Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Forty-one convictions were recorded in August 2025 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department.
 
     Thirteen of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, six were under the Noise Control Ordinance, 11 were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, five were under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance, three were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance and three were under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
 
     A person was fined $27,000, which was the heaviest fine in August, for contravening the provisions of a licence.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Director of Water Supplies, Mr Roger Wong, today (September 23) attended the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Water Conservation Industry Innovation and Development Conference and Expo at the Baiyun International Convention Center in Guangzhou. He also participated in the inauguration and commencement ceremony of the GBA Water Conservation Industry Alliance.

During the ceremony, Mr Wong, together with the Director of the Pearl River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Wu Xiaolong; the Deputy Director General of the Water Resources Department of Guangdong Province, Ms Chen Jian; and the Director of the Marine and Water Bureau of Macao, Ms Wong Soi-man, witnessed the announcement of the water conservation declaration. The declaration sets directions for the high-quality development of the water conservation industry in the GBA and opens a new chapter in cross-boundary collaboration on water conservation.

Speaking at the opening plenary session, Mr Wong stressed that in the face of global climate change, sustainable water resources management is crucial for the highly urbanised GBA. As a core city of the GBA, Hong Kong will strengthen collaboration with other GBA cities to address common challenges in the management of water resources. Hong Kong will fully leverage its unique advantages of being closely connected to both the Mainland and the world under the “one country, two systems” framework, showcase the country’s advancement in digital water and water-saving technologies, and provide a “GBA Plan” for the country’s transition towards a water-saving society. Mr Wong noted that the establishment of the Alliance comes at a timely moment to pool technologies, policies and market forces across the region, providing a platform for industry collaboration and technological innovation.

Mr Wong then joined representatives of the Alliance to participate in the inauguration ceremony, marking a significant step forward in strengthening cross-boundary collaboration among governments, enterprises, academia and water agencies. The move underscores a shared commitment to advancing internationalisation and technological innovation in the GBA’s water conservation industry.

The Alliance comprises enterprises, academia, and water agencies across Hong Kong, Macao, and the nine Mainland GBA cities. The Water Supplies Department (WSD), together with the Pearl River Water Resources Commission, the Water Resources Department of Guangdong Province and the Marine and Water Bureau of Macao, will provide guidance to the Alliance’s work. The WSD will make use of the Alliance as a platform to deepen collaboration on water conservation initiatives among cities in the GBA, including developing the first water efficiency labelling scheme applicable to the GBA, and fostering the innovation and wider adoption of water-saving technologies.

Mr Wong returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs today (September 23) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 23 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated market value of about $7.6 million.
 
A 21-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected methamphetamine in the check-in suitcase possessed by him. The man was subsequently arrested.
 
The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 24).

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 to 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.

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).

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA solemnly refutes falsehoods and threatening language used against Taiwan by China’s defense minister at Beijing Xiangshan Forum

Date：2025-09-18
Data Source：Department of Policy Planning

September 18, 2025  
No. 349  

China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun stated during the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on September 18 that Taiwan’s return to China was an important element of the post-World War II international order and that it was an indisputable historical and legal fact that Taiwan was a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Stating that the People’s Liberation Army had long been a powerful force in defending the unity of the Chinese motherland, he said that it would never allow any Taiwanese secessionist plot to succeed and that it stood ready to thwart external military intervention at any time. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also published similar comments on the same day.
 
China’s fallacies grossly distort the historical facts. Demonstrating once again China’s authoritarian nature and its custom of engaging in saber-rattling, such fallacies have a clear impact upon regional peace and stability. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) solemnly refutes them in the strongest possible terms.
 
Following the conclusion of World War II, the Treaty of San Francisco, which had the force of international law, replaced such political statements as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. The treaty did not hand Taiwan over to the PRC, which has never ruled Taiwan.
 
Starting from the mid-1980s, Taiwan underwent a bottom-up transition of liberalization and democratization, culminating in the completion of its first presidential elections in 1996. Since then, the representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the ROC (Taiwan) government have all been elected by the people of Taiwan, making it the only legitimate administration that effectively governs and represents Taiwan externally. This also established the status quo under which the ROC (Taiwan) and the PRC exist on an equal footing, with neither being subordinate to the other. These are the objective facts.
 
