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Source: Hong Kong Information Services

On his last day of visit to Beijing, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, leading a delegation, called on CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong. The meeting was attended by Executive Deputy Director of CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Xu Qifang.

Mr Chan thanked Mr Xia for his guidance on the planning and construction of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT), and briefed him on the delegation’s visit to the Ningbo Higher Education Park, Xiasha Higher Education Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang University International Campus (Haining), Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, and Xiong’an New Area in Hebei.

The visits and exchanges provided practical insights for the NMUT’s top-level design, thereby helping Hong Kong advance the integration of academic excellence with industry, and promote industrial development through education, Mr Chan stressed.

He added that the Working Group on Planning & Construction of the University Town will continue to push forward the NMUT’s development in proactive alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, helping Hong Kong better serve national development.

During the meeting, Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin also reported on her work.

Mr Chan and other members of the delegation returned to Hong Kong this afternoon. Ms Choi continued her visit in the capital and will return to Hong Kong tomorrow.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today that a third round of seven evidential hearings, at witnesses will give oral evidence, will be held on the following days:

1. April 20 (Monday)
2. April 21 (Tuesday)
3. April 22 (Wednesday)
4. April 23 (Thursday)
5. April 24 (Friday)
6. April 27 (Monday)
7. April 30 (Thursday)

The hearings will be conducted in Cantonese from 10am to 1pm and from 2.15pm to 4.30pm at the Multi-purpose Hall, 3/F, City Gallery, 3 Edinburgh Place, Central. Simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua and English will be provided.

Those wishing to attend, including Wang Fuk Court residents, are required to pre-register online from 10am on April 8 to 10am on April 11.

Registrants may select one or more sessions. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis according to the system’s record of the time the pre-registration forms are received.

Successful registrants will receive a confirmation issued by the committee secretariat no later than April 16. They will get an SMS notification from the sender name “#IC-hearing”, or an email from hearing@ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk.

The proceedings will be broadcast live in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of City Gallery as well as at the Hong Kong Central Library’s Lecture Theatre. Some registrants may be assigned to observe the hearings in these two areas. A total of about 360 seats will be available for public observation in the main venue and the two transmission areas. About half of the seats will be set aside for Wang Fuk Court residents on a priority basis.

Individuals can only pre-register for each hearing day once. Duplicate registrations will not be processed.

The committee plans to hold additional hearings in May, details of which will be announced later.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today filed an application with the Court of First Instance of the High Court for forfeiture of Lai Chee-ying’s offence-related properties, to achieve the important objectives of preventing and suppressing acts and activities endangering national security.

The Court of First Instance earlier convicted Lai Chee-ying of three charges of offences endangering national security. 

In a statement, the Government said the application was made in accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKNSL) and the Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Implementation Rules).

According to Article 32 of the HKNSL, proceeds obtained from the commission of an offence under the Law including financial aid, gains and rewards, and funds and tools used or intended to be used in the commission of the offence shall be seized and confiscated.

The application for and issuance of a forfeiture order must comply with the strict conditions set out in Schedule 3 to the Implementation Rules.

The Court of First Instance may order the forfeiture only if it is satisfied, after an application is made by the Secretary for Justice, that the property to be forfeited meets relevant conditions.

The Government said the Hong Kong SAR is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that “laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable”.

It noted that applying to the court for a forfeiture order is one of the effective means to combat serious crimes and protect the public interest, adding that laws and mechanisms for forfeiture of offence-related properties are commonly found around the world.

The statement also pointed out that a forfeiture order made for the purpose of safeguarding national security can prevent persons convicted of offences endangering national security, their accomplices or agents from continuing to use their offence-related properties to engage in acts and activities endangering national security, so as to cut off the funding chains for offences endangering national security and to weaken their capacity to commit offences endangering national security.

The Government reiterated that it will, as always, steadfastly and strictly adhere to the principle of the rule of law, stay committed to ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring offenders to justice.

