MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In support of National Love Teeth Day 2026, the Department of Health (DH) today (October 11) organised the “Oral Health for Life” Festival at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill. Through interactive exhibition panels, fun game booths and performances, the event disseminated accurate oral health information to the public. This year’s theme of “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Life; Building strong teeth from an early age, Enjoying life with healthy teeth in an old age” encourages the public to develop good dental care habits from an early age and maintain oral health throughout their lifetime. The event was supported by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission (BJHC), the Health Commission of Guangdong Province and the Chinese Stomatological Association.

Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, emphasised that oral health is a vital cornerstone of overall health. He reminded the public to develop good oral hygiene habits from an early age.

Dr Lam said, “The national health plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period implements the ‘Health First’ development strategy and accelerates the building of a ‘Healthy China’. This includes strengthening health promotion and disease prevention, as well as improving health services across the entire life cycle, including the oral health of children, adolescents and the elderly. The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address recently announced by the Chief Executive also actively align with the national plan. They explicitly propose taking active public health measures, further enhancing the accessibility of primary healthcare services and continuing to deepen healthcare system reform. Starting from 2027, the Government will provide preventive primary oral healthcare services for specified high-risk groups at designated District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses, and expand the Healthy Teeth Collaboration to offer outreach preventive oral healthcare services for residents of designated residential care homes for persons with disabilities.

“The theme of today’s event, ‘Oral Health for Life’, conveys an important message – dental care is a lifelong health endeavour. Parents must guide their children to develop proper toothbrushing techniques and habits from an early age, making dental care a part of daily life and ensuring their children undergo regular dental check-ups. The DH promotes oral health services tailored to the needs of different age groups to help all citizens practise the principle of prevention, early identification and timely intervention for dental diseases, with a view to preserving teeth.”

The Director of the BJHC, Ms Liu Juncai; the Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Director-General of the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Mr Liu Liqun, and the President of the Chinese Stomatological Association, Professor Guo Chuanbin, also delivered pre-recorded video speeches, expressing their support for the event and oral health promotion efforts.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of the DH, Dr Kitty Hse, said that through the strategy of “developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare”, the Government promotes and develops preventive-focused oral healthcare widely among the public, assisting citizens in self-managing their oral health. Meanwhile, the strategy of “providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups” focuses on providing appropriate oral health and dental care services to underprivileged groups with financial difficulties and special needs, ensuring that these communities can access essential dental care. She urged the public to maintain good oral hygiene and dietary habits, undergo annual dental check-ups, and detect and treat dental problems early in order to preserve their teeth for a lifetime.

For children and adolescents, the DH currently provides continuous and seamless oral health support from the preschool through the school-age stages. This includes the Bright Smiles Baby Programme for children aged 0 to 3, the Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children for children in all kindergartens aged 32 months and above, and the territory-wide School Dental Care Service for primary school students, thereby establishing a comprehensive safety net for their oral health.

For the elderly and individuals with special oral care needs, the DH has implemented the Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly, the Healthy Teeth Collaboration and the Special Oral Care Service, while the Community Dental Support Programme aims to provide suitable oral health and dental care services to underprivileged groups with financial difficulties.

At the opening ceremony, the DH also presented certificates to the representatives from various non-governmental organisations providing community dental services and organisations participating in the Healthy Cities Projects (see Annex) to show appreciation for their continued support for the Government in health promotion.

Teeth are indispensable companions throughout one’s life. In addition the support provided to the public through various programmes. People of all ages should develop the habit of undergoing annual dental check-ups. Even in old age, maintaining healthy and strong teeth allows us to fully enjoy delicious food and maintain a good quality of life.

