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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs and the Fire Services Department (FSD) mounted a territory-wide joint operation codenamed “Knockout” targeting illicit fuel activities from September 16 to 30, aiming to cut off the source and supply of illicit fuel and tackle illegal fuelling activities in downtown areas. Officers of Customs and the FSD detected seven related cases, and seized more than 30 000 litres of illicit fuel and eight vehicles with an estimated market value of about $1.7 million. Nine persons were arrested.

During the operation, Customs strengthened enforcement against the source and supply of illicit fuel. Customs officers raided two illicit motor spirit storage sites in San Tin and Tuen Mun, seizing about 12 000 litres of duty-not-paid motor spirit, one tractor, two private cars, a large number of jerry cans, intermediate bulk containers and fuelling tools with one male driver arrested. The storage sites were believed to be transit points for illicit motor spirit. Criminals smuggled and off-loaded duty-not-paid motor spirit to these storage sites with cross-border vehicles, and subsequently transported the duty-not-paid fuel with private cars to illegal fuelling stations in downtown areas.

In addition, officers of Customs and the FSD also dismantled five illegal fuelling stations in Kowloon Bay, Kwun Tong, Kam Tin, Kwai Chung and Tuen Mun. About 4 000 litres of duty-not-paid motor spirit, 14 000 litres of diesel, four private cars and one light goods vehicle were seized. Eight persons were arrested, including the operators and customers of illegal fuelling stations.

Investigations are ongoing. Customs will continue to collaborate with the FSD in combating illicit fuel activities. Members of the public are also urged not to patronise illicit fuelling stations. The use of illicit fuel is a criminal offence, and vehicles involved may be liable to confiscation.

According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any vehicle found conveying illicit motor spirit, as well as any tools, equipment, or articles used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of related offences, shall be liable to forfeiture whether or not any person is convicted of any offence. Anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F), it is an offence to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295) also provides that no person shall manufacture, store, convey or use any dangerous goods unless they possess a licence or exemption granted. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for the first offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months. For each subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.

Moreover, Customs reminds cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers not to engage in any smuggling activities. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO) (Cap. 60), any person who alters the fittings, fabric or structure, or makes use of the altered fittings, fabric or structure, of any vehicle for the purpose of smuggling commits an offence. The vehicle may also be subject to forfeiture. 

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the IEO, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public are urged to report suspected illicit fuel activities via the Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or the FSD’s 24-hour hotline 5577 9666. The public may also report through the Illicit Fuelling Activities on the Fire Hazard Electronic Complaint Portal of the FSD (fhcp.hkfsd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Four owners were convicted and fined $1,181,400 in total, of which $1,061,400 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (October 6) for failing to comply with removal orders and repair orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

The case involved alteration of six units into mini-storage units in an industrial building on Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong. As the alteration and addition works were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), and they obstructed the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue activities, contravening the Building (Planning) Regulations, six removal orders and six repair orders were served on the four owners under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO respectively. 

Failing to comply with the statutory orders, the four owners had been prosecuted by the BD and were fined upon conviction by the court. As they persisted in not complying with the statutory orders, they were prosecuted for the second time.

A spokesman for the BD said today (October 7), “Unauthorised alteration works causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue activities, or affecting the fire-resistant construction of a building may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders and repair orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action and instigate prosecutions against owners again if they persist in not complying with removal orders and repair orders, so as to ensure building and public safety.”

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. Moreover, failure to comply with a repair order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of level 5 ($50,000 at present) and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (October 7) that nine pre-sale consents for residential developments involving 3 766 residential units were issued in the third quarter of 2026.

Details of the above residential developments (eight of which being phased developments) with pre-sale consents issued are as follows:
 

 
The LandsD also issued one consent to assign in the third quarter, involving 727 residential units in one phased development in Tai Po.

As at September 30, 2026, 34 applications for pre-sale consent for residential developments involving 15 378 residential units were being processed. Details are as follows:
 

 
In addition, four applications for consent to assign involving 865 residential units and two non-residential units respectively as well as four applications for pre-sale consent for non-residential developments were being processed.

Members of the public can obtain up-to-date information on consents issued for the past quarter and cases pending approval by visiting the LandsD’s website (www.landsd.gov.hk).

