Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government Flying Service Aviation Inspiration International Academy (GAIIA) has been established, marking Hong Kong’s first aviation initiative to unite the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee, to provide aviation professional training for young people and inspire them to serve the city with their aviation expertise.

Officiating at the inauguration ceremony today, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said Hong Kong’s strategic importance as an aviation gateway continues to grow as the city deepens its integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

He pointed out that the academy arrives at precisely the right moment, grooming dedicated professionals for maintaining Hong Kong’s competitive edge, further excelling Hong Kong’s public aviation service, while contributing to the broader development of the nation’s aviation capabilities.

The academy connects the youth with the aviation industry through the Government Flying Service (GFS) professional resources and operational expertise. It also offers students exposure to search and rescue, emergency medical services, hill fire-fighting, law enforcement support, etc.

Over 500 teachers and students from local, Mainland and international universities joined the ceremony.

The GFS also held an open day at its Kai Tak Division today to promote National Security Education Day.

The event aims to raise public awareness of national security and deepen their understanding of GFS services, as well as its work and achievements in safeguarding national security.

More than 1,600 visitors joined the open day, including Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong and Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung.

Interactive exhibition boards, national security-themed game booths, virtual-reality and augmented-reality games, as well as a discovery zone hosted by the GAIIA, were set up to give members of the public a better understanding of the GFS’ operation. 

The concluding performance featured a helicopter search-and-rescue flight demonstration, which simulated a maritime rescue operation, to illustrate emergency response efforts by the GFS during life-saving missions. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki will lead the research task force set up by the Working Group on Planning & Construction of the University Town under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis to visit Zhejiang, Beijing, and the Xiong’an New Area in Hebei tomorrow.

The delegation will conduct site visits to local higher education infrastructure and exchange views with university experts and scholars on their successful experiences and development strategies, to efficiently advance the construction of the Northern Metropolis University Town.

Members of the delegation include Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin, Chief Executive’s Policy Unit Head Stephen Wong, Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan, Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office Director Linda So and representatives from other working group members.

The delegation will tour local higher education campuses and university towns and exchange views with officials, experts and scholars on the operation and development, and the industry-education collaboration of the campuses.

In addition, the delegation will visit the local Department of Education and exchange views on strengthening education co-operation.

Mr Chan and Ms Choi will return to Hong Kong on Thursday and Friday respectively.

During Mr Chan’s absence, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing will be Acting Chief Secretary. During Ms Choi’s absence, Under Secretary for Education Sze Chun-fai will be Acting Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Police today announced that the issuance service of the Certificate of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) will be further enhanced from tomorrow, in which eligible applicants may complete the application procedure without the need to submit fingerprints.

The issuance of the CNCC is a charged service provided by the Police Force, solely for the purpose of applications for various types of visas, such as visit, student or resident visas, or for the adoption of children.

Currently, all applicants are required to schedule appointments for fingerprinting at the CNCC Office or nine designated police stations.

From tomorrow, if an applicant is submitting the application via the Hong Kong Police Force Online Applications Platform using their “iAM Smart” account and the purpose of the application is not related to matters concerning children or mentally incapacitated persons, the application procedure can be completed without submitting fingerprints. The processing time will be reduced to 15 days from 28 days.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Ms Lui, an Old Age Living Allowance recipient aged 66, is a participant in the Community Dental Support Programme (CDSP). This allows her to visit a dental clinic and receive a check-up, which includes scaling and X-ray assessments.

Launched by the Government in collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the programme provides subsidised dental services to financially underprivileged members of the community.

Financial relief

Ms Lui has long been troubled by dental cavities and diastema. She previously received treatment on the private sector but found that the fees were prohibitively expensive. As a St James’ Settlement service recipient, she learned about the CDSP through a social worker and successfully applied to enrol in it.

“The programme has really helped relieve my financial burden. The dentist here also explained in great detail how I should take care of my teeth.”

Encouraging participation

St James’ Settlement Senior Manager Mandy Au Yeung explained that the organisation’s staff proactively enquire about service users’ circumstances. If they meet the eligibility criteria, they are urged to apply to join the programme.

The NGO also displays leaflets and posters at its two dental clinics and various service units to raise awareness of the programme and encourage people to recommend it to potential beneficiaries.

Expanding scope

Department of Health Community Dental Service Senior Dental Officer Dr Rico Chu said the Government aims to encourage prevention, early identification and timely intervention when it comes to dental diseases, thereby enhancing both oral health and general health among citizens. As of March 4, more than 10,000 eligible persons had received subsidised dental services via the CDSP. This included inserting 14,035 dental fillings and conducting 4,939 extractions.

From the beginning of this year, the programme has been expanded to cover four additional services, namely dental scaling, root canal treatments, the removal of bridges and crowns, and fittings of removable dentures. Coverage has also been extended to include homeless individuals.

“With the new services and expansion of the service beneficiaries, we are expecting to provide an additional service capacity of about 40,000 participants each year, further enhancing dental services for the underprivileged with financial difficulties and expanding the scope of subsidised preventive and curative dental service.” 

Costs shared

The programme adopts a cost-sharing model that takes into account the affordability of services to users while also recognising the need to encourage personal responsibility in health management. Treatment plans are devised with regard to actual clinical needs and the feasibility of treatments.

