Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (February 24) announced that the nine-day Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland (February 15 to 23) concluded smoothly yesterday. According to the Immigration Department (ImmD), around 1.77 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong over the Golden Week, representing an increase of 14 per cent over the same period last year. Mainland inbound visitors accounted for around 1.5 million, representing an increase of 14 per cent. The number of non-Mainland inbound visitors was around 270 000, also representing an increase of 14 per cent.

     Mr Chan said, “During this Chinese New Year Golden Week, Hong Kong was filled with a festive atmosphere, with residents and visitors alike participating in a wide array of celebratory activities, including the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade on the first day of the Chinese New Year, the fireworks display on the second day, the Chinese New Year Raceday on the third day, and the Chinese New Year Cup football match on the fifth day. These diverse and enriching events were well received by both residents and visitors, not only creating a joyous atmosphere throughout the city but also effectively attracting crowds, stimulating consumption, and bringing opportunities to various industries such as retail, catering and tourism, showcasing Hong Kong’s vibrant and welcoming metropolitan charm.”     
     During the nine-day Chinese New Year Golden Week, the daily average of Mainland visitors was around 170 000. The arrival of Mainland visitors peaked on February 18 (the second day of Chinese New Year) with around 210 000 Mainland visitors arriving in Hong Kong. During the Golden Week, the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point received the highest number of Mainland visitors, followed by the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Fire Services Department today said it received a total of 35,972 fire calls in 2025, representing a decrease of 4.9% over 2024. Among these were 2,000 damaging building fires, a slight increase of 25 cases over 2024.

In all, 96.1% of building fire calls were responded to within the graded response time.

Presenting the department’s 2025 Year-end Review at a media session today, Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said the decline of fire calls was mainly attributable to a reduction in false alarms – down 8.3% from 2024.

The principal causes of the fires were electrical faults and human negligence, such as careless handling of cigarette ends and candles.

With regard to special service calls, a total of 42,485 calls were received during the year, representing an 8% increase year-on-year. Notable incidents included Super Typhoon Ragasa that struck Hong Kong directly in September, during which the department handled over 800 special service calls.

In the wake of the No.5 alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the department introduced a series of targeted measures to enhance the overall safety standard.

First, a dedicated Inspection Team was established to conduct inspections on fire service installations and equipment (FSIs) in buildings undergoing major maintenance works.

Second, a round-the-clock Quick Response Team was formed to proactively inspect the operation of the relevant FSI systems immediately at the scene of building fires.

Third, alerts to residents during periods of major FSI failure were strengthened.

Fourth, publicity, education and training for the public, owners’ corporations and property management companies were actively reinforced.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today voiced strong opposition to the Panamanian government’s forced takeover yesterday of the two Panamanian ports operated by Hutchison Ports Panama Ports Company and the termination of the company’s operating rights.

The Hong Kong SAR Government added that the Panamanian government’s move undermines the spirit of contractual obligations, and reiterated its firm commitment to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong enterprises overseas.

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today lodged a protest with the Consul General of Panama in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said that a ruling made by Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice declaring the operation by the company of the two Panamanian ports unconstitutional, disregarded fact and was a breach of faith. It highlighted that the company had initiated arbitration proceedings and that these were underway prior to the ports’ takeover.

Condemning the takeover, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it gravely damages the Hong Kong firm’s legitimate rights and interests.

It urged the Panamanian government to respect contracts, provide a fair and just business environment for companies operating legally in Panama, and ensure that the legitimate rights of enterprises are free from any interference. Hong Kong enterprises operating and investing in Panama should, it added, receive fair and reasonable treatment and protection.

The Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that the company has made vast investments in Panama, and created abundant jobs over the years. It said the court’s ruling and the unjust action by the Panamanian government have sabotaged Panama’s creditworthiness and gravely undermined international trade rules.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan will deliver the 2026-27 Budget at the Legislative Council tomorrow, from 11am.

