Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to new term of Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “I am very pleased that the Chairman and the other eight non-official members have accepted the appointments. They all possess rich experience and expertise in their respective sectors, and will continue to inject impetus into the work of the HKCPEC in promoting regional economic co-operation. I would also like to thank the outgoing member, Ms Edith Law, for her valuable advice and contribution to the work of the HKCPEC during her tenure.”
The HKCPEC is a tripartite forum, comprising members from the academic, business and government sectors, to co-ordinate Hong Kong, China’s participation in the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), a non-profit, policy-oriented regional organisation with 21 member economies dedicated to the promotion of regional economic development. Over the years, apart from contributing actively to discussions on the PECC front, the HKCPEC has also been promoting locally the importance of regional trade and economic co-operation through a series of internship and youth programmes.
The new membership list of the HKCPEC is as follows:
Chairman
Professor Tam Kar-yan
Vice Chairman
Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry
Members
Ms Emily Cheung
Ms Suki Cheung
Mr Dickson Kwok
Mr Nicholas Lai
Ms Sophia Lee
Professor Miranda Lou
Professor Lui Hon-kwong
Professor Raymond Wong
Government Economist or his/her representative
Director of Research of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council or his/her representative
Issued at HKT 16:00
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Auction of traditional vehicle registration marks to be held on April 18
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Transport Department (TD) today (March 31) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on April 18 (Saturday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
“A total of 420 traditional vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said.
For the auction of TVRMs, only registration marks starting with “HK” or “XX” and special vehicle registration marks are put up for physical auction. Applicants should attend the auction and take note of the opening price as announced by the auctioneer before participating in the bidding of the mark.
People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.
(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.
(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
(4) The display of a vehicle registration mark on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.
(5) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.
(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.
Mainland resident jailed for conspiracy to defraud
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
A 53‑year‑old Mainland male resident charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud was convicted and sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by Sha Tin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (March 30).
The Immigration Department (ImmD) received intelligence earlier that the defendant had submitted a suspected forged Hong Kong marriage certificate to obtain an endorsement for visit and residence status in Hong Kong. Upon verification by ImmD staff, discrepancies between the marriage certificate and the records were identified. The ImmD notified the Mainland authorities of the verification results for their follow-up actions, and an investigation against the defendant began. The said application of the defendant was not approved.
The defendant was intercepted by ImmD staff upon his arrival via the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on November 11, 2025. In the course of the investigation, the defendant admitted under caution that in order to settle in Hong Kong, he paid RMB10,000 to a middleman as a reward to obtain the forged Hong Kong marriage certificate and submitted the said certificate to the Mainland authorities for his application. The defendant was charged with conspiracy to defraud. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by the Sha Tin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
“The ImmD has been very concerned about non-Hong Kong residents staying in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, and will continue to spare no effort in combating the related illicit activities. For people who have obtained their residence in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, their Hong Kong identity card and residence status will be invalidated according to the laws of Hong Kong. They will also be subject to removal back to their place of origin,” the ImmD spokesman stressed.
“According to the Immigration Ordinance, any person who makes any statement or representation which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true to immigration officers commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, face a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and the same penalties. Moreover, according to the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy to defraud is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years,” the spokesman warned.
ISRE 2.0 expected to conclude in April
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
ISRE 2.0 expected to conclude in April
A CEDB spokesman said that the convention and exhibition (C&E) industry plays a vital role in consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre. The Government has been supporting the development of the C&E industry through diverse measures. Following the allocation of $1.4 billion in 2023 to launch the original ISRE, the Government allocated an additional provision of $500 million to launch ISRE 2.0 in July last year, which received strong industry support and an overwhelming response. In addition to benefitting the C&E industry, the scheme has helped attract high-spending business visitors to Hong Kong, driving economic activities in related sectors such as accommodation, catering, retail and entertainment, thereby bringing positive benefits to the overall economy.
ISRE 2.0 provides venue rental incentives to attract new and recurrent international exhibitions of a large scale to Hong Kong. Having taken into account the operational experience of the original scheme, ISRE 2.0 has refined the relevant arrangements by focusing on international exhibitions, benefitting more eligible exhibitions by adjusting the funding cap, and offering organisers more venue options (including the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, AsiaWorld-Expo, Central Harbourfront Event Space, and West Kowloon Cultural District).
