Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointment of supervisory committee to conduct investigation upon District Council Member’s conviction
The Chairman and three members of the YLDC, pursuant to the District Councils Ordinance (Cap. 547) (the Ordinance), initiated on September 14 an investigation into Mr Sei. In accordance with the Ordinance and the performance monitoring system of DC Members, the SHYA appointed a supervisory committee to conduct the investigation, and the five committee members are Dr Bunny Chan Chung-bun, Ms Lam Chui-ling, Ms Deannie Yew Yat-wa, Ms Lee Ching-har and Dr Michael Liu Tsz-chung. The supervisory committee will establish whether the facts on which the allegation was based are true; give its opinion on whether the established facts constitute grounds for imposing sanction under the Ordinance; and, if there is ground for imposing sanction, give its opinion on the appropriate sanction to be imposed on the DC Member concerned. After completing the investigation, the supervisory committee will submit a report to the SHYA for consideration. The SHYA will make a decision after considering the report, and announce such decision in due course.
The SHYA, Miss Alice Mak, said, “The Government places strong emphasis on the conduct and integrity of DC Members, therefore the Performance Monitoring Guidelines for DC Members expressly specify that DC Members should at all times and in every respect conduct themselves in a manner which is in line with public expectations, and commensurate with the reputation of the DC and its members. The performance monitoring system of DC Members empowers the investigation and sanction upon DC Members’ misconduct, so as to ensure that every DC Member upholds their duties faithfully to serve the people.”
Miss Mak continued, “The five members of the supervisory committee include one person who is not a DC Member and four DC Members from districts other than Yuen Long. They have diverse backgrounds and rich district experience. The supervisory committee will handle the investigation in a robust, fair, just, impartial, independent and objective manner in accordance with the established mechanism.”
In order to avoid impacting the impartiality of the supervisory committee’s investigation, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will not comment on the case during the supervisory committee’s investigation.
Issued at HKT 18:45
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Major Sports Events Committee awards “M” Mark status to FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026™
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Major Sports Events Committee awards “M” Mark status to FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026™
The Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) has awarded “M” Mark status to the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026™ to be held on September 24 at the Mong Kok Stadium and September 27, 30 and October 3 at Kai Tak Stadium.
The Chairman of the MSEC, Mr Wilfred Ng, said today (September 22), “We are delighted to award the ‘M’ Mark status to the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026™. Over four match days, national teams from across Southeast Asia and the Hong Kong, China team will gather in Hong Kong to compete. Football fans not only can watch world-class matches up close and experience the thrilling home-ground atmosphere in person, but also join the crowd in cheering on the Hong Kong, China team. This spectacular event will bring an exhilarating experience to local sports fans and visitors alike, while demonstrating Hong Kong’s unique appeal as a capital of international sports events to the world.”
For details of “M” Mark events, please visit www.mevents.org.hkIssued at HKT 15:00
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Nominations for 2026 Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections to begin on October 7
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The nomination period for the 2026 Election Committee Subsector (ECSS) Ordinary Elections will run from October 7 (Wednesday) until October 20 (Tuesday). The numbers of members of the Election Committee (EC) to be elected by each of the subsectors were gazetted and uploaded to the election website (www.elections.gov.hk) today (September 22). If the number of validly nominated candidates for an EC subsector exceeds the number of EC members to be elected by that subsector, a poll will be held on November 22.
A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) said, “A person nominated as a candidate (a nominated person) must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 18 or above, who is a registered voter for the relevant subsector or has a substantial connection with that subsector. Details on the eligibility and disqualification in regard to nomination as a candidate and being elected as an EC member, as well as the requirements to be complied with by persons nominated as candidates, are set out in sections 17, 17A, 18, 18A, 19 and 20 of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569).
“The nomination form must be subscribed by at least five voters registered for the subsector concerned. Each voter may subscribe multiple nominations regarding a particular subsector but the number of candidates that each voter can nominate should not exceed the number of EC members to be elected by that subsector. In the case of a corporate voter, the subscription of the nomination form may only be effected by the corporate voter’s authorised representative,” the spokesman said.
