Month: July 2026

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“Anti-drug Ambassadors Express” to have maiden voyage at Hong Kong Book Fair tomorrow to encourage families to fight drugs together

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

“Anti-drug Ambassadors Express” to have maiden voyage at Hong Kong Book Fair tomorrow to encourage families to fight drugs together      
     The booth this year is designed around the concept of a train. Visitors can board the “Anti-drug Ambassadors Express” train and take part in a series of interactive anti-drug missions. Through fun and educational games, they can enhance their anti-drug awareness and develop a better understanding of the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.
      
     Each visitor will receive a commemorative ticket for the “Anti-drug Ambassadors Express” to mark their maiden voyage. By completing anti-drug missions, visitors can collect stamps and redeem souvenirs with the ticket. Souvenirs are available while stocks last. Visitors can also take photos on-site to create personalised anti-drug pledge certificates, and join anti-drug ambassadors Agent Don’t and Agent Hope in standing firm against drugs.
      
     The ND said it hopes to raise awareness among young people about the harm of drugs through fun and engaging interactive activities. At the same time, it aims to create a family-friendly environment where parents and children can participate together to nurture positive values from an early age, stay away from the temptations of drugs and build a healthy, positive and drug-free lifestyle.
      
     In addition to visiting the ND’s booth at the Hong Kong Book Fair, members of the public are also encouraged to visit the permanent exhibition at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre located on Roof Floor, Low Block, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Admiralty. More anti-drug information is also available on the ND’s website      
     For details of the Hong Kong Book Fair 2026, please visit its dedicated webpageIssued at HKT 15:00

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TD urges public to fraudulent websites purported to be from Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Transport Department (TD) today (July 14) alerted members of the public to fraudulent websites purporting to be related to the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme (PTFSS) and seek to obtain their credit card account and personal information (see PTFSS website for details).

The TD clarified that the fraudulent websites have no connection with the PTFSS and has referred the case to the Police for follow-up. The TD reminds the public that there is no need to provide credit card and personal information to collect Public Transport Fare Subsidies. In case of doubts, the public may visit the PTFSS website for details.

The public should stay alert when receiving any unidentified SMS messages, and should not visit suspicious websites or disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to such websites should contact the Police. Octopus and AlipayHK users with enquiries about the PTFSS may call 2969 5500 (Octopus) and 3002 0905 (AlipayHK) respectively.

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Red flag hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 14) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

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DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards       
     Since 2002, the DH has been implementing the HKCMMS project in phases to develop standards for commonly used CMM in Hong Kong to ensure their safety and quality.
      
     In his opening remarks, the Director of Health and the Chairperson of the IAB, Dr Ronald Lam, said, “One of the key initiatives of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) under the DH is the implementation of the HKCMMS. With the publication of the Volume 12 of the HKCMMS, standards for 357 types of CMM have been established so far. They have become widely recognised international reference standards for Chinese medicine testing and certification, thereby promoting the high-quality scientific development of Chinese medicine. In addition, the work of GCMTI is closely aligned with national priorities. The National 15th Five-Year Plan made it clear that we need to ‘advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine’ and ‘promote the integration of Chinese and Western medicine’. It also calls for us to ‘strengthen the conservation and utilisation of Chinese medicine resources’, ‘improve the quality of Chinese medicine, and build up and strengthen the Chinese medicine industry’. These are exactly the goals that the HKCMMS Project is helping to achieve – by setting rigorous quality standards for CMM and conducting applied research and development on testing methods that underpin the entire industry, establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as a bridgehead for the global expansion of Chinese Medicine.”
      
     Dr Lam emphasised that the success of the HKCMMS project depends on the active collaboration of stakeholders across different sectors. He expressed his sincere appreciation to the four research partners attending the meeting, commending their dedicated contributions to advancing the project’s research efforts. They were the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the China Medical University. He also thanked the Government Laboratory for conducting inter-laboratory verification studies. Dr Lam emphasised that these collaborations are crucial for establishing a rigorous and solid scientific foundation for the HKCMMS and gaining international credibility. The DH is also deeply grateful to the National Medical Products Administration, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission for their continuous valuable advice and support in developing the HKCMMS. To align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to advance the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of Chinese medicine, expand and promote Chinese medicine culture, the DH will continue to steadfastly promote the development of Chinese medicine and better integrate into and serve the overall national development.
      
     The two-day meeting brought together experts from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as representatives from research institutions, the DH and the Government Laboratory of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The 16 types of CMM commonly used in Hong Kong that were discussed at the meeting included Bambusae Caulis in Taenias, Pyrolae Herba, Natrii Sulfas, Dichroae Radix, Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma, Cynanchi Atrati Radix et Rhizoma, Jasmini Flos, Tinosporae Caulis, Inulae Flos, Haematitum, Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Vespae Nidus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Aconiti Kusnezoffii Folium, Meliae Cortex and Tripterygii Wilfordii Radix.
      
