Month: March 2026

DH calls on members of public to maintain oral health for comprehensive physical and mental well-being in support of World Oral Health Day 
Oral health is closely related to physical health
 
     The Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of DH, Dr Kitty Hse, remarked that oral health not only affects eating ability, language expression and personal appearance, but is also closely related to overall health. Excessive sugar intake in daily diets can cause tooth decay and also increases the risk of obesity, which is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. To address these health challenges, the Government has just launched Hong Kong’s inaugural Action Plan on Weight Management 
     Controlling sugar intake is one of the most effective ways to achieve the concept of “A Happy Mouth is … a Happy Life”. Dr Hse emphasised that sugar-reduction-based dental care habits should be cultivated from infancy. Parents should avoid letting infants fall asleep with a feeding bottle in their mouth and should brush their child’s teeth twice daily once their child starts teething, to reduce the risk of tooth decay. During childhood and adolescence, parents should help their children establish the habit of brushing their teeth with fluoride toothpaste every morning and night, avoid frequent consumption of high-sugar snacks and drinks, and take their children for regular oral health check-ups annually, laying a solid foundation for good dental care from an early age.

Government dental services cover “all ages”
 
     The Government adopts the strategy of widely promoting prevention-oriented primary oral healthcare among citizens across all age groups.
      The DH’s dental services cover all primary and secondary school students under 18 and preschool children in Hong Kong, aiming to provide continuous oral health support from preschool through school age, help children establish good lifestyle habits from the earliest stages of life, and guide them to maintain regular oral check-ups throughout their lives for early prevention of dental problems.
 
     Upon reaching adulthood, members of the public should cultivate good oral health habits through daily practices, including thorough daily cleaning of teeth and interdental spaces, regular oral check-ups, maintaining a balanced diet, reducing sugar intake, and avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption. These habits can help lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The Government provides oral health education, oral hygiene instructions, and risk assessment services in the community through DHCs and non-governmental organisations. It also collaborates with relevant dental clinics to assist DHCs in offering oral health care services to designated high-risk groups. Through implementing the principle of “early prevention, early detection and early treatment” of dental diseases, members of the public can effectively preserve their teeth and maintain oral function in later stages of life, thereby improving their overall quality of life.
      
     To strengthen oral health protection, the Government launched the Community Dental Support Programme 
     In support of this year’s World Oral Health Day, Dr Hse said that the DH has not only launched a promotional video, but also organised a thematic exhibition at the following venues. Members of the public are welcome to visit:     For more information on oral health and relevant programmes, members of public may visit the DH’s Oral Health Promotion Division’s online platforms and relevant websites:Issued at HKT 9:30

Hong Kong Customs, FSD and HKPF mount joint operation against illicit fuel storage site and illegal fuelling station       
     According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, any vehicle found conveying illicit motor spirit, as well as any tools, equipment, or articles used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of related offences, shall be liable to forfeiture whether or not any person is convicted of any offence. Anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation, it is an offence to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance also provides that no person shall manufacture, store, convey or use any dangerous goods unless they possess a licence or exemption granted. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for the first offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months. For each subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.
      
     Customs will continue to collaborate with the FSD and the HKPF in combating illicit fuel activities and arranging surprise inspections against blackspots of illicit fuel activities. The FSD will also report suspected breach of the land lease governing the site identified to the relevant department for follow-up action. Members of the public are urged not to patronise illegal fuelling stations. As these illegal fuelling stations lack the proper fire-safety installations and equipment used for fuelling stations, the consequences could be catastrophic in the event of a fire.
      
     Members of the public are urged to report suspected illegal fuel activities via the Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or the FSD’s 24-hour hotline 5577 9666 or report through the Illicit Fuelling Activities on the Fire Hazard Electronic Complaint Portal of the FSD (fhcp.hkfsd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:35

Film Archive to present “The Kid” and “Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey” screenings in April  
“Restored Treasures – The Kid (1999) (4K Digitally Restored Version) (Hong Kong Premiere)”
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      To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the birth of superstar Leslie Cheung, the HKFA will premiere the 4K digitally restored version of “The Kid” (1999) at 7.30pm on April 26 (Sunday) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
 
    Amid the sluggish Hong Kong film market in the late 1990s, the director of “The Kid”, Jacob Cheung, worked with various filmmakers to found Creative Alliance, a collective where directors had to raise funds and hire actors personally to produce quality films. At this juncture, Leslie Cheung joined the production of the film with a nominal pay of $1. He also took it upon himself to compose and sing the theme song. To let more audiences witness the superstar’s passion for Hong Kong films, Jacob Cheung funded the 4K digital restoration of the film after more than two decades. 
 
