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14 building plans approved in January
Of the approved plans, eight were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, one was for factory and industrial development, and three were for community services developments.
In the same month, consent was given for works to start on five building projects which, when completed, will provide 25 433 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 26 units, and 206 432 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for three building projects.
The department also issued 16 occupation permits, with four on Hong Kong Island, five in Kowloon and seven in the New Territories.
Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 85 225 sq m involving 1 886 units, and 23 398 sq m was for non-domestic use.
The declared cost of new buildings completed in January totalled about $8.1 billion.
In addition, six demolition consents were issued.
The department received 2 551 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in January and issued 422 removal orders on UBWs.
The full version of the Monthly Digest for January can be viewed on the Buildings Department’s homepage (www.bd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:00
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Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds worth about $2.2 million at airport (with photo)
Source: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu met with PS for Roads and Regional Transportation Anna Watson MP
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 22) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 10 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $2.2 million.
A male passenger, aged 47, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/en).
Leading Mainland supply chain and logistics service provider JD Logistics leverages Hong Kong’s status as multinational supply chain management centre to expand Hong Kong operation (with photos)
Source: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu met with PS for Roads and Regional Transportation Anna Watson MP
Leading Mainland supply chain and logistics service provider JD Logistics leverages Hong Kong’s status as multinational supply chain management centre to expand Hong Kong operation
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Charles Ng said, “The expansion of JD Logistics in Hong Kong reinforces the city’s status as an international supply chain management centre. We look forward to closer collaboration with them to enhance supply chain efficiency and inject new momentum into Hong Kong’s economic growth and innovation development.”
Since its service upgrade in Hong Kong, JD Logistics has opened four operations centres in Kwun Tong, Kwai Tsing, Sha Tin, and Yuen Long. To increase coverage on Hong Kong Island, a fifth operations centre has been established in Chai Wan, with an area of over 10 000 sq ft. Equipped with automated sorting equipment, the efficiency of the operations centre is expected to double.
The Director of Public Affairs at JD Logistics, Mr Lin Ruibin, said, “The opening of our new operations centre in Hong Kong is not only a commitment to the local market but also an essential step in enhancing supply chain efficiency. The centre is equipped with advanced logistics technologies and automation equipment to ensure rapid delivery and precise management of goods.”
He continued, “Last year, daily package deliveries increased 24-fold in Hong Kong and 14-fold in Macao, while the volume of cross-border packages between Mainland China and Hong Kong grew by 16 times, resulting in double-digit growth overall in our express delivery volume. This reflects the enormous business opportunities in the local market. With the rapid development of e-commerce, JD Logistics will further enhance its operational capacity in Hong Kong to provide customers both locally and across Asia with more convenient logistics solutions.”
He added, “JD Logistics has been strategically positioned in Hong Kong for years, recognising Hong Kong’s strong purchasing power and its importance as a key node in the Greater Bay Area. Since starting operations in Hong Kong a year ago, we have hired over 450 local employees and will continue to recruit more to meet business needs in the future.”
For more information about JD Logistics, please visit www.jdl.com/en
To get a copy of the photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720324566538Issued at HKT 10:00
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EPD convictions in February
Source:
EPD convictions in February
Two of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, six were under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, seven were under the Noise Control Ordinance, nine were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, eight were under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance, 16 were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance.
The heaviest fines in February were $20,000 for an offence assessed against a company that caused another person to import controlled waste without a permit; and another fine of $20,000 assessed against a company that imported controlled waste without a permit.
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Spectacular Hong Kong Flower Show to close tomorrow (with photos)
Source: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu met with PS for Roads and Regional Transportation Anna Watson MP
Spectacular Hong Kong Flower Show to close tomorrow
After the show, flowers that are in good condition and suitable for replanting will be distributed to the public at 9am on March 24 at the park’s South Pavilion Plaza (near the Sugar Street entrance). It is estimated that about 3 500 pots will be distributed, subject to conditions of the plants. Each person will be given one pot only on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last. To help protect the environment, members of the public are encouraged to bring their own bags.
During the flower show period, various recreational fringe activities have been held at the showground. One of the activities, the Jockey Club Student Drawing Competition, held its prize presentation ceremony today (March 22). Winning entries are now on display at the showground.
