Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Two incoming air passengers convicted and jailed for importing and dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080, its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 19:16
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Update on cluster of Candida auris cases found in United Christian Hospital
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Update on cluster of Candida auris cases found in United Christian Hospital
Following a contact tracing investigation, one more male patient, aged 79, in the medical ward was identified as a carrier of Candida auris without signs of infection and he has been discharged. There are three patients being treated in isolation in UCH. Among them, one patient is in serious condition due to his underlying disease and the remaining two patients are in stable condition. One patient has passed away due to his underlying illnesses.
UCH will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patient in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
UCH has reported the case to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health for follow up and will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Issued at HKT 18:39
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London ETO supports Musicus Society and English Chamber Orchestra’s Hong Kong-London cross-cultural collaboration in UK
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
London ETO supports Musicus Society and English Chamber Orchestra’s Hong Kong-London cross-cultural collaboration in UK
The highlight of the tour was a public concert at the historic St. Paul’s Church at Covent Garden, London in the evening of July 5 (London time). The performance featured a joint string ensemble comprising the ten Hong Kong students from Musicus Society and 11 students from the UK, under the guidance of professional musicians from the ECO. Around 150 guests attended the concert, which presented a programme featuring iconic works by renowned composers such as Bach, Holst and Mozart.
The Director-General of the London ETO, Miss Fiona Chau, addressed the audience at the public concert. She said, “We are delighted to support Musicus Society’s cultural exchange tour in the UK. The tour provides our young musicians with valuable international learning opportunities, enabling them to perform alongside their counterparts in the UK and build lasting friendships through music. It also serves to strengthen the cultural ties between Hong Kong and the UK.”
“Such exchanges showcase Hong Kong’s East-meets-West character and its vibrant cultural landscape. By embracing international collaboration and nurturing home-grown talents, Hong Kong is well-positioned to emerge as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, in line with the vision set out in the National 15th Five-Year Plan,” she said.
Founded in 2010, Musicus Society is a registered charity in Hong Kong dedicated to promoting cross-cultural collaboration of music internationally through performances and the nurturing of the next generation of talent.
Issued at HKT 0:24
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MOFA response to false statements by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office regarding Taiwan’s democratic achievements
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
MOFA response to false statements by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office regarding Taiwan’s democratic achievements
March 15, 2026
On March 14, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) criticized President Lai Ching-te’s remarks regarding Taiwan’s democratic achievements, attempting to distort the truth and mislead the international community. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) refutes the statements made by the TAO and expresses its strongest condemnation.
Through sustained efforts to promote the democratic process, Taiwan smoothly completed its eighth presidential election on January 13, 2024, setting another milestone in its democratic development. The executive branches and parliaments of over 50 countries—including diplomatic allies, the United States, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia—promptly extended their congratulations and lauded Taiwan’s democratic accomplishments. In societies where citizens do not yet have the opportunity to exercise sovereignty through democratic elections, there is no doubt that they look forward to a day when they, too, can directly elect their president and determine the future of their nation and society.
MOFA reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other and that the Chinese Communist Party regime has never governed Taiwan. This is the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. No attempts to distort Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the internationally recognized cross-strait status quo and objective reality. Taiwan’s future must be decided by the 23.5 million people of Taiwan. China has no right to interfere.
MOFA emphasizes that the government’s cross-strait policies are guided by mainstream public opinion and that the future of Taiwan must be determined by the people of Taiwan. MOFA calls on the Beijing authorities to engage in dialogue with the legitimate government elected by the Taiwan people, handle issues pragmatically, respond to the expectations of the international community and people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and adopt a responsible and mature attitude to jointly safeguard cross-strait peace and stability.
MOFA response to transnational repression by Chinese state media targeting Taiwan Legislator Shen
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
MOFA response to transnational repression by Chinese state media targeting Taiwan Legislator Shen
January 3, 2026
Chinese state media have recently used social media platforms to spread satellite photos of the Taipei residence and work location of Legislator Puma Shen in a malicious attempt to intimidate the people of Taiwan and conduct long-arm jurisdiction and transnational repression. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns these actions.
MOFA solemnly reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other and that China has no jurisdiction over Taiwan nationals.
