Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, continued her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday (July 3, Lisbon time).

Ms Ho attended a business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels to promote the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world. Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations, as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing. Under the Housing•I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau (HB) will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Ms Ho expressed her gratitude in particular to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world. By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics. With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308 000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the HB and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency. Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a “gold” rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments. The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly. To improve energy efficiency, the HKHA has also implemented various green initiatives such as smart lighting control systems, light emitting diode lighting and solar photovoltaic systems. In estate management, the application of the Internet of Things and AI for collecting and analysing data has also enhanced estate management quality and efficiency. She said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

Ms Ho has arrived in Barcelona, Spain, last night and will begin her visit there today (July 4, Barcelona time).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law yesterday started the first leg of her visit to France in Paris, by touring Disneyland Paris and meeting French Ministry of Culture Secretary General Luc Allaire.

Apart from gaining first-hand insights of the theme park’s latest developments during her tour, Miss Law shared with Disneyland Paris President Natacha Rafalski that Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has just launched its 20th-anniversary celebrations, which will bring all-new experiences to visitors.

This was followed by a courtesy call on Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco Deng Li.

Miss Law expressed her hope to foster closer exchanges between Hong Kong and France, highlighting the opportunities for collaboration across various sectors.

At her afternoon meeting with Mr Allaire, Miss Law underscored Hong Kong’s dedication to fostering cultural exchanges on both the regional and global levels, and shared her vision of transforming the city into a hub for hosting large-scale museum events.

Both parties expressed a shared enthusiasm for expanding collaboration, and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening cultural connections and partnerships in the future.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for Europe tomorrow to visit the Netherlands, France and Italy to introduce Hong Kong’s latest legal developments, promote its strengths in legal and dispute resolution services, and explore collaboration on international capacity building.

 

Mr Lam plans to attend seminars organised by the Department of Justice and other exchange sessions.

 

He will also deliver speeches to legal and business sectors to introduce Hong Kong’s unique advantages in the practice of the common law system under the “one country, two systems”, the strategic positioning of the city as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region, and its important role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the Mainland and the rest of the world.

 

The Secretary for Justice will return to Hong Kong on July 13 upon conclusion of his visit in Rome. Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary during his absence.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho attended a business luncheon during her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, to promote development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

At the business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Brussels, Ms Ho promoted the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the GBA, and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world.

Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing.

Under the Housing • I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Ms Ho expressed her gratitude to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world.

By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics.

With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308,000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the bureau and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency.

Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a gold rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments.

The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly.

The housing chief said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau announced today that the selection process for the fourth cohort under the School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme (SNDAS) is complete, with 335 students accepting university offers.

A total of 814 valid nominations were received from 420 secondary schools for the fourth cohort, the bureau said.

The eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities participating in the scheme then arranged interviews for the nominated students and carefully considered their merits.

Firm offers were made to 342 successful nominees prior to the release of this year’s Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results. Of these nominees, 335 accepted their offers and will begin studies in their chosen undergraduate programmes, across a wide spectrum of disciplines, in September.

Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin said she was pleased to note the encouraging results of the fourth cohort, in particular the continuing increase in the number of offers made to the nominees.

She thanked the secondary schools and universities for their support for the SNDAS as well as their recognition of students’ multifaceted talents, and for cultivating more talent for Hong Kong.

Ms Choi highlighted that talent in diversified skills and knowledge is the key to Hong Kong’s future development.

In addition to stressing that the Government has always placed great emphasis on nurturing young people, she added that it is striving to enhance the city’s education system and creating diverse opportunities for students to reach their full potential in different areas.

Separately, each of the eight UGC-funded universities will be invited to nominate SNDAS admittees demonstrating an outstanding performance in arts, sports and/or community service for awarding scholarships in addition to the firm offers made.

Additionally, to promote a culture of multifaceted excellence, the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau has launched the Multi-talent Development Scholarship for admittees of the SNDAS demonstrating outstanding achievements in arts, sports and/or community service on top of the firm offers made under the SNDAS.