The ROC (Taiwan) has been through three transfers of governing party—in 2000, 2008, and 2016. These have continued to consolidate Taiwan’s democratic system and sense of identity and reflect the Taiwanese people’s staunch belief in, and desire to pursue, freedom and democracy.
 
MOFA solemnly states that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other and that the PRC has no right to represent Taiwan in the international community. China has recently engaged in widespread and baseless lawfare in a bid to strengthen its claim that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter, as well as alter the regional status quo and rationalize its aggressive actions. This has undermined peace and stability. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to maintain the status quo and encourage partner countries to clearly oppose China’s false statements. It will also continue to closely work with like-minded countries to jointly defend peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the region and across the Taiwan Strait. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

September 18, 2025 
No. 347 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and his delegation attended a U-Theatre performance at the Romaeuropa Festival 2025 on September 17 in Rome, Italy. Minister Lin spoke at a reception before the event, emphasizing that cultural exchange could highlight the Taiwanese spirit and that the Taiwan Culture in Europe 2025 initiative aimed to connect Taiwan and Europe through the value of cultural diversity. U-Theatre founder Liu Ruo-yu, Romaeuropa Foundation President Guido Fabiani, and members of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies Andrea Orsini and Mauro Del Barba also attended the performance.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Culture had jointly implemented the Taiwan Culture in Europe 2025 initiative this year. He stressed that they hoped to promote Taiwan-Europe cultural exchanges through various art forms, including the performing arts, visual arts, music, film, architecture, comics, and literature. Minister Lin also expressed the wish that more European friends could gain an understanding of Taiwan’s authentic, diverse, and creative aspects beyond technology.
 
Minister Lin lauded U-Theatre for being one of Taiwan’s most prominent arts and cultural groups, adding that its European tour was a key highlight of the Taiwan Culture in Europe 2025 initiative. He explained that U-Theatre’s works integrated such components as drumming, martial arts, and dance to create a dynamic and powerful form of stage expression that vividly symbolized the spirit of Taiwan, in particular the tenacity and resilience of Taiwan’s people. Minister Lin also emphasized that culture served to overcome language and distance barriers and that U-Theatre’s performance should be seen as a cultural dialogue between Taiwan and Italy.
 
In addition, Minister Lin took the opportunity to thank friends across all sectors of Italy for their long-standing support of Taiwan. He stressed that Taiwan and Italy shared the universal values of democracy and human rights and enjoyed robust trade and industrial ties. Minister Lin asserted that, through cultural exchanges, Taiwan and Italy could further deepen mutual understanding and trust, paving the way for even closer bilateral cooperation in the future.
 
In his address, Romaeuropa Foundation President Fabiani shared his experiences of China attempting to interfere in his close engagement with Taiwan. He expressed that love for Taiwan had motivated him to continue promoting Taiwan-Italy cultural exchanges, undeterred by pressure from China.
 
This year, U-Theatre was invited by Romaeuropa Festival—one of Italy’s most significant cultural events—to present their celebrated work Sword of Wisdom. This gave Europeans the opportunity to experience firsthand Taiwan’s profound and rich culture. At the end, the group received a five-minute ovation, receiving high praise from the entire audience.
 
Looking ahead, MOFA will continue to connect Taiwan and Europe through cultural activities, thereby encouraging Europeans to learn more about Taiwan. This will, in turn, foster mutual understanding and appreciation of shared democratic values as the two sides join hands in strengthening unity in the global democratic camp. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to joint statement by US, Japanese, ROK foreign ministers reiterating importance of peace and stability across Taiwan Strait

Date：2025-09-23
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

September 23, 2025  
No. 360  

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a trilateral meeting in New York on September 22. In a joint statement issued following the meeting, they emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, expressed concern about increasingly frequent destabilizing actions around Taiwan, encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. They also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung notes that this is the third occasion this year that a trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea has reiterated support for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, demonstrating like-minded nations’ high concern for Taiwan Strait security.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sincerely appreciates this latest joint statement and welcomes the international community’s continued focus on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to raise its national defense capabilities, strengthen its economic resilience, and cooperate with the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other like-minded nations to defend peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to Netherlands House of Representatives passing motion to support Taiwan’s meaningful international participation

