Month: March 2026

Appointments to Resolvability Review Tribunal and Resolution Compensation Tribunal—–
New appointeesDr Lu MengyuMr Paul Chow Koon-ying
Mr Rix Chung Kwok-fai
Mr Praveen Mohan Daswani
Professor Hui Kai-lung
Dr Jia Hongrui
Mr Gavin Lam Chi-wai
Mr Roy Leung Sze-kit
Ms Janet Li Tze-yan
Mr Mak Kwong-fai
Dr Annie Mok Yuet-ngo
Ms Fion Ng Siu-mui
Mr Tommy So Chung
Ms Peggy Tse Pui-kei
Ms Fonia Wong Yeung-fong—–
New appointeesMr Jacky Lio Veng-hei
Ms Sally Wan Yuen-waiProfessor Alex Chan Wing-ho
Ms Lorna Chen Xin
Mr Steve Chong Wai-ming
Ms Fang Xin
Ms Candy Fong Wai-ling
Mr Byron Khoo
Ms Sophia Lee Shuk-woon
Ms Orchis Li Tzy-lan
Ms Angie Li Yick-yee
Mr Kevin Liem Chi-kit
Mr Eugene Liu
Mr Wiley Pun Wang-fung
Ms Tiffany Wong Wing-sze
Mr Jackson Woo Ka-biuIssued at HKT 11:45

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Sydney ETO supports Hong Kong Film Festival in Australia  
     The Sydney ETO hosted a reception before the screening of “Back to the Past Plus+” in Sydney yesterday (March 26) (Sydney time). About 100 guests across the filming, cultural, government, business and media sectors attended the reception. 

     Addressing the audience, the Director of the Sydney ETO, Mr Ricky Chong, said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is actively promoting Hong Kong films on the international stage so that audiences around the world can experience the city’s unique stories, creativity and cultural vibrancy. 
     He added that the HKSAR Government is committed to promoting the development of arts, culture and creative industries. Over HK$9 billion has been injected into the CreateSmart Initiative and the Film Development Fund, creating new opportunities for filmmakers.
 
     The Festival features four new Hong Kong movies, namely “Back to the Past Plus+”, “Kung Fu Juniors”, “Pass and Goal” and “Another World”, as well as the restored classic “Chungking Express”, which is being screened in Sydney from March 26 to 28. “Another World” and “Chungking Express” will also be screened in Melbourne on March 28 and 29. The director of “Kung Fu Juniors”, Clifton Ko, will take part in a post-screening Q&A session in Sydney to engage with the audience.
Issued at HKT 12:25

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Government announces extension of tender closing date for tenancy for operating and managing Kai Tak Cruise Terminal      
     A spokesperson for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) stated that the CSTB has decided to extend the tender closing date in response to prospective tenderers’ requests to the Government for more time to prepare the tender documents, in view of the consolidation of the management scope the terminal operator is responsible for and the introduction of new Key Performance Indicators under the tenancy agreement of this tender.
      
     Tenderers must deposit the tenders by noon on June 26, 2026 (Friday), in the Government Secretariat Tender Box situated at the Lobby of the Public Entrance on the Ground Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. Late tenders will not be accepted.
Issued at HKT 10:11

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Rural By-election gazetted 
     The by-election will return one Resident Representative (ReR) for each of the nine Existing Villages, and one Indigenous Inhabitant Representative (IIR) for each of the 10 Indigenous Villages. The nine Existing Villages are Sheung Ling Pei, Tai Po, Sha Tau Kok Market (West Lower), Wo Liu Hang, Tap Mun, Shek Pik San Tsuen, Lin Fa Tei, Shui Tin Tsuen and Shan Pui Chung Hau (I); whereas the 10 Indigenous Villages are Yung Shue Ha, San Tong Po, Kat O, Wa Shan Tsuen, Ha Yeung, Sha Lo Tung Cheung Uk, Tai Po Mei, Ma Wan Main Street, Kwan Mun Hau and Kam Tsin Wai Tsuen.
 
     For the IIR By-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant of an Indigenous Village as well as an elector of the relevant Village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. For the ReR By-election, a candidate must be a resident of the relevant Existing Village and have resided there for six years immediately preceding the nomination. The candidate must also be an elector of the relevant Village.
 
     All candidates must be Hong Kong permanent residents aged 21 or above and must be nominated by at least five registered electors from that Village. No person is allowed to stand as a candidate in more than one type of election (i.e. IIR or ReR By-election).
 
     Nomination forms are available at the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the New Territories District Offices (NTDOs) and the Rural Representative Election (RRE) website (www.had.gov.hk/rre 
     Completed nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer concerned between 9am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays, except general holidays.
 
     A gazette notice on all valid nominations will be published within 14 days after the nomination period. Each validly nominated candidate will be informed separately.
 
     A spokesman for the HAD said that if there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same Indigenous Village or Existing Village, a poll would be held for that Village on May 17 (Sunday). Eligible electors will receive a polling notice that specifies the date, time and place of the poll.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2152 1521 or contact the respective NTDO. Members of the public can also visit the RRE website for more information.
Issued at HKT 9:30

Tokyo ETO holds reception in Seoul to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Korea  
     Speaking at the reception, the Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative (Tokyo), Ms Gillian Lam, said that Hong Kong has long been a unique melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures. With its extensive international connections, Hong Kong brings together local and global talent, serving as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
 
     Ms Lam added that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is firmly committed to supporting the development of the arts, culture and creative industries. Over HK$9 billion has been injected into initiatives such as the CreateSmart Initiative and the Film Development Fund to nurture talent and support industry growth.
 
