Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Tsuen Wan this afternoon (January 14) in which a man died.
The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course – Company Law in Focus today (January 14):
Distinguished judges, ladies and gentlemen,
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Blackspot for illegal waste disposal on Yick Yuen Road, Tuen Mun successfully tackled through smart enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration Issued at HKT 11:30
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and Supreme People’s Court co-organise 2nd edition of Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course Issued at HKT 12:35
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Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The second edition of the Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course, co-organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), is being held from today to January 22.
Speaking at the course’s opening ceremony today, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam stressed that it is key to implementing the national policy of strengthening Mainland judges’ ability to handle foreign-related cases, in line with anticipated priorities in the 15th Five-Year Plan.
The Department of Justice highlighted that this year’s course builds on last year’s inaugural course and focuses on company law.
The course has attracted the participation of 24 senior judges from 22 courts on the Mainland – including the SPC and courts in 12 provinces and three directly-administered municipalities.
The department said the course will feature an in-depth exploration of Hong Kong’s robust company law framework through lectures, dialogue sessions and interactive exercises on topics such as company structures, guarantees and liquidations.
Speakers include leading Hong Kong legal scholars, experts and judges, who will share practical insights into the city’s common law system and company law.
With the Ceremonial Opening of the 2026 Legal Year taking place this month, the department said course participants will attend this important annual legal event, and will also visit courts and international legal institutions in Hong Kong to learn more about the city’s development as a legal hub and a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Secretary for Justice outlined that the last year’s course was the academy’s inaugural event following its launch in 2024, and that positive results had been recorded. He thanked the SPC for its continued support for and trust in the academy.
The department said the academy will continue to organise capacity-building programmes aimed at leveraging the unique advantages of the “one country, two systems” principle and Hong Kong’s common law system.
By doing so, it will promote judicial and legal exchanges and mutual learning between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and further contribute to the country’s efforts to develop foreign-related rule of law, the department added.
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
On the afternoon of January 13, President Lai Ching-te met with a Canadian parliamentary delegation. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Canadian parliament for its staunch, long-term support for Taiwan. The president noted that in recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and Canada in such areas as the economy and trade, technology, and maritime affairs has yielded substantial results. He expressed hope that Taiwan will continue to work hand in hand with Canada while coming together in solidarity and cooperating with democracies around the world to safeguard such universal values as freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a sincere welcome to you all. As we begin 2026, it is a great pleasure to meet with parliamentarians from Canada, who have traveled a long way to be with us. In particular, I remember meeting with Member of Parliament Melissa Lantsman, the leader of the delegation, during her visit to Taiwan in 2023. I am delighted to see you again.
I would like to thank the Canadian parliament for its staunch, long-term support for Taiwan. Many Canadian MPs took part in the publication of the parliament’s report on Taiwan-Canada relations and its 18 recommendations urging the government of Canada to strengthen ties with Taiwan. They have also supported Taiwan’s international participation and have pushed back against China’s distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. All of these actions have left a very deep impression.
Not long ago, China held large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, unilaterally escalating regional tensions. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Canadian government for issuing a statement expressing its concern and opposing any unilateral attempt to change the status quo. This once again demonstrates that maintaining the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is not only in the interest of all parties but is also the consensus of the international community.
Over the past three years, Taiwan and Canada have made concrete progress in such areas as the economy and trade, technology, and maritime affairs. This has included the signing of the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Arrangement. Bilateral relations continue to deepen and yield substantial results. Our economies and industries are highly complementary. As the world enters the new era of AI, we look forward to further advancing economic and trade collaboration. In particular, the signing of a bilateral trade cooperation framework agreement at the earliest possible juncture would do much to benefit the industries and peoples of our nations.
Confronted by China’s military threats against neighboring countries, we deeply believe that peace is priceless, and war has no winners; we stand firm by the principle of peace through strength; and we are taking concrete action, demonstrating to the world Taiwan’s resolve for self-defense. Last year, I announced that Taiwan’s defense spending, as defined by NATO, would reach 3.32 percent of GDP this year – an unprecedented high. And we expect to increase this to 5 percent by 2030. In addition, Taiwan looks forward to coming together in solidarity and cooperating with democracies around the world to safeguard such universal values as freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights.
I once again welcome you all to Taiwan and wish you a successful trip. May the friendship between Taiwan and Canada grow even deeper and stronger.
Member of Parliament Lantsman then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and the administration for welcoming them and mentioning that it is a pleasure to return to Taiwan and meet with the president. She said that their parliamentary delegation values Taiwan as a trusted, indispensable partner, an innovative economy, a resilient democracy, and a free society that contributes meaningfully to the global community, despite persistent efforts to exclude or isolate it.
