Month: December 2025

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government welcomed the Court of First Instance’s verdict today in the case of Lai Chee-ying and three companies relating to Apple Daily involving three charges of offences endangering national security.

The charges included “conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security” and “conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications”.

The court convicted Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies on all charges.

It adjourned the case of Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies, as well as the related cases of eight people who previously pleaded guilty, to January 12, 2026, for mitigation, and the date for sentencing will be announced afterwards.

Chief Executive John Lee stated that the court found Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily guilty, confirming that Lai Chee-ying had indeed used Apple Daily to collude with foreign or external forces to endanger national security.

Mr Lee said: “Lai Chee-ying has long been using his media outlet, Apple Daily, to wantonly create social conflicts, incite social antagonism, incite hatred, glorify violence and openly beg for foreign sanctions against China and the Hong Kong SAR, attracting external interference.

“He has harmed the fundamental interests of the country and the well-being of the people of Hong Kong; his actions are shameful and his intentions malicious. His wanton crimes were committed in full view of the public, and the evidence is compelling.

“The court’s conviction demonstrates that righteousness is upheld by the law and the core values of Hong Kong are safeguarded. The law never allows anyone, regardless of profession or background, to harm their country and compatriots under the guise of human rights, democracy, and freedom.

“The Hong Kong SAR has a responsibility to safeguard national security and will resolutely combat acts and activities endangering national security. Hong Kong is underpinned by the rule of law, and the Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring offenders to account. We will do our utmost to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security to fulfil this perfectly justified responsibility.”

The Chief Executive emphasised that the Hong Kong SAR Government’s stance is unequivocal, and that the Judiciary acts confidently, undaunted by any threats.

“We will resolutely fulfil the responsibility of safeguarding national security,” he added.

The Hong Kong SAR Government stated that the court’s reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, clearly pointing out that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs.

The court’s verdict of guilty is reasoned and well founded, and fully demonstrates that the court arrived at the verdict in strict accordance with the laws and evidence, free from any interference, and entirely devoid of political considerations.

The court clearly pointed out in its reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying had harboured his resentment and hatred of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for many years. His only intent, whether pre- or post-Hong Kong National Security Law, was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even though the ultimate cost was the sacrifice of the interests of the people of the PRC and the Hong Kong SAR.

The Hong Kong SAR Government noted that throughout the enforcement, prosecution and trial stages of Lai Chee-ying’s case, there were smears and attacks as well as interference and pressure from all sides.

However, any reasonable person who can distinguish between right and wrong, upon carefully examining the reasons for verdict handed down by the court today, would agree that the court adjudicated the case fairly and impartially, and the despicable attempt of external forces is futile and doomed to failure.

Besides, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the open hearing of the case revealed that Lai Chee-ying repeatedly colluded with foreign forces to beg for sanctions or blockade, or engage in hostile activities against the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government.

It added that Lai Chee-ying’s case has absolutely nothing to do with press freedom. The defendants have merely used news reporting as a pretext for years to commit acts that harmed the country and Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The court verdict on the case under the National Security Law involving Lai Chee-ying illustrated Hong Kong’s ability to interdict all the attempts to affect national security.

Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung made the remarks today while meeting the media following Lai Chee-ying’s conviction on three national security-related charges.

Welcoming the verdict, Mr Tang said: “For whatever criminal cases, including those relating to national security, if we have evidence, we will arrest. If we have sufficient evidence, we will prosecute. No one is above the law.

“Regarding international concerns about this case, I think a lot of foreign consular staff, they have been attending the trial throughout. And they are witness to how this trial is being openly and fairly (tried).

“I think this illustrates these kind of activities, if it happened in any country, if someone (was) using the media to try to overturn a regime, I think this is not bearable by every government.

“I think this case illustrates how safe Hong Kong is, and how we are able to interdict all the national security concerns, all the attempts to affect our national security.

“I think this is a good showcase to show that we are safe, and we are safe to do investment in Hong Kong.”

