Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The prize presentation ceremony for the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2026 (the Award), organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), was held today (October 7). Sixteen private properties were presented with Gold Awards in recognition of their outstanding landscape design and quality horticultural maintenance. Among them, Wonderland Villas in the Large-scale Domestic Property category was the winner of the new Supreme Gold Award this year. For the new category of Subsidised Sale Housing introduced this year, Fung Tak Estate was the Gold Award winner.

     The biennial Award is one of the LCSD’s major activities to promote greening, with 220 nominations received this year. Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, expressed appreciation to the winning projects for tailoring the designs to the practical contexts, which skilfully combined the plant forms and colours with the natural terrain, connecting buildings to living spaces naturally while enhancing the surrounding landscape.

     Ms Chan said that the LCSD is curating thematic floral gardens across the 18 districts in Hong Kong. With thematic planting, the gardens are presenting dazzling seas of flowers to welcome local residents as well as tourists. Meanwhile, the district public landscaped areas are complementing the greening efforts of private properties, jointly creating a pleasant home for all.

     In addition to the Supreme Gold Award and 16 Gold Awards, 36 Merit Awards and 14 Environmental Efficiency Awards were presented at the ceremony to commend awardee organisations for their green efforts and enhancing public green awareness. The list of winners is available at the LCSD webpage www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/green/property/2026/awards.html.

     The prize presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Other officiating guests included representatives from the co-organisers. They were the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, Dr Chan Yin-lun; the President of the Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong), Ms Florence Tsui; the Chairman of the Professional Green Building Council, Professor Yuen Pak-leung; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, Dr Cheung Tin-cheung; the President of the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited, Mr Kevin Chu; the Senior Vice-President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Mr Raymond Kam; and Council Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Mr Jeff Tung.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Housing Bureau today (October 6) reminded owners of the eight buildings from Blocks A to H of Wang Fuk Court (WFC) in Tai Po, who have returned the duly signed “Letter of Acceptance” on or before August 31, that regardless of which option has been chosen, they are required to complete the execution of the Agreement for Sale and Purchase (ASP) for the sale of their WFC flats on or before the deadline on October 15.

If owners are unable to sign the ASP for the sale of their WFC flats in time due to special circumstances (such as being unable to clarify the title of the WFC flat or requiring a longer time to handle probate matters), the Government may consider making appropriate arrangements on a case-by-case basis at the Government’s discretion while balancing empathy, reason and law, with priority given to empathy. Owners concerned will be informed before the deadline accordingly.

The flat selection for the Special Sales Exercise (SSE) for WFC Owners commenced on September 29. Applicants who have signed the ASP to confirm the sale of the titles of relevant WFC flats to the Government legally will be invited for flat selection. The Housing Bureau has earlier commenced the issuance of invitation letters in batches according to the priority sequence determined by the computer-generated random ballot. Applicants will successively attend flat selection sessions to select and purchase the units offered under the SSE in accordance with the dates and timeslots specified in the letters. The entire flat selection process is expected to be completed by the end of November.

If, due to the special circumstances as mentioned above, WFC owners have not yet signed the ASP for the titles of the relevant WFC flats, as long as such WFC owners complete the execution of the ASP before the end of the flat selection period of the SSE, they will still be invited for flat selection. If the titles of the relevant WFC flats have not yet been assigned to the Government, a new flat under the SSE will first be reserved for such WFC owners only during the flat selection stage. The Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society will enter into an ASP or a Preliminary ASP with such WFC owners for purchasing the new flat only after the completion and execution of assignment of the titles of the relevant WFC flats to the Government.