Each awardee, not subject to means testing, will be granted a scholarship of $10,000 per year across his or her four-year tuition period.

The scheme’s fifth round will open to Secondary 6 students who will sit for the next HKDSE Examination and start their undergraduate studies in September 2026. Details will be announced in due course.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The nomination period for the 2025 Election Committee Subsector By-elections will run from July 22 until August 4.

The by-elections will fill a total of 93 vacancies in the Election Committee (EC) membership to be returned by election involving 28 subsectors.

Another 10 vacancies involving five subsectors to be returned by nomination will be filled through supplementary nominations by designated bodies.

The Registration & Electoral Office (REO) issued gazette notices about the nominations and the appointment of Returning Officers (ROs) today.

If the number of validly nominated candidates for a subsector exceeds the number of EC members to be elected for that subsector at the by-elections, a poll for that subsector will be held on September 7.

A person nominated as a candidate must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 18 or above, who is a registered voter for the relevant subsector or has a substantial connection with that subsector.

The nomination form for the by-elections must be subscribed by no fewer than five voters registered for the subsector concerned.

Each voter may subscribe multiple nominations on a particular subsector but the number of candidates he or she can nominate should not exceed that of EC members to be elected by that subsector at the bypolls.

In the case of a corporate voter, the subscription of the nomination form may only be effected by the corporate voter’s authorised representative.

Starting today, the nomination forms are available at the REO’s two Kowloon offices, located on 8/F, Treasury Building, Cheung Sha Wan; and Unit 2301-03, 23/F, Millennium City 6, Kwun Tong.

The forms can also be picked up at the ROs’ offices, district offices, or downloaded from here.

A nominated person must submit the completed nomination form and an election deposit of $1,000 in person to the respective ROs.

Separately, the nominated persons must complete and return the Eligibility Review Supplementary Information Form, in accordance with the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’s requirements.

Members of the public may inspect copies of the nomination forms for respective subsectors at the ROs’ offices, and view copies of all the nomination forms at the REO’s Kwun Tong office.

Call the election hotline 2891 1001 for enquiries.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Legislative Yuan passed the draft amendment to some articles of the Electricity Act in the third reading today (May 9). According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), these amendments are made in response to domestic and international energy transition trends, which enable Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) to maintain its current business model, while stimulating the green electricity trading market; regulate emerging electricity resources, such as grid-connected energy storage and demand response; and enhance the supervision mechanism of the electricity trading platform. A total of 12 articles have been newly added or amended. The MOEA expressed its gratitude to the President of the Legislative Yuan, all legislators, and political parties for their support in ensuring the smooth passage of the bill.

According to the MOEA, the draft amendment focuses on four key areas: maintaining Taipower’s integrated business model to ensure stable power supply through the synergy of integrated power generation and grid operations and enhancing investment efficiency; facilitating peer-to-peer sales among retailers of renewable energy to increase operational flexibility for industry participants; regulating grid-connected energy storage systems and demand response services to ensure legal compliance and reduce the setup risks for operators while expanding potential power resources; and enhancing the neutrality of electricity trading platforms by strengthening the monitoring mechanism to ensure openness and transparency, and by allowing independent trading to emerge in response to future market developments.

The MOEA also thanks all stakeholders for their valuable input throughout the legislative process, while pledging to swiftly complete related modifications of subordinate regulations to achieve the objectives of this legislative amendment.

Spokesperson: Deputy Director General, Chih-Wei Wu
Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs
Phone: +886-2-2775-7750 / +886-922-339-410
Email: cwwu@moeaea.gov.tw

Business Contact: Director, Yu-Chuan Hsia
Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs
Phone: +886-2-2775-7753 / +886-910-668-295
Email: yhhsia@moeaea.gov.tw

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Kinetic Consultants Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violating the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (July 4) and was fined $54,000. The company was also ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $107,000 to the employees concerned.

    The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay three employees’ wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods, totalling about $216,000.

    “The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.

    “The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added.