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On the morning of December 14, President Lai Ching-te attended the 2025 Presidential Hackathon awards ceremony. In remarks, President Lai praised the winning teams for applying data, technology, and innovative thinking to address various public issues, their work a testament to the event’s impact. He also expressed hope that the achievements of today can become the actions of tomorrow, strengthening innovation and bringing it to every corner of society, and that by driving transformation through digital means and achieving net zero through collaborative efforts, all sectors can work together to build a smarter, more sustainable, and brighter future.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I want to welcome everyone to the Presidential Office as we witness and share the achievements and honors of the 2025 Presidential Hackathon. It is truly admirable to see teams from different backgrounds and diverse sectors applying data, technology, and innovative thinking to address various public issues, while upholding the spirit of open collaboration and interdisciplinary innovation. Now in its eighth year, the Presidential Hackathon has named 41 domestic and 14 international teams of excellence to date. Proposals have spanned a range of topics including healthcare optimization, public safety enhancement, environmental protection, and transportation improvements. Many outstanding proposals have already been translated into concrete policies and integrated into our everyday lives, contributing to Taiwan’s continued progress.
As we face the challenges of climate change and digital transformation, the domestic track of this year’s hackathon specifically adopted the theme “Dual Transformation for Green Growth,” inviting talented innovators from across the country to seek solutions for Taiwan’s sustainable future. This demonstrates Taiwan’s determination to advance digital transformation and net-zero initiatives. It also reflects our hope that, through these bold and groundbreaking innovations, Taiwan can move steadily forward on the path to green growth. I want to congratulate the five teams of excellence from the domestic track. ReSchool enhances planning efficiency and helps diversify how school campuses are used to support local development. AI-Powered Green Chemistry Diagnostic Advisor helps enterprises build a one-stop platform for chemical risk assessment and safer alternative solutions. Decarbon Strivers proposes a system to track and manage carbon footprints of construction projects at all stages, from design and operation to demolition. Zha Nan works to establish a sustainable management platform to recycle and reuse more than 120,000 metric tons of used coffee grounds per year. The Strivers integrate resources from blood donation centers and hospitals to create an emergency blood supply system, improving trauma survival rates in rural areas and strengthening healthcare resilience. Additionally, CivicWorks Guardian, who won the award for AI application, leverages AI to build an integrated management chain for construction site safety, progress, and quality. This is a significant step forward for more transparent and accountable governance in Taiwan.
The teams in this year’s international track, which followed the theme of “Digital Innovation for Resilience and Sustainability,” were equally impressive. I am pleased to see international teams using digital technologies to exchange ideas with global partners and work together to advance sustainable development. I would like to congratulate the two teams of excellence. CropNow from India helps farmers increase yields by monitoring crop health in real time. Beyond Hearing, a Taiwan-France collaboration, uses real-time sound analysis and positioning to provide greater spatial awareness to the hearing impaired.
Once again, I would like to thank all the teams for participating in the Presidential Hackathon and for their passion and creativity in using digital technologies to find innovative and sustainable solutions. Whether focused on digital governance, low-carbon cities, or green industries, the proposals are all full of creativity and give strong momentum to Taiwan’s digital and net-zero twin transition. Their work is a testament to the Hackathon’s impact. I hope the achievements of today can become the actions of tomorrow, strengthening innovation and bringing it to every corner of society. The award-winning teams have worked hard to develop their plans, and I promise that the government will give them careful consideration in formulating national policy. Together, let us drive transformation through digital means, achieve net zero through collaborative efforts, and work together to build a smarter, more sustainable, and brighter future.
President Lai then presented trophies and certificates to the winning teams in both the domestic and international tracks.
Also in attendance at the event were French Office in Taipei Director Franck Paris and India-Taipei Association Acting Director General Vishwanjali Murlidhar Gaikwad.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (December 15) the preliminary statistics on Hong Kong’s Gross National Income (GNI) and related figures for the third quarter of 2025.
 
     Hong Kong’s GNI, which denotes the total income earned by Hong Kong residents from engaging in various economic activities, increased by 1.5% in the third quarter of 2025 over a year earlier to $908.2 billion at current market prices. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), estimated at $853.7 billion at current market prices in the same quarter, recorded a 4.8% increase over a year earlier. The value of GNI was larger than GDP by $54.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025, which was equivalent to 6.4% of GDP in that quarter, mainly attributable to a net inflow of investment income.
 
     After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, Hong Kong’s GNI increased by 0.2% in real terms in the third quarter of 2025 over a year earlier. The corresponding GDP in the same quarter increased by 3.8% in real terms.
 
     Hong Kong’s total inflow of primary income, which mainly comprises investment income, estimated at $576.1 billion in the third quarter of 2025 and equivalent to 67.5% of GDP in that quarter, recorded a decrease of 7.4% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, total primary income outflow, estimated at $521.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025 and equivalent to 61.1% of GDP in that quarter, also decreased by 3.8% from a year earlier.
 
     As for the major components of investment income inflow, direct investment income (DII) decreased by 4.9% from a year earlier, mainly due to the decrease in earnings of some prominent local enterprises from their direct investment abroad. Portfolio investment income (PII) recorded a significant decrease of 10.6% from a year earlier, mainly attributable to the decrease in dividend income received by resident investors from their holdings of non-resident equity securities.
 
     Regarding the major components of investment income outflow, DII decreased by 4.1% from a year earlier, mainly due to the decrease in earnings of some prominent multinational enterprises from their direct investment in Hong Kong. PII increased by 7.6%, mainly attributable to the increase in interest payout to non-resident investors from their holdings of resident debt securities and the increase in dividend payout to non-resident investors from their holdings of resident equity securities.
 
     Analysed by country/territory, the Chinese Mainland continued to be the largest source of Hong Kong’s total primary income inflow in the third quarter of 2025, accounting for 40.7%. This was followed by the British Virgin Islands (BVI), with a share of 16.0%. Regarding total primary income outflow, the Chinese Mainland and the BVI remained the most important destinations in the third quarter of 2025, accounting for 36.0% and 18.4% respectively.
 