The competition was conducted in five categories and the champions are as follows:
Junior Section in Primary School:
Lee Mung-lam from Lee Chi Tat Memorial School
Senior Section in Primary School:
Fang Yun-wei from Y.C.H. Choi Hin To Primary School
Junior Section in Secondary School:
Li Yi-wan from Shun Lee Catholic Secondary School
Senior Section in Secondary School:
Deng Man-yuen from C.C.C. Mong Man Wai College
Tertiary Institution Section:
Huang Wei-cheng from Hong Kong Design Institute
In addition, National Games Exhibition and fun-filled family programmes are being held on the park’s central lawn. They include balloon-twisting, magic shows, bouncy slide, Jockey Club Community Green Playground, green activities workshops as well as the newly added busking performances. For the schedule of the activities, please refer to the webpage www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/activities.html
Meanwhile, the flower show is hosting an online voting campaign called “My Most Favourite Garden Plot” (www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/voting.html
The flower show is running until March 23 from 9am to 9pm daily. For more details and its admission fee arrangements, please visit the webpage www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/index.html
The flower show is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has supported the flower show since 2013 and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
Issued at HKT 12:20
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Small-scale Test Survey of 2026 Population Census
Source: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu met with PS for Roads and Regional Transportation Anna Watson MP
Small-scale Test Survey of 2026 Population Census
Hong Kong will conduct population census in 2026. The purpose is to obtain up-to-date benchmark information on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population of Hong Kong and on its geographical distribution. Such information is important to the Government for planning and policy formulation, and the private sector and academia for business and research purposes respectively.
A sample of some 9 000 quarters located in the Eastern District, Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po and Tsuen Wan has been selected by the C&SD for the Small-scale Test Survey. Households in the selected quarters will be required to provide information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The C&SD will also invite households to provide opinions on the questionnaire design and the census operation.
Households selected for this Survey will receive a notification letter issued by the C&SD. They can follow the information provided in the notification letters to complete the questionnaires through the “Online Questionnaire System”, or call the Census Hotline 18 2026 to conduct telephone interviews. Census officers of this Department will also visit households not yet responded to conduct face-to-face interviews.
The C&SD reminded households that if they have not provided the C&SD with their contact information, the C&SD will not initiate call, send email or SMS to them. Each census officer will wear a vest uniform and carry a Government Identity Card / Enumerator Identity Card and a Certificate of Identity issued by the C&SD for verification. Households can call 18 2026 to check the identity of census officer.
This Survey is conducted under Part IIIA of the Census and Statistics Ordinance (Chapter 316). Information collected regarding individual persons and households will be kept in strict confidence.
For enquiries about the Survey, please call 18 2026.
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Ministry of Economic Affairs Announced 2024 Energy Saving Leadership Awards: 40 Winners Reduced Carbon Emissions by 116,000 Tons, Achieving Remarkable Results
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To recognize outstanding enterprises promoting energy conservation and schools excelling in energy education, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held the final review meeting for the “2024 Energy Saving Leadership Award and Energy Education Promotion Award” on October 11. A total of 40 winners were selected, collectively saving 29 thousand kiloliters of oil equivalent and 570 million TWD in energy costs, which equalled to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 116 thousand tons, or the annual carbon absorption of 300 Da’an Forest Park, demonstrating exceptional energy-saving achievements.
According to Energy Administration (EA), this year’s Energy Saving Leadership Award received applications from 111 enterprises and 25 primary and secondary schools. After preliminary and final selections, 20 benchmark enterprises and 20 energy education benchmark schools were chosen. The EA will organize a series of follow-up activities, including site visit and online case sharing, for all sectors to learn from the winners.
Highlighting the trend of smart energy management, the EA noted that many benchmark enterprises are utilizing AI and data analytics to implement the smart transition from monitoring to control, effectively saving energy consumption of facilities and further improving manufacturing process. For example, the Gold award-winning Rolling Mill Department III of China Steel Corporation promoted AI smart factory, and significantly optimized furnance efficiency by developing an AI-based “intelligent combustion monitoring system” to replace traditional manual measurements, setting a benchmark for smart management and energy conservation.
Another Gold award recipient, ASE (Advanced Semiconductor Engineering) Kaohsiung Building K5, developed AI-based control technology for chiller systems, optimizing operational temperatures and enhancing energy efficiency in production. The energy-saving experience has been successfully duplicated across other facilities. The plant has also established a Low-Carbon Supply Alliance, focusing on carbon reduction, energy management, and emission control, and promoted plant-wide energy-saving and low-carbon operations through coordination of facility management and manufacturing processes.
In the SME category, the Gold award went to Lung Shing Refrigerating Works Co., for creating an “Unmanned Intelligent Cold Chain Logistics Center,” which integrates automated storage and smart management for precise inventory control, significantly reducing labor and energy waste. Lung Shing tackles the issue from the source, and has become an example for all SEMs. Another Golde award-winner, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, implemented liquid oxygen cooling recovery technology to create cost-free air conditioning. The hospital optimized HVAC systems for operating rooms during off-peak hours, and utilized Low-E glass for better insulation, reducing air conditioning loads. Their diverse energy-saving measures offer a valuable reference of retrofitting for other medical facilities.