The Electoral Affairs Commission has appointed Returning Officers to receive nomination forms and to handle other electoral matters for their respective subsectors. The notice for the appointment of Returning Officers, with their office addresses, was also gazetted today and uploaded to the election website.
The nomination forms may be obtained during ordinary business hours from 9am to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 9am to noon on Saturdays (except public holidays) beginning today at the two offices of the REO (8/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, and Unit 2301-03, 23/F, Millennium City 6, 392 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon), or the offices of the Returning Officers of the relevant subsectors. The nomination forms may also be obtained from any of the District Offices during their operation hours, or downloaded from the election website.
A nominated person must submit the completed nomination form and an election deposit of $1,000 in person to the respective Returning Officers during the abovementioned ordinary business hours (except public holidays) within the nomination period. The spokesman reminded nominated persons that they should lodge the election deposit by the Faster Payment System (FPS) as far as possible, or by cash and cashier orders, to avoid any complications arising from a cheque not being honoured.
“Nominated persons are advised to submit their nomination forms as early as possible to allow time to correct mistakes, if any, in the forms before the end of nomination period,” the spokesman added.
Separately, nominated persons must, in accordance with the requirements of the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, complete and return the Eligibility Review Supplementary Information Form (SIF). The SIF can be downloaded from the election website, and nominated persons are advised to complete the SIF electronically and submit the completed SIF by email to cerc_secretariat@cerc.gov.hk. Nominated persons should submit their SIFs as soon as possible and no later than 5pm on October 20 to facilitate prompt processing.
Copies of the nomination forms of respective subsectors are available for public inspection at the offices of the Returning Officers during ordinary business hours after the start of the nomination period. Members of the public may also inspect copies of all the nomination forms at the REO office in Kwun Tong.
For enquiries, please call the election hotline at 2891 1001.
Fifty-three Bone Marrow Donors Praised for Selfless Contributions
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Today (September 22) is World Marrow Donor Day. The Bone Marrow Donor Award Ceremony 2026, organised by the Hong Kong Bone Marrow Donor Registry of the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS), was held recently on September 19, recognising 53 enthusiastic bone marrow donors for their selfless contributions. The BTS calls on more citizens to join in saving lives by registering for bone marrow donation, enabling more patients to receive a second chance at life.
The ceremony was officiated by the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan; the Deputy Director of Health of Macao, Dr Cheang Seng-ip; the Chairman of the Hospital Governing Committee of the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service and the Governing Sub-committee of the Hong Kong Bone Marrow Donor Registry, Mr Ignatius Chan; the Chairperson of Hong Kong Red Cross, Dr Lau Chor-chiu; and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Marrow Match Foundation, Professor Chiu Tsang Hok-wan.
Dr Fan expressed the sincerest gratitude to all donors on behalf of the patients in her opening remarks. Dr Fan said, “Bone marrow donors have willingly extended a helping hand to patients, influencing lives with their own lives. This act of kindness transcends geographical boundaries and exemplifies the spirit of selfless dedication. I hope more members of the public will register as bone marrow donors, giving more patients in need a chance to recover.”
A first meeting between a pair of bone marrow recipient and donor was arranged at the ceremony for sharing their genuine experiences of donation and bone marrow transplantation. The recipient, Ms Tse, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2023. After experiencing recurrent unstable conditions, she sought an unrelated bone marrow donation through the Hong Kong Bone Marrow Donor Registry in 2024, and received a bone marrow donation from Mr Liu in April 2024. She expressed her special gratitude to the donor, Mr Liu, saying, “I am very grateful to him for giving me the hope of a new life!”
Mr Liu, who belongs to Generation Z, is a regular blood donor who registered as a bone marrow donor during his university years. He recalled that upon receiving a notification of a bone marrow match, he fully appreciated that was a precious opportunity ordained by fate and immediately agreed without hesitation to lend a helping hand, ultimately succeeding in saving Ms Tse’s life.
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) of donor and recipient must be highly or completely matched for a successful transplantation. “The BTS helped patients requiring unrelated transplantation search for any potentially matched donor in the database. In general, the chance of finding a matching unrelated donor is about one in five thousand to one in ten thousand only. The odds will be even less than one in one hundred thousand for patients who have rare HLA type,” the Chief Executive and Medical Director of the BTS, Dr Lee Cheuk-kwong added. He hoped to see more young people register as bone marrow donor to increase the chance for finding a matched donor for patients.
The world’s first Chinese-based unrelated bone marrow donor registry was founded in Hong Kong in 1991. As of June this year, over 193 000 people in Hong Kong have registered as voluntary bone marrow donors, successfully finding suitable haematopoietic stem cells for transplantation for 1 259 local and 142 overseas patients.
Members of the public aged between 18 and 45 and in good health condition can register for bone marrow donation at any blood donor centre. The simple registration process includes completing a registration form, followed by a health screening and taking blood samples for laboratory tests. For information on bone marrow donation, please call 2710 1206 or visit the website at www.ha.org.hk/rcbts.
Hongkong Post alerts public to fraudulent Hongkong Post website
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hongkong Post alerts public to fraudulent Hongkong Post website
Hongkong Post clarifies that it has no connection to the fraudulent website and has reported the case to the Police for follow-up. Hongkong Post reminded the public that its official websites addresses are “hongkongpost.hk” and “hongkongpost.gov.hk”. Hongkong Post will only use “#HKPost” to send SMS messages to local subscribers of mobile phone services, and will use the domain name “@hkpo.gov.hk” or “@hongkongpost.hk” to send emails. Hongkong Post reiterates that it will not send embedded hyperlinks via emails, SMS messages or social media platforms for collecting payments and personal information.
Members of the public are reminded to stay alert and not visit suspicious websites or disclose any personal information. For enquiries, members of the public may contact the Hongkong Post enquiry hotline at 2921 2222 or email hkpo@hkpo.gov.hk
Issued at HKT 18:15
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TD urges public and visitors to plan cross-boundary trips early during Mainland’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
TD urges public and visitors to plan cross-boundary trips early during Mainland’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday Travel during non-peak hours
It is anticipated that the waiting time for PT services, including the Gold Bus and the franchised bus B routes, may be longer. Travellers should avoid travelling during peak hours as far as possible. Passengers are advised to maintain order while queuing and heed the advice of on-site Police and staff of PTOs concerned. Passengers planning to take cross-boundary coaches are also advised to reserve their coach tickets in advance.Issued at HKT 16:00
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Special traffic and transport arrangements for Mid-Autumn Festival
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Transport Department (TD) today (September 22) reminded the public that the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented from September 24 to 26 to facilitate the holding of the festive activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25). Members of the public should heed the public transport service frequencies and hours for planning their journeys in advance.
Special traffic arrangements
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To facilitate the holding of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, road closure and traffic diversion arrangements will be implemented in the vicinity of Tai Hang from September 24 to 26. In addition, road closure and traffic diversion arrangements will be implemented in various parts of Hong Kong Island (including Causeway Bay, The Peak, Aberdeen, Pok Fu Lam, Repulse Bay and Shek O) and in the New Territories (including Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan and Ma On Shan) on September 25 and 26. Some parking spaces, taxi stands and public light bus stands in the above areas will also be suspended.
Public transport arrangements
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Public transport services on the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25) will be adjusted as follows:
(i) MTR lines (except the Airport Express, Disneyland Resort Line and the section of East Rail Line to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations) will gradually strengthen services from 3pm onwards and extend the service hours to the early hours on September 26;
(ii) 11 Light Rail routes and three MTR bus routes will extend the service hours to the early hours on September 26;
(iii) Tram services will be strengthened subject to passenger demand;
(iv) Four special bus routes (route Nos. 71P, N64P, N272 and 173R) will be operated. Franchised bus companies will also extend the service hours of six bus routes and adjust the frequency/departure time of some routes respectively;
(v) Nine green minibus routes will extend their service hours;
(vi) 44 bus routes and 14 green minibus routes will be diverted and adjust their stop locations temporarily in connection with the road closures and traffic diversion arrangements; and
(vii) Star Ferry, Sun Ferry and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry will strengthen their ferry services subject to passenger demand.
