Month: June 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Government proposes to amend the Sweeteners in Food Regulations (Cap.132U), with a view to better protecting public health and harmonising with international standards. The Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will first consult the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene on June 9 (see Annex for the discussion paper) and plan to conduct a public consultation within this year.

Sweeteners are food additives that impart a sweet taste to food in place of sugars. Like other food additives, sweeteners are permitted for use only after stringent safety evaluations that demonstrate they are fit for consumption. When reviewing the Regulations and formulating the proposed amendments, the Government has taken into account the standards established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and Mainland standards, the dietary habits and intake of the local population, as well as the practices of other major food trading partners of Hong Kong. The proposed amendments are supported by the Expert Committee on Food Safety.

A Government spokesman said, “The proposed amendments mainly include bringing polyhydric alcohols under the regulatory scope, expanding the list of permitted sweeteners and setting maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for different ‘sweetener-food’ pairs. The CFS has collected food samples from the local market to analyse their sweetener content. Among some 900 tests conducted, about 98 per cent were in compliance with the proposed MPLs. We are confident that the food trade can adapt to the proposed amendments, and propose to provide a transitional period following the completion of the legislative process. The CFS will also conduct technical meetings for the trade and issue user guidelines to facilitate the trade in understanding and complying with the new requirements.”

The Government plans to consult the public on the proposed amendments to the Regulations within this year, and will consider the feedback received to prepare the subsidiary legislation to amend the Regulations for tabling at the Legislative Council for scrutiny.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     ​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (June 2) that Manteigaria, the Portuguese bakery brand renowned for its freshly baked Pastéis de Nata (original Portuguese egg tarts), has officially opened its first Hong Kong store in Central. The opening marks a significant milestone in the company’s international expansion and reinforces Hong Kong’s appeal as a strategic gateway for heritage food and beverage brands seeking entry into the diverse Asian market.

     The Acting Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, Mr Arnold Lau, said, “We welcome Manteigaria to Hong Kong to the delight of our city’s passionate egg tart fans. Just as an authentic pastry store can transform a neighbourhood, a vibrant gastronomic scene draws talent and investment to a world-class city. Manteigaria’s arrival reinforces Hong Kong’s identity as a dynamic crossroads of East and West – a city that appeals to diverse taste buds while serving as a premier destination for global business.”

     The Chief Executive Officer of Portugália Restauração, the restaurant group that owns Manteigaria, Mr Francisco Carvalho Martins, said, “Hong Kong consumers are curious, cosmopolitan, and uncompromising about taste. Our brand seeks a globally recognised market that values both heritage and innovation, and Hong Kong is exactly that. We see the city as the perfect stage from which to spread the aroma of our original, freshly baked Pastéis de Nata, and a key catalyst for our growth journey in Asia.”

     Founded in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2014, Manteigaria is part of Portugália Restauração, a restaurant group with over a century of heritage. Today, Manteigaria operates over 20 bakeries across Portugal, France, Macao and Spain. The brand’s Portuguese egg tarts are baked fresh daily in an open kitchen using traditional methods perfected in Lisbon, delivering a crisp, buttery pastry with a smooth, velvety custard, often enjoyed with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

     Driven by strong confidence in Hong Kong’s vibrant culinary sector, Manteigaria plans to open six locations across the city by the end of 2027. InvestHK has worked closely with Portugalia Restauração and Manteigaria throughout the process, providing go-to-market strategies, local market insights, and access to the city’s high-quality supplier network to facilitate its successful launch and continued expansion.

     For more information about Manteigaria, please visit www.manteigaria.com.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Education Bureau (EDB) today (June 2) clarified the incident of erroneous SMS notifications regarding Primary One Admission (POA) sent to Hong Kong parents, and expressed its deepest apologies for any inconvenience caused.

An EDB spokesperson said that according to preliminary investigations, the results of the Central Allocation for POA, originally scheduled to be announced starting tomorrow (June 3), were mistakenly sent ahead of schedule today due to an operational error in the sending procedure of the system. Upon learning of the incident, the EDB immediately took action to correct the procedure.

To safeguard the interests of every student, the EDB immediately conducted a comprehensive and rigorous review of the allocation information for all students after the incident. The EDB hereby clarifies to parents that the SMS notifications this morning do not affect the allocation results.

The EDB also notified parents via SMS this morning, advising them to disregard the earlier SMS notifications regarding POA. The EDB also appealed to parents not to contact the schools hastily. The EDB has immediately set up dedicated hotlines (telephone: 2832 7700/2832 7740) to respond to parents’ enquiries. All official POA results with complete and accurate registration details will be released as originally scheduled, starting from 7.30am tomorrow (June 3).

The spokesperson emphasised that the EDB’s information systems have been operating reliably. After an immediate and thorough check by the technical team, it was confirmed that the systems were not subject to any cyberattack or hacker intrusion. The core database remains intact. This incident is entirely unrelated to information security or cybersecurity. The personal data of parents and students are highly encrypted and protected.