The Government will also effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, while protecting the lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents and other people in Hong Kong, the statement added.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Lai meets Global Taiwan Institute media delegation
On the morning of March 31, President Lai Ching-te met with a media delegation from the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI). In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation members for helping advance understanding and support of democratic Taiwan in the international community. The president also expressed his gratitude for their media coverage, which has helped the international community pay greater attention to regional peace and stability and has helped garner even more international support for Taiwan. He stated that Taiwan is actively bolstering its defense capabilities, implementing military reform, enhancing overall combat capability, and developing its indigenous defense industry, demonstrating its determination to safeguard national security, protect freedom and democracy, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that Taiwan will fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining regional security and that it is willing to collaborate with the United States and other democratic partners to safeguard regional stability, supply chain security, and global prosperity.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Our guests represent prominent US media outlets and possess significant influence in the global public sphere. I extend a sincere welcome to the delegation and anticipate that your professional reporting will help the world better understand Taiwan. I want to give a word of thanks to the GTI for its many years of diligent efforts and advocacy in Washington, DC, and for helping advance understanding and support of democratic Taiwan in the international community. It warms my heart to see two fellow Taiwanese, Dr. Lanhee J. Chen, GTI Advisory Board member and David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution, and GTI Board of Directors Chair Jennifer Hu. I want to thank them for their tireless work in voicing support for Taiwan, which has helped US society have a better grasp of Taiwan’s spirit and culture.
Taiwan is a vibrant democratic society. We cherish freedom and safeguard democracy. And we know well that peace must be built upon a foundation of strength, resilience, and unity. Over 90 percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductors are manufactured in Taiwan, and over a fifth of maritime trade passes through the Taiwan Strait. As a crucial link in the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan firmly believes that a free and open, peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region is the only path to advancing global prosperity.
Over recent years, China has continued to attempt to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait through such tactics as military intimidation, gray-zone operations, and economic coercion. I thank the international media outlets represented here for their coverage, which has helped the international community pay greater attention to regional peace and stability and has helped garner even more international support for Taiwan.
Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. As we aspire to peace, we must not harbor any delusions. We firmly believe that peace can only be achieved through strength and that help comes most to those who help themselves. Thus, Taiwan is actively bolstering its defense capabilities, implementing military reform, and strengthening whole-of-society defense resilience. Our national defense spending, as it is defined by NATO, has already surpassed 3 percent of GDP this year, and we aim for this figure to reach 5 percent by 2030. Our government has also proposed an eight-year, US$40 billion special defense budget to enhance equipment procurement, construct the T-Dome, enhance overall combat capability, and develop Taiwan’s indigenous defense industry. This demonstrates our determination to safeguard our national security, protect freedom and democracy, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
This year is the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election. It also marks the 250th anniversary of US independence. And while the histories of our democracies may differ in length, our pursuit of freedom is the same. Taiwan will fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining regional security. And we are willing to collaborate with the US and other democratic partners to safeguard regional stability, supply chain security, and global prosperity.
In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China; last year, that figure had dropped to around 3.7 percent. The US is now Taiwan’s top outbound investment destination. It is also Taiwan’s largest export market. Trade and economic relations between Taiwan and the US continue to deepen, and cooperation and exchanges in technological innovation and industrial development have also expanded. This year, we signed the Taiwan-US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and an agreement on bilateral investment. We also signed the Joint Statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and Taiwan-US Economic Security Cooperation. I anticipate that through our joint efforts, we can create a mutually beneficial future of prosperity and contribute even more to the world.
GTI Advisory Board Member Chen then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking the time to meet with their delegation. He also thanked National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱) for their hospitality. He mentioned that it is an honor for the group to be here in Taiwan. He said that he often reflects on the many changes that Taiwan has been through in the 40 years since he first came back as a young child, noting that it is remarkable to see that the one thing that has endured is the strength of the relationship between the US and Taiwan, which remains rock solid.
GTI Advisory Board Member Chen stated that he is chairing this delegation, a group composed of some of America’s most prominent voices in journalism and political commentary. He emphasized that it is important for his colleagues to see Taiwan firsthand, to experience life and culture, to meet individuals here, and to engage in exchanges because it better informs their understanding of the situation that Taiwan currently finds itself in. Noting that this is the first time in Taiwan for many of these people, he expressed hope they will have an opportunity to leave with good memories of the people that they meet and the food that they eat. 
GTI Advisory Board Member Chen said that this visit comes at a very important time in the Taiwan-US relationship, adding that it is his firm hope that after the delegation leaves Taiwan, they will continue to remember and be mindful of the tremendous challenges that Taiwan faces from what he believes is a hostile power just 80 miles away. He also expressed his belief that the impressions and the relationships developed will remain. He then said he looks forward to a wonderful dialogue with President Lai.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po:
 
     The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today (April 2) that members of the public may pre-register for selected hearings of the third round of seven evidential hearings that they wish to observe via the online system from 10am on April 8 to 10am on April 11.
 
     The Committee will hear evidence in the evidential hearings on matters in accordance with its terms of reference. The Committee aims to clarify the relevant facts through oral evidence, written submissions, and other forms of evidence presented by witnesses. This will provide an important basis for the preparation of its report and recommendations.
 
     The evidential hearings will be conducted in Cantonese from 10am to 1pm and from 2.15pm to 4.30pm at the Multi-purpose Hall, 3/F, City Gallery, 3 Edinburgh Place, Central. Simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua and English will be provided in the City Gallery.
 
