Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (June 25) the external merchandise trade statistics for May 2026. In May 2026, the values of Hong Kong’s total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 40.8% and 42.0% respectively.
In May 2026, the value of total exports of goods increased by 40.8% over a year earlier to $611.2 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 42.9% in April 2026. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 42.0% over a year earlier to $655.4 billion in May 2026, after a year-on-year increase by 44.4% in April 2026. A visible trade deficit of $44.2 billion, equivalent to 6.7% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in May 2026.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government posts fifth batch of land resumption notices for Second Phase development of Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area The 71 private lots to be resumed this time involve the two sites of withdrawn in-situ land exchange applications, and a small amount of third-party land that requires acquisition by the Government for the remaining two in-situ land exchange applications.
The above 71 private lots will be reverted to the Government upon the expiry of a period of three months from the date of affixing the notices (i.e. September 26, 2026). The Government will release the ex-gratia land compensation to the relevant land owners after the land reversion.
The land reversion date is the date of vesting of the ownership of the land in the Government. It is not the departure deadline of the affected households and business undertakings. Three months before the departure deadline of the affected households and business undertakings, the LandsD will post notices in the relevant areas. It is now estimated that the affected households and business undertakings will have to move out in December 2026 at the earliest. The LandsD is handling the compensation and rehousing matters of the affected persons at full steam, and will endeavour to arrange rehousing for or release compensation to eligible persons before the departure deadline. The LandsD and its appointed Community Liaison Service Team will maintain communication with the affected households and business undertakings, and provide them with updated information.
The first four batches of land resumption notices, involving about 198 hectares of land in total for the Second Phase development of HSK/HT NDA, were posted on May 30 and September 19, 2024, and May 8 and July 10, 2025, respectively. The land under the first four batches of notices had already been reverted to the Government and is gradually being handed over to the Civil Engineering and Development Department for site formation and engineering infrastructure works.
Upon full development, the HSK/HT NDA will provide about 66 700 additional housing units capable of accommodating a population of about 184 000, and create about 150 000 job opportunities. Issued at HKT 12:13
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Applications selected for 57th personalised vehicle registration marks exercise A spokesman for the TD said, “The applicants have already been sent an acknowledgement of receipt bearing an application number. They may check the list to see whether their applications have been selected. Applicants will also be notified of the ballot results by post in batches.”
The TD will later check the proposed PVRMs selected against the basic combination requirements. If, among the selected applications, more than one applicant proposes the same PVRM, only the one on which the lot falls first out of those applications will be further processed.
If the selected PVRMs meet the basic requirements, the TD will send notices by registered mail to the applicants in batches, requiring them to pay a deposit of $5,000 within the period specified in the notice. If an applicant fails to pay the deposit within that period, his or her application will be cancelled automatically and will not be further processed.
Upon receipt of the deposit, the Commissioner for Transport will determine, with the assistance of a vetting committee, whether an application should be approved or rejected. PVRMs approved in the 57th exercise will be put up for auction in batches. Auction details will be published in newspapers and on the TD’s website in due course.
For enquiries, applicants can call the TD Hotline at 2804 2600. Issued at HKT 17:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Tender results of 7-year RMB HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds A total of RMB1.25 billion 7-year Government Bonds were offered today. A total of RMB10.593 billion tender applications were received. The bid-to-cover ratio, i.e. the ratio of bonds applied for to bonds issued, is 8.47. The average price accepted is 100.30, implying an annualised yield of 1.742 per cent. Tender results of 7-year RMB HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
Tender Date* Calculated as the amount of bonds applied for over the amount of bonds issued.
Note: The yields stated above are annualised yields. For reference, the semi-annualised yields corresponding to the average price accepted, lowest price accepted, and average tender price are 1.734 per cent, 1.750 per cent, and 1.823 per cent respectively. Issued at HKT 17:00
The 45th Young Designers’ Exhibition 2026 will take place from May 22 to May 25 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2. Speaking at the opening ceremony today (May 22), Deputy Minister of MOEA Chin-Tsang Ho noted that the exhibition has long served as an important platform connecting Taiwan’s design education and industry. This year’s exhibition responds to emerging trends in innovation and industry, encouraging young designers to adopt issue-driven approaches that address contemporary social and industrial needs. It demonstrates that design today extends far beyond aesthetics, becoming an integral part of everyday life and a key driver of social transformation and industrial upgrading, while showcasing Taiwan’s continually accumulating innovative energy and design soft power.
Centering on the theme “Fluid Boundaries,” this year’s exhibition responds to the trend of cross-disciplinary development in today’s society to uncover diverse and innovative possibilities. The event brings together 55 domestic universities, 110 departments, and approximately 9,000 emerging design talents to showcase nearly 3,500 brilliant works. Furthermore, 22 schools from 10 countries – including the United States, Thailand, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, and Australia – are participating in the grand event. Through the “YODEX Industry-Academia Cooperation” project, 8 companies and organizations have partnered with 38 student teams for co-creation, demonstrating the successful integration of design education with industry practice.
