Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:

     Pursuant to the Government’s initiative to bolster STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education at the primary and secondary school levels, as well as to step up efforts in identifying and nurturing local STEAM talent, the Research Grants Council (RGC) will organise a series of public lectures from October to November. Various topics including cultural preservation with artificial intelligence, online pricing, children education, and universe exploration will be covered. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. All are welcome.
 
     The second lecture titled “Child Development, Learning, and Family Interventions” will be held on October 17 (Saturday). The lecture will be conducted in Cantonese. Details are as follows:

Time: 3pm to 5pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library
Live Broadcast: YouTube channel of the Hong Kong Public Libraries
(www.youtube.com/channel/UCJUipdvSACZjO1ldoO3YQBA)
 
Session 1: “How to Effectively Engage and Promote Children’s Academic Learning: Findings from Hong Kong Families”
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     Children in Hong Kong face significant academic pressure from a young age, such as early literacy instruction in kindergarten and participation in after-school tutoring in primary school, leading to significant economic and emotional stress for parents. The family, as one of the proximal micro-ecosystems for children’s learning and development, plays a vital role in their academic learning, development, and mental well-being. This lecture, presented by Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr Catrina Liu draws on several studies conducted in Hong Kong to discuss the characteristics of local home learning environment and activities, as well as their relationships with children’s Chinese, English, and mathematics abilities, providing empirical guidance on how parents can effectively participate in and enhance their children’s learning process.
 
Session 2: “All-round Autism Care: An Overarching Intervention Approach for Autistic Children and Their Parents”
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     This lecture, presented by Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong Professor Catherine So will introduce the research team’s signature RABI® intervention model, highlighting its contributions to innovation and technological application, as well as its social and educational impact on key stakeholders.

     The RGC has been regularly organising public lectures since 2009, featuring various distinguished scholars as speakers. These lectures aim to promote research knowledge from Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions and raise public awareness of the significance and value of local research work.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2524 3987 or visit the University Grants Committee webpage (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/about/events/lectures/lectures.html). Additionally, members of the public can register for the RGC’s email subscription service at www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/about/subscribe to receive regular updates.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 9) the results of the Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for September 2026.

The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs decreased from 44.1 in August 2026 in the contractionary zone to 43.7 in September 2026, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. October 2026) outlook DI on business receipts was 47.4. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts for some surveyed sectors dropped in September 2026 as compared with previous month, particularly for the real estate (from 48.5 to 45.4) and restaurants (from 44.0 to 41.3).

The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades decreased from 44.8 in August 2026 to 44.3 in September 2026, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month’s time (i.e. October 2026) was 47.7.

Commentary

A Government spokesman said that current business sentiment among SMEs eased somewhat in September. The current diffusion index on business receipts for SMEs edged down from the preceding month, while the outlook diffusion index remained relatively stable, with improvement recorded in the import and export trades, retail trade and wholesale trade sectors. The overall diffusion index on employment also improved slightly. 

Looking ahead, the continued solid growth in the Hong Kong economy should support business confidence, though the ongoing uncertainties in the external environment may still affect near-term sentiment. The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Further information

The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to companies with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent companies in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled “Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey” released by the C&SD.

The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own companies rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents’ perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month. 

More detailed statistics are given in the “Report on Monthly Survey on the Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises”. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080015&scode=300).

Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: sme-survey@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session on the official opening of the Huanggang Port this afternoon (October 9):

Reporter: How many travellers and vehicles does the Government expect to use the port on the first day of its opening? And what will be done to ensure that there will be a smooth opening amid the expected flock of visitors? 

Secretary for Security: Thank you for your questions. First of all, I think we have to look at the number of passengers and vehicles at the current port. For the current number of passengers, we have a daily average of about 40 000 and we have 65 000 at the highest, while the new port has the capacity to handle 200 000 passengers. On the first day, we already have that capacity. Regarding vehicles, we have an average of about 9 000 cars per day, and at the highest, we have about 12 000 cars. But now we have the capacity to handle up to 15 000 vehicles. That capacity will be utilised on the first day, so we have full confidence that we can handle the number of passengers and vehicles. 

Regarding how to ensure there is a smooth operation of the port area, in fact, before its opening, we have done a lot of preparatory measures, including a lot of drills and exercises. We also have a stress test with up to 20 000 people per hour, which is about two or three times the maximum passenger flow currently we have. We will have maximum manpower on that day to handle unexpected numbers of passengers. We also have a robust system in handling passengers, public transport vehicles and private cars.

In fact, in the opening time, we also engage a lot of ambassadors that we call “port ambassadors”, who are familiar with the operation of the port area, to assist members of the public in using the facilities. So, we have full confidence in the smooth operation of the new port.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and the Shenzhen Media Group (SZMG) today (October 9) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on co-operation in areas including programme resources, talent exchanges and programme production. The two broadcasters aim to jointly promote the further integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), showcasing the latest developments and vibrancy of the GBA to the world, and telling the good stories of the country and the GBA.
 
     Building on the MOU, the two broadcasters have agreed to collaborate across multiple areas to jointly strengthen the broadcasting influence in both cities. The co-operation agreements cover the following:
  
     (1) RTHK and SZMG will share a range of quality programmes produced by each side, including television dramas, history and culture documentaries, biographical documentaries and popular science programmes, enriching the choices of audiences in both cities;
 
     (2) To plan the joint production of GBA-themed television and radio programmes covering culture, tourism and performing arts; 
 
     (3) To strengthen news and current affairs information sharing, with the two sides jointly conducting news coverage and producing feature programmes during the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen; and
 
     (4) To jointly produce special programmes celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2027 to promote people-to-people connectivity.
 
