Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre to hold fun day this weekend to celebrate reopening

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre to hold fun day this weekend to celebrate reopening

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the Fun Day of Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre (SWHCC) from 1pm to 5.30pm on June 21 (Saturday) and 22 (Sunday) to celebrate the reopening of SWHCC after renovation and improvement works. Members of the public are welcome to join. An array of programmes blending Chinese and Western cultures, with youth and community engagement as highlights, will be held at the Fun Day. Programmes include a lion dance performance by the acclaimed dragon and lion dance team of the Buddhist Ho Nam Kam Secondary School, an exhilarating Chinese drum performance by the Hong Kong Drum Ensemble, a street dance and busking performance by the Youth Outreach’s School of Hip Hop, and a performance of various styles of jazz music by young musicians from the group Fountain de Chopin. Young musicians curated by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong will also stage performances of diverse music pieces. Moreover, the ceremony of the Fun Day will be held at the Theatre of SWHCC at 1pm on June 22, with exciting lion dance and majestic Chinese drum performances for public enjoyment. A number of workshops will also be available at the Fun Day, including the “One Day in the Theatre” workshop by the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection (AFTEC), the venue partner of SWHCC, for participants to try being an actor or working backstage in a theatre setting, and 19/06/2025, 11:27 Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre to hold fun day this weekend to celebrate reopening (with photos) https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202506/19/P2025061900251p.htm#:~:text=The Leisure and Cultural Services,after renovation and improvement works. 1/2 to take part in a showcase performance on the same day. Furthermore, the AFTEC will present the “Re-imagine Theatre” exhibition at the foyer of SWHCC from June 21, guiding audiences into the world of theatrical plays as the protagonists’ companions. On June 21, a stage tour will be available for members of the public at the Theatre of SWHCC to introduce participants to the new and advanced stage equipment and facilities after the renovation of SWHCC and to learn about the operations behind the scenes in a stage production. Admission is free. For details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/swhcc/aboutus/funday.html . Ends/Thursday, June 19, 2025 Issued at HKT 12:30 NNNN

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Appeal for information on missing man in Tsing Yi

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Appeal for information on missing man in Tsing Yi

Police today (June 19) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tsing Yi.

Cheng Tik-lun, aged 28, went missing after he left his residence in Hong Wah House, Cheung Hong Estate on June 9 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on June 16.

He is about 1.65 metres tall, around 59 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen in unknown clothing.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1173 or 9078 1880 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

Ends/Thursday, June 19, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:27
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Five HK universities rank in top 100

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau today said today that it is encouraged that universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) continue to hold top spots in the latest World University Rankings, which are published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), an international higher education organisation.

The bureau highlighted that five UGC-funded universities stayed in the world’s top 100 in the World University Ranking 2026, making Hong Kong the place with the highest concentration of top-ranked universities globally.

It said the rankings reflect not only the unremitting efforts and continuous pursuit of excellence of Hong Kong’s higher education institutions but also the Government’s long-term commitment to investing in education.

The University of Hong Kong rose six places to 11th globally in the latest rankings, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong climbed four spots to 32nd, and the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology advanced three positions to 44th.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong also achieved outstanding results, ranking 54th and 63rd respectively.

The bureau said the Government will do its utmost to provide assistance and convenience to overseas talent interested in studying or conducting research at higher education institutions in Hong Kong, and will strive to further expand the non-local student quota. It added that the Government will continue to promote internationalisation and diversified development in the eight UGC-funded universities.

Furthermore, it outlined that the Government strives both to attract talent from around the world and nurture local talent through various initiatives such as scholarship programmes, thereby leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths to serve the country’s needs.

The bureau also stressed that the Government will continue to strengthen global exchanges, including strengthening and broadening research networks and co-operation.  

