Month: November 2025

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Transport Department (TD) today said it is collaborating with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in an investigation into a case involving eight people using false documents to apply for the direct issue of a Hong Kong Full Driving Licence.

The department said it renders full assistance to the ICAC for the probe and has cancelled the Hong Kong driving licences of the people concerned based on the investigation findings.

Reaffirming that every “direct issue” application is rigorously processed and verified to ensure applicants meet the legal requirements, the department noted that it reviews the application process as appropriate to cope with the application demand and operational requirements.

Should there be any doubts about the supporting documents submitted by the applicant during the vetting process, the TD will seriously follow up, including approaching the relevant consulate or transport authority for verification to ensure the authenticity of the documents.

The application will be rejected if the applicant does not fully meet the application eligibility and requirements, it added.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government stressed that the “direct issue” arrangements in Hong Kong with the recognised countries and places are operated on the principles of mutual recognition and reciprocity, adding that it has zero tolerance against anyone in or outside Hong Kong obtaining a driving licence through fraudulent activities that will jeopardise road safety and the road users’ confidence.

According to the Road Traffic Ordinance, any person who makes any false statement for the purpose of obtaining any driving licence is liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for six months.

The TD will strictly monitor the implementation of the “direct issue” arrangements and review the relevant procedures with reference to the corruption prevention advice of the ICAC, and will refer suspected cases to law enforcement agencies for investigation.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Reigstration & Electoral Office (REO) will set up polling stations near the boundary to facilitate electors in need to cast their votes on Legislative Council election day scheduled for December 7.

The REO said any registered electors on the 2025 final registers of electors for geographical constituencies (GCs) and functional constituencies (FCs) can vote at specified Near Boundary Polling Stations (NBPSs) and timeslots after registration.

They may register through “iAM Smart” or the online registration system from today until 6pm on December 2.

The NBPSs will be located at Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kap Yan Directors’ College in Sheung Shui; the Arrival Hall, Ground Floor, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port Passenger Clearance Building; and the Coach Hall of Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2.

Electors who choose to vote at a Sheung Shui NBPS will be automatically allocated to vote at one of the NBPSs at the two Sheung Shui schools in accordance with their GCs. The allocated polling station will be clearly stated in the confirmation notice issued to the electors.

Electors who vote at the Sheung Shui NBPSs may walk for about five minutes from Sheung Shui MTR Station or take a free shuttle bus to reach their polling stations.

On polling day, the NBPSs will open from 7.30am to 11.30pm. Registered electors must bring their Hong Kong ID cards to vote at their NBPSs and timeslots as registered.

In case of a change in itineraries, these electors will need to cancel or change the registration through “iAM Smart” or the online registration system during the registration period. Thereafter, they will be changed back to their originally allocated polling stations to cast their votes on polling day.

After the registration period expires, the electors concerned will need to contact the REO at 2891 1001 to make the change.

For enquiries, call 2891 1001 or send an email to: reoenq@reo.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced the establishment of the Green Maritime Fuel Development Communication Platform to catalyse the development of a green maritime fuel bunkering supply chain in Hong Kong.

The communication platform will bring together upstream and downstream companies within the green maritime fuel bunkering supply chain, including fuel suppliers, shipping companies, and port operators, among others.

In addition to gathering views from platform members regarding the development of green maritime fuel bunkering and trading in Hong Kong, the Government will organise networking activities and business meetings to enhance stakeholder communication and co-operation.

Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan said the Government warmly welcomes Hong Kong companies as well as Mainland and foreign companies with a presence in the city to join the platform.

Noting that 25 companies and industry organisations have so far joined the communication platform, the Transport & Logistics Bureau encouraged more companies and industry organisations engaged in green maritime fuel bunkering to join and explore business opportunities together.

Click here for details.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (November 19) that 52 Lunar New Year (LNY) fair stalls will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices from November 27 to December 3, on a first-come, first-served basis.