According to the application guide promulgated last year, ISRE 2.0 will conclude upon exhaustion of funds. The CEDB has also explained the relevant arrangements to the industry on various occasions and maintained close communication with venue operators. Based on the latest spending position and projection, the fund under ISRE 2.0 is expected to be exhausted by April. The CEDB has earlier encouraged venue operators to proactively communicate with relevant organisers to enable the industry to make necessary preparations for the scheme’s conclusion.
The spokesman continued, “Since 2020, the Government has allocated over $3.1 billion to implement various support measures for the C&E industry, including the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme under the Anti-epidemic Fund, the original ISRE, and ISRE 2.0, successfully assisting the industry to cope with the epidemic, promoting post-epidemic recovery and injecting momentum to the sustainable development of the industry.”
The Government will continue to strongly support the development of the C&E industry in Hong Kong. As recently announced in the 2026-27 Budget, the Government will earmark $100 million for attracting large-scale international exhibitions with new elements to Hong Kong through collaborating with relevant organisations on a pilot basis, with a view to developing Hong Kong into the first-choice platform for showcasing Mainland and international brands, while attracting high-spending business visitors to Hong Kong and driving high value-added economic activities. The CEDB is formulating the relevant arrangements and implementation details.
The spokesman expressed gratitude to the C&E industry for its continued support and co-operation with the Government in implementing various measures to promote the industry’s development, and looked forward to close collaboration with the industry to drive innovation, attract more top-tier international exhibitions to Hong Kong, and jointly tap into new economic growth opportunities.
Issued at HKT 15:00
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Chief Executive in Council approves railway scheme of Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Chief Executive in Council today (March 31) authorised the railway scheme of the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak (SGMTS-KT) in accordance with the Railways Ordinance (Cap. 519).
The SGMTS-KT is approximately 3.5-kilometre long with six stations. The termini will be connected to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the MTR Kai Tak Station respectively. It will provide a convenient feeder transport service connecting the former runway area of Kai Tak to the MTR Kai Tak Station to strengthen connectivity among residential and commercial developments, tourism, culture and recreation, sports and community facilities within the area. Tenders for the contract of the SGMTS-KT were invited in October 2025, with the system targeted to be commissioned in 2031.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Government has collected public views on the SGMTS-KT project through various channels earlier, including consulting the Legislative Council (LegCo)’s Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways, the Transport Advisory Committee, the Kowloon City District Council and the Task Force on Kai Tak Harbourfront Development of the Harbourfront Commission, and exchanging views with relevant LegCo Members and stakeholders. The public is generally supportive of the SGMTS-KT project.”
The scheme of the SGMTS-KT was gazetted on July 25, 2025, and August 1, 2025. In respect of the objections received, the Government has carefully studied the grounds of each opinion and met with the objectors to explain the railway scheme and address their concerns. All of the unwithdrawn objections have been submitted to the Executive Council for consideration.
“During the implementation of the SGMTS-KT project, the franchisee will maintain close communication with the relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, the franchisee is required to comply with the conditions set out in the environmental permit issued by the Director of Environmental Protection to mitigate the environmental impacts of the works,” the spokesman added.
New measures under Housing (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 to combat abuse of public rental housing take effect today
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The new measures under the Housing (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 to combat abuse of public rental housing (PRH) have come into effect today (March 31). The measures include: (i) introducing new offences of “serious tenancy abuse of PRH flats”; (ii) empowering authorised officers to demand personal information from suspicious individuals; and (iii) extending the prosecution time limit for offences involving false statements, refusal to furnish information and unlawful alienations.
The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, said, ”The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) keeps on enhancing its policies to ensure that public housing resources are targeted to those in greatest need. The Housing (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 demonstrates the steadfast commitment of the Government and the HA to making good use of public housing resources, combining legislative and administrative measures to tackle serious abuse.”
