Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit mobile phones worth $1.2 million (with photo)
Through risk assessment, Customs on that day intercepted an incoming lorry at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected counterfeit mobile phones inside the cargo compartment of the lorry. A 45-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested.
An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected counterfeit mobile phones would have been transhipped to overseas regions.
The investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
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 14:30
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Labour Department launches revised “Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Labour Department (LD) today (February 4) launched the revised “Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms” (GNs) to call on duty holders of workplaces to enhance safety measures in preventing accidents.
In response to accidents involving mobile elevating work platforms at various workplaces in recent years, the LD has revised and renamed the original “Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms”, incorporating common causes of the accidents and preventative measures. Major revisions include further specifying training requirements for operators, adding new operational requirements such as the installation of effective secondary guarding devices, conducting regular non-destructive tests on critical load-bearing components, and formulating emergency rescue plans. A grace period is provided for the new requirements of operator training and installation of secondary guarding devices until December 31, 2026. The industry must seize this time to make sufficient preparation before the grace period expires.
The LD will strengthen publicity, promotion, and education and training through various channels to help the industry better understand the content of the GNs. These include disseminating relevant information through the LD’s website, the “OSH 2.0” mobile application, and the mass media. A new episode of “Work Safety Alert” animation, titled “Trapped between a Mobile Elevating Work Platform and a Sprinkler Pipe”, has also been launched, and the relevant content is incorporated into the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) (commonly known as the Green Card Course) and free training courses on occupational safety and health legislation organised by the LD.
The GNs can be downloaded from the LD’s website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/os/C/EWP.pdf) or by scanning the QR code (Annex). Enquiries on the GNs can be made at 2542 2172.
2026 Lunar New Year fairs to start from February 11
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
2026 Lunar New Year fairs to start from February 11
A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The venues of the LNY fairs will be monitored using innovative and technological measures, and crowd control will be implemented as necessary. The footfall of the 14 LNY fairs will be displayed in a ‘green, amber and red lights’ format on the FEHD website to enable the public to know the crowd conditions at the fairs. A green light means few people are inside the fair, the amber light indicates the fair venue is slightly crowded, while the red light shows that the fair venue is very crowded.”
The spokesman added, “The FEHD will gather unsold pots of flowers and plants donated by vendors in the fairs, which will then be delivered to homes with elderly people, residential care homes for persons with disabilities and public hospitals by volunteer teams made up of FEHD staff on LNY Day (February 17).
The FEHD reminded licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of permitted commodities, with no other activities allowed in the licensed area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show, offer or sell any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, contrary to the interest of national security, or being immoral or incompatible with the object of the LNY fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction, or the FEHD will terminate the licence agreement and reclaim the stall.
In addition, as stated in the licence agreement, the height of dry goods stalls must not exceed 3 metres, while the height of wet goods stalls and fast food stalls must not exceed 4.5m from ground level. For wet goods stalls and fast food stalls with a height of more than 3m from ground level, the licensee must, at his own expense, provide the FEHD with an original certificate issued by an authorised person, a registered structural engineer, or a competent person under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations (Cap. 59I) to certify the structural safety of the stall structure before the LNY fairs are opened to the public. The licensee must also affix a copy of the aforesaid certificate on the structure of the stall. Also, each corner and anchor point of the marquee (if any) shall be securely fastened using appropriate ballast weights such as sandbags or purpose-designed marquee water weights. During the period when the Strong Monsoon Signal is in force or is to be issued, the licensee shall immediately inspect the stall and adopt reinforcement measures as necessary.
Furthermore, the FEHD reminded licensees that no floating LED glowing balloons and aquarium fish should be sold in the LNY fairs. If balloons or gas-filled articles are to be displayed or offered for sale, only air or helium is allowed to be used for inflating the products. There are also stipulations on the storage of helium cylinders at the fair venues. According to the licence agreement, licensees must not keep, store or use more than 150 litres (water capacity) of compressed helium, i.e. the respective general exempt quantity for which a licence is not required, pursuant to the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Cap. 295E) in the licensed area. For the sake of safety, no floating LED glowing balloons will be allowed to be brought into the LNY fair venues.
The spokesman also urged members of the public to keep the environment clean and not to litter while enjoying the festive season. Stall operators should also properly dispose of waste and keep their stalls and the surroundings clean and tidy.
For information on the 2026 LNY fairs including the locations and opening hours, please visit the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:00
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LCQ19: Operational status and financial situation of the CUHK Medical Centre
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ19: Operational status and financial situation of the CUHK Medical Centre
| Service item (+9%)(+18%)(+13%)(+6%)Note: As the inpatient bed utilisation rate is expressed as a percentage, the year-on-year percentage change for the same period is not applicable. The inpatient bed utilisation rate for the first half of the 2024-25 financial year was 56 per cent.
As regards the overall financial position of the CUHKMC for the 2025-26 financial year, the Health Bureau has earlier required the CUHK and the CUHKMC to regularly report its financial status as well as review and update the future financial projection(s). The Health Bureau, jointly with the CUHK and the CUHKMC, will make an overall report to the Panel on Health Services of the Legislative Council later this year, and it is not appropriate at this stage to comment on the performance of the CUHKMC for individual months. The Health Bureau has noted that there was a change in the management of the CUHKMC last year. Since then, the CUHKMC has progressively introduced a series of measures to improve its financial situation and control its costs. They include reviewing and adjusting the hospital’s service charges and gradually increasing its service volume, such as putting additional operating theatres and hospital beds into service in phases. The CUHKMC has also strengthened control over operating costs (including professional fees and direct costs) to mitigate the overall financial impact.Issued at HKT 15:00 NNNN LCQ14: Regulation of owners’ corporationsSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region LCQ14: Regulation of owners’ corporations The HAD will continue to assist OCs and owners in applying for and making use of the relevant services to obtain appropriate and effective support. On the other hand, among the five major proposed amendment directions mentioned above, on large-scale maintenance works and high-value procurement, we recommend introducing a tiered system for quorum and voting-in-person thresholds. This aims to encourage more owners to personally participate in major decisions, reduce potential disputes and strength the protection of owners’ rights. We will further refine the declaration of interest mechanism by requiring the work consultants to declare any relationships with contractors, thereby enhancing the transparency in the procurement process. In addition, we also recommend imposing a ceiling on the number of proxy instruments an individual can hold, and displaying a list of units which have signed proxy instruments in buildings. This will enhance the transparency of proxy instrument system and prevent meeting outcomes from being manipulated by a minority. As for whether OCs should be required to engage independent professionals, we will consider the feasibility of this recommendation, including the financial implications on owners.Issued at HKT 15:00 NNNN Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po rolls out two support measuresSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The Government announced today (February 4) that two special measures have been rolled out by the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. LCQ18: Supporting elderly persons and carersSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region LCQ18: Supporting elderly persons and carers The Government has, starting in April 2025, extended the District Services and Community Care Teams – Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers (the Scheme) to across the territory to provide support to elderly persons and carers in need. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
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