Category: MIL-OSI

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Housing Bureau reminds owners of Wang Fuk Court to return “Letter of Acceptance” before deadline

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Housing Bureau today (August 25) reminded owners of the eight buildings from Blocks A to H of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to sign and return the “Letter of Acceptance” at or before 5pm on August 31 if they accept the Government’s acquisition offer.
 
     Owners may submit the duly signed “Letter of Acceptance” with the return envelope enclosed with the “Letter of Offer” by post, by hand or by courier to the following address:
 
     Housing Bureau, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government
     c/o Wang Fuk Court Property Rights Acquisition Limited
     1/F, Block 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Headquarters,
     33 Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong
 
     For owners who opt to send the return by post, the postmark date will be taken as the submission date. Owners must therefore send their return by post before the cut-off time ends on August 31 to ensure the envelope is postmarked with that date. Owners may also choose to submit the return in person to the drop-off box at the above address at or before 5pm on August 31, or hand it over to their designated Engagement Team member.

     A spokesman of the Housing Bureau said that in handling the long-term housing arrangement plan for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po (long-term plan), the Government has consistently prioritised empathy as its guiding principle. In setting the acquisition price, the Government takes into account that the residents have lost their homes and suffered significant losses, and their difficult circumstances warrant the understanding and support from society. In addition, the scale and impact of the Wang Fuk Court fire are unprecedented in Hong Kong. The arrangements made for this “special case of exceptional nature” will not constitute a precedent. Therefore, the current acquisition price is about 30 per cent higher than the pre-fire market transaction prices of Wang Fuk Court as assessed by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, with a view to enabling Wang Fuk Court owners to secure long-term housing. As reflected in the acquisition figures, the vast majority of owners welcome the Government’s proposal.
 
     The spokesman said that after the deadline of the long-term plan (i.e. August 31), the unsold titles will be reverted to and be handled through the market mechanism, and owners will inevitably have to bear the risks of not selling their flats before that deadline. The Government does not rule out the need to ultimately handle the unsold flat titles through legislative means.
 
     The Government has reserved over 4 400 flats in a total of 10 development projects of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) for owners who have sold their titles of Wang Fuk Court flats to the Government to purchase or to participate in the “Flat-for-Flat” arrangement.
 
     The flat selection priority under the Special Sales Exercise will be determined in batches according to the date on which the duly signed “Letter of Acceptance” from the owners is received by the Government. The deadline for the first batch is June 30, and the deadline for the second batch is August 31. The flat selection order for applicants within the same batch will be further determined by their sequence as drawn in a ballot. The ballot and flat selection under the Special Sales Exercise will commence in September.
 
     The Housing Bureau reminds Wang Fuk Court owners that if they have returned the “Letter of Acceptance” but have not yet signed the Agreement for Sale and Purchase, they may still participate in the ballot according to their respective batches. For owners who have already signed the Agreement for Sale and Purchase, thereby legally confirming the sale of their titles to the Government, they will be invited for flat selection. If the titles of the Wang Fuk Court flats have not yet been assigned to the Government, a new flat under the Special Sales Exercise will only be reserved for the owners during the flat selection stage. The HA/HKHS will enter into an Agreement for Sale and Purchase or a Provisional Agreement for Sale and Purchase with the owners for the purchase of the new flat only after the completion and execution of assignment.
 
     The Engagement Team co-ordinated by the Housing Bureau will continue to communicate with Wang Fuk Court owners. If owners have any enquiries, they may contact their designated Engagement Team member or call the hotline at 2129 8133. Owners may also visit the dedicated website for the Wang Fuk Court long-term housing arrangements plan (www.hb.gov.hk/wfc) for further details.

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Auction of vehicle registration marks to be held on September 12

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 25) announced that the auction of vehicle registration marks will be held on September 12 (Saturday) at Meeting Room S221, L2, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     “A total of 100 personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be put up for public auction in the morning session, and 220 traditional vehicle registration marks (TVRMs) will be put up for auction in the afternoon session. The lists of marks have been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. Any bidder who wishes to bid for both TVRMs and PVRMs on the same day, should bring along at least two crossed cheques for payment of auction prices (for an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed). Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.

