Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 5) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Hap Mun Bay Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Bus services to be enhanced to ease passenger flow amid ferry service adjustments on July 6
RouteBus services to be enhanced
During the affected period, operators will enhance bus services in Mui Wo, Discovery Bay and Ma Wan to ease passenger flow: In-harbour ferries’ temporary service adjustments
Passengers should note that, during the affected period, there may be temporary service adjustments of up to around 30 minutes for nine in-harbour ferry routes, namely Wan Chai – Tsim Sha Tsui, Central – Tsim Sha Tsui, North Point – Hung Hom, North Point – Kowloon City, Central – Hung Hom, North Point – Kwun Tong, Water Taxi, Sai Wan Ho – Kwun Tong and Sai Wan Ho – Sam Ka Tsuen, subject to the actual situation.Issued at HKT 10:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Northern Metropolis Development Bill to be introduced into LegCo for First Reading and Second Reading The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (July 8) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Northern Metropolis Development Bill, the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026, the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Employees Retraining (Amendment) Bill 2026 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debates on the Bills will be adjourned.
Meanwhile, the Second Reading debate on the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receive its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
The Second Reading debate on the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2026 will also resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receive its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
On government motion, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a proposed resolution under the Banking Ordinance. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 1.
On Members’ motions, Ms Nixie Lam will move a motion on “Enhancing the governance efficacy of civil service”. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Wu Yingpeng, Mr Chau Siu-chung, Mr Chan Cho-kwong and Mr Dennis Leung will move separate amendments to Ms Lam’s motion.
Ms Julia Lau will move a motion on “Seizing the development opportunities of the Northern Metropolis and green transport and building an innovation-driven smart city”. The motion is set out in Appendix 3. Ir Michelle Tang, Mr Kenneth Lau and Mr Yiu Ming will move separate amendments to Ms Lau’s motion.
Meanwhile, Reverend Canon Peter Douglas Koon will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 4.
During the meeting, Mr Chan Yung and Mr Chan Hok-fung will present the “Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Annual Report 2025 and Reports of ICAC Advisory Committees” and the “ICAC Complaints Committee Annual Report 2025” respectively, and address the Council.
Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The Greater Bay Area Foreign-Related Adjudication Talent Training Course, jointly organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the High People’s Court of Guangdong Province, started today in Guangzhou.
During the opening ceremony, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam highlighted that the course is tailored for judges from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and nearby provinces. The initiative follows collaborations between the academy and the Supreme People’s Court and the Shanghai High People’s Court.
Mr Lam noted that the course aims to deepen judicial exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan’s goals to strengthen co-ordination in regional development and boost the GBA’s role as an engine for high-quality development. This effort contributes to the construction of a collaborative mechanism for cultivating foreign-related legal talent within the GBA.
The training course focuses on Hong Kong’s common law system and the practical application of guarantee law in foreign-related hearings through lectures and dialogues.
To enhance participants’ cross-border case capabilities, judges from Hong Kong’s Court of First Instance of the High Court and senior legal professionals have been invited to deliver lectures.
More than 100 senior judges specialising in foreign-related and bankruptcy adjudication from 68 courts across 32 cities in Guangdong Province and neighbouring areas, such as Guangxi, Hainan and Hunan are taking part in the three-day training course.
The Education Bureau today reminded parents that this year’s secondary school places allocation results will be announced tomorrow.
The current allocation exercise involves 48,545 students. Within this cohort, 95% of participating students have been allocated discretionary places or one their first three choices during the central allocation stages, while 84% secured a discretionary place or their top choice.
Among the segment of students who obtained their placements through the central allocation stages, 91% were allocated one of their first three choices, and 74% received their first choice.
All participating students must collect their allocation and admission slips tomorrow, and proceed to register at their allocated secondary school on July 9 or 10.
Call the bureau’s School Places Allocation Section at 2832 7740 or 2832 7700 for enquiries.
The Social Welfare Department announced today that elderly Hong Kong residents receiving portable cash assistance can now choose to have their payments remitted directly into their designated Mainland bank accounts in Hong Kong dollars free of charge.