The HA has stepped up its publicity efforts through television programmes, newspapers, social media, leaflets, posters and other channels, and has organised exchange sessions with district councillors to ensure PRH tenants and members of the public fully understand the strengthened measures against abuse of PRH.
Government announces appointments to Fight Crime Committee
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government announces appointments to Fight Crime Committee
Mr George Lau Ka-keung
Dr Eugene Chan Kin-keung
Mr Chan Man-chau
Mr Chong Chong-yip
Professor Lau Sin-ting
Mr Stanley Li Sai-wing
Mr Roland Wong Ka-yeung
Mr Wong Wing-lik
Mr Yeung Ka-shing
Dr Stanley Yim Yuk-lun
The Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairman of the Committee, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, thanked the 10 members for their continuous contributions and dedication to the Committee, and said he looked forward to continuing to work closely with all members.
The Fight Crime Committee is responsible for drawing up plans to reduce crime, co-ordinating efforts in fighting crime and monitoring the results, and determining ways in which the public can be encouraged to contribute to the fight against crime.
Issued at HKT 11:00
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CCIDA sponsors industry to participate in AW2026 Shanghai Fashion Week
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CCIDA sponsors industry to participate in AW2026 Shanghai Fashion Week
Highlights of the “Asian Designers To Watch x Hong Kong Emerging Designers” included a designer exhibition and a fashion show. The exhibition, held from March 25 to 30, featured 21 selected fashion pieces by seven Asian Designers To Watch of the 2025 edition and over 160 AW2026 fashion and accessory pieces by 10 Hong Kong emerging designers. The fashion show, held on March 27 as the HKDC’s debut at the SHFW, showcased 40 selected AW2026 outfits by five emerging Hong Kong designers and brands, presenting to Chinese Mainland and international audiences the vitality of Hong Kong fashion. The two highlight events provided a platform for Hong Kong designers to network with buyers from around the world during the SHFW, one of the most influential fashion events in Asia, and explore potential business opportunities.
The HKDC is CCIDA’s strategic partner in leveraging Hong Kong’s East-meets-West advantage to drive economic value from design. CCIDA has been supporting the HKDC’s initiatives for exploring markets for local design talent and enterprises, including organising industry delegations to participate in major design and fashion events on the Chinese Mainland and overseas, to enhance the global visibility of Hong Kong’s design industry and foster cross-boundary collaborations.
For more information on event, please visit www.hkdesigncentre.orgIssued at HKT 17:00
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Hong Kong Customs detects three importing suspected controlled injection and pharmaceutical product cases
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Hong Kong Customs detected three importing suspected controlled injection and pharmaceutical product cases in late March and seized 20 vials of injections suspected to contain Part 1 poisons, with an estimated market value of about $13,000.
Customs officers on March 25 inspected three express parcels imported from Japan to Hong Kong via the Shenzhen Bay Control Point. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of injection vials suspected to contain Part 1 poisons in the three parcels.
After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation on March 26 and arrested three female consignees aged between 28 to 39 at three recipient addresses.
Investigations are ongoing and the three arrested persons have been released on bail.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person who imports pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid import licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, any person who possesses any poison included in Part 1 of the Poisons List other than in accordance with provisions commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
New local HIV cases decline for 10 consecutive years as DH strengthens community engagement to consolidate support for HIV prevention and control
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
New local HIV cases decline for 10 consecutive years as DH strengthens community engagement to consolidate support for HIV prevention and control (with photo)
New HIV cases continues to decline but proportion of late presenters remains high
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In 2025, the CHP received 331 new HIV cases, comprising 258 males and 73 females aged between 6 and 76. Among the cases with a reported route of transmission, 279 cases (99 per cent) acquired the infection through sexual contact, including 158 through homosexual or bisexual contact and 121 through heterosexual contact. The cumulative total of locally reported HIV infections since 1984 is 12 734.
During the same period, a total of 86 new AIDS cases were reported, including 61 males and 25 females. Since 1985, a cumulative total of 2 643 confirmed AIDS cases have been reported in Hong Kong. The most common AIDS-defining illness was Pneumocystis pneumonia.