The EDB attaches great importance to this incident and has immediately set up a crisis management team to follow up on the matter, and will conduct a comprehensive review of the systems, procedures, and manpower support. If any negligence by personnel or procedural errors is found, the EDB will seriously follow up the matter. The EDB will further enhance the monitoring processes of the systems and dissemination mechanisms to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

The EDB once again thanks schools and parents for their understanding and will make every effort to ensure the smooth release of the official allocation results tomorrow.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) introduced the key initiatives for the second half of the year and reviewed the work on promoting cybersecurity in the first half of the year at the 2026 Cybersecurity Initiatives Briefing today (June 2). Representatives from the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) of the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT) and the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) also shared the latest cybercrime trends and a series of measures to enhance the overall cybersecurity defence capabilities of the community.

     The Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, stated that in the face of the opportunities and challenges brought by the deep integration of emerging technologies, such as AI, into daily life and business operations, the Government has adhered to a strategy that places equal emphasis on security and development. It has adopted a multipronged approach to continuously strengthen Hong Kong’s overall cyber resilience. Reviewing the DPO’s cybersecurity efforts in the first half of the year, Mr Cheung stated that the DPO, in collaboration with industry partners, launched various cybersecurity activities across campuses, enterprises and the community. These initiatives included the debut of a phishing email exercise for secondary school students, phishing SMS exercises, the launch of the CyberDefenders’ Alliance Card Game and an AI-generated four-panel comic contest, all aimed at raising public awareness of the latest cyber risks and introducing practical protective measures.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 1) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and seized about 5.8 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $1 million.

     A male passenger, aged 26, arrived in Hong Kong from Macao yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds in his luggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

     After investigation, the arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 3).

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee continued his trip to Kazakhstan by meeting Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, visiting various enterprises, and witnessing the achievement of multiple outcomes among government departments, enterprises and organisations of Hong Kong, the Mainland and Kazakhstan.

In the morning, Mr Lee visited a national investment holding company and met its Chairman of the Board Rustam Timurovich Karagoishin.

He welcomed the company to explore the development potential of the Northern Metropolis and jointly create new business opportunities.

The Chief Executive then met Olzhas Bektenov to exchange views on strengthening bilateral co-operation. He expressed hope that Hong Kong and Kazakhstan would strengthen hub-to-hub connectivity.

Mr Lee then attended and gave a speech at a business luncheon, noting that he was pleased to announce that multiple outcomes had been achieved during this visit.

Notably, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan have agreed to push ahead at full speed with exploratory discussions on a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, and discussions on an Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement, with the aim of concluding such agreements as soon as possible.

Additionally, a Hong Kong airline plans to launch direct flights to Almaty in the first quarter of 2027, further promoting economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong business delegation has so far concluded a total of 43 memoranda of understanding and agreements covering areas including aviation, finance and trade, innovation and technology, the digital economy, and green development.

In the afternoon, Mr Lee visited the national sovereign wealth fund of Kazakhstan and met its Chief Executive Officer Nurlan Zhakupov to learn about the fund’s diversified portfolio of assets and Kazakhstan’s investment strategies across different sectors.

During a meeting with the Minister of Trade & Integration of Kazakhstan, the officials exchanged views on further deepening bilateral trade co-operation.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Department of Housing & Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURDGP) today signed an agreement to jointly promote construction standardisation between Guangdong and Hong Kong to enhance the competitiveness of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) construction industry.

The Cooperation Agreement on Guangdong-Hong Kong Construction Standardisation was signed by Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn and Director‑General of the DHURDGP Guo Haoyu.

Under the mechanism, the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments will jointly set up a working group and a technical committee, and invite experts from relevant sectors to form expert committees. 

The Building Technology Research Institute and the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Building Research Group will serve as the secretariats for Hong Kong and Guangdong respectively. 

Both sides will jointly co‑ordinate and steer the formulation of construction standards in designated areas.

Ms Linn said that the signing of the agreement signifies a major milestone for Guangdong and Hong Kong in deepening institutional alignment and promoting the overall upgrading and mutual recognition of construction standards.

Reflecting the national policy directions, it capitalises on Hong Kong’s international advantages to bridge national and international standards, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of the country’s construction industry, she added.

Before the signing ceremony, Ms Linn and Mr Guo exchanged views on the latest developments of the construction industry in Guangdong and Hong Kong, as well as deepening co‑operation between the two places and promoting high-quality development of the construction industry in the GBA. 

They also explored how construction standardisation could drive the collaborative development of the construction industry and advanced construction technologies.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau today clarified an incident involving erroneous SMS notifications sent to local parents regarding Primary One Admission (POA) and expressed its deepest apologies for any inconvenience caused.

The bureau noted that according to preliminary investigations, the results of the Central Allocation for POA, originally scheduled to be announced starting tomorrow, were mistakenly sent ahead of schedule today due to an operational error in the sending procedure of the system.

Upon learning of the incident, the bureau immediately took action to correct the procedure.

To safeguard the interests of every student, the bureau immediately conducted a comprehensive and rigorous review of the allocation information for all students after the incident. It clarified to parents that the SMS notifications this morning do not affect the allocation results.