With the deadline approaching, the Engagement Team co-ordinated by the Housing Bureau is stepping up contact with owners who have not yet signed the ASP for the sale of their WFC flats to provide the assistance required. The Engagement Team will continue to communicate with WFC owners. If owners have any enquiries, they may contact their designated Engagement Team member or call the hotline at 2129 8133. Owners may also visit the dedicated website for the Wang Fuk Court long-term housing arrangements plan (www.hb.gov.hk/wfc) for further details.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Siu-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

     There are views that smart motorways are important infrastructure for promoting the application of autonomous driving technology. The Government should, during the initial planning and design stages of the Northern Metropolis (NM), plan for the construction of smart motorways to tie in with the scale of autonomous vehicles and the development for their commercial operation, and should develop NM into a demonstration base for smart transport and autonomous driving. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has estimated the length, in kilometres, of new public roads to be constructed in NM; whether the Government will plan for the construction of smart motorways in NM; if so, of the specific road sections to be covered as well as the relevant technical details and standards; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether the Government will incorporate the vehicle-road-cloud integrated system into the NM development plan and set clear targets (such as achieving a specific coverage in kilometres before 2030); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it has assessed the requisite vehicle-to-everything and smart road infrastructure for promoting autonomous driving technology at Level 4 or above; whether the authorities will establish standards for the relevant infrastructure; if so, of the specific construction projects, technical specifications and the list of roads expected to be covered in the first phase; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4) whether the Government will expedite the promotion of digital transformation of motorways and the construction of smart motorways, as well as set clear targets (such as achieving digitalisation on strategic routes and major motorways before 2035); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government is actively promoting smart mobility and the development of smart motorways, and has been closely monitoring the advancement of autonomous driving technology and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), with a view to further enhancing road safety and transport efficiency.

Having consulted the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:

(1) and (4) Under the “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal Corridors” infrastructure layout, the Government is expediting the implementation of major road projects relating to the Northern Metropolis. Based on the estimates of projects currently under construction or in the planning stage, nearly 170 kilometres of new public roads will be constructed in the Northern Metropolis, including approximately 24 kilometres of major roads connecting various development nodes within the Northern Metropolis, as well as approximately 144 kilometres of local road networks within the New Development Areas (NDAs).

In accordance with the recommendations in the Transport Strategy Blueprint, the Government is progressively implementing smart motorway management on major roads, including those within the Northern Metropolis. To this end, the Highways Department (HyD) is carrying out the design for the approximately 24-kilometre-long Northern Metropolis Highway in accordance with smart motorway standards, of which the Northern Metropolis Highway (San Tin Section) is expected to open in 2034, two years ahead of schedule. As for existing major roads, the CEDD is also seizing the opportunity arising from the road widening works of the San Tin Highway (San Tin Section) and the Fanling Highway (Kwu Tung Section) to prioritise the incorporation of smart motorway elements into the approximately 7.4-kilometre road sections, which are expected to be completed in 2031.

The Transport Department (TD) will continue to liaise closely with relevant departments to progressively implement smart motorway management on existing major roads, as well as those at an early planning stage, leveraging technology to enhance the transport efficiency and resilience of the road network. At the same time, to take forward smart motorway management, the TD is updating relevant technical guidelines for reference by the industry, which are expected to be completed within this year. This includes establishing criteria for introducing smart motorways for major roads and the equipment configuration requirements under different application scenarios (such as the Automatic Incident Detection System using AI technology, and the lane control signals and variable message signs required to tie in with various smart motorway applications). As for the local roads within NDAs, the Government will also make good use of new technologies to improve traffic efficiency and enhance the pedestrian environment, such as installing the Real-time Adaptive Traffic Signal System (RTATSS) at suitable new junctions.

In addition, the TD will study the setting up of a Traffic Management Platform that will integrate traffic and transport data, leverage big data analytics and AI technology to predict traffic fluctuations, identify bottlenecks, and formulate contingency plans, thereby assisting in traffic management and transport planning. In the future, the traffic data collected from the implementation of smart motorway management for major roads will be integrated with other traffic data on the Traffic Management Platform to achieve seamless traffic management.

