Month: December 2025

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

November 24, 2025  
No. 491  
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung met with a delegation from Paraguay led by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Alfredo Verdún Bitar on the morning of November 24. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Baushuan Ger hosted a luncheon for the group, extending a warm welcome to the visitors on behalf of the government of Taiwan. The delegation included Director General of Bilateral Policy Raúl Mariano Martínez Villalba and Director General of Press Advisory Services Osmar Gómez Román.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin welcomed Vice Minister Verdún, who was leading a delegation on his first visit to Taiwan. Speaking on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, Minister Lin again thanked Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and the government of Paraguay for making over 50 statements in public and at international events supporting bilateral diplomatic relations and backing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. 
 
Minister Lin pointed out that President Lai Ching-te attached great importance to the results of cooperation between Taiwan and Paraguay. He added that President Lai had instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue working with the government of Paraguay under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project to jointly promote partnership programs in such areas as smart health care, new energy, carbon credit cooperation, and smart new agriculture, as well as to expand economic and trade investment and collaboration. Minister Lin said that this would make the Taiwan-Paraguay relationship a model of international cooperation and exchanges. 
 
In response, Vice Minister Verdún thanked Taiwan for its long-standing assistance in technological advancement, talent development, public health, medical care, and other spheres. Emphasizing President Peña’s staunch support for Taiwan-Paraguay diplomatic ties, he added that both countries shared the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, which should not be sacrificed for economic and trade interests. Vice Minister Verdún said that Paraguay wanted to demonstrate to the world that standing with Taiwan was the right choice and that Paraguay would continue to join other like-minded nations in backing Taiwan’s participation in the international community.
 
Speaking at the luncheon that he hosted on behalf of Minister Lin, Vice Minister Ger noted that Paraguay offered an attractive investment environment and had the advantage of being a gateway to access the regional market. He said that the government of Taiwan was developing appropriate policies to encourage companies to invest in Paraguay. Vice Minister Ger expressed hope that, based on the existing solid foundations of cooperation, the two sides would further develop economic and trade opportunities to benefit the businesses and people of both countries. 
 
During his remarks, Vice Minister Verdún applauded the results of bilateral collaboration and exchanges across all fields and commended the memorandum of understanding on carbon credit cooperation, signed by the two nations in October, as a forward-looking and strategic document. He added that he was pleased by the popularity of Paraguayan beef and pork in the Taiwanese market. Vice Minister Verdún reiterated Paraguay’s firm support for Taiwan’s international participation and exchanged views with other guests on an extensive range of issues, including economics, trade, agriculture, medical care, and technology.
 
Over the 68 years that Taiwan and Paraguay have been diplomatic allies, they have engaged in broad-ranging cooperation across areas including talent development, public health, medical care, agricultural technology, and technological advancement. The outcomes of collaboration are widely recognized and appreciated by the Paraguayan people and government. Paraguay has long endorsed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and President Peña has strongly spoken up for Taiwan at the United Nations General Assembly for several years running, demonstrating the rock-solid, mutually beneficial, and reciprocal partnership between the two countries. (E)

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Police today announced that 10 hotlines have been set up in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Members of the public with relevant video footage or photos are urged to contact officers through the hotlines to assist in the police investigation.

The hotline numbers are: 5337 6671, 5337 6672, 5337 6673, 5337 6674, 5337 6675, 5337 6676, 5337 6677, 5337 6679, 5337 6680 and 5337 6681.

The 10 hotlines operate from 8am to 8pm daily with immediate effect and are solely for the collection of video footage or photos related to the fire.

Call 1878 999 for enquiries about fire casualties.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Land Registry logged 7,121 sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in November, down 1% compared with October and 7.4% year-on-year.

The total consideration for such agreements in November rose 0.9% from the previous month to $58.4 billion, representing an 8.9% year-on-year decrease.

Of the agreements, 5,588 were for residential units, amounting to a 2.2% decrease from October and a 11.3% drop from a year ago.

The total consideration for residential units was $51.7 billion, up 1.2% compared with October and 9.8% lower year-on-year.

