Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Mr Ying Yong, at Government House today (September 22) to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, also attended the meeting.
 
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Ying and his delegation to Hong Kong to attend the 15th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference. He expressed gratitude to the Central Government and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate for supporting Hong Kong in organising this high-level conference for the first time, which further consolidates Hong Kong’s role as a regional hub for legal exchanges and fully demonstrates the unique position and advantages of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) under the “one country, two systems” principle, having the strong support of the country while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world.
 
     Mr Lee noted that the theme of this year’s conference is “Combatting Money Laundering and Corruption, and Recovering Assets in the Technological Age”. As an international financial, shipping, and trade centre, Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction within the country, with its legal system aligned with most major financial centres around the world. While maintaining a highly open international market, Hong Kong attaches great importance to safeguarding the integrity of its financial system and has consistently adhered to international standards in its anti-money laundering systems and measures. The Department of Justice has also established a dedicated sub-division to handle technology crimes and digital evidence, proactively addressing the challenges brought by technological advancements.
 
     Mr Lee said that Hong Kong has been integrating into the overall national development. The Department of Justice is committed to promoting “soft connectivity” between local prosecutors and representatives of procuratorates across the Mainland, deepening co-operation in areas such as mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, training of prosecutorial personnel, and expert exchanges, to effectively combat cross-border crimes. The HKSAR Government will continue to deepen co-operation with the Mainland in prosecution, contributing to the country’s construction of the rule of law.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (September 22) that Asia Partners IFBD Limited (Asia Partners), the operation arm of global sports investment firm Svenska Capital, has chosen Hong Kong as its strategic gateway to drive expansion of its sports intellectual property (IP) across Asia.
 
     Asia Partners is the sole IP owner of CR7® LIFE Museum in Asia and CR7® LIFE Merchandise and stores worldwide, and will launch several iconic initiatives that will redefine sports engagement in Hong Kong. Following the successful opening of the CR7® LIFE Museum in July this year at K11 Musea; the first-ever CR7® LIFE Official Store has opened on September 19 in Times Square, Causeway Bay, followed by regional expansion throughout Asia.
 
     Organised by Asia Partners, World Football Summit (WFS) Hong Kong 2025 debuted in Hong Kong on September 3 and 4, bringing together the most influential figures in global football. With over 3 500 attendees and over 80 top-level speakers, the WFS aims to help shape the future of football in Asia.

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We are thrilled to see Asia Partners using Hong Kong as the ideal hub to launch various innovative sports IP initiatives, which is a testament to Hong Kong’s unique position as a global hub for innovation, sports and cultural exchanges. The company’s ambitious plans perfectly align with Hong Kong’s strengths as an international business centre with world-class infrastructure and deep connections across Asia.
 
     “Hong Kong stands out as the ultimate strategic gateway for expanding premium sports IP into Asia. Its unique position as a global city with a sophisticated audience, world-class infrastructure and unparalleled regional influence, particularly in Greater China and Southeast Asia, makes it the ideal launch pad for our vision. By establishing a footprint in Hong Kong, we’re not just expanding our business, we’re unlocking a world of possibilities in consumer engagement and creating a new blueprint for how sports and entertainment can elevate the cultural and economic profile of a city,” the Chairman of Asia Partners, Mr Filipe Gonçalves, stated.
 
     “The launch of CR7® LIFE Official Store and the hosting of World Football Summit in Hong Kong are just the beginning. Soon, we will officially unveil two of the largest football IP events in the global sports industry, cementing Hong Kong’s position as the world city of football,” he added.
 
     Asia Partners is positioned as a premier regional platform to scale international sports IP across Asia through three integrated verticals: branded experiences, premium retail and knowledge leadership. Its vision is to establish Hong Kong as the leading hub for sports IP innovation in Asia. This subsidiary aims to not only expand the reach of global sports IP but also to redefine how sports engage with audiences, cities and economies. For more details about Asia Partners IFBD Limited, visit www.linkedin.com/company/asiapartnershongkong/.
 
     For a copy of the photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720329139538/.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a fresh provision shop in Sheung Shui to suspend business for 14 days, as the licensee repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally.

The shop, located at Shop 17 on level one of Lung Fung Garden on 33 Lung Sum Avenue, was ordered to suspend business from today (September 21) to October 4.

