Category: MIL-OSI

Immigration Department expands self-application services for Hong Kong identity cards and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports 
Application for HKICs
 
     Currently, persons aged 18 or above holding a valid locally issued smart identity card may submit the following types of identity card replacement applications at the PDSKs without the need to make an appointment:
      Starting from March 23, the services of the PDSKs will cover replacement applications for lost identity cards from eligible persons aged 18 or above. Applicants may submit their replacement applications at the PDSKs without the need to make an appointment.
 
Application for HKSAR passports
 
     Currently, holders of a valid locally issued permanent identity card or an Acknowledgement of Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card may submit the following types of HKSAR passport applications at the PDSKs without the need to make an appointment:
      Starting from March 23, eligible HKSAR passport applicants aged 18 or above may also apply at the PDSKs for passport replacement in cases of loss, damage, defacement or unavailability. Similarly, applicants may submit their replacement applications at the PDSKs without the need to make an appointment.
 
     Eligible applicants may choose to apply for an identity card and an HKSAR passport through the PDSKs in one go. The PDSKs are located at the Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O. For the types of applications covered by the PDSKs, as well as their locations and service hours, please refer to the Annex. The above information is also available on the ImmD website (www.immd.gov.hk 
     For enquiries, please contact the ImmD by the enquiry hotline (2824 6111), fax (2877 7711) or email (enquiry@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:20

Immigration Department repatriates 18 unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants to their places of origin  
     The ImmD is very concerned about the abuse of the non-refoulement claim mechanism and is aware that a number of claimants were former foreign domestic helpers before. The ImmD has been co-operating with the relevant consulates-general in Hong Kong and will continue such co-operation to step up publicity and education for newly arriving foreign domestic helpers to help them understand that they should not abuse the non-refoulement claim mechanism.
 
     Under the updated removal policy effective from December 7, 2022, the ImmD may generally proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance of the High Court, thereby enhancing the efficiency of and efforts in removing unsubstantiated claimants.  
 
     The ImmD will continue to explore different feasible solutions to expedite the repatriation of unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants, and will actively co-ordinate with relevant authorities to optimise repatriation routes and the operation process. The ImmD will actively maintain close liaison with governments of major source countries of non-refoulement claimants, airline companies and other government departments to repatriate unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong as soon as practicable through all appropriate measures.
 
Issued at HKT 17:50

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HKPF holds 2026 Bank Staff Recognition Ceremony to commend banking industry for their contributions to scam prevention  
     Addressing the ceremony, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, highlighted that deception cases which had been rising continuously since 2019 recorded the first decline last year. A total of 43 212 cases were registered, representing a decrease of 2.9 per cent compared to 2024. The amount of losses also dropped from HK$9.2 billion to HK$8.1 billion. He emphasised that this achievement was made possible through the collective efforts of all stakeholders, especially the banking industry.
 
     He added that the Police and the banking industry have been working closely in preventing and combating deception. The “Anti-Scam Helpline 18222” and the “Anti-Scam Bank Helpline” established by the Police successfully intercepted 1 552 fraud cases last year, accounting for 13.1 per cent of all such cases. The amount of fraudulent funds intercepted reached HK$2.09 billion, representing a significant increase of over 40 per cent compared to 2024.    
 
     In tackling deception, both local measures and cross-border collaboration are essential. To this end, four strategies have been adopted by the Police and the banking sector:  
 
(1) Combating fraud industry chain: With the new legislation allowing bank-to-bank information sharing on suspicious personal accounts coming into effect, the Police, in collaboration with the banking industry, have launched the upgraded version of the “Financial Intelligence Evaluation Sharing Tool (FINEST)” platform. Interbank information sharing has recorded a multi-fold increase and participation is also set to expand to include all 28 retail banks. The number of stooge accounts dropped from 6 047 in the third quarter of 2025 to 5 781 in the fourth quarter, representing a decrease of 4.4 per cent. In addition, the “Upstream Scam Intervention” scheme, which analyses transaction patterns of stooge accounts and proactively contacts potential victims, intercepted 4 060 fraud cases last year and prevented losses of over HK$480 million, representing increases of 69.4 per cent and more than 1.5 times, respectively, compared with 2024.
 
(2) Targeted publicity: The Police, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) and the banking industry organise various anti-deception campaigns. The publicity this year focuses on investment scams, with the elderly continuing to be the key target group.
 
