Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published today (July 29) the following documents for the implementation of the regulatory regime for stablecoin issuers, which will come into effect on August 1, 2025: 
 

• Consultation Conclusions on Draft Guideline on Supervision of Licensed Stablecoin Issuers and the finalised Guideline;
• Consultation Conclusions on Proposed Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism Requirements for Regulated Stablecoin Activities (For Licensed Stablecoin Issuers) and the finalised Guideline;
• Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuers on various aspects of the licensing regime and application process; and
• Explanatory Note on Transitional Provisions for Pre-existing Stablecoin Issuers.

The two sets of guidelines will also be published in the Gazette on August 1, 2025. As the regulatory regime comes into effect, market participants are advised to observe the Stablecoins Ordinance and the relevant guidelines. 

Parties interested in applying for a licence are encouraged to contact the HKMA, via stablecoin_licensing@hkma.gov.hk by August 31, 2025 (Sunday), so that the HKMA may communicate regulatory expectations and provide feedback as appropriate.

While licensing will be an ongoing process, interested parties that consider themselves sufficiently ready and wish to be considered early should submit the application to the HKMA by September 30, 2025 (Tuesday).

The HKMA would like to remind market participants to exercise due caution in their public communications, as well as refrain from making statements that could be misinterpreted or create unrealistic expectations. Among other things, it is an offence under the Stablecoins Ordinance to falsely claim oneself as a licensee or an applicant.

As of today, no licence has been issued by the HKMA. In future, the public may refer to the register of licensed stablecoin issuers as shown on the HKMA’s website. Members of the public are advised to stay vigilant to any persons who claim to be regulated or licensed stablecoin issuers in Hong Kong, as well as those who claim to be applying for a licence. Members of the public who hold unlicensed stablecoins are at their own risk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau today (July 29) announced the application results of the 14th-round funding exercise of the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme (ACDFS). A total of 14 successful applications (two for Springboard Grant and 12 for Project Grant) will be funded, involving a total amount of around $38.93 million.

The successful applications of the 14th round are of a high standard, with a diverse representation covering arts education/appreciation/promotion, community arts, dance, media arts, multi-disciplinary arts, music and theatre. The successful applicants (categories and names of organisations in alphabetical order) are as follows:

Name of organisation	Title of proposal	Category
Springboard Grant
Hong Kong Open Printshop Limited	Beyond Ordinary – The Contemporary Book Art	Arts Education/Appreciation/ Promotion
The Hong Kong Virtuoso Chorus Limited	Hong Kong Inter-School Choral Festival 2026	Arts Education/Appreciation/ Promotion
Project Grant
The Conservancy Association x Fragrant Village Creative Limited (joint applicant)	Polishing the Pearl: Shen Zhen Hong Kong Rural Arts Renewal Project at Kat O	Community Arts
H.D. X International Festival Limited	Hong Kong Dance Exchange	Dance
HongkongDance-FLSH Limited	Dynamic Dance Dialogue 2026	Dance
Passoverdance Limited	Fleeting Moments – Stories of Cities and Bodies	Dance
Dimension Plus Limited	Unravelling A.I. Bias with Generative A.I. in Arts	Media Arts
No Discipline Limited	Whatever Wherever Expanded	Multi-disciplinary Arts
King’s Harmonica Quintet Limited	2nd Hong Kong International Chromatic Harmonica Competition	Music
Music Lab Company Limited	Music Lab Projects 2026-2027	Music
Opera Box Limited	Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea	Music
Alice Theatre Laboratory Limited	An Experimental Project on Symbolist Theatre	Theatre
Hong Kong 3 Arts Musical Institute Limited	GOTTA DANCE – Musical Theatre Project (tentative title)	Theatre
Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio Limited	The 2nd edition of the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival	Theatre

The 14th-round funding exercise continues to implement the Incentive Matching Sum, an initiative introduced in the 13th round to encourage successful Project Grant applicants to seek non-government sponsorship and/or donations during project implementation, offering each successful applicant an extra matching sum up to a ceiling of $800,000.

Introduced by the Government in 2011, the ACDFS aims to provide funding support for innovative and impactful proposals that contribute to the objectives of capacity development of arts practitioners, arts groups, art forms and/or the arts sector; programme/content development; audience building and arts education. The funding scheme is administered on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Arts Development. Members of the Committee take part in the assessment of applications together with Expert Advisers. A total of 89 applications were assessed in the 14th-round funding exercise.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (July 29) officiated at the 2025 youthfest@HK (festival) Kick-off Ceremony to unveil a series of exciting and diversified youth activities.
 