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CHP updates antimicrobial guidelines and urges doctors to prescribe antimicrobials appropriately

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 19) launched a new edition of antimicrobial guidelines entitled the Interhospital Multi-disciplinary Programme on Antimicrobial ChemoTherapy (IMPACT) Guidelines. These guidelines serve as a reference for doctors when prescribing antimicrobial drugs for inpatients, aiming to prevent overuse which may aggravate antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
 
“In view of the evolving AMR situations, the CHP in collaboration with experts updated IMPACT based on local AMR data and the latest international and local literature for reference of doctors so that antimicrobials can be prescribed in a more accurate manner. The CHP organised a forum today to introduce the major updates of the guidelines, including the empirical therapy of common infections, antimicrobials for known pathogens and recommendations for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis to over 150 participating healthcare professionals from the public and private sectors. Recommended dosing and adverse reactions for certain antimicrobials are also set out in the updated guidelines,” said the Consultant (Antimicrobial Resistance) of the Infection Control Branch of the CHP, Dr Edmond Ma.
 
In addition to the forum for the medical field, the CHP also issued a Letter to Doctors today, urging them to refer to the new guidelines and prescribe the appropriate antimicrobials to patients in need. This will help curb the spread of drug resistance and safeguard the effectiveness of existing treatments.
 
Dr Ma added, “AMR occurs when microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses) evolve and become resistant to previously effective medications. When patients are infected with drug-resistant bacteria, their illness may be prolonged, and their risk of death may even increase. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics are the major drivers of drug-resistant bacteria. Since the first edition of the IMPACT Guidelines was launched in 1999, it has become an important reference for healthcare professionals, helping to minimise unnecessary or inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials. At the same time, it has become a key foundation for launching the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme in public hospitals and will facilitate the enhancement of relevant measures in private hospitals in the future. According to the latest surveillance data, the proportion of antimicrobials in the Watch category (i.e. antimicrobials considered by the World Health Organization to be at a higher risk of developing drug resistance) in the total supply of antimicrobials in Hong Kong decreased from 40.3 per cent in 2016 to 34.6 per cent in 2024, indicating that doctors are prescribing relatively fewer broad spectrum antibiotics to help combat AMR.”
 
The Government has been placing great importance on addressing the necessity of combating AMR. In 2022, the Government published the second Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (Action Plan), outlining strategies to tackle the threat of AMR from 2023 to 2027. The measures include reviewing and updating IMPACT, and reminding doctors to prescribe antimicrobials to patients in accordance with guidelines and scientific evidence.
 
The IMPACT set of guidelines, now in its 6th edition, are a collaborative effort among the CHP, the Hospital Authority, the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Medical Association and the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association. The CHP would like to express its sincere gratitude to the Editors, Dr Ho Pak-leung, Dr Wu Tak-chiu, and the other members of the Editorial Board.
 
The CHP also urged members of the public to work with healthcare professionals to eliminate AMR by observing the following:
 

  • Consult a doctor when having a cold, flu or COVID-19. Do not buy antibiotics without a prescription at community pharmacies;
  • Do not demand antibiotics from doctors. Only take antibiotics when advised by doctors and complete the whole course of treatment even if symptoms have improved;
  • Follow health advice stated on the prescription bag and adopt appropriate infection control measures such as maintaining hand hygiene, wearing a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, and disinfecting and covering all wounds properly to prevent person-to-person spread of resistant bacteria when taking antibiotics;
  • Receive seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines as effective means to prevent secondary bacterial infection, hence reducing the use of antibiotics and occurrence of AMR;
  • Be aware of the risk of acquiring resistant bacteria from ready-to-eat (RTE) food. People taking antibiotics or antacids, and high-risk populations (such as pregnant women, infants and young children, the elderly and people with weakened immunity) are of higher risk and should avoid eating raw or undercooked RTE foods; and
  • Observe good hygienic practices in the kitchen when handling food to minimise the risk of cross-contamination by resistant bacteria.

For details of the IMPACT Guidelines, please visit the IMPACT webpage (impact.chp.gov.hk/). For more information about AMR, please visit the CHP website.

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Government welcomes appointment of new Chief Executive of Consumer Council

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Government welcomes appointment of new Chief Executive of Consumer Council 
     The Consumer Council has completed the open recruitment and selection process for the post of Chief Executive and has just announced the appointment arrangements.
 