     The Director of Broadcasting, Ms Angelina Kwan, signed the MOU with the Party Secretary of the Party Committee and President of SZMG, Ms Shang Boying, in Shenzhen. Ms Kwan said the partnership fully harnesses the respective strengths of the broadcasting organisations in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, jointly providing richer and higher-quality broadcasting content for audiences in the GBA. RTHK will continue to expand its collaboration network with more Chinese Mainland media organisations and leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantage of being closely connected with the Chinese Mainland and the world to tell the good stories of the country, the GBA, and Hong Kong on the global stage, enhancing international communication capacity.
 
     In addition to signing MOUs with Chinese Mainland media organisations, RTHK is also seeking opportunities to broadcast more of its own programmes across various media platforms in the Chinese Mainland. Among them, the sports documentary “Out of Bounds” has successfully launched on Migu, the Mainland’s largest online sports platform, as well as the online media platforms of several Mainland football associations. The programme offers audiences across China a glimpse into the daily lives, training, and matches of Hong Kong footballers playing for the Chinese Football Super League, illustrating how football connects different Chinese Mainland cities with Hong Kong. RTHK will continue to produce more quality programmes to foster cultural exchanges and people-to-people bonds between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government has entered into a market agreement with 45 insurers to extend the coverage of mandatory motor and employees’ compensation insurance policies to the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area (HKPA), backdated to July 31.

The official opening of the Huanggang Port is scheduled for Monday.

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau has signed market agreement with individual insurers, expanding the geographical scope of the mandatory motor and employees’ compensation insurance policies to cover the HKPA without incurring any extra cost to policyholders.

The bureau said its collaboration with the Insurance Authority (IA) and the insurance industry eliminates potential public confusion prior to the opening of the HKPA.

It added that the arrangement is beneficial in ensuring policyholders’ continuous compliance with the mandatory insurance requirements while minimising the administrative burden on stakeholders.

The Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance came into operation on July 31.

As private contracts, insurance policies were not automatically extended to cover the HKPA upon commencement of the ordinance. The Government therefore took the initiative to negotiate with the insurance industry and AI to extend policy coverage, similar to the arrangements made in 2007 in relation to the Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area.

Click here for the details of the market agreement and the list of insurers.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Three pieces of government land in Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long will be let by way of short-term tenancy through tender to eligible brownfield operators, the Lands Department announced today.

From now until November 9, brownfield operators affected by the land resumption and clearance exercises scheduled within or before the fourth quarter of 2029 under relevant government development projects may submit their tenders.

The sites to be let are suitable for open storage, godowns, workshops, recovery and recycling or reprocessing businesses.

Brownfield operators that were invited to participate in a short-term tenancy through previous relevant tenders two or more times after the completion of clearance exercises for relevant government development projects are excluded from this tender, the department added.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strongly reprimands and resolutely refutes the baseless, slanderous remarks about Hong Kong in the US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report 2026.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said in the statement today that it vehemently opposes and firmly rejects the categorically false and groundless remarks in the so-called Report on Hong Kong’s efforts to tackle trafficking in persons (TIP).

It pointed out that the rating of Hong Kong at Tier 3 is entirely unfounded and represents a blatant attempt to tarnish Hong Kong’s sterling reputation.

The Government iterated that TIP has never been prevalent in Hong Kong, and there has never been any sign that the city is used by syndicates as a destination or transit point for TIP.

The statement stressed that the Hong Kong SAR Government has long adopted a proactive, multi-pronged strategy in the fight against TIP, with substantial resources being injected into combatting TIP and enhancing protection for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) in Hong Kong.

Over the last year, it said, the Hong Kong SAR Government continued to spare no effort in conducting initial screenings for all people vulnerable to TIP risks, who had come to the attention of the relevant departments, including illegal immigrants, sex workers, illegal workers, FDHs, imported workers and other suspected victims

It conducted around 12,100 initial screenings last year, a 7% increase compared with the year prior, and identified 15 TIP victims.

Among these victims, all of whom were Hong Kong residents involved in employment fraud in Southeast Asian countries. The Hong Kong SAR Government said it took swift actions to return them to the city, identifying them, rigorously investigating their individual cases and prosecuting those implicated, underscoring its commitment to tackling the scourge of TIP.

The statement emphasised that it is baseless for the report to cast doubt on Hong Kong’s victim screening efforts, especially when studies and reports within the US have highlighted systematic underreporting of human trafficking cases by domestic law enforcement in the US.

In response to the report’s repeated insistence that Hong Kong should enact dedicated trafficking legislation, the Hong Kong SAR Government said that the current legislative framework, which comprises over 50 legal provisions against various TIP conducts, provides a comprehensive package of safeguards comparable to dedicated TIP laws found in some jurisdictions.

The statement stressed that every jurisdiction should have latitude to determine the best legal framework to tackle the issue and there is simply no one-size-fits-all solution.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Huanggang Port will officially open and commence operations at 6.30am on October 12, following an agreement between the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments.

The Security Bureau and the Office of Port of Entry & Exit of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government jointly issued a notice on the port opening today.

Acceptance inspections of the new port building have been completed. Following the completion of a series of system tests, trials and emergency drills by both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, it has been confirmed that the port is ready for opening.

The facility will commence operation on October 12, providing 24-hour clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles. At the same time, passenger clearance services between the temporary port building of the Huanggang Port in Shenzhen and the Lok Ma Chau Control Point in Hong Kong will be suspended.

Pursuant to the “Official Reply of the State Council concerning the Agreement on the Commissioning of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area & Related Extended Areas”, the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area & Related Extended Areas were commissioned beginning at 00:00 hours on July 31, 2026, and are subject to the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in accordance with its laws.

The official opening date was determined by the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong.