MOFA response to European Parliament resolution expressing concern over China’s suppression of research and activities regarding Taiwan

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to European Parliament resolution expressing concern over China’s suppression of research and activities regarding Taiwan

June 17, 2026  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in a plenary session on June 16 entitled “Countering transnational repression: towards an EU strategy to protect Europe’s sovereignty and democratic values.”

The resolution addressed the nature and forms of transnational repression, as well as counter strategies for the European Union. It discussed China’s use of extraterritorial infrastructure to conduct full and systematic surveillance, intimidation, forced returns, and other measures, drawing attention to China’s abuse of International Criminal Police Organization mechanisms. It also highlighted China’s pressure on academics to halt research regarding such sensitive issues as supply chains, forced labor practices, Tibet, and Taiwan, as well as on artists to cancel activities involving Taiwan. 

MOFA also commends the resolution for calling on the European Union and member states to strengthen coordination with like-minded partners in such areas as legislation, victim protection, attribution, and sanctions.

Transnational repression by authoritarian regimes has caused significant challenges to democratic nations and civil societies. It has undermined academic freedom, freedom of speech, and human rights protection, and jeopardized social resilience. 

MOFA is pleased that the European Parliament pays close attention to related issues and supports the European Union’s enhancement of response mechanisms. Moving forward, MOFA will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the European Union and like-minded nations in such areas as information sharing, building democratic resilience, and countering authoritarian coercion.

2 arrested under security law

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Police Force’s National Security Department arrested to shop proprietors in Sham Shui Po yesterday on suspicion committing seditious acts and receiving money from foreign groups.

Following a search of the shop, a 33-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were detained of suspicion of “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” and “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence”, contravening section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and section 25 of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly displayed seditious items and sold publications with seditious content inside their shop, including materials inciting hatred against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

The suspects are also believed to have received multiple financial remittances from foreign political organisations. During searches of the shop and a residence, police seized a batch of seditious items, books and case-related documents.

Both individuals remain in custody for further investigation.

2026 Young Pin Design Award Showcases Outstanding Achievements! Emerging Designers Break Boundaries and Redefine the Future Through Creativity

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Young Pin Design Award, Taiwan’s premier award recognizing emerging design talent, is jointly guided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), organized by the Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs (IDA, MOEA), and executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute and the Good Design Association, Taiwan. The 2026 award ceremony took place today (May 25) at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2.

Speaking at the ceremony, Cynthia Kiang, Deputy Minister of the MOEA, remarked that winning works of the Young Pin Design Award in recent years reflect how young designers propose forward-looking solutions to challenges such as environmental sustainability, technological development, and elderly care. Design has long evolved beyond product aesthetics and is increasingly becoming a key driver of industrial transformation and quality-of-life improvement. Leveraging Taiwan’s powerful technological advantages in the semiconductor and ICT supply chains, she hopes that amid this new wave of industrial transformation, “design” can be harnessed to humanize technology, turning it into empathetic, warm product and service experiences. This will ultimately enhance industrial added value and allow Taiwan’s exceptional design prowess to shine brightly on the international stage.

The 2026 Young Pin Design Award attracted 4,465 entries from 110 departments across 55 universities in Taiwan. Following rigorous evaluations by a jury of experts from industry, academia, and the practical design sector, 637 works were honored as “Young Pin Design Award Nominees.” Ultimately, 122 outstanding works clinched awards across various categories, including 57 “Young Pin Design Awards,” 8 “Young Pin Special Awards” addressing contemporary issues such as circular design, packaging, social resilience, and cultural heritage, 48 “Young Pin Sponsor Awards,” and the 9 highly anticipated “Best of Young Pin Design Award.” These accolades honor the young talents who have demonstrated remarkable creativity and design prowess across diverse design domains.