Intending purchasers are advised to study carefully the details of the development and the sale procedures, through information available from public advertisements, sales brochures and price lists released by the developer, before making a deposit for purchase. The sales brochure for a development also contains a summary of the provisions of the Deed of Mutual Covenant, including information on the common parts, the number of undivided shares assigned to each unit, the term of years for which the manager is appointed, the basis on which the management expenses are shared among the owners of the units, as well as a summary of the provisions of the government land grant, which intending purchasers are recommended to read carefully.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (October 7) that stalls at the 2027 Fong Ma Po (FMP) New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po will be put up for open auction on October 21 (Wednesday).
 
A spokesman for the FEHD said the annual FMP New Year Fair will be held for 15 consecutive days from February 6 to 20 next year. A total of 21 dry goods stalls and six wet goods stalls will be put up for auction, with upset prices of $780 and $770 respectively.
 
The open auction will be held at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, on October 21 (Wednesday), starting from 2pm until the completion of the auction.
 
Bidders for FMP New Year Fair stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A bidder must pay the bid price and register in person with his/her own name as the licensee of the stall immediately after successfully bidding for a stall. The bidder is also required to sign at once a licence agreement with the FEHD; otherwise, he/she will forfeit the rights to operate the stall.
 
The FMP New Year Fair site will be made available to the licensees three days in advance of the fair (from February 3 to 5, 2027) for the setting up of stalls. In the event of any unforeseeable incident that will cause a reduction of the whole licence period (including the duration for setting up stalls and the business period of the fair), the Government has the right to postpone the commencement date and shorten the duration of the period. The bidding price (licence fee) paid will be refunded to the successful bidder on a pro-rata basis without interest.
 
The FEHD reminds licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of the permitted commodities, and no other activities are allowed in the licensed area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show, sell or gift any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, contrary to the interest of national security, immoral or incompatible with the object of the FMP New Year Fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction.
 
Stall licensees should not destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at or in the vicinity of the stall. They must completely remove the stall structure and all paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise), from the licensed area before 6pm on February 20, 2027.
 
According to the licence agreement, except inside designated stalls, licensees must not keep, store or use any compressed helium cylinders in the licenced area. Whereas licensees of the designated stalls may keep, store or use helium cylinders in the licenced area, the quantity of helium should be such that a licence is not required pursuant to the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Cap. 295E), i.e. equivalent to 150 litres of helium. Sales of floating LED glowing balloons and aquarium fish by stall licensees are prohibited at the FMP New Year Fair.
 
In addition, as stated in the licence agreement, the height of dry goods stalls must not exceed 3 metres from ground level, while the height of wet goods stalls must not exceed 4.5m from ground level. For wet goods stalls with a height of more than 3m from ground level, the licensee must, at his/her own cost, provide the FEHD with the original certificate issued by an authorised person, a registered structural engineer, or a competent person under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations (Cap. 59I) to certify the structural safety of the structure in the licensed area before the fair is opened to the public. The licensee must also affix a copy of the aforesaid certificate on the structure of the stall. Also, each corner and anchor point of the marquee (if any) shall be securely fastened using appropriate ballast weights, such as sandbags or purpose-designed marquee water weights. During the period when the Strong Monsoon Signal is in force or is to be issued, the licensee shall immediately inspect the stall and adopt reinforcement measures as necessary.
 
Successful bidders shall comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.
 
Details of the 2027 FMP New Year Fair, such as the public notice, the location and layout of the fair venue, commodities allowed for sale at the fair stalls, open auction arrangements and related rules, as well as a sample of the licence agreement, are available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk). Interested bidders may visit the website or contact the FEHD’s Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office (3183 9167 or 2657 1137) for enquiries.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (October 7) presented appreciation letters to staff members from the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the Lands Department (LandsD), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) in recognition of their swift and thorough clearance of unlawfully occupied government land at Woh Chai Hill in Sham Shui Po through interdepartmental collaboration.

The Office of The Ombudsman previously received a complaint that Woh Chai Hill had long been unlawfully occupied by numerous structures, including mahjong rooms, illegal recreational and sports facilities, temporary toilets and other items, which affected environmental hygiene and posed potential safety hazards. Following the Office’s proactive intervention, the six departments collaborated to conduct joint inspections and enforcement operations. Taking the lead in overall co-ordination, the local District Office of the HAD subsequently drew up a comprehensive enforcement plan and worked with relevant departments to devise and implement further operations. The LandsD and the FEHD carried out multiple enforcement operations, ultimately removing the illegal facilities and items at Woh Chai Hill in phases within a short period of time. The LCSD, the CEDD and the ArchSD promptly followed up by launching an improvement and enhancement programme, and added suitable and safe recreational and sports facilities that comply with regulations for public use in the district, thereby benefiting the community.