“The prevalence of HIV infection in Hong Kong has remained far below the global average, accounting for 1 in 1 000 of the adult population. The number of new HIV infections has declined for 10 consecutive years since the peak in 2015 when over 700 new cases were reported, representing a more than 50 per cent drop. This is largely attributable to the sustained efforts of the Government, the healthcare sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) over the years. Nevertheless, the proportion of late presenters among the newly reported cases in Hong Kong has remained high at about 50 per cent in recent years. An in-depth analysis of the data by the CHP revealed that the proportion of late presenters among high-risk populations (such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex workers) is approximately 40 to 50 per cent. Among non-high-risk groups, this figure is even higher, reaching 60 to 70 per cent. This situation warrants attention,” said the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the Public Health Services Branch of the CHP, Dr Bonnie Wong.
Late presenters refer to individuals with a very low CD4 (one kind of immune cell) cell count (less than 200 cells/mm3) or those who have already progressed to AIDS at the time of HIV diagnosis. Late presentation indicates that these individuals were not diagnosed and put on treatment in a timely manner at an earlier stage of infection.
“Late presentation can lead to an increased risk of opportunistic infections and malignancies, leading to a tenfold increase in mortality rate when compared with other people infected with HIV. In addition, as a result of an unsuppressed viral load, late presenters contribute to an increased risk of HIV transmission in the community. As sexual transmission remains the major route of HIV transmission in Hong Kong, we encourage people who have had sex to get HIV testing at least once to keep track of their health status. People with higher risk of infection (such as those who do not use condoms properly or those who inject drugs) should undergo regular screening to safeguard their own and their partners’ health,” said Dr Wong.
Multifaceted collaboration model to strengthen prevention, control and support of HIV/AIDS
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She added that 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the introduction of highly effective antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment. With the advancement of medicine and successful implementation of prevention and control measures in Hong Kong, HIV infection is now a manageable chronic disease. The World Health Organization also emphasised that people with HIV should receive antiretroviral drugs as soon as possible. This helps achieve viral suppression, prevent the progression to AIDS and other complications, and increase the chance of survival significantly. Furthermore, those who achieve an undetectable level of the virus in blood while on treatment will not transmit the virus through sex, i.e. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
As with the prevention and control of other chronic diseases, community engagement is particularly important in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. The Government will adopt a multifaceted collaboration model to engage community stakeholders, including NGOs, in participating in HIV prevention and control work. The following two initiatives under the Partnership Programme for Community Engagement will be launched on April 1:
(1) Priority Populations Testing and Counselling Programme
Target participants include priority populations identified in the Recommended HIV/AIDS Strategies for Hong Kong (2022-2027) (including MSM, people of non-Chinese ethnic groups, transgender people, people who inject drugs, sex workers or those who were at a higher risk of infection, such as clients of sex workers or individuals with multiple sexual partners).
The CHP subsidises NGOs to provide target participants with free HIV and syphilis antibody testing, personalised psychological support and counselling, health advice on safer sex and methods to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. When necessary, service recipients will be referred to other services for prevention, diagnosis or follow-up care arrangement. Participating NGOs will also deploy outreach teams into communities to proactively provide relevant services to those in need.
(2) People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Support Services Programme
The target participants are individuals currently receiving follow-up care at public HIV clinics. NGOs subsidised by the CHP will provide comprehensive support tailored to PLHIV, including medication and adherence support, psychological and social support, group therapy activities, drug rehabilitation and counselling support, functional rehabilitation and bridging psychiatric services etc.
“These two programmes address different groups and needs with precision. The former promotes early testing and early prevention to align with the CHP’s core objectives of expanding testing services and implementing target-based prevention, control and intervention; the latter helps PLHIV better manage their health and further strengthen the existing support for them and their families. The CHP believes that leveraging the community service networks established by the NGOs over the years will help build a more accessible, targeted and sustainable HIV/AIDS prevention, control and support network. This approach puts into practice the concept of community-collaborative public health service. The CHP will accumulate experience for the optimisation and improvement of related services in the future,” Dr Wong said.
Members of the public who wish to participate or learn more about the two programmes may visit the Red Ribbon Centre’s website (www.rrc.gov.hk/englishIssued at HKT 14:30
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