Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

To promote National Security Education Day, the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) held an open day at its headquarters in Ho Man Tin today. 

The event aimed to enable members of the public to learn about the work of the AMS in safeguarding national security, to enhance public awareness of national security and to further deepen their understanding of its daily operations.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said that safeguarding national security is the common responsibility of all. 

He highlighted that national security is not confined to a single area, but is closely linked to finance, public health, and everyday community life. Among the 20 major fields of national security, biosecurity is closely related to the work of the AMS. 

The AMS’ services include non-emergency ambulance transfer services, first aid coverage during large-scale public events, as well as duty at country parks and cycling tracks. 

Mr Hui said the AMS spares no effort in safeguarding the safety and health of the general public and thanked its members for their unwavering dedication and commitment to protecting the public.

The open day featured national security-themed game booths, first aid demonstrations, band foot drills, medical and health seminars, health screenings, as well as displays of ambulances and first aid bicycles.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

A local shopping centre is not the first place you would expect to find an indoor soccer pitch, but thanks to a programme run by the Housing Authority, imaginative use of retail spaces is becoming more commonplace.

Offering soccer classes for children, the soccer academy at So Uk Shopping Centre in Sham Shui Po opened last month.

Holly So, one of the school’s coaches, said it primarily caters to children aged three to six. “We mainly provide them with soccer training, as well as soccer competitions.”

 

Pursuing dreams

To support young people in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams, the Housing Authority’s “Well Being·Start-Up 2.0” programme allows them to trial their business plans rent-free at premises in shopping centres under the authority.

The scheme targets individuals aged 35 or below. After seven rent-free months, the authority offers them discounted rents, with staged increases, for another three years.

Ms So added: “We hope that this pitch can become the established Hong Kong kindergarten soccer competition pitch. We can attract more football players from kindergartens, and we can spread the message that football and kindergarten education can actually integrate together.”

Scaling up

To extend the programme’s coverage and impact, the authority has encouraged private shopping centres and landlords in the commercial sector to join it.

Housing Department Chief Estate Surveyor/Commercial Properties Evelyne Fung said the response from the private sector has been positive, supplementing the shop units offered by the Housing Authority.

“Currently, there are altogether 17 private owners joining this programme, offering shop units with varying rent-free periods. Together with the 12 shop units offered by the Housing Authority, this programme now offers more than 70 shop units for young startups to try out their business plans. The scale is more than seven times that of the first phase.”

Vital programme

The Housing Society also fully supports “Well Being·Start-Up 2.0” by offering designated retail premises to young entrepreneurs.

One group of youngsters has established Hong Kong’s first fitness centre focused on “inclusive” exercise at Health Village in North Point, a property managed by the Housing Society. The facility strives to provide fitness programmes targeted specifically at people with disabilities and the elderly.

Fitness centre founder Adonis Chow remarked that the scheme is vital for startups.

“This programme has let us reduce our economic pressures. The Hong Kong Housing Society provided a seven-month rent-free period for us, and we can feel free to provide more services. Nowadays, around 30% of our customers are newcomers.”

The Housing Authority, meanwhile, stressed that the programme has not only helped startups achieve success but has given residents a greater variety of choice and enhanced retail experiences.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Labour Department’s Registry of Trade Unions (RTU) organised the Seminar on National Security for Trade Unions today to enhance the awareness and sense of responsibility of trade unions in safeguarding national security.

Featuring exchanges of measures taken by the labour sector to safeguard national security, contributing to the security and development of the country and Hong Kong, the seminar attracted around 420 participants on-site and online.

In his opening remarks, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said that the successful conclusion of the eighth-term Legislative Council General Election last year, which fully implemented the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and faithfully upheld the principle of “one country, two systems”, was a crucial realisation of strengthening the national security shield. 

The voter turnout rate in the functional constituency of the labour sector was nearly 90%, fully reflecting the proactiveness of the labour sector in safeguarding the country and home. 

Noting this year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Mr Sun said it is incumbent upon all sectors of the community to consider and act on how Hong Kong can make full use of its strengths to serve the country’s needs and further integrate into the overall national development. 

