Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 released today (September 29) by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Hong Kong’s ranking rose further by one place to 14th globally among 139 economies, and remained fifth in Asia.

As regards the two sub-indices under the GII, Hong Kong’s ranking with respect to the “Innovation Input” sub-index remained at eighth globally, and its ranking in the “Innovation Output” sub-index rose by one place to 21st.

Hong Kong’s scores in all five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index were higher than the averages of the high-income group, with “Market Sophistication” ranking second globally, and “Human Capital and Research”, “Institutions” and “Infrastructure” rising to rank sixth, seventh and 11th globally respectively. As for sub-pillars, Hong Kong continued to top the ranking in “Credit”, and ranked among the global top 10 in many areas, including “Tertiary Education” (third), “Information and Communication Technology” (fourth), “Investment” (fourth), “Institutional Environment” (ninth) and “Business Environment” (10th). Data also showed that Hong Kong’s gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) and the number of researchers continued to rise. 

As for the “Innovation Output” sub-index, Hong Kong’s ranking in the “Creative Outputs” pillar rose by two places to 15th globally, and that in “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” pillar rose one place further to 29th. Data also showed that Hong Kong’s number of patents and mobile app creation continued to increase.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today said, “We are pleased to see the good progress Hong Kong has achieved in the GII. Expediting the development of innovation and technology (I&T) has been a policy priority of this Government. Following the directions set out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the HKSAR (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan), the Government is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. Among other things, Hong Kong will enhance the institutional framework for I&T development, expedite the alignment with key national strategies in technology, and develop the new ‘three major I&T parks and five key R&D institutions’ paradigm. In particular, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the San Tin Technopole will form a co-ordinated development at the upstream, midstream and downstream levels, jointly creating a comprehensive industrial ecosystem covering R&D, commercialisation, pilot and mass production. Hong Kong will also advance new industrialisation having regard to local circumstances, with a view to establishing a framework with Hong Kong characteristics for the development of a new industrialisation system, as well as take forward the AI+ Initiative on all fronts, enhance the layout of computing infrastructure, support small and medium-sized enterprises in accelerating their adoption of AI, and empower different sectors of the economy through AI technology. Meanwhile, Hong Kong will leverage the advantage of being closely connected to the Mainland and the world to develop an international hub for science and technology co-operation, as well as deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), thereby attracting global I&T resources and talent. The HKSAR Government will strive to realise the vision in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan that Hong Kong will basically have established an international I&T centre based in the GBA, serving the entire country and being connected to the world, after 2030.”

The GII is a ranking on the innovation capabilities and achievements of economies around the world. Its evaluation criteria cover multiple aspects, including institutions, human capital and research infrastructure, credit, investment, collaboration, knowledge creation, absorption and diffusion, and creative outputs.

The GII consists of two sub-indices: “Innovation Input” and “Innovation Output”. There are five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index, namely “Institutions”, “Human Capital and Research”, “Infrastructure”, “Market Sophistication”, and “Business Sophistication”; and two pillars under the “Innovation Output” sub-index, namely “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” and “Creative Outputs”. Each of the above pillars is further broken down into three sub-pillars.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has noted recent social media posts concerning pest and rodent problems at various food premises and private premises. It is highly concerned about the situation and has initiated investigations and follow-up actions according to the nature of individual cases. The FEHD stressed that the presence of rodent infestation at licensed food premises is an offence. It will take the matter seriously and take enforcement action.

Regarding the rodent infestation incident at a supermarket in Luk Yeung Galleria, the FEHD has deployed staff to conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the food room was found to be in an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness. Prosecution has been instituted against the person responsible under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), and a Notice of Elimination of Vermin has also been issued to the person responsible for the premises, requiring the necessary improvement measures to be taken.   

As for the incident involving suspected foreign object found in takeaway food from a food premises in Tsing Yi, the department has arranged an inspection and has also attempted to contact the complainant, and to understand the process of food preparation, packaging and delivery. The department will objectively investigate the circumstances of the incident and follow up in accordance with the law.

In addition, regarding a rodent infestation complaint concerning a fitness centre in Festival Walk, the FEHD deployed staff on the same day to inspect the centre concerned and the shopping mall. Although no signs of rodents were found inside the shop, potential pest and rodent infestation risks were identified in the shopping mall. A Notice of Elimination of Vermin was issued to the shopping mall’s property management company, requiring it to take improvement measures. The FEHD also provided the persons responsible with advice on rodent prevention and eradication.

The FEHD adopts a risk-based inspection and enforcement strategy. It has also recently taken the initiative to conduct blitz inspections targeting major supermarket chains. Food business operators have a responsibility to ensure food safety and the hygiene of their premises, and to continuously implement effective measures to prevent pest and rodent infestation and food contamination. Government inspections and enforcement cannot replace operators’ responsibility for day-to-day hygiene management.

