Category: MIL-OSI

Hong Kong Museum of Art receives another donation of $90 million from Wu Guanzhong’s son       
     In 2024, the HKMoA established the Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship with the initial $100 million donation, comprehensively promoting Wu Guanzhong’s art and modern Chinese art to diverse audiences across various regions. Six major series have been launched, including local and overseas exhibitions, educational programmes, and academic research initiatives. Mr Wu Keyu stated that since the establishment of the special fund, the HKMoA has enhanced its promotion of Wu Guanzhong’s art, and its tireless efforts in advancing art education have deeply moved him. He hopes that through this contribution, the fund’s strength can be further enhanced, enabling art promotion work to reach greater depth and breadth. The HKMoA thanks Wu Guanzhong and his family for their trust and support over the years, allowing the public to deeply appreciate the essence of the master’s art.
      
     Wu Guanzhong (1919 – 2010) was a leading figure in 20th-century Chinese and international art. He had deep connections with Hong Kong, having hosted multiple exhibitions and events here and even visiting Hong Kong’s streets for sketching inspiration. Over the years, the HKMoA has benefited from generous donations by Wu Guanzhong and his family. To date, the Museum has accumulated over 450 works and personal archives, making it the institution with the largest and most diverse collection of Wu Guanzhong’s art.
      
     Since the establishment of the sponsorship, the HKMoA has held numerous exhibitions. Among them, “Wu Guanzhong: Between Black and White”, running from March 2024 to March 2025, received widespread acclaim, attracting more than 570 000 visitors. Last year, from July to October, the Museum showcased the master’s works at the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum of the Seoul Arts Center, promoting Wu Guanzhong’s art to international audiences and fostering cultural exchanges between the two regions. Currently, the exhibition “Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Thematic Exhibition Series: Wu Guanzhong: Encountering Landscapes” is taking place on the fourth floor of the Museum, featuring valuable sketches, ink, and oil paintings – nearly half of which are being displayed for the first time since their donation to the Museum.
      
     To enable more audiences to become acquainted with this art master, the Museum has launched the “Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Educational Series: Art Journey with Wu Guanzhong: Mobile Museum”. The art bus uses multimedia devices and interactive games to promote Wu Guanzhong’s art and aesthetic principles. Over the next two years, the Mobile Museum will visit more than 140 local primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong and will also stop at various cultural venues and recreational spaces. Furthermore, the Academic Research Series, “Wu Guanzhong Paintings and Personal Archives in the Hong Kong Museum of Art”, compiles over 450 sets of Wu Guanzhong’s works and personal archives. In addition to being available for sale at the Museum gift shop, the catalogue will be distributed free of charge to secondary schools across Hong Kong for educational purposes.
      
     For details on the various exhibitions and activities related to the Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Series, please visit: hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events.htmlIssued at HKT 17:38

Applications for Bun Scrambling Competition on Cheung Chau to close next Friday 
     The maximum capacity for the Competition is 200 participants. Places will be allocated by ballot via the SmartPLAY system. Applicants who reside in, work or study on Cheung Chau will be accorded priority in the ballot.
 
     Applicants should complete the user registration and identity authentication at SmartPLAY and make their e-ballot applications via the system’s mobile app (My SmartPLAY), website (www.smartplay.lcsd.gov.hk/home 
     All selected applicants are required to complete safety training sessions on bun tower climbing and prevention of falls on April 12 in order to qualify for the final selection exercise of the Competition on April 26. At the selection exercise, the 24 contestants recording the shortest time in the preliminary round (including no fewer than six female participants) will be eligible to enter the semi-final on the same day to compete for the 12 finalist places (including no fewer than three female participants).
 
     The 12 finalists will enter the Bun Scrambling Final on May 24 night. Trophies will be awarded to the champion as well as the first and second runners-up in the men’s division, and to the champion in the women’s division. The contestant who bags the highest number of buns within the time limit will win the “Full Pockets of Lucky Buns” prize.
 
     To recognise the outstanding performance of the winners and enhance the atmosphere of the event, the male or female athlete who has been the champion for three times in the Competition since 2016 will become the “King of Kings” or the “Queen of Queens” and be awarded a trophy.
 
     The 2026 Bun Carnival is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Besides the Competition, the Bun Tower Climbing Team Relay will be held on May 10 morning. Local tertiary institutions, Government Departments, public utilities as well as commercial and industrial organisations will be invited to join. At the Climbing Carnival to be held in the afternoon of May 10, there will be bun tower climbing activities, game stalls, handicraft-making activities and variety shows. A Wishing Bun Tower will be set up. The winning entries of the Student Drawing Competitions will also be displayed. Members of the public are welcome to enjoy the carnival fun.
  
     Details of the events are available at the SmartPLAY website, the mobile app (My SmartPLAY) and the 2026 Bun Carnival dedicated website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/bun/index.htmlIssued at HKT 12:00

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit goods worth about $1.3 million (with photo)      
     Based on risk assessment, Customs examined an outbound air cargo consignment, declared as car player converters, at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound at HKIA. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected counterfeit goods therein, including footwear, bags and clothing.
      
     An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected counterfeit goods would have been exported to overseas regions.
      
     Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against counterfeit goods and smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
      
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:40

CE holds engagement sessions with HKSAR deputies to NPC and HKSAR members of National Committee of CPPCC  
　　Mr Lee said that the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, as important members of the country’s institutions, serve as a crucial bridge connecting the Mainland and Hong Kong. He noted that the current-term HKSAR Government has established a regular exchange mechanism with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to pool their strengths in contributing to Hong Kong’s further integration into and service of national development.
 
