Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Principal Officials of HKSAR Government conclude year-end household visits for four consecutive days across 18 districts       
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Islands), Miss Amy Yeung, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, together with Islands District DC members as well as representatives from the Islands District Care Team and the Ethnic Minority Care Team, visited an elderly couple and an ethnic minority family living in Cheung Tung Estate. Accompanied by the District Officer (Kwun Tong), Mr Denny Ho, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, together with DC members and representatives from the Care Team of Kwun Tong District, visited elderly doubletons and a young family living in Yau Tong Estate.Issued at HKT 18:20

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Principal Officials of HKSAR Government continue year-end household visits across 18 districts (with photos/video) 
     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, accompanied by the Acting District Officer (Central and Western), Miss Enson Chow, visited a young family and an elderly family living in Kennedy Town to understand their daily lives, together with District Council (DC) members and representatives from the District Services and Community Care Team (Care Team) of Central and Western District. The officials presented the families with Chinese New Year blessing bags, extended greetings to members of the public, and wished them every success in the Year of the Horse.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Sha Tin), Mr Frederick Yu, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, together with DC members and representatives from the Care Team of Sha Tin District, visited grassroots families and an elderly singleton living in Mei Lam Estate to chat with them and extend his New Year greetings and regards.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Eastern), Mr Henry Lai, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, together with a DC member and a representative from the Care Team of Eastern District, visited a young family and an elderly singleton living in Yiu Tung Estate to learn about their daily lives and extend Chinese New Year wishes.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Kowloon City), Mr Ivanhoe Chang, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, together with DC members and representatives from the Care Team of Kowloon City District visited a young family and elderly doubletons living in Tak Long Estate. Accompanied by the District Officer (Sham Shui Po), Mr Oscar Wong, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, together with DC members and representatives from the Care Team of Sham Shui Po District visited an elderly family and an ethnic minority family in Sham Shui Po.
 
     The POs of the HKSAR Government will continue to pay household visits in the coming two days to express tokens of care and wishes to members of the public, and join them in celebrating the Chinese New Year.
 
Issued at HKT 18:54

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Singapore ETO continues business and investment promotion in Singapore and Vietnam  
     On January 28, the Singapore ETO and the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance co-organised the Vietnam – China Cooperation Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Green Technology 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. The forum attracted over 120 participants from government agencies, business chambers, technology enterprises and professional sectors, including the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in HCMC, Mr Tang Li as well as ,the Chairman of the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, Dr Jonathan Choi.
 
     In her opening remarks, the Director of the Singapore ETO (designate), Ms Elsa Hung, highlighted Hong Kong’s close and growing ties with Vietnam. She emphasised Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle in connecting the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world, as well as its role as an international financial centre, international trade centre and international innovation and technology hub.
 
     Ms Hung introduced the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s initiatives to promote the development and adoption of AI and to advance green technology, including funding earmarked for the establishment of the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute.
 
     She also underscored Hong Kong’s internationalised business environment, world-class professional services, common law system that is internationally compatible, simple and low-tax regime, and extensive logistics network. These strengths position Hong Kong as an ideal platform for Mainland enterprises seeking to expand globally, while attracting international capital and talent to seize opportunities in the GBA and beyond.
 
     The forum featured thematic sessions on digital transformation, AI-driven smart manufacturing, green transition, carbon reduction, cross-border e-commerce ecosystems and green finance, and more. Participants exchanged practical insights and explored collaboration opportunities during the networking session.
 
     An opening ceremony was also held for the Sunwah ⸱ China Enterprise Overseas Cooperation Center (Vietnam), which seeks to serve as a comprehensive platform to facilitate investment, trade, innovation and industrial co-operation among Vietnam, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong. Ms Hung witnessed the exchange of 15 Memoranda of Understanding and co-operation agreements signed between the Centre and partner enterprises from the three places.
 
     The Singapore ETO is also committed to supporting and promoting ETE, a functional platform established through the joint efforts of the economic and trade offices, InvestHK and the HKTDC to assist Hong Kong small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups in exploring overseas markets through business missions and one-stop support services, while attracting more enterprises to invest and establish operations in Hong Kong.
 
     On January 15, a seminar and networking event titled “From Hong Kong to the World for Tech Enterprises: Leveraging Hong Kong’s Tech Strengths to Go Global” was held in HCMC, bringing together 80 senior technology and business leaders from Vietnamese enterprises. The event provided practical insights into Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem and how Hong Kong and the GBA can serve as a strategic platform for global expansion.
 
     On January 29, a seminar themed “From Hong Kong to the World: Empowering Growth for Tech Enterprises in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area” was co-organised by the Singapore ETO and SGTech in Singapore, attracting around 60 industry practitioners. The session explored Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland, opportunities arising from innovation-driven growth in the Northern Metropolis, and the city’s advantages in taxation and legal systems.
 
     At both events, the Director of the Singapore ETO, Mr Owin Fung, highlighted the HKSAR Government’s strong, sector-focused support measures and encouraged start-ups across major technology domains to explore expansion into Hong Kong or collaboration with Hong Kong’s enterprises. Representatives from InvestHK and the HKTDC also shared their perspectives.
 
     The Singapore ETO will continue to promote Hong Kong’s strengths as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, deepen economic and innovation collaboration with Association of Southeast Asian Nations partners, support Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises in going global, and attract more foreign enterprises to invest and operate in Hong Kong as well as the GBA.
Issued at HKT 11:00

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36 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations  
     During the anti-illegal worker operations at various Lunar New Year fairs, ImmD officers raided multiple stalls at the events. Twelve suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised four men and eight women, aged 18 to 52. They were found selling goods at the stalls. Two men and four women, aged 33 to 49, were suspected of employing the illegal workers. Apart from mounting enforcement operations, ImmD deployed a promotional vehicle and ImmD officers to distribute “Don’t Employ Illegal Workers” leaflets and convey the message to Lunar New Year fair stall owners and other retailers across the territory.
 
     During other anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and garages etc. Twelve suspected illegal workers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised three men and nine women, aged 20 to 54. Among them, two men and two women were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, with one woman also being suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. The arrested suspected illegal workers were found performing dishwashing, garage mechanic and goods loading duties. Two men and one woman, aged 35 to 65, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. Furthermore, the suspected aiders and abettors arrested were three men aged 42 to 45. 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 a 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 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:40