Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hospital Authority service arrangements announced The HA anticipates that a large number of backlogged cases will have to be handled after the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 is cancelled. In view of potentially continuing adverse weather conditions, some non-emergency services may still be affected. The HA will announce arrangements for services to be available on Thursday (September 25) in due course.
The HA reminds that non-urgent patients should avoid visiting public hospitals or clinics during the storm or adverse weather conditions for the sake of safety. “Public hospitals will resume all affected non-emergency services as soon as possible after the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 is cancelled. Affected patients will be notified gradually in the coming week to reschedule their appointments. Patients do not need to be concerned. All clusters have also set up hotlines for patients’ enquiries (see attached table),” the spokesperson supplemented.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (September 22) that starting from October 1, nine additional residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan and Huizhou will join the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong as Recognised Service Providers to provide subsidised residential care places for participating elderly persons.
The information on the additional RCHEs is as follows:
Name
Location
Guangzhou
1.
Guangzhou Chunxuanmao Senior Living Services Co., Ltd
(Operated under the partnership formed by the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon and a Mainland elderly service operator)
Building G, 18 Kelin Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
Azure (Guangdong) Elderly Care Limited
(Operated under the partnership formed by Ganghui Medical Care Company Limited and a Mainland elderly service operator)
Azure (Guangdong) Elderly Care Limited, Shuitangmian Road, Aotou, Daya Bay District, Huizhou
9.
Huizhou Social Welfare Institute (Huizhou Social Welfare Service Center)
Together with the existing 15 RCHEs, the total number of RCHEs under the Scheme will increase to 24, located in eight Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mainland cities, i.e. Guangzhou, Foshan, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Zhaoqing, Jiangmen, Zhuhai and Huizhou, offering Hong Kong elderly persons more choices on cross-boundary elderly care.
Elderly persons who are waitlisted for subsidised residential care services on the Central Waiting List and would like to join the Scheme may contact their responsible workers to file an application. Applicants may also approach elderly centres, Integrated Family Service Centres or Medical Social Services Units in their district to make an application. After their care needs have been ascertained in the Standardised Care Need Assessment, they may apply for residential care services under the Scheme. Details of the Scheme are available on the SWD website: www.swd.gov.hk/en/pubsvc/elderly/cat_residentcare/subrcheplace/guangdong/index.html.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs today (September 21) detected four drug trafficking cases involving air passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized a total of about 25 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 14 kilograms of suspected heroin, about 13 kilograms of suspected ketamine and about six kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with a total estimated market value of about $30 million. Four females were arrested.
In the first case, a 19-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Toronto, Canada today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cocaine, weighing about 25 kilograms with an estimated market value of about $18 million, in her check-in suitcase. The female was subsequently arrested.
In the second case, a 30-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected heroin, weighing about 14 kilograms with an estimated market value of about $7 million, in her check-in suitcase. The female was subsequently arrested.
In the third case, a 37-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Brussels, Belgium today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected ketamine, weighing about 13 kilograms with an estimated market value of about $4 million concealed in the food packages, in her check-in suitcase. The female was subsequently arrested.
In the fourth case, a 42-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds, weighing about six kilograms with an estimated market value of about $1.3 million concealed in the food packages, in her carry-on luggage. The female was subsequently arrested.
Investigations of these four cases are ongoing.
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: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SFST to visit Slovenia and Poland Mr Hui is going to Slovenia on the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Klemen Boštjančič, to attend a high-level event which will gather members of the European Commission and the Eurogroup, as well as ministers of finance or senior financial officials from various countries and financial experts. He will also join a panel discussion at the event. In addition to meeting government officials, Mr Hui will attend an event hosted by the largest chamber of commerce there to promote the advantages of Hong Kong’s financial markets with a view to attracting European enterprises and investors to come to Hong Kong and utilise the city as the perfect platform to enter the Asian and Chinese markets.
He will then proceed to Poland where he will visit the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and meet with government officials and the business sector. He will also visit two Chinese enterprises which have set up a presence in Poland to learn more about how Hong Kong can better leverage its professional services and advantages as one of the top three international financial centres to help more companies expand overseas.
Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong on September 27. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury. Issued at HKT 14:00
Following the discovery of a wartime bomb in Quarry Bay yesterday, an evacuation and bomb disposal operation was conducted to resolve the crisis in a safe and orderly manner.
