Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Hong Kong Customs today (July 9) conducted joint anti-illicit cigarette publicity campaigns with members of the District Council, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health and the Housing Department (HD) at Wah Lai Estate in Lai Chi Kok and Lai Tsui Court in Cheung Sha Wan. Customs also publicised the Duty Stamp System.

Customs officers patrolled the housing estates and introduced to residents Customs’ enforcement actions against illicit cigarettes and the latest amendments to illicit cigarette-related legislation, including an increase in the maximum penalty for offences related to duty-not-paid cigarettes to a $2 million fine and seven years’ imprisonment. Customs also explained to estate security personnel how to deal with suspected illicit cigarette activities.
 
Customs officers also introduced to the members of the District Council, residents and cigarette retailers the Duty Stamp System to be implemented in Hong Kong. The three-month Pilot Run for the Duty Stamp System launched by Customs concluded early this year. The department will continue to maintain close communication with all stakeholders and optimise the design and implementation details of the system. Customs expects the Duty Stamp System to achieve the ultimate goal of effective distinguishing of duty-paid cigarettes from duty-not-paid ones, and to combat “cheap whites”.
 
Customs will continue to strengthen publicity and education to raise public awareness of anti-illicit cigarettes. If public rental housing units are found to be involved in illicit cigarette crimes, Customs will notify the HD for follow-up action after the conclusion of court proceedings. Customs reminds members of the public not to buy or sell illicit cigarettes or distribute illicit cigarette leaflets to avoid creating a criminal record that could affect their future.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Members of the public are urged to report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080, its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

In accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), no person shall distribute any smoking product advertisement (including any promotional leaflet). Any person who contravenes the regulation is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000. Members of the public are also urged to report any suspected activities of illicit cigarette leaflet distribution to TACO’s hotline 2961 8823.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Police today (July 9) laid a holding charge against a 50-year-old woman with one count of murder.

     The woman was arrested on July 7 in suspected connection with a murder case happened in Aberdeen on the same day, in which a 53-year-old woman died.

     The case will be mentioned at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 10) morning.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Hong Kong Customs detected a suspected smuggling case involving an ocean-going vessel on June 28. A large batch of suspected smuggled goods with an estimated market value of about $20 million was seized.
 
Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use an ocean-going vessel to smuggle goods. Enforcement operations were thus formulated, with a suspicious container scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Australia via an ocean-going vessel being selected for inspection.
 
Upon examination, Customs officers found a large batch of suspected smuggled goods, including cigarettes, pharmaceutical products, liquors and household goods, from the abovementioned container, which was declared as carrying adapters, packaging boxes and bags, and drawstring bags.
 
An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
 
Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.
 
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.
 
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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 Government special administrative region – 4

The Labour Department (LD) today (July 9) reminded operators of employment agencies (EAs) to conduct their business in compliance with the law and the requirements of the Code of Practice for EAs at all times.

The LD has revoked the EA licence of HelperFirst Limited in Sai Kung. The EA’s licence was revoked, as a related person of its licensee was earlier convicted of operating an EA without a valid licence. The EA’s appeal against the LD’s revocation of its EA licence was dismissed by the Administrative Appeals Board.

Under section 53(1)(d)(ii) of the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) (EO), the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the licence of an EA if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned or a related person of the licensee has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO. 

“The EO stipulates that the Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee, has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers or operating an EA without a licence, or has not complied with the Code issued under section 62A(1) of the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.

Should there be enquiries about matters related to EAs or complaints about suspected violations by EAs, please contact the Employment Agencies Administration of the LD (telephone: 2115 3667; email: ea-ee@labour.gov.hk; address: Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Education Bureau (EDB) today (July 9) announced the completion of the selection process for the fifth cohort of the School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme (SNDAS).

A total of 847 valid SNDAS nominations were received from 433 secondary schools for the fifth cohort. In the past few months, the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities participating in the Scheme conducted interviews with the nominated students and carefully considered their individual merits. Direct admission offers were eventually issued to 325 nominees prior to the release of the 2026 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results, of which 319 students accepted the offers and will commence study on their chosen UGC-funded undergraduate programmes in September 2026. A breakdown on the offers accepted by students in various disciplines of study is provided in the Annex.

To promote a culture of multifaceted excellence, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has launched the Multi-talent Development Scholarship (MDS) in the 2025/26 academic year, funded by the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries, for admittees of the SNDAS demonstrating outstanding achievements in arts, sports and/or community service on top of the firm offers made under the SNDAS.
 
Among the students being formally admitted to their respective universities under the SNDAS, each of the eight UGC-funded universities will be invited to nominate SNDAS admittees demonstrating an outstanding performance in arts, sports and/or community service for awarding scholarships in addition to the firm offers made. The quotas of scholarship nominations will be distributed proportionally having regard to the number of students admitted to each university by the SNDAS. Each awardee, not subject to means testing, will be granted a scholarship of $10,000 per year across his/her four-year tuition period. Universities shall enjoy the autonomy to select and nominate awardees for the MDS.