This year’s “Design Matchmaking Stage” event, scheduled for May 25, introduces a new format. Participating companies’ recruitment needs and students’ project information were released in advance, while design-sharing sessions and guided exhibition tours facilitated meaningful exchanges between young talent and employers. The event has attracted approximately 100 domestic and international companies, helping students explore career opportunities while injecting fresh creativity and vitality into the industry.
With cross-disciplinary industry-academia collaboration and international academic exchange at its core, this year’s exhibition presents the diverse landscape of contemporary emerging design. The exhibited works address a wide range of topics spanning the environment, technology, and the humanities. Visitors are invited to discover how young designers observe and respond to contemporary challenges, and to explore the multiple possibilities of future living through creativity.
The Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced on 24rd June that it has signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on Taiwan-Poland Industrial Innovation and R&D Cooperation” with Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) during the “2026 Taiwan Expo in Europe”. Cynthia Kiang, Deputy Minister of the MOEA, stated that Poland is one of Taiwan’s vital strategic partners. Poland locates in the heart of Europe, serving as a bridge connecting Eastern and Western Europe. Meanwhile, Taiwan holds a critical position in the global supply chain, possessing the most advanced chip manufacturing technologies and being as a major provider of AI servers. Taiwan and Poland are poised to collaborate across several key areas, such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and green energy. The signing of this MOU symbolizes the extension of Taiwan-Poland relations from economic and trade exchanges into forward-looking scientific research cooperation. The newly established R&D cooperation platform, along with subsequent joint calls for proposals, is expected to leverage the industrial strengths and complementarities of both sides to co-create a new future.
The MOEA stated that it will establish a bilateral industrial R&D cooperation platform and plans to officially launch the first Taiwan-Poland industrial scientific research joint call for proposals in 2027. This initiative will encourage Taiwanese and Polish enterprises, as well as research institutions, to leverage each other’s innovation capabilities, enhance industrial competitiveness, and jointly invest in market-oriented R&D cooperation with international market potential.
Jerzy Malachowski, Director of NCBR, noted that Poland and Taiwan boast thriving innovation clusters and deep scientific research foundations. The two sides have long promoted cooperation based on knowledge, trust, and shared values. The signing of this MOU with the DoIT/MOEA will further expand the scope of cooperation, focusing on fields such as green energy, semiconductors, digital technology, biomedical technology, and smart manufacturing. This will create new opportunities for industries, accelerate the commercialization of innovative achievements, foster links between European and Asian industrial partners, and jointly open a new chapter in Taiwan-Poland technological cooperation.
The DoIT explained that it has accumulated extensive experience in joint calls for proposals with Poland through the EUREKA Globalstars international R&D cooperation platform. Poland participated in and served as the lead nation for these calls in 2023 and 2025, laying a solid foundation for upgrading the partnership to a bilateral industrial R&D cooperation platform. Taiwan and Poland are highly complementary in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, drones, electric vehicles, and green energy. In the future, through joint calls for proposals and R&D subsidy mechanisms, the initiative will help Taiwanese manufacturers connect with Polish and European innovation ecosystems, strengthen their global R&D footprint, and further expand global market opportunities.
The DoIT emphasized that Taiwanese enterprises can participate in international innovative R&D cooperation through the “A+ Industrial Innovation R&D Program” of the DoIT/MOEA, with subsidies covering up to 50% of the total R&D budget. Polish enterprises can obtain R&D funding support through NCBR’s INNOGLOBO program. Looking ahead, both nations will encourage enterprises to jointly submit R&D project proposals. This initiative seeks to integrate Taiwan’s leading capabilities in semiconductors, ICT, and advanced manufacturing with Poland’s core competencies in drones, electric vehicles, and smart city innovations, further capitalizing on Poland’s robust connectivity within the Central and Eastern European markets. This will accelerate technology commercialization and internationalization, opening new avenues for Taiwan-Poland industrial cooperation. For detailed project application information, please refer to subsequent announcements on the “A+ Industrial Innovation R&D Program” website (https://service.moea.gov.tw/EE514/tw/aiip/).
MOFA solemnly refutes joint statement by China and Myanmar disparaging Taiwan’s sovereignty
Date：2026-06-19
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
June 19, 2026
No. 278
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns the joint statement between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar that was issued on June 17. In the statement, Myanmar expressed support for China’s efforts to achieve “national reunification” and erroneously cited United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty. Myanmar thereby appeased and condoned China in its aim to annex Taiwan by force. This seriously undermined regional peace and stability.
