Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Smart Aqua Leak Finder is a portable device that utilizes AI-driven acoustic technology and GPS mapping to detect underground pipe water leaks in three seconds with 98% accuracy. By minimizing repair time and water loss, it offers an innovative solution to overcome global water scarcity.

The Smart Aqua Leak Finder improves leak location precision, water flow sound analysis, and repair efficiency. The portable device, along with its mobile cloud acoustic system, detects leaks in just three seconds with 98% accuracy, exceeding the 90% of traditional manual inspections. With 5G & IoT, results are accessible on mobile devices for review. Patented in the U.S. and Taiwan, the system is compatible with various pipe types and highly scalable. Field-tested in disaster recovery, it reduces water loss, repair costs, and downtime. By streamlining workflows, this innovation eliminates the need for inspectors to wear earphones during surveys, minimizes unnecessary excavations, and offers a smart water management solution.

With the Smart Aqua Leak Finder, Taiwan Water Corporation has inspected 105,500 meters of underground pipelines and identified 564 leaks, reducing water loss by 13,404 tons per day, with projected annual savings of 4.88 million tons-an amount equivalent to nearly 2,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. During the Hualien earthquake in April 2024, the technology quickly diagnosed leak water issues, expediting pipe repairs to resume water supply. It also won an IWA 2024 Project Innovation Award. This innovation has strong potential in optimizing water resource management in water-scarce regions and preserving infrastructure in historic European cities through non-invasive detection. It can be deployed globally for efficient water pipeline network inspection.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Globally, about one million tons of discarded LCD glass are produced each year, most of which is buried, causing environmental damage. ITRI developed NaPoGlass, an optimal solution for recycling LCD glass while addressing wastewater treatment.

NaPoGlass is a nanoporous composite made from waste LCD glass. It can adsorb metal ions and filters wastewater without leaving metal sediment. This innovation enables water recycling, and after multiple uses, it can be repurposed into products such as humidity-regulating tiles, deodorizing insoles, and antibacterial keyboards.

NaPoGlass turns recycled LCD glass into a valuable adsorbent through a patented nanopore formation technique. It has a glass structure skeleton with pores ranging from 2 nm to 20 nm, yielding a surface area of about 200 square meter/g and can adsorb up to 200 mg of positively charged metal ions per gram. Metal ions are stably present in NaPoGlass’ nanopores in ionic form. As a result, they exhibit ion-specific properties including water absorption through calcium ions, antibacterial properties from copper ions and deodorization by nickel ions.

Chemical coagulation is the primary method for treating heavy metal wastewater. A drawback is the difficulty in recycling the water and metals, leading to metal sludge. NaPoGlass is designed for efficient metal removal from wastewater via adsorption. Its metal adsorption capacity is 20% of its weight and the removal efficiency is greater than 99%.

NaPoGlass can be reused 20 times through adsorbing and desorbing processes or recycled as functional additives. Both the treated water and the desorbed metals can be reused. NaPoGlass offers a sludge-free, cost-effective solution crucial for metal wastewater treatment and has only one-fifth of the carbon emissions of chemical coagulation.

NaPoGlass has been adopted by ten surface treatment plants, resulting in 10,000 tons of recycled water, recovering 500 kg of metals, and reducing carbon emissions by 100 tons. Products derived from NaPoGlass, such as humidity-regulating tiles, deodorizing insoles, and antibacterial keyboards are also being produced. This solution not only benefits e-waste management but also helps pollution-intensive industries achieve wastewater reclamation, contributing to global sustainability.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Dual-Phase Hydrogel is an injectable biomaterial that gels at body temperature, preventing post-operative adhesions and enabling accelerated cell growth to facilitate faster recovery. Its unique gel formation extends the therapeutic effects of wound-healing factors for up to 30 days, significantly outperforming traditional hydrogels that are quickly broken down by the body.

The temperature-sensitive feature allows the Dual-Phase Hydrogel to work as a drug delivery system for accelerating wound healing. The biomaterial turns into a colloid within a minute of injection, and its high viscosity makes it suitable to treat wounds longer, preventing post-surgical adhesions and severe pain. The product biodegrades into water or urine over time.