In a roundup report tonight on the incident, the Government said the departments involved swiftly activated their emergency mechanisms, worked closely together and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and teamwork.
Throughout the entire process, various sectors of society actively provided support and assistance. Citizens displayed exemplary orderliness, complete understanding and full co-operation, reflecting the outstanding qualities of Hong Kong people and resulting in a successful resolution.
Police received a report at noon yesterday that a suspected bomb was discovered at a construction site at 16-94 Pan Hoi Street, North Point. Officers were deployed to the scene to carry out the investigation and handling arrangements.
Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau (EODB) officers confirmed that the bomb was a cylindrical American aerial bomb from World War II, approximately 150cm in length, weighing about 1,000 pounds and containing 500 pounds of high explosives, posing a significant danger.
The Security Bureau swiftly mobilised nearly 500 personnel from Police, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) to participate in the emergency response operation.
The Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre was immediately activated to fully co-ordinate and support the Government’s cross-departmental emergency work.
In preparation for the disposal operation, Police conducted a comprehensive impact assessment, and evacuated occupants from 18 residential or commercial buildings nearby, to ensure public safety and minimise the impact on the public.
EODB officers started the bomb disposal operation last night and successfully completed it at 11.48am today. The cordon was lifted immediately after that.
The FSD deployed a total of 58 fire and ambulance vehicles, and mobilised 224 fire and ambulance personnel during the incident. Co-ordinating with Police, the FSD ultimately evacuated a total of 2,887 residents.
In addition, the FSD collaborated with the AMS and Hong Kong St John Ambulance to assist residents with special needs, transporting five residents who were feeling unwell to the hospital, and another six people to other suitable accommodations.
After the disposal operation was completed, the FSD dispatched the newly introduced mass conveyance ambulance to take eight people in need and with limited mobility back home.
Around 450 residents stayed in the 19 temporary shelters set up by the Home Affairs Department last night in response to the evacuation. The District Office arranged coaches to take those in need to the shelters. Similar arrangements were made today to take them home.
District Council members, together with District Services & Community Care Teams members and volunteers assisted residents in need at the affected buildings and temporary shelters.
In addition, the Transport Department’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre operated round the clock to oversee the orderly implementation of various special traffic and transport arrangements.
The Government said the swift, safe and smooth resolution of the bomb disposal situation hinged on the close co-operation of various government departments and their dedication to duty, and the active co-operation and support of Care Teams, community service organisations as well as the affected citizens.
It thanks the public and the participating organisations and institutions for their support and collaboration.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
A Government spokesman said today (September 20) that in response to the discovery of a wartime bomb in Quarry Bay yesterday (September 19), relevant government departments swiftly activated their emergency mechanisms, worked closely together and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and teamwork to conduct an evacuation and bomb disposal operation, resolving the crisis in a safe and orderly manner. Throughout the entire process, various sectors of society, including Care Teams and community service organisations, actively provided support and assistance. Citizens displayed exemplary orderliness, complete understanding and full co-operation, reflecting the outstanding qualities of Hong Kong people and enabling the crisis to be handled in an organised and proper manner, resulting in a successful resolution.
Police received a report at noon yesterday that a suspected bomb was discovered at a construction site at 16-94 Pan Hoi Street, North Point. Police officers were deployed to the scene to carry out the investigation and handling arrangements. Officers of the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau (EODB) confirmed that the bomb was a cylindrical American aerial bomb from World War II, approximately 150 centimetres in length, weighing about 1 000 pounds and containing 500 pounds of high explosives, posing a significant danger.
President Lai attends opening of Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy International Forum
On the morning of September 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening of the Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy International Forum. In remarks, President Lai stated that as Taiwan and a host of other countries worldwide face the two major challenges posed by extreme climate and authoritarian systems, we must take action and step up our preparedness. The president said that in the year since establishing the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office, we have already taken concrete actions, ranging from tabletop exercises to on-site drills, to bolster the committee’s five lines of effort. In this year’s annual Han Kuang military exercises that were held concurrently with the Urban Resilience Exercises in each city or county, disaster prevention and national defense were integrated for the first time, he pointed out, involving every member of the public, whether military or civilian, regardless of professional background, gender, or age. The president expressed his conviction that the more united we are, the more resilient our country will become; and the more resilient we become, the more able we are to avoid and deter threats.
