Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SITI attends 2026 World AI Conference and High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai
President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the WAIC 2026 and High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance in the morning and delivered a keynote speech, saying that the world has entered an unprecedented period of active innovation on AI technologies. All countries should take a people-centered approach and develop AI for the positive and for good and that AI is an important driver for shared prosperity and common security. Professor Sun also attended the opening ceremony.
The country attaches great importance to AI development, and the National 15th Five-Year Plan clearly states the need to “deepen the construction of the Digital China Initiative and enhance the level of digital and intelligent development”. With the country’s planning and support, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is accelerating its efforts to build Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre in full swing, constructing a comprehensive, reliable, international and sustainable AI ecosystem, as well as proactively integrating into the national “AI+” initiative.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun attended the Seminar on Fostering Economic Innovation and Global Collaboration through AI organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. In his opening speech, he said that the HKSAR Government has elevated AI to a core industry for Hong Kong and established the principle of “industries for AI and AI for industries”. Leveraging the robust research and development (R&D) capabilities of Hong Kong’s universities, Hong Kong is currently building an internationally competitive I&T ecosystem with “three major I&T parks and five key R&D institutions” as the backbone. The three major parks have gathered over a thousand AI-related enterprises and start-ups, forming a vibrant cluster. Also, the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research Institute is soon to be launched, and 16 laboratories focusing on AI and robotics under the InnoHK platform have brought together nearly 1 200 top global R&D talents to drive research breakthroughs and global I&T collaboration.
Professor Sun said that Hong Kong’s overall computing power has currently reached 5 000 PFLOPS. The construction of the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster is at full speed, which is expected to provide 180 000 PFLOPS of computing power upon completion, equivalent to 36 times Hong Kong’s current computing power. The Cluster, together with the Hong Kong Park in the Loop and the San Tin Technopole, constitutes the new development pattern of “I&T in the north” to seize opportunities and room for AI R&D, industrialisation and cross-boundary collaboration. It will also achieve highly efficient complementarity with the industrial chains and computing clusters of various provinces and municipalities in the Mainland, thereby promoting Hong Kong to become an advanced data and computing hub in the region, and contributing Hong Kong’s power to the development of Digital China.
Professor Sun pointed out that the HKSAR Government is promoting AI development on all fronts, from policy governance to fund allocation, adding that the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy has been established to formulate strategies for AI-driven industrial transformation. The Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund will be launched within this year to channel market capital to invest in emerging and future industries including AI, digitalisation, and upgrading and transformation. The HKSAR Government will continue to promote the safe and orderly cross-boundary flow of data in a pragmatic and robust manner, and establish an AI governance framework to strike a balance among innovation, application, and responsibility, ensuring its safe and reliable development.
Professor Sun also met with Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government Mr Zhu Min. He stated that the HKSAR Government has been proactively aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan and is pressing ahead to formulate Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan, in which I&T will be a key segment. As I&T is a core development area for both Shanghai and Hong Kong, both governments are ramping up support across multiple dimensions such as policy, resources and industries. He expected that I&T co-operation between the two places can be further strengthened in the future.
Professor Sun will conclude the duty visit and return to Hong Kong in the afternoon tomorrow (July 18).
Issued at HKT 21:57
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US lifts HK emergency status
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today welcomed the US decision not to renew the national emergency relating to Hong Kong, calling it an important step in implementing the China-US economic and trade consensus.
In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said safeguarding the city’s prosperity and stability serves the common interests of both countries. It also aligns with the general expectations of the international community.
Noting the positive shift in US policy, the Hong Kong SAR Government urged the US to respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in the Hong Kong SAR. It also expressed hope for the resumption and strengthening of normal economic and trade exchanges between the two places.
Blaze resettlement funding increased
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Legislative Council Finance Committee today approved an extra $1 billion in funding to provide long-term housing arrangements for the flat owners of Wang Chi House (Block H) at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.
Together with $2.8 billion from the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po and $4 billion earmarked under the 2026-27 Budget for the acquisition of Blocks A to G, the long-term housing plan will now cover all eight blocks of the estate.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong thanked the committee for the approval, stressing that the Government will advance the acquisition work at full speed.
As of yesterday, 90% of owners had submitted signed Letters of Acceptance. This includes 1,565 letters from Blocks A to G (90.1% of flats) and 221 letters from Block H (89.1% of flats).
The Government has already signed Agreements for Sale & Purchase with 769 owners, representing 43% of those who submitted acceptance letters.
Addressing residents’ concerns about retrieving personal belongings after transferring property titles to the Government, Mr Wong said those with special needs can make requests through the Engagement Team and the “one social worker per household” service.
He explained that the general direction is to allow residents to return and collect necessary belongings to facilitate their relocation as far as possible.
Huanggang Port bill passed
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today welcomed the Legislative Council’s passage of the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Bill.
The bill’s passage marks a major milestone in implementing the central authorities’ authorisation. It provides a legal basis for the co-location arrangement at the redeveloped port and advances preparatory work for its opening.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said the redevelopment is a key project proactively aligning the Hong Kong SAR Government with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. It will better integrate the city into national development and enhance the infrastructure connectivity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
“Huanggang Port is also an important project to improve people’s livelihoods,” Mr Tang said. “Getting the port ready for a smooth opening at an early date is the expectation of the general public and the common goal of the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen to facilitate cross-boundary travel and the two-way flow of people between the two places,” he added.
The Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance will be published in the Government Gazette on July 20 and take effect on July 31.
The official establishment of the port area allows Hong Kong and Shenzhen to fully launch subsequent preparations. These tasks include joint system tests, trials and drills to ensure that all facilities and operational plans are ready.
The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to work closely with Guangdong and Shenzhen authorities to advance preparations.
Once both sides confirm the port is ready for safe operation, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will finalise and announce the official opening date.
Multimedia programme “Research and Development Project: ‘R=Live/Lines'” to be held at EKCC in August
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Multimedia programme “Research and Development Project: ‘R=Live/Lines'” to be held at EKCC in August
Artistic directors of the programme Kenny Wong and Karen Yu will transform The Lab into a “Living Stone Garden” during the performances. Robotic stones each with distinct sounds and personalities will move among projections in a sound performance structured into five interconnected scenes. Audiences can stand and observe or touch the stones to change their voices and paths, shifting from curious observers into active co-composers.
Wong is an artist, multimedia designer, mechanical engineer and art researcher. He explores the relationship between everyday experiences and perceptual stimulations by hybridising analogue and digital representations through computational kinetic sculptures.
As a sound artist and curator, Yu has served as an artist-in-residence in Canada and Korea. Her creative interest revolves around connecting people with surrounding spaces in improvised performances with sounding objects and body movements.
Fringe activities are also available free of charge. From August 26 to 30, members of the public can interact with the robotic stones in an interactive installation at The Lab. In addition, three workshops will be held at The Lab between August 19 and 26. The programme’s creative team will share with participants the concepts behind sound and live composition, the programme’s creative vision, and the operating principles of the robotic stones. Interested persons can enrol in the workshops at the programme website (www.ekcc.hk/en/events/2026/r_livelines.html
Concert tickets priced at $180 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hkIssued at HKT 17:00
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26 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
26 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations (with photo)
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.”
The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:12
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Hong Kong Week 2026@Chengdu presents creative excellence in arts and culture
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Hong Kong Week 2026@Chengdu, running from September 4 to 20 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, will be organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and supported by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism as well as the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu. Over a span of 17 days, the arts festival will present about 60 performances and activities, fully demonstrating Hong Kong’s diverse cultural strengths. Dance, music, theatre, films, intangible cultural heritage (ICH), toy culture and design will each take the stage, bringing a cross-disciplinary arts extravaganza to the Chengdu audience.
The opening programme will be the grand dance drama “Kung Fu Artistry” from the Hong Kong Dance Company. Choreographer and director Yang Yuntao, art director and costume designer Man Lim-chung, as well as music director and composer Patrick Lui team up to blend martial arts, dance, multimedia and jazz into the performance, recalling the legendary story of Bruce Lee’s transformation from a street youth to a global star.
Music programmes will be dazzling. The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra’s “A Music Journey to Sichuan”, under the baton of National Class One Conductor Xiao Chao, will present classical folk and contemporary works reflecting Hong Kong and Sichuan culture. Led by the Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Lio Kuokman, the “Lio Kuokman, Eric Lu and HK Phil” concert will bring to the audience composer Yao Chen’s newly commissioned “Waltz of the Rolling Giants”, a piece inspired by the giant panda, and Chopin’s “Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor” performed by International Chopin Competition Gold Medallist Eric Lu. Internationally renowned musician Tan Dun, Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, will lead the Chengdu Symphony Orchestra and talented artists, including Hong Kong’s Louise Kwong, Christy Cheung and Lawrence Wong, to perform the symphonic poem “Sound River” which combines visuals and music. In addition, teachers and students from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, will curate concerts to showcase their creativity through the “Echoes Across Project”.
For pop culture, music director Ng Cheuk-yin will lead Hong Kong singers Ivana Wong, Archie Sin, Feanna Wong, Lil’ Ashes and others, together with Chengdu popular rapper PO8, to present cross-generational Cantonese pop songs at “ImagineLand@Chengdu”, an outdoor concert offering a refreshing and dynamic musical feast. For ballet, the Hong Kong Ballet will specially stage “Romeo + Juliet”, choreographed by Septime Webre with the backdrop of Hong Kong in the 1960s, weaving the local culture into the Shakespeare’s masterpiece.
The Hong Kong Arts Development Council will contribute three programmes. Théâtre de la Feuille’s “Book of Mountains and Seas – The Fates of Mountains and Rivers” reimagines ancient mythology through contemporary physical theatre and original music. TS Crew’s “No Dragon No Lion” is a dynamic production that fuses Hong Kong kung fu films, dragon and lion dance, and contemporary circus. The “Philo 3 – Wan Xing and Master Musicians from Hong Kong” concert blends traditional Chinese music, Hong Kong pop culture and world music elements, promising a rich and diverse musical experience.