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Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and Peru to enter into force on September 1

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and Peru to enter into force on September 1                
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “Peru is an important trading partner of Hong Kong in Latin America. The FTA encompasses trade in goods, trade in services, investment, electronic commerce, and other related areas. The overall commitments in the FTA go beyond those undertaken by the two economies respectively under the World Trade Organization, which will enhance bilateral trade and investment.
                
     “This is Hong Kong’s second free trade agreement forged with a Latin American economy, fully demonstrating Hong Kong’s commitment to forging closer economic partnerships with trading partners in the Latin American region. The FTA will provide a favourable platform for Hong Kong’s traders and investors to expand their business in Peru and explore business opportunities in other Latin American markets through Peru,” he added.
                
     On trade in goods, Peru will eliminate tariffs on approximately 98.3 per cent of its tariff lines for Hong Kong-origin exports to Peru, among which tariff elimination concerning 91.3 per cent of the tariff lines will take immediate effect upon the entry into force of the FTA, while tariffs on the remaining 7 per cent of tariff lines will be phased out gradually. The competitiveness of Hong Kong products exported to Peru will be enhanced. Apart from preferential tariffs, the trade can also benefit from trade facilitation measures and reduction of trade barriers.
                
      On trade in services, Hong Kong service providers will enjoy benefits in over 150 services sectors in which Peru has made specific commitments under the FTA. These commitments cover sectors where Hong Kong has traditional strengths or has potential for development, including professional services, computer and related services, research and development services, financial services, and transport services.
                
     As regards investment, Peru will accord Hong Kong investors national treatment as specified in the FTA. To further enhance investment flows between Hong Kong and Peru, negotiation of an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) has been concluded between the two places. The IPPA will be signed after the completion of respective necessary internal procedures.
                
     “We will continue to actively forge FTAs and IPPAs with more trading partners to expand economic and trade networks, with a view to consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre and investment hub, and playing its role as a ‘super connector’ and ‘super value-adder’,” Mr Yau added. 
                
     Details of the FTA, including its full text, are available on the Trade and Industry Department (TID)’s website (www.tid.gov.hk/en/our_work/trade_and_investment_agreements/ftas/peru.html                
     Including the FTA with Peru, Hong Kong has so far signed nine FTAs with 21 economies, namely the Chinese Mainland, New Zealand, the member states of the European Free Trade Association (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Chile, Macao, the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam), Georgia, Australia and Peru.
Issued at HKT 15:52

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Adjustment in ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations in September 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Adjustment in ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations in September 2026

Location of
Dedicated
LPG Filling StationCeiling Price in
September 2026
(HK$/litre)Ceiling Price in
August 2026
(HK$/litre)     The spokesman said that the details of the LPG international price and the auto-LPG ceiling price for each dedicated LPG filling station had been uploaded to the EMSD website (www.emsd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 11:00

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HK-Peru pact effective Sept 1

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Trade & Industry Department announced today that the Free Trade Agreement (FPA) signed between Hong Kong and Peru will enter into force on September 1.

Speaking on the announcement, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau noted that the FTA will provide a favourable platform for Hong Kong’s traders and investors to expand their businesses in Peru, while exploring broader business opportunities across other Latin American markets.

“The FTA encompasses trade in goods, trade in services, investment, electronic commerce, and other related areas. The overall commitments in the FTA go beyond those undertaken by the two economies respectively under the World Trade Organization, which will enhance bilateral trade and investment,” Mr Yau added.

Under the agreement, Peru will eliminate tariffs on approximately 98.3% of its tariff lines for Hong Kong-origin exports. Tariff elimination concerning 91.3% of the tariff lines will take immediate effect upon the FTA entering into force, while tariffs on the remaining 7% will be phased out gradually.

Apart from preferential tariffs, trade participants will benefit from enhanced trade facilitation measures and a reduction of trade barriers.

Regarding trade in services, Hong Kong service providers will enjoy benefits across more than 150 services sectors in which Peru has made specific commitments. The designated sectors cover professional services, computer and related services, research and development services, financial services and transport services.

In terms of investment, Peru will accord Hong Kong investors national treatment as specified in the FTA. An Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement will be signed once the necessary internal procedures are finalised.

