Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government appoints self-recommended youth members to Standing Committee on Language Education and Research
SCOLAR was established in 1996 to advise the Government on language education issues in general and on the use of the Language Fund.
The Government recruits young persons who are eager to serve the community to join the Government’s advisory committees through the MSSY with a view to providing more opportunities for young people to participate in policy discussions.
Issued at HKT 11:00
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Appointment to Social Workers Registration Board announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointment to Social Workers Registration Board announced————–
Mr Herman Hui Chung-shing———————-
Miss Grace Chan Man-yee———-
Ms Ann Au Chor-kwan
Miss Chan Chong-lai
Miss Anna May Chan Mei-lan
Mr Cheung Tat-ming
Mr Chiu Han-man
Professor Eric Chui Wing-hong
Professor Alex Fan Hoi-kit
Mr Fong Cheung-fat
Dr Fong Fu-fai
Ms Wendy Fung Shuk-man
Mr Frederick Lai Wing-hoi
Dr Kevin Lau Chung-hang
Ms Alice Lau Oi-sze
Mrs Patricia Lau
Ms Carmen Lee Shuk-ha
Ms Lee Yuk-chi
Mr Leung Kin-hung
Dr Pamela Leung Pui-yu
Mr Roy Lo Wa-kei
Dr Webster Ng Kam-wah
Mr Sin Yat-kin
Ms Annie Tam Kam-lan
Mr Barry Wong Man-sing
Mr Joseph Yuen Hon-lam
Director of Social Welfare or representative
Issued at HKT 11:00
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Tenders invited for site formation and engineering infrastructure works for Ngau Tam Mei New Development Area Contract 1
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Tenders invited for site formation and engineering infrastructure works for Ngau Tam Mei New Development Area Contract 1 The works are scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2027 and will take about 35 months to complete.
The CEDD has commissioned AECOM – AIS Joint Venture to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may download the tender forms and other particulars from the e-Tendering System (e-TS). Tenderers must submit tenders in electronic format via the e-TS.Issued at HKT 11:00
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Labour Department suspends recognition of safety training course operated by training course provider
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Labour Department suspends recognition of safety training course operated by training course provider
The LD found that the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions had violated the approval conditions for operating the courses, including an examiner (a staff member of the training course provider) disclosing answers to trainees during the re-examination, an examiner and an invigilator failing to invigilate the examinations in a proper manner resulting in their inability to detect trainees cheating, insufficient staff being present to invigilate certain exam periods, and the re-examination being conducted in a training venue that was not approved by the Commissioner for Labour.
After conducting thorough investigations and gathering evidence, and taking into account the explanations and representations provided by the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions and the relevant persons, the LD decided to suspend its recognition of the Green Card Course for six months. At the request of the LD, the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions has recalled and cancelled most of the Green Cards concerned. Two Green Cards (the numbers are listed in the Annex), which have not yet been recalled, have also been invalidated.
A spokesman for the LD said, “The LD is highly concerned about the quality of mandatory safety training courses. The LD has increased manpower to monitor compliance with approval conditions by recognised training course providers, with a view to maintaining training standards and providing workers with appropriate occupational safety and health (OSH) training. If a training course provider does not comply with the approval conditions set by the LD, its recognition to operate the relevant courses will be withdrawn or suspended. The LD will continue to closely monitor the quality of all training course providers and their trainers and strive to enhance the standard of OSH in Hong Kong.”
There are 125 training course providers offering the recognised Green Card Course. Relevant course information has been uploaded to the LD’s website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content5.htmIssued at HKT 11:00
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Appointments to Board of Ocean Park Corporation announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Board of Ocean Park Corporation announced————-
Mr Paulo Pong Kin-yee————————–
Mr Simon Wong Hin-wing————————–
Ms Cissy Chan Ching-sze
Mr Jimmy Chan Kwok-ho
Dr Quinton Chan Yuk-kuen
Mr Humphrey Choi Chor-ching
Mr Raymond Chow Ming-joe
Ms Lau Kam-shim
Mr Jonathan Leung Chun
Dr Lo Wai-kwok
Dr Ma Kwan-ki
Mr Alvin Miu
Mr David Tang Chi-fai
Mr William Harry Tang Jiasheng
Professor Qiu Jianwen
Mr Alexander Yeung Ching-loong
Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) (or representative)
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (or representative)
Commissioner for Tourism (or representative)
Issued at HKT 11:30
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Fatal traffic accident in Ta Kwu Ling
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident happened in Ta Kwu Ling today (June 26) in which a man died.
At 6.27am, a public light bus (PLB) driven by a 74-year-old man was travelling along Man Kam To Road towards Sheung Shui. When approaching Hung Kiu San Tsuen, it reportedly failed to brake in time and knocked down a 69-year-old man who was riding a bicycle.
Sustaining serious head injuries, the male cyclist was rushed to North District Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 6.59am.
A 43-year-old female PLB passenger was suffering from waist pain and was sent to North District Hospital in conscious state.