      In the film, Leslie Cheung plays the role of a financial elite losing everything during the economic turmoil of the time. At this low point of his life, he finds and adopts an abandoned baby boy. The two become indispensable to each other, like father and son, until the return of the child’s mother, forcing them to make a choice. The film exemplifies Jacob Cheung’s signature blend of arthouse lyricism and realism, reflecting the emotions of Hong Kong people during the financial crisis while offering a tender portrait of a family bond.
 
      The programme will be accompanied by a pre-screening talk by Jacob Cheung with director Joe Cheung, one of the founders of Creative Alliance. Tickets priced at $70 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
“Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey”
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      “Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey” will be held from April 25 to June 7, featuring 12 films from different eras under five themes to present the fantasy worlds created by Hong Kong filmmakers with their wild inventiveness and daring special effects.
 
     The screening programme kicks off with the world premiere of “The Spooky Bunch” (1980) (4K digitally restored version). Directed by Ann Hui and starring the film’s producer Josephine Siao, alongside Kenny Bee, Kwan Chung, Lau Hark-suen, Tina Liu and others, the film employs a darkly comedic approach to portray a paranormal adventure of a Cantonese opera troupe in Cheung Chau. With Cantonese opera performances woven into the story, the film blends suspense, hilarity, Cantonese opera culture and local supernatural folk legend. The 4K digitally restored version revives the audio-visual quality of its original theatrical release to bring back the original splendour of this Hong Kong New Wave masterpiece.  
 
      Other films include the two Cantonese fantasy period films with the theme “Memories of Light and Shadow”. Starring Cheung Ying, Law Yim-hing, Sek Kin and others, “Ten Brothers” (1959) (2K digital version) visualises the magical powers of the brothers in their journey to rescue their father through double exposures, still frames, and special props. With advanced technology of the time and intensive special effects, “The Magic Cup” (Part One and Concluding Episode) (1961) (2K digital version) tells the story of good triumphing over evil, with Fung Bo-bo as a little girl defeating evil schemes with the help of the Magic Cup Genie, played by Law Yim-hing. 
 
     Under the theme “Stories Across Time”, “A Chinese Ghost Story” (1987) (2K digitally restored version) tells a mesmerising love story between a man and a ghost, through the fine acting of Leslie Cheung and Joey Wang respectively, with ingenious special effects and cinematography. Turning a side character in the original myth into the protagonist, played by Maggie Cheung, “Green Snake” (1993) (4K digitally restored version) gives a fresh take on the legendary romance between the White Snake, played by Wang, and her scholar, played by Wu Hsing-kuo, all in a bewitching and beguiling world created with special effects and lighting.
 
      The two films under the theme “The Spooky and the Supernatural” were trendsetting and wildly popular at the time of their original release. Scripted, directed and starred by Sammo Hung, “Encounter of the Spooky Kind” (1980) mixes paranormal and comedic elements with martial arts, pioneering a unique sub-genre in Hong Kong films. Also a Hong Kong film classic, “Mr. Vampire” (1985), starring Lam Ching-ying, Ricky Hui and Chin Siu-ho, in its own distinctive style, weaves together Chinese folklores with legends of bloodsucking ghouls in the West, spawning a fad of vampire films in Hong Kong.
 
     Under the theme “Sci-Fi and Comic Wonders”, the two films presented include “I Love Maria” (1988), in which a former gang member, played by the film’s producer Tsui Hark, is hunted by an android, played by Sally Yeh, in a future world. Anita Mui, Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok present exemplary performances in the contemporary-set swordplay film “Saviour of the Soul” (1991), with the screenplay by Wong Kar-wai and Jeff Lau that brings together elements of Eastern and Western fantasies.
 
