Category: MIL-OSI

Speech by SCST at opening ceremony of ASEAN Film Festival 2026 (English only)Issued at HKT 19:15

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Film Festival 2026 today (August 20):

Deputy Commissioner Hua You (Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR)), Consul-General Muzambli Markam (Dean of ASEAN Consuls-General in Hong Kong and Consul-General of Malaysia in Hong Kong), Chairman Daryl Ng (Chairman of Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation), Commissioner Nicholas Ho (Commissioner for Belt and Road), Consuls-General, the Honorable Vivian Kong (Legislative Council Member), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. I am delighted to join you once again at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Film Festival.

As we gather for the fourth edition of this vibrant festival, I am delighted to see it growing from strength to strength. This year marks a milestone, with an unprecedented participation of 20 economies – including nine first-time participants such as the Chinese Mainland and the Hong Kong SAR. Through the universal language of music and storytelling woven into these films, this festival will undoubtedly deepen cultural understanding and forge closer bonds among ASEAN countries and our friends from around the region.

But this event is about far more than just screenings – it is fundamentally about connection and collaboration. These themes resonate profoundly with Hong Kong’s strategic positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges. Over the coming weeks, our city will host a dynamic lineup of sharing sessions, networking events, and collaborative dialogues. These exchanges are not merely cultural; they are essential to building lasting partnerships and genuine friendships.

As the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, I am proud that our Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) is sponsoring select programmes this year. Our aim is to help provide more valuable opportunities for Hong Kong’s own film professionals to engage with the ASEAN community and beyond, fostering mutual learning and creative synergy.

Specifically, CCIDA is co-presenting the screenings of two local productions – “Last Song for You” and “Band Four” – alongside a dedicated networking reception and a post-screening talk with Hong Kong filmmakers. I sincerely hope these events will spark meaningful dialogues and insightful exchanges between our local creative sectors and distinguished visitors from ASEAN.

Hong Kong’s film industry remains a cornerstone of our pride and identity. The Hong Kong SAR Government is steadfast in its commitment to supporting our filmmakers through targeted initiatives. Through the Film Development Fund, we nurture emerging talent, back original local productions, encourage international co-productions, and showcase Hong Kong cinema on the global stage.

Beyond the silver screen, we are actively integrating film with tourism to bring our cinematic culture into everyday life. In the past two years, we have launched two immersive and distinctive film set exhibitions – the “Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey” and the “Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey”. I warmly invite those of you who have yet to experience them to do so, and discover the unique ambience of the Hong Kong cinema firsthand.

Before I close, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation for organising this wonderful event. I wish the ASEAN Film Festival 2026 every success, and everyone here a very pleasant evening. Thank you.

CFS announces test results of Summer Food Surveillance Programme (with photo) 
     The spokesman said, “The CFS collected about 2 600 samples from market stalls, restaurants, food factories, fresh provision shops, online vendors (including online retailers and online food delivery platforms), hawkers and others for tests.”
 
     The samples comprised 535 samples of dairy products and frozen confections, 113 samples of cut fruit and salads, 192 samples of desserts and drinks, 61 samples of sandwiches, 244 samples of cold cuts or cooked meat products, 862 samples of aquatic products (such as sushi and sashimi, fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other edible aquatic animals) and 592 samples of other ready-to-eat foods.
 
     The spokesman said that about 2 420 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 170 samples for chemical tests. The results showed that except for a frozen confection sample and four ice cream samples detected with coliform bacteria counts exceeding the legal limits, and a prepackaged pork floss sample detected with an antioxidant exceeding the legal limit, the remaining samples were all satisfactory. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent.
 
     The CFS has announced the test results of the unsatisfactory samples and conducted follow-up actions, including instructing the vendors concerned to stop selling the relevant food and remove from shelves the affected products, and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, “In view of hot weather, the CFS has been enhancing surveillance of frozen confection. The FEHD has been stepping up inspections of factories that manufacture ice cream at the wholesale level and licensed frozen confection factories at the retail level this year, ensuring that food premises comply with relevant licensing conditions and meet statutory hygiene standards in the handling and manufacturing of ice cream. As of July this year, the CFS has organised 10 thematic seminars for the trade, providing health education to operators and staff of frozen confection factories and distributing food safety pamphlets to remind them of the proper way of handling frozen confections. The CFS has also reminded members of the public to pay attention to food safety during the summer period through various channels, such as social media and seminars.”
 