Date：2025-09-21
Data Source：Department of European Affairs

September 21, 2025 
No. 356 

The Netherlands House of Representatives on September 18 passed a motion calling on the Netherlands government to back Taiwan’s meaningful participation during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and at meetings held by other international organizations. Approved by an overwhelming majority of 147 to 3, the motion was introduced by Jan Paternotte, who serves as spokesperson for foreign affairs of the Democrats 66 party and cochair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) for the Netherlands, as well as by several other members of the house from a variety of parties.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sincerely welcomes and appreciates Dutch parliamentarians once again demonstrating strong support for Taiwan just as the UNGA convenes.
 
The motion states that UNGA Resolution 2758 of 1971 addresses the representation of China in the UN but that it neither stipulates that the People’s Republic of China enjoys sovereignty over Taiwan nor makes any statement about Taiwan’s participation in the UN or other international organizations. It goes on to assert that the Netherlands has an interest in Taiwan’s representation at the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Climate Change Conference, and the International Criminal Police Organization and calls on the Netherlands government to actively cooperate with other countries and submit proposals advocating for Taiwan’s meaningful participation at the UNGA and the annual meetings of UN organizations.
 
The motion is yet another concrete display of support for Taiwan’s international participation and follows four other motions passed by the House of Representatives in April urging the Dutch government to oppose China’s escalation of tensions, strengthen trade relations with Taiwan, send a high-level official delegation to Taiwan, and support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in WHO. Building on the friendly ties between Taiwan and the Netherlands, MOFA will continue to promote cooperation between the two countries in such key areas as semiconductor supply chain resilience, security and information security, and next-generation communications. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

ROC (Taiwan) urges Singapore and other nations in region to make greatest possible effort to maintain regional status quo and peace and stability

Date：2025-09-20
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

September 20, 2025 
No. 354 

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the maintenance of the status quo had a crucial impact on Asia and the world.
 
The ROC (Taiwan) government calls on Singapore and other like-minded nations to continue to pay attention to Taiwan Strait security, regional stability, and world peace.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) reiterates that the ROC (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent nation and that Taiwan’s future will be collectively determined by the people of Taiwan. The international community considers this principle an objective fact and a matter of consensus.
 
MOFA emphasizes that, having long faced China’s military threats and diplomatic suppression, Taiwan will firmly defend its national sovereignty and democratic values, resisting authoritarian expansion and safeguarding Taiwan Strait peace and stability in accordance with the common interests of Singapore and other nations within the region and across the globe.
 
MOFA appreciates that the international community continues to focus on the Taiwan Strait situation and regional peace and lend support to the rules-based international order through concrete action. The government of Taiwan will spare no effort in promoting integrated diplomacy so as to deepen cooperation with like-minded nations and jointly advance democracy, peace, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific. (E)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, today (September 23) welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), Guangzhou Emissions Exchange, Shenzhen Green Exchange and Macao International Carbon Emission Exchange to further promote knowledge exchange and sharing, and strengthen collaboration in the development of carbon markets and the green finance ecosystem in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
 
     Mr Hui said, “We attach great importance to carbon markets in the GBA and actively promote co-operation with them. As the first quadripartite agreement among the carbon exchanges within the GBA, this MOU marks new heights in the orderly and healthy collaborative development of the GBA’s carbon markets. The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address proposed deepening pilot co-operation with the GBA carbon market, jointly building a regional carbon market ecosystem. The signing of the MOU among the HKEX and several GBA carbon exchanges fully demonstrates the determination of the Government and the HKEX in the continuous active promotion of co-operation and joint development with Mainland carbon markets through various means, consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a leading sustainable finance centre in the region.”
 
