Month: March 2026

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Spring is in full bloom, offering people a captivating floral experience across the city. During the spring flowering season, 60 pink trumpet trees burst into bloom in Sha Tin Park. The sea of beautiful flowers attracts residents and photographers alike to stop and take pictures.

Floral oasis

To beautify the cityscape, the Task Force on District Governance has co-ordinated various departments to implement thematic planting projects across Hong Kong. These include thematically planting a single type of tree or shrub in selected locations to create a visual impact.

The improvement project in Sha Tin Park was completed earlier this year, with pink trumpet trees as the main feature. It has since become a photo-taking hotspot in the district.

One local resident had seen the project on social media and was inspired to visit in person.

“It is actually beautiful and stunning, and caught my eye.”

The pink trumpet trees also create the perfect romantic backdrop and are popular among couples for taking their wedding photos.

Careful selection

Leisure & Cultural Services Department Sha Tin District Leisure Services Office Manager (Sha Tin Park) Sherry Lau noted that the department had enhanced the beautification works in Sha Tin Park to improve its overall landscape.

“When selecting the plants, we followed the principle of ‘Right plant, Right place’, considering its suitability to the environment, visual appeal and harmony with the surroundings, as well as maintenance needs and resilience.”

She explained that the pink trumpet tree suits Hong Kong’s climate, attracts insects for pollination and supports biodiversity. Together with the surrounding greenery, it adds colour and seasonal interest to the park.

Citywide enhancement

Besides Sha Tin Park, various beautification projects in different districts have been completed. These include planting 40 rosy trumpet trees along Lung Hop Street in Wan Chai, as well as flowering plants along Lung Wo Road and near Golden Bauhinia Square to enhance the area’s appearance.

The projects also cover Shing Fung Road Park in Kai Tak where rosy trumpet trees, pink trumpet trees and Indian almonds provide year-round seasonal interest. Along the greenway, sweet gums turn red in autumn, creating a stunning autumnal vibe.

Civil Engineering & Development Department East Development Office Senior Engineer Jason Wong said: “Since Shing Fung Road Park is located by the waterfront, we chose trees that are both wind-resistant and salt-tolerant.”

Infusing joy
Mr Wong emphasised that Shing Fung Road Park not only provides quality public space but also creates synergy with the adjacent Kai Tak Sports Park. In terms of improving environmental quality, Shing Fung Road Park has not only increased green space and beautified the waterfront landscape, but also attracts residents and visitors for leisure and recreation.

The park can also host various events, promote cultural exchanges, and offer visitors an opportunity to experience Hong Kong’s local culture. Altogether, it enhances quality of life, a sense of happiness and sense of fulfilment, he added.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will lead a legal services delegation departing tomorrow on a visit to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing.

The trip is intended to strengthen exchanges between the legal sectors in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and to promote co-operation in legal and dispute resolution services.

The delegation comprises about 40 representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, and local and international law firms.

In Shanghai, Mr Lam will lead the delegation in attending a roundtable meeting for Shanghai and Hong Kong lawyers and enterprises, and visit Shanghai’s judicial departments and institutions.

During their stay in Hangzhou, the delegation will hold exchange sessions with representatives of the Zhejiang legal community, and visit a local “foreign-related” legal organisation.

Moving on to Nanjing, Mr Lam will attend an unveiling ceremony for a legal and business integration service platform between Jiangsu and Hong Kong.

During his visit to the Mainland, he will meet various local leaders.

Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on March 26. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan today continued his visit to Beijing by calling on institutions related to financial development, supervision and macro-economic planning, and meeting Minister of National Financial Regulatory Administration Li Yunze.

During the meetings, the two sides exchanged views on the outlook for the national and global economy and financial markets, as well as the overarching framework and major priorities of the 15th Five-Year Plan. The officials also discussed how Hong Kong can better align with national development strategies and contribute more effectively to the country’s overall development.

In explaining Hong Kong’s latest economic and financial situation, Mr Chan noted that the economy, underpinned by the country’s strong support, has recorded growth. Moreover, under the leadership of Chief Executive John Lee, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is pressing ahead with the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan in order to proactively integrate into and better serve overall national development.

For the financial sector, he said Hong Kong will ensure appropriate co-ordination between development and security, reinforcing its established strengths while exploring emerging areas.

This approach will steadily advance the diversified and high-quality development of financial services, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre, as well as supporting China’s efforts to build a financial powerhouse, Mr Chan elaborated.

He added that Hong Kong will leverage its strengths to contribute to China’s development of a modernised industrial system and to advancing the country’s high-level scientific and technological self-reliance ‒ this is reflected in Hong Kong’s ability to attract top international talent and to drive technological and industrial innovation through the co-ordinated development of the Northern Metropolis with sister cities across the Greater Bay Area.

Mr Chan will attend the China Development Forum 2026 and related events to be held over the weekend.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Rally”, “Greenlane”, and “Twilight”, a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed “Powerplayer”, and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Windsand” from March 13 to yesterday (March 19). A total of 26 suspected illegal workers, seven suspected employers and one suspected aider and abettor were arrested.
 
     ImmD officers targeted industries that are prone to involvement with illegal employment, including the catering and cleaning industries, and mounted a series of anti-illegal worker focused operations for four consecutive days from March 16 to March 19.  After an in-depth investigation and intelligence analysis, ImmD officers identified and raided 23 target locations, including restaurants, cleaning companies and commercial buildings. Nineteen suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised six men and 13 women, aged 22 to 62. Among them, four illegal workers were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, and three others were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards. The arrested illegal workers included dishwashers, cleaners and kitchen workers. Six men, aged 39 to 53, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested.
 
     During other anti-illegal worker operations, investigators raided multiple target locations including construction sites, scaffolding sites and performance venues. Seven suspected illegal workers, one suspected employer and one aider and abetter were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised one man and six women, aged 24 to 48. Among them, a woman was holding a recognisance form which prohibits her from taking any employment. A man aged 67 was suspected of employing the illegal workers and was also arrested. The aider and abettor was a man aged 40. An 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. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
 
     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, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the “Online Reporting of Immigration Offences” form at www.immd.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) seized two live humphead wrasses from a restaurant in Lok Fu during an inspection operation yesterday evening (March 19), with an estimated market value of about $17,000.
 
     Following a complaint received earlier alleging that a restaurant in Lok Fu was suspected of illegally selling the endangered humphead wrasse, AFCD officers conducted an inspection at the restaurant. During the operation, officers found two live humphead wrasses on display in a fish tank at the restaurant, and the species was also listed on the restaurant menu. AFCD officers requested the restaurant manager to provide proof of origin for the fish. The document provided indicated that the humphead wrasses were wild-caught.
 
     The humphead wrasse is listed in Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). According to the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586), possession of live specimens of Appendix II species of wild origin requires a Licence to Possess. As the restaurant manager was unable to produce any required licence, the AFCD has therefore seized the humphead wrasses for further investigation.
 
     A spokesman for the AFCD said, “Illegal possession of endangered species is a serious offence. Any person contravening the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years, and the seized specimens will also be forfeited upon conviction.”
 
     The Government is committed to protecting endangered species. The AFCD will remain vigilant and continue to monitor and collect intelligence through various channels, and proactively take enforcement action to combat offences involving endangered species. Members of the public are urged to report any suspected illegal possession of endangered species to the AFCD by calling 2150 6978 or emailing to espint@afcd.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region