Having previously threatened to arrest Taiwan Legislator Puma Shen anywhere in the world, Chinese state media have recently employed malicious digital authoritarian tools to jeopardize the safety of Taiwan nationals, attempting to sow fear in Taiwan’s democratic society and thereby create a chilling effect. These contemptible actions contravene provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the protection from arbitrary interference with privacy, family, or home. In addition, they constitute a comprehensive violation of people’s privacy and show a complete lack of civilized norms.
MOFA once again reiterates that China’s transnational repression, harassment, and interference against nationals of Taiwan or any other country gravely contravene the spirit of international law and international human rights. Such behavior clearly shows that the Beijing authorities have no regard for the fundamental values of human rights and privacy common in civilized nations. Any Taiwan nationals targeted by transnational repression will be protected by the government. Furthermore, anyone in Taiwan cooperating with China’s transnational repression will be subject to legal sanctions.
MOFA will continue to coordinate with other government agencies, strengthen cooperation with the international community, and bolster the emergency response and assistance mechanisms of overseas missions so as to safeguard Taiwan nationals’ safety. At the same time, MOFA calls on the international community to jointly condemn China’s malicious actions aimed at undermining human rights and people’s privacy and block China’s inappropriate efforts to conduct long-arm jurisdiction and transnational repression.
CE meets Pan Gongsheng
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Executive John Lee met Governor of the People’s Bank of China Pan Gongsheng today to exchange views on economic and financial issues.
Welcoming Mr Pan and his delegation to Hong Kong, Mr Lee said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial centre. This includes strengthening its functions as a global offshore renminbi (RMB) business hub, an international asset and wealth management centre and an international risk management centre, as well as building a commodity trading ecosystem.
To proactively seize these major opportunities and promote high-quality development, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is preparing Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan.
Mr Lee highlighted that the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, enjoying strong support from the motherland while staying closely connected to the world. He added that the city will continue to promote mutual market access between Hong Kong and Mainland financial markets, facilitating the two-way flow of capital and enhancing the city’s global competitiveness.
Hong Kong ranks among the world’s top three international financial centres, and stands as the world’s largest offshore RMB business hub and cross-boundary wealth management centre.
Mr Lee noted that with the country’s support, Hong Kong has steadily expanded its offshore RMB business and enriched its product ecosystem. The city will continue to deepen collaboration with the Mainland to facilitate more efficient circulation of RMB funds in the offshore market, serving the country’s prudent advancement of RMB internationalisation.
Furthermore, the Chief Executive pointed out that the Hong Kong SAR Government is striving to build an international gold trading market. Key initiatives include establishing a local gold central clearing system to attract the storage, clearing and delivery of physical gold. This will drive related services such as trading, risk management, insurance, warehousing and logistics, gradually building a comprehensive gold trading ecosystem.
The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to work alongside relevant Mainland authorities and the industry to take forward this work, improve gold market infrastructure and inject new impetus into financial market diversification, thereby contributing to the country’s development as a financial powerhouse, he added.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui also attended the meeting.
OFNAA commends primary and secondary students for their creativity in promoting healthy Internet use
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
OFNAA commends primary and secondary students for their creativity in promoting healthy Internet use
A total of around 22 000 primary and secondary students participated in the three competitions which offered 60 major awards altogether. The adjudication panel comprised OFNAA representatives and industry professionals. Winners from 22 primary schools and 14 secondary schools (the list is set out in the Annex) will have their works uploaded to OFNAA’s website
Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, the Assistant Director of Film, Newspaper and Article Administration, Mr Desmond Wu, said that while vast information is available on the online world, some of them may contain harmful content, such as videos and messages that promote violence and pornography, or distort values, which can profoundly affect the psychological development of young people. Sharing of harmful information on the Internet may even contravene the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (Cap. 390) (COIAO). To protect children and young people from the influence of obscene and indecent materials online, OFNAA has been adopting a multi-pronged approach through actively organising a variety of publicity and public education activities in tandem with proper regulation, so as to enhance the understanding of the public, especially children and young people, of the COIAO, encourage them to stay away from harmful information, and assist them in developing the concept of the proper use of the Internet.
In addition to organising the abovementioned competitions, OFNAA continued to enhance its publicity and education efforts over the past year, including arranging about 100 roving educational drama performances in schools and 270 school talks. OFNAA also set up in-school mobile promotion stations in 20 primary and secondary schools. Through interactive games, case sharing, role playing, quiz contests and exhibitions conducted in a relaxing and interesting manner, the message of healthy use of the Internet was embedded into campuses. Furthermore, OFNAA organised talks, workshops and online seminars for parents, participated in teacher professional development seminars staged by the Education Bureau, and held eight roving exhibitions in shopping malls and government premises in various districts. These activities attracted a total of around 200 000 participants over the past year with a fruitful result.
Apart from actively conducting publicity and public education, and taking enforcement actions, the Government is also implementing a series of administrative measures to enhance the representativeness of the Obscene Articles Tribunal (OAT). These measures include increasing the number of adjudicators participating in each hearing for classification of articles from four to six, with an equal number of male and female adjudicators, and raising the total number of adjudicators from about 750 to about 1 000. In addition, to enable those who wish to apply to become adjudicator, the Government has already incorporated the “e-ME” Form Filling feature of “iAM Smart” into the relevant electronic application form
While the Government encourages the public to actively participate in the work of the OAT, OFNAA will also continue to take forward diverse publicity and public education work, and collaborate with various stakeholders to enhance public awareness of the COIAO and promote the message of staying away from obscene and indecent content on the Internet.
Issued at HKT 16:00
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Sports Dispute Resolution Workshop concludes today
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Efficient Resolution for All: Sports Dispute Resolution Workshop, co-organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ), along with the administering body and the technology provider of the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution, respectively AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (AALCO-HKRAC) and eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre, as well as the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), concluded today (July 4).
The Workshop attracted over 120 representatives from the local sports and legal sectors, including representatives from 30 sports organisations.
Dr Cheung also stated that since the launch of the Pilot Scheme’s online platform in February this year, it has received a number of inquiries and has begun processing cases, with the first case recently successfully resolved. The successful implementation of the Pilot Scheme confirms that Hong Kong is on the right track in promoting a sports dispute resolution system. He encouraged everyone to make full use of the Pilot Scheme to maximise its benefits and jointly promote the long-term development of sports in Hong Kong.
Organised with the support from the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Workshop introduced, through a rich variety of activities, how sports disputes could be efficiently resolved by way of mediation and arbitration under the framework of the Pilot Scheme.
Hong Kong Global Summit on Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine opens today
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, officiated at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Hong Kong Global Summit on Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine today (July 4). Organised by the Health Bureau and hosted by The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK), the two-day summit themed “Holistic Care, Inspiring Teaching, Innovative Research” brings together local, Mainland and international experts and scholars to explore the development of Chinese medicine (CM) and integrative medicine and to foster cross-regional collaborations.
Professor Lo; Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and National Medicine Master Professor Wang Qi; Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Professor Zhu Liguo; National Medicine Master Professor Zhou Daihan; the Responsible Person of the Social Development Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ye Shuiqiu; the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMHHK Operator, Mr Wong Kwai-huen, and the Hospital Chief Executive of CMHHK, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, jointly inaugurated the summit today. The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, also delivered a video speech to wish the summit great success.
“A Date in Hong Kong” exhibition launches in Bangkok, Thailand
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok (Bangkok ETO) launched the second edition of the “A Date in Hong Kong” exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 3. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Director of the Bangkok ETO, Mr Parson Lam, together with the Deputy Director-General of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Ms Rujira Arin, and representatives of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Lam said that the exhibition showcased Hong Kong’s unique blend of East and West, creativity and cultural diversity, while reflecting the close ties between Hong Kong and Thailand through the collaborative works of artists and students from both places.
He added that Hong Kong was not only a popular tourist destination, but also a leading international business centre and an international education hub, with five of the world’s top 100 universities. He encouraged people from Thailand to experience Hong Kong in person, whether for leisure, study, business, career opportunities or cultural exchanges.
Building on the success of its debut in Chiang Mai last year, the Bangkok edition brings Hong Kong’s iconic scenes and rich cultural heritage to life through interactive installations and contemporary artworks. This year, the exhibition has also broadened its scope to promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand.
In addition, the Bangkok ETO has partnered with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to showcase over 50 innovative products created by Hong Kong’s design talent. The office also collaborated with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to highlight the city’s diverse tourism experiences, including its temples.
The “A Date in Hong Kong” exhibition is open to the public for free until July 12 on 1/F, Central Eastville, Bangkok. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/adateinhongkong and www.instagram.com/adateinhongkong.