Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The 10th Belt and Road Summit which opened today (September 10) and runs for two days brought together over 6 000 participants, including more than 90 government and business speakers, as well as over 100 delegations, to explore the opportunities arising from areas such as trade and commerce, investment, innovation and technology and green development, and yielded a record high of about 50 government and enterprise memorandums of understanding (MOUs), highlighting Hong Kong’s role as the functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI).

Hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government since 2016, the Summit is a flagship event for Hong Kong’s participation in and contribution to the B&RI, and has become the premier B&R business and investment platform for local, Mainland and overseas enterprises. Under the theme “Collaborate for change • Shape a shared future”, the 10th Summit featured new elements such as market spotlights, signature projects and collaborative capacity for sustainable development, exploring further collaboration opportunities for enterprises, the local professional services sectors and people-to-people exchanges.

Speaking at the opening session, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said the Belt and Road Summit has united governments, businesses, peoples and cultures in collaboration for change. He said that over the past 10 years, more than 45 000 people from some 120 countries and regions have participated in the summit, with over 2 800 projects presented, shaping a shared vision through collaboration and connectivity, which are the fundamental values of the B&RI.

Mr Lee said, “The HKSAR Government is rapidly expanding Hong Kong’s global trade networks. I have visited 12 Belt and Road countries in the past three years, leading high-level business delegations from Hong Kong to most of them and witnessing some 160 MOUs, and co-operation agreements and deliverables with the respective economies. We have signed free trade agreements with 14 Belt and Road countries, and investment agreements with about 20 Belt and Road economies, as well as Comprehensive Avoidence of Double Taxation Agreements with 37 Belt and Road jurisdictions. Our external trade with Belt and Road countries exceeded US$276 billion last year, up about 80 per cent since 2013 and three times the average growth rate of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade over the same period. ”

Mr Lee also introduced Hong Kong’s advantages and developments in such areas as trade and investment, competitiveness, talent, connectivity, green and sustainable development and the legal system, highlighting that Hong Kong is an ideal B&R hub. He remarked that as the only world city that converges both the China advantage and the global advantage, Hong Kong stands as the premier gateway for co-operation, bridging people, trade, business, education, culture and values across the region, connecting Asia and the world. He said that Hong Kong’s “dual superpower” as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” injects vigour, innovation, sustainability and strategic value to capital and projects, and will continue to drive high-quality development along the B&R.

Also addressing the opening session were Vice Minister of Commerce Mr Yan Dong; Vice Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council Mr Li Zhen; and Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission Mr Xiao Weiming. Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Mr Sun Chanthol delivered a keynote speech at the opening session.

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, gave welcome remarks at the Keynote Luncheon titled “Fostering Regional Co-operation through Concrete Business Partnerships”. He shared with the audience how Hong Kong is fostering more partnerships and contributing to regional connectivity through leveraging on two important global trends – green and sustainable development, and digital innovation.

On green and sustainable development, Mr Chan highlighted the Government’s vision for Hong Kong to become an international centre for green technology and green finance, playing its pivotal role in driving global green transition. In the area of green finance, the Government is actively promoting the development of transition finance, while also addressing the diverse needs of emerging economies through innovative financial instruments such as catastrophe bonds and the securitisation of infrastructure debt. At the same time, Hong Kong is accelerating its development into a green technology hub, contributing to regional decarbonisation efforts through cutting-edge innovation.

Turning to digital innovation, Mr Chan said that for Belt and Road economies and the Global South, Hong Kong and the Mainland offers a wide spectrum of digital solutions, from fintech and smart health to cloud computing, 6G, and digital city management. Hong Kong has made AI one of our key strategic priorities, and is committed to building an open, collaborative and inclusive AI community. Meanwhile, it is embracing blockchain technology at the heart of financial innovation, leveraging on its potential to make cross-border transactions more efficient.