     Mr Yau said, “With her extensive management experience in public organisations, Ms Shum is well placed to lead the Consumer Council. She is currently the Deputy Executive Director of the Vocational Training Council, responsible for the strategic development work on the Mainland and overseas, and the promotion of collaboration among various stakeholders. I hope that the Consumer Council, under Ms Shum’s leadership, will continue to join hands with various sectors to further enhance the protection of consumer rights and interests.”
Issued at HKT 11:15

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Excellent performance of Hong Kong’s higher education system showcases effectiveness of government measures

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Excellent performance of Hong Kong’s higher education system showcases effectiveness of government measures 
     He stressed that the Government attracts quality talent from around the world and nurtures local talent through various measures such as scholarship programmes to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths to serve the country’s needs. Starting from the 2024/25 academic year (AY), the non-local student quota for UGC-funded institutions has been doubled from 20 per cent to 40 per cent, raising non-local undergraduate enrolment from 19.9 per cent (2023/24 AY) to 23.2 per cent. The Government will further foster collaboration among the eight UGC-funded universities, including supporting the jointly established Heads of Universities Committee’s Standing Committee on Internationalisation to continue to promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand worldwide.
 
     The spokesman added that the Government will continue to promote the strengthening of global exchanges and connections of research personnel and teams of local universities and support them to broaden research networks and co-operation areas with their overseas counterparts.
 
     The Government attaches great importance to the quality of teaching and learning at universities and invests substantial resources to step up support for the high-quality development of Hong Kong education. For the 2025–2028 triennium, approximately 78 per cent of the Block Grant will be allocated to support teaching and learning. Compared with the 2022-2025 triennium, the Teaching Development and Language Enhancement Grant provided by the UGC will increase by $100 million to approximately $920 million. The key themes of the Grant – including the integration of generative artificial intelligence and innovative technologies in education, the sharing of exemplary practices in teaching and learning, and the enhancement of students’ well-being and personal development – are aligned with current trends in education and societal needs. The most recent round of quality audits conducted by the Quality Assurance Council under the UGC also reaffirms the high quality of educational experiences offered by UGC-funded universities.
 
To dovetail with the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Government will leverage the vast opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, supporting cutting-edge research conducted by the eight UGC-funded universities through the Research Grants Council (RGC) under the UGC. Over 20 research funds and scholarship programmes operate under the RGC, with more than 1 500 new projects receiving funding annually. These measures will help foster a robust research environment and further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international post-secondary education hub.
Issued at HKT 17:06

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Chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product by economic activity for the first quarter of 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (June 19) the preliminary figures of chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by economic activity for the first quarter of 2025.
 
     GDP figures by economic activity show the value of production in respect of individual economic activities. The value of production is measured by value added or net output, which is calculated by deducting intermediate input consumed in the process of production from the gross value of output. Volume measures of GDP by economic activity, expressed in terms of chain volume measures net of the effect of price changes, enable analysis of the output growth profiles of individual economic sectors in real terms.
 
     According to the preliminary figures, overall GDP increased by 3.1% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the 2.5% increase in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Analysed by constituent services sector and on a year-on-year comparison, value added in respect of all the services activities taken together increased by 2.6% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the growth of 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the import and export, wholesale and retail trades sector increased by 4.2% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, as against the decrease of 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the accommodation and food services sector decreased by 1.8% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, as against the growth of 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the transportation, storage, postal and courier services sector increased by 2.9% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the increase of 6.8% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the information and communications sector increased by 1.3% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the rise of 1.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the financing and insurance sector increased by 4.4% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the increase of 1.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the real estate, professional and business services sector registered a decrease of 0.3% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, as against the rise of 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the public administration, social and personal services sector rose by 1.7% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the increase of 3.0% the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     As for sectors other than the services sectors, value added in the local manufacturing sector increased by 0.7% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 over a year earlier, compared with the increase of 1.0% in the fourth quarter 2024.
 
     Value added in the electricity, gas and water supply, and waste management sector decreased by 1.4% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, as against the increase of 3.0% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
     Value added in the construction sector decreased by 1.9% in real terms in the first quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, after the decrease of 4.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
 
Further information
 
     The year-on-year percentage changes of GDP by economic activity in real terms from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025 are shown in Table 1. More detailed statistics are given in the report “Gross Domestic Product by Economic Activity”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1030004&scode=250). For enquiries about statistics on GDP by economic activity, please call the National Income Branch (2) of the C&SD at 3903 7005.
 
     Figures of chain volume measures of GDP by economic activity for the first quarter of 2025 are only preliminary at this stage. When more data become available, the preliminary figures will be revised accordingly and can be found at the C&SD website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode250.html).

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SFST attends Lujiazui Forum to foster collaborative development of Shanghai and Hong Kong (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, attended the 2025 Lujiazui Forum and related events in Shanghai yesterday (June 18) and today (June 19). Addressing a seminar titled “Collaborative Development of Shanghai and Hong Kong International Financial Centres” today (June 19), he said that Hong Kong and Shanghai are unlocking many more new opportunities for collaborative development with their positions as the country’s “dual engine” financial centres, providing strong support for the country’s “dual circulation” strategy. Mr Hui also met with relevant heads of financial institutions during his stay in Shanghai.
 
This year’s Lujiazui Forum is themed “Financial Opening-up and Cooperation for High-Quality Development in a Changing Global Economy”. Mr Hui attended the opening ceremony and plenary session of the Forum yesterday and addressed today’s seminar where the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council and the Shanghai Research Center for Financial Stability and Development jointly released a research report on the “Synergistic Development of Shanghai and Hong Kong as International Financial Centres in the New Era”.
 
Speaking at the Plenary Session IV titled “Deepening the Cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong as International Financial Centers” yesterday, Mr Hui said, “Riding on the solid foundation of Stock Connect, mutual-market access between financial markets on the Mainland and Hong Kong has been expanding in scope and capacity. Programmes such as Bond Connect, the inclusion of Exchange Traded Funds into Stock Connect, and Swap Connect have been implemented. These programmes enhance not only the product offering for domestic and foreign investors but also the attraction for more capital influx into the capital markets of the two places, promoting long-term development of the markets.
 
“At the same time, Hong Kong needs to further enrich the offerings of its offshore Renminbi (RMB) market to facilitate the adoption of RMB by global market participants. To this end, we will step up efforts in four areas, namely enhancing offshore RMB liquidity, increasing products, improving infrastructure, and expanding new markets.”
 
When talking about stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Mr Hui pointed out that by utilising the innovative capabilities of private institutions, stablecoins are meant to create and implement new use cases for the digital economy with the integration of the financial system with the real economy. Hong Kong’s stablecoin regulatory framework takes into account both innovation and systemic risk prevention, covering the establishment of a transparent reserve asset system, the introduction of independent third-party institutions for regular audits, and the establishment of risk assessment mechanisms. Separately, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority is currently engaging the industry to carry out initial exploration on wholesale CBDCs.
 
“In future, we anticipate closer collaboration with Shanghai in areas such as financial innovation and green finance to achieve synergy effects.”
 
Yesterday morning, Mr Hui signed the Action Plan for Collaborative Development of Shanghai and Hong Kong International Financial Centres on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government with Shanghai to promote collaborative development, with a view to further forming a “dual hub” landscape of the two financial centres of Shanghai and Hong Kong, for better promotion of the internationalisation of RMB, thus contributing to a joint effort to building the country into a financial powerhouse. The Action Plan covers a number of measures, including supporting the Shanghai Clearing House (SHCH) to strengthen co-operation with Hong Kong banks and offshore Chinese banks in Hong Kong, supporting Mainland banks and financial institutions headquartered in Shanghai to set up regional headquarters in Hong Kong, and pressing ahead with the linkage of the Faster Payment System in Hong Kong with the Internet Banking Payment System on the Mainland.
 
During his stay in Shanghai, Mr Hui also visited several financial institutions, including the Shanghai Gold Exchange, the SHCH, and the Shanghai Futures Exchange, and met with Deputy Chief Executive of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Mr Wang Huabin, and the President of Bank of Communications, Mr Zhang Baojiang, to discuss and exchange views to explore opportunities and models for co-operation regarding matters such as promoting gold market development in Hong Kong, enhancement to the offerings of the offshore RMB centre, and fostering collaborative development with the Mainland in financial derivatives and futures markets.
 
Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong this afternoon.