Month: July 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) welcomes the official launch of the direct linkage between the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU) of Hong Kong and SIX of Switzerland today (July 29), which also marks the launch of CMU OmniClear Limited’s (CMU OmniClear) equity post-trade services for the first time.
 
Since its establishment in 2024, CMU OmniClear has been actively driving the internationalisation and commercialisation of CMU’s operations on behalf of the HKMA. The new direct linkage with SIX provides CMU Members with direct access to securities in the Swiss and Spanish markets. This further expands CMU’s global network and connectivity, underscoring Hong Kong’s unparalleled role as a gateway connecting the Chinese Mainland with the international market. 
 
The inaugural launch of CMU OmniClear’s equity post-trade services also demonstrates CMU’s capability to deliver a comprehensive suite of services to its clients, enabling investors to manage their diversified asset portfolios more efficiently and effectively. This milestone is a strong testament to Hong Kong’s dual role as both a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”. 
 
The Chief Executive of the HKMA and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMU OmniClear Holdings Limited, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “We are pleased to see the successful launch of the direct linkage between CMU and SIX, and equity post-trade services by CMU OmniClear. This represents a significant step forward in CMU’s strategic transformation into a one-stop, multi-asset class post-trade securities infrastructure. Looking ahead, CMU will continue to expand its global footprint and enrich its service offerings to meet evolving market demands, thereby further boosting the development of Hong Kong’s fixed income and currency market, and solidifying its leading status as an international financial centre.”
 
CMU is Hong Kong’s central securities depository infrastructure. By the end of June 2026, assets under custody of CMU exceeded HK$5.5 trillion equivalent.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hongkong Post announced today (July 29) that, as advised by the postal administration of France, mail delivery services to postcode areas 33121, 33127, 33138, 33148, 33160, 33185, 33320, 33380, 33510, 33520, 33610, 33680, 33700, 33740, 33950, 33970, 40160, 40460, 40600, and Charente, Charente-Maritime, Corrèze, Creuse, Dordogne, Haute-Vienne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments are subject to delays due to wildfires.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Smart QS Hackathon 2026, co-organised for the first time by the Housing Bureau and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), Cyberport, and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), was officially launched today (July 29) with a welcome ceremony and briefing session held at Cyberport. The Hackathon aims to explore innovative applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Quantity Surveying (QS) through cross-sector collaboration, facilitating the intelligent transformation of the construction industry and enhancing the management and service effectiveness of public works.

     In her opening remarks at the ceremony, the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, said, “This year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong proactively aligns with the requirements of national strategies to drive new quality productive forces with innovative technology, accelerating high-quality development in various industries. The Government has laid out a vast blueprint for housing and infrastructure development, and is fully committed to advancing smart city development and smart construction. We aim to boost the digital transformation of the QS industry by leveraging cutting-edge AI solutions, with a view to optimising contract management, expediting payment assessment, and mitigating disputes and project delays, thereby directly enhancing housing construction in terms of speed, quantity, quality and efficiency.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The opening ceremony of the first course of the Mainland Training Programme for Captains of the Hong Kong District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) was held today (July 28) at the National Academy of Governance in Beijing.

At the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, said that Care Teams were an important part of the Government’s efforts to enhance district governance. Captains of Care Teams lead team members and volunteers in supporting the Government’s district work. Together with the District Councils and the three District Committees, they form the “troika” of enhanced district governance and shoulder the important responsibility of enhancing district governance. The country attaches great importance to grassroots work, and Care Teams are an integral part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)’s grassroots works. Their contributions are heart warming and meaningful, and are well recognised and valued by the community.

Miss Mak said, “To further strengthen Care Team captains’ understanding of the country’s latest development and grassroots governance on the Mainland, the Government is arranging for captains of Care Teams from various districts to receive training and conduct site visits on the Mainland by batches. This will enable them to gain a deeper understanding of national development and the Mainland’s experience in grassroots governance so that they can apply what they have learned in their future district work and better serve the community.”

Miss Mak added, “This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The HKSAR Government will proactively align with the national development blueprint and complete the formulation of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan. I hope Care Team captains will seize this valuable learning opportunity to understand the content of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and learn from Beijing’s experience in grassroots governance. They should turn what they have learned into practical outcomes in strengthening district governance, continuously optimising district work, and injecting more caring force into the community.”

The programme will last for four days. Participants include captains of Care Teams from all 18 districts of Hong Kong. The training content covers General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on grassroots governance, and proactive alignment with the overall development of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Through on-site teaching and visits to sites such as the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, participants will gain multifaceted and in-depth understanding of the country’s experience and practices in grassroots governance. 

After the opening ceremony, Miss Mak called on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and met with Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Ms Zhang Dongmei.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 28) announced that a trace amount of metabolite of nitrofuran (AOZ), a non-permitted veterinary drug, was found in a rabbitfish sample. A follow-up investigation is in progress.

     A CFS spokesman said, “The CFS collected the above-mentioned rabbitfish sample from a licensed fresh provision shop in Kowloon City for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained AOZ at a level of 7 parts per billion.

     The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity. According to the information provided by the vendor, there was no remaining stock of the affected batch. The CFS will trace the source and distribution of the affected product.

     ​The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following press release is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:

     On the announcement of the departure of the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Professor Zhang Xiang, upon completion of his current term in 2028, the Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Mr Tim Lui, expressed respect for Professor Zhang’s decision and extended sincere gratitude for his contributions to Hong Kong’s higher education over the years.

     Mr Lui said, “HKU has consistently ranked among the world’s top universities and has long been committed to attracting world-class academic talent. On behalf of the UGC, I would like to thank Professor Zhang for his leadership in HKU’s development over the past few years. I look forward to the university community upholding the spirit of innovation and continuing to contribute to the development of Hong Kong and the nation.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Customs & Excise Department, in collaboration with the Immigration Department, conducted a joint counter-terrorism exercise today at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point.

About 100 officers from both departments participated in the drill.

The exercise simulated a joint operation during a major festival, targeting an outbound private car with a driver and passenger suspected of being linked to terrorist activities.
 

Officers detected suspected terrorism-related items and forged travel documents inside the vehicle.

During the examination, a suspected bomb device was discovered at the outbound private car kiosk. Officers immediately initiated an emergency plan and evacuated everyone at the scene in a safe and orderly manner.

This exercise enhanced frontline officers’ counter-terrorism awareness and intelligence-handling capabilities. It also strengthened inter-departmental co-ordination and communication in response to terrorism-related emergencies, protecting public safety and safeguarding national security.