     Core Climate, the HKEX’s international carbon trading platform, is the only voluntary carbon credit trading platform in the world offering settlement in Hong Kong dollars and Renminbi. In addition to deepening co-operation with the GBA carbon market, the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address also announced that the Government will work with relevant Mainland regulatory departments and authorities to study issues surrounding the country’s participation in the international carbon market. The Government and the HKEX will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to jointly enhance the carbon market ecosystem.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The 15th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, hosted by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China and organised by the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), was held in Hong Kong today (September 23). The Conference was attended by around 80 participants including prosecutors general, attorneys general, and representatives from prosecution authorities from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. 

Initiated by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China in 2004, the China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference is a regular multilateral platform for high-level exchanges between prosecution authorities of China and ASEAN member states on issues of common interest, with a view to enhancing capacities in combatting transnational crimes, protecting people’s livelihoods and maintaining regional stability. The Conference is part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN.  

The year’s Conference theme, “Combatting Money Laundering and Corruption, and Recovering Assets in the Technological Age”, highlights the transnational nature, fluidity and complexity of crimes relating to money laundering and corruption in the technological age and the challenges posed by technological advancements to effective law enforcement and prosecutions against money laundering and corruption, and calls for unity as China and ASEAN member states join hands to rise to such challenges in the digital era. 

The Chief Grand Prosecutor and Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Ying Yong; the Chief Executive of the HKSAR, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, officiated and delivered their welcoming speeches at the opening ceremony. 

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr Ying said that with the robust development of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, the strategic mutual trust between the two sides has continued to strengthen. The China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference is an important conference under the China-ASEAN framework, and plays a vital role in promoting peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable development between China and ASEAN member states. The theme of this conference reflects the shared understanding among participants regarding the harms of money laundering, corruption, and cross-border transfer of illicit funds. It also embodies the common aspiration of prosecutorial authorities across jurisdictions to strengthen international anti-money laundering and anti-corruption co-operation, and to deepen collaboration in recovering criminal assets for better safeguarding regional security and stability while promoting common development.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Lee thanked the Central Government for organising and supporting Hong Kong in hosting the conference. He said that China and ASEAN are good neighbours, good friends and good partners with a long history of co-operation. As the only bilingual common law jurisdiction under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has full capability to uphold the rule of law and act as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution in the Asia-Pacific region. He said that countries should work together in the technological age to make use of innovative technology to combat the so-called innovators of crime, and build a future where technology serves safety. This conference is a good opportunity to strengthen co-operation between China and ASEAN countries in combatting cross-border criminal activities.

Mr Lam said in his speech that the HKSAR, under the “one country, two systems” principle, has close legal co-operation with ASEAN member states, including the signing of bilateral mutual legal assistance agreements, taking forward co-operation based on reciprocity undertakings and implementing key international conventions relating to combatting transnational crime. Hong Kong will continue to strengthen its collaboration with ASEAN member states in combatting transnational crime in response to the new developments in the region’s economic and social landscape.

Following the opening ceremony, representatives from China and ASEAN member states proceeded to the plenary sessions. Addressing the plenary session of the Conference, Mr Lam proposed a multipronged approach to combatting money laundering and corruption in a technological age, including the strengthening of public education and imposing heavier penalties to deter members of the general public from laundering money for others; strict enforcement of legal duties to require financial institutions to detect and report suspicious transactions; using legal means to stop dissipation of funds in money laundering; and enhancing the prosecution’s capability to handle technological crimes. Mr Lam briefed the participants on the latest legislative initiatives taken to improve Hong Kong’s legal frameworks in combatting money laundering and corruption related offences, as well as Hong Kong’s active role in deepening collaboration with ASEAN member states in this respect. 

During the conference, the Heads of Delegations of China and ASEAN member states will sign the Joint Declaration of the 15th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, declaring and reaffirming the commitment of China and ASEAN member states to fight against transnational crimes, including money laundering and corruption; to strengthen co-operation and sharing of knowledge and best practices; to enhance anti-money laundering and anti-corruption regulatory frameworks and legal tools, and step up promotional works to enhance public understanding and awareness of money laundering and corruption. 

During the conference held in Hong Kong, Mr Lam, as a member of the Delegation of China, attended bilateral meetings between the delegation and ASEAN member states to exchange views of common interest.