(3) Promoting greater use of “Scameter+”: The app began leveraging artificial intelligence technology in October last year to automatically detect fraudulent websites posing as banking and investment platforms, with the database updated immediately to block access. Following the launch of this new function, there was a significant increase in both public reports and alerts issued. By the end of 2025, the app had been downloaded 1.15 million times.  
 
(4) Enhancing international collaboration: The Police have actively promoted the Cross-border Anti-Scam Collaboration Platform “FRONTIER+”. Through joint operations last year, more than 1 800 persons were arrested, and US$20 million in fraudulent funds were intercepted. By strengthening real-time intelligence analysis and sharing it with the banks, overseas victims were promptly identified and fraudulent payments were intercepted, reducing their financial losses.
 
     Looking ahead, Mr Chow firmly believed that through the partnership between the Police and the banking industry, a strong protective network could be built, reinforcing Hong Kong’s image and position as a robust international financial centre. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the HKMA, the HKAB, and the banking industry for their full support and outstanding contributions.
 
     At the ceremony, a total of 19 banks received corporate awards. In addition, 639 frontline bank staff proactively assisted customers suspected of being targeted by scams last year, successfully preventing 595 cases. Among them, the Police presented the “Spotlight Award” to 16 staff members in recognition of their exemplary performance. Awardees are listed in the Annex.
 
     The officiating guests also included the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Yip Wan-lung; the Director of Crime and Security, Mr Chan Tung; the Executive Director (Enforcement and AML) of the HKMA, Mr Raymond Chan; and the representative of the HKAB, Ms Grace Yeung.
Issued at HKT 15:40

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Joint Working Group on Promoting Interconnectivity of Charging Facilities in the Greater Bay Area convenes first meeting       
     The National Energy Administration (NEA) and the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) signed the Cooperation Arrangement on Promoting Interconnectivity of Charging Facilities in the Greater Bay Area in October 2025, and agreed to establish the JWG to introduce a pilot scheme in Hong Kong using the new EV charging technology ChaoJi. The EEB announced the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (Updated Roadmap) this February, indicating that ChaoJi not only supports high-power charging but also achieves innovative breakthroughs in charging standard compatibility and safety.
      
     At today’s meeting, the JWG set out major tasks for the coming two years, including commencing research on compatibility between ChaoJi chargers and national (GB) and European (IEC) charging standards; testing developed adaptors; and preparing to construct a ChaoJi charging demonstration station in Hong Kong. The meeting also exchanged views on the membership of consultation of the JWG, the action timetable and the progress of research. Implementation details were confirmed, with the goal of completing the construction of the ChaoJi charging demonstration station in Hong Kong by next year.
      
     The JWG is co-chaired by the EEB and the China Electricity Council. Its members include representatives of government departments, industry associations, electricity enterprises, and research institutions from the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong. More industry experts will be invited to participate in specific projects as needed.
Issued at HKT 18:00

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Film Archive to present “The Kid” and “Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey” screenings in April  
“Restored Treasures – The Kid (1999) (4K Digitally Restored Version) (Hong Kong Premiere)”
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      To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the birth of superstar Leslie Cheung, the HKFA will premiere the 4K digitally restored version of “The Kid” (1999) at 7.30pm on April 26 (Sunday) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
 
    Amid the sluggish Hong Kong film market in the late 1990s, the director of “The Kid”, Jacob Cheung, worked with various filmmakers to found Creative Alliance, a collective where directors had to raise funds and hire actors personally to produce quality films. At this juncture, Leslie Cheung joined the production of the film with a nominal pay of $1. He also took it upon himself to compose and sing the theme song. To let more audiences witness the superstar’s passion for Hong Kong films, Jacob Cheung funded the 4K digital restoration of the film after more than two decades. 
 
      In the film, Leslie Cheung plays the role of a financial elite losing everything during the economic turmoil of the time. At this low point of his life, he finds and adopts an abandoned baby boy. The two become indispensable to each other, like father and son, until the return of the child’s mother, forcing them to make a choice. The film exemplifies Jacob Cheung’s signature blend of arthouse lyricism and realism, reflecting the emotions of Hong Kong people during the financial crisis while offering a tender portrait of a family bond.
 
      The programme will be accompanied by a pre-screening talk by Jacob Cheung with director Joe Cheung, one of the founders of Creative Alliance. Tickets priced at $70 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
“Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey”
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      “Fantasies in Reality: A Cinematic Journey” will be held from April 25 to June 7, featuring 12 films from different eras under five themes to present the fantasy worlds created by Hong Kong filmmakers with their wild inventiveness and daring special effects.
 