Members of the public can visit the DH’s Oral Health Promotion Division website and the Facebook page and YouTube channel of “Love Teeth HK” for more information on oral health.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The redeveloped Huanggang Port will open at 6.30am tomorrow (October 12). The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, officiated at the opening ceremony at the Mainland Port Area of the Huanggang Port today (October 11) alongside the Director of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress, Mr Huang Chuping; the Standing Committee Member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Jin Lei; the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Li Yun; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Luo Yonggang; the Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Ms Zhang Geping; the Director of Bureau III of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zou Jinsong; and the Deputy Director of the Department of Border Security Check of the National Immigration Administration, Ms Mo Haiying.

The National 15th Five-Year Plan proposed consolidating and enhancing the role of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as an engine for high-quality development, as well as strengthening regional infrastructure connectivity. The redevelopment of the Huanggang Port signifies the proactive alignment of the HKSAR Government with national development strategies, representing a key project through which Hong Kong actively integrates into and serves the overall national development. The Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan announced by the HKSAR Government last month explicitly set out to leverage the strengths of the redeveloped Huanggang Port, implement the co-location arrangement, and adopt the novel “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” mode. The official opening of the Huanggang Port signifies a major milestone achieved by Hong Kong and Shenzhen in enhancing the layout of boundary control points, and improving clearance efficiency, and facilitating cross-boundary flow of people.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lee said that the Huanggang Port redevelopment project is a landmark undertaking built upon the close partnership and concerted efforts between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for joint contribution and shared benefits. The official opening of the redeveloped port reflects that connectivity within the Greater Bay Area has reached a new height, serving as a faithful demonstration promoting “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, fostering “soft connectivity” of rules and mechanisms, and achieving “connectivity of hearts” between the residents of the Mainland and Hong Kong.

The redeveloped Huanggang Port is positioned as the most important 24-hour passenger land boundary control point between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The design flow of the redeveloped Huanggang Port is 200 000 passenger trips per day, and could be further increased to about 300 000 upon the future commissioning of the Northern Link Spur Line of the MTR Corporation Limited. With the staunch support of the Central Authorities, the Huanggang Port implements the co-location arrangement with clearly delineated Hong Kong Port Area and Mainland Port Area. The Huanggang Port is also the first land boundary control point between Hong Kong and Shenzhen adopting the “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” mode, further enhancing passenger clearance experience and efficiency. Under this new clearance mode, clearance time will be significantly reduced from around 30 minutes at the original Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port, to approximately five minutes.

The 23rd Meeting of the 14th Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC) passed the decision to authorise the HKSAR to exercise jurisdiction over the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area and Related Extended Areas (Hong Kong Port Area) on June 26 this year. Subsequently, the State Council issued an Official Reply on July 8, stipulating the specific co-ordinates and area of the Hong Kong Port Area, and agreeing that the Hong Kong Port Area is to be commissioned beginning at 00.00 hours of July 31, 2026, and is to be subject to the jurisdiction of the HKSAR in accordance with the laws of the HKSAR. The Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance (Cap. 659), together with the relevant subsidiary legislation, came into operation on July 31.

Since the establishment of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area on July 31, the HKSAR Government has been pressing ahead at full steam with the various preparatory tasks for the opening of the port, including conducting drills and tests of various scales, as well as continuously enhancing detailed arrangements to prepare comprehensively for the opening of the port. Having confirmed that the port is ready for safe, smooth and efficient operation, Hong Kong and Shenzhen issued a joint statement on October 9, announcing that the redeveloped Huanggang Port will officially open at 6.30am of October 12, 2026, providing 24-hour clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles.

Officials of the HKSAR Government attending the ceremony included the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming; the Director of Immigration, Mr Benson Kwok; the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (October 10), and seized about 5 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds, with an estimated market value of about $1 million. Two persons were arrested.  

A 59-year-old Mainland male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Manila, the Philippines, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds concealed in a check-in suitcase, in his possession. The man was then arrested. After investigations, Customs officers arrested a 58-year-old Mainland male passenger who also arrived in Hong Kong from Manila, the Philippines, yesterday, and was suspected to be connected with the case.

