarium fish by stall licensees are prohibited at the LNY fairs.
 
In addition, as stated in the licence agreement, the height of dry goods stalls must not exceed 3 metres from ground level. The height of wet goods stalls and fast food stalls must not exceed 4.5m from ground level. For wet goods stalls and fast food stalls with a height of more than 3m from ground level, the licensee must, at his own costs, provide the FEHD with the original certificate issued by an authorised person, a registered structural engineer, or a competent person under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations (Cap. 59I) to certify the structural safety of the structure in the licensed area before the fair is opened to the public. The licensee must also affix a copy of the aforesaid certificate on the structure of the stall. Also, each corner and anchor point of the marquee (if any) shall be securely fastened using appropriate ballast weights, such as sandbags or purpose-designed marquee water weights. During the period when the Strong Monsoon Signal is in force or to be issued, the licensee shall immediately inspect the stall and adopt reinforcement measures as necessary.
 
     Successful bidders shall comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.
 
     Details of the 2026 LNY fairs such as the public notice, the locations and layouts of the fair venues, commodities allowed for sale at the fair stalls, open auction arrangements and related rules, and a sample of the licence agreement are available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call the FEHD hotline 2868 0000.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam today met President of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) Zhang Jun.

The two sides exchanged views on enhancing mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters between Hong Kong and the Mainland, training the country’s foreign-related legal talent, and strengthening regulatory frameworks and mechanisms for legal and dispute resolution services within the Greater Bay Area.

Mr Lam stressed that the Department of Justice has always maintained close ties with the SPC. 

Earlier this year, he highlighted, the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy co-organised the Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course in Hong Kong with the SPC. The course provided training for Mainland judges to deepen their understanding of Hong Kong’s common law system and promoted exchange and co-operation between the two legal systems.

Mr Lam outlined that Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction in China under the “one country, two systems” principle and maintains a robust legal system highly aligned with international standards.

The department will continue to contribute to the country’s efforts in training foreign-related legal talent and strive to consolidate Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, Mr Lam added.

Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan also attended the meeting.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region