Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) co-organised a seminar and the inauguration dinner of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia (HKCHAM Indonesia) in Jakarta on September 17, deepening business, trade, and investment ties between Hong Kong and Indonesia.

     Delivering opening remarks at the event, the Director-General of the HKETO Jakarta, Miss Libera Cheng, congratulated HKCHAM Indonesia on its inauguration. She said that the Chamber should aspire to be a bridge linking business sectors of the two places. She also said that the Chamber would be a key on-the-ground partner of the HKETO Jakarta in promoting two-way trade and investment, and supporting Hong Kong’s major initiatives, including the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global and the Economic and Trade Express platform.

     In addition, Miss Cheng introduced key highlights of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s newly announced First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the HKSAR (2026-2030) and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address. She emphasised that Hong Kong is driving high-quality development through the dual engines of “Finance+” and “AI+”, while playing the roles of “super-connector” and “super value-adder” in connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Mainland market with Association of Southeast Asian Nations economies, including Indonesia. She added that Hong Kong’s trusted common law system, low tax regime, world-class professional services, offshore Renminbi hub status, and pursuit of early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership enable Hong Kong to deliver a triple-win outcome for the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

     Miss Cheng highlighted the solid economic foundation between the two places, noting that bilateral merchandise trade reached close to US$6 billion in 2025. Hong Kong was Indonesia’s second-largest source of realised foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025 at US$10.6 billion, and became the top FDI source in the second quarter of 2026 for the first time.

     The event also featured remarks by the Chairman of HKCHAM Indonesia, Mr Suwito, and the Director of Indonesia of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Horasis Lung, a keynote address by the Deputy for Coordination of Business and Digital Economy at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of Indonesia, Dr Ali Murtopo Simbolon, as well as a fireside chat and a panel discussion on doing business in Indonesia from the perspectives of Hong Kong companies. Prominent speakers and guests included the President of the Indonesian Chinese Entrepreneur Association, Mr Abdul Alek Soelystio, and the Managing Director, Legal & Compliance of Danantara Indonesia, Mr Daniel Ginting. Invest Hong Kong also set up a promotional booth during the event.
     
     The event brought together over 100 representatives from the business communities, chambers of commerce, governments and relevant stakeholders from Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The “Salute to the National Flag” Hong Kong and Macao Youth Flag-Raising Teams’ Beijing Visit Delegation held a departure ceremony today (September 18). The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, and various guests saw off nearly 1 000 participating Hong Kong teachers and students at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link.

The visit is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Macao SAR Government, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and the Beijing Municipal People’s Government. It enables participating tertiary, secondary and primary students from Hong Kong and Macao to witness in person the solemn flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square, experience the historical culture and development achievements of the capital, deepen their sense of national identity and patriotism, enhance their understanding of the national development and the symbolic significance of the national flag, and continuously promote patriotic education while putting into practice the concept of a “walking classroom”.

Dr Choi said this high-level key youth exchange programme fully demonstrates the Central People’s Government’s high regard for the development of Hong Kong and Macao young people and is of special significance. The national flag is not merely a flag; it is also a vivid lesson in national education, reminding us that the country’s development has not come easily and that national rejuvenation requires continued efforts of generations.

During the five-day itinerary, students will gain an in-depth understanding of the country’s outstanding achievements in economic development and urban planning. Dr Choi expressed the hope that students will cherish every rare opportunity, observe and record attentively, and be able to read history and responsibility from the national flag, thereby deepening their understanding of and identification with the country.

The Hong Kong contingent of the delegation comprises nearly 1 000 members, including around 940 representatives from tertiary, secondary and primary schools that include students of flag-raising teams, as well as representatives from the Education Bureau, the Association of Hong Kong Flag-guards and the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association.

     After arriving in Beijing by high-speed rail, the delegation will meet with representatives of the Macao flag-raising teams and conduct a series of visits and exchanges with schools in Beijing.

Dr Choi will depart tomorrow (September 19) for a visit to the Mainland to join the activities of the “Salute to the National Flag” delegation. During the trip, she will go to Tianjin to meet local officials to strengthen exchanges in education and youth between the two places. She will then participate in the first Beijing study tour of the Citizenship and Social Development subject, and the National Day and Professional Exchange Delegation to Beijing from the Hong Kong Education Sector.