Rodent control requires corresponding measures to be taken according to the management responsibility for different types of premises. The FEHD is mainly responsible for rodent prevention and eradication in public places within its areas of responsibility. Other government departments are responsible for rodent prevention and eradication at the premises they manage. The FEHD will provide professional technical support and collaborate with the relevant departments as necessary. As for private premises, including shopping malls, fitness centres and residential premises, day-to-day environmental hygiene and rodent-control work is primarily the responsibility of owners, persons responsible for the premises and property management companies. The FEHD will provide professional advice in response to complaints and specific risk situations, and will take action in accordance with the law where necessary.

To encourage private premises to participate proactively in rodent control, the FEHD has extended the Anti-Rodent Charter to shopping malls, encouraging owners, operators and property management companies to conduct regular inspections, manage the environment properly and carry out rodent-prevention work. According to figures released earlier by the department, as of September this year, about 130 shopping mall organisations and groups had joined the initiative, covering about 8 200 shops. The FEHD will also provide technical support to help participating organisations continuously improve their rodent prevention work.

Rodent control relies on the joint participation of the Government, the trade, property management companies and members of the public. All parties must address the three basic elements of rodent survival – food, harbourage and access routes – by cutting off food sources, eliminating hiding places and blocking access routes. By reducing the risk of rodent infestations at source, we can work together to safeguard environmental hygiene.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In response to media enquiries regarding the Department of Health’s (DH) plan to revise the Codes of Practice (CoPs) for licensed private healthcare facilities (PHFs) to update regulatory requirements on the use of injectable and infusible products in PHFs, the DH today (September 29) responded as follows:
 
In 2013, the Government accepted the recommendations of the Working Group on Differentiation between Medical Procedures and Beauty Services under the Steering Committee on Review of Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities that procedures involving injections should be regarded as medical procedures and only be performed by registered medical practitioners or registered dentists. Products intended for human parenteral injection are high-risk products. Unless they fall within other regulatory categories (e.g. medical devices or proprietary Chinese medicines), they are generally classified as pharmaceutical products under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) and must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold or distributed in Hong Kong. The “Guidance Notes for Definitions and Abbreviations for Medical Device Administrative Control System (GN-00) ” published by the DH also explicitly stipulates injectable dermal fillers are classified as medical devices.
 
All registered pharmaceutical products carry a Hong Kong registration number in the format of “HK-XXXXX” on their packages. Members of the public can use the “Search Drug Database” function on the website of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong to check information on individual registered pharmaceutical products by entering the product name or ingredient; all listed medical devices carry a listing number in the format of “HKMD XXXXXX”. Members of the public may refer to the “List of Medical Devices” at the Medical Device Division’s website for detailed information.
 
The DH regulates premises where registered medical practitioners and registered dentists practise under the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance (Cap. 633) (the Ordinance). The Government set up the Advisory Committee for Regulatory Standards for Private Healthcare Facilities (Advisory Committee) under the Ordinance. It comprises members from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Hospital Authority, the academia, and representatives from private hospitals, registered medical practitioners’ as well as dentists’ associations. The terms of reference of the Advisory Committee are to devise, review and update the standards of regulation for PHFs and make recommendations on the CoPs issued by the Director of Health from time to time.
 
Since injectable and infusible products intended for human are high-risk products, the Advisory Committee has endorsed updated regulatory requirements and required that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed PHFs must fall within one of the following categories:

i) Pharmaceutical products registered or exempted from registration under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A);
ii) Human organ or human tissue products in compliance with the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance (Cap. 465); or
iii) Medical devices listed under the Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS).
 
In light of the Advisory Committee’s decision, the DH will also revise the CoPs for licensed PHFs accordingly. The DH intends to publish the revised CoPs in the Gazette in the fourth quarter of 2026. The revised CoPs, except for the sections on medical devices, will take effect one month after publication in the Gazette. To allow licensed PHFs sufficient time to identify compliant alternative products, the requirement for using injectable and infusible medical devices listed under MDACS will take effect on March 1, 2027.
 
Regarding the aforesaid requirement on injectable and infusible products, the DH issued a letter on September 9, 2026, to notify licensees of PHFs, licence applicants and the medical device industry. This letter, as well as frequently asked questions, have also been uploaded to the DH’s website for reference.
 