The sixth cohort of the SNDAS will be open for applications by Secondary Six students taking the 2027 HKDSE Examinations and commencing their undergraduate studies in September 2027. Application details will be announced in due course.

The SNDAS was introduced in 2021 as part of the EDB’s response to the recommendations made by the Task Force on Review of School Curriculum, which included enhancing flexibility in university admissions. The eight UGC-funded universities designated over 300 publicly funded undergraduate programmes for the fifth cohort of the SNDAS and set admission criteria that are not based on HKDSE Examination results for individual programmes.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to European Parliament recommendation supporting deeper Taiwan-EU cooperation and reiterating importance of cross-strait peace and stability

July 9, 2026  Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung warmly welcomes a recommendation adopted by the European Parliament on July 7 on the changing geopolitical situation in East Asia and the need for closer cooperation with like-minded partners in the region. The document urges the European Union to deepen cooperation with democratic partners such as Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea; reiterates the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait; and opposes any actions that unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion. Minister Lin expresses his sincere appreciation to the European Parliament for continuing to take concrete action in support of Taiwan.The recommendation notes that Taiwan is a trusted and key democratic partner of the European Union in East Asia and that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea are of significant strategic interest to the European Union, as well as vital to global security and prosperity. It advises the European Union to enhance cooperation with like-minded partners, including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN countries. Building on such existing mechanisms as the trade and investment dialogue, it recommends that the European Union and Taiwan establish a comprehensive and structured cooperation framework. At the same time, the text backs Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and technical forums, calls to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and encourages members of the European Parliament to bolster parliamentary diplomacy with Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan.The recommendation once again underscores the importance that the European Parliament attaches to Taiwan and cross-strait peace and stability. It also marks another substantive expression of staunch support for Taiwan, following the 2023 resolution on EU-Taiwan trade and investment relations, the 2024 resolution on the misinterpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan, and the 2025 annual reports on the implementation of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy.Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the European Union and like-minded partners to jointly safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, collectively defend the rules-based international order, and actively make further contributions to global peace, security, and prosperity.Related Link: Recommendation on the changing geopolitical situation in East Asia and the need for closer cooperation with like-minded partners in the region.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On the afternoon of July 8, President Lai Ching-te met with Setaka Tetsuo, Mayor of Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan and Japan are important partners who support each other, and continue to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade and the economy, technology, culture, and tourism. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Nikko City can build on an already solid foundation to create even more cooperative achievements so that local exchanges can become an important driving force in the steady development of Taiwan-Japan relations.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
This is the first time since taking office last year that Mayor Setaka has led a group of Nikko City citizens to visit Taiwan, which makes it all the more meaningful. Whether as president or former mayor of Tainan, I have always eagerly looked forward to these visits. Tainan and Nikko City have a deep and precious friendship, having established an official “tourism-friendly city” relationship back in 2009. During my term of office as mayor of Tainan, following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, I led a delegation to Nikko City to support local tourism. In 2014 Nikko City also organized a delegation to reciprocate by visiting Taiwan. City residents also launched fund-raising campaigns after the 2016 Tainan earthquake and the 2024 Hualien earthquake to assist Taiwan in post-disaster reconstruction. I would like to express my most sincere gratitude.
Taiwan and Japan have long worked together to address challenges such as typhoons, earthquakes, and epidemics as important partners who support each other. Both sides have actively expanded cooperation in areas such as trade and the economy, technology, culture, and tourism. Last year, total Taiwan-Japan trade exceeded US$84.8 billion, 17.36 percent higher than the year before that, and more than 8.21 million visitors traveled between Taiwan and Japan, a historic high.
I am sure that after Mayor Setaka’s visit, Taiwan and Nikko City can build on our already solid foundation to create even more cooperative achievements so that local exchanges can become an important driving force in the steady development of Taiwan-Japan relations.
Mayor Setaka then delivered remarks, saying that the previous day he led approximately 80 Nikko City residents and tourism industry representatives to visit Tainan, and that Nikko City and Tainan have had a “tourism-friendly city” relationship for 17 years. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, President Lai, then-mayor of Tainan, led 300 Tainan residents to Nikko City to support the local tourism industry, something that Nikko City residents remember to this day, and for which they are deeply grateful.
Mayor Setaka stated that last year Tainan was struck by an earthquake as well as a typhoon, and this year he is leading Nikko City citizens on a special visit to Tainan again, hoping to provide mutual encouragement and support. He also expressed hope of continuing cooperation with Tainan in the future and jointly promoting tourism, sports, culture, and economic exchanges, thereby deepening our bilateral relationship.
The visiting delegation also included Nikko City Council Chair Wada Kiminobu.