Member of Parliament Lantsman stated that the delegation is here with a clear purpose, that is, to say to Taiwan and the people of Taiwan that they have friends in the Canadian parliament, and to listen, learn from Taiwan’s experience, and ask how they can do more practically, constructively, and consistently to support Taiwan and deepen our cooperation.
Member of Parliament Lantsman said that she sees significant opportunities to strengthen collaboration on trade, energy security, supply chain resilience, advanced manufacturing, innovation, and people-to-people ties. Expressing their belief that Taiwan should be able to participate in international forums, she said that such participation should reflect real expertise and real contributions, not the political veto of an authoritarian power that fears transparency and freedom around the world.
Member of Parliament Lantsman pointed out that there are many within the House of Commons across party lines who have advocated for many years for the strengthening of the partnership with Taiwan. She added that they have all been deeply concerned by the growing threats both our societies face from transnational repression, from coercive economic practices, and from state-directed disinformation campaigns. She noted that these are not abstract challenges – these are deliberate strategies used to intimidate democracies, silence critics, and distort public debate, and they welcome closer cooperation with Taiwan and with civil society in Taiwan to expose and counter these threats wherever they may occur.
Member of Parliament Lantsman stated that they also recognize the intensified and aggressive authoritarian pressure that Taiwan faces beyond its borders, and that Canada rejects the normalization of intimidation, military coercion, and attempts to rewrite international norms through force. They believe, she emphasized, that economic, institutional, and societal resilience is built through strong partnerships that are also grounded in freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.
Member of Parliament Lantsman said that this visit reflects the belief that engagement, dialogue, and consistency matter, and that parliamentary relationships play a very critical role. She said that they look forward to a very fruitful conversation and to hearing about where Canadian support can be most useful, credible, and effective, and in closing mentioned that she looks forward to a future where the better days are ahead in a relationship that grows.
The delegation also included Members of Parliament Adam Chambers and Shelby Kramp-Neuman.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Closure of Shau Kei Wan Market Roof-top Children’s Playground and Shau Kei Wan Market Building Sitting-out AreaIssued at HKT 11:30
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs strengthens enforcement against unlicensed money services on social media platforms
During the investigation of the unlicensed money service operations, Customs discovered that in four cases, the bank accounts involved had frequent and substantial transactions of unknown sources. Upon detailed investigations, Customs arrested four bank account holders suspected of using unlicensed money services to launder money. One of the bank account holders had earlier been charged with two counts of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence” (commonly known as money laundering), and was convicted and sentenced to 54 months of imprisonment by the court.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement to crack down on unlicensed money service operations. Customs reminds consumers to procure services from licensed money service operators. A register of licensees is accessible from the website of Customs’ Money Service Operators Licensing System at eservices.customs.gov.hk/MSOS/wsrh/001s1?request_locale=en
Under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, a person who wishes to operate a remittance or money changing service such as operating an electronic wallet top‑up service involving currency exchange needs to first obtain a licence from the Customs and Excise Department. The maximum penalty for such operators without a valid licence upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected unlicensed money service operation to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:55
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Entries invited for Hong Kong Flower Show plant exhibit competition
The competition will be divided into 13 sections, including orchid, Chinese cymbidium, potted plant, cactus and succulent, foliage and carnivorous plant, African violet, bonsai-type plant, floral arrangement in Western style and Oriental style, floral art by school children, primary and secondary school potted plant growing/nursing, and a school garden plot competition.
Participants can enrol through the HKFS webpage at www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2026/exhibits.html
The HKFS is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting the HKFS for the 14th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
Issued at HKT 11:45
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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Development Bureau imposes regulating action on contractor involved in fatal industrial incident at private development project construction site in Kai Tak
The DEVB, being the party to procure services for public works, attaches great importance to the site safety performance of all construction sites under the purview of contractors on the List, regardless of whether the sites are public works construction sites or not. The DEVB issued a notification to the contractor concerned today to suspend it from tendering for public works contracts in the land piling category with immediate effect pursuant to the regulating regime. The contractor concerned has to conduct an independent safety audit to review its safety management system. Taking cognisance of the outcome of the independent safety audit, the contractor is required to submit an improvement action plan and implement improvement measures, with a view to demonstrating that it has an effective safety management system before the lifting of the suspension from tendering can be considered. The suspension from tendering is not only confined to tender exercises within the period of suspension from tendering, but is also applicable to tender exercises with procedures initiated but not concluded.
The Labour Department is investigating this industrial incident and will handle it in accordance with the law. Subject to the investigation findings, the DEVB may impose further regulating actions on the contractor concerned later on, including extension of the period of suspension from tendering for public works contracts and even removal from the List.
Issued at HKT 17:26
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