The two arrested men have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 12).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will also continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

To ensure accurate measurement and transaction fairness for the public purchasing barbecue ingredients and holiday goods ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (the BSMI) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) conducted spot checks on weighing scales. The BSMI announced today (Sept. 15) that the inspection recorded a compliance rate of 99.9%, successfully safeguarding consumers’ wallets for the holiday.

During this special holiday inspection program, the BSMI dispatched personnel to conduct spot checks at 150 locations across Taiwan, covering traditional markets, hypermarkets, supermarkets, and scenic areas. A total of 4,512 weighing scales were inspected, while only one was found to be non-compliant. Inspectors immediately affixed a “suspension-from-use” marking to the non-compliant device at the site. The BSMI will continuously monitor this case until the scale is repaired and passes reverification or is scrapped. If a business operator is found to continue using a non-compliant weighing scale without authorization, a fine of NT$15,000 to NT$75,000 may be imposed in accordance with the Weights and Measures Act.

The BSMI emphasized that weighing scales used in market transactions are measuring instruments subject to mandatory verification under the law. They must undergo verification to ensure measurement accuracy before they may be legally placed on the market for sale or use in transactions. For weighing scales in circulation, the BSMI conducts annual market inspection programs and

unannounced inspections. If a weighing instrument is found to be inaccurate or not properly verified, the BSMI will take action in accordance with relevant regulations. Through pre-market verification and post-market inspections, the BSMI takes a two-pronged approach to safeguarding consumer rights.

To ensure that citizens can shop accurately and fairly at all times, the BSMI conducts routine checks year-round. Moreover, dedicated inspection projects are launched during Taiwan’s three major traditional holidays-the Lunar New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival-to reinforce market oversight. Furthermore, the BSMI encourages public supervision. If consumers notice a commercial scale lacking the official verification mark (Picture as attachment file) , or suspect inaccurate weighing during a purchase, they are urged to report the issue via the hotline at 02-23434567. The Bureau will promptly dispatch personnel to investigate, ensuring the rights of both buyers and sellers are fully protected.

Responsible Division: Metrology Technology Division
Contact Person: Deputy Director Chen
Telephone No.: +886-2343-1700#5211
Email: hl.chen@bsmi.gov.tw

Source: Government of Singapore

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The opening ceremony of the redeveloped Huanggang Port was held today at the Huanggang Port Mainland Port Area, with the facility set to officially open at 6.30am tomorrow.

Chief Executive John Lee officiated at the ceremony alongside Director of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee Huang Chuping; CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee Standing Committee Member and CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee Secretary Jin Lei; CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee Deputy Secretary and Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government Li Yun; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Luo Yonggang; Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Geping; Director of Bureau III of CPC Central Committee’s Hong Kong & Macao Work Office and State Council’s Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Zou Jinsong; and Deputy Director of the Department of Border Security Check of the National Immigration Administration Mo Haiying.

The redevelopment of the port signifies the proactive alignment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government with national development strategies, fulfilling goals to strengthen regional infrastructure connectivity under the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, announced last month, explicitly set out to leverage the strengths of the redeveloped port by implementing a co-location arrangement and adopting a novel “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” mode.

The official opening marks a major milestone for Hong Kong and Shenzhen in enhancing the layout of boundary control points, improving clearance efficiency, and facilitating the cross-boundary flow of people. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lee described the project as a landmark undertaking built upon a close partnership and concerted efforts between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for shared benefits.

Mr Lee added that the official opening reflects a new height for connectivity within the Greater Bay Area, demonstrating “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, “soft connectivity” of rules and mechanisms, and a “connectivity of hearts” between the residents of the Mainland and Hong Kong. Positioned as the most important 24-hour passenger land boundary control point between the two cities, the redeveloped port has a design capacity of 200,000 passenger trips per day.

This capacity could further increase to about 300,000 trips daily upon the future commissioning of the MTR Corporation’s Northern Link Spur Line. Backed by the central authorities, the site implements a co-location arrangement with clearly delineated Hong Kong and Mainland port areas.