President Lai emphasized that peace cannot be left up to hope for good faith by the aggressors, and that to avoid war and defend peace, we must build defense capabilities and societal resilience through continued preparedness. At this challenging time, he said, most important is the cooperation among like-minded countries. The president thanked the members of our international team who are joining us from all over the world to observe or participate in the joint exercises and all the experts and scholars participating in today’s forum. He emphasized that the government is taking concrete actions to continually strengthen Taiwan, and that we are enhancing our national defense capabilities and have allocated a budget for resilience in homeland security. He said that this week our Ministry of National Defense released its updated all-out defense manual, “In Case of Crisis: Taiwan’s National Public Safety Guide,” adding that in the future, we plan to ensure that each and every household has access to this guide.
President Lai underlined that freedom and democracy did not come by chance, but through the sacrifice and struggle of countless Taiwanese people. He said that we will never bow to aggression, and that we will stand tall and defend our hard-earned way of life. United and moving forward courageously, he said, the people of Taiwan will continue to shine on the world stage, and that like a mountain, the Republic of China (Taiwan) will stay strong and endure.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I would like to begin by welcoming our distinguished guests from home and abroad to the Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy International Forum. This forum not only marks the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee’s momentous first anniversary, but also serves as a way to connect Taiwan with the world and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves.
In this present global situation, Taiwan and a host of other countries worldwide are facing two major challenges.
First, extreme climate-related disasters are posing grave challenges to every country, testing our basic infrastructure and impacting food security and infectious disease control. This has also put our economies and public health systems under massive pressure. We all know that resilience concerns more than just defense and security; it is also the foundation of well-being and societal stability.
Second, regimes within an authoritarian system led by China are building alliances with one another, with the intent to infiltrate and undermine democratic societies. Through military provocations and hybrid war tactics, they attempt to shake our confidence, sow division in our societies, challenge the international community’s bottom line, and gradually alter the status quo in the region and the international order.
These are the two major challenges – one stems from our natural environment, the other from the expansionary ambitions of authoritarian regimes. We have no time to lose. We must take action and step up our preparedness.
That is why, on September 26 last year, I convened the first meeting of the Presidential Office’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, guided by the principles “preparedness through vigilance,” “enhanced response, fearlessness in action,” and “orderly execution, methodical action.” Our work involves five lines of effort: civilian force training, material distribution, energy security, medical care and shelter preparation, and cyber and financial security. This has brought out a spirit of cooperation between the government and civil society.
Over the past year, we have already taken concrete actions to bolster each of these efforts.
From tabletop exercises to on-site drills, all have simultaneously involved central government agencies, local governments, and civil society, enabling us to assess our preparedness plans and identify and promptly address any areas in need of improvement.
We have also integrated disaster prevention and national defense for the first time. During the annual Han Kuang military exercises this year, Urban Resilience Exercises were also held in each city or county. These aimed to help coordinate the defensive operations of the military with local-level evacuation work, medical care, and material distribution, enhancing military–civilian operational capabilities.
We have also officially designated the month the Han Kuang and Urban Resilience Exercises are annually held as National Solidarity Month. This way, our whole-of-society defense and resilience efforts can truly involve all of Taiwan – every member of the public, whether military or civilian, regardless of professional background, gender, or age.
I firmly believe that the more united we are, the more resilient our country will become. The more resilient we become, the more able we are to avoid and deter threats.
Peace cannot be left up to hope for good faith by the aggressors. To avoid war and defend peace, we must build defense capabilities and societal resilience through continued preparedness.
Peace through strength, and strength through resilience: This is our goal. Over the past year, it is not only the central and local governments that have mobilized to step up preparedness. Many private enterprises, volunteer organizations, religious groups, and civil defense NGOs have launched their own resilience and preparedness initiatives, actively partaking in or even hosting training sessions and exercises.
This spirit of unity is exactly what I hoped to see from the formation of the Presidential Office’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, at the national level.
Friends, the reason we are facing threats is not for anything we have done or said, but because we proudly defend our free and democratic way of life, which is intolerable to the ambitions of authoritarian aggressors.
We must be clear – the preparations of authoritarian aggressors are rehearsals for military expansion and changing the world order; our preparations are training to preserve the status quo of peace and the sustainability of freedom and democracy.