The cohort of emerging designers selected this year not only responds to social issues and real-world needs through their creations but also highlights design as a pivotal energy for driving industrial transformation and reshaping the future. For the complete list of winners of the 2026 Young Pin Design Award, please visit the official Golden Pin Design Award website at (https://www.goldenpin.org.tw/goldenpin/zh-TW/download).

The 45th Young Designers’ Exhibition 2026 Opens: Industry-Academia Collaboration Explores the Fluid Boundaries Across Diverse Fields

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The 45th Young Designers’ Exhibition 2026 will take place from May 22 to May 25 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2. Speaking at the opening ceremony today (May 22), Deputy Minister of MOEA Chin-Tsang Ho noted that the exhibition has long served as an important platform connecting Taiwan’s design education and industry. This year’s exhibition responds to emerging trends in innovation and industry, encouraging young designers to adopt issue-driven approaches that address contemporary social and industrial needs. It demonstrates that design today extends far beyond aesthetics, becoming an integral part of everyday life and a key driver of social transformation and industrial upgrading, while showcasing Taiwan’s continually accumulating innovative energy and design soft power.

Centering on the theme “Fluid Boundaries,” this year’s exhibition responds to the trend of cross-disciplinary development in today’s society to uncover diverse and innovative possibilities. The event brings together 55 domestic universities, 110 departments, and approximately 9,000 emerging design talents to showcase nearly 3,500 brilliant works. Furthermore, 22 schools from 10 countries – including the United States, Thailand, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, and Australia – are participating in the grand event. Through the “YODEX Industry-Academia Cooperation” project, 8 companies and organizations have partnered with 38 student teams for co-creation, demonstrating the successful integration of design education with industry practice.

This year’s “Design Matchmaking Stage” event, scheduled for May 25, introduces a new format. Participating companies’ recruitment needs and students’ project information were released in advance, while design-sharing sessions and guided exhibition tours facilitated meaningful exchanges between young talent and employers. The event has attracted approximately 100 domestic and international companies, helping students explore career opportunities while injecting fresh creativity and vitality into the industry.

With cross-disciplinary industry-academia collaboration and international academic exchange at its core, this year’s exhibition presents the diverse landscape of contemporary emerging design. The exhibited works address a wide range of topics spanning the environment, technology, and the humanities. Visitors are invited to discover how young designers observe and respond to contemporary challenges, and to explore the multiple possibilities of future living through creativity.

FS visits Dalian and attends Summer Davos 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued his visit programme in Dalian today (June 24), attending events of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026, also known as the Summer Davos, and taking part in a number of Liaoning-Hong Kong exchange activities.

     Mr Chan attended the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting in the morning. Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Industrial accident in Tuen Mun reclassified as manslaughter

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Police today (June 24) reclassified an industrial accident happened in Tuen Mun on June 17 as manslaughter.

At 3.25pm on June 17, Police received a report that a 65-year-old male worker was suspected to have been struck by an excavator while working inside a recycling site on Tsing Chuen Wai Road, Tuen Mun. Sustaining injury in abdomen, he was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital in conscious state and was certified dead at 6.30pm on the same day.  
 
Upon further investigation, a 51-year-old male excavator operator and a 29-year-old male foreman were arrested today in Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long respectively for manslaughter. The two arrestees are being detained for further enquiries.

Active investigation by the District Crime Squad of Tuen Mun District is underway.

FS promotes HK-Liaoning ties

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan today attended events at the “Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026” and engaged in a number of Liaoning-Hong Kong exchanges.

 

He began his second day in Dalian by attending the annual meeting’s opening ceremony, at which State Council Premier Li Qiang delivered a speech.

 

Mr Chan then attended a World Economic Forum discussion session, where he discussed the financial landscape with financial, political and business leaders from the Mainland and overseas.

 

At the session, the Financial Secretary said he did not consider the world to be forming a fragmented financial system. However, he added that the trend of jurisdictions using their own currencies for trade and investment, to diversify foreign exchange risks and reduce costs, would continue.