The full text of the Budget Speech and other related materials, will be released simultaneously on the Budget website.

The public can also watch a live broadcast of the Budget speech, followed by a Budget-related press conference, a television forum and a radio programme, on the website.

Copies of the speech and a leaflet highlighting key Budget proposals will be available for collection from the 20 Home Affairs Enquiry Centres.

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea

Along with fellow Koreans, I would like to sincerely welcome President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Brazilian delegation to Korea.

Today will be recorded as a historic day marking a new leap forward in our two countries’ relations.

Despite the geographical distance between Korea and Brazil, which are situated on opposite sides of the globe, our two countries have maintained close cooperation based on our complementary economic structures.

Our bilateral trade has steadily increased, exceeding US$10 billion annually over the past five years. The scope of our cooperation has been expanding to include promising future-oriented sectors such as space, biohealth and pharmaceuticals, as well as the culture industry.

Building on this solid foundation of cooperation, President Lula and I agreed to elevate our bilateral ties to the level of a Strategic Partnership.

The Action Plan to Implement the Brazil-Korea Strategic Partnership 2026-2029 adopted today will serve as a roadmap for developing our relations across a wide range of areas, including political and economic affairs as well as substantive cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Allow me to elaborate on the outcomes of today’s summit.

First, President Lula and I agreed on the importance of further expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation between our two countries.

Brazil is a key member of MERCOSUR.

I explained the need to promptly resume negotiations for the Korea–MERCOSUR Trade Agreement, and President Lula shared the view that concluding the Agreement is an urgent and important task.

We also concurred that, based on our mutual trust, we should work together to create a breakthrough.
Second, at this summit, we adopted ten Memoranda of Understanding and Arrangement, committing to establishing a framework for implementing substantive cooperation by sector.

The MOU on bilateral cooperation in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship will serve as a crucial opportunity for expanding our bilateral trade and investment that were mostly focused on large businesses, to include SMEs.

I believe that the MOU on regulatory cooperation in the field of health-related products, will enable K-cosmetics, already gaining wide popularity in Brazil, to attract even more Brazilian consumers.

Three MOUs were also signed in the agricultural sector. Brazil is one of the largest agricultural powerhouses with advanced farming technologies. Cooperating with Brazil is vital for the Republic of Korea’s food security.

I believe that the MOUs concluded on this occasion will help strengthen cooperation on next-generation agricultural technologies and foster the growth of both our countries’ rural economies in a sustainable, mutually beneficial way.

We will also expand the horizons of bilateral cooperation in such future-oriented sectors as outer space, defense, and aviation.

The attempt to launch Korea’s first-ever commercial launch vehicle, Hanbit-Nano, at Brazil’s Alcântara Space Center last December, has played an integral role in advancing our two countries’ space cooperation. We are confident that Hanbit-Nano will be launched successfully in the near future.

We are also engaging in supply chain cooperation for the aviation sector, with Korean parts manufacturers participating in the production of Brazilian transport aircraft.

Going forward, our bilateral cooperation will be elevated further still, including through jointly developing next-generation commercial aircraft.

Third, with Brazil being a long-standing partner for Korea and a leader of the Global South, we agreed to consult closely on global affairs and regional issues.

I highly commend Brazil for taking the lead on global agendas such as addressing climate change and restoring multilateralism, under the steadfast leadership of President Lula.

We two leaders shared the view that peace on the Korean Peninsula carries profound implications not only for peace in Northeast Asia but throughout the entire world.

As I always emphasize, true peace – a state where there is no need to fight – is indeed the strongest form of security, though difficult to achieve.

I fully conveyed to President Lula our government’s unwavering commitment to resuming inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, and to ushering in a future of peaceful coexistence and shared growth.

I am confident that our two countries will work together to uphold the values of peace – not only on the Korean Peninsula but around the world.

Fourth, I expect that this State Visit to Korea will serve as an opportunity to further deepen the trust and friendship between our two peoples.