Currently, the programme operates more than 80 service points, run by 32 different NGOs. The Government will continue to monitor service usage and demand, and will periodically review the programme.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

To further enhancing aviation safety, the Civil Aviation Department today issued new regulations with immediate effect, allowing each air passenger to carry on board a maximum of two lithium battery power banks, and strictly prohibiting recharging of the devices during the flight.

In view of the latest requirements announced by the International Civil Aviation Organization regarding the carriage and in flight use of lithium battery power banks by air passengers, the department today issued an advisory circular to airlines operating at Hong Kong International Airport to update the relevant requirements and regulations applicable to all passengers departing from there.

The department said it has co-ordinated with airlines and relevant stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the new requirements.

Passengers are advised to check with the relevant airlines for the latest regulations before their flight. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Security Bureau said a Hong Kong resident earlier detained for illegal work in Myanmar was rescued and transferred to Thailand yesterday, and will return to Hong Kong as soon as possible.

The bureau’s dedicated task force received a request for assistance earlier.

The bureau immediately liaised with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Bangkok (Bangkok ETO), as well as the relevant Thai authorities, and launched a joint rescue operation promptly.

Representatives of the Hong Kong SAR Government arrived in Thailand yesterday to follow up on the incident.

Yesterday, the dedicated task force arranged for the Hong Kong resident to meet his family in Thailand once he was in good mental and physical condition.

The Hong Kong resident said he felt like he was experiencing a horror movie in the past few days and thanked the task force members for visiting Thailand to save him from detention.

Pleased with the reunion, his family members commended the speedy and effective rescue mission.

The dedicated task force members will make arrangements for the Hong Kong resident’s return to the city as soon as possible, and will continue to follow up on investigating his case.

While in Thailand, the dedicated task force met the Commander of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, Central Investigation Bureau of Royal Thai Police, to discuss the support arrangements for the Hong Kong resident after his rescue.

The dedicated task force also met personnel from the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand to thank them for their continued efforts on the case, as well as their appropriate and practicable assistance for the individual and his family.

In addition, the dedicated task force had a meeting with officials of the Bangkok ETO to learn about the latest local situation.

The bureau thanked various parties including the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR, the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, the Bangkok ETO, as well as the relevant Thai authorities, for their support and assistance, resulting in a prompt and smooth operation.

Since 2024 to date, law enforcement agencies have received a total of 32 request-for-assistance cases in relation to Hong Kong residents alleged to have been detained in Southeast Asian countries and not being able to leave.

Apart from the above-mentioned case, 28 of them have already returned to Hong Kong and two needed no further assistance and follow-up.

The bureau stressed that its dedicated task force will continue to actively follow up on the remaining request-for-assistance case and provide appropriate advice and practicable assistance to the assistance seeker and their family.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Correctional Services Department today announced that an IT system security incident involving illegal access to one of its IT systems maintaining staff personal data was found on Tuesday, however there was no evidence indicating that relevant data had been leaked or disclosed.

The department immediately reported the incident to Police. 

After a preliminary investigation, the department believes that the incident involved illegal access to the internal Knowledge Management System by a hacker, through which the hacker then illegally accessed another IT system maintaining the personal data of its staff. 

 

Relevant data included the names, genders, dates of birth, academic qualifications, information of employment history in the department and email addresses of about 6,800 serving and departing staff.

 

The department took immediate action after the incident, including isolating the internal Knowledge Management System, notifying users to change passwords, thoroughly reviewing all systems under the department’s purview and activating back-up procedures, as well as requesting the outsourced service provider to commence an investigation. 

 

Apart from reporting the incident to Police, the department has also reported it to the Security Bureau, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) and the Digital Policy Office (DPO).

 

The department added that although there is no evidence indicating that relevant data has been leaked, it has started informing all possibly affected individuals of the situation for prudence sake. In case of suspicious circumstances, they should report to Police as soon as possible.

 

The department is very concerned about the incident and is consulting the PCPD and the DPO, with a view to conducting a comprehensive review of the incident and taking further enhancement measures for personal data protection to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Singapore, Mr Lawrence Wong, accompanied by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; and the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, visited the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (the Hong Kong Park in the Loop) in the Northern Metropolis (NM) today (March 27).

     Ms Linn and a representative of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office first introduced the overall planning and latest development of the NM, as well as the adoption of multipronged measures to accelerate the development and attract investment.
 
     Afterwards, the delegation visited the wet laboratory buildings in the Hong Kong Park in the Loop, which were officially inaugurated in December last year, and was briefed by Professor Sun on the Park’s overall planning, industrial layout and progress in attracting enterprises and investment.

     Mr Chan said that the visit allows the Prime Minister of Singapore and his delegation to gain a deeper understanding of the overall planning and future development direction of the Northern Metropolis, and to learn about the potential investment and collaboration opportunities it offers to the Singaporean business community and enterprises. The visit also further enhances exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Singapore.

     He also noted that the Hong Kong Park of the Loop is one of the four major co-operation platforms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is set to develop into a world-class technological innovation hub connecting the Mainland and the international community, as well as an important source for the country to foster new quality productive forces. He looks forward to more co-operation between Singapore and Hong Kong in areas such as innovation and technology, talent exchange and industrial collaboration, jointly promoting regional innovation and technology development.

     The delegation members from Singapore include Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms Sim Ann; Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ms Low Yen Ling; and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of National Development, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 26) detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming passenger at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 4 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds, with an estimated market value of about $900,000.

A female passenger, aged 25, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds in her carry-on baggage. The woman was subsequently arrested.

The arrested woman has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 28).

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).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region