     The spokesman reminded members of the public in particular that raw or undercooked foods are high-risk foods as there is not any, or inadequate, heat treatment to eliminate the microorganisms present that can pose risks to human health. Raw or undercooked foods are also associated with the risk of contracting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) microorganisms. Although these AMR microorganisms may not cause illnesses, they may transfer their antibiotic resistance genes to other bacteria inside the human body, therefore affecting the effectiveness of the future use of antibiotics when needed. Susceptible populations such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immunity (e.g. people with chronic diseases or those on antibiotics treatment, antacid and long-term steroids or drugs given to prevent transplant rejection) are of higher risk of being infected or having complications if they consume raw or undercooked foods due to their health status. They should therefore avoid eating raw and undercooked foods.
 
     Members of the public should pay attention to food safety, especially in summer, and observe the following Five Keys to Food Safety in order to reduce the risk of foodborne diseases:
      Members of the public are also reminded to dine out in licensed and hygienic restaurants. Food premises selling sushi and sashimi or other high-risk foods require a special permit. The public should patronise only those with relevant licences or permits issued by the FEHD.
Issued at HKT 18:43

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ASEAN Film Festival 2026 opens (with photo) 
     Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law said that the AFF 2026 is about far more than screening of films, it is fundamentally about connection and collaboration between ASEAN and Hong Kong, which resonates profoundly with Hong Kong’s strategic positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. 

     Miss Law also reiterated the commitment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to backing local filmmakers with targeted initiatives, and, through the FDF, supports creative local productions and international co-productions, nurtures young talents and showcases Hong Kong cinema on the global stage. 
 
     With a view to enhancing understanding of the creative process behind film productions, the Festival will also hold post-screening sharing sessions after selected screenings, at which the directors and filmmakers concerned will interact with the audiences.
 
     The AFF was first launched by the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation in 2023 with the aim of promoting understanding and appreciation of regional cultures through films. The series of AFF 2026 events will run until September 27. For more information on the AFF 2026, please visit www.aseanfilmfest.orgIssued at HKT 21:25

CHP investigates imported Mpox case 
     The case involves a 39-year-old male. He developed a sore throat, a fever and rashes on various parts of his body, including his genital area, trunk and limbs, on August 12. He attended a private clinic on the next day (August 13) and sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Ruttonjee Hospital on August 17. He was admitted for treatment on the same day. Upon laboratory testing by the CHP’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, his specimen tested positive for the Monkeypox virus. The CHP arranged for the patient to receive isolation treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital and he is in stable condition.
 
     According to information provided by the patient, he had not received Mpox vaccination. He had high-risk exposure with a male stranger in Thailand during the incubation period. No epidemiological linkages between this case and confirmed Mpox cases earlier recorded in Hong Kong have been identified so far. The CHP is continuing an epidemiological investigation of the case, and will endeavour to contact individuals who had high-risk contact with the patient. The CHP will also report the case to the World Health Organization.
 
     Since 2022, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 96 Mpox cases (76 local cases and 20 imported cases), including the above-mentioned case. All patients were males. Epidemiological investigations revealed that most cases had high-risk sexual behaviour, including having sex with strangers or having sex without wearing condoms.
 
     The Mpox vaccine can prevent infection and severe disease. The DH provides Mpox vaccination services for high‑risk groups. The following high-risk target groups are eligible for Mpox vaccinations on a voluntary basis:
      High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH’s Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH’s Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre, without prior appointments.
　　
     Meanwhile, the DH’s Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority’s Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.
     　
     Mpox is not transmitted through respiratory droplets or aerosols in general, and transmission would not occur through social contact. The CHP reminds the public, especially those at higher risks of exposure, to take precautions and avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected. They should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience relevant symptoms, including rash, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches. They should not engage in activities with others that may involve contact with skin rash or body fluids.

     For more details, please visit the CHP’s webpages on MpoxIssued at HKT 19:15