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, gave welcome remarks at the thematic breakout session titled “Synergy in Legal Solutions: Co-creating a Shared Silk Road Vision”. He stated that the conclusion and execution of Belt and Road projects are bound to involve transboundary legal issues, in which international legal services are inevitable. Noting that Hong Kong international civil and commercial law and practice under its common law system are highly recognised by the international business community, Mr Lam highlighted Hong Kong’s advantages in various areas including the abundant legal professionals with rich experiences in international business law, credible and high-quality legal and dispute resolution services, and close legal collaborations with Belt and Road countries.

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, chaired the policy dialogue on “Embracing emerging opportunities in times of economic uncertainty” at which he discussed with overseas government officials on forging economic co-operation with innovation, such as green economy and digitalisation, amid the uncertain geopolitical situation. Mr Yau also highlighted that the B&RI provides a readily available platform for international co-operation in facilitating trade and economic integration. Citing infrastructure development as one of the key strengths of the B&RI, he said that it helps enhance market access and reduce trade barriers, thereby generating investment, creating jobs and improving living standards.

The Summit featured nine MOUs between the HKSAR Government and related organisations and their overseas counterparts to promote bilateral co-operation and exchanges, covering the Department of Justice, the Financial Services Development Council, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong Customs, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong and the Securities and Futures Commission, and Pakistan, Indonesia, Hungary, Qatar, Cambodia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The Summit also led to some 36 other MOUs in various areas. The total value of these MOUs, together with new projects and deals finalised before the summit, is close to US$1 billion.

Under the themes of “ASEAN: Unveiling new opportunities for growth and collaboration” and “Exploring frontiers in new markets and industries”, the plenary sessions gathered business leaders to discuss Hong Kong’s role in facilitating trade and business co-operation under the B&RI. A number of thematic breakout sessions covering areas such as legal services, trade and commerce, insurance, architecture, green finance and logistics were also held to focus on fostering a more prosperous, green and interconnected future for B&R countries and regions.

The HKSAR Government is proactively expanding overseas markets, especially the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Middle East which present great potentials. The new B&R signature projects sessions at the Summit introduced tenders of urban development projects in Thailand and Saudi Arabia. The Belt and Road Office (BRO), together with the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, launched an information sharing mechanism to assist Hong Kong enterprises and professional services in tapping the business opportunities in projects in ASEAN and the Middle East.

The Summit was attended by over 200 Belt and Road Scholarship recipients, local university students, Youth Link members and Youth Development Commission Youth Ambassadors. A Youth Chapter will be held tomorrow (September 11) for young business leaders from Hong Kong, the Mainland and B&R countries to share their experience. The chapter’s new feature to foster exchanges among the participants will enable them to learn more about the latest B&R developments and opportunities.

For enhanced synergies, the Government has encouraged various groups and organisations to host more than 20 B&R-related activities in the months around the Summit period, covering areas such as trade and business, arts and culture, music, sports and academia, for the business and professional sectors as well as the general public to take part and experience in person the achievements of global collaboration under the B&RI. The BRO also published a booklet on Hong Kong as a participant, contributor and beneficiary of the B&RI. Details of the activities and the booklet are available on the BRO’s website www.beltandroad.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The 10th Belt & Road Summit opened in Hong Kong today, bringing together over 6,000 participants, including more than 90 government and business speakers, as well as over 100 delegations to explore opportunities in areas such as trade and commerce, innovation and technology.

Speaking at the opening session, Chief Executive John Lee said the summit has united governments, businesses, peoples and cultures in collaboration for change.

Mr Lee said that over the past 10 years, more than 45,000 people from some 120 countries and regions have participated in the summit, with over 2,800 projects presented, shaping a vision through collaboration and connectivity, which are the fundamental values of the Belt & Road Initiative.

“To mark this 10th edition, we are introducing a new session on signature Belt & Road projects. It will be complemented by project investment sessions on energy, natural resources, public utilities and urban development, including Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis, which takes up one-third of Hong Kong’s geographical area and is fast rising as an innovation and technology hub.”

He added that Hong Kong’s “dual superpower” as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” injects vigour, innovation, sustainability and strategic value to capital and projects, and will continue to drive high quality development along the Belt & Road area.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan gave welcome remarks at the keynote luncheon, where he highlighted the Government’s vision for the city to become an international centre for green technology and green finance, playing its pivotal role in driving global green transition. 