     She remarked that the Government is committed to constructing world-class arts and cultural facilities. New venues, including the Kai Tak Sports Park, have already hosted major international performances by renowned Korean pop groups. Major events such as Hong Kong Arts Festival and Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 have brought together numerous Korean artists in Hong Kong.
 
     In addition, Tokyo ETO, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong-Korea Business Association, co-organised a Hong Kong-Korea business networking reception in Seoul yesterday (March 26) under the Economic and Trade Express platform to promote Hong Kong’s business advantages.
 
     Ms Lam said that Tokyo ETO will continue to work closely with regional partners, including Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, in leveraging the Economic and Trade Express platform to promote economic and trade co-operation and assist Hong Kong enterprises in exploring business opportunities in Korea.
Issued at HKT 20:00

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CE meets Prime Minister of Singapore (with photos/video)      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Wong’s visit to Hong Kong with his delegation, and was pleased to meet Mr Wong in Hong Kong today following their attendance at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in Hainan yesterday (March 26). Mr Lee expressed support for Mr Wong’s remarks at the annual conference, and stated that Hong Kong and Singapore both actively practise free trade, support the upholding of free trade and multilateralism, support international organisations, including the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, and oppose unilateralism and protectionism.
      
     Mr Lee said that Singapore has long contributed to Asia’s development and prosperity. Hong Kong and Singapore will continue to deepen co-operation to bring more opportunities to Asia. He expressed his gratitude to Singapore for its continuous support for Hong Kong’s accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and stated that Hong Kong will proactively promote regional co-operation and economic synergy.
      
     Hong Kong and Singapore have long maintained frequent exchanges. As international trade and financial hubs, both places value the rule of law and free trade, and are supported by high-quality professional services and a strong pool of talent. Hong Kong and Singapore have also been learning from each other in continuously enhancing the quality of public policies through regular civil service exchange activities, including the Singapore-Hong Kong Permanent Secretaries Exchange Programme. Mr Lee said he looks forward to further promoting broader and deeper collaboration between the two places in economic and trade, tourism, people-to-people ties and civil service staff exchanges.
      
     Mr Lee said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports expediting the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM). The NM is a new engine for Hong Kong’s future development, with enormous development potential and economic value. The Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hetao Hong Kong Park) officially commenced operation at the end of last year, and is being developed into an international innovation hub. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is pressing ahead with the development of the NM at full speed, in particular the construction and development of the Hetao Hong Kong Park.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Wong’s visit to the Hetao Hong Kong Park in the afternoon. He encouraged Singaporean enterprises to establish a presence in the NM and the Hetao Hong Kong Park and to participate in areas including commercial development and innovation and technology, to seize the enormous opportunities brought by the NM and the Hetao Hong Kong Park, with broader scope for collaboration between the two sides. With Hong Kong’s unique strengths under the “one country, two systems” principle, enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, Hong Kong will actively play its roles as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” in assisting Singaporean enterprises to tap into, in particular, the Mainland market, and to open up more opportunities for enterprises and investors.
Issued at HKT 18:47

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Award Ceremony cum Experience Sharing Seminar of 5th Hong Kong Game Enhancement and Promotion Scheme sponsored by CCIDA takes place  
     A total of 11 local start-up game companies were selected this year, covering genres such as home design simulation, strategy, puzzle and survival games. Four of the most outstanding companies received additional funding to support further game enhancement and promotion.
 
     GEPS aims to provide comprehensive support to selected companies to improve the quality and monetisation capability of their original games. In addition to financial assistance, the companies also benefit from guidance and training from industry leaders to enhance their operation and promotion capabilities. They were also sponsored to employ two interns to assist with the testing and optimisation work before the launch of the related games. The selected companies not only gained public exposure for their companies and games through online and offline promotional channels of GEPS in both local and non-local markets, but also had their international visibility further boosted.
         
     Since its launch, GEPS has subsidised nearly 60 local start-up games, with some generating over $10 million in revenue and more than 1 million downloads, fully demonstrating both the potential of Hong Kong’s game entertainment industry and the effectiveness of the scheme. For more information on GEPS, please visit www.geps.hk/Issued at HKT 17:34

Five persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations (with photo) 
     ImmD officers found that social media platforms have been utilised by Mainland makeup artists to advertise makeup services in Hong Kong. After a comprehensive investigation and intelligence analysis, ImmD officers identified a suspect and initiated an operation. Officers disguised themselves as customers to enquire about and book makeup services from a Mainland makeup artist. The makeup artist was subsequently arrested while providing makeup service in Hong Kong. The arrested illegal worker is a woman, aged 27.
 
     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers also raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and flats under renovation, etc. Three suspected illegal workers and a suspected aider and abettor were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised one man and two women, aged 35 to 57. Among them, one man was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Furthermore, the suspected aider and abettor arrested was a man aged 31.
 
     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 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:40