Regarding the digital transformation of highway and bridge infrastructure, the HyD has fully adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology in major road infrastructure projects such as the Central Kowloon Bypass (Yau Ma Tei Section), the Tsing Lung Bridge at the southern end of Route 11, and the Northern Metropolis Highway, to enhance precision and reduce design conflicts. High-precision 3D as-built digital models will also be delivered upon completion of the projects. These digital models will be integrated into the HyD’s asset management information system to establish accurate digital structural records for highways, bridges, and tunnels. Meanwhile, the HyD has introduced the “Digital Twin” technology at the Tsing Ma Bridge, incorporating 3D digital model analysis and enabling real-time monitoring of the traffic load distribution, structural condition and responses of the bridge so as to ensure its structural safety and integrity. The “Digital Twin” technology will be progressively rolled out to other long-span bridges, such as the Kap Shui Mun Bridge as well as other new main bridges (including Tsing Lung Bridge) in Hong Kong. In terms of road maintenance, the HyD is implementing smart inspections through the application of the Road Defect Detection System (RDDS) powered by AI and the Road Condition Assessment System (RCAS) utilising laser scanning technology. These systems automatically identify road defects to replace traditional manual inspections. Additionally, the Road Maintenance Monitoring System (RMMS) is applied to fully digitise the monitoring and administrative work of road maintenance. To expand digital transformation to other road assets, the HyD is initiating a preliminary study on the digital transformation of highway to formulate a roadmap and plan short-, medium-, and long-term work schedules. The study is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027.

(2) and (3) V2X technology facilitates real-time data exchange between vehicles and their surrounding environments through installation of roadside units, thereby enhancing the ability of autonomous vehicles to cope with more complex traffic conditions. With the gradual development of autonomous driving technology, the current trends of autonomous driving primarily tend toward “single-vehicle intelligence” (i.e. enabling vehicles to achieve autonomous driving capabilities primarily by relying on onboard sensors, such as cameras and radars installed on the vehicle itself). Nevertheless, in terms of planning, the TD will retain flexibility and continue to maintain communication with relevant departments to explore reserving adequate space in NDAs (such as making use of the wider roads and footpaths in the Northern Metropolis) to facilitate the installation of relevant facilities for V2X technology when its development, standards and cost-effectiveness mature.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, visited the Government Property Agency (GPA) this afternoon (October 5) to learn about the department’s work in managing government properties and leveraging technology to enhance the quality and efficiency of services. She also met and exchanged views with staff representatives from various grades in the department.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Ms Shirley Lam, Mrs Yeung first met with the Government Property Administrator, Mr Raymond Sy, and other directorate staff, and received a briefing on the latest developments of the department’s work on the use of government properties and enhancement of public spaces in joint-user government office buildings among other matters.

     Mrs Yeung then met with staff of the Property Management Division to learn about the latest situation of the management of government properties, including the preparatory work for the Hong Kong Port Area of the Huanggang Port Building conducted by the multidisciplinary team responsible for property management of the redeveloped Port. Mr Sy said that the department’s staff have been working as one, in collaboration with the Security Bureau and other relevant departments, to ensure comprehensive preparation for the smooth opening of the Port.

During the visit, the GPA staff introduced to Mrs Yeung the department’s latest research and development in technology applications that aim to leverage AI to assist in the processing of large volumes of property management invoices and applications for repair and maintenance of property facilities, including the extraction and verification of data. This not only reduces the work of manual data input and checking to streamline workflow, but also enhances the accuracy of the vetting process. Staff can allocate their time more flexibly to follow up on complex cases and improve service quality.

Mrs Yeung also watched a demonstration by staff of the Management Services Division of the in-house developed Mobile Site Inspection System (MSIS), a mobile application used in daily property inspections. The MSIS ensures standardisation of inspection items by listing the items to be inspected, while its report generation function not only streamlines writing and unifies report formatting, but also facilitates the systematic organisation of property inspection information. After processing by AI, the data will be uploaded to the government cloud, enabling staff to make use of big data analysis to study ways to further optimise services. Unlike in the past when paper documents such as property plans had to be carried during property inspections, staff now only need a tablet installed with the MSIS to view relevant property information, fill in inspection records, and take and upload inspection photos in a one-stop manner, with the application promptly generating an automated draft inspection report.