Last year, the number of Brazilians visiting Korea increased by over 25 percent, and Brazilians’ interest in learning the Korean language continues to grow. As this shows, K-culture is connecting our countries, crossing continents and oceans. Brazilian culture, in turn, has had a significant influence on Korea. Bossa nova classics like The Girl from Ipanema have inspired many K-pop songwriters.

We two leaders agreed to further strengthen friendly relations between our peoples by promoting Korean language education in Brazil and boosting bilateral student exchanges.

Moreover, by building on the strong competitiveness of our two countries’ film industries, we will also pursue content exchanges through coproduction of films and other types of audiovisual productions.

Above all, today’s summit was truly significant in that we were able to share a common vision and goals for improving our peoples’ lives.

President Lula presented a prominent role model for “inclusive growth” which demonstrated that economic development and the eradication of poverty can be achieved in tandem. He successfully put that idea into practice.

This aligns with our government’s key initiative of creating a model for sustainable growth while also fostering a dynamic economy based on a society where basic livelihoods are assured.

In this respect, I elaborated on a vision for an “AI Basic Society” where everyone can benefit from advances in AI technology. I also proposed that our two countries conduct joint research into policies that will create synergy between welfare and economic growth. We will explore specific measures to increase cooperation and exchanges in policy research between our two countries.

Once again, I deeply welcome President Lula and First Lady Janja on their State Visit to Korea. I look forward to seeing you again soon and continuing today’s discussions in an even more constructive manner.

Thank you – Muito Obrigado!

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Home Affairs Department today released the Work Reports of the 2023 to 2025 District Services & Community Care Teams, stating that the teams met or surpassed their service targets.

The first-term teams completed their terms in October 2025.

The department explained that the work reports cover the services and activities provided by the care teams from 2023 to 2025, including visits to elderly households and other households in need, assistance in handling emergencies and other incidents, dissemination of government information, and organisation of district activities.

The reports provide details on the performance of each team, including the number of services delivered and the number of beneficiaries involved. They also lay out financial expenditures under three categories: essential services, additional services, and other expenses.

The Government provided the care teams with part of their funding. Operating organisations were required to use these funds prudently in accordance with guidelines, while supporting the teams’ services through sponsorships, donations, and their own resources.

The department said total expenditure for the first-term care teams was $444 million, of which $411 million was covered by government funding. The remainder was met via community resources gathered by the care teams.

The Government in fact allocated $452 million in funding, but only 91% of this amount was ultimately utilised, even as services exceeding Key Performance Indicator requirements were delivered.

The department said this indicates the care teams’ prudent use of public funds and their effective mobilisation of community resources.

The work reports also include case studies demonstrating the teams’ deep community engagement and effectiveness in weaving together caring networks. 

Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak said care team members and volunteers had responded to the needs of residents with considerable care and dedication.

“The first-term care teams have made around 610,000 visits to elderly households and other households in need, provided around 100,000 instances of basic home or other support services, and organised around 50,000 district activities,” she said. “Their achievements are to be applauded.”

Miss Mak added that care teams assisted in various emergency and incident response scenarios.

She mentioned that in response to the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, the discovery of wartime bombs in Quarry Bay, Super Typhoon Ragasa, and successive heavy rainstorms affecting Hong Kong, care teams swiftly mobilised their members and volunteers to attend to the needs of affected individuals and give them adequate assistance.

“I hope that through this report, the public can gain a deeper understanding of the care teams’ work, enhance their knowledge of community services, and be encouraged to participate in the care teams’ work.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Court of Appeal of the High Court today delivered its judgment on the appeals in a case of conspiracy to commit subversion, dismissing the appeals against convictions or sentences lodged by 12 defendants.

Regarding one defendant against whom the evidence was insufficient for the trial court to be sure of his participation in the conspiracy offence, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s verdict.

In its judgment on the appeals in the case, the Court of Appeal rejected each of the grounds of appeal against convictions or sentences raised by the defendants.