 

Mr Chan highlighted that China accounts for an important share of global trade, resulting in increasingly frequent use of the renminbi in cross-boundary payments and settlements, and that the international monetary system is therefore steadily moving towards greater diversification.

 

He said that emerging payment systems and cross-boundary infrastructure should be seen as complementary options that increase choice, enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen financial security and resilience, rather than as zero-sum substitutes.

 

On Hong Kong’s role, Mr Chan said that, despite uncertainties brought by geopolitics, overseas capital still attaches great importance to the Mainland’s innovation capabilities and attractive valuations, and institutional investors from Europe and the US remain important participants in Hong Kong’s initial public offering and secondary markets.

 

Mr Chan iterated that, while consolidating its status as an international financial centre, Hong Kong will actively promote fintech innovation, including tokenised assets, on the grounds of prudent regulation and safeguarding financial stability. This includes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government taking the lead in issuing tokenised bonds to expand the investor base, as well as promoting the development of green finance, and of gold and commodities trading.

 

Mr Chan also called on CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee Secretary Xu Kunlin, and Governor of Liaoning Province Wang Xinwei.

 

At the meeting, Mr Chan said he looked forward to deepening and expanding exchanges and co-operation with Liaoning in economic and trade, finance, innovation and technology, shipping and logistics.

 

In the afternoon, Mr Chan attended a promotion conference, organised by the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, to promote support for Mainland enterprises in going global.

 

The conference focused on how to leverage Hong Kong’s financial, trade, and innovation and technology strengths, as well as its unique advantage of being highly internationalised, to help Liaoning enterprises go global and expand their presence worldwide.

 

Member of the Party Leadership Group of the People’s Government of Liaoning Province and Vice Governor Bai Ying attended the event. It drew more than 180 leaders and representatives from the local political, business, innovation and technology sectors, as well as various institutions.

 

Speaking at the event, Mr Chan said that in recent years, the Hong Kong SAR Government has been vigorously developing innovation and technology, strengthening research and development as well as infrastructure, and promoting the integrated development of education, technology, talent and industries.

 

Through the Hong Kong Investment Corporation, he added, it supports hard technology and future industries by investing in small, early-stage and long-term projects. In addition, innovation and technology parks such as the Science Park and Cyberport, together with the Go Global Task Force, are committed to providing incubation, professional support and risk management services for innovative enterprises.

 

Mr Chan urged enterprises in Liaoning and the northeastern region to make use of Hong Kong’s international financial and innovation and technology platforms, as well as its talent advantages and professional strengths, to explore overseas markets.

 

At the event, representatives of a number of Mainland and overseas enterprises that have already established a presence in Hong Kong also shared testimony about leveraging Hong Kong’s support in going global.

 

Representatives from Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Limited, the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and other organisations spoke about the city’s overall advantages in terms of financing, innovation and technology ecosystem, and policy support.

 

Mr Chan also briefed business leaders on Hong Kong’s current situation and development strategies at a roundtable discussion.

 

In the afternoon, he attended a sharing session, organised by the Beijing Office of the Hong Kong SAR Government and its Liaoning Liaison Unit, for Hong Kong businesspeople and enterprises in Liaoning.

 

The day’s itinerary concluded with Mr Chan attending an exchange dinner organised by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Liaoning.

CE visits Fujian enterprises

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee today continued a visit to Fujian, where he met elderly Hongkongers who have retired there, toured a thematic exhibition on Fuzhou’s development, and called on new energy and technology enterprises.

In the morning, in Fuzhou, Mr Lee met elderly Hongkongers who have moved to Fujian to learn about their living conditions.

He highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government provides support for cross-boundary elderly care. Among various measures, the Fujian Scheme provides a monthly cash allowance to eligible Hong Kong residents who have moved to Fujian.

Mr Lee said the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to enact cross-boundary elderly care measures, providing greater convenience for Hong Kong elderly persons who choose to retire on the Mainland.