On films, “Making Waves – Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema”, presented by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) and supported by the LCSD’s Hong Kong Film Archive, will showcase a curated selection of Hong Kong films highlighting sportsmanship, teamwork and self-breakthrough, fully embodying the resilient and relentless spirit of Hong Kong.
On the exhibition front, “A Day of Wandering: Hong Kong ICH and Contemporary Art Exhibition” will introduce Hong Kong’s ICH items and display the cultural transmission and innovation from different perspectives. “The Musician Series of the Hong Kong Central Library – Enchanting Melodies from the City” thematic exhibition will introduce musicians who have made invaluable contributions to Hong Kong’s music scene, underscoring the richness of Hong Kong’s musical culture. CCIDA will present the “Hong Kong Toy Culture and IP Exhibition”, which traces the history of Hong Kong toys, designers and brand creations to reveal the unique stories of Hong Kong’s original toys; and “Vertical Labyrinth: The Enchanted Dense‑scape” exhibition, featuring furniture works that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design, illustrating Hong Kong’s distinctive East‑West fusion aesthetics.
Information on the programme dates and venues is set out in the Annex. Tickets are now available for sale. For details, please visit www.hongkongweek.gov.hk.
Government launches open tender for Smart and Green Mass Transit System in East Kowloon
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Government today (July 17) launches an open tender for the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) in East Kowloon (the East Kowloon Project) (Tender Reference No.: HYRD 1/2026 (BP)). The tender invitation will close at noon on March 12, 2027 (Friday).
With a total length of approximately 7 kilometres, the East Kowloon Project comprises elevated and tunnel sections with nine stations. The termini (namely Choi Hung East Station and Yau Tong East Station) will connect to the MTR Choi Hung Station and Yau Tong Station respectively. The alignment will pass through Choi Wan, Shun Lee, Shun On, Sau Mau Ping, Po Tat, Ma Yau Tong and Lam Tin North. The construction works for the system are expected to commence in 2027, with completion and commissioning targeted in or before 2033.
Legislation on comprehensive smoking ban on construction sites takes effect today
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Construction Sites (Safety) (Amendment) Regulation 2026 takes effect, upon gazettal, today (July 17). In addition, the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 2026 and the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) (Specification of Authorities and Public Officers) (Amendment) Notice 2026 published in the Gazette on May 22, 2026, also take effect today. The above three pieces of legislative amendments take effect to impose clear legal obligations on principal contractors and subcontractors of construction sites and any persons on construction sites that smoking is prohibited on all construction sites, to reduce fire risks and safeguard the safety of workers and the public.
All types of construction sites, including those for building repair, maintenance or renovation, are designated as no smoking areas, except for domestic premises or private quarters that are being occupied by their residents for residential purposes.
Occupational Safety Officers (OSOs) of the Labour Department (LD) have been empowered to carry out enforcement work related to all smoking offences on construction sites. OSOs will immediately issue a fixed penalty notice without prior warning to any person who does a smoking act on a construction site. Offenders are liable to a fixed fine of $3,000.
Contractors and subcontractors of construction sites shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no person uses a naked light for lighting, smokes or carries a lighted smoking product on a construction site. Offenders are liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $400,000.
The LD has launched a series of publicity and education initiatives over the past few months to enable the construction industry and the public to understand the requirements of the smoking ban on construction sites. These include disseminating relevant information through placing advertisements on mobile applications, bus bodies and at MTR stations, broadcasting a promotional video through television and social media platforms, broadcasting promotional messages on radio stations, and disseminating relevant information through seminars. The LD will continue to raise the law-abiding awareness of contractors, subcontractors, workers and members of the public through diverse promotional channels. The LD will also maintain ongoing communication with the construction industry to exchange views on reasonable steps that can be taken to enforce a smoking ban on construction sites, thereby assisting contractors in complying with the legislation and improving fire safety on construction sites.
Moreover, the LD has been collaborating with law enforcement departments responsible for the prohibition of smoking in designated areas to ensure smooth law enforcement regarding implementation of the aforementioned legislative amendments. The LD will also continue to work with the Department of Health, the Primary Healthcare Commission and other relevant organisations to promote a smoke-free culture through seminars and exhibitions, and support individuals in need of quitting smoking.
Meanwhile, the LD will soon issue revised codes of practices (CoPs) on scaffolding, including setting out the material requirements for scaffolding toe-boards to ensure the materials used are of sufficient strength to prevent workers and objects from falling from scaffolds, while also reducing fire risks. Moreover, CoPs will outline the requirements for protective screens in accordance with the relevant requirements in Practice Note for Registered Contractors 85, further ensuring that the protective materials meet the required fire retardant performance standards.
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled endangered live tortoises and lizards
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 16) seized 36 live tortoises and eight live lizards of suspected scheduled endangered species at Hong Kong International Airport, with an estimated market value of about $550,000.
Two Korean male passengers, aged 24 and 30, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. They were intercepted for customs clearance at the arrivals hall of the airport. Customs officers found the batch of tortoises and lizards contained in plastic boxes inside their carry-on baggage. Upon inspection by officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the batch of tortoises and lizards was suspected to be of endangered species listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong.
The case has been handed over to the AFCD for follow-up action. Hong Kong Customs reminds the public not to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong.
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
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).