For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) or its mobile application “HKeMobility”. Passengers may also refer to the passenger notices displayed by the relevant public transport operators.
Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport services as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and unnecessary delays. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures when necessary. The Police may adjust the traffic arrangements, subject to the prevailing crowd and traffic conditions in the areas. The public should pay attention to the latest traffic news through radio, television or “HKeMobility”.
Government publishes report on Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) today (September 22) published the report on the Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection. The report indicates that the overall manpower shortage in Hong Kong has been alleviated, benefiting from the various talent admission and labour importation measures implemented by the Government over the past three years. The overall manpower shortage is projected to narrow from the previous projection of approximately 180 000 to some 130 000 by 2028, while the manpower situation across most key industries remains tight, particularly for innovation and technology, aviation, construction, city operation and healthcare services.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, “This mid-term update reflects that talent admission and labour importation policies have effectively stabilised the labour force and alleviated the overall manpower shortage. However, manpower demand in certain industries remains acute. In response to the job reshaping driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the Government will continue to collaborate with all parties to formulate targeted measures. In addition to strengthening retraining mechanisms and providing flexible skill-conversion programmes for elderly and middle-aged employees, we will enhance the employment support for young graduates and explore incentives for employers and employees to engage in on-the-job retraining. The Government will adopt a multipronged approach to assist workers at all levels in equipping themselves to step into the new era of AI.”
President Lai meets Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of Kingdom of Eswatini
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
President Lai meets Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of Kingdom of Eswatini
On the morning of September 22, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of the Kingdom of Eswatini. In remarks, President Lai noted that Deputy Prime Minister Dladla is leading a delegation to Taiwan for the formal inauguration of the World Alliance for Disaster Management (WADM), which is expected to create new collaborative opportunities for Taiwan and Eswatini as the two countries jointly advance international disaster management. The president said that under the WADM framework, Taiwan will share its experience in disaster management technology, emergency response, and rescue operations with Eswatini and other like-minded countries to bolster disaster resilience. He added that Taiwan will continue to deepen exchanges in such areas as industry, public health, and talent cultivation, bringing the two countries closer together.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
It is a pleasure to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Dladla once again as she leads this delegation to Taiwan. It has been only four months since we last met. In April, my scheduled trip to Eswatini was temporarily postponed due to external interference. However, with the support and assistance of His Majesty King Mswati III, the Queen Mother, and Deputy Prime Minister Dladla, we completed our visit smoothly and successfully in early May. I want to convey my special appreciation to Deputy Prime Minister Dladla for personally accompanying our delegation. You traveled vast distances with us to ensure a smooth journey. I feel a warm sense of friendship seeing you again today, and I extend my sincere gratitude to you once more.
Deputy Prime Minister Dladla served as Eswatini’s first female minister of foreign affairs and is her nation’s second female deputy prime minister. She has long been devoted to promoting gender equality and to enhancing the welfare of the people of Eswatini. As we strive to care for our peoples and advance social well-being, her passion for public affairs has facilitated even more cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Eswatini.
On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla is visiting Taiwan for the formal inauguration of the WADM. The launch of this platform is sure to create new collaborative opportunities for Taiwan and Eswatini as we jointly advance international disaster management. In the face of extreme weather and other global challenges, countries must share experience and pool resources so as to establish more comprehensive disaster management mechanisms. Looking ahead, under the WADM framework, Taiwan will share its experience in disaster management technology, emergency response, and rescue operations with Eswatini and other like-minded countries. This will bolster overall disaster resilience and protect the lives of our peoples.