　　Mr Lee thanked the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC for their active contributions of insights and suggestions, and for engaging in in-depth discussions on Hong Kong’s economic and social development opportunities during the National 15th Five-Year Plan period. Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will lead Hong Kong in proactively aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, and making every effort to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent. The HKSAR Government will work hand in hand with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC to contribute to Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability.
Issued at HKT 18:45

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CFS announces food safety report for January      
     A CFS spokesman said that about 600 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 2 000 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
      
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation-level tests included testing for radioactive caesium and iodine in samples collected from imported food from different regions.
      
     The samples comprised about 1 000 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 100 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 300 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 300 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 300 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 600 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
      
     The four unsatisfactory samples comprised a jade melon sample detected with a metallic contaminant exceeding the legal limit; a snow pea sample and a spinach sample detected with pesticide residues exceeding the legal limits; and a tuna sample found with malachite green.
      
     The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items, and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
      
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
      
     Separately, in response to the Japanese Government’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the CFS will continue enhancing the testing on imported Japanese food, and make reference to the risk assessment results to adjust relevant surveillance work in a timely manner. The CFS will announce every working day on its dedicated webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/daily_japan_nuclear_incidents.htmlIssued at HKT 16:45

Three other new drugs approved for registration under “1+” mechanism      
Three new drugs approved
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      The “1+” mechanism has been implemented since November 1, 2023, to facilitate the registration of new drugs used for the treatment of life-threatening or severely debilitating diseases in Hong Kong. With effect from November 1, 2024, the “1+” mechanism has been extended to all new drugs, including all new chemical or biological entities and new indications, and vaccines and advanced therapy products. New drugs that are supported by local clinical data and recognised by local experts can be applied for registration in Hong Kong by submitting evidence of approval from one reference drug regulatory authority (instead of two in the past).
      
     The above new drug used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration, while the other two have been approved by the regulatory authority of the United States and submitted for registration applications under the “1+” mechanism. Having evaluated the clinical data and relevant information submitted by the applicants and advice given by local experts, the Registration Committee under the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong considered that the new drugs satisfied the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality, and approved the registration of the new drugs. The Department of Health (DH) has already notified the applicants of the results of their applications.
      
Paving the way towards primary evaluation
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     Since the implementation of the “1+” mechanism, a total of 19 new drugs, including the above three drugs, have been approved under this mechanism. Seven of them have been listed in the Hospital Authority Drug Formulary. The DH has been promoting the “1+” mechanism through different channels and has so far received more than 770 enquiries from around 200 pharmaceutical companies, including those from overseas and the Mainland. Many companies have expressed interest in submitting applications for registration of their products, including advanced therapy products, under the extended “1+” mechanism. Since the launch of the pre-new drug application consultation service in March last year, the DH has already held a number of briefing seminars and workshops. The DH has also rolled out pre-new drug application meetings since December last year to enhance efficiency in processing relevant applications.
      
     “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” announced that the Government will accelerate the reform of the regulatory system of drugs and medical devices, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international health and medical innovation hub. The DH will expedite the “1+” mechanism for new drugs, piloting priority evaluation and approval of innovative drugs as recommended by the Hospital Authority for treatment of severe or rare diseases and to accelerate patients’ use of the advanced treatments. The DH will establish the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation by the end of 2026, and implement “primary evaluation” for new drug registration in phases beginning in 2026. The DH will continue to proactively advance preparatory work for “primary evaluation” for new drug registration and progressively establish a robust approval system, providing strong momentum for the development and market expansion of the healthcare industry in the HKSAR, the Mainland, and beyond, thereby transforming Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.
Issued at HKT 18:50

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Monetary Statistics for January 2026      
     Total loans and advances increased by 1.1 per cent in January. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) and loans for use outside Hong Kong increased by 0.7 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively in January. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 72.3 per cent at the end of January from 72.9 per cent at the end of December, as Hong Kong dollar deposits increased at a faster pace than Hong Kong dollar loans.
      
     Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both increased by 1.1 per cent in January, and both increased by 3.8 per cent when compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 increased by 2.6 per cent in January, and increased by 16.9 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and total M3 both remained virtually unchanged in January. Compared to a year earlier, total M2 and total M3 increased by 9.9 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively.  
      
     As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.
Issued at HKT 16:45

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Government appoints directors to HKEX Board      
     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “Mr Clement Chan possesses extensive experience in the financial services industry, particularly in the accounting and auditing sector, and has broad participation in public service relating to the securities and futures market. He will be able to support the HKEX in promoting the high-quality and sustainable development of the market.”
      
     Mr Paul Chan also expressed his sincere gratitude to the retiring director, Mrs Susan Chow, for her contribution to the development of the HKEX over the years. 
      
     The above appointments are made in accordance with Section 77 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance. The Board of Directors of the HKEX comprises a maximum of six directors appointed by the Financial Secretary, a maximum of six directors elected by shareholders, and the Chief Executive of the HKEX. Other incumbent directors appointed by the Financial Secretary are Mr Carlson Tong Ka-shing, Mr Joseph Yam Chi-kwong and Ms Ding Chen.
Issued at HKT 17:00

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Tender for re-opening of 1-year RMB HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds to be held on March 5