Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Bank Indonesia strengthen co-operation in cross-border payments
The HKMA and BI seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish effective co-operation mechanism to promote faster, more affordable, transparent, and inclusive cross-border payments between Hong Kong and Indonesia. Under the MOU, the two parties will hold dialogues on relevant technical, operational and regulatory matters, and explore arrangements to facilitate the interoperability of QR code-based cross-border payments between the two places.
Issued at HKT 11:00
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Public reminded to not burn wax, fly sky lanterns or litter
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Public reminded to not burn wax, fly sky lanterns or litter
Please broadcast the following at suitable intervals:
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) reminds members of the public to keep public places clean, protect public property; not to burn wax or place lit candles on the ground, grass pitches or beaches; not to throw glow sticks or other objects onto trees; and not to fly sky lanterns, when celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Persons littering at LCSD venues (including parks, beaches and barbecue sites) are liable to a fine of $3,000. The maximum penalty for burning wax, throwing objects onto trees or flying sky lanterns is a fine of $2,000 and 14 days’ imprisonment.
Issued at HKT 11:00
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Hospital Authority Family Medicine Outpatient Services arrangements on public holiday on day following Mid-Autumn Festival
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Expansion of Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
With effect from October 1, the Government will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme), enabling more non-local talent to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits. Following a review, in addition to the existing 17 designated sectors, the STV Scheme will be expanded to cover the Social Welfare sector, with the addition of more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities.
With a view to facilitating business, promoting development of relevant sectors and raising Hong Kong’s international profile, the Government launched the Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (Pilot Scheme) in June 2022, which was regularised as the STV Scheme in June 2024. As of end-June 2026, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited over 56 000 non-local talent, enabling their entry into Hong Kong as visitors to participate in over 9 500 short-term activities, including the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, the Asian Financial Forum, the Hong Kong Sevens, the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo and other major events. The STV Scheme enables more talent to visit Hong Kong for exchanges, giving full play to Hong Kong’s strength as a “super connector” under the “one country, two systems” framework.
Upon review, the Government decided to further expand the STV Scheme to cover the Social Welfare sector, with a view to facilitating the entry of non-local talent into Hong Kong to participate in specified short-term activities (including symposiums, workshops, research, etc) organised by authorised host organisations for the benefit of the welfare sector. Moreover, more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities are added in three existing sectors (including international/mega events, higher education, and finance). For more details, please refer to the Annex. Other arrangements will remain unchanged after the expansion.
The expanded STV Scheme will cover the following 18 sectors with a total of some-490 authorised organisations:
- Medical and healthcare;
- Higher education;
- Arts and culture;
- Sports;
- Heritage;
- Creative industries;
- Innovation and technology;
- The Hong Kong Laureate Forum;
- Aviation;
- International/mega events;
- Finance;
- Development and construction;
- Environment;
- Occupational safety and health;
- Maritime;
- Think tanks;
- Social welfare; and
- Others.
Under the STV Scheme, organisations authorised by relevant government bureaux/departments can issue invitation letters to relevant non-local talent in their sectors. Invited persons may come to Hong Kong and participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits from the Immigration Department (ImmD). Participation of non-local talent in specified activities in Hong Kong must be conducive to economic development or achieving relevant policy objectives, without displacing the local workforce. They may participate in the specified short-term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days upon each arrival, and receive remuneration for the specified activities concerned. Through an established mechanism, all participating bureaux/departments would assist in ensuring that the implementation of the scheme consistently meets relevant policy objectives and will neither displace the local workforce nor constitute a risk of abuse (including illegal employment).
For more information on the STV Scheme, please visit the ImmD’s website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/stv.html).
Expansion of Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
With effect from October 1, the Government will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons (the Scheme) by extending its coverage from the current member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to countries and regions in Central Asia and the Middle East, and allowing all bureaux/departments to issue invitations under the Scheme, with a view to facilitating economic and trade interactions and exchanges.
In order to promote economic and trade exchanges and cultural co-operation between Hong Kong and ASEAN, the Government launched the Scheme on March 18, 2025, allowing five bureaux/departments (including the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau; the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau; the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau; the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; and the Department of Justice) to actively invite ASEAN nationals and provide more convenient immigration arrangements to them. The Scheme effectively facilitates invited persons from ASEAN to visit Hong Kong for exchanges, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”.