In addition to cooperation on disaster management, Taiwan is also sharing development experience with Eswatini through the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. We continue to deepen exchanges in such areas as industry, public health, and talent cultivation, bringing our countries closer together. As we navigate a rapidly changing global landscape, Taiwan looks forward to, with the support of Eswatini, working alongside even more global partners. Drawing on our experience and capabilities, we aspire to make further contributions to the international community.
In closing, I wish your delegation a successful visit. I kindly ask Deputy Prime Minister Dladla to convey sincere greetings from Taiwan to Their Majesties the King and the Queen Mother.
Deputy Prime Minister Dladla then delivered remarks, saying that it was a profound honor to once again be received by President Lai. She then conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, His Majesty’s government, and the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini. She noted that relations between Eswatini and Taiwan are now 58 years old, a period long enough to have built memories, weathered challenges, shared milestones, and developed trust. Over these decades, she said, the relationship has grown beyond the conventional understanding of bilateral relations and has acquired the character of family.
Turning to bilateral cooperation, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla thanked Taiwan for its decision to increase rice assistance to Eswatini as the country prepares for the possibility of severe El Niño conditions, and for Taiwan’s commitment to supporting additional social housing for vulnerable communities. She also expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s support of Eswatini’s tourism sector, noting that the story of Eswatini’s tourism is inseparable from the story of its people, culture, and traditions. Strengthening tourism creates opportunities for communities, artisans, entrepreneurs, women, and young people, she said, and she looks forward to more Taiwanese tourists coming to the kingdom – not only to visit, but to invest in tourism.
Deputy Prime Minister Dladla said that the friendship between Eswatini and Taiwan has matured and that their cooperation should mature with it, ramping up in scale, speed, and breadth. She said the two sides should look increasingly toward investment, industrial development, innovation, technology transfers, skills development, energy security, and mutually beneficial economic opportunities such as mining. The deputy prime minister cited the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park, cooperation on the strategic oil reserve, and other strategic initiatives currently under discussion as important opportunities in this regard.
This, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla said, is also where the WADM assumes particular importance, as it allows the two countries to transform shared vulnerability into shared preparedness. Eswatini is proud to be among the alliance’s founding members, she said, and intends to contribute constructively to its development and help ensure that it becomes a practical platform for capacity-building, knowledge-sharing, and coordinated action. The more resilient societies become, she emphasized, the better positioned they are to protect development gains and improve the lives of their people.
Deputy Prime Minister Dladla thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support in Eswatini’s schools, hospitals, agricultural communities, and development programs, and especially for its steadfast support of the rural electrification program, thanks to which the whole of Eswatini now lights up like stars in the night sky. Looking to the future, she said, Eswatini is ready to do more, to move faster, and to identify bigger opportunities, and it is ready to build a partnership increasingly defined by what the two countries can achieve together.
In closing, Deputy Prime Minister Dladla once again expressed, on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, the Queen Mother, His Majesty’s government, and the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini, profound appreciation for the friendship of the people and government of Taiwan. She expressed hope that the friendship between the two countries will continue to deepen and their cooperation gather momentum, so that this 58-year relationship becomes not merely a diplomatic relationship, but one between friends and family.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Eswatini Sithembiso M. Gama.
Police security dept head appointed
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Executive John Lee today appointed Kong Hok-lai as head of the Hong Kong Police Force’s department for safeguarding national security upon the retirement of the force’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (National Security) Kan Kai-yan.
Pursuant to Article 16(2) of the National Security Law, Mr Kong’s appointment took effect today. He also took his oath of office today.
Mr Lee highlighted that Mr Kong has been with Police for three decades, adding that he has served in the National Security Department since the promulgation and implementation of the National Security Law.
“He has demonstrated outstanding performance, an exemplary commitment to serve, and exceptional leadership with a high awareness of national security. He is steadfast and courageous, and remains resolute in safeguarding national security.
“I recognise his work and have confidence that he will take on more responsibilities in his new position and make greater contributions to safeguarding national security.”