Afterwards, he visited the “30th Anniversary Achievement Exhibition” for the “3820” Strategic Project, which showcases Fuzhou’s achievements in urban planning and socio-economic development.

The “3820” Strategic Project originates from Fuzhou’s 20-Year Economic and Social Development Strategic Vision, formulated in 1992 under the stewardship of President Xi Jinping when he was Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee. Taking three years, eight years, and 20 years as key milestones, the blueprint mapped out Fuzhou’s development.

Mr Lee remarked that the strategic vision mapped out Fuzhou’s socio-economic development goals, key steps and areas of focus, demonstrating a forward-looking and inspirational approach that has guided Fuzhou’s reform and opening up, and modernisation. 

He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government is pressing ahead at full speed with the preparation of Hong Kong’s own first Five-Year Plan, and that the city will seize on major opportunities brought by the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

Mr Lee later arrived in Ningde City and met CPC Ningde Municipal Committee Secretary Zhang Yongning to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

In the afternoon, Mr Lee visited a new energy technology enterprise. The firm’s listing in Hong Kong last year was the world’s largest initial public offering at the time.

Mr Lee said that the company’s decision to list in Hong Kong and to establish its research and development institute in the city reflects Hong Kong’s dual advantages as an international financial hub and an innovation and technology hub.

He also visited a national-level “little giant” enterprise that focuses on automation in areas such as new energy and construction machinery.

Mr Lee commented that Hong Kong is home to five universities ranked among the world’s top 100, and eight universities ranked among Asia’s top 100, bringing together scientific research experts and teams from around the world. Leveraging the innovation strengths of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, he said, Hong Kong is striving to develop as an international innovation and technology centre and to accelerate the realisation of the Northern Metropolis (NM).

Mr Lee invited more Fujian enterprises to establish a presence in the NM, leverage Hong Kong’s advantages, and bring in frontier high-tech technologies and talent to the city.

In the evening, Mr Lee met and exchanged views with CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee Secretary Guo Ningning and Fuzhou Mayor Wu Xiande in Fuzhou. Mr Lee then returned to Hong Kong.

Statute Law Bill to be introduced

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government will introduce the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 into the Legislative Council on July 8 to propose miscellaneous updates and technical amendments to various enactments.

The bill seeks to update or amend terminology in existing legislation including references to “Crown”, “Governor”, “Her Majesty”, “Secretary of State”, “Government of the United Kingdom”, “Commonwealth” and UK Legislation, among others.

It will also amend specific references to terms such as “foreign” or “overseas” in various enactments, alongside updates to terminology in designated ordinances and subsidiary legislation.

Additionally, the bill will repeal several obsolete enactments, provisions and references while making minor technical adjustments to streamline current laws.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) stated that the proposed updates are largely minor, technical and non-controversial, aiming to improve existing legislation.

To handle the adaptation of laws efficiently, the DoJ previously introduced two collective omnibus bills in 2024 and 2025 on behalf of various policy bureaus.

The department expressed confidence that the target of completing the entire adaptation of laws exercise by the end of the current Government term will be met.

Last month, the DoJ submitted an information paper to the Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services to brief members on the main legislative proposals.

The relevant policy bureaus and independent organisations have consulted the relevant stakeholders and no objection to the proposed amendments was received.

The bill will be published in the Government Gazette on June 26.

CE concludes visit to Fujian

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CE concludes visit to Fujian       
     In the morning, Mr Lee met in Fuzhou with Hong Kong elderly persons who have retired in Fujian to learn about their living conditions. Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been providing support for cross-boundary elderly care. Among the measures, the Fujian Scheme provides a monthly cash allowance to eligible Hong Kong residents who have moved to Fujian Province. The HKSAR Government will continue to take forward cross-boundary elderly care measures, providing greater convenience for Hong Kong elderly persons who choose to retire on the Mainland.
      