In the category of energy education, the award-winning schools in each district showcased unique features. For example: Shui Yuan Primary School in Hsinchu City integrated VR experiences and board games to deepen students’ knowledge of energy and sustainability while encouraging community members to replace energy-inefficient appliances; Wong-Zih Elementary School in Taichung City established a STEAM Energy Research Center, fostering independent thinking through energy exploration and digital learning resources, including energy advocacy videos; Tainan Municipal Xigang Junior High School developed a “Cross-Reading Energy” curriculum featuring energy-themed discussions and game-based learning to promote awareness and actions for energy conservation; National Dong Hwa University Experimental Primary School integrated local resources to create the “Hualien Power Map,” inspiring students to explore energy issues and collaborating with neighboring schools in shaping local characteristics, so to expand energy education’s influences.
The Energy Saving Leadership Award aims to share energy-saving experience to inspire more organizations to take action. Through upcoming demonstrations and learning activities, the program seeks to broaden participation and foster a collective movement toward a sustainable and net-zero future.
Spokesperson: Deputy Director General, Chun-Li Lee
Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs
Telephone:02-2775-7700
Mobile:0936-250-838
Email:chunlee@moeaea.gov.tw
Business Contact: Director, Shu-Fang Kao
Telephone:02-2775-7773
Mobile:0918-400-668
Email:sfkao@moeaea.gov.tw
AI Drives New Digital Trade: The MOEA Helps Firms with Transformation
Source:
To help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan leverage digital technology to explore international markets, the International Trade Administration (TITA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held a conference on the achievements of the “New Digital Trade Model Program” on November 12, 2024. The event featured the launching of the newly developed AiEZ TRADE and included the sharing of experiences by digital consultants and mentored enterprises. Over 100 companies participated.
At the event, Director General Cynthia Kiang of TITA announced the launching of AiEZ TRADE. She noted that AiEZ TRADE integrates global trade data by using AI technology to provide businesses with diverse services, such as analysis of trade data, recommendations about events and exhibitions, creation of marketing webpages, and recommendations about buyers. Companies only need to input their business registration number to access tailored business insights through AI analysis of vast data bytes, enabling them to quickly grasp the latest global industry and product trends.
Given the global trend of market digitalization, Taiwanese SMEs face increasing pressure of international competition. To address this, TITA offers digital capability assessments and consulting services through this program, thereby helping SMEs identify their digital strengths and weaknesses in overseas marketing. To date, this program has supported over 1,300 companies and enhanced their ability to expand into global markets.
SMEs can access the AiEZ TRADE webpage at (https://www.aieztrade.com/) to directly experience its features. TITA will continue to track the latest developments in digital technology to assist more SMEs in utilizing these tools to vie for international opportunities.
MOFA response to speech by NATO Secretary General Rutte drawing attention to China’s military buildup and bullying of Taiwan
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MOFA response to speech by NATO Secretary General Rutte drawing attention to China’s military buildup and bullying of Taiwan
December 14, 2024
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has taken note of a speech delivered by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte at an event in Brussels on December 12 that was organized by the think tank Carnegie Europe. In his remarks, titled “To Prevent War, NATO Must Spend More,” Secretary General Rutte called on NATO members to shift to a wartime mindset and turbo-charge defense production and defense spending so as to strengthen deterrence and defend their free and democratic way of life.
Secretary General Rutte also urged all parties to be clear-eyed about China’s ambitions, pointing out that China was substantially building up its forces and bullying Taiwan. In the Q&A session following his speech, Secretary General Rutte said that if Russia were to come out on top in any peace negotiations with Ukraine, China would surely be watching and start nibbling Taiwan.
This was the first public speech given by Secretary General Rutte since he assumed the position on October 1. He used the occasion to draw attention to the nature of China’s expansionist actions and ambitions toward Taiwan, as well as to the challenges posed by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran to global peace and security. Indeed, Secretary General Rutte’s speech was especially meaningful at a time when authoritarian regimes are expanding their ambitions.
Faced with coordinated efforts by authoritarian countries to undermine regional peace and stability and the international order, Taiwan, as a responsible and democratic member of the global community, will continue to work with such like-minded partners as the G7 and NATO in order to jointly safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the wider region.
MOFA response to Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee adopting resolution on China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758
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MOFA response to Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee adopting resolution on China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758
December 13, 2024
The Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee on December 12 adopted a resolution on the misrepresentation of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. In the resolution, the committee opposed China’s inappropriate conflation of UNGA Resolution 2758 with its “one China principle,” rejected China’s claim that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, and advocated for Taiwan’s international participation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly affirms and sincerely appreciates this support from the Czech Republic.
The resolution stated that UNGA Resolution 2758 merely addressed China’s representation in the UN; that it did not mention Taiwan or address its political status or participation in the international community; that it did not establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan; and that it did not make any decision regarding Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN or any other international organization.
Furthermore, the resolution opposed China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758 and urged China to respect its content and to stop misusing it for its own political ends. The resolution also endorsed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including the World Health Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Criminal Police Organization.
MOFA thanks the Czech Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee for speaking in favor of justice for Taiwan and urges the international community to continue to take concrete action to counter China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758. Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded partners around the world to jointly safeguard the core values shared by the global democratic community and to preserve regional peace, stability, and prosperity.