Regarding the appeals against convictions, the Court of Appeal noted that provisions of the Basic Law establish an executive-led system headed by the Chief Executive, recognising that the Chief Executive, the Government, the Legislative Council and the Judiciary have different constitutional roles.

The judgement added that interaction and co-ordination between them are inevitable in areas where both the executive and legislative authority are required.

It also pointed out that LegCo’s primary function under Article 73(2) of the Basic Law is to evaluate the merits of the budget through fiscal considerations before granting approval.

The judgement clarified that LegCo must exercise its powers and functions in accordance with the Basic Law. It cannot contravene the fundamental provisions establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s constitutional order, nor can its members violate their constitutional duty under the LegCo oath to uphold that order.

The Court of Appeal said that, in this case, as envisaged and publicised by the first defendant Tai Yiu-ting and known to any participant who chose to join it, “Project 35+” was a “constitutional mass destruction weapon” that aimed to compel the Chief Executive to resign, paralyse the Government and force the Central People’s Government to declare an end to the “one country, two systems” policy, which constituted an unlawful means of subverting the constitutional order of the Hong Kong SAR.

The Court of Appeal said that pursuing that aim under the pretext of examining budgets necessarily amounted to a breach of a LegCo member’s duty to uphold the Hong Kong SAR’s constitutional order.

The judgement also noted that the defendants agreed to join “Project 35+” and participate in conduct aimed at achieving subversive consequences, and therefore constituted the offence of conspiracy to commit subversion.

The Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s findings based on the totality of the evidence adduced. It added that when considered in context, the conclusion that each defendant joined the conspiracy was sound and that the trial proceedings were conducted fairly.

Regarding the appeals against sentences, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s decision to categorise the defendants in the “primary election” as “active participants”. It found that “Project 35+” sought to undermine the Hong Kong SAR’s constitutional order through the defendants’ election bids.

The Court of Appeal further noted that the defendants exploited the system to bring about potentially devastating consequences to the Hong Kong SAR. Accordingly, it ruled that “ignorance of the law” was not a valid mitigating factor, and any sentencing discounts given by the trial court on this basis were entirely gratuitous.

In a statement, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government noted 45 defendants were convicted in this case. The trial court’s verdict clarified that by early 2020, the clear objective of “Project 35+” was to undermine, destroy or overthrow the Hong Kong SAR’s existing political system established under the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle.

 

The statement highlighted that the court pointed out that the defendants, led by Tai Yiu-ting, spent considerable time and money planning the “primary election”, while other defendants actively worked to ensure the success of “Project 35+”.

The statement added that had the plan been fully implemented, it would have resulted in profoundly negative consequences as severe as the overthrow of the Government.

The Government also noted that the trial had revealed that the people concerned put forward the “10 Steps to mutual destruction” which would bring Hong Kong society to a standstill through large-scale street riots and other means. Coupled with international political and economic sanctions, “mutual destruction” would be achieved, causing suffering to the public.

The Government clarified that the severity of the crime was supported by irrefutable evidence and the convicted individuals deserved their punishment.

It added that the Court of Appeal’s dismissals of relevant appeals against convictions and sentences demonstrate that any person who intends to subvert and endanger national security will be punished in accordance with the law.

As for the decision to uphold the verdict for a defendant against whom there was insufficient evidence for the trial court to be sure of his participation in the conspiracy, the Department of Justice will study the judgment carefully and consider whether to lodge an appeal.

The Government emphasised that Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law. The Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security.

The statement said the court’s judgment in this appeal case shows that the Judiciary of the Hong Kong SAR exercises judicial power independently in accordance with the law, and everyone charged with a criminal offence will receive a fair trial in accordance with laws applicable and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.

The statement noted that courts decide cases strictly based on evidence and applicable laws. It clarified that legal proceedings are never influenced by the profession, political beliefs or backgrounds of those involved.

It added that the prosecution must prove an offence beyond reasonable doubt for a defendant to be convicted.