The Government is actively promoting the development of transition finance, while also addressing the diverse needs of emerging economies through innovative financial instruments such as catastrophe bonds and the securitisation of infrastructure debt, he added.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam gave opening remarks at the thematic breakout session, noting that Hong Kong international civil and commercial law and practice under its common law system are highly recognised by the international business community.

The summit featured nine memorandums of understanding between the Government and related organisations and their overseas counterparts, and yielded a record high of about 50 government and enterprise memorandums of understanding, highlighting Hong Kong’s role as the functional platform for the Belt & Road Initiative.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Second Reading of the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill was voted down by the Legislative Council today, with 14 votes in favour, 71 votes against and one vote abstaining. The Government said it respects LegCo’s decision and lawmakers’ voting results.

The Government added that it all along respects the rule of law and fulfils the requirements of the court’s ruling.

It highlighted that the bill was introduced in exercising the responsibility of the executive authorities empowered by the Basic Law to propose and introduce bills. In accordance with the Basic Law, LegCo has the functions and powers to scrutinise and pass bills.

The Government also pointed out that the introduction and scrutinising of the bill has demonstrated the shouldering of responsibilities among the executive authorities, LegCo and the Judiciary in exercising their constitutional functions and discharging their respective duties effectively.

As the bill has been voted down, the Government will not apply to the court for an extension of the suspension period and will further discuss and study the issue with the Department of Justice.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) today (September 10) urged members of the public to stay vigilant to fraudulent calls purporting to be made by the staff members of the Communications Authority (CA) or OFCA. 

    OFCA received reports from members of the public stating that they had received phone calls claiming to be made by the CA or OFCA’s staff, alleging that there were a large number of fraudulent short messages sent from mobile phone numbers registered under their identities on the Mainland. They were requested to co-operate with investigation or else all their telecommunications services would be terminated. 

    OFCA solemnly clarified that the CA and OFCA have never made and will not make such phone calls. Members of the public should hang up immediately if they have received these calls, and under no circumstances should they disclose their personal information or transfer money to the callers. 

    In case of doubt, members of the public may call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 for enquiries. They may also report cases of suspected phone scam to the Police. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Second Reading of the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill (the Bill) was voted down by the Legislative Council (LegCo) today (September 10), with 14 votes in favour, 71 votes against and one vote abstaining.

“The Government all along respects the rule of law and fulfils the requirements of the court’s ruling. The Bill was introduced in exercising the responsibility of the executive authorities empowered by the Basic Law to propose and introduce bills. In accordance with the Basic Law, the LegCo has the functions and powers to scrutinise and pass bills. The Government respects LegCo’s decision and voting results of the LegCo members,” a Government spokesman said.

“The introduction and scrutinising of the Bill has demonstrated the shouldering of responsibilities among the executive authorities, the LegCo and the Judiciary in exercising their constitutional functions and discharging their respective duties effectively.”

“The Government understands that the issue of same-sex partnership is highly controversial and stakeholders in society hold different views. The Government respects the rule of law and has submitted a proposal on an alternative framework to the LegCo in accordance with the court’s judgment. As the Bill has been voted down, the Government will not apply to the court for an extension of the suspension period and will further discuss and study the issue with the Department of Justice.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Chong Zheng Chinese Orchestra presented “Sounds of Joy and Abundance: A Harvest Celebration in Gongs and Drums” at the historic NSW State Library in Sydney CBD. Jointly organised by the Chong Zheng Foundation and the Sydney Taiwan Festival Committee, the concert drew a full house, with the NSW Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon. Scott Farlow MLC, attending as a VIP guest.
In his remarks, Director-General David Cheng-Wei Wu emphasized that culture is the soul of a nation and the roots of its people. He noted that Taiwan is more than high technology and semiconductors; it is also renowned for its vibrant blend of tradition and modernity, qualities vividly reflected in the performance of the Chong Zheng Chinese Orchestra.
DG Wu also introduced TECO Sydney’s 2025 signature project, “Soft Power: Three Episodes”, which showcases the diversity and inclusiveness of Taiwan’s society through three initiatives: Taste of Taiwan – the International Tour of Taiwan Gourmet Cuisine, the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia, and the upcoming Cultural Goodwill Mission by the Formosa Melody Music Centre on September 22 at the Chatswood Concourse.
Based on the shared values of liberal democracy and human rights between TW and AU, we are confident that cultural exchanges like this will bring people together, foster mutual understanding, and strengthen the friendship between our two nations.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs on August 26 detected a suspected case of using an ocean-going vessel to smuggle goods to Korea at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals. A large batch of suspected unmanifested goods with an estimated market value of about $140 million was seized.

Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use an ocean-going vessel to smuggle goods and thus formulated strategies to combat related activities.

On August 26, Customs officers identified an ocean-going vessel preparing to depart from Hong Kong for Korea for inspection, and seized a large batch of suspected scheduled shark skin, electronic goods and parts, and liquor inside two containers on board the vessel.

An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.

Customs is the primary agency responsible for tackling smuggling activities and has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on related crimes.

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. 

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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 – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Sunny Tan and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (September 10):
 
Question:

It is learnt that with Hong Kong advancing the development of the “eight centres”, an increasing number of non-local people are participating in activities held in Hong Kong. However, under the current system, non-local people coming to Hong Kong at invitation to participate in short-‍term or one-off activities, such as seminars, talks, contract signings and internships, must apply for employment or training visas. Although the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (the STV Scheme) launched by the Government can provide immigration facilitation for visitors coming to Hong Kong to participate in short-term activities, the Scheme is only for persons invited/sponsored by authorised host organisations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as some members of the industry have relayed that although the Immigration Department states the standard processing time for visa applications for employment, investment, training, etc. in Hong Kong is typically four weeks, their past experience shows that the relevant procedures take about six to eight weeks, and that there have even been instances where guests were unable to attend activities due to the unduly long time required for processing visa applications, whether the authorities will consider setting a more specific timeframe for processing visa applications for those coming to Hong Kong to participate in short-term or one-off activities, so as to enable applicants and activity organisers to make more accurate plans;
 
(2) of the up-to-date number of persons who have come to Hong Kong to participate in specified short-term activities through the STV Scheme, and set out in the table below a breakdown by the 12 designated sectors under the Scheme;
 

Designated sector	2022	2023	2024	2025 to date
Medical and Healthcare
Higher Education
Arts and Culture
Sports
Heritage
Creative Industries
Innovation and Technology
Hong Kong Laureate Forum
Aviation
International / Mega Events
Finance
Development and Construction

(3) as there are views that with an increasing number of mega events being held in Hong Kong, the current practice of having statutory bodies and government departments as the main authorised host organisations under the STV Scheme can hardly meet development needs, whether the authorities will consider optimising the Scheme, for example by phasing in the expansion of the list of authorised host organisations to include commercial organisations as necessary, requiring such organisations to sign declarations pledging not to abuse the mechanism, and enlisting authoritative organisations in various industries to assist the authorities in processing visa applications, so as to meet the development needs of the “eight centres”; and
 
(4) as there are views that with more and more Mainland enterprises “going global” through Hong Kong, many Mainland residents will need to receive training in Hong Kong, whether the authorities will consider extending the eligibility criteria for visas to undergo training in Hong Kong to cover all Mainland residents, so as to further enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s professional services in assisting enterprises to expand overseas?
 
Reply:
 
President,

The Government is committed to consolidating and continuously enhancing Hong Kong’s development of the “eight centres” as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan, providing impetus for sustaining our competitiveness and economic growth. In connection with immigration policies, the Immigration Department (ImmD) has been maintaining effective immigration control while providing convenient immigration services to facilitate genuine visitors so as to promote greater convergence of talents in Hong Kong for exchanges.
 
In general, visitors shall not take any employment, whether paid or unpaid, in Hong Kong. They may conclude contracts, attend short term seminars or other business meetings, and deliver speeches without remuneration. The ImmD’s website contains relevant information on permissible activities for visitors for public reference: www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/permissible-activities.html.