This is Hong Kong’s second free trade agreement forged with a Latin American economy. To date, Hong Kong has signed nine FTAs with 21 economies.

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FEHD expands niche allocation

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has accepted recommendations from the Ombudsman’s Office regarding public niche allocations.

The department noted that public niche allocations have already been standardised and enhanced through this monthly arrangement. It will carefully study the Office’s remaining recommendations to further improve service quality.

The FEHD explained that transitioning to a monthly allocation depends largely on whether the necessary conditions are met at the time. Following the 2020 completion of the Tsang Tsui Columbarium in Tuen Mun – which provided 160,000 niches – the department launched a pilot monthly allocation system for public convenience.

With more public columbaria completed in recent years, including the Shek Mun Columbarium in late 2025, the overall supply of public niches has remained ample, generally eliminating the need to wait for allocations.

Building on the success of the Tsang Tsui pilot, the department determined the time was right to extend monthly allocations to all four columbaria offering new extendable niches: Tsang Tsui Columbarium in Tuen Mun, Wo Hop Shek Columbarium Phase VI in Fanling, Cape Collinson-San Ha Columbarium in Eastern District, and Shek Mun Columbarium in Sha Tin.

Announced in March and implemented on August 1, the enhanced arrangement now releases over 1,600 extendable public niches each month. Balloting applicants receive results on the same day via SMS or email. Those not allocated a niche at their preferred location are automatically assigned one at Tsang Tsui.

The department emphasised that public niches are limited and precious resources. The new arrangement satisfies overall demand while balancing public preferences against venue capacities. This approach maintains a stable medium- to long-term supply, ensuring future applicants continue to have  choices.

The FEHD will closely monitor application numbers and make timely adjustments as needed. 

Reiterating its commitment to community needs and high standards, the department added that alongside streamlining procedures and optimising resources, it will continue promoting green burials and elevating funeral service quality.

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CM hospital service to expand

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Health Bureau and the operator of The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong today announced the hospital’s service expansion plan, which includes launching 24-hour inpatient services on December 11 and introducing 10 additional special disease programmes by the end of the year.

Speaking on the development, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said that the hospital has made good progress in various areas, including healthcare services, training and education, research, collaboration and creating health values, since its service commencement last year.

Prof Lo noted that the provision of 24-hour inpatient services commencing in mid-December will further advance Hong Kong’s Chinese medicine services from primary healthcare to secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

The hospital will roll out its 24-hour inpatient services in phases starting from December 11, covering both government-subsidised and market-oriented services. In the first phase, the hospital will provide 93 inpatient beds, 20 beds under its Clinical Trial & Research Centre, and two high dependency beds. By the end of 2030, the hospital will provide a total of 400 beds.

Outpatient and day-inpatient services will also expand progressively. The hospital’s annual outpatient service volume is expected to rise from 140,000 attendances in the first year to over 260,000 in the second year of operation while day-patient capacity will increase from 25 beds to 35 beds.

Radiological diagnostic and pathology laboratory services will be strengthened concurrently.

Separately, following the introduction of the Post-stroke Care Programme and the Low Back Pain Care Programme in July, the hospital will launch 10 additional special disease programmes in September and November. Other special disease programmes will be rolled out progressively.

The coverage under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme will be extended to the hospital’s inpatient services starting next year. Insurance companies will launch Certified Plans (Chinese Medicine) to provide an additional insurance option for members of the public who already hold Western medicine-based inpatient coverage.

There will be two types of Certified Plans (Chinese Medicine), namely the Standard Plan (Chinese Medicine), which covers the minimum compliance requirements, and the Flexi Plan (Chinese Medicine), which offers additional protection. All insurance companies in the scheme will be required to offer at least one Standard Plan (Chinese Medicine) for consumers’ choice, with the relevant products targeted to roll out in phases starting from March 2027.