     Previous editions of the HKCMMS can be accessed at the websiteIssued at HKT 19:35

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FEHD releases second batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

FEHD releases second batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July  

District

District     The FEHD continues to carry out a series of measures, including:

  • convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders, such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies, in strengthening venues’ mosquito control work;     During the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water at a private housing estate in Tai Po District, the FEHD has issued a statutory notice to the responsible person-in-charge, requiring the clearance of stagnant water within a specified timeframe.

         Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
         Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

         Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#Issued at HKT 19:29

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    DSJ leads legal sector delegation to first upgraded Shenzhen-Hong Kong exchange event to empower Mainland enterprises to go global

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    DSJ leads legal sector delegation to first upgraded Shenzhen-Hong Kong exchange event to empower Mainland enterprises to go global       
         ​Entitled Greater Bay Area Enterprise Global Expansion Enablement Event – Session on Intellectual Property and Data Protection, the event attracted 50 Mainland enterprises from sectors such as smart hardware, electronic information, new energy, biopharmaceuticals, and high-end manufacturing, seeking to expand overseas. In addition to Hong Kong, their target markets cover regions including Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
          
         ​​Addressing the event, Dr Cheung said that, after reviewing the successful experience of co-organising the exchange and matching activity last year, Shenzhen and Hong Kong decided to fully upgrade the event by increasing the frequency of hosting similar activities and focusing more specifically on issues of the greatest concern to Mainland enterprises, in order to further enhance matching effectiveness. As the first upgraded exchange and matching event, this session focused on the cross-border intellectual property rights and data protection issues of concern to the enterprises. In future, Shenzhen and Hong Kong will continue to organise similar events focusing on common legal issues concerning overseas expansion.
          
         Dr Cheung also said that the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address stated that he was tasked to promote Hong Kong’s legal services and collaborate with other professional service sectors, such as accounting and finance, to jointly support Mainland enterprises in going global. In addition to building matching platforms, the DoJ has actively provided practical tools for enterprises going global. In April, the DoJ published the Panel List of Hong Kong Legal Services Providers Supporting “Go Global”, covering more than 70 Hong Kong legal service providers with proven track records in the relevant professional fields of doing business overseas. Last week, the department launched the second series of the “Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong’s Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global”, compiling over 160 success stories on cross-disciplinary professional services spanning law, accounting, finance, and business consulting.
          
         ​He emphasised that the DoJ has always attached great importance to helping enterprises connect directly with Hong Kong’s professional services, and that the Panel List and the Collection of Success Stories serve to help Mainland enterprises identify the most suitable professional partners more effectively.
          
         ​Dr Cheung noted that most of the law firms participating in the exchange session are listed in the Panel List and contributed case studies to the Collection of Success Stories. He expressed confidence that the delegation could offer Mainland enterprises practical solutions for addressing legal issues associated with going global.
          
         Member of the Standing Committee and the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Zhang Liwei, delivered opening remarks at the event. The Qianhai Authority of Shenzhen also introduced the services of the Shenzhen Centre for Foreign Law Ascertainment and Legal Service for Enterprises Going Global.
          
         In the sharing session that followed, delegation members gave detailed explanations on common legal risks and mitigation strategies in cross-border intellectual property rights and data protection, and highlighted the pivotal role Hong Kong’s legal profession plays in assisting Mainland enterprises with their global expansion. Members of the delegation later split into groups to engage in in-depth discussions with representatives from Mainland enterprises.
          
         The delegation also visited the “Go Global” Global Service Center in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. Established under the co-ordination of the CPC Nanshan District Committee and the Nanshan District People’s Government, the Center is a comprehensive international platform designed to provide full-range, one-stop services and support for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas and foreign companies coming to China, and to facilitate the integration of enterprises into the global market.
          
         Dr Cheung and the delegation returned to Hong Kong in the evening after concluding their visit.
    Issued at HKT 18:35

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    Auction of vehicle registration marks to be held on August 1

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Auction of vehicle registration marks to be held on August 1     
         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.
         
         The reserve price of each PVRM is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also attend the physical auction and participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.(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 payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. Any bidder who wishes to bid for both TVRMs and PVRMs on the same day, should bring along at least two crossed cheques for payment of auction prices (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 may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.Issued at HKT 18:00

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    Agenda of tomorrow’s LegCo meeting revised

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

         The agenda of the Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting, scheduled for tomorrow (July 15) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex, has been revised.

         The Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

         For the latest agenda items of tomorrow’s LegCo meeting, please refer to the LegCo Website: www.legco.gov.hk/yr2026/english/counmtg/agenda/cm20260715.htm.

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    Ombudsman briefs Legislative Council Members on work results of 2025-26

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

         The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (July 14) attended an annual meeting with Legislative Council (LegCo) Members to brief them on the progress and results of the Office of The Ombudsman’s work in 2025-26, with an overview of its work strategies and objectives. At the meeting, Mr Chan also exchanged views with LegCo Members on issues of mutual concern and thanked them for their support of the Office’s work.

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    Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigars

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigars (with photo)      
         Customs officers intercepted a 37-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, via Doha, Qatar, at Hong Kong International Airport on June 22, and seized about 8.8 kilograms of duty-not-paid cigars, with an estimated market value of about $301,000 and a duty potential of about $37,700 from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
          
         Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
          
         Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigars are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigars commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
          
         Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:40

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