The bureau also notified parents via SMS this morning advising them to disregard the earlier SMS notifications regarding POA. It also appealed to parents not to contact the schools hastily.

The bureau has immediately set up dedicated hotlines (2832 7700/2832 7740) to respond to parents’ enquiries. All official POA results with complete and accurate registration details will be released starting from 7.30am tomorrow as originally scheduled.

The bureau emphasised that its information systems have been operating reliably. After an immediate and thorough check by the technical team, it was confirmed that the systems were not subject to any cyberattack or hacker intrusion. The core database remains intact.

This incident is entirely unrelated to information security or cybersecurity. The personal data of parents and students are highly encrypted and protected.

The bureau attaches great importance to the incident and has immediately set up a crisis management team to follow up on the matter, and will conduct a comprehensive review of the systems, procedures and manpower support. If any negligence by personnel or procedural errors are found, it will seriously follow up the matter.

The bureau will further enhance the monitoring processes of the systems and dissemination mechanisms to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at the opening ceremony of the OSH INNO Expo jointly organised by the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council this morning (June 2):
 
Dr Mong (Chairman of Occupational Safety and Health Council, Dr David Mong), Dr Mohammed (President of the International Social Security Association, Dr Mohammed Azman), Mr Ho (President of the International Association of Labour Inspection, Mr Ho Siong-hin), Alice (Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau), Sam (Commissioner for Labour, Mr Sam Hui), Bonnie (Executive Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, Ms Bonnie Yau), distinguished speakers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     A very warm good morning to all of you. Clearly, it is my great honour to welcome all of you to Hong Kong today to the OSH INNO Expo. As one who made a small contribution to the inception of the Expo, I am truly excited to see it growing into a very unique and renowned platform for safety innovators across the industry.
 
     Here in Hong Kong, we attach great importance to the use of innovation and technology in public service, which is very essential to enhancing our quality and efficiency of the service we provide to our public, while at the same time ensuring cost effectiveness. When it comes to occupational safety and health, we are right now witnessing a fundamental transformation in workplace safety, all powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Through AI-enabled computer vision that monitors site hazards, and Internet of Things sensors that identify risks before they escalate, we are moving away from a reactive mindset towards a proactive culture of prevention.
 
     But here in Hong Kong, we are adopting cutting-edge technologies to ensure safety that will eventually, we believe, reshape our construction site safety landscape. The Government, you can rest assured, will remain steadfast in promoting AI-driven solutions and Smart Site Safety Systems. Here in Hong Kong, we call them the 4S for occupational safety in construction sites.
 
     Last year in July, we witnessed a key regulatory milestone, where we are going to mandate the use of 4S alert systems for building works involving tower cranes and mobile plants. Equipped with AI-powered sensors, these systems eliminate blind spots and detect potential human-machine conflicts in real time. By triggering instant audible and visual alerts – when you are touring with us, you can experience that in person – they help maintain a crucial safety buffer between workers and also the operating machinery. By embedding AI-driven systems into the data operation of construction sites, the 4S framework not only sets a new benchmark, but also demonstrates that achieving “Vision Zero” is realistic and attainable.
 
     Indeed, our vision of Smart City is clearly reflected in today’s Expo. The participating government departments, including the Development Bureau, the Labour Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Highways Department, and also the Water Services Department, have already integrated advanced technologies into their daily operations, enhancing both service delivery and enforcement effectiveness.
 
As the gate-keeper of occupational health and safety (OSH) here in Hong Kong, the Labour Department is one of the pioneers in adopting innovation and technology in inspection and enforcement work. For instance, it began utilising small unmanned aircraft for site inspections in October 2025. Equipped with superzoom cameras, these drones provide comprehensive aerial oversight of hard-to-reach and high-risk areas such as tower cranes and scaffolding. In the coming months, the Department will also introduce small unmanned detection vehicles to support inspections of high-risk drainage works and related accident investigations. These vehicles can verify the accuracy and comprehensiveness of risk assessments conducted by competent persons and enhance the OSH level within confined spaces. In addition, to combat climate change, the Department leveraged on the availability of extra data collected to enhance our Heat Stress at Work Warning system. Because in the hot days, we have to warn our workers about heat stress by incorporating more heat index measurements apart from traditional data to help enhance the system and accuracy of our heat index. This improves the coverage and sensitivity of the system. As a result, it strengthens the protection of health for employees working under a hot environment.
 
This Expo serves as a vital catalyst for scaling transformative technologies, underscoring that innovation is one of our most powerful tools for protecting lives. The advancements showcased in this event demonstrate that digital transformation is already taking root across our workplaces. I encourage all stakeholders – industry leaders, practitioners, workplace managers and innovators – to build on the momentum of this event and enhance a forward-looking, data-driven safety culture. I am sure, through our collective efforts, we can turn “Vision Zero” into a lasting reality.
 
On this occasion, I wish you all a very fruitful exchange and an inspiring experience at the Expo. Thank you and see you all tomorrow.