     Mrs Yeung said, “Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan proposes to leverage AI technology to reform public administration. I encourage policy bureaux and departments to adopt an innovative spirit, integrate workflow, enhance overall efficiency, and build a more professional and efficient civil service.” 

Before concluding her visit, Mrs Yeung met with staff representatives from various grades in the department to exchange views on matters of concern to them.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), visited the Burgundy wine region in France from September 28 to 30 (Burgundy time) to promote Hong Kong’s role as an international hub for wine trading.

     The visit covered key wine-producing areas in the Burgundy wine region. The Brussels ETO and the HKTDC held a number of meetings with the local government, wine producers as well as wine industry institutions to promote the vast opportunities in Hong Kong as the hub for wine trading, distribution and auction, and to exchange views on the latest developments in the global wine market as well as the local wine production industry.

     Speaking during a networking and promotional dinner with senior regional officials and industry representatives, the Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, highlighted Hong Kong’s standing as a world-leading hub for wine trading and auction, following the removal of wine duty in 2008 and the reduction of liquor duty in 2024.

     “Hong Kong’s wine trading and auction activities are giving impetus to the development of other high value-added sectors such as logistics and storage, tourism as well as premium food and beverage consumption. We very much welcome the Burgundy wine trade to leverage Hong Kong’s strategic position as the regional trading, distribution and auction hub to expand its market share in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region,” Ms Yung added.

     During the visit, Ms Yung also extended her warm invitation to the Burgundy wine industry to visit Hong Kong, including for the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival in October every year, as well as the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair in November every year. Moreover, she promoted the Festival of Connoisseurs to the local wine industry, which will have its inaugural edition in November 2026 to showcase the art of premium lifestyles in Hong Kong.

     Burgundy is one of the world’s most renowned wine regions, with a rich winemaking heritage rooted in its distinctive terroirs and traditions. About half of its wine is exported to international markets. The visit formed part of the Brussels ETO’s ongoing efforts to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and Europe in the wine sector and identify opportunities for closer collaboration in wine business and wine tourism.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

A Government spokesman today (October 5) urged the public not to be misled by fake messages on social media that claim vehicles of Guangdong-Hong Kong Regular Quota holders issued with Closed Road Permits (CRPs) for the Heung Yuen Wai/Liantang Port, Shenzhen Bay Port or Sha Tau Kok Control Point (collectively referred to as designated control points) can directly use the new Huanggang Port to cross the boundary throughout the day. The case will be referred to law enforcement agencies for follow-up.

Applicants for the Guangdong-Hong Kong Regular Quotas must currently satisfy the application qualifications set by the Mainland authorities and submit designated application documents (such as business registration documents in Guangdong and Hong Kong) to the Mainland authorities to apply for the Regular Quotas. Upon the issuance of the Approval Notice to applicants by the Mainland authorities, they may apply to the Transport Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for CRPs for the land control points endorsed on the Approval Notice. Vehicles with CRPs for the above designated control points are only permitted to travel between Guangdong and Hong Kong via the existing Lok Ma Chau Control Point or the soon-to-open new Huanggang Port between 0.00am and 6.30am daily.

“Similar false information has surfaced from time to time in social media and messaging groups, repeatedly impersonating government announcements and falsely claiming that quotas are free from control point or eligibility restrictions to solicit clients. Such claims are particularly misleading to road users of both places amid the anticipated upcoming opening of the new Huanggang Port. The public should exercise heightened vigilance,” the spokesman added.