He encouraged the labour sector to seize the opportunities from the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and help contribute Hong Kong’s strengths to the country’s development. 

The labour chief added that apart from the establishment of solid institutional safeguards, every individual and institution must also have the commitment to national security. 

The National 15th Five-Year Plan clearly states the need to strengthen national security education and fortify the defensive line in people. 

According to the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall promote national security education through social organisations, including trade unions, to raise the awareness of national security and law-abidingness among Hong Kong residents. 

He called on the labour sector’s concerted efforts to safeguard national security.

The seminar featured two keynote presentations and a panel discussion session in which four guests shared the measures and practical experiences of labour organisations and trade unions in promoting national security education.

The seminar was co-organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Hong Kong & Kowloon Labour Unions.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for Beijing tomorrow to attend meetings with various central ministries and authorities to discuss the work of the Department of Justice. 

      

He will be accompanied on the visit by Director of Public Prosecutions Maggie Yang, Law Officer (International Law) James Ding, Solicitor General Llewellyn Mui, Law Officer (Civil Law) Clifford Tavares, and government counsel from various legal divisions.

Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on April 24. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be the Acting Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The opening ceremony of Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 and 2026 Hong Kong Reading+ was held today to lift the curtain on the diverse reading activities of Hong Kong Reading Week (HKRW) to be held from April 20 to 26.

Addressing the opening ceremony in a video message, Chief Executive John Lee said reading is an important pathway to acquire knowledge, inspire wisdom and cultivate moral integrity, and the promotion of a reading culture can nurture among the public the qualities of in-depth thinking, openness and inclusiveness for developing a rich culture in society. 

He highlighted that the Government has adopted a multipronged approach to promote a reading culture, while fostering regional co-operation and a reading culture spanning various places. 

Mr Lee called upon the public to actively participate in the activities of HKRW and Hong Kong Reading+ to build together a book-loving atmosphere for the country and the city.

 

Under the theme “Delight/LIBRARY”, HKRW offers about 470 activities to foster a reading habit among the public, encouraging participants to savour the flavour of living and the beauty of life through reading. 

To tie in with HKRW, the Hong Kong Publishing Federation is holding 2026 Hong Kong Reading+ at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin from today to next Sunday, with activities including author sharing sessions, an exhibition and workshops. 

The Hong Kong Public Libraries will also introduce its electronic resources to the public and hold parent-child reading activities and handicraft workshops at the venue.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said today Permanent Secretaries, though excluded from the accountability system, may still be held responsible if departmental management problems are serious enough to warrant investigation.

Mrs Yeung told reporters this morning the Heads of Department Accountability System is aimed at urging the senior management of departments to improve the day-to-day management of the departments, so that systemic problems would not go unnoticed. 

“The department head and his senior staff will be able to have a very good grasp of what is happening daily in the department, what are the problems, pressure points that the departments are facing, so that these problems and pressure points can be dealt with expeditiously. 

“The emphasis is on the day-to-day management of the department. The main responsibility of it rests with the department head and his senior team of management staff.”

She explained that it is very rare for Permanent Secretaries in the bureaus to be involved in the day-to-day management of departments, hence they are excluded from the definition of heads of departments. 

“​​Permanent Secretaries in the bureaus are to assist the directors of bureaus to formulate and design mechanisms, systems or legislations to implement policies. It is very rare that they are involved in the day-to-day management of departments.”

Mrs Yeung emphasised that everyone who is responsible for the problem will be investigated.

“The investigation team will be tasked to point out everyone involved – everyone having to be responsible for the problem, for causing the problem or not dealing with the problem quickly enough, including anybody, Permanent Secretary or even the one who is on the most frontline, the one who has no management responsibility, if he or she has made a mistake or if he or she has a part to play in causing the problem. The investigation team will point out this is their responsibility,” she added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) Annual Dinner today (April 17):

Alice (President of the HKIE, Ms Alice Chow), Eric (Immediate Past President of the HKIE, Mr Eric Ma),(Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ye Shuiqiu), engineers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Following is the English translation of the opening remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on labour, manpower development and retirement protection policy areas at the special meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee today (April 17):

Chairman and Honourable Members,

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region