There were 385,763 land register searches last month.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Secretary for Security today prohibited the operation or continued operation of the “Hong Kong Parliament” and the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with immediate effect.

Exercising the power conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), he published an order in the Government Gazette.

The Secretary for Security recently issued written notices to the two organisations, to allow them to submit representations pursuant to section 60(4) of the SNSO. The Security Bureau said that representations from the “Hong Kong Parliament” were received but no representations from the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” were received before the deadline.

The bureau said the Secretary for Security carefully considered all relevant information, including the representations submitted by the “Hong Kong Parliament” and reasonably believes that the prohibitions are necessary for safeguarding national security.

As the two organisations immediately become “prohibited organisations”, the bureau stated that any person who engages in acts specified in sections 62 to 65 of the SNSO commit an offence.

Acts specified as offences include acting as an officer-bearer or a member of a prohibited organisation, or professing or claiming to be an office-bearer of the prohibited organisation; conducting any activity on behalf of a prohibited organisation; participating in any meeting of a prohibited organisation; inciting any other person to become a member of a prohibited organisation; and giving aid of any kind to, or procuring any subscription or aid for, a prohibited organisation.

Those who commit such offences are liable to a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 14 years.

The bureau called on members of the public not to defy the law, participate in any activities of prohibited organisations, or have any connection with them.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

In view of the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Chief Executive John Lee said today he will establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Ahead of the Executive Council meeting, Mr Lee said he has identified a large number of areas where issues should be addressed as the fire reflected significant lapses in building works, from construction to supervision, with multiple points of failure.

“We must implement systemic reform. And the issues identified include: First, the safety requirements, standards, supervision and routine maintenance system for construction works.

“Second, systemic issues in the construction process, such as inappropriate connected interests, conflicts of roles and corrupt collusion.

“Third, establishing an up-to-date list of materials for which safety standards are properly set, ensuring their review and updating, and the required verification and testing systems.

“Fourth, examining the roles and responsibilities of regulatory personnel across all stages of the project chain, including government departments and authorised professionals.

“Fifth, issues of corruption, bid-rigging and irregular tendering in building maintenance projects.

“Sixth, the supervision and responsibility of the installation and effective operation of fire safety systems in buildings.

“Seventh, accountability related to the above areas in the fire in Tai Po.

“And eighth, the adequacy or otherwise of legislation and penalties.”

The Chief Executive called for a thorough investigation and serious reform, saying that the Government will overcome the obstacles of vested interests, and pursue accountability regardless of who is involved.

He stressed that the Government must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace, and provide comfort to the living.

Mr Lee announced the setting up of an independent committee to review the fire, while criminal and fire investigations continue separately. He will invite a judge to lead the committee’s work, ensuring its independence and credibility.

“I shall liaise with him to define its detailed terms of reference, and at the same time I will explore ways to assist in supporting the committee’s operational efficiency, such that the Government can provide more detailed information or carry out some work on its direction so as to enable it to complete its task efficiently and submit a report early to the Chief Executive with recommendations to assist the Government to make the reform.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee this afternoon visited CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River, a transitional housing project in Yuen Long, to offer comfort to victims affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.

As of this morning, 945 residents had been accommodated in youth hostels/camps or hotel rooms, under the co-ordination of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau.

Another 1,470 residents have moved into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or the Hong Kong Housing Society.

CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River has accommodated over 100 fire victims from approximately 60 families.

During the visit, Mr Lee inquired about the residents’ living conditions. Some victims stated that the $10,000 emergency cash subsidy quickly distributed by the Government after the fire, along with essential supplies such as bedding and household appliances provided via welfare organisations, have given them immediate relief and substantial support.

Mr Lee also inspected the site’s temporary supplies centre, converted from an activity room, where necessities donated by various sectors are distributed.

The Chief Executive said he was deeply moved by the selfless commitment of welfare personnel and residents of the CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River neighbourhood, stating that embody Hong Kong society’s spirit of mutual help and solidarity.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki visited residents affected by the fire at Pok Oi Kong Ha Wai Village, a transitional housing project at Kam Sheung Road in Yuen Long, to express sympathy and understand their living conditions and actual needs.