The Ordinance stipulates that operators of PHFs must obtain a licence or a letter of exemption before they can operate the relevant PHFs. The regulatory regimes for private hospitals and day procedure centres have been fully implemented, while the Government has started accepting applications for clinic licences and requests for letters of exemption for small practice clinics since October 2025. Any premises (including premises claiming to provide beauty services) that provide medical services/carry out medical procedures must obtain a relevant licence or letter of exemption under the Ordinance according to the nature of the medical services/procedures. The Government expects that, as early as the end of December 2027, any premises (including premises claiming to provide beauty services) that provide medical services or carry out medical procedures will be required to hold a relevant licence or letter of exemption under the Ordinance according to the nature of the services or procedures. As of yesterday (September 28), the DH has issued a total of over 3 400 clinic licences or letters of exemption for small practice clinics.

Compliance with the CoP is a condition for the issuance and renewal of licences. The DH inspects licensed PHFs from time to time and will take regulatory action if any licensed PHF is found to be in violation of the CoPs.

From time to time, the DH receives notifications of cases in which members of the public have developed complications following injection procedures, such as a probable case of botulism after a botulinum toxin injection announced on September 21 this year.

The DH has consistently reminded the public through various channels that injection procedures are medical procedures which should only be performed by locally registered medical practitioners or registered dentists. Members of the public should first ascertain the full name of the medical practitioner/dentist and check the List of Registered Medical Practitioners maintained by the Medical Council of Hong Kong or the List of Registered Dentists maintained by the Dental Council of Hong Kong. The professional qualifications and relevant credentials of the medical practitioner/dentist should also be verified. Before receiving an injection, members of the public should first understand the details of the procedure, potential risks and possible complications to make an informed decision. They should refuse injections from unknown sources, as their quality and efficacy are not assured.
 
Any person who is not a registered medical practitioner or registered dentist shall not perform medical procedures; otherwise the person may be charged for violating the Medical Registration Ordinance (Cap. 161) and the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap. 156). 
 
The illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for each offence upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment. If a person is suspected of illegally providing unregistered pharmaceutical products, the DH will conduct investigations and take enforcement actions. If medical professionals are involved, the DH will refer the case to relevant professional regulatory bodies for follow-up actions.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health (DH) has planned to revise the Codes of Practice (CoPs) to require that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed private healthcare facilities (PHFs) must fall within three categories.

In response to media enquiries today, the department reminded the public that injection procedures should only be administered by registered medical practitioners or registered dentists.

It stated that since injectable and infusible products intended for human use are high-risk products, the Advisory Committee for Regulatory Standards for Private Healthcare Facilities has endorsed updated regulatory requirements and required that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed PHFs must fall within three categories.

These include Pharmaceutical products registered or exempted from registration under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations, Human organ or human tissue products in compliance with the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, or Medical devices listed under the Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS).

In light of the Advisory Committee’s decision, the DH will revise the CoPs for licensed PHFs accordingly and plans to publish them in the Gazette in the fourth quarter this year.

The revised CoPs, except for the sections on medical devices, will take effect one month after publication in the Gazette.

To allow licensed PHFs sufficient time to identify compliant alternative products, the relevant requirement for using injectable and infusible medical devices listed under MDACS will take effect on March 1, 2027.

The department issued a letter on September 9 to notify licensees of PHFs, licence applicants and the medical device industry of the aforesaid requirement. The letter, as well as frequently asked questions, can be viewed online.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced that a resident who has completed a sentence in the Philippines has returned to Hong Kong safely accompanied by officers from the Immigration Department (ImmD).

He reunited with his family at the Hong Kong airport upon arrival in the city and expressed gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for their years of assistance, which enabled his prompt return to the city to reunite with his family after being released.

His family was delighted with the reunion and thanked the Hong Kong SAR Government and the ImmD for maintaining close contact with them and for providing proactive responses to their assistance requests.

The Government stated that it has always attached great importance to cases involving Hong Kong residents detained or imprisoned overseas, safeguarding their legal rights and remaining committed to providing assistance to them.

Upon the ImmD’s receipt of the request-for-assistance from the resident’s family in 2003, the Hong Kong SAR Government maintained close contact with the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR (OCMFA) and the Embassy, making every effort to provide practicable assistance to the resident and his family.

The Embassy also attached great importance to the case, having arranged officials to pay visits to the detained Hong Kong resident during his sentence and actively approached the local judicial authorities to follow up on the situation.

Upon learning that the resident had completed his sentence in the Philippines, the ImmD and the Embassy actively liaised with relevant Filipino authorities to follow up and immediately issued him with travel documents to expedite the overall repatriation procedure.

The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD also sent officers to the Philippines to co-ordinate the relevant repatriation arrangements with the Embassy and the Filipino authorities.

The Hong Kong SAR Government expressed gratitude to the OCMFA and the Embassy for their support and assistance in facilitating the prompt return of the resident following his release, which resulted in a prompt and smooth repatriation arrangement.