Dual-Phase Hydrogel, when in a liquid state, can be easily administered by injection, minimizing the risk and complications incurred by surgical interventions. It can be applied to hard-to-reach injury sites such as joints and spine. When in its gelatinous state, the Dual-Phase Hydrogel maintains long-term therapeutic effects since it can occupy the wounded area longer than traditional hydrogels. Depending on the disease, its degradation rate is adjustable, with effects lasting up to 30 days. Currently, no spinal anti-adhesion products have received US FDA approval; however, the Dual-Phase Hydrogel, with an FDA Master File for Devices (MAF), now offers an effective and safe treatment for patients after spinal surgery.

The Dual-Phase Hydrogel provides a revolutionary solution for healing, significantly relieving the pain of patients suffering from diseases such as lumbar laminectomy, knee osteoarthritis, and bone fracture. Its longer residence at the injury site (up to a month) can enhance wound care and avoid repeated injections. It also eliminates the need for open surgery and its risks. With further development of this product, significant medical costs can be saved for both patients and hospitals. Meanwhile, individuals’ wellness is greatly improved by this minimally invasive innovation. In collaboration with the University of Georgia, ITRI has successfully introduced Dual-Phase Hydrogel to the US market to treat bone fractures in dogs and cats.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The “National Event on the Environment Day 2025” was held in Chongqing this morning, with the Ministry of Ecology & Environment announcing that next year’s event will be jointly organised by Guangdong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macau SAR.

In a handover ceremony, the ministry passed the event flag to government representatives of the places – Guangdong’s Vice-Governor Zhang Shaokang, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Macau’s Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau Ip Kuong-lam.

In recent years, authorities including the ministry and the Central Office of Spiritual Civilization Construction have collaborated with local governments in staging National Event on the Environment Day. The event has become an important platform for promoting and implementing President Xi Jinping’s vision of “ecological civilization”, showcasing the development of “a beautiful China”, and mobilising people from all walks of life to participate.

Government representatives of the three places today emphasised that organising the National Event on the Environment Day is an important opportunity to practice President Xi’s vision of ecological civilization and promote the development of an international first-class beautiful Greater Bay Area.

Under the ministry’s guidance, the three places will learn from the experiences of previous organising cities in striving to stage an excellent National Event on the Environment Day 2026.

Additionally, the three places will seek to deepen communication and co-operation in the ecological and environmental field, jointly build an integrated and innovative beautiful bay area, and provide more concrete support for transforming it into a strategic fulcrum for new development, a demonstration area for high-quality development and a leading region for Chinese modernisation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau today (June 5) again appealed to members of the public for heightened vigilance against counterfeit mobile apps purporting to be made by the Office.
 
     The spokesman for the Office said that some mobile apps carrying the Office’s name and logo have recently been circulating online again for public downloading. The Office solemnly clarified that it has no connection with those mobile apps and has reported the incident to the Police for follow-up. Members of the public should stay vigilant and are strongly advised not to visit or download them. The Office has not provided mobile apps on any online platform about the joint development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Members of the public should report to the local police as soon as practicable if a scam is suspected.
 
     For enquiries about the online information of the Office, please call 2810 2059 or email enquiry@bayarea.gov.hk.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The MOEA held a press conference on June 3 to celebrate Taiwan’s outstanding performance at the 2025 Edison Awards. Competing against over 400 global innovations, Taiwan secured 18 awards-its best record to date-and ranked second worldwide. The Edison Awards, often hailed as the “Oscars of Innovation,” are among the most prestigious accolades in the global innovation community. This year’s Achievement Award was also presented to NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang, underscoring the event’s significance.

Of Taiwan’s 18 wins, 14 were earned by five MOEA-affiliated R&D institutions: the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC), the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), the Automotive Research & Testing Center (ARTC), and the Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC). This marks a historic high for Taiwan. All winning technologies were co-developed with industry partners such as Photronics Semiconductor Mask Corp., National Taiwan University Hospital, Chung Hsing Bus, Taiwan Water Corporation, and Arc’teryx, demonstrating the successful commercialization of research outcomes.