Upon review, the Government decided to expand the Scheme to cover countries and regions in Central Asia and the Middle East, and to allow all bureaux/departments to issue invitations under the Scheme, with a view to allowing more people from different sectors to visit Hong Kong for exchanges.
The Scheme will cover the following countries and regions after its expansion:
- ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam;
- Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and
- Middle East: Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Under the Scheme, bureaux/departments will actively invite nationals from ASEAN, Central Asia, and the GCC, who are able to make considerable contributions to Hong Kong’s economic development or who have been invited to attend important events in Hong Kong, to enjoy the facilitation. The Immigration Department (ImmD) will provide one-stop processing of relevant applications from invited persons through an electronic platform, relax the application criteria for self-service immigration clearance, and simplify the information required for visa applications (if applicable) (currently, visitors from eight countries across ASEAN and Central Asia are required to apply for a visa to visit Hong Kong). Invited persons can enjoy self‑service immigration clearance service at the control points of Hong Kong, which will greatly enhance clearance efficiency and experience.
For details of the Scheme, please visit the ImmD’s website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/invitedpersons.html).
SITI commences visit to Slovakia
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, commences his visit to Bratislava, Slovakia, in the afternoon of September 22 (Bratislava time).
Professor Sun met with the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Mr Samuel Migal’, and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is keenly interested in strengthening ties with the fast-growing Central and Eastern European region, including the Slovak Republic. The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation, signed in April 2025 by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Slovak Republic Government, has laid an important institutional foundation. He looks forward to enhancing collaboration of enterprises, start-ups, higher education institutions, and research institutes in both places. He was briefed on the Slovak development in AI and smart city. The Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Hong Kong, Mr Willy Lin, also attended the meeting.
Professor Sun then met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, Mr Egon Zorad, to learn about the Agency’s professional services in promoting investments and invite Slovak enterprises to establish operations in Hong Kong. Under the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, the Agency is Slovakia’s national agency responsible for promoting foreign investments and handling foreign business affairs, tasked with attracting foreign investments, promoting foreign trade, and assisting the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
On September 23, Professor Sun met with the State Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy of the Slovak Republic, Ms Alena Sabelová, to learn about the latest development of Slovakia in innovation and technology (I&T) areas including AI and robotics industry, start-ups ecosystem and traditional industry and the relevant policies. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong, with unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, serves as an important gateway connecting the world and the Chinese Mainland and is striving to develop into an international I&T centre. He said that there is an immense opportunity for collaboration between Hong Kong and Slovakia. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation between the two governments, Professor Sun expects the enhanced exchanges between scientific research institutes, scientific and technological talent and enterprises in both places, and the promotion of co-operation in scientific research and innovation as well as the transfer of technology and innovation outcomes, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the two places.
Professor Sun then visited the Slovak National Innovation and Technology Centre, which was converted from a large shopping outlet. Professor Sun learned about the centre’s efforts in combining the strengths of the Government, academia and research institutions as well as the industry to promote technology transfer, industrial innovation and commercial applications, with a focus on sustainable growth and production process modernisation. The centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Productivity Council in September 2025 to forge closer ties in I&T development, while facilitating talent nurturing and enterprises to go global.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun visited the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, which is the country’s leading modern research university dedicated to technical, engineering, and architectural disciplines. He was briefed about the university’s industrial partnerships, intellectual property commercialisation, technology transfer ecosystems, and strategic institutional development projects.
Professor Sun also visited Innovatrics to learn about its latest research and development technologies and business development. Headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, Innovatrics is an independent, European-based provider of trusted biometric identity management solutions.
After concluding his visit that day, Professor Sun proceeded to Vienna, Austria, in the late afternoon to continue his visit.
CHP collaborates with private hospitals to enhance infection control measures and tackle antimicrobial resistance
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP collaborates with private hospitals to enhance infection control measures and tackle antimicrobial resistance
The Head of the ICB of the CHP, Dr Edmond Ma, said at the meeting that private hospitals are key stakeholders in preventing infectious diseases and combating AMR. AMR surveillance data in private hospitals in 2025 revealed that among all the Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from clinical specimens, the proportion of methicillin-resistant strains ranged from 9 to 24 per cent. While this is comparable to the corresponding proportions of 2024, the trends still require close monitoring.
“Optimising the use of antimicrobials, including antibiotics, is one of the major strategies for controlling AMR under the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (Action Plan). One of the objectives is to enhance ASP in private hospitals to reduce unnecessary prescriptions and curb the development of AMR,” said Dr Ma.