     “Two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the shop licensee in July this year. A total fine of $3,000 was levied by the court, and 30 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department’s demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the 14-day licence suspension,” a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.

The licensee concerned had a record of two convictions for the same offence in April this year. A total fine of $10,000 was levied, and 30 demerit points were also registered, leading to a seven-day licence suspension between June and July this year.

The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.

Licensed food premises are required to exhibit their licence and a sign at a conspicuous place of the premises, indicating that the premises has been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-foodPremises-search.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The third Asia+ Festival commenced last Friday (September 19) with the opening programme of the box-office hit “The Cherry Orchard” at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre for three consecutive nights. The Festival, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is held annually from September to November with an aim to create a sustainable platform for arts and cultural exchanges.
 
     The Korean theatre production of “The Cherry Orchard” by internationally renowned director Simon Stone, starring Cannes Best Actress Jeon Do-yeon and globally recognised actor Park Hae-soo from “Squid Game”, brings striking originality to Russian master dramatist Anton Chekhov’s classic. Stone, Jeon and Park also attended meet-the-artist sessions after the performances and shared their thoughts on their participation in the production.
 
     Stone said that he was very excited as “The Cherry Orchard” marked the first time his work had been physically performed in Hong Kong, serving as the first stop of the play’s world tour. Park, Jeon and actor Son Sang-kyu mentioned that before the show they were concerned that the language barrier would affect the viewing experience, but soon found out onstage that the audience was fully engaged, responding actively to the plot’s developments and enjoying the entire performance. Jeon added that this performance in Hong Kong, bringing together an Australian director, Korean actors, and a Russian classic, was an amazing experience for her.
 
     While focusing on Asia, the Asia+ Festival also connects with Belt and Road countries and regions. This year, the Festival is bringing together outstanding artists from over 30 countries and regions, of which 12 are new participating countries including South Africa, North Macedonia and Argentina, which are presenting respectively the dance performance “We wear our wheels with pride”, the folk concert “Makedonissimo”, “Tango After Dark”, and more. Please visit www.asiaplus.gov.hk for more details on the programme line-ups.
 
     Tickets are now available at URBTIX counters, self-service ticketing kiosks, online (www.urbtix.hk), mobile ticketing app URBTIX, and by telephone booking (hotline: 3166 1288). For programme enquiries and other discount schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit the website.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau announced that classes of all schools will be suspended tomorrow and the following day given that the weather is expected to deteriorate rapidly and the Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 may be issued between 1pm and 4pm on Tuesday.

 

The steering committee on handling extreme weather, led by the Chief Secretary, released the relevant information in response to the latest assessment and forecast on Super Typhoon Ragasa by the Hong Kong Observatory.

 

The decision to suspend school classes is to ensure students’ safety. During the class suspension, schools will not accept paper applications for discretionary places under the Primary One Admission (POA) 2026.

 

The deadline for submitting paper applications has been extended to September 30. Parents may also choose to submit e-applications via the POA e-Platform on or before September 26.

 

District Offices will advance the opening of temporary shelters at 8am tomorrow for people in need, and individual temporary shelters will commence operation earlier today if necessary. The Home Affairs Department has activated a round-the-clock hotline 2572 8427 for public enquiries.

 

The Security Bureau’s Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre was fully activated at 10.30am today, more than 24 hours earlier than normal for early planning and early intervention.

 

Various emergency response teams, including the Fire Services Department, Police, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service, are on standby.

 

Under the steering committee’s co-ordination, various departments have completed all necessary preparatory work and response plans. They will serve with dedication to duty and combine efforts to safeguard the lives and property of the public as well as public safety to minimise the threats and impact of the storm.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, today (September 22) welcomed the approval by the London Metal Exchange (LME), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), of the applications to designate three warehouses in Yuen Long as approved warehouses. This decision demonstrates the strong industry support for the policy direction to promote commodity trading as announced in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address”, further enhancing Hong Kong’s commodity trading ecosystem and consolidating its status as an international financial, shipping and trading centre.
 