The ImmD will continue to follow up on the case and provide practicable assistance to the resident.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law congratulated cyclists Mok Tsz-chun, To Cheuk-hei and Yung Tsun-ho on winning a bronze medal in the Men’s Team Sprint of Track Cycling at the 20th Asian Games today.

Miss Law said the three cyclists were in excellent form, showing increasing strength throughout the competition and eventually reaching the podium.

It is also the first time Hong Kong, China has won a medal in the Men’s Team Sprint event.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced the successful pricing of around HK$20 billion worth of digital green bonds denominated in HK dollars (HKD), Renminbi, US dollars and euros under its Sustainable Bond Programme. 

The issuance has once again set a new record for the largest digital bond issuance in the world.

It also reinforced the Government’s commitment to promoting innovation in the bond market.

Alongside traditional settlement rails and the tokenised central bank money option introduced in the previous issuance, tokenised deposits, empowered by EnsembleTX, were incorporated into the primary issuance settlement process for the HKD tranche of this issuance.

It represented the world’s first digital bond that integrates tokenised deposits in HKD, advancing towards a more integrated digital ecosystem, and laying a foundation for exploring the programmable features of digital money.

This issuance also continued to advance adoption of global standards. By adopting the International Capital Market Association’s latest Bond Data Taxonomy Version 2.0, the issuance promoted greater data consistency, interoperability and end-to-end automation across the bond lifecycle.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the Government has successfully issued digital green bonds for the fourth time, totalling HK$20 billion, which is the largest issuance of its kind globally.

He highlighted that the offering was oversubscribed, demonstrating strong market appetite for tokenised products issued in Hong Kong.

Mr Chan also noted that these bonds, denominated in multiple currencies, cater to the asset diversification needs of both local and overseas investors, and have incorporated a range of innovative technologies to further advance innovation in the bond market.

“The Government will continue to issue tokenised bonds on a regular basis, expand the use cases for the underlying technologies, and harness fintech to empower the bond market’s continued development,” he added.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said this issuance demonstrated the Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovative forms of bond issuance and driving green transformation.

He added that it will also further enhance society’s understanding of the integration of sustainable development and fintech, while strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading global green and sustainable finance hub.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Hong Kong’s ranking rose by one place to 14th globally among 139 economies and remained 5th in Asia in the Global Innovation Index 2026 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization today.

As regards the two sub-indices under the index, Hong Kong’s ranking in the “Innovation Input” sub-index remained at 8th globally, while its ranking in the “Innovation Output” sub-index rose by one place to 21st.

The Government said that it is pleased to see the good progress Hong Kong has achieved in the index, highlighting that expediting the development of innovation and technology (I&T) has been a policy priority.

The Government also noted that it is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, following the directions set out in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan.

Hong Kong will enhance the institutional framework for I&T development, expedite alignment with key national strategies in technology, and develop the new “three major I&T parks and five key research and development institutions” paradigm.

The city will also advance new industrialisation accordingly to establish a framework with Hong Kong characteristics for a new industrialisation system, as well as take forward the AI+ Initiative on all fronts by enhancing the layout of computing infrastructure, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in accelerating their adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), and empowering different sectors of the economy through AI technology.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong will leverage the advantage of being closely connected to the Mainland and the world to develop an international hub for science and technology co-operation, as well as deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, thereby attracting global I&T resources and talent.

The Government emphasised that it will strive to realise the vision in the Five-Year Plan that Hong Kong will essentially establish an international I&T centre based in the bay area, serving the entire country, while connecting to the world, after 2030.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Development Bureau today invited the industry to submit applications for inclusion in the pre-qualified lists of consultants and contractors under the new support service for building maintenance works.

 

The application period is from tomorrow to October 27.

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said that the bureau, together with the Urban Renewal Authority and relevant departments and agencies, will process the applications at full steam. 

“Our goal is to have the pre-qualified lists available progressively by the end of this year and to begin tendering projects for property owners in the first quarter of next year,” she said.

She highlighted that only consultants and contractors on the pre-qualified lists will be eligible to submit tenders for projects under the new support service in the future. 

Ms Linn called on dedicated and capable consultants and contractors in the industry to apply as soon as possible. 

“Together with other enhanced services in the future, such as tender invitation and evaluation services for property owners, we aim to establish a professional and clean maintenance team to work with the Government to provide property owners with high-quality and reliable services, as well as to foster the healthy development of the industry.”

      

The pre-qualified lists cover inspection consultants, supervision consultants, and building works contractors.

There are four areas of pre-qualification criteria – technical competence, integrity, financial capacity, and past performance – with a biennial review mechanism. 

Click here for application details.