At the meeting, representatives from the CHP and private hospitals exchanged views on the current status and practical implementation of ASP. Drawing on international and local experiences, the representatives focused their discussion on five key elements, including leadership support, monitoring of antibiotic usage, implementing and reporting ASP, and continuous education among healthcare workers. The CHP recommended that private hospitals strengthen their existing ASP in these five key areas to ensure that doctors within the hospital prescribe antibiotics based on scientific evidence and in accordance with patients’ needs.
The CHP also reminded doctors at private hospitals that they can refer to the antimicrobial guidelines, IMPACT
“The CHP will continue to hold regular meetings with private hospitals through the working group to strengthen collaboration on infection control and the promotion of appropriate antibiotic use, and to facilitate communication and the sharing of experiences between private hospitals and the public healthcare sector to jointly address the challenges posed by infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr Ma.
The CHP set up the working group in 2011, comprising representatives from the CHP and infection control officers from local private hospitals. The group is cochaired by the Head of the ICB and a representative from the private hospital sector. The working group aims to facilitate co-ordination between the CHP and private hospitals on infection control measures and responses to AMR, thereby optimising surveillance and ASP to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics.
Members of the public and healthcare professionals can visit the CHP’s websiteIssued at HKT 18:05
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InvestHK hosts InnoTech Forum 2026 to showcase Hong Kong as strategic gateway for AI innovation
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
InvestHK hosts InnoTech Forum 2026 to showcase Hong Kong as strategic gateway for AI innovation
The Forum featured four dedicated panel sessions highlighting Hong Kong’s end-to-end AI capabilities, ranging from chip research and development and advanced, low-latency data centre infrastructure to talent cultivation and the commercialisation of real-world AI applications. Speakers came from various organisations with diverse backgrounds, including AWS Hong Kong, Gobi Partners, the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the InnoHK AI Chip Center for Emerging Smart Systems, MiniMax, Phancy Group, INCE Capital, Range Technology and Westwell. During the panel session, representatives from Range Technology and Westwell shared that they are actively leveraging Hong Kong as their base for global expansion to manage and scale their international businesses.Issued at HKT 17:00
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Hong Kong Customs detects five smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels with goods worth about $140 million seized
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs detects five smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels with goods worth about $140 million seized
Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Enforcement operations were thus formulated, with 13 suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Australia via ocean-going vessels selected for inspection.
Upon examination, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including about 14 million suspected illicit cigarettes, about 7 400 kilograms of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco, electronic products, vehicle parts, from the 13 containers, which were declared as carrying household goods, including storage boxes, pillows, towels, sofas and mattresses.
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 at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to fiercely 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.hkIssued at HKT 16:20
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Enhanced enrolment arrangements of Pilot Seamless e-Channel service for Hong Kong residents announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Enhanced enrolment arrangements of Pilot Seamless e-Channel service for Hong Kong residents announced (with photo)
Moreover, eligible Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above, in addition to enrolling via the ImmD’s Contactless e-Channel mobile application, with immediate effect can also enrol via the designated e-Channels installed at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. For passengers using the designated e-Channels for immigration clearance, the system will automatically identify eligible passengers for enrolment into the Seamless e-Channel service and display a prompt message for enrolment. The passenger could select to enrol in the Seamless e-Channel service on the e-Channel screen and simply conduct immigration clearance and complete the enrolment for the Seamless e-Channel service at the same time. Upon completion of enrolment, passengers can use the Seamless e-Channel service for their next departure.
The Seamless e-Channel pilot scheme was launched on June 25 at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. The Seamless e-Channel adopts an open-gate design and utilises AI and facial recognition technology to verify users’ identities. Passengers need not stop at any point, nor do they need to present a Hong Kong Identity Card or an e-Channel QR code when passing through the Seamless e-Channnel. The entire departure clearance takes just five seconds. Since the service was launched in June of this year, approximately 14,000 eligible Hong Kong permanent residents have enrolled in the service and over 100,000 passengers have passed through Seamless e-Channels.
The ImmD will collect more data and review the effectiveness of the service and system operations, and will explore the feasibility of extending the service to other immigration control points and relaxing the eligibility criteria for enrolment into the Seamless e-Channel service for other passengers.
For details of the Seamless e-Channel service, please visit the ImmD’s website at www.immd.gov.hk/secIssued at HKT 16:05
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