      One of the films under the theme “Dreamlike Cityscapes” is “Lavender” (2000). It tells an ethereal and romantic fairytale between a broken-winged angel, played by Takeshi Kaneshiro, and an aromatherapist, played by Kelly Chen. In “Wait ‘Til You’re Older” (2005), directed by Teddy Chen and starring Andy Lau and Karen Mok, a boy takes a stolen potion, which makes him an adult overnight with the caveat of growing old soon after, leaving behind profound ponderings about life.
 
     Some screenings will be accompanied by pre- or post-screening talks, where directors Ann Hui and Teddy Chen, art director Dr Rebecca Lee and actress Tina Liu will share their extraordinary creativity both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, while film scholars and researchers Dr Lei Chin-pang, Keeto Lam, Thomas Shin, Eric Tsang, Joyce Yang and Matthew Cheng will discuss with audiences their insights into the films. In addition, Eric Li, son of Li Wui-tao, who founded the Tao Yuen Motion Picture Development Company that produced “The Magic Cup”, will share his memories at the filming studio at a post-screening talk.
 
      “The Spooky Bunch” will be screened at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, with tickets priced at $70 and a 20 per cent discount for LCSD Museum Pass holders purchasing regular-priced tickets for this screening at URBTIX outlets. Other films will be screened at the HKFA Cinema, with tickets priced at $60. There is also a 20 per cent discount is available for every purchase of two or more regular-priced tickets of this programme. Tickets will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
      For details of the programmes, please visit the website of the HKFA: www.filmarchive.gov.hk 
      With “Beyond Fantasy” as this year’s theme, the LCSD presents the fourth Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival. Over the years, Hong Kong pop culture has continued to evolve through music, images and text, as well as stage and cross-media creations. Shaped by the interplay of inheritance, circulation, fusion and breakthroughs, it has distilled a style that is uniquely Hong Kong. The Festival will continue to join audiences and local creators in crossing boundaries within everyday rhythms, and create warm, resonant and moving works while inspiring the limitless possibilities of pop culture. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/enIssued at HKT 18:20

GoGlobal Task Force thematic website and cross-sector professional services platform launched to support Mainland enterprises going global via Hong Kong      
     The GoGlobal Task Force thematic website consolidates key information for Mainland enterprises going global, including the GoGlobal Task Force’s member list and support services; promotional events held by the Task Force on the Mainland and in Hong Kong; success stories of Mainland enterprises going global via Hong Kong; practical resources; and the first phase of the cross-sector professional services platform launched on the same day by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.  
      
     As one of the new measures announced in the 2026-27 Budget, the platform brings together service providers from Hong Kong in eight major sectors – finance, legal, accounting, branding and marketing, logistics, communication technology, infrastructure and real estate, and testing and certification. It will match Mainland enterprises with suitable Hong Kong service providers, offering one-stop professional support for their global expansion. The list of service providers on the platform incorporates professional opinions from the Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global led by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, relevant members of the GoGlobal Task Force, professional bodies and industry organisations. It will be regularly updated as needed.
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “The cross-bureau, cross-departmental, and cross-organisation GoGlobal Task Force, launched in October last year, serves as a one-stop platform and the best partner for Mainland enterprises to go global. We encourage Mainland enterprises to make good use of Hong Kong’s international advantages in finance, trade, professional services, innovation and technology, and talent to assist them in expanding their business in the global market. At the same time, more Mainland enterprises going global through Hong Kong will bring more direct investment, job opportunities, and demand for professional services to Hong Kong, further driving high-quality growth in the local economy and the flourishing development of various professions.”
      
     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, remarked that the Department of Justice (DoJ) has earlier released the inaugural edition of the “Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong’s Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global” (bilingual in Chinese and English), which is available on the DoJ websiteIssued at HKT 15:16

Approved Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan amended     * The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.Issued at HKT 16:00

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CHP investigates local case of invasive meningococcal infection and continues to monitor outbreak in United Kingdom      
Information on latest local case
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     The case involves a 3-year-old boy with good past health. He presented with a fever and vomiting on March 17. He was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital the following day (March 18) and admitted for treatment. He is currently in a serious condition. His blood and cerebrospinal fluid specimens tested positive for meningococcus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis is meningitis.
      