The HKSAR Government reiterated that arrangements regarding Guangdong-Hong Kong Regular Quotas and use of control points are serious issues which must be jointly deliberated by the governments of the two places holistically. There are currently no plans to adjust the arrangement of enabling cross-boundary vehicles with CRPs for designated control points to use the Lok Ma Chau Control Point/new Huanggang Port during the overnight period. Members of the public should refer to official announcements, especially regarding the opening arrangements for the new Huanggang Port, and verify messages carefully to guard against deception and avoid disruptions to travel plans.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (October 6):

Reporter: Good morning, Chief Executive. The first question is regarding a series of substandard construction scandals in recent months. How will you convince the public that Hong Kong’s construction industry remains credible, and will the Government further strengthen monitoring and oversight mechanisms? And secondly, regarding the Tai Po fire investigation, can you confirm that the Government has activated the Tier Two of the Head of Department’s accountability system in relation to the fire, and that a dedicated task force has been set up to handle the accountability issues? What is the scope of this internal investigation, and what is its timeline? Can you tell the public how much longer will they have to wait for before any officials are held accountable? Thank you.

Chief Executive: Regarding construction quality issues, particularly the case that occurred in One Stanley, I can tell you that the Buildings Department is actively investigating the case to ascertain whether it involves problems of construction quality and whether site supervision has been properly carried out. The Government will handle the matter strictly in accordance with the law. At this stage, as the investigation is actively ongoing, I will not comment on its details. But I must stress that I attach great importance to the construction quality of building works in Hong Kong. I am also concerned as to whether the professionals involved in the works have discharged their duties of supervision properly, and whether the contractor has carried out the works in breach of requirements. These concern the professional standards, quality, and safety of Hong Kong’s construction works. The Government will definitely enforce the law strictly. I have asked the Development Bureau to monitor the investigation of this case, and construction works standard as a whole, to raise the regulatory regime and penalties under the law, to ensure strong deterrence and to severely punish those involved in any violations. We must safeguard the high professional standards, quality, and safety of Hong Kong’s construction works. Earlier, the Government has already indicated that the Development Bureau will submit this year proposed amendments to the Buildings Ordinance to strengthen regulation, increase the penalty and punishment for malpractice and substandard performance. The Development Bureau will proceed at full steam with this important work. 

     Regarding the fire at Wang Fuk Court, and I think everybody remembers when the fire happened, I immediately set up three task forces to handle, first, law investigation and strengthening of regulations, second, co-ordinate fundraising and provide support, and third, emergency accommodation and long-term resettlement arrangements for the residents. I’ve also established the Independent Committee (Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po) to investigate the cause of the fire, prevent re-occurrence, and pursue accountability. In the Policy Address I delivered in September, I announced seven priority reform initiatives, including smoking ban at construction sites, enhancing regulation on fire service installations and equipment, tightening disciplinary actions and penalties for professionals and contractors, raising operational standards of owners’ meetings, examining criminalisation of bid-rigging, launching new tender invitation and evaluation services, setting up vetted lists of qualified consultants and contractors, and examining feasible options to better assist the public in handling matters involving professional knowledge in building-maintenance work. I’ve also stated that upon the submission of the Independent Committee’s report, the Government will study it and follow it up, particularly the recommendations, and I shall implement reforms and announce the details. 

     The Government has already made a series of preparations. Upon receipt of the Independent Committee’s report, the Government will, based on its contents, implement comprehensive reforms as soon as possible and pursue accountability. Details will then be announced in full.

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

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     A total of 180 wet goods stalls and four fast food stalls were all successfully let in an auction for stalls at the 2027 Victoria Park Chinese New Year Fair starting today (October 7).

     Nearly 400 people attended the auction at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, from 9am to about 6.45pm today, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said.

     The average bid price for the wet goods stalls was $15,700, with the successful bids ranging from $6,530 to $53,000. The highest bid of $53,000 was about 8.1 times the opening price of $6,530.

     The auction of wet goods stalls fetched a total of $2,824,632, compared with $4,303,766 last year.

     The successful bids of the four fast food stalls ranged from $150,000 to $280,000 with an average of $220,000, against an opening price of $120,470.

     The auction for the 216 dry goods stalls at the 2027 Victoria Park Chinese New Year Fair, including 170 regular size dry goods stalls and 46 large size dry goods stall, will be held at 9am tomorrow (October 8) and on Friday (October 9) at the same venue.