​The LNY fairs will be held from February 11 to 17, 2026. The abovementioned stalls are three fast food stalls, one large-size dry goods stall, and 48 regular-size dry goods stalls. Locations and prices are as follows: 
 

Fair venues	Nature of stalls	Number of stalls	Let out price per one stall
Victoria Park (Causeway Bay)	Dry goods (regular size)	2	$8,540
Tat Tung Road Garden (Tung Chung)	Dry goods (regular size)	8	$450
Fa Hui Park (Sham Shui Po)	Dry goods (regular size)	14	$7,800
Cheung Sha Wan Playground (Sham Shui Po)	Fast food	1	$2,290
Kwun Tong Recreation Ground (Kwun Tong)	Dry goods (regular size)	1	$2,130
To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground (Kowloon City)	Dry goods (regular size) Dry goods (large size) Fast food	15 1 2	$1,340 $2,020 $2,660
Sha Tsui Road Playground (Tsuen Wan)	Dry goods (regular size)	1	$8,480
Tin Hau Temple Plaza (Tuen Mun)	Dry goods (regular size)	1	$2,140
Po Hong Park (Tseung Kwan O)	Dry goods (regular size)	5	$1,540
Yuen Wo Playground (Sha Tin)	Dry goods (regular size)	1	$4,570

The number of available stalls may be subject to change, and the actual number of stalls available for renting will be released on November 27.

​People who are interested in renting a stall should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm during the abovementioned renting period:
 

Fair venues	Address of handling office	Telephone number
Victoria Park (Causeway Bay)	8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong	2879 5706
Tat Tung Road Garden (Tung Chung)	25/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong	2852 4549
Fa Hui Park (Sham Shui Po) Cheung Sha Wan Playground (Sham Shui Po) Kwun Tong Recreation Ground (Kwun Tong) To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground (Kowloon City)	Room 301-302, 3/F, FEHD Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon	2309 2086
Sha Tsui Road Playground (Tsuen Wan)	3/F, Yeung Uk Road Municipal Services Building, 45 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories	2212 9755
Tin Hau Temple Plaza (Tuen Mun)	Room 18, 1/F, Tuen Mun Government Offices, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories	2454 6621 / 2451 3414
Po Hong Park (Tseung Kwan O)	7/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories	3740 5100
Yuen Wo Playground (Sha Tin)	Units 1201-1207 and 1220-1221, Level 12, Tower 1, Grand Central Plaza, 138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories	2634 0136

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. Each applicant may select only one stall at a time. Successful applicants shall comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. An FEHD spokesman stressed that the public should not assign, sublet, transfer or otherwise part with any of the benefits or obligations of the licence agreement of the LNY fair stalls. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate 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 a shortening 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 let out price (licence fee) paid will be refunded to the licensee 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 activities and the licensee must immediately comply with the 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 licensed 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 floatable 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 their 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.

Public notices and details of the renting of 2026 LNY fair remaining stalls on a first-come, first-served basis are available at the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk) or by calling the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     An incoming male passenger was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (November 19) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
 
     A 55-year-old incoming male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on November 18. During customs clearance, Customs officers seized about 10 800 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $44,000 and a duty potential of about $36,000, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
 
     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
 
     Customs reminds members of the public that 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 $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

A high-level meeting between Hong Kong Customs and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) was held in Hong Kong yesterday (November 18). The delegations from both sides were headed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, and the Vice-Minister of the GACC, Mr Zhao Zenglian, respectively.

Mr Chan welcomed Mr Zhao’s visit to Hong Kong Customs with his delegation. Witnessed by Mr Zhao and Mr Chan, the Assistant Commissioner (Boundary and Ports) of Customs and Excise, Ms Chiang Yi-lee, and the Deputy Director General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the GACC, Mr Zhang Xiaohui, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) regarding the inspection and quarantine of air-to-land transhipment of fresh fruits to the Chinese Mainland via Hong Kong.

The signing of the MoC will enhance the efficient and smooth operation of the Air-Land Fresh Lane between the two customs authorities, deepen collaboration in clearance and quarantine, improve the efficiency and safety of the transhipment of fresh food products, and promote high-quality development of fresh food trade in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Afterwards, both sides discussed multiple co-operative issues, including combating smuggling, intelligence exchange, consumer product safety, trade facilitation measures, and personnel training.

On the same day, the delegations toured the Customs Radar Monitoring Command Centre at the Customs Marine Base on Stonecutters Island and took a ride on a sector patrol launch to visit sea-borne smuggling black spots to learn about the maritime enforcement work of Hong Kong Customs.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Police today (November 19) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Aberdeen.

     Chan Ho-yin, aged 38, went missing after he left his residence in Ap Lei Chau Estate on November 15 noon. His family made a report to Police on November 17.

     He is about 1.75 metres tall, 75 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and medium-long brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black and red short-sleeved shirt, black shorts, black and red slippers and a pair of glasses.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Hong Kong Island on 2860 1040 or email to rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.