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan remarked that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government released the Youth Development Blueprint in 2022, outlining the policy goals for the healthy growth and diversified development of young people. The Government continues to update the youth initiatives in view of the latest situation of society and young people. Since the release of the Blueprint, the Government has put forward about 250 specific actions and measures to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for the country and Hong Kong, to equip them with global perspectives, an aspiring mindset and positive thinking.

The theme of the festival is “Nurture Positive Thinking, Promote Innovation and Inspire Creativity”. Mr Chan said that the festival offered a great opportunity for young people to develop their potential, enhance their knowledge, and share their experiences. Under the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community, the festival has organised more than 400 all-encompassing activities and attracted over 400 000 participants in the past two years. Special appreciation goes to the principal funder, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, for its support. Mr Chan encouraged young people to participate in this year’s various festival activities and appealed to all sectors of the community to support and take part in the festival.
 
This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory of Chinese people’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (80A). Mr Chan encouraged youth organisations to organise youth activities to commemorate the 80A as partner events of the festival with a view to deepening young people’s understanding about the historical events of the Mainland and Hong Kong, and foster their sense of patriotism.

Also officiating at the Kick-off Ceremony were the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Ms Shirley Lam; the Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung; the Commissioner for Youth, Mr Eric Chan; the Vice-Chairman of the Youth Development Commission, Mr Kenneth Leung; the Convenor of the Action Group on Youth Festival, Youth Development Commission, Mr Victor Pang; and Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Mr Lester Huang. Representatives from various festival participating organisations also attended the event.
 
Organisations may submit applications for partner events of youthfest@HK for inclusion of their events in the official event calendar and on the official webpage. For the latest updates of the events under the festival programme, please visit the HYAB homepage or the “HKYouth+” mobile application.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

The Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee received 10 536 complaints and suggestions in the first quarter of 2025, with 188 being pure suggestions.

The complaints and suggestions received during the quarter were mostly related to public transport services (89 per cent), enforcement matters (6 per cent) and traffic conditions (5 per cent).

The number of cases on public transport services decreased from 11 316 in the previous quarter to 9 346 this quarter, while that on illegal parking and other enforcement matters increased from 605 to 632. The number of complaints and suggestions on traffic conditions decreased from 900 to 489 and those on road maintenance decreased from 30 to 25.

All the complaints and suggestions received by the TCU in the quarter were referred to the relevant government departments and public transport operators for follow-up action.

During the period under review, investigations into 11 061 cases were completed. Of these, 9 612 cases (87 per cent) were found to be substantiated, five cases (less than 1 per cent) were unsubstantiated, and the remaining 1 444 cases (13 per cent) could not be pursued due to a lack of evidence. 

For the substantiated cases, the relevant government departments and public transport operators have taken steps to rectify the situation or are considering possible solutions to the problems identified. Among these cases, 16 drivers were summonsed by the Police.

During the quarter, the relevant government departments and public transport operators took on board 11 suggestions made by the public to enhance public transport services and improve traffic conditions. A summary of the cases is in the Appendix.

Members of the public may make their suggestions or complaints to the TCU by dialling the hotline 2889 9999 (voice mail service is available outside office hours), by fax to 2577 1858, by email to info@tcu.gov.hk or by filling in a form on the TCU website (www.tcu.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Police today (July 29) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Sai Kung.

     Yan Gan, aged 44, went missing after he was last seen at Pak Lap Wan on July 27 noon. Police received the report on the same day.

     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 75 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a dark-coloured swimming suit with orange life jacket and blue cap.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) convened three research foundations-ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), FIRDI (Food Industry Research and Development Institute), and the Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB)-to establish the DoIT pavilion, which held its opening ceremony at BIO Asia-Taiwan 2025. The pavilion showcases 12 innovative technological achievements in health maintenance, disease prevention, and treatment, highlighting Taiwan’s capabilities in biomedical research and development while injecting new momentum into the health industry. Key exhibit technologies include the “Smart Processing & Equipment Integration for Plant-Based Drinks,” designed for the elderly; the “Long-Lasting Immunity of CD40 Ligand Ribonucleic Acid Vaccine Adjuvant,” developed to extend vaccine effectiveness; and the “Novel Selective FPR1 Antagonist,” which reduces side effects while improving therapeutic outcomes.

Senior Technical Specialist of the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Mr. Tai Chien-Cheng , indicated that in the face of global political and economic uncertainties, pharmaceuticals have become essential strategic commodities vital to public well-being and safety. Taiwan’s strengths in research and development (R&D), regulatory frameworks, and manufacturing processes position it as a reliable partner for international pharmaceutical companies. To enhance global integration and expand cooperation, Taiwan should improve collaboration across both upstream and downstream industries, thereby increasing technical density and strengthening global competitiveness. He advocated for DoIT to continue connecting foundational resources and implementing supportive policies for R&D funding and tools to facilitate industrial advancement. The pavilion symbolizes the long-term commitment of research institutions to the “Three-Stage, Five-Level Prevention” framework, linking applications from “precision medicine” to “palliative care,” and showcasing the government’s proactive efforts in realizing the “Healthy Taiwan” policy.

In addition, several breakthroughs driven by or related to artificial intelligence (AI) are highlighted among the 12 innovative technologies showcased in the pavilion.

ITRI presents “Tumor-Derived Exosomes Enrichment and Detection Platform”, and “One-Stop Exosome Isolation and Characterization Services”. FIRDI showcases “Intelligent Preparation of Nutritional Beverages” in AI-powered biomedicine research and development.

ITRI’s “In Vivo Delivery of mRNA Encoding CAR to Macrophages for Solid Tumor Therapy” and “An Eye Drop Product for Dry AMD Treatment”. DCB showcases “Rejuvenating CAR-T Cells Through the Secretion of Antibodies Targeting Immunosuppressive Axis” and “NTSR1-ADC: A Novel Therapeutics for Head and Neck Cancer” for cancer and ophthalmic conditions. These technologies highlight the progress in therapeutic drug development and the emergence of new treatment breakthroughs.

Additionally, FIRDI contributes its technical expertise through the development of “Plant-based animal fat alternative technology” and “Microorganisms in the Modification of Food Texture and Flavor”. These innovations aim to redefine the texture and quality of plant-based meats, infusing the plant-based industry with dynamic advancements.

Spokesperson: Ministry of Economic Affairs Department of Industrial Technology (Taiwan) Deputy Director General Chou Chung-Pin
Telephone:02-23212200 extension 8121
Email:cbjou@moea.gov.tw

Contact person:Ministry of Economic Affairs Department of Industrial Technology (Taiwan) Technical Specialist Tai Chien-Cheng
Telephone:02-23212200 extension 8180
Email:cctai@moea.gov.tw

Media contact:Ministry of Economic Affairs Department of Industrial Technology (Taiwan) Researcher
Telephone:02-23212200 extension 8155,0910-660322
Email:yschi@moea.gov.tw

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     As the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal has been cancelled, the Judiciary has announced that all court and tribunal hearings will be resumed or held as scheduled tomorrow (July 30).
 
     Those who were due to attend court hearings today (July 29) but were affected by the issuance of the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal, including jurors, should do so at 9.30am tomorrow.
 
     Court/tribunal registries and offices will remain open during business hours. Court users may also use the integrated Court Case Management System for those electronic services which have been implemented at individual court/tribunal registries as usual.
 
     It is anticipated that there will be a significant number of people going to court tomorrow, so court users are advised to arrive at the court buildings earlier, especially during the busy periods in the morning or after lunch.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The Hospital Authority (HA) announced that its general out-patient clinics (GOPCs), specialist out-patient clinics (SOPCs), allied health and other day services will resume service gradually within two hours after the cancellation of the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal.

Chronic illness or specialist out-patient clinic patients who have scheduled appointments at GOPCs, SOPCs, allied health or other day services, can follow the instructions listed on the appointment slips for the arrangements if their appointments are affected by the rainstorm. Patients who booked their appointments via the telephone system or mobile app “HA Go” can make a new appointment one hour after the cancellation of the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal.

The HA spokesman said, “Due to the bad weather, some patients were unable to attend their consultations. It is anticipated that the number of patients will increase in the coming few days. The HA has adopted different measures to enhance manpower and service capacities to cope with the demand and render assistance to patients in need.”