     The spokesman reminded the successful bidders to comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

     It has been reported that some premises were recently uncovered to have offered customers “Wilms’ tumour 1” (WT1), a vaccine which was claimed to be able to prevent multiple types of cancer, and that the Department of Health, together with the Police, earlier conducted raids at multiple premises across Hong Kong and seized a number of vials of unregistered injectable pharmaceutical products. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the following since 2023: (i) the number of operations conducted by the Government to crack down on the illegal sale or possession of unregistered medicine (with a breakdown by proactive inspections and inspections conducted upon receipt of reports), (ii) the number of unregistered pharmaceutical products seized, (iii) the number and details of persons arrested and/or prosecuted (with a breakdown by healthcare professionals and non-healthcare professionals), and (iv) the number of complaints received from members of the public respectively; and among such cases, the number of cases involving WT1;

(2) of the respective details of the Government’s screening of and enforcement against medical advertisements since 2023; and

(3) how the Government will step up public education and publicity, so as to prevent members of the public from seeking medical treatment through improper methods and channels?

Reply:

President,

Hong Kong has a stringent regulatory regime for pharmaceutical products. Any product which falls within the definition of “pharmaceutical product” under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) must meet the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality, and be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong (Board) before it can be sold in Hong Kong. According to the Guidance Notes on Classification of Products as “Pharmaceutical Products” under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) formulated by the Board, products intended for injection into the human body are classified as pharmaceutical products. Advanced therapy products, including gene therapy products, somatic cell therapy products and tissue engineered products, are also pharmaceutical products and are regulated under Cap. 138.

According to Cap. 138, any person who illegally sells (through any channel, including the Internet) or possesses unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons commits an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years. Furthermore, the import and export of pharmaceutical products are regulated under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60). Any person who imports or exports pharmaceutical products without the relevant licence commits an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.

In consultation with the Department of Health (DH), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong is as follows:

(1) The DH has all along been rigorously combating the illegal possession or sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products. Its efforts include monitoring medicines sold in the market (including on the Internet) through its established mechanism, conducting investigations and follow-up actions upon receipt of intelligence, or taking proactive enforcement actions such as unannounced inspections and test purchase operations. Where necessary, the DH will also conduct joint enforcement operations with the relevant law enforcement departments, including the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and the Hong Kong Customs (Customs).

From January 2023 to August 2026, the Drug Office of the DH conducted about 36 200 inspections relating to the regulation of pharmaceutical products, and handled 105 conviction cases involving the sale and/or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products. The maximum penalty imposed in these cases was 10 months’ imprisonment or a fine of $242,000. 

Regarding the case in which certain organisations allegedly claimed to be able to provide the “Wilms’ tumour 1” (WT1) vaccine, the DH launched an investigation immediately upon receipt of relevant intelligence in July 2026 and conducted multiple unannounced inspections at the premises concerned. In early September 2026, the DH, together with the Police, raided a number of premises across the territory and seized over 1 600 vials of suspected unregistered injectable pharmaceutical products at four of these premises, although no product labelled as “WT1” was found. During the operations, three persons (including a registered medical practitioner) were arrested for suspected illegal possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part 1 poisons.

WT1 is not a registered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong, and so far, no registration record of the relevant pharmaceutical product has been found with the drug regulatory authorities of the Mainland or any overseas jurisdiction. The DH is tracing the source of the products and has notified Customs to follow up on the possible illegal importation of unregistered pharmaceutical products into Hong Kong involved in the case. As a registered medical practitioner and a nurse were suspected of having provided the WT1 vaccine to customers, the DH has referred the case to the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong for follow-up. The Government will not tolerate anyone abusing his or her professional authority to endanger public health under the pretext of cancer prevention or treatment. The DH will continue to work with the relevant departments to closely monitor the situation and gather intelligence, and will take decisive enforcement action against illegal acts to safeguard public health.

(2) To prevent members of the public from seeking improper treatment for certain health conditions and thereby delaying proper diagnosis and treatment, the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance (Cap. 231) prohibits or restricts the publication of advertisements likely to lead to the use of any medicine, surgical appliance or treatment for the purpose of preventing or treating the diseases or conditions specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to Cap. 231 (including any benign or malignant tumour). Cap. 231 also prohibits or restricts the making of six groups of claims specified in Schedule 4 in advertisements for orally consumed products.

The DH has all along been screening medical advertisements based on its mechanism. From January 2023 to August 2026, the DH reviewed over 150 000 advertisements published across various media in Hong Kong, including newspapers, magazines, leaflets, signs, posters, as well as radio, television and internet advertisements. During the aforesaid period, the DH issued over 1 600 warning letters concerning advertisements suspected of contravening Cap. 231. Following the issuance of warning letters by the DH, the relevant advertisement contents were removed or deleted. For cases where the relevant advertisement contents are still not removed or deleted upon receipt of warning letters, the DH will initiate prosecution proceedings based on its mechanism. Upon first conviction, an offender is liable to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months; upon a subsequent conviction for the same offence, an offender is liable to a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year.

Regarding the WT1 case mentioned above, the DH has issued warning letters to the organisations involved in accordance with the established procedures, requesting the removal of the relevant advertisement contents suspected of contravening Cap. 231. According to the DH’s investigation, the relevant advertisements were removed after the issuance of the warning letters. As the advertisements concerned were also published on social media platforms on the Mainland, the DH has notified the relevant Mainland law enforcement authorities for follow-up.

(3) The DH has all along attached great importance to public education and publicity. It has repeatedly reminded members of the public that, for any queries about the prevention or treatment of diseases (including cancers), they should first consult a registered doctor, who will provide professional advice based on their individual health condition and the latest medical evidence, and that they should not blindly trust unproven medical claims to safeguard their own health. Regarding the case in which certain organisations allegedly claimed to be able to provide WT1, the DH has issued alerts through channels including press releases, media interviews and social media platforms, reminding the public that WT1 is not a registered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong and that any advertisement claiming to provide the vaccine for cancer prevention is misleading and suspected of fraud. The DH has also urged members of the public not to believe advertisements or rumours hastily and receive injections of substances of unknown origin. In addition, the DH has issued letters to all doctors and private healthcare facilities in Hong Kong, reminding them that they must comply with the laws of Hong Kong and must not inject illegal pharmaceutical products to patients. Members of the public who suspect professional misconduct on the part of registered healthcare professionals may lodge complaints with the relevant professional regulatory bodies, such as the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. The DH has also prepared safety information on the purchase and use of medicines, including Be Cautious when Buying Medicines on Internet, General Knowledge on Registered Medicines and Be Cautious When Buying Medicines Overseas, for the public’s reference.

The DH will continue to step up public education through a multi-pronged approach, including through the websites of the Drug Office and the Centre for Health Protection, social media and video clips, to educate members of the public on how to identify registered pharmaceutical products (e.g. by checking the registration number in the format of “HK-XXXXX” on the product packaging, and by searching for information on registered pharmaceutical products on the Drug Office’s website). Members of the public may also use the “Licence Scanner” function of the DH’s mobile application to verify whether a private healthcare facility is licensed or has been issued with a letter of exemption, and check whether a service provider is a registered healthcare professional through the registers of the relevant healthcare professional boards or councils. Furthermore, the Government will establish the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation within this year to further raise the regulatory standards for drugs and medical devices, thereby safeguarding public health.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs detected a trafficking drug case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (October 6), and seized about 6 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $1.1 million. Two men were arrested.

A 43-year-old Mainland male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Manila, the Philippines, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds concealed in his carry-on suitcase. The man was then arrested. After investigations, Customs officers arrested a 52-year-old Mainland male passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday and was suspected to be connected with the case. Subsequently, Customs officers found 88 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette inside his carry-on baggage during Customs clearance.
 
The two arrested men has been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, and the second arrested man has been charged with one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 8).
 
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.
 
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
 
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).