     The screening programme kicks off with the world premiere of “The Spooky Bunch” (1980) (4K digitally restored version). Directed by Ann Hui and starring the film’s producer Josephine Siao, alongside Kenny Bee, Kwan Chung, Lau Hark-suen, Tina Liu and others, the film employs a darkly comedic approach to portray a paranormal adventure of a Cantonese opera troupe in Cheung Chau. With Cantonese opera performances woven into the story, the film blends suspense, hilarity, Cantonese opera culture and local supernatural folk legend. The 4K digitally restored version revives the audio-visual quality of its original theatrical release to bring back the original splendour of this Hong Kong New Wave masterpiece.  
 
      Other films include the two Cantonese fantasy period films with the theme “Memories of Light and Shadow”. Starring Cheung Ying, Law Yim-hing, Sek Kin and others, “Ten Brothers” (1959) (2K digital version) visualises the magical powers of the brothers in their journey to rescue their father through double exposures, still frames, and special props. With advanced technology of the time and intensive special effects, “The Magic Cup” (Part One and Concluding Episode) (1961) (2K digital version) tells the story of good triumphing over evil, with Fung Bo-bo as a little girl defeating evil schemes with the help of the Magic Cup Genie, played by Law Yim-hing. 
 
     Under the theme “Stories Across Time”, “A Chinese Ghost Story” (1987) (2K digitally restored version) tells a mesmerising love story between a man and a ghost, through the fine acting of Leslie Cheung and Joey Wang respectively, with ingenious special effects and cinematography. Turning a side character in the original myth into the protagonist, played by Maggie Cheung, “Green Snake” (1993) (4K digitally restored version) gives a fresh take on the legendary romance between the White Snake, played by Wang, and her scholar, played by Wu Hsing-kuo, all in a bewitching and beguiling world created with special effects and lighting.
 
      The two films under the theme “The Spooky and the Supernatural” were trendsetting and wildly popular at the time of their original release. Scripted, directed and starred by Sammo Hung, “Encounter of the Spooky Kind” (1980) mixes paranormal and comedic elements with martial arts, pioneering a unique sub-genre in Hong Kong films. Also a Hong Kong film classic, “Mr. Vampire” (1985), starring Lam Ching-ying, Ricky Hui and Chin Siu-ho, in its own distinctive style, weaves together Chinese folklores with legends of bloodsucking ghouls in the West, spawning a fad of vampire films in Hong Kong.
 
     Under the theme “Sci-Fi and Comic Wonders”, the two films presented include “I Love Maria” (1988), in which a former gang member, played by the film’s producer Tsui Hark, is hunted by an android, played by Sally Yeh, in a future world. Anita Mui, Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok present exemplary performances in the contemporary-set swordplay film “Saviour of the Soul” (1991), with the screenplay by Wong Kar-wai and Jeff Lau that brings together elements of Eastern and Western fantasies.
 
      One of the films under the theme “Dreamlike Cityscapes” is “Lavender” (2000). It tells an ethereal and romantic fairytale between a broken-winged angel, played by Takeshi Kaneshiro, and an aromatherapist, played by Kelly Chen. In “Wait ‘Til You’re Older” (2005), directed by Teddy Chen and starring Andy Lau and Karen Mok, a boy takes a stolen potion, which makes him an adult overnight with the caveat of growing old soon after, leaving behind profound ponderings about life.
 
     Some screenings will be accompanied by pre- or post-screening talks, where directors Ann Hui and Teddy Chen, art director Dr Rebecca Lee and actress Tina Liu will share their extraordinary creativity both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, while film scholars and researchers Dr Lei Chin-pang, Keeto Lam, Thomas Shin, Eric Tsang, Joyce Yang and Matthew Cheng will discuss with audiences their insights into the films. In addition, Eric Li, son of Li Wui-tao, who founded the Tao Yuen Motion Picture Development Company that produced “The Magic Cup”, will share his memories at the filming studio at a post-screening talk.
 
