Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has reminded restaurant applicants that they must confirm their venues permit the entry of dogs, following media enquiries regarding the eligibility and operational status of dog-friendly eateries.

The department stated that application forms explicitly require applicants to confirm that their premises permit dogs, and to declare that all submitted information is true. Applicants found providing false information may face legal liability.

As rules governing the use of various premises are subject to tenancy agreements, property titles and deeds of mutual covenant, the department stressed that restaurant operators are responsible for clarifying these facts with property stakeholders. A consensus must be reached before submitting an application.

The department added that it respects the legal rights and decisions of all property stakeholders.

If an applicant is found to have provided incorrect information – and the venue does not actually permit dogs – the department will suspend the application or revoke any permission already granted. This applies both during the application process and after approval. 

Responding to media reports claiming that several establishments on the “List of Food Premises Permitted for Dog Entry” had closed down or did not exist, the department clarified that these claims do not align with its records. It emphasised that the licences of all participating premises were valid at the time of the open ballot.

Furthermore, a dedicated team visited every approved establishment. For restaurants not open for business during the visits, the team proactively contacted licence holders to confirm they still required the permission before issuing permits.

If an approved restaurant decides to permanently cease operations, withdraw its permit application, or revoke its permission, the department will reallocate the quota to applicants on the waiting list based on the original ballot results. Updated venue details will be uploaded to the dedicated webpage once all procedures are complete.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

April 26, 2026  No.162  On the morning of April 25, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, acting as President Lai Ching-te’s special envoy, visited the planned site for the first phase of the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP) project in Eswatini. Minister Lin and Eswatini cabinet members Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy; Manqoba Khumalo, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade; and Savannah Maziya, Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, received progress reports on a strategic oil reserve facility and the TIIP. They also witnessed Tex-Ray Chairman Ray Lin, representing Taiwanese businesses, and Eswatini sign a letter of intent to set up operations and invest in the TIIP. The LOI further deepened the economic and trade partnership between the countries.

In his remarks, Minister Lin recalled his trip to Eswatini as presidential envoy in April 2025, during which King Mswati III used the Swazi word nkwe (accelerated progress) to convey high hopes for bilateral cooperation. Minister Lin said that the king’s expectations had translated into tangible results, with construction of the strategic oil reserve facility staying on schedule and some 60 Taiwanese companies visiting Eswatini to explore investment opportunities since the launch of the TIIP last April. He added that several Taiwanese firms in key sectors such as textiles, packaging, pharmaceuticals, and solar power had signed LOIs during this trip to move into the TIIP. Minister Lin stressed that the investments showed how the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project could successfully align the need for Taiwanese businesses to expand globally with Eswatini’s need for industrial upgrading. It had also achieved the aim of creating mutual benefits for both countries, Minister Lin added.

Explaining the core idea behind the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, Minister Lin said the policy promoted public-private partnerships and encouraged large enterprises to support smaller ones. He added that this would expand government-to-government diplomatic ties to include closer business-to-business partnerships. Minister Lin underlined that this model would serve as a benchmark for other African states and create a combined fleet and team of teams to strengthen strategic links between Taiwan and countries in Africa.

Speaking on behalf of Eswatini, Minister Khumalo conveyed sincere gratitude to Taiwan for its long-standing support of infrastructure projects and emphasized the deep and enduring ties between the two countries. He said the oil reserve facility and the TIIP were of immense strategic importance to Eswatini in promoting economic transformation and energy security. Minister Khumalo stressed that the initiatives were highly representative of bilateral cooperation. He said that the LOI, which he signed on behalf of Eswatini with the Taiwanese business representative, had brought bilateral cooperation to new heights and injected momentum into Eswatini’s industrial upgrading.

Under the framework of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will further deepen comprehensive cooperation with Eswatini in economics, trade, energy, technology, and other spheres. Taiwan will continue to work with Eswatini to achieve prosperity and steadily enhance strategic partnerships in Africa. (E)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In response to media enquiries regarding the application eligibility and operational status of permitted food premises allowing dogs to enter, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) gave the following response on July 10:

Applicants have sole responsibility to confirm that the premises permits the entry of dogs

The FEHD has clearly required in the application forms that applicants must confirm that the premises in which their food premises operates permits the entry of dogs and declare the information submitted is true. The FEHD solemnly points out that if applicants are found to have provided false information, they may bear legal liability.

The FEHD reiterated that, as the rules governing the use of various premises (including permission for dogs entry) are subject to relevant provisions in tenancy agreement, property titles and deeds of mutual covenant, restaurant operators have responsibility to, and must clarify the fact with property stakeholders, and reach a consensus on whether to permit the entry of dogs before submitting applications to the FEHD.

The FEHD respects the legal rights and decisions of property stakeholders. Should the FEHD discover, after an application has been submitted or approved, that the applicant has provided incorrect information and that the premises where the food premises is located do not in fact permit the entry of dogs, the FEHD will take decisive action to suspend processing of the relevant application or revoke the permission granted. To assist the industry in accurately understanding the relevant requirements, the FEHD has previously organised a number of briefing sessions. The department will also maintain communication with restaurant operators and property stakeholders, and provide appropriate assistance whilst ensuring compliance.
 