As of this morning, Social Welfare Department social workers have been in contact with about 1,450 affected households, and more than 3,300 affected residents have been registered for “one social worker per household” support services.

A supplies donation online platform established by the Government and the information technology sector to facilitate registration of supplies donated by organisations and members of the public began operating yesterday.

The Government has so far received over 470 registrations, with donations including food and beverage items, clothing, daily necessities, beddings and electrical appliances.

As of 4pm, the Immigration Department had processed about 1,090 personal document replacement applications from affected residents. Additionally, a total of 16 applications had been processed for extensions of stay and provision of services following loss of visa records.

As for transport services, five fleets will arrange for taxis to provide free special services to residents in need, mainly to and from various locations in Tai Po district. Details are provided on the dedicated Government website “Support Services for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po”.

Police have completed searches at five buildings and deployed again more than 600 officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit to conduct searches at structurally-safe locations in the remaining two affected buildings.

As of 4pm, Police had handled eight sets of human remains from the buildings, including five newly discovered sets and three that were previously found by firefighters but not removed. The number of the deceased has been updated to 151.

Forensic pathologists from the Department of Health continued to assist personnel from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit on site in collecting evidence, making every effort to help identify the deceased. As of 4pm, the next of kin of 90 victims had completed necessary procedures at the Fu Shan Public Mortuary.

Regarding investigations, in addition to the three personnel from a construction company arrested earlier, Police have arrested another 10 individuals from various construction and engineering consultancy companies on suspicion of manslaughter.

The Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit (ICU), together with more than 100 professionals from the Housing Department (HD), conducted inspections on Saturday and Sunday of more than 1,700 units in seven buildings, namely Wang Yan House, Wang Tao House, Wang Kin House, Wang Tai House, Wang Shing House, Wang Chi House and Wang Sun House, as well as a few floors of Wang Cheong House. They HD professionals have also now completed inspection of the remaining units in Wang Cheong House.

According to their assessment, the structure of some units may be subject to serious damage, but there is no imminent danger in terms of the overall structural safety in any of the buildings inspected. 

The Housing Bureau’s emergency maintenance contractors have completed relevant support works so that Police officers and the Fire Services Department can immediately enter the units to conduct evidence collection and other operations.

The ICU has conducted on-site sampling at Wang Fuk Court and four other Home Ownership Scheme courts that have been issued notices under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme, including Sui Wo Court in Sha Tin, Ching Lai Court in Sham Shui Po, Yee Kok Court in Sham Shui Po, and On Kay Court in Kwun Tong. Samples collected from different positions of buildings’ protective nets had been sent to the Government Laboratory for testing.

In addition, the Buildings Department has inspected 359 buildings undergoing external wall maintenance. Among these, about 300 buildings were confirmed to have had scaffold nets installed, and samples have been taken. Test results are expected to be ready in batches within this week.

The Labour Department (LD) launched a city-wide special enforcement operation on November 28, targeting the fire protection facilities and fire emergency preparedness of building maintenance work sites with large-scale scaffolding. As of 4pm, the LD had inspected 61 construction sites, issued a total of 53 written warnings and 13 improvement notices, and taken out two prosecutions.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Police arrested nine more men and one woman for manslaughter in Mong Kok and North Point from November 29 to today (December 1). They were in suspected connection with a No. 5 alarm fire in Tai Po.

The ten arrestees, aged 40 to 77, included a consultant, scaffolding subcontractors and a middleman of the relevant project. A man and a woman, both aged 46, have been released on bail and are required to report back to Police in early December. The other arrestees are being detained for further enquiries.

Concerning the aforementioned case, Police had earlier arrested three other men, aged between 52 and 68, for manslaughter. They have been released on bail.

Active investigation by the Regional Crime Unit of New Territories North is under way.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 5566 0087.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Hong Kong Legal Week 2025, themed “Linking Laws, Bridging Worlds”, commenced today (December 1). Representatives from international organisations and the legal industry, renowned experts, government officials and academics from around the world will participate in the Legal Week in person and online to engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges on topics such as the integration of lawtech and AI, the development of international law and alternative dispute resolution, as well as collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Before the start of the Legal Week activities, all participants stood up and observed a moment of silence to mourn the victims of the Tai Po fire.
 