      “The Spooky Bunch” will be screened at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, with tickets priced at $70 and a 20 per cent discount for LCSD Museum Pass holders purchasing regular-priced tickets for this screening at URBTIX outlets. Other films will be screened at the HKFA Cinema, with tickets priced at $60. There is also a 20 per cent discount is available for every purchase of two or more regular-priced tickets of this programme. Tickets will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
      For details of the programmes, please visit the website of the HKFA: www.filmarchive.gov.hk 
      With “Beyond Fantasy” as this year’s theme, the LCSD presents the fourth Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival. Over the years, Hong Kong pop culture has continued to evolve through music, images and text, as well as stage and cross-media creations. Shaped by the interplay of inheritance, circulation, fusion and breakthroughs, it has distilled a style that is uniquely Hong Kong. The Festival will continue to join audiences and local creators in crossing boundaries within everyday rhythms, and create warm, resonant and moving works while inspiring the limitless possibilities of pop culture. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/enIssued at HKT 18:20

Hong Kong Customs, FSD and HKPF mount joint operation against illicit fuel storage site and illegal fuelling station       
     According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, any vehicle found conveying illicit motor spirit, as well as any tools, equipment, or articles used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of related offences, shall be liable to forfeiture whether or not any person is convicted of any offence. Anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation, it is an offence to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance also provides that no person shall manufacture, store, convey or use any dangerous goods unless they possess a licence or exemption granted. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for the first offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months. For each subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.
      
     Customs will continue to collaborate with the FSD and the HKPF in combating illicit fuel activities and arranging surprise inspections against blackspots of illicit fuel activities. The FSD will also report suspected breach of the land lease governing the site identified to the relevant department for follow-up action. Members of the public are urged not to patronise illegal fuelling stations. As these illegal fuelling stations lack the proper fire-safety installations and equipment used for fuelling stations, the consequences could be catastrophic in the event of a fire.
      
     Members of the public are urged to report suspected illegal fuel activities via the Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or the FSD’s 24-hour hotline 5577 9666 or report through the Illicit Fuelling Activities on the Fire Hazard Electronic Complaint Portal of the FSD (fhcp.hkfsd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:35

GoGlobal Task Force thematic website and cross-sector professional services platform launched to support Mainland enterprises going global via Hong Kong      
     The GoGlobal Task Force thematic website consolidates key information for Mainland enterprises going global, including the GoGlobal Task Force’s member list and support services; promotional events held by the Task Force on the Mainland and in Hong Kong; success stories of Mainland enterprises going global via Hong Kong; practical resources; and the first phase of the cross-sector professional services platform launched on the same day by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.  
      
     As one of the new measures announced in the 2026-27 Budget, the platform brings together service providers from Hong Kong in eight major sectors – finance, legal, accounting, branding and marketing, logistics, communication technology, infrastructure and real estate, and testing and certification. It will match Mainland enterprises with suitable Hong Kong service providers, offering one-stop professional support for their global expansion. The list of service providers on the platform incorporates professional opinions from the Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global led by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, relevant members of the GoGlobal Task Force, professional bodies and industry organisations. It will be regularly updated as needed.
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “The cross-bureau, cross-departmental, and cross-organisation GoGlobal Task Force, launched in October last year, serves as a one-stop platform and the best partner for Mainland enterprises to go global. We encourage Mainland enterprises to make good use of Hong Kong’s international advantages in finance, trade, professional services, innovation and technology, and talent to assist them in expanding their business in the global market. At the same time, more Mainland enterprises going global through Hong Kong will bring more direct investment, job opportunities, and demand for professional services to Hong Kong, further driving high-quality growth in the local economy and the flourishing development of various professions.”
      
     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, remarked that the Department of Justice (DoJ) has earlier released the inaugural edition of the “Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong’s Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global” (bilingual in Chinese and English), which is available on the DoJ websiteIssued at HKT 15:16

Approved Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan amended     * The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.Issued at HKT 16:00

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Tuen Mun Hospital to conduct electrical infrastructure related works      
     The spokesperson of the HA said, “This work is one of the necessary construction items within the extension project of the Operating Theatre Block at TMH, aimed at enhancing the stability of the hospital’s power supply in the long term, ensuring it meets the future development needs of hospital services. The remaining items of the extension project, including the reconstruction of the existing Accident and Emergency Department at TMH, will be fully operational within the year.”
      
     The hospital has formulated a series of comprehensive contingency measures to address any potential impacts from the works. The HA has instructed the contractor to take necessary measures to ensure that TMH’s power supply is uninterrupted during the works. Communication has also been maintained with the Fire Services Department, the Home Affairs Department, the electricity company, and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth completion of the project.
     
Issued at HKT 18:00

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