     Mr Lee then visited the 30th Anniversary Achievement Exhibition of “3820” Strategic Project to learn about Fuzhou’s achievements in urban planning and socio-economic development. The “3820” Strategic Project originated from the Fuzhou City’s 20-Year Economic and Social Development Strategic Vision (Strategic Vision) formulated in 1992 under the stewardship of President Xi Jinping when he was the then Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee. Taking three years, eight years, and 20 years as key milestones, the Strategic Vision mapped out Fuzhou’s development blueprint, provided direction and laid an important foundation for its long-term development. Mr Lee said that the Strategic Vision systematically mapped out, among others, Fuzhou’s socio-economic development goals, steps, planning and key focus areas, demonstrating a forward-looking approach that has guided Fuzhou’s reform and opening up, and modernisation. Its underlying concepts and major practices are highly inspirational. The HKSAR Government is pressing ahead at full speed with the preparation of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and will spare no effort in taking forward the work. As a directional, strategic and operable guiding document, the Plan will map out Hong Kong’s development over the coming five years. Hong Kong will proactively seize the major opportunities brought by the National 15th Five-Year Plan, consolidate and enhance the city’s status as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, accelerate its development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, build an international hub for high-calibre talent, better integrate into and serve the overall national development, further develop the economy and improve people’s livelihood.
      
     Mr Lee then arrived in Ningde City and met with the Secretary of the CPC Ningde Municipal Committee, Mr Zhang Yongning, to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.
      
     In the afternoon, Mr Lee visited Contemporary Amperex Technology Co, Limited (CATL) and Ningde Sikeqi Intelligent Equipment Co, Ltd (SKEQI) to learn about high-tech developments in research and development (R&D) of new energy battery technology and automated intelligent equipment manufacturing. CATL is a leading new global energy technology enterprise. Its market share in power batteries has ranked first in the world for nine consecutive years. It was listed in Hong Kong last year, and the initial public offering was the world’s largest at the time. CATL has also set up a R&D institute at the Hong Kong Science Park, focusing on areas including AI, new energy and new materials. SKEQI is a national-level specialised and sophisticated “little giant” enterprise, focusing on automation in areas such as new energy, vehicles and construction machinery. Leveraging end-to-end service capabilities across the technology chain, supply chain and talent chain, it continues to facilitate new industrialisation in relevant industries. The two enterprises leverage their complementary strengths to foster co-ordinated development across the industrial chain.
      
     Mr Lee said that CATL’s listing in Hong Kong and the establishment of its R&D institute reflect Hong Kong’s dual advantages as an international financial hub and an I&T hub. Hong Kong is pressing ahead with the development of the new energy industry and is accelerating the application of green technologies. He said he looked forward to further strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Fujian in the new energy sector. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is home to five universities ranked among the world’s top 100, and eight universities ranked among Asia’s top 100, bringing together scientific research experts and teams from around the world. Leveraging the innovation strengths of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong is striving to develop into an international I&T centre, with the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM) being accelerated in both pace and efficiency. The NM comprises a number of I&T projects, including the Hong Kong Park in the Loop and the San Tin Technopole, providing a complete industrial chain for R&D and commercialisation, and promoting upstream-midstream-downstream synergy. Mr Lee encouraged more Fujian enterprises to establish a presence in the NM, leverage Hong Kong’s advantage of connecting the Mainland and the world and its high value-added professional services, and bring in frontier high-tech technologies and talent. By combining Hong Kong’s strong scientific research capabilities and vibrant I&T ecosystem, enterprises can enhance industrial chain deployment, advance new industrialisation and achieve complementary advantages, and seize the new opportunities brought by the country’s high-quality development and high-level opening up.
      
     In the evening, Mr Lee met and exchanged views with the Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, Ms Guo Ningning, and the Mayor of Fuzhou, Mr Wu Xiande, in Fuzhou. Mr Lee then returned to Hong Kong.
Issued at HKT 18:15

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