The PLB driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for further enquiries.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North is underway.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3800.
Diesel Subsidy Scheme to end on June 29 as scheduled
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Diesel Subsidy Scheme to end on June 29 as scheduled
Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East region, the Government has been closely monitoring geopolitical changes and tracking fuel supply and price fluctuations. The Task Force, led by the Financial Secretary, was established to dynamically assess geopolitical development and fuel supply and prices, to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply, and to closely examine the impact of oil price fluctuations on various industries.
In formulating support measures, the Task Force took the following principles into account:
(1) Given that fluctuations in crude oil prices have a broad impact across society and considering the Government’s fiscal constraints, priority should be given to the operational sectors that are most severely affected and that involve public services;
The United States and Iran both announced the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz after having signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Based on the latest futures market data, the Government Economist estimates that international refined oil prices for diesel would gradually decline for the remainder of the year.
As the support measures are temporary and time-limited in nature, and to prevent risks to public finances, the Task Force decided that the Scheme will end at 11.59pm on June 29 as scheduled upon the expiration of the two-month period. The Task Force will continue to dynamically assess the situation in the Middle East region, and fuel supply and prices, so as to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply.
The Government will make announcement in due course on the arrangements of the other two time-limited measures, i.e. toll waiver for commercial vehicles and liquefied petroleum gas fuel subsidy.
Issued at HKT 11:45
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Complete two-part legendary Kunqu opera “A Dream Under the Southern Bough” to make Hong Kong debut at Chinese Culture Festival 2026
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will bring the complete two-part Kunqu opera “A Dream Under the Southern Bough” to the Hong Kong stage for the first time on July 31 and August 1 (Friday and Saturday) at the Sha Tin Town Hall. Shi Xiaming, president of the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre and winner of the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award (Plum Blossom Award), will lead the troupe’s fourth and fifth-generation talent to present an aesthetically stunning interpretation of the illusory life of Chunyu Fen in a dream within the Huai’an Kingdom, as depicted by Ming dynasty legendary playwright Tang Xianzu. This programme is also part of the 14th Chinese Opera Festival.
“A Dream Under the Southern Bough” is derived from “The Dream of Nanke”, one of the four legendary plays collectively known as the “Four Dreams of Linchuan” written by Tang. While preserving the core narrative and themes of the original text, the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre reworked the original 44 scenes into 17 scenes, and was first brought to the modern Kunqu stage in 2012 as a two-part production. Refined over more than a decade, “A Dream Under the Southern Bough” has evolved into a signature production of the troupe notable for its full range of role types and the mix of civil and martial elements.
While faithfully following the traditional conventions of Kunqu and the stylistic elegance of Southern Kunqu, the production reinterprets this classic play through an innovative visual aesthetic. The stage design combines traditional Chinese symbolic aesthetics with modern theatrical lighting. Suspended wooden elements and the minimalist “one table, two chairs” setup are seamlessly integrated, crafting an ethereal, dreamlike visual experience. The costume design incorporates elements of blue-and-white porcelain and traditional landscape paintings, constructing a realm where reality and illusion intertwine. The ensemble incorporates additional percussion such as yunluo (tuned gongs) and yinshu (bar chimes), and integrates Buddhist musical elements in final scene “The Elusive Journey End” to highlight the play’s meditative qualities in the original text.
Marking its Hong Kong debut, this performance features Shi Xiaming (as Chunyu Fen) alongside a vibrant cast. This includes fourth-generation Kunqu performers Zhao Yutao (as Monk Qixuan/Fourth Prince of Tanluo), Xu Sijia (as Princess Qiongying), Sun Jing (as King of Huai’an/King of Tanluo), and fifth-generation young talent He Xinyue (as Princess Yaofang) and more, carrying forward the fine legacy of this operatic legend.
Details of the two performances are as follows:
“A Dream Under the Southern Bough” – Part One
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Date and time: July 31 (Friday), 7.30pm
Chunyu Fen, a down-and-out military officer of the Tang dynasty, falls into a drunken slumber beneath a pagoda tree during the Ghost Festival. He dreams of entering the Huai’an (Ant Kingdom), where he marries Princess Yaofang. Appointed as the governor of Nanke for over 20 years, he reaches the pinnacle of success, immersed in the illusion of a prosperous, harmonious and splendid kingdom. In the scene “The Celestial Palace”, Chunyu Fen and Princess Yaofang fight against Fourth Prince of Tanluo. This exhilarating martial arts sequence brings Part One to a climax, while foreshadowing the dramatic shifts in fortune in Part Two.
“A Dream Under the Southern Bough” – Part Two
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Date and time: August 1 (Saturday), 7.30pm
Princess Yaofang falls ill and passes away. Chunyu Fen is summoned back to court and is appointed Left Prime Minister, but is later envied, framed, and exiled back to his hometown. Upon waking, he realises that his 20 years of rise and fall were nothing more than a fleeting dream. In the play, the aria “Ji-Xian-Bin” captures Princess Yaofang’s sorrow to leave her husband and homeland. The scene “Swinging Parties” reveals Chunyu Fen stepping on a path of no return where fame, ambition, and carnal desires entangle. In the final scene, “The Elusive Journey Ends”, Chunyu Fen attains spiritual enlightenment to become a monk. This production invites the audience to embark on a profound spiritual journey exploring love, ambition and self-realisation.
The Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre is renowned for its rich artistic lineage and comprehensive range of role types. The troupe has on its cast nine bearers of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Kunqu at National and Provincial Levels, and 11 recipients of Plum Blossom Awards, inheriting the essence of Kunqu through classical and delicate performances. The troupe has built a repertory of around 300 classic works, and has created new original productions in recent years. In addition, it has given touring performances and exchanges in various places such as Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Japan, receiving high acclaim.
Both performances will be held at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall (STTH). Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $200, $300, $400 and $500 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The CCF 2026 offers various discount schemes, such as group booking discounts, package booking discounts and the newly introduced “Generations Together 1+1” discount. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/jiangsu-performing-arts-group-kun-opera-theatre.
The programme also features a variety of free extension activities. These include two workshops introducing the stylised movements of the sheng (male) and dan (female) roles in Kunqu opera respectively (June 29 and 30), a demonstration talk on the painted faces of Kunqu (July 29), a meet-the-artists session (July 30) and a backstage tour (August 1). Since the spaces for online registration of the extension activities are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby space on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis. For further details regarding the activities, please visit the above-mentioned programme webpage.
The programme also features an exhibition entitled “The Virtual Realm of Kingdom of Huai’an – The Staging of ‘A Dream Under the Southern Bough'”, which runs until tomorrow (June 27) at the Exhibition Gallery of STTH. It introduces the creation, artistic features and transmission of elegance, as well as a brief introduction to its role types and costumes. The exhibition will subsequently be relocated to the Foyer Exhibition Area of Tai Po Civic Centre from June 29 to August 2. Members of the public are welcome to visit.
The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2026 is held from June to September. It hosts various forms of distinctive stage programmes and related extension activities, film screenings, thematic exhibitions, talks, workshops, as well as community and school activities, affording the public and visitors more opportunities to appreciate and experience the beauty of fine traditional Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.
Appointments to new-term Commission on Poverty announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government today (June 26) announced appointments to the new-term Commission on Poverty (CoP) for a term of two years from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, as the Chairperson of the CoP, expressed his gratitude to all members of the current-term CoP for their efforts and contributions, especially the completion of the Report on Impact of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Strategy in Hong Kong within the current term of office. The Report reviews the accomplishments of Hong Kong’s poverty alleviation efforts and unveils a new chapter of the support for the underprivileged groups in future.
Mr Chan said that over the past few years, with the steadfast support of the CoP, various targeted poverty alleviation measures, including the Strive and Rise Programme, the Pilot Programme on Community Living Room, and the School-based After School Care Service Scheme, have all achieved remarkable results. The Government, jointly with the new-term CoP, will continue to promote tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community, providing targeted assistance to citizens in need and enhancing their sense of achievement and satisfaction.
The membership of the new-term CoP is as follows:
Chairperson
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Chief Secretary for Administration
Non-official members
———————–
Mr Calvin Chan Ming-wai
Professor Terence Chong Tai-leung
Ms Cecilia Ho Chung-chee*
Ms Helen Hsu Siu-man
Mr Kan Ming-tung
Mr Jimmy Kwok Chun-wah
Mrs Patricia Lau
Ms Joyce Lee Yuen-sum*
Ms Josephine Lee Yuk-chi
Dr James Li Tsz-shu
Ms Anthea Lo Wing-sze*
Ms Loretta Lo Yee-hang
Ms Nikki Ng Mien-hua
Mr Roger Ngan Chi-wing*
Mrs Chandni Rakesh
Dr Loletta So Kit-ying
Mr So Ping-fai
Mrs Mary Suen Choi To-may
Mr Augustine Wong Ho-ming
Ex-officio members
———————
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs
Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Chairperson of Community Care Fund Task Force)
Secretary for Education
Secretary for Health
* new members
Reappointment of Executive Director (Policy) of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority announced
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government announced today (June 26) that the Financial Secretary, in exercise of his authority under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485) (MPFSO) as delegated by the Chief Executive, has reappointed Mr Eric Cheng Siu-fun as the Executive Director (Policy) of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) for a term of three years from July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2029.
In welcoming the reappointment, a spokesperson for the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said, “Mr Cheng has served as the Executive Director (Policy) of the MPFA since 2023. Over the past three years, he has played an active role in advancing reform initiatives for the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) System, including formulating legislative proposals to implement MPF ‘Full Portability’ and measures to expand the scope of MPF permissible investments, thereby furthering the interests of scheme members. We are confident that Mr Cheng will continue to make valuable contributions to the betterment of the MPF System.”
The MPFA is a statutory body established under the MPFSO in September 1998 for the regulation and supervision of the MPF System.