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Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers (with photo)     ​
     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.hkIssued at HKT 18:30

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SJ leads cross-professional delegation to begin visit to Xinjiang

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SJ leads cross-professional delegation to begin visit to Xinjiang  
     Mr Lam attended the Exchange Meeting on Opportunities and Strategies for Chinese Enterprises “Going Global” and the Opening Ceremony of the Hong Kong Common Law and Dispute Resolution Practical Training Course organised by the Academy in the morning. He delivered his opening remarks and gave a keynote speech briefing the participants on the principle of “one country, two systems” and Hong Kong’s common law system.
 
     Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr Lam said that Xinjiang serves as a pivotal gateway, connecting Mainland enterprises to Central Asia and extending their reach into Europe. In recent years, its foreign trade volume has repeatedly surpassed the RMB100 billion mark. As cross-border trade and investment become increasingly frequent, enterprises face a complex and ever-changing international landscape alongside rigorous compliance requirements, making professional legal services crucial to their overseas expansion. This practical training course was timely as it focused on the opportunities and risks associated with Chinese enterprises going global. The course covered three core themes – the unique value of the “one country, two systems” principle and Hong Kong’s common law system; Hong Kong court litigation procedures and international arbitration practices; and practical issues and arbitration clauses relevant to Chinese enterprises expanding into Central Asia – all designed to help Mainland enterprises understand and leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages and professional services as they navigate global markets.
 
     Mr Lam then attended a plaque-unveiling ceremony of a partnership association set up between Urumqi, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong law firms, witnessing further exchanges and professional collaboration between the legal sectors of the two places.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Lam met the Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee, Mr Chen Xiaojiang, for a lunch meeting to brief him on the latest progress of Hong Kong’s work on aligning with the country’s planning. They also exchanged views on strengthening co-operation between the two places.

     Mr Lam also met with the Party Secretary of the Department of Justice of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Mr Liu Jiansheng, and the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director-General of the Department of Justice of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Mr Naibijiang Yibulayimu, to discuss topics such as further promoting the training, exchange and co-operation of legal professionals between Xinjiang and Hong Kong, as well as how Hong Kong’s professional services can assist Xinjiang enterprises in going global. 
     Mr Lam and the delegation will depart for Almaty, Kazakhstan, tomorrow (August 25) to continue their visit.
Issued at HKT 18:40

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Commissioner of Customs and Excise visits Dalian and Qingdao and attends APEC Customs-Business Dialogue

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Commissioner of Customs and Excise visits Dalian and Qingdao and attends APEC Customs-Business Dialogue       
     Coinciding with this year being the APEC “China Year” and with the nation hosting the meetings, Mr Chan led a delegation on August 20 to attend the Strategic Dialogue and related events of the APEC Customs-Business Dialogue, engaging in in-depth discussions with Mainland officials, Customs leaders from APEC economies, and business representatives on championing technology and innovation, as well as building smart Customs co-operation partnerships.
      
     On the sidelines of the Dialogue, Mr Chan met with the Director General of the National Customs Service of the Republic of Chile, Ms Alejandra Arriaza Loeb, and signed the Customs Co-operative Arrangement to strengthen co-operation on information exchanges in combating transnational crimes, and to promote closer ties in trade facilitation. Hong Kong Customs has so far signed 36 similar arrangements with customs administrations worldwide. The signing of the Arrangement signifies the continuous effort of Hong Kong Customs in promoting international customs co-operation and fostering multilateral trade.
      
     In addition, Mr Chan also met with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), Ms Sun Meijun, in Dalian to exchange views on further deepening collaboration between Mainland Customs and Hong Kong Customs. He expressed gratitude to the GACC for their consistent and strong support for the work of Hong Kong Customs at the meeting.
      
     During the visit to Dalian and Qingdao, Mr Chan met with the Deputy Director General of the Dalian Customs District, Mr Wen Siquan, and the Director General of the Qingdao Customs District, Mr Shen Yang, respectively. He also conducted on-site visits to local customs facilities, including the Dayaowan Customs House of the Dalian Customs District, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport and the automated terminal of Qingdao Port, to learn about local Customs clearance procedures and advanced regulatory technology.
      
     Mr Chan stated that Hong Kong Customs will continue to actively promote the development of Smart Customs and leverage innovative technology to enhance trade facilitation and safeguard the gateway of the country, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the country and regional economic and trade prosperity.
Issued at HKT 18:55

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