It is also the first land boundary control point between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to adopt the “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” mode, which significantly enhances the passenger experience. Under this new mechanism, clearance times will be significantly reduced from around 30 minutes at the original Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port to approximately five minutes.

Since the establishment of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area on July 31, the Hong Kong SAR Government has been pressing ahead at full steam with various preparatory tasks. Having confirmed operational readiness, Hong Kong and Shenzhen issued a joint statement on October 9, announcing that the port will officially open at 6.30am on October 12 to provide 24-hour clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles.

Hong Kong SAR Government officials attending today’s ceremony included Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn, Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Janice Tse, Commissioner of Police Chow Yat-ming, Director of Immigration Benson Kwok, Commissioner of Customs & Excise Chan Tsz-tat, and Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan will depart for Nanjing tomorrow morning to promote Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international platform for Mainland enterprises. The delegation includes representatives from public organisations, innovation and technology (I&T) parks and professional bodies, as well as various business sectors.

On October 13, the delegation will attend a promotion conference in Nanjing themed “Jiangsu-Hong Kong Partnership: Setting Sail Together”. A series of business-matching and promotional activities will showcase how Hong Kong’s diverse financial and professional services can support overseas expansion.

The delegation will also highlight Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem to foster resource matching and explore co-operation in technology research and development (R&D). To exchange experiences, members will visit local technology transfer institutions alongside green technology and biotechnology enterprises in Jiangsu Province.

During his stay in Nanjing, Mr Chan will deliver a keynote speech at Nanjing University and visit its frontier technology research institutes. He will also meet Hong Kong business people and residents living in Jiangsu to learn about their daily lives and business operations.

Furthermore, the finance chief will meet leaders of Jiangsu Province and Nanjing City to discuss strengthening economic, trade and I&T co-operation. Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon, during which time Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong will act as Financial Secretary.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The redeveloped Huanggang Port is set to open soon, offering a comprehensive and convenient transport network to cater to daily commuters, weekend travellers and family visitors alike. As a vital 24-hour land crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the port features robust transport connections to and from its Hong Kong Port Area.

To facilitate passenger flows, seven franchised bus routes will operate at the facility, comprising six daytime services and one overnight route. In addition, green minibuses will run three daytime and three overnight routes, ensuring round-the-clock accessibility.

For direct cross-boundary travel, passengers can choose from five short-haul cross-boundary bus routes, alongside other long-haul services. Travellers who prefer a private, direct journey can also take advantage of urban, New Territories or fleet taxis straight to the port.

With seamless public transport connections linking different districts across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, the redeveloped port is poised to become a popular boundary-crossing choice.

Visit the Transport Department’s website for more details.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has welcomed the release and implementation of the “Measures for the Management of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Legal Professional Examination & Practice” by the Ministry of Justice. Released on October 5, these regulations follow the conclusion of a multi-year pilot scheme for GBA lawyers, which ended on October 4.

Earlier, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed amendments to the Lawyers Law of the People’s Republic of China to regularise the GBA lawyers’ scheme. These amendments specify that relevant operational details are to be stipulated by the judicial administration department of the State Council in accordance with the law.

The newly released measures provide clear regulations regarding enrolment requirements for the GBA Examination, application procedures to practise, and the overall scope of practice. They also specify that the examination will now take place every two years.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said: “The amended Lawyers Law, together with the Measures, have established the practice regime and implementation rules for GBA lawyers, providing solid legal protection and clear guidance for the long-term and stable operation of the GBA lawyers’ scheme.”

“I warmly welcome these developments and thank the Mainland authorities for their strong support,” Mr Lam added.

Moving forward, the DoJ will proactively advance policy initiatives relating to GBA legal practice as set out in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address. The DoJ will support Mainland authorities fully in implementing the scheme, capitalising on the unique strengths of Hong Kong’s legal profession while deepening regional co-operation across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.