MOFA reiterates that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other. Taiwan will not tolerate China’s repeated attempts to use bilateral statements to spread false narratives that seek to unilaterally change the status quo through cognitive warfare.
MOFA also expresses disappointment over the fact that since its inauguration, the new government of Myanmar has continued to show deference to China. MOFA solemnly calls on Myanmar to recognize the goodwill extended by Taiwan since the establishment of its representative office in Myanmar in 2016. In particular, Taiwan has actively engaged in cooperation with various sectors of Myanmar in such areas as the economy, medicine and public health, talent development, and humanitarian assistance.
MOFA urges the newly elected government of Myanmar to heed the will of its people, take stock of their needs, and refrain from constantly acquiescing to China’s efforts to infiltrate its society and interfere in its collaboration with Taiwan, which improves its people’s well-being.
Taiwan will continue to staunchly uphold the universal values of democracy, freedom, and human rights and work with like-minded countries to jointly defend against authoritarian systems and safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (E)
MOFA response to European Parliament resolution expressing concern over China’s suppression of research and activities regarding Taiwan
June 17, 2026 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in a plenary session on June 16 entitled “Countering transnational repression: towards an EU strategy to protect Europe’s sovereignty and democratic values.”
The resolution addressed the nature and forms of transnational repression, as well as counter strategies for the European Union. It discussed China’s use of extraterritorial infrastructure to conduct full and systematic surveillance, intimidation, forced returns, and other measures, drawing attention to China’s abuse of International Criminal Police Organization mechanisms. It also highlighted China’s pressure on academics to halt research regarding such sensitive issues as supply chains, forced labor practices, Tibet, and Taiwan, as well as on artists to cancel activities involving Taiwan.
MOFA also commends the resolution for calling on the European Union and member states to strengthen coordination with like-minded partners in such areas as legislation, victim protection, attribution, and sanctions.
Transnational repression by authoritarian regimes has caused significant challenges to democratic nations and civil societies. It has undermined academic freedom, freedom of speech, and human rights protection, and jeopardized social resilience.
MOFA is pleased that the European Parliament pays close attention to related issues and supports the European Union’s enhancement of response mechanisms. Moving forward, MOFA will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the European Union and like-minded nations in such areas as information sharing, building democratic resilience, and countering authoritarian coercion.
The Police Force’s National Security Department arrested to shop proprietors in Sham Shui Po yesterday on suspicion committing seditious acts and receiving money from foreign groups.
Following a search of the shop, a 33-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man were detained of suspicion of “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” and “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence”, contravening section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and section 25 of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly displayed seditious items and sold publications with seditious content inside their shop, including materials inciting hatred against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies.
The suspects are also believed to have received multiple financial remittances from foreign political organisations. During searches of the shop and a residence, police seized a batch of seditious items, books and case-related documents.
Both individuals remain in custody for further investigation.
The Young Pin Design Award, Taiwan’s premier award recognizing emerging design talent, is jointly guided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), organized by the Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs (IDA, MOEA), and executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute and the Good Design Association, Taiwan. The 2026 award ceremony took place today (May 25) at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2.
Speaking at the ceremony, Cynthia Kiang, Deputy Minister of the MOEA, remarked that winning works of the Young Pin Design Award in recent years reflect how young designers propose forward-looking solutions to challenges such as environmental sustainability, technological development, and elderly care. Design has long evolved beyond product aesthetics and is increasingly becoming a key driver of industrial transformation and quality-of-life improvement. Leveraging Taiwan’s powerful technological advantages in the semiconductor and ICT supply chains, she hopes that amid this new wave of industrial transformation, “design” can be harnessed to humanize technology, turning it into empathetic, warm product and service experiences. This will ultimately enhance industrial added value and allow Taiwan’s exceptional design prowess to shine brightly on the international stage.
The 2026 Young Pin Design Award attracted 4,465 entries from 110 departments across 55 universities in Taiwan. Following rigorous evaluations by a jury of experts from industry, academia, and the practical design sector, 637 works were honored as “Young Pin Design Award Nominees.” Ultimately, 122 outstanding works clinched awards across various categories, including 57 “Young Pin Design Awards,” 8 “Young Pin Special Awards” addressing contemporary issues such as circular design, packaging, social resilience, and cultural heritage, 48 “Young Pin Sponsor Awards,” and the 9 highly anticipated “Best of Young Pin Design Award.” These accolades honor the young talents who have demonstrated remarkable creativity and design prowess across diverse design domains.
The cohort of emerging designers selected this year not only responds to social issues and real-world needs through their creations but also highlights design as a pivotal energy for driving industrial transformation and reshaping the future. For the complete list of winners of the 2026 Young Pin Design Award, please visit the official Golden Pin Design Award website at (https://www.goldenpin.org.tw/goldenpin/zh-TW/download).