Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (Toronto ETO) supported the screenings of a curated selection of Hong Kong movies at the Mulan International Film Festival in 2025, which takes place from August 8 to 17 (Toronto time) in Toronto, Canada.
 
Among the anticipated titles is “Montages of a Modern Motherhood”, a moving portrayal of postpartum struggles by Hong Kong director Oliver Chan. The movie has garnered critical acclaim and received multiple nominations at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, with lead actress Hedwig Tam earning recognition from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. Other Hong Kong entries include “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Obedience”. 
 
Speaking at the Canadian premiere screening on August 9, the Acting Director of the Toronto ETO, Mr Gavin Yeung, highlighted Hong Kong’s role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. He said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has always been committed to fostering the development of Hong Kong’s creative industry by supporting film productions and nurturing talent through various funding schemes, as well as encouraging new filmmakers to create high-quality work and explore broader markets.
 
In addition, this year marks the full support by the Toronto ETO of the festival’s “Retrospective” programme. The programme offers a historical and cultural lens, through which audience members can engage with essential themes of identity, heritage, and collective memory. Featuring five classic Hong Kong films – “Kawashima Yoshiko (The Last Princess of Manchuria)”, “Rouge”, “A Terra-Cotta Warrior”, “Farewell My Concubine”, and “Green Snake” – the retrospective programme guides viewers through cinematic interpretations of Chinese identity across generations and regions.
 
The Mulan International Film Festival is a Canadian non-profit initiative that promotes cross-cultural dialogue through Chinese-language cinema. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Hong Kong Customs organised a summer innovation and historical exploration tour for Customs YES from August 4 to 9, during which 50 members visited innovation and technology (I&T) companies and historical and cultural landmarks in Hangzhou and Shanghai to learn about the country’s accomplishments in I&T, and study the indomitable spirit and the historical and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation.

     As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-Tat, and representatives of the Executive Committee and the Honorary Presidents’ Association of Customs YES led the delegation to the Shanghai Sihang Warehouse Memorial Hall to learn the history of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japan and the heroic deeds of the “Eight Hundred Heroes”. The delegation also visited the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall in Jiaxing to better understand the history of the Communist Party of China’s founding and the “Red Boat Spirit”.

     In addition, the delegation visited three of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” enterprises, including Hangzhou Yushu Technology Co Ltd, Hangzhou Youke Interactive Technology Co Ltd, and BrainCo. Members were able to expand their horizons through studying the development trends and unique features of the I&T companies in fields such as robotics, AI, game development, and brain computer interface technologies. The delegation also visited Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co Ltd, Alibaba’s global headquarters in Hangzhou and the Huawei Lianqiu Lake R&D Center to learn about the business applications and developments in areas including AI of Things, cloud computing, e-commerce and communication technology. They also toured the innovation centre of the home-developed aircarft C919 at the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd.

     During the tour, the delegation explored various prominent cultural and arts landmarks in Hangzhou and Shanghai, including the Liangzhu Museum, the Hangzhou Workmanship Demonstration Pavilion, The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum and the China Cartoon and Animation Museum, to appreciate the richness and heritage of Chinese culture.

     The tour is one of the annual activities of the Tour to the Motherland for a Hundred Youth organised by Hong Kong Customs during the summer holiday. Customs YES will continue to organise more thematic exchange activities to help young people gain a more holistic and deeper understanding of the country, strengthening their sense of national identity and national pride.

     During the trip, Mr Chan also met with the Director General in Shanghai Customs District, Mr Wang Wei, to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on matters including customs clearance, application of the Trade Single Window and risk management co-operation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In response to the untrue and biased remarks made by the United States and members of the Group of Seven Rapid Response Mechanism (G7 RRM) (including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union) and G7 RRM associate members regarding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)’s lawful act to pursue wanted persons endangering national security absconding from Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government today (August 9) expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition.

A spokesman said, “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong National Security Law) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication, and the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applicable to the HKSAR are protected in accordance with the law. Legislation that safeguards national security only targets a very small number of organisations and individuals that endanger national security.”

The spokesman also pointed out, “The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force announced on July 25 that 16 absconders, and Yuan Gong-yi, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da, who were specified as absconders in June and December 2024, had been put on wanted list. These 19 absconders are suspected of having committed offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law by organising, establishing, or participating in, outside the HKSAR, a subversive organisation named the ‘Hong Kong Parliament’. The court has, upon application by the Police, issued arrest warrants against these 19 persons at large. The Secretary for Security had, on August 4, exercised the powers conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to specify the above 16 persons as absconders, and specified the measures to be applied against the 16 relevant absconders by notices published in the Gazette.”