Minister of Economic Affairs Jyh-Huei Kuo stated that the Edison Awards are a major global benchmark for technological innovation, and Taiwan’s stellar performance this year is a testament to the effectiveness of government-backed R&D. Among the winners, ITRI ranked second globally in number of awards, the Metal Industries R&D Centre ranked fifth, and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute earned a Gold Award. Notably, the ARTC and SOIC R&D centers received their first-ever awards this year.

Minister Kuo emphasized the importance of aligning innovation with market demand and practical application. All 14 awarded technologies were developed in collaboration with businesses and directly addressed industry pain points, enhancing production efficiency, and creating added value. Many of these innovations integrated AI, reflecting the MOEA’s initiative to drive digital transformation across sectors. To further accelerate AI adoption, MOEA has identified 10 major R&D institutions and launched over 50 AI pilot production lines across 16 industries, equipped with cutting-edge tools and aimed at cultivating applied AI talent. These efforts are intended to help enterprises shorten the lab-to-market cycle and strengthen Taiwan’s industrial competitiveness.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the S&P Global Market Intelligence Hong Kong Roadshow today (June 5):
                                                                   
Louis (Regional head of the S&P Global Market Intelligence, Mr Louis Wong), Chris (Managing Director and Regional Practice Lead of Asia-Pacific of the S&P Global Ratings, Mr Christopher Lee), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon. 
A world in flux: risks and reordering

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Arnold Lau today (June 5) visited Shenyang, Liaoning Province, to promote Hong Kong’s latest business opportunities to local government authorities, enterprises and media, supporting Liaoning companies in going global via Hong Kong and fostering mutually beneficial co-operation.

     In the morning, Mr Lau toured a well-known multinational information technology enterprise in Liaoning Province to gain deeper insights into its industrial presence and global business scale. He encouraged the company to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages to further drive its global expansion.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Lau attended the seminar entitled “Unparalleled Opportunities to Expand Your Global Business – Liaoning to Hong Kong Investment Promotion Seminar”, which was organised by InvestHK, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, and the Department of Commerce of Liaoning Province. He delivered opening remarks first, followed by speeches from the Associate Director of the Beijing Office, Ms Eunice Chan, and Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of Liaoning Province Mr Li Jun. The event was supported by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Liaoning Sub-Council, the Liaoning Federation of Industry and Commerce, the General Association of Liaoning Entrepreneurs, and the Shenyang Municipal Commerce Bureau.
 
     During Mr Lau’s first official visit to Shenyang, under his current tenure, he showcased Hong Kong’s strengths under the “one country, two systems” framework. He said, “Liaoning and Hong Kong enjoy close economic and trade ties, with Hong Kong being Liaoning’s largest source of foreign investment. As Asia’s leading international financial centre, Hong Kong attracts many Mainland and foreign enterprises to come to Hong Kong for financing activities and to set up corporate treasury centres in the city. Mainland enterprises have shown strong performance among companies listed in Hong Kong. Among them, 20 listed companies are from Liaoning, spanning sectors such as industrial manufacturing, energy, finance, healthcare, food, and education. I encourage more Liaoning enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in financial services and actively consider listing in Hong Kong to raise capital. Amid the evolving global economic dynamics, Hong Kong serves as a ‘super connector’ and ‘super value-adder’, sailing together with the Mainland and to explore new overseas markets and opportunities.” He added that InvestHK will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths to attract overseas enterprises, capital and talent to Liaoning, promoting two-way investment.
 
     Ms Chan noted in her remarks, “The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China explicitly outlined Hong Kong’s strategic positioning, supporting its development as a hub for international high-end talent and its enhanced role in the nation’s opening up. The National “Government Work Report” of this year, for the first time, called for Hong Kong to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, reflecting the nation’s high expectations for the city. Hong Kong is building itself into a multinational supply chain management centre, offering one-stop support for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas production and supply chain networks, enabling them to participate more deeply in global industrial division and collaboration amid complex geopolitical landscapes.” She expressed hope that today’s seminar could serve as a platform for Liaoning-Hong Kong collaboration, with the Beijing Office and the Liaoning Liaison Unit of the HKSAR Government committed to fostering all-round co-operation.
 
     Mr Li, representing Liaoning provincial government authorities, pledged to further deepen economic, trade, and investment exchanges between Liaoning and Hong Kong, enabling enterprises in both regions to capitalise on their respective strengths for mutual development.
 
     Deputy Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of InvestHK in Beijing Ms Angie Kwok delivered a thematic presentation, encouraging Liaoning enterprises to establish multinational supply chain management centres in Hong Kong. The Principal Immigration Officer of the Beijing Office, Mr Jacky Wong, also provided a briefing on Hong Kong’s latest talent schemes.
 
     The event featured a professional services session with the Managing Director of Equities Department at CMB International Securities Limited, Mr Alan Chan, and Offering Services Partner, Audit and Assurance, Capital Market Services Group, Deloitte China, Mr Raymond Ng, who spoke on Hong Kong’s diversified financial services and how Mainland enterprises can leverage the city’s business advantages for global expansion. Three Liaoning-based enterprises were also invited to share their Hong Kong success stories, including the Secretary of the CPC Committee and Vice President of Neusoft Corporation, Mr Hu Wangyang; Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Hi-Think Technology International Limited, Mr Yue Xuefeng; and the General Manager of Solargiga Energy Holdings Limited, Mr Zhang Hai. They encouraged Liaoning enterprises to explore Hong Kong’s business environment and new opportunities and implement their “going global” strategy. The event attracted around 160 representatives from Liaoning enterprises, institutions, and media.
 
     For photos of the seminar, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720326654239.  

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) approved the sixth project under the Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels and Guesthouses as Youth Hostels to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs).

To meet young people’s aspirations of having their own living space, apart from continuing to fully fund non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to construct youth hostels on under-utilised sites through the Youth Hostel Scheme (YHS), the current-term Government expanded the YHS in 2023 to subsidise NGOs to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses for use as youth hostels. The current-term Government is committed to taking forward the youth hostel projects. The number of hostel places launched under the YHS, including this project by the TWGHs, has increased significantly from about 80 when the current-term Government took office to over 3 700.

The sixth youth hostel project approved under the Subsidy Scheme is named the TN Residence, which will be launched by the TWGHs and the Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited. The project is located at 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, providing up to 676 hostel places. The TWGHs has introduced the concept of a “youth vertical community” for the project, and it is hoped that in addition to enjoying their own living space, youth tenants could also interact with other tenants in the common areas, thereby establishing a social network with mutual assistance and trust. Another feature of the project is the V-Mile programme, which encourages youth tenants to actively participate in value-added activities and community services recognised by the TWGHs or organise activities on their own. This aims to facilitate their personal development, cultivate their physical and mental well-being and foster proper values, so that they could achieve self-enrichment, widen their personal and social networks, and even contribute to society. For details about the project and the means of application, please visit the website of the TN Residence (tnresidence.tungwahcsd.org).

A HYAB spokesperson said, “The TN Residence is the third project under the Subsidy Scheme located in Kowloon. It is in close proximity to railway stations, and situated within the cultural and creative industry hub with many specialty shops and restaurants nearby. This project provides young people who aspire to have their own living space an opportunity to realise their ideal way of life, and enables them to proactively equip themselves and formulate a better plan for the future during their stay. Furthermore, the HYAB will set up a physical platform for interaction for members of Youth Link in the adjacent Nam Cheong District Community Centre and Tung Chau Street Temporary Market. It is envisaged that the additional activity space for young people would create synergy with the youth hostel project. The TN Residence fully demonstrates the power of the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community. We are delighted that the Subsidy Scheme has gained support from society and we will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders who share our vision to take forward youth hostel projects.”

Details about the Subsidy Scheme, including the guidelines for applications and the application forms, have been uploaded onto the HYAB website (www.hyab.gov.hk/en/policy_responsibilities/Social_Harmony_and_Civic_Education/youth_hostel_scheme.htm). Relevant organisations can submit their applications to the HYAB by post, email or other means.