     The schedule for the third round of seven evidential hearings as announced earlier is as follows:
 

	Date
1.	April 20 (Monday)
2.	April 21 (Tuesday)
3.	April 22 (Wednesday)
4.	April 23 (Thursday)
5.	April 24 (Friday)
6.	April 27 (Monday)
7.	April 30 (Thursday)

 
     In the third round of evidential hearings, the Committee will continue to receive oral evidence from witnesses. The Committee will release the list of exact witnesses who will be giving evidence at each date of hearing on its website (www.ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk/eng/timetable.html) nearer the time.
 
     Some seats for the hearings will be reserved for the involved parties, and some seats will be open to the public to observe the proceedings. To allow more members of the public to attend the hearings, the proceedings will be broadcast simultaneously in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of the City Gallery and in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library. Arrangements will be made for some members of the public to observe the hearings in these two areas. A total of about 360 seats will be available for public observation in the main venue and the two transmission areas. About half of the seats will be set aside for residents of Wang Fuk Court on a priority basis. Separate arrangements will be made for the media.
 
     To avoid members of the public queuing outside the venue for a long time, and to allow those who wish to observe the hearings to have certainty of whether seats have been secured before the day of the hearings, for the third round of hearings, individuals (including Wang Fuk Court residents) are required to pre-register online (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ic-hearing/en/) from 10am on April 8 to 10am on April 11. Registrants should select on the online registration form the dates they wish to observe (one or more sessions can be selected) and submit the duly completed form. The Secretariat of the Committee will allocate seats on a first-come, first-served basis according to the system’s record of the time the pre-registration forms are received.
 
     Successful registrants will receive a “Confirmation of Successful Registration” for the third round of hearings issued by the Secretariat of the Committee by April 16. An SMS notification will be sent from the sender name “#IC-hearing”. If an email address is also provided during pre-registration, an email notification will be sent from hearing@ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk. Pre-registration will be considered unsuccessful for those who have not received a notification by that date. Each person can only pre-register for each day of hearing once. Duplicate registrations will not be processed.
 
     According to the current plan, the Committee will continue to hold evidential hearings in May. Details (including the specific dates of the hearings, the witnesses who will be giving evidence, and the pre-registration arrangements for public observation) will be announced separately on a later date.
 
     The Chief Executive established the Committee to review the causes of the fire at Wang Fuk Court and related issues, and to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The Committee formally commenced its work on December 19, 2025, and the evidential hearings on March 19 to hear oral evidence from witnesses (including oral evidence from Wang Fuk Court residents and the involved parties).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Department of Justice (DoJ) welcomed the notice issued by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) yesterday (April 1) on the details of the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination (GBA Examination). The examination will be held on September 19 in Shenzhen and Zhuhai, Guangdong. Eligible applicants can apply to sit for the examination through the website of the MoJ from April 16 to 25. For more details, please visit: www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgw/zwxxgk/fdzdgknr/fdzdgknrtzwj/202604/t20260401_533339.html (in Chinese only).

The GBA Examination has been held five times. Currently, over 630 Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners have passed the examination and obtained the Lawyer’s License (Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Greater Bay Area) to provide legal services in the nine Mainland municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) on specified civil and commercial matters to which the Mainland laws apply. The pilot scheme for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to practise in the nine Mainland municipalities in the GBA will expire on October 4 this year.

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said, “The DoJ has been working closely with the authorities including the MoJ and the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province in their work to advance the pilot scheme for GBA lawyers, striving for the regularisation of the GBA lawyers’ scheme.  I encourage Hong Kong legal practitioners to become GBA lawyers and acquire dual qualification, so as to leverage the unique strengths of ‘one country, two systems, three jurisdictions’ in the GBA to assist Mainland enterprises in going global.”    

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Twilight” and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Champion” from March 27 to yesterday (April 1). During the anti-illegal worker operations, investigators raided multiple target locations including restaurants, industrial buildings and flats under renovation, etc. Twenty suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised 15 men and five women, aged 25 to 57. Among them, one man and one woman were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment. Two men, aged 36 and 60, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The weather for March 2026 was much warmer than usual in Hong Kong. The monthly total sunshine duration amounted to 165.0 hours, 65 per cent above the normal of 100.0 hours. With more sunshine, the monthly mean temperature of 21.5 degrees, monthly mean maximum temperature of 24.5 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 19.6 degrees were 2.0 degrees, 2.6 degrees and 2.0 degrees above their corresponding normals and respectively one of the second, the third and the fifth highest on record for March. Mainly attributable to the rainfall brought by upper-air disturbances from March 3 to 4, the month was much wetter than usual with a total rainfall of 154.4 millimeters, more than double the normal of 75.3 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall in the first three months of the year was 199.2 millimetres, about 35 per cent above the normal of 147.4 millimetres for the same period.