     The 6th UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit – Judicial Conference, organised by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, was held as the opening event of this year’s Hong Kong Legal Week. Around 50 judges from over 25 jurisdictions attended the Judicial Conference in person, with judges from other jurisdictions participating online. The biennial Summit themed “The Future is Now: Legally Enabling Digitalization of International Trade” comprises a Judicial Conference and a Judicial Roundtable tomorrow (December 2). The Judicial Conference focused on “Building Towards End-to-End Trade Digitalization” and explored topics such as digitalisation of trade, digital transformation in transport, and emerging trends in dispute resolution within the digital economy. The Judicial Roundtable, under the theme “Recent Trends in Dispute Resolution”, will explore judicial approaches for handling disputes involving AI, as well as the dynamic interaction between alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and formal court proceedings.
 
     In his welcome remarks, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said that the theme of this year’s Hong Kong Legal Week aims at highlighting Hong Kong’s role in connecting different economies and legal systems through collaboration, understanding and global legal exchange. Under the principle of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong has strong legal foundation and international connectivity. It is dedicated to serve as a “super connector” and a capacity building hub to facilitate the legal and economic collaboration across the region and beyond. The Judicial Conference today provided a platform to share experience and exchange views on facilitating the development of digitalisation.
 
     The Secretary of UNCITRAL, Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, and the Deputy Director General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Tian Ya, gave their welcome remarks at the Summit.
 
     The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Andrew Cheung, gave a keynote speech on the evolving judicial landscape amid digitalisation of trade. The Secretary-General of International Organization for Mediation, Professor Teresa Cheng, also delivered special remarks at the Summit.
 
     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, in his closing remarks said that the insightful perspectives offered by the participants in the conference today have demonstrated the collective dedication to facilitating and harmonising the seamless digitalisation of trade transactions, and set the stage for continuous engagement among members including the judiciary, government officials, legal specialists and practitioners. It will foster continued professional interaction and constructive dialogues in the times ahead.
 
     This year’s Summit coincides with the first anniversary of the launch of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy. The Department of Justice (DoJ) has specially released the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy Anniversary Booklet 2024-2025, reviewing the achievements and milestones of the Academy in promoting international legal exchange and capacity building over the past year. Building upon its inaugural year’s accomplishments, the Academy will continue to make good use of Hong Kong’s bilingual common law system and international status, to serve as a capacity-building, as well as knowledge and experience-sharing platform for legal professionals in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and other jurisdictions, in particular those along the “Belt and Road”.
 
     Other events during the Hong Kong Legal Week include the Third Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development, co-organised by the DoJ and the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tomorrow, featuring in-depth discussions on “Practising Multilateralism and Upholding the International Rule of Law” and “The Promotion and Development of International Law through Emerging Technologies”. On Wednesday (December 3), a Symposium of the HCCH Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) on Private International Law, alongside the annual forum “Capital of Mediation” and “Hong Kong Mediation Lecture 2025” will be held. On Thursday (December 4), the Basic Law 35th Anniversary Legal Summit will be held on the Constitution Day. The closing event, the First Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forum, will be held on Friday (December 5) morning under the theme “GBA Connectivity: Setting Sail for Global Horizons”. On the same day afternoon, a lawtech conference titled “The AI Era: Shaping the Legal Landscape in the 21st Century” will be held, with a view to deepening the legal profession’s understanding of the opportunities and challenges brought by legal technology and AI through various activities.
 
     For more details of Hong Kong Legal Week 2025, please visit the dedicated website at www.legalweek.hk. Live broadcast will be available on the dedicated website and at webcast.info.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government continues to make full efforts in following up on the support, relief, and investigation work related to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. As of yesterday (December 1), the latest progress made by various bureaux and departments under the Task Force on Investigation and Regulation, the Task Force on Emergency Support and Fundraising, and the Task Force on Emergency Accommodation – led respectively by the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, and the Deputy Financial Secretary – was as follows:

Financial and welfare support
————————————

     For the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po established by the Government, as of 1pm yesterday, the donations received have reached $1.3 billion. In addition to the start-up capital of $300 million from the Government, the fund’s total has reached around $1.6 billion. The fund will be used to assist the residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support. The Government earlier announced that the Support Fund will provide the families of each deceased victim with a token of solidarity of $200,000 and $50,000 to cover funeral costs. The first batch of 18 cases was processed yesterday, and disbursement is underway. In addition, the Government also announced that the Support Fund will provide a living allowance of $50,000 to each affected household. The first batch of 20 cases for the living allowance of $50,000 was processed yesterday, and disbursement is also underway.