To encourage more talents to come to Hong Kong for exchanges, the Government launched a two-year Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (Pilot Scheme) in June 2022, which was regularised as the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme) in June 2024. Under the STV Scheme, organisations authorised by the relevant government bureaux/departments (B/Ds) can issue invitation letters to relevant non-local talents in their sectors. Invited persons may come to Hong Kong to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits from the ImmD. They may participate in specified short term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days during each trip to Hong Kong, and receive remuneration for the specified activities concerned.

In consultation with the ImmD, my reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Sunny Tan is as follows:

(1) In general, for all visa/entry permit applications for employment, investment and training in Hong Kong, the ImmD will complete processing within four weeks upon receipt of all required documents. The application procedures and processing times are clearly set out on ImmD’s website. In 2024, 99 per cent of the relevant visa/entry permit applications could be completed within four weeks upon receipt of all required documents. The ImmD will also expedite the processing of relevant visa/entry permit applications as far as practicable, taking into account individual circumstances (e.g. applications related to mega events in Hong Kong).
 
To provide better services and strive for excellence, the ImmD has launched electronic services for visa/entry permit applications in full. A list setting out the required documents is also available on the ImmD’s website to give applicants a clear picture of what is required for the application so that they can prepare the required documents in advance, thereby minimising the chance of submitting supplementary documents. The ImmD will continue to enhance efficiency through process optimisation.
 
(2) and (3) As of end-June 2025, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited a total of 36 951 non-local talents, facilitating their entry into Hong Kong as visitors to participate in various short-term events and activities without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits from the ImmD. The statistics by sector are at Annex.

To ensure that the Scheme keeps pace with the times, the Government reviews its coverage and operation mechanism from time to time, with a view to ensuring that it can continue to effectively promote the development of relevant sectors and raise Hong Kong’s international profile while ensuring that the risks are manageable. Since the launch of the Pilot Scheme, the Government has expanded the Scheme twice in February 2023 and June 2024, by adding two new sectors, namely “Finance” and “Development and Construction”, to the original 10 designated sectors. The number of authorised organisations has also increased by 18 per cent from around 350 when the scheme was first launched, to more than 400 at present. These authorised organisations include government B/Ds, public/statutory organisations, professional bodies and industry associations, etc. At present, through an established mechanism, all participating B/Ds would assist in ensuring that the implementation of the scheme consistently meets policy objectives.

As mentioned above, the STV Scheme currently extends beyond the public sector and encompasses professional bodies and industry associations. Commercial organisations may also collaborate with authorised organisations under the Scheme to organise eligible specified short-term activities, thereby benefiting from the relevant immigration facilitation. In considering whether to further relax the scheme, the Government shall take into account two major principles, including that eligible individuals visiting Hong Kong for specified short-term activities under the Scheme will not displace the local workforce, and there will not be a risk of abuse (including illegal employment). The Government will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the STV Scheme as well as the views of the relevant departments and the sectors concerned, and timely review the Scheme’s coverage to strike an appropriate balance between immigration control and facilitation. We welcome interested commercial organisations to contact relevant B/Ds or authorised organisations in their respective sectors and consider co-organising eligible events, with a view to promoting more diverse forms of exchange and collaboration under the Scheme.

(4) The implementation of the entry arrangement for training facilitates individuals with genuine needs to enter Hong Kong for training, enabling them to acquire local knowledge, experience or skills. It also helps promote and consolidate Hong Kong’s role in assisting Mainland enterprises in “going global”. 

Currently, Mainland business associates and/or employees of Mainland branches of well-established companies in Hong Kong may apply to enter Hong Kong for training. In 2025 (as at July), the monthly average number of cases involving Mainland residents approved for entry to Hong Kong for training was 197, representing a slight increase from 2024 which recorded a monthly average of 194 cases.

The Government will continue to timely review the entry arrangement for training in Hong Kong to ensure that the arrangement remains consistent with the objectives and the development needs of Hong Kong.