Under the influence of a southerly airstream and a band of clouds, Hong Kong’s weather was mainly cloudy with one or two rain patches and coastal fog on the first two days of the month. Moreover, a cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong on the night of March 2, bringing showers and isolated squally thunderstorms to Hong Kong, with about 30 millimetres of rainfall recorded over parts of the territory. The associated northeast monsoon brought cooler mornings on the following three days. Temperature at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 15.4 degrees on the morning of March 4, the lowest of the month. Meanwhile, upper-air disturbances also brought showers to the territory from March 3 to 4. Showers were heavier at times with more than 100 millimetres of rainfall recorded over Kowloon, Tseung Kwan O and parts of Lantau Island on these two days. There were also isolated thunderstorms on March 3. With the band of clouds thinning out, apart from one or two rain patches in the morning, there were sunny periods on March 5. 

A relatively dry easterly airstream brought generally fine weather to Hong Kong from March 6 to 9. It was also dry during the day from March 6 to 8. Under the influence of the northeast monsoon and a band of clouds, it was mainly cloudy from March 10 to 11. It was also cool with one or two rain patches on the morning of March 10. With the thinning out of the cloud band on the afternoon of March 11 and a replenishment of the dry northeast monsoon on the night of March 12, the local weather turned fine from March 12 to 16. As the northeast monsoon moderated gradually and a band of clouds covered the coast of Guangdong, the local weather became mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches on March 17. As the cloud band thinned out, it was generally fine on the following two days. It was also hot on the afternoon of March 19.

With the setting in of a fresh to strong easterly airstream and a band of clouds, Hong Kong’s weather turned cloudy with a few light rain patches from March 20 to 21. With the moderation of the easterly airstream and the thinning out of the cloud band, local weather became generally fine and warm during the day from March 22 to 23. Winds were weak on the next two days, with coastal mist in the morning and at night. It remained warm during the day with sunny periods on March 24. Under light wind conditions, it was hot on the afternoon of March 25 with temperatures at the Observatory rising to a maximum of 30.0 degrees, the highest of the month. With the setting in of a relatively humid easterly airstream, the local weather turned mainly cloudy with a hot afternoon and coastal mist the next day. While there were mist patches on the morning of March 27, a trough of low pressure brought showers and thunderstorms to the territory that afternoon. With the return of a relatively humid easterly airstream, Hong Kong’s weather was mainly cloudy with a few showers and relatively low visibility the next day. Under the influence of a southerly airstream, it remained mainly cloudy with one or two rain patches on March 29. An area of intense thundery showers associated with upper-air disturbances affected the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary, bringing showers and severe squally thunderstorms to the territory during the day on March 30. Violent gusts over 120 kilometres per hour were recorded at Lau Fau Shan. Under the influence of a trough of low pressure, local weather on the last day of the month remained mainly cloudy with one or two showers and isolated thunderstorms at night.

One tropical cyclone occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in March 2026.

Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for March are tabulated in Table 2.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the video speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the World Autism Awareness Day 2026 Major Plenary Event today (April 2):
      
Professor Shahbaz Khan (Director and Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Regional Office for East Asia; and Chair of the United Nations Theme Group on Disability in China), Mr Carlson Tong (Chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited), Mr Damien Green (Founder of the Hong Kong Autism Institute), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to address this distinguished gathering on World Autism Awareness Day, which brings together policymakers, professionals, advocates and stakeholders.
      
     You are all united in advancing not just awareness, but inclusion, so that autistic people can enjoy a better quality of life. That journey, from awareness to inclusion, is driven by the very mindset captured in today’s plenary theme: “thinking differently”.
      
     Autism brings distinctive strengths, unique perspectives, and remarkable potential, alongside challenges that demand understanding and acceptance. In a world that is growing more attuned to human cognitive diversity, the right support can turn difference into an opportunity for connection. That is what it means to think differently: choosing understanding over assumption, acceptance over exclusion. When we do, difference becomes strength, and potential becomes progress – for individuals and for society.
      
     Awareness is our starting point. Inclusion is our destination. Action is the bridge that joins them. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is building that bridge through a life‑course commitment to inclusion. We prioritise early identification and timely support, ensuring children and families receive the support they need from the very start.
      
     In education, we foster a whole-school approach with tiered support for students with diverse learning needs, backed by close home‑school collaboration, so every student can learn, grow, and thrive.
      
     Beyond the classroom, we partner with community organisations to strengthen training and employment pathways. Our goal is to help autistic people develop their talents, participate fully in society, and pursue lives of fulfilment.
      
     Government action lays the foundation, but inclusion is ultimately built in classrooms, in workplaces, and in the everyday moments of connection between us. I look forward to the insights and partnerships that will emerge from today’s discussions. Let us turn understanding into lasting action.
      
     Ladies and gentlemen, let this day stand for more than awareness; let it stand for sustained commitment. Together, we can remove barriers, embrace the richness of diversity, and enable every person to contribute, to belong, and to shine.
      
     I wish you all a successful and impactful day. Thank you.