Month: February 2026

CE holds engagement sessions with HKSAR deputies to NPC and HKSAR members of National Committee of CPPCC  
　　Mr Lee said that the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, as important members of the country’s institutions, serve as a crucial bridge connecting the Mainland and Hong Kong. He noted that the current-term HKSAR Government has established a regular exchange mechanism with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to pool their strengths in contributing to Hong Kong’s further integration into and service of national development.
 
　　Mr Lee thanked the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC for their active contributions of insights and suggestions, and for engaging in in-depth discussions on Hong Kong’s economic and social development opportunities during the National 15th Five-Year Plan period. Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will lead Hong Kong in proactively aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, and making every effort to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent. The HKSAR Government will work hand in hand with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to contribute to Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability.
Issued at HKT 18:45

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Hong Kong Museum of Art receives another donation of $90 million from Wu Guanzhong’s son       
     In 2024, the HKMoA established the Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship with the initial $100 million donation, comprehensively promoting Wu Guanzhong’s art and modern Chinese art to diverse audiences across various regions. Six major series have been launched, including local and overseas exhibitions, educational programmes, and academic research initiatives. Mr Wu Keyu stated that since the establishment of the special fund, the HKMoA has enhanced its promotion of Wu Guanzhong’s art, and its tireless efforts in advancing art education have deeply moved him. He hopes that through this contribution, the fund’s strength can be further enhanced, enabling art promotion work to reach greater depth and breadth. The HKMoA thanks Wu Guanzhong and his family for their trust and support over the years, allowing the public to deeply appreciate the essence of the master’s art.
      
     Wu Guanzhong (1919 – 2010) was a leading figure in 20th-century Chinese and international art. He had deep connections with Hong Kong, having hosted multiple exhibitions and events here and even visiting Hong Kong’s streets for sketching inspiration. Over the years, the HKMoA has benefited from generous donations by Wu Guanzhong and his family. To date, the Museum has accumulated over 450 works and personal archives, making it the institution with the largest and most diverse collection of Wu Guanzhong’s art.
      
     Since the establishment of the sponsorship, the HKMoA has held numerous exhibitions. Among them, “Wu Guanzhong: Between Black and White”, running from March 2024 to March 2025, received widespread acclaim, attracting more than 570 000 visitors. Last year, from July to October, the Museum showcased the master’s works at the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum of the Seoul Arts Center, promoting Wu Guanzhong’s art to international audiences and fostering cultural exchanges between the two regions. Currently, the exhibition “Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Thematic Exhibition Series: Wu Guanzhong: Encountering Landscapes” is taking place on the fourth floor of the Museum, featuring valuable sketches, ink, and oil paintings – nearly half of which are being displayed for the first time since their donation to the Museum.
      
     To enable more audiences to become acquainted with this art master, the Museum has launched the “Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Educational Series: Art Journey with Wu Guanzhong: Mobile Museum”. The art bus uses multimedia devices and interactive games to promote Wu Guanzhong’s art and aesthetic principles. Over the next two years, the Mobile Museum will visit more than 140 local primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong and will also stop at various cultural venues and recreational spaces. Furthermore, the Academic Research Series, “Wu Guanzhong Paintings and Personal Archives in the Hong Kong Museum of Art”, compiles over 450 sets of Wu Guanzhong’s works and personal archives. In addition to being available for sale at the Museum gift shop, the catalogue will be distributed free of charge to secondary schools across Hong Kong for educational purposes.
      
     For details on the various exhibitions and activities related to the Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Series, please visit: hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events.htmlIssued at HKT 17:38

21 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations (with photo) 
     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, warehouses and massage parlours. A total of 19 suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised nine men and 10 women, aged 33 to 58. Among them, three men and two women were holding recognizance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment. Two men, aged 48 and 56, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. The investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
 
     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.”
 
     The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years.”
 
     The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
 
     For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 17:30

CE meets Secretary of CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee (with photo) 
　　Mr Lee welcomed Mr Chen and his delegation on their visit to Hong Kong. Mr Lee said that since the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), Zhuhai has become the only Mainland city connected by land to both Hong Kong and Macao. The successive implementation of the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles schemes has deepened the two-way flow of people between Guangdong and Hong Kong, further facilitating the flow of people and goods within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). As a core city of the GBA, Hong Kong will continue to work closely with Zhuhai to further harness the opportunities presented by the HZMB to develop Hong Kong and Zhuhai into one of the GBA’s main gateways for the import and export of goods, promoting high-quality development in the GBA.
 
　　Mr Lee said that Hong Kong International Airport and Zhuhai Airport have been closely co-operating with remarkable results. Through enhancing the “Fly-Via-Zhuhai-Hong Kong” direct passenger service and jointly developing the international air-cargo business, the two places have further enhanced the competitiveness of both airports and reinforced their combined advantages to bring about the synergy effect of “one plus one is greater than two”. This serves as a testament to the complementarity and mutual benefits achieved between Hong Kong and Zhuhai. Hong Kong will continue to leverage its dual advantage of having national and global opportunities, and further strengthen collaboration between the two airports, jointly contributing to the development of a world-class airport cluster in the GBA.
 