The spokesman said, “Those absconders hiding outside Hong Kong are wanted and subject to arrest warrants issued by the court, not because they ‘exercised freedom of expression’, but because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security there. The ‘Hong Kong Parliament’ is an organisation aiming to subvert the state power. Its objectives include promoting ‘self-determination’, promulgating the so-called ‘Hong Kong Constitution’, and overthrowing or undermining the basic system of the People’s Republic of China established by the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China or overthrowing the body of the central power of People’s Republic of China or the body of power of the HKSAR, etc. with unlawful means. We therefore have taken such measures to make a significant impact.”

“Endangering national security is a very serious offence. Such acts and activities could bring very serious consequences. The HKSAR Government has the responsibility to pursue, in accordance with the law, persons suspected of having committed offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law or other offences endangering national security outside Hong Kong. It is indeed a demonstration of hypocrisy with double standards by any external forces or people with ulterior motives that, after the HKSAR Government has announced the relevant measures, attack the HKSAR in safeguarding national security dutifully, faithfully and in accordance with the law.”

“The HKSAR law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons or entities concerned, and have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation. The HKSAR Government has the responsibility to pursue those who are suspected to have committed offences endangering national security and absconded overseas in accordance with the law.”

“Absconders should not think they can evade criminal liability by absconding from Hong Kong. Ultimately, they will be liable for their acts constituting serious offences endangering national security and be sanctioned by the law. Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law,” the spokesman stressed. 

The spokesman reiterated, “The Constitution and the Basic Law steadfastly safeguard the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. Any attempt by foreign countries or external forces to undermine Hong Kong’s situation will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and be doomed to fail. The HKSAR Government will continue to unwaveringly discharge its duty in safeguarding national security.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun will depart tomorrow morning for Chengdu, where he will join in activities organised as part of a Mainland study tour under the Strive & Rise Programme, and meet Sichuan officials.

Mr Sun will visit Sichuan University along with the study tour participants and attend a welcome dinner for them.

He will also call on Sichuan provincial leaders, and meet officials from the Department of Civil Affairs and the Department of Human Resources & Social Security.

Mr Sun will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon.

In his absence, Under Secretary for Labour & Welfare Ho Kai-ming will be Acting Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle technology are driving smart construction in Hong Kong – and nowhere has this been more evident than in the Development Bureau’s pioneering use of drones in the management of a large construction site at Nui Po Shan.

The drones at the site – where existing sewage treatment facilities are being relocated to purpose-built underground caverns – have been deployed not only to capture photos and video, but also to record spatial data, enabling remote monitoring of progress and safety.

The deployment is one of the first pilot projects under the Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, who chairs the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy, commented when he inspected the project: “Low-altitude economy is a new concept in Hong Kong and the city should seize the opportunity to develop the initiative.”

High payload

Deputy Secretary for Development Tony Ho highlighted three key technological breakthroughs in the bureau’s drones, namely a high payload capacity, use of beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) with automatic operation flight technology and cutting-edge docking stations that allow for efficient battery management.

With regard to payload, the aircraft can carry up to 6kg, meaning that they can be equipped with a laser imaging, detection and ranging (LIDAR) scanner, as well as an infrared thermal imaging camera.

Mr Ho added that the bureau’s self-developed smart platform, “SmartEye”, analyses the data collected by comparing images over time to measure soil and rock volumes, slope gradient, the verticality of structures, and more.

“For example, if we are excavating a 45-degree slope, we can use the data to verify if the excavation matches the required gradient. This allows us to detect early, follow up timely and resolve issues early.”

Enhanced efficiency

Explaining the benefits of BVLOS technology, Mr Ho said it has allowed the bureau to achieve automated operation of its drones.

“This allows unmanned aircraft to follow pre-determined flight paths and monitor construction sites at scheduled times. As a result, operators can manage multiple drones simultaneously across different sites.”

Moreover, with longer flights requiring greater endurance, the bureau’s advanced docking stations – which enable drone batteries to be replaced automatically in about a minute – make a huge difference.

“This innovation not only prevents interruptions from long charging times, but also cuts down on labour costs associated with battery management. As a result, the endurance of the drones is greatly enhanced, enabling continuous operations and broader coverage.”

Extensive applicability

The bureau aims to achieve three goals through its participation in the Government’s Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Projects – namely to leverage drones for site management, for asset management and also for emergency response operations.

The Civil Engineering & Development Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Architectural Services Department and the Water Supplies Department will implement the technology across 12 pilot sites, including the Yuen Long Kam Tin River and reservoirs.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau will depart tonight on a visit to New Zealand and Australia to promote Hong Kong’s business environment.

Mr Yau will also update the two countries’ political and business sectors on developments in Hong Kong with a view to forging closer economic and trade relationships.

During his trip, he will meet local trade representatives to promote Hong Kong’s advantages as a wine and liquor trading hub.

Additionally, he will officiate at a reception to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Sydney.

Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on August 16. In his absence, Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary.