Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) promoted Hong Kong’s advantages as a premier international maritime centre in Hamburg, Germany on August 31 and September 1 (Hamburg time). The events are part of the joint business and investment promotion events under the Economic and Trade Express initiative.
 
The Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology Hamburg, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the maritime industry, is held in Hamburg this week. On August 31 (Hamburg time), the HKETO Berlin, together with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council , welcomed more than 50 maritime enterprises, organisations, investors, and technology startups at the networking reception “Maritime Innovation Meetup”. The event provided a platform for industry players to exchange on the sector trends and learn about the latest developments in Hong Kong.

Supported by InvestHK and Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board, a startup pitch competition Captain’s Table Innovation Demo Day was held on September 1 (Hamburg time). Pitches from a cohort of startups were presented to representatives of shipping and logistics companies and investors, followed by a networking lunch. The winner will join the finale to be held in Hong Kong in November. 
 
The Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Indiana Wong, congratulated the winner and shared with guests Hong Kong’s favourable business environment and advantages as a prime location for international companies seeking to expand their presence in Asia and Chinese Mainland market. Mr Wong also promoted and invited the participants to join the Hong Kong Maritime Week, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and takes place in Hong Kong from November 17 to 21 (Hong Kong time).

During his stay in Hamburg, Mr Wong also called on the Chinese Consulate General in Hamburg, Mr Lin Dong, to exchange updates on the latest developments in Hong Kong and Germany.

About HKETO Berlin

HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (September 3) released the seventh batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in August, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:
 

During the rainy season, the FEHD continues to carry out a series of mosquito prevention and elimination measures, including:​

• interdepartmental collaboration: convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders (such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies) in strengthening mosquito control work at venues;
• precise risk assessments: carrying out intensive and targeted mosquito control work at locations with more serious mosquito infestations, including stepping up inspections, eliminating mosquito breeding and potential breeding grounds, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at appropriate locations;
• promotion and education: organising exhibitions with relevant departments and stakeholders, and distributing leaflets and posters to enhance public awareness of mosquito control and prevention; and
• rapid alert mechanism: notifying residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, and advising property management companies and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.

​
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:

• tidying up their premises and checking for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
• removing all unnecessary water collections and eliminating the sources;
• checking household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
• changing water in flower vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces thoroughly, and removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
• properly covering all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
• properly disposing of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
• scrubbing drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).     

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) of the Department of Health (DH) today (September 3) organised a training seminar for the Chinese medicine industry and relevant stakeholders. The seminar provided an update on the latest revisions and testing technologies in the 2025 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Chinese Pharmacopoeia). A team of experts from the Guangzhou Institute for Drug Control was cordially invited to Hong Kong to deliver the lecture, helping the industry procure high-quality Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) and keeping abreast of the latest developments in national regulations. Over 200 representatives from local Chinese medicines (CM) traders, testing institutions, laboratories, universities, and research institutions participated in the seminar either in person or online. 
 
The Chinese Pharmacopoeia is an integral part of national drug standards and serves as a statutory technical standard that must be followed by entities involved in drug research and development, production (including imports), distribution, use, and regulatory oversight. The 2025 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia was fully implemented at the end of last year, introducing revisions to numerous technical standards for the quality control and safety regulation of CM. This seminar focused on some salient revisions and core changes to the standards for CMM and CM decoction pieces set out in Volume I of the new edition.
 
In addition, the experts from the Guangzhou Institute for Drug Control provided an in-depth analysis of the testing methods and the latest maximum limits for exogenous harmful residues, including pesticide residues, heavy metals and harmful elements, and mycotoxins. Through sharing real-world case studies, the experts deepened participants’ understanding of regulatory requirements.
 
Regarding testing methods, the experts provided a detailed introduction to the various new methods in the 2025 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. A DH chemist also presented the high-throughput screening and analytical techniques for detecting exogenous contaminants in complex CM samples. Industry professionals praised the seminar as practical and highly informative. They noted that it deepened their understanding of the latest national drug regulations and provided clear guidance for implementing compliance transformation, from which they benefited greatly.
 
The DH expressed its sincere gratitude to the Guangzhou Institute for Drug Control for the sharing. This practical technical exchange helped the local CM and testing industries align precisely with national standards and reduce the risk of non-compliance.
 
The seminar also exemplified the joint efforts to advance the inheritance and innovation of CM under the Co-operation Arrangement signed in July last year between the Guangzhou Municipal Market Regulatory Administration and the DH of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Both sides will continue to deepen exchanges and collaborations in the regulation of medical products and CM testing technologies to achieve complementary strengths and synergistic progress.
 
The GCMTI of the DH has all along been committed to establishing internationally recognised reference standards and testing methods for CM. It will continue to promote the quality enhancement of the local CM industry through technical exchanges and technology transfer. Going forward, the DH will continue to align with national strategic planning, deepen close collaborations with regulatory and testing institutions in the Mainland, and dovetail with the guiding directions in the National 15th Five-Year Plan on promoting the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of Chinese medicine. The DH is committed to enhancing the professional standards and quality control system of CM testing in Hong Kong, and will spare no effort in promoting the high-quality development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The delegation of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport continued its duty visit in Beijing today (September 3) to understand the daily operational models of local ride-hailing platform and the latest developments of smart transport management.

     In the morning, the delegation first visited the headquarters of Didi Chuxing to gain a better understanding of daily operation and management of its ride-hailing platform and to observe its service workflow. During the visit, Members exchanged views with its representatives on issues such as the regulation of ride-hailing services, vehicle fleet size controls and platform fee structure, with a view to assisting the Administration in refining the point-to-point transport services in Hong Kong.

     In the afternoon, the delegation went to Tongzhou District to examine the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and its overall planning and construction, including the Integrated Transportation Hub, which was commissioned late last year and is now known as Beijing Tongzhou Station. As Asia’s largest underground integrated transport hub, it adopts a development pattern that integrates an underground transport hub with above-ground urban development. The station connects four railway networks including high-speed rail, subway and intercity railways, connecting Beijing’s two airports, Tangshan City, new areas in Tianjin and Hebei. Its design allows citizens to complete transfers within a short period of time.

     The delegation then visited the Beijing Municipal Transportation Operations Coordination Center to receive a briefing from its representatives on the new-generation transport operation command and dispatch system, as well as the application of big data. Members learnt that as the “strongest brain” of the capital’s transport, the Center monitors real-time traffic conditions through video surveillance and big data analysis, assisting the government in providing travel information and issuing early alerts during major events and emergencies.

     In addition, the delegation met with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport to learn about the latest developments in local transport facilities and road planning, promoting smart transport, and formulating transport regulatory frameworks. Both sides engaged in an in-depth exchange on matters such as road planning and urban transport management to draw on each other’s experience. 

     In the evening, the delegation visited the headquarters of Sinotrans Limited to learn about developments in shipping agency operations, freight transportation, as well as smart and innovative logistics system and services.

     The delegation will continue its duty visit in Beijing tomorrow (September 4).

     A total of 13 members and non-members of the Panel on Transport participated in the duty visit. The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, also led a government delegation to join the duty visit.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region