　　Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Zhuhai are linked by geographical ties and share the same roots, with frequent exchanges in areas such as trade, investment, transport and aviation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to better integrate into and serve the country’s overall development and fulfil the role of “bringing in and going global”. He encouraged Zhuhai enterprises to make good use of Hong Kong as a springboard to explore overseas markets, pursue development together, and jointly seize the opportunities arising from national development.
Issued at HKT 17:00

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Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit goods worth about $1.3 million (with photo)      
     Based on risk assessment, Customs examined an outbound air cargo consignment, declared as car player converters, at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound at HKIA. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected counterfeit goods therein, including footwear, bags and clothing.
      
     An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected counterfeit goods would have been exported to overseas regions.
      
     Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against counterfeit goods and smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
      
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:40

External merchandise trade statistics for January 2026 
     In January 2026, the value of total exports of goods increased by 33.8% over a year earlier to $520.6 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 26.1% in December 2025. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 38.1% over a year earlier to $534.7 billion in January 2026, after a year-on-year increase by 30.6% in December 2025. A visible trade deficit of $14.1 billion, equivalent to 2.6% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in January 2026.
 
     Comparing the three-month period ending January 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 9.4%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 10.9%.
 
Analysis by country/territory
 
     Comparing January 2026 with January 2025, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 37.3%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Taiwan (+88.8%), Malaysia (+81.1%), Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (+40.6%), Singapore (+32.4%), Thailand (+31.1%) and Vietnam (+31.0%).
 
     Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations in other regions, in particular Switzerland (+105.1%), the Netherlands (+39.5%) and the USA (+23.3%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Vietnam (+129.8%), India (+125.1%), Korea (+75.0%), the Mainland (+46.6%) and Singapore (+42.8%).
 
     Comparing the three months ending January 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Malaysia (+96.3%), Taiwan (+70.2%), the United Arab Emirates (+66.4%), Thailand (+47.5%) and the Mainland (+26.8%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Vietnam (+133.6%), India (+81.2%), the Mainland (+34.7%), the United Kingdom (+31.1%) and Korea (+22.3%).

Analysis by major commodity
 
     Comparing January 2026 with January 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $71.6 billion or +39.4%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $24.2 billion or +51.9%). 
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $76.2 billion or +44.8%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $34.2 billion or +80.0%).
 
     Comparing the three months ending January 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $163.7 billion or +28.4%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $61.7 billion or +45.2%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $168.4 billion or +29.1%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $80.7 billion or +57.2%).
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that the value of merchandise exports posted a sharp rise in January, surging by 33.8% over a year earlier. Exports to most markets and of most major commodities increased visibly. While the low base of comparison last year amid the early arrival of Chinese New Year contributed to the strong year-on-year rise, the underlying growth momentum remained robust. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of merchandise exports in the three-month period ending January picked up to increase by 9.4% over the preceding three-month period.
 
     Looking ahead, Hong Kong’s merchandise trade performance will be underpinned by the sustained moderate expansion of the global economy and strong global demand for AI-related electronic products. Meanwhile, the Government will stay vigilant to the trade policy developments in the external environment.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for January 2026. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2023 to January 2026, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
 
     The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for January 2026 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
 
     Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for January 2026.
 
     All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for January 2026 will be released in mid-March 2026.
 
     The January 2026 issue of “Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade” contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade in January 2026 and will be available in early March 2026. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020005&scode=230 
     Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4691).
Issued at HKT 16:30

Flower Show to adorn Victoria Park with theme flower stock from March 20  
     Native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, stock is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Matthiola in the Brassicaceae family. It blooms from early spring to early summer. The stock is readily identifiable by its characteristic four-petalled cross-shaped flowers. The inflorescence is a raceme, with clusters of around 10 small flowers in terminal and on stalks. The sun-loving flowers open in bursts from the bottom upwards.
 
     The stock comes in an array of colours, ranging from vibrant classic ones like purple, pink, white and yellow, to fresher and softer hues of newer cultivars, such as pale lilac, creamy yellow and pastel pink. Extensive cultivation and improvements have produced a host of single-petalled and double-petalled cultivars, which vary in height and size, each with its own attractiveness.
 
     With its dazzling colour, heady scent, abundant supply and relatively long blooming period, the stock is deeply adored by gardening enthusiasts. Whether grown in parterres, pots or used as cut flowers, it brings fragrance and beauty. Essential oils of stock have long been used in perfumes and aromatherapy.
 
     In addition to this year’s theme flower and other flowering plants, the gardens along the central axis are specially infused with strong Hong Kong characteristics, bringing visitors the city’s unique cultural diversity and urban charm amid floral fragrances in the air. The event will showcase a large collection of exquisite potted plants, beautiful floral arrangements and well-crafted landscape displays by local, Mainland and overseas organisations. There will also be commercial stalls selling flowers and horticultural products. A wide variety of educational and recreational fringe activities will also be held for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
 
     For more details about the HKFS and its admission fee arrangements, please visit the webpage at www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2026/index.html 
     The HKFS is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting the flower show for the 14th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
Issued at HKT 15:00