     The Government has been offering an emergency subsidy of $10,000 per affected household since the evening of November 27. As of 4pm yesterday, the Government has registered more than 1 900 households for the subsidy, with disbursement made to 1 861 households.

     In addition, the Government will provide four special subsidies, namely the injury grant, the student grant, the subsidy for workers and the subsidy for foreign domestic helpers. The amount of the injury grant ranges from $50,000 to $100,000, while that of the student grant, the subsidy for workers and the subsidy for foreign domestic helpers is at $20,000.    

     As of yesterday morning, social workers of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have been in contact with about 1 450 affected households, and more than 3 300 affected residents have been registered for the “one social worker per household” support service. The SWD will maintain liaison with the affected households for provision of all necessary assistance while fully back the support and relief work of the Government. Those not yet in touch with the SWD are advised to leave their contact information by calling 182 183 as soon as possible.

Accommodation support
——————————

     As of yesterday morning, 945 residents have been accommodated, through the co-ordination of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, in youth hostels/camps or hotel rooms. Another 1 470 residents have moved into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or units of the Hong Kong Housing Society. Furthermore, two shelters remain open for residents in need.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, went to CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River, a transitional housing project in Yuen Long, yesterday afternoon to visit and comfort victims affected by the fire. CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River has accommodated approximately 60 families, totalling over 100 fire victims. Mr Lee emphasised that the Government attaches high importance to the well-being of affected residents, focusing not only on immediate relief aid but also their various long-term living needs.

     During the visit, Mr Lee inquired about the residents’ living conditions. Some victims stated that the $10,000 emergency cash subsidy quickly distributed by the Government after the fire, along with essential supplies such as bedding and household appliances co-ordinated by welfare organisations, have provided immediate relief and substantial support during their difficult time.

     Mr Lee also inspected the temporary supplies centre, converted from an activity room which keeps daily necessities donated by various sectors. He warmly praised the staff and social workers from the welfare organisation responsible for the operation, as well as the neighbourhood residents of CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River who voluntarily assisted the newly relocated victims. He noted their swift mobilisation at critical time to provide victims with comprehensive assistance, ranging from daily essentials to emotional support.

     Mr Lee said he is deeply moved by the selfless commitment of the welfare organisation personnel and CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River neighbourhood residents, believing they embody the spirit of mutual help and solidarity of the Hong Kong society.

     Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, also visited residents affected by the fire at Pok Oi Kong Ha Wai Village, a transitional housing project at Kam Sheung Road in Yuen Long, yesterday afternoon to express sympathy and care for them, and to understand their living conditions and actual needs.

Relief supplies and donations
————————————

     The supplies donation online platform (www.taipodonation.hk) established by the Government and the information technology sector began operation on November 30 to facilitate registration of supplies donations from organisations and members of the public. Together with the information provided by members of the public via WhatsApp earlier, the Government has so far received over 470 registrations with different kinds of donation items including food and beverages, clothing, daily necessities, beddings and electrical appliances. The Government will consolidate information of all donation items and distribute supplies to residents in need as necessary.

Medical services
———————-

     To more comprehensively support the medical needs of the injured and residents affected by the fire, the Health Bureau made the following arrangements: (1) all injured individuals admitted to public hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) will receive full fee waivers for all necessary healthcare services (including drugs and medical devices) throughout the entire process of their treatment and rehabilitation; (2) all residents (including foreign domestic helpers) of the eight blocks at Wang Fuk Court will be eligible for full medical fee waivers until December 31, 2026, covering various HA services; and (3) the Department of Health (DH) will also put in place similar fee waiver arrangements.