Dr Choi will return to Hong Kong on September 24. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai, will be the Acting Secretary for Education.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, yesterday (September 17) met with the Director General in Guangzhou Customs District, Mr Li Quan, in the Customs Headquarters Building to exchange views on deepening collaboration between the two Customs administrations.

Mr Chan welcomed Mr Li’s visit to Hong Kong Customs with his delegation and held a meeting with the Guangzhou Customs delegation. During the meeting, both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on multiple issues, including facilitating control and enforcement work on cargo and passenger clearance, as well as improving the prevention and control of risks, with an aim to further promote co-operation between the two Customs administrations.

The delegation also visited the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Passenger Terminal Building at Hong Kong International Airport to learn about the operations of passenger clearance of Hong Kong Customs.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (September 18) the preliminary figures of chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by economic activity for the second quarter of 2026.

     GDP figures by economic activity show the value of production in respect of individual economic activities. The value of production is measured by value added or net output, which is calculated by deducting intermediate input consumed in the process of production from the gross value of output. Volume measures of GDP by economic activity, expressed in terms of chain volume measures net of the effect of price changes, enable analysis of the output growth profiles of individual economic sectors in real terms.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     According to the statistics on persons engaged and vacancies released today (September 18) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total number of persons engaged in the private sector surveyed decreased by 0.1% or 2 100 persons in June 2026 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 45 380, representing a decrease of 8% or 4 150 over the preceding year.

Persons engaged statistics     
Vacancies statistics(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452″Quarterly Report of Manual Workers and Vacancies at Construction Sites, June 2026″
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​In accordance with the Railways Ordinance (Cap. 519), the Government published a notice in the Gazette today (September 18) on the authorisation of the railway scheme for the Hong Kong Section of the Northern Link (NOL) Spur Line by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics.
 
The NOL Project (comprising the NOL Main Line and Spur Line) is an important transport infrastructure driving the development of the Northern Metropolis and facilitating Hong Kong’s better integration into national development, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline that calls for accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis and promoting the co-ordinated development of rail transport. The NOL Spur Line comprises an underground railway of about 6 kilometres in length starting from San Tin Station on the Main Line, comprising the Hong Kong section of about 5km in length and the Shenzhen section of about 1km in length. The NOL Spur Line will establish three new railway stations, with two new stations at Chau Tau of the San Tin Technopole and the Loop for the Hong Kong section, as well as one new station at the new Huanggang Port for the Shenzhen section.
 
As the cross-boundary bifurcation of the NOL Project, apart from serving the San Tin Technopole and the Loop, the NOL Spur Line will also connect to the new Huanggang Port, linking the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and facilitating the flow of people between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Offering both local commuting functions within Hong Kong and cross-boundary railway services, the NOL Spur Line will promote the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
 
No objection to the railway scheme for the Hong Kong Section of the Northern Link Spur Line was received during the gazettal period, which fully reflects the community’s continued support for the project. Following the authorisation of the railway scheme, the construction works for the Hong Kong Section of the NOL Spur Line will commence as soon as practicable, with the aim of commissioning the NOL Spur Line together with the NOL Main Line by 2034 or earlier, upon which the travelling time between San Tin and the new Huanggang Port is estimated to be only about 11 minutes.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Police today (September 18) laid a holding charge against a 51-year-old man with one count of murder.

     The man was arrested on September 16 in suspected connection with a murder case happened in Chai Wan on the same day, in which a 53-year-old woman died.

     The case will be mentioned at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts this morning.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Lightshadow”, “Twilight”, “Contribute”, “Silverwing”, a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department codenamed “Flabbergast”, a joint operation with the Labour Department (LD) codenamed “Rainbow”, a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) codenamed “Windsand” and a joint operation with the HKPF and the LD codenamed “Champion”, etc, from September 11 to yesterday (September 17). During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and flats under renovation, etc. Twenty-two suspected illegal workers, six suspected employers, one suspected aider and abettor and six overstayers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised 11 men and 11 women, aged 26 to 55. Among them, two men and one woman were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, and the woman was also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Three men and three women, aged 30 to 57, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. The suspected aider and abettor arrested was a woman aged 44. Furthermore, the arrested overstayers were two men and four women, aged 33 to 52. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
 
     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.” 
 
     The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
 
     The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
 
     For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the “Online Reporting of Immigration Offences” form at www.immd.gov.hk.