Operational status of the permitted food premises

As for the enquiries from the media regarding a few of food premises on the “List of Food Premises Permitted for Dog Entry” were found to have closed down or did not even exist, the FEHD clarified that the information was not align with the information obtained by the department. The FEHD verified the operational status of the applying food premises from two perspectives:

1. The licences of all the participating food premises were valid at the event of the open ballot.

2. ⁠A dedicated team from the FEHD visited each approved establishment. Even where a restaurant was not open for business at the time, the team proactively contacted the licence holders to confirm that they still required such permission before issuing the permits.
 
The FEHD pointed out that, it is a normal market occurrence for individual restaurants to find themselves in different operational situations due to business considerations; for example, they may be closed for renovation works, whilst licence transfer procedures are underway, or because staff are on leave, or they may even have ceased operations for any reason. Should an approved restaurant decide to cease operation permanently, withdraw the application for the relevant permit, or apply to revoke the permission, the FEHD respects the operator’s commercial decision. Their quotas will be allocated to the applicants on the waiting list in the order determined by the earlier ballot results. Once all procedures have been completed, the details of the newly added food premises will be promptly updated and uploaded to the dedicated webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html) to facilitate public search and selection.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Ballot applications will open on July 16 for free use of leisure facilities on Sport For All Day 2026.

Sport For All Day 2026 will be held on August 2, and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department will for the first time open leisure facilities for free public use on August 1 and 2.

The free-of-charge facilities are both indoor and outdoor, and include badminton courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, golf facilities, bowling greens and batting cages.

Those who possess the requisite qualification certificates can also use crafts at water sports centres. 

For use of free facilities on August 1, applications will run from July 16 to 19; for August 2, they will run from July 17 to 20.

Members of the public can apply via the SmartPLAY system as individual users. Each user can only make one application for each date, with each application covering a maximum of three choices. Each application will be processed independently.

Successful applicants will only be allocated one free session per day. They will be notified via the SmartPLAY system.

Public swimming pools, excluding Wan Chai Swimming Pool, will also be open for free, with no prior application required. Members of the public can line up at the entrances of swimming pools before the start of each session. Free admission is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, until capacity is full.

In addition, a series of free leisure activities will be launched on August 2 at designated sports centres across the city. The arrangements for distributing activity coupons will be announced this month.

A number of supporting organisations will also open their facilities or roll out leisure programmes for the public free of charge on August 1 and 2.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Registered Contractors’ Disciplinary Board has completed four disciplinary inquiries under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) and decided that two of the registered minor works contractors (RMWC) and their authorized signatories (AS) should be disciplined for having been negligent or having misconducted themselves in building works; one of the RMWC appointed as a qualified person (QP) under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme (MWIS) and its AS should be disciplined for failing to discharge the duties or abide by the requirements imposed on a QP under the BO, and the other RMWC should be disciplined for having been convicted by a court of offences related to building works.

     The Board’s written decisions and orders issued on June 24 were published in the Gazette today (July 10). Details are available at the following link:
      
     Case 1: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=28&notice_no=4135&extra=0     Case 2: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=28&notice_no=4136&extra=0     Case 3: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=28&notice_no=4134&extra=0     Case 4: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=28&notice_no=4133&extra=0     ​
     Moreover, in order to ensure building safety, the BD attaches great importance to the quality of the prescribed window inspection and repairs by a QP under the MWIS. Any QP who contravenes the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out the prescribed inspection and repair of windows under the MWIS is not only liable to criminal prosecution but also to disciplinary action under the BO. The BD will continue to conduct audit inspections to ensure the quality of prescribed inspections and repairs under the MWIS, the spokesperson added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Housing Bureau (HB) today (July 10) awarded the operation and management contract of the Light Public Housing (LPH) at Tsing Fat Street, Tuen Mun (Contract No. LPH20250010), to China Overseas Property Services Limited – Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Joint Venture, at tender sums of about $180.67 million.

     Located at Tsing Fat Street, Tuen Mun, the LPH project will provide about 4 200 units with tenant intake anticipated in the third quarter of this year. In order to ensure that the facilities and services of LPH meet the needs of residents and the community, this project provides a wide range of social services and retail facilities, including a supermarket, convenience stores, catering facilities, launderettes, a fresh provision shop, a hair salon and an activity room. Notably, in addition to a public transport terminus which can serve residents in the neighbourhood by providing public transport services to/from Tuen Mun town centre, Tuen Mun Road Bus-Bus Interchange and other destinations, there is also a promenade for public use within the project. Under the steer and supervision of the HB, the operating organisation will work at full capacity to carry out the pre-management works effectively in the coming months to ensure the smooth handling of LPH applications and intake matters, and to provide various services and ancillary facilities for the residents and local community immediately upon intake.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Two incoming air passengers were each sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment by the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (July 10) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) (Cap. 109). 

Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a special enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers. Two Mainland male passengers aged 30 and 33, arriving in Hong Kong from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were arrested at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (July 9). A total of about 130 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $590,000 and a duty potential of about $433,000, were seized from their personal baggage. 

Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public and travellers that under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080, its dedicated crime-reporting email account ​​(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region