     Mr Hui said, “The Chief Executive raised in his 2025 Policy Address to continuously develop Hong Kong’s commodity trading ecosystem, including support for the sector in setting up more approved warehouses. Relevant government bureaux and departments have been maintaining close communication with industry stakeholders and providing appropriate assistance on technical matters. The expansion of the LME’s storage facilities in Hong Kong is a positive response to the policy direction set out in the Policy Address. In less than nine months since Hong Kong’s inclusion in the LME’s global warehousing network, the total number of LME-approved warehouses has now increased to 11, including the eight previously approved. This strengthens Hong Kong’s advantage in infrastructure and reinforces our position as a key LME delivery hub in Asia. The three new warehouses are ready for immediate operation, providing efficient delivery options to market participants in international metal trading, while also driving the development of Hong Kong’s shipping and related services.”
 
     He added, “The Policy Address also proposed other measures to develop commodity trading, including the establishment of the Strategic Committee on Commodities led by the Financial Secretary; deepening of the HKEX’s connections with the Guangzhou Futures Exchange and other commodity markets on the Mainland; and the Government’s plan to amend legislation in the first half of next year to provide half-rate tax concessions for commodity traders to set up businesses in Hong Kong. These initiatives aim to co-ordinate efforts in both hardware and software in order to lay an overall framework for long-term development. The Government will actively collaborate with the trade to expedite the implementation of these measures.”
 
     The LME included Hong Kong as an approved delivery point within its global warehousing network in January this year, and began accepting applications from warehouse operators to become approved warehouses of LME-registered brands of metals.
 
 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Customs has mounted an operation against the smuggling of animals, codenamed “Pet Guardian”, with the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Shenzhen Customs since November 2023. The fifth phase of the operation commenced in mid-September this year, and Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected cases of illegally importing animals. Six suspected illegally imported animals with an estimated market value of about $20,000 were seized.
 
On September 15, Hong Kong Customs at Sha Tau Kok spotted a woman pushing a bike and entering Hong Kong through the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint from the Mainland side of Chung Ying Street. Customs officers then took action and found a cat inside a pet cage placed at the front basket of the bike and a dog inside the woman’s bag. The 56-year-old woman was subsequently arrested.
 
In the second case, Hong Kong Customs officers at Sha Tau Kok, acting on intelligence analysis, intercepted a 61-year-old woman pushing a bike to enter Hong Kong from Chung Ying Street on the Mainland side on September 17. Four suspected illegally imported cats were found in a nylon bag placed at the rear basket of the bike, and she was immediately arrested.
 
Investigations into the two cases are ongoing, and the six animals have been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action.
 
     As a government department specifically responsible for tackling smuggling, Customs will continue to enhance co-operation and intelligence exchanges with other law enforcement agencies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.
 
Customs reminds the public that importing animals into Hong Kong without a valid permit is an offence.
 
Under the Rabies Regulation, any person found guilty of illegally importing animals, carcasses or animal products is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Social Welfare Department announced today that nine additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) in Guangdong will become Recognised Service Providers under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong, from October 1, to provide subsidised residential care places for seniors joining the scheme.

 

These care homes are located in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan and Huizhou.

 

Together with the existing 15 RCHEs, the number of such care homes under the scheme will increase to 24, located in eight Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, offering Hong Kong seniors more choices on cross-boundary elderly care.

 

Click here for details of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

As the second event of the 114th R.O.C. (Taiwan) Double Tenth celebrations, the highly anticipated and immensely popular 4th Table Tennis Championship kicked off today at Ku-ring-gai Town Hall.
Together with Ku-ring-gai Mayor Christine Kay and Councillor Barbara Ward, Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu, Mrs. Wu, and the TECO team joined the event. We thanked the Taiwanese community for voluntarily organizing such a wonderful series of activities and encouraged everyone to show great sportsmanship and resilience as we celebrate our National Day.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu and Mrs. Wu, together with Ms. May Chiang, Director of the Culture Centre of OCAC in Sydney, and President Kathy Sieh of the Australian Taiwanese Friendship Association, accompanied by team members Lily and Michelle, warmly welcomed the 2025 Taiwanese Culture Goodwill Mission of the National Day of R.O.C. (Taiwan), led by former OCAC Minister Wu Hsin-Hsing, at Sydney Airport.
To further support the overseas community’s celebration of the ROC (Taiwan) National Day, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) has organized the 2025 Taiwanese Culture Goodwill Mission, selecting the Taiwanese performing arts group Formosa Melody Music Center for an international tour. After their first performance in sunny Brisbane, the tour has now arrived at the vibrant metropolis of the Southern Hemisphere—Sydney.
We wish the troupe every success for an amazing performance on September 22, 2025, at The Concourse Theatre in Chatswood.