We are taking concrete actions to continually strengthen Taiwan, and we will keep enhancing our national defense capabilities. Our defense budget for next year, aligning with NATO standards, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP, and we aim for this figure to reach 5 percent by 2030.
We have also allocated a budget of NT$150 billion for resilience in homeland security, which will be used to enhance whole-of-society defense and resilience. This will include raising the quality and quantity of stockpiled items, enhancing the functionality of cybersecurity equipment, expanding the procurement and development of unmanned vehicles and countermeasure capabilities, establishing disaster prevention coordination centers and warehouses, and improving underground emergency shelters. This budget will go into effect once it passes review by the Legislative Yuan.
My fellow citizens, at this moment, when authoritarian states are converging to challenge the global order, Taiwan is not the only one facing the situation head on; the international community is also moving faster with preparations.
Right now, many countries in Europe are taking faster steps to raise their defense budgets and are making preparations across national and civil defense, across advanced unmanned vehicle systems and traditional air raid shelters, and across telecommunications resilience and protection of critical infrastructure.
In addition, several countries are issuing guides to their people on disaster prevention, emergency evacuation, civil defense, and survival. We have seen the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, and other countries produce public safety guides and even promote safety information for every household. Taiwan is doing the same.
This week, our Ministry of National Defense released its updated all-out defense manual, “In Case of Crisis: Taiwan’s National Public Safety Guide.”
In this guide, we provide essential safety information for the entire population. In addition to the paper copy of the guide, we also have a dedicated website. I am sure you all received the alert messages on your phones during the National Disaster Prevention Day exercises yesterday. In that message is a link to where you can download the guide. In the future, we plan to ensure that each and every household has access to this safety guide.
In a light and easy-to-read style, the guide presents vital information for the public to stay safe during an emergency, and for emergency preparation during safe times. It also tells everyone how to respond during a crisis, while taking into account the specific needs of different groups.
More importantly, we tell everyone, “In the event of a military invasion of Taiwan, any claim that the government has surrendered or that the nation has been defeated is false.”
As commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of China, I want to tell my fellow citizens and the international community that this is Taiwan’s position. We are determined to defend freedom and democracy and a sustainable Taiwan.
At this challenging time, friends are very important; most important is the cooperation among like-minded countries.
So, I want to thank the members of our international team who are joining us from all over the world to observe or participate in the joint exercises for National Disaster Prevention Day, which is September 21. I also want to thank all the experts and scholars participating in today’s forum, whether as attendees, speakers, or panelists.
The valuable knowledge and experience you bring here will help expand our view of resilient governance and societal defense, as well as deepen our policy design. All of this will advance the close links between Taiwan and the international community.
For today’s forum, we have invited a representative from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) of Germany to share Germany’s experience in civilian force training. Also invited are representatives from Finland’s National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) to share their experience in stockpiling. And we have the Israeli organization Magen David Adom (MDA), UK Space Agency (UKSA), Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan), who will be sharing on issues in healthcare, communications, energy, and financial network security.
I would also like to give special thanks to American Institute in Taiwan Acting Director Karin M. Lang, Head of the European Economic and Trade Office Lutz Güllner, and British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones. They have all taken the time to join us today, demonstrating the importance they attach to whole-of-society defense and resilience as well as their high regard for Taiwan.
Your participation gives us more confidence as well as clarity in Taiwan’s responsibility to help maintain the status quo of peace and stability in the region.
To close, I would like to share a passage from the recently published national public safety guide: “Freedom and democracy did not come by chance. It was through the sacrifice and struggle of countless Taiwanese people. Thus, we will never bow to aggressors. We will stand tall and defend our hard-earned way of life. United and moving forward courageously, the people of Taiwan will continue to shine on the world. Like a mountain, the Republic of China (Taiwan) will stay strong and endure.”
Also in attendance at the event were expert in European Union Civil Protection from THW Bert Schinkel-Momsen, Director of the Operational Department of NESA Aki Laiho, HI-EMA Administrator James Barros, Head of Disaster Preparedness for MDA Felix Lotan, Chief Scientist of UKSA Adam Amara, ASPI Senior Fellow Ian Satchwell, and President of AmCham Taiwan Carl Wegner.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​As the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is now in force, classes of AM and whole-day kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are suspended today (September 20).
If the Hong Kong Observatory cancels the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 before 10.30am today, classes of PM kindergartens will resume today unless advised otherwise.