Replacements of identity documents
——————————————-

     As at 4pm yesterday, the Immigration Department processed about 1 090 personal document replacement applications from the affected residents. Additionally, a total of 16 applications was processed for extension of stay and provision of services related to lost visa records from affected persons.

Transport services
———————-

     Starting from yesterday, five taxi fleets will arrange some taxis to provide free special services for residents in need, mainly to and from various locations in Tai Po district. Details are provided under the dedicated website “Support Services for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po” set up by the Government (www.taipofire.gov.hk).

Handling of reported missing persons 
———————————————-

     The Police have completed searches at five buildings and deployed again more than 600 officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit to conduct searches at structurally-safe locations in the remaining two most affected buildings yesterday. As of 4pm yesterday, the Police handled eight sets of human remains in the buildings, including five sets of newly found and three sets found by firefighters but yet to be removed. The number of the deceased has been updated to 151. The Police will continue to follow up on the reported missing persons, aiming to confirm their status and the number of casualties as soon as possible.

     The forensic pathologists from the DH continued to assist personnel from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit on site in collecting evidence, making every effort to help identify the deceased. As of 4pm yesterday, the next of kin of 90 victims have completed necessary procedures at the Fu Shan Public Mortuary.

Investigations
—————–

      In addition to the three personnel from a construction company who were arrested earlier, the Police have arrested another 10 individuals from various construction and engineering consultancy companies on suspicion of manslaughter. The Police have accorded top priority to the case and are gathering evidence through various channels for a thorough and in-depth investigation. The possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Regulation and inspection work
—————————————-

     The Independent Checking Unit (ICU) of the Housing Bureau, together with more than 100 professionals from the Housing Department, completed on November 29 and 30 the inspections of more than 1 700 units in seven buildings, including Wang Yan House, Wang Tao House, Wang Kin House, Wang Tai House, Wang Shing House, Wang Chi House and Wang Sun House as well as a few floors of Wang Cheong House. The professionals yesterday have also completed the inspection of the remaining units in Wang Cheong House.
 
     According to the assessment of the professionals, the structure of some units may be subject to more serious damage, but there is no imminent danger in terms of the overall structural safety in all of the buildings inspected. With the full assistance of the officers from the Fire Services Department (FSD), the emergency maintenance contractors of the Housing Bureau have completed the relevant support works so that officers of the Police Force and the FSD can immediately enter the units for evidence collection and other operations. The ICU will conduct concrete core tests as soon as possible so that more detailed assessments on the conditions of the buildings can be made.
 
     The ICU has conducted on-site sampling at Wang Fuk Court and four other Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) courts that have been issued notices under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme, including Sui Wo Court in Sha Tin, Ching Lai Court in Sham Shui Po, Yee Kok Court in Sham Shui Po, and On Kay Court in Kwun Tong. Samples collected from different positions of the protective nets had been sent to the Government Laboratory for testing. The ICU will further arrange visits to these HOS courts to collect samples on site for Government Laboratory tests. Should any non-compliant elements be detected, the ICU will immediately request removal of the protective nets and refer the case to law enforcement agencies for prosecutions of the relevant maintenance contractors.

     The Buildings Department (BD) continued its special inspection operation. As of yesterday, the BD has inspected 359 buildings undergoing external wall maintenance. Among them, about 300 buildings were confirmed to have installed with scaffold nets, and samples have been taken. Test results are expected to be ready in batches within this week. Apart from the two buildings where plastic sheeting was found blocking the windows as announced earlier (being removed successively at the Government’s instructions), no other buildings were found using foam boards or plastic sheeting to block windows. 

     The Labour Department (LD) launched a territory-wide special enforcement operation since November 28, targeting the fire protection facilities and fire emergency preparedness of building maintenance work sites with large-scale scaffolding erected. This includes checking if protective screens (also known as scaffold nets) on scaffolds are in compliance with recognised standards for fire-retardant materials to safeguard occupational safety of workers. As of 4pm yesterday, the LD has inspected 61 construction sites, issued a total of 53 written warnings and 13 improvement notices, and has taken out two prosecutions.