The service is available to eligible applicants and beneficiaries under the portable scheme for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, the Old Age Living Allowance and the Old Age Allowance under the Guangdong and Fujian social security allowance Schemes.
The department stipulated that the accounts must be Hong Kong dollar accounts opened by the recipients at branches of the Bank of China or the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China located in the provinces of Guangdong or Fujian.
Recipients who wish to apply for the service must provide documentary proof of their Mainland bank accounts during the application process.
For enquiries, contact the relevant Social Security Field Unit, the New Home Association for Guangdong Province at 2815 7399 or the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch for Fujian Province at 2755 6800.
President Lee Jae Myung from July 7-11 will visit Turkiye to attend the NATO summit, followed by a state visit to Mongolia. From July 7-8, he will attend the summit in Ankara at the invitation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Next will be the state visit to Mongolia from July 9-11 at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.
Christopher Gygès, membre du gouvernement chargé notamment de la politique énergétique, a reçu Albert Wahoulo, maire de Bélep afin d’engager une réflexion commune sur un projet de transition énergétique adapté aux spécificités de l’île. Cette démarche s’inscrit dans les objectifs du Schéma pour la transition énergétique de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (STENC) et vise à renforcer l’autonomie énergétique de la commune grâce au développement des énergies renouvelables.
La rencontre entre le membre du gouvernement et le maire de Bélep a permis d’échanger sur la mise en place d’un projet de transition énergétique sur l’île, destiné à s’inscrire pleinement dans le Schéma pour la transition énergétique de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (STENC).
Les échanges ont porté sur les solutions adaptées aux spécificités des îles éloignées, notamment le développement des énergies renouvelables et la réduction de la dépendance aux énergies fossiles.
Ce projet illustre la volonté du gouvernement d’accompagner l’ensemble des communes du territoire, y compris les plus isolées, vers un modèle énergétique plus durable et plus autonome.
Les services du gouvernement et la commune de Bélep poursuivront leurs travaux conjoints dans les prochaines semaines afin de définir les contours opérationnels du projet.
MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in joint statement between PRC and Pakistan foreign ministers
January 6, 2026
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar cochaired the seventh round of the China-Pakistan foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue in Beijing on January 4. The joint communiqué issued after the meeting contained statements that blatantly contradicted the facts, including the claim that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns the Chinese government for continuing to spread absurd and distorted information in the international community that denigrates Taiwan’s sovereignty, and expresses deep regret at the government of Pakistan’s repeated submission and compliance with China’s authoritarian behavior.
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. No country has the right or the power to deny the objective existence of Taiwan through a so-called joint press communiqué. MOFA calls on Pakistan to stop complying with China’s disregard for the truth and cease its endorsement of declarations that have aggressive intentions and undermine regional peace and stability.
Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to the people of Taiwan. Only they can decide Taiwan’s future. Global peace, stability, and prosperity must be upheld by all nations. As a force for good in the international community, Taiwan will continue to defend the values of freedom and democracy and strengthen cooperation with its partners in the democratic camp to jointly curb authoritarian expansionism, safeguard cross-strait peace and security, and maintain freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
MOFA response to joint statement by foreign and defense ministers of Australia and UK reaffirming importance of Taiwan Strait peace and stability
Date:2026-06-12
Data Source:Department of European Affairs
June 12, 2026 Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung greatly affirms and welcomes the joint statement issued following the Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) on June 10. The statement reiterated the critical importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposed any unilateral action to change the status quo, and encouraged dialogue rather than coercion or the use of force.
The statement also expressed concern at China’s destabilizing military exercises around Taiwan. It recognized that the international community benefits from the expertise of the people of Taiwan. And it conveyed the two countries’ commitment to supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and deepening relations with Taiwan in the economic, trade, scientific, technological, and cultural fields.
The consultations were held in London. They were attended by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, and Minister for Defence Richard Marles.
The statement marked the third consecutive year that Australia and the United Kingdom have jointly issued such a public declaration of support for Taiwan.
The United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan are like-minded partners that share such universal values as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. They play a key role in ensuring stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific.
As an indispensable member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to work closely with like-minded countries to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, expand Taiwan’s international participation, defend the rules-based international order, and jointly promote security and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region.