     An initial investigation revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. His household contacts have remained asymptomatic so far. The CHP has prescribed preventive drugs to them, and the investigation is ongoing. Initial findings suggest that this is a sporadic case. There is no evidence suggesting an epidemiological linkage between this case and previously confirmed cases in Hong Kong or the recent outbreak in the UK.
      
     Meningococcal infection is a statutory notifiable disease. The CHP has recorded four cases this year so far. A total of 11 cases were recorded last year.
 
Strengthening local preventive and control measures in response to outbreak in UK
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     Over the past week, the CHP has been closely monitoring the outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease in Kent, the UK, and has requested further information from the UK health authority.
      
     “According to the latest information, the number of infected cases in the UK continues to increase from 20 to 29 (as at 5pm on March 19, UK time), with two students having died. The cases primarily involve young people. Some of them are students at the University of Kent or individuals who visited a local nightclub called “Club Chemistry” between March 5 and 7. Although the CHP has not received notification from the UK health authority that the cluster or its close contacts involve students from Hong Kong, the CHP has prepared health information on invasive meningococcal disease and will distribute it to Hong Kong students in the UK through the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London in due course. Regarding preventive and control measures at the immigration level, the CHP has stepped up health screenings at the airport for related inbound passengers showing suspected symptoms to facilitate prompt referral of suspected cases to hospitals for examinations. The CHP will also issue a letter to all doctors in Hong Kong, reminding them to be vigilant for symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease among patients returning from affected regions, and to provide professional advice on meningococcal vaccination based on the patient’s age, health status, and detailed travel history (including destination, duration of stay and activities). The CHP will continue to maintain close liaison with the UK health authority and take appropriate follow-up measures based on risk assessments to safeguard public health,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.
 
     Dr Tsui added that according to overseas literature, there is a higher risk of transmission or outbreak of meningococcal infection in crowded settings including university or staff dormitories. The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP last year reviewed the local epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease, the recommendations of the World Health Organization and overseas practices. In light of the very low invasive meningococcal disease incidence in Hong Kong, the SCVPD did not recommend introducing universal meningococcal vaccination into the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme from the public health perspective. However, the SCVPD recommended high-risk individuals, including long-term travellers and those studying abroad, receive meningococcal vaccinations per the recommendations by the health authorities in the destination country to safeguard personal health. With the Easter holidays approaching, overseas students may return to Hong Kong. Dr Tsui reminded members of the public to seek medical advice as soon as possible if they develop symptoms of meningococcal infection.
 
Preventive measures
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     Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact with respiratory secretions, including droplets from the nose and throat, of infected persons. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (meningococcaemia) or the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis). Meningococcaemia is characterised by a sudden onset of fever, an intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningococcal meningitis is characterised by high fever, severe headache, stiff neck followed by drowsiness, vomiting, fear of bright light, or rash; it can cause brain damage or even death.

     To prevent meningococcal infection, the CHP urged members of the public to take the following measures:
          The public may visit the CHP’s websiteIssued at HKT 19:02

Hong Kong Customs detects case of precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified transactions during suspension of registration      
     The investigation is ongoing. The arrested person has been released on bail.
      
     According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), unless exempted, any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs. Any dealer, other than a registrant, who claims to be a registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 is liable to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
      
     Customs reminds dealers in precious metals and stones that they must obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.
      
     For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk      
     Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account  (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:00

Tuen Mun Hospital to conduct electrical infrastructure related works      
     The spokesperson of the HA said, “This work is one of the necessary construction items within the extension project of the Operating Theatre Block at TMH, aimed at enhancing the stability of the hospital’s power supply in the long term, ensuring it meets the future development needs of hospital services. The remaining items of the extension project, including the reconstruction of the existing Accident and Emergency Department at TMH, will be fully operational within the year.”
      
     The hospital has formulated a series of comprehensive contingency measures to address any potential impacts from the works. The HA has instructed the contractor to take necessary measures to ensure that TMH’s power supply is uninterrupted during the works. Communication has also been maintained with the Fire Services Department, the Home Affairs Department, the electricity company, and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth completion of the project.
     
Issued at HKT 18:00

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