Further Information
 
     GDP and GNI are closely related indicators for measuring economic performance. GDP is a measure of the total value of production of all resident producing units of an economy. GNI denotes the total income earned by residents of an economy from engaging in various economic activities, irrespective of whether the economic activities are carried out within the economic territory of the economy or outside.
 
     Figures of GNI and primary income flows analysed by income component from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2025 are presented in Table A, while selected major country/territory breakdowns of primary income inflow and outflow for the same quarters are presented in Tables B(1) and B(2) respectively.
 
     Statistics on GDP and GNI from 2023 onwards and primary income flows for 2025 are subject to revision when more data are incorporated. In the light of the latest information available, annual and quarterly figures of GNI and external primary income flows for 2024 have been revised, such that the corresponding figures presented in Tables A and B are revised figures.
 
     More detailed statistics are given in the report “Gross National Income and External Primary Income Flows, Third Quarter 2025”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1040005&scode=250).
 
     For enquiries about GNI and related statistics, please contact the Balance of Payments Branch (2) of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7054 or email: gni@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (December 15) the December 2025 issue of the “Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics” (HKMDS).
 
     Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains a feature article entitled “The Four Key Industries in the Hong Kong Economy”.
 
“The Four Key Industries in the Hong Kong Economy”
 
     The Government has been actively pursuing economic development in order to keep up the competitive advantage of Hong Kong. The traditional Four Key Industries in Hong Kong, namely financial services, tourism, trading and logistics, professional services and other support services for commerce and industry, have been the driving force of Hong Kong’s economic growth, providing impetus to growth of other sectors and creating employment.
 
     This feature article analyses the economic contribution and employment situation in respect of the Four Key Industries in 2024. Taken together, the share of the total value added of the Four Key Industries in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 58.2%, while the percentage share of total employment was 42.3%.
 
     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the National Income Branch (2) of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7002; email: gdp-p@censtatd.gov.hk).
 
     Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 130 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1010002&scode=460).
 
     Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Dissemination Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email: gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for October 2025 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (December 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
 
     In October 2025, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 14.6% and 15.7% respectively over October 2024.
 
     Comparing the first ten months of 2025 with the same period in 2024, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 11.6% and 11.3% respectively.
 
     Comparing the three-month period ending October 2025 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods decreased by 2.1% and 2.3% respectively.
 
     Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
 
     Comparing October 2025 with October 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 2.4% and 2.3% respectively.
 
     As regards price changes in the first ten months of 2025 over the same period in 2024, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods both increased by 2.0%.
 
     Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.
 
     The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods.  Compared with the same periods in 2024, the index increased by 0.2% in October 2025, whereas it remained virtually unchanged in the first ten months of 2025.
 
     Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
 
     Comparing October 2025 with October 2024, increases were recorded for the total export volume to all main destinations: Vietnam (52.6%), Taiwan (43.0%), the USA (39.1%), India (21.8%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (7.3%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: Taiwan (4.7%), India (3.7%), the Mainland (2.5%), Vietnam (1.3%) and the USA (0.8%).
 
     Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
 
     Comparing October 2025 with October 2024, increases were recorded for the import volume from all main suppliers: Vietnam (175.6%), the Mainland (18.2%), Singapore (13.9%), Japan (3.4%) and Taiwan (1.8%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Singapore (6.2%), Taiwan (5.6%), Vietnam (2.3%), Japan (1.3%) and the Mainland (0.4%).
 
Further information
 
     Details of the above statistics are published in the October 2025 issue of “Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers”.  Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).
 
     Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Hongkong Post today (December 15) reminded members of the public that the latest Christmas mail posting date for local delivery before Christmas Day is December 22 (Monday). Mail posted after this date might run the risk of not being delivered in time because of the anticipated seasonal work pressure. Members of the public are advised to post mail as early as possible to avoid a last-minute rush.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The National Security Department (NSD) of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested a 26-year-old woman on December 12 night for being suspected of committing the offence of “unlawful drilling” under Section 13 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, in connection with the enforcement operation conducted on December 11.

     Regarding the nine persons arrested earlier, NSD has laid charge against two of the men, aged 24 and 25, jointly with one count of “conspiracy to commit subversion”. The case will be mentioned at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (December 15) morning.

     The arrested woman and other arrestees were released on bail and are required to report back to the Police in mid-January 2026.

     Investigation revealed that a syndicate has been conducting unlawful drilling inside a unit of an industrial building in Kowloon. The training content includes firearms drills, knife techniques and combat techniques. Police conducted searches at the unit suspected of being used for unlawful drilling and seized offensive weapons associated with the unlawful drilling.

     Police remind members of the public that “conspiracy to commit subversion” is a serious offence. Offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for more than 10 years on first conviction. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention TV and 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 (December 15) that due to the sighting of a suspected red tide, the red flag has been hoisted at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach until further notice.