To recognise and honour the collaborative efforts and achievements of the six departments, the Office invited the frontline teams and personnel responsible for the enforcement operations and improvement measures to receive appreciation letters. Mr Chan said, “Since taking office, one of my strategic focuses has been to foster interdepartmental collaboration. The successful resolution of this thorny district problem that had persisted for over a decade hinged on the relevant departments joining forces and taking firm and decisive enforcement action. The collaboration among the six departments fully demonstrated the current-term Government’s resolve and capacity to confront challenges head-on, address problems of public concern proactively and effectively, and improve public administration for the betterment of people’s livelihood.”

Mr Chan stressed, “Interdepartmental collaboration, as a cornerstone of the ‘One Government’ concept, is crucial to ensuring efficient and people-oriented public administration and advancing good governance. This aligns closely with the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030), which seeks to strengthen interdepartmental collaboration, supervision and oversight for better public service and governance effectiveness, thereby continually improving people’s well-being.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:

     There are views suggesting that urban-rural integration is one of the core concepts underpinning the Government’s promotion of the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM), and that the original village houses play an important role in the NM during its transitional development phase. Introduced in 1972, the New Territories Small House Policy allows a male indigenous villager aged 18 years old or above who is descended through a male line from a resident of a recognised village in the New Territories of Hong Kong, to apply for permission to erect, for once in his lifetime, a small house for himself on a suitable site within his own village. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:
 
     The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) expressly supports Hong Kong in leveraging the strengths of its Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. With the official release of the first batch of GBA Chinese medicines standards (GBA Standards) at the end of October 2024, coupled with the successive commissioning of the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI), the development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong is entering a critical transformation period of standardisation, professionalisation and internationalisation. However, members of the CM industry have reflected that the formulation of some of the current Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (Hong Kong standards) is overly focused on physicochemical identification, creating a gap with the national CM standards (national standards) and the actual operations of local small and medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers, and that there is also a lack of an efficacy evaluation mechanism centred on the holistic approach of CM. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the first batch of GBA Standards released covers a total of seven Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary CMs, whether the Government has formulated specific timetables and performance indicators for aligning more commonly used Chinese herbal medicines, proprietary CMs and clinical guidelines with the GBA Standards;
 
(2) how the Government will leverage the scientific research capabilities of GCMTI to promote the alignment of the GBA Standards with the standards formulated by international standardisation organisations (such as the Technical Committee for Traditional Medicine of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC249)), and promote such standards to overseas markets;
 
(3) given the views that the use of CM emphasises that medication varies from person to person, that the efficacy of proprietary CMs is difficult to evaluate, and that the GBA Standards impose extremely high requirements on physicochemical identification, making it relatively difficult for local small and medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers to align with such standards, resulting in relatively low market adoption of the standards, and also leading many local institutions to directly adopt products conforming to the national standards (such as CM formula granules), whether the Government will review the direction of establishing the Hong Kong standards in the future, so as to ensure that the Hong Kong standards can align with the CM theoretical system and actual market demand; and
 
(4) given that the registration system for CM Practitioners in Hong Kong has been in place since 2000, but the professional benchmarks and statutory registration system for CM pharmacists have yet to be implemented, whether the Government has formulated a specific timetable for promoting the professionalisation and institutionalisation of CM pharmacists, so as to safeguard the safe use of drugs by the public; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,

     The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Chinese Medicines Standards (the Standards) aims to co-ordinate quality and safety standards of Chinese medicines (CMs) within GBA, promote mutual recognition and circulation of CMs and facilitate high quality development of the industry. Expert Committee of the Standards (the Expert Committee), jointly established by the drug regulatory authorities of the three places including Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, formulates harmonised standards for the industry’s reference through discussion at meetings. The selection, verification, and publication of the Standards have to be discussed by the Expert Committee, and published by batches in an orderly manner having regard to the actual situation of the three places.
      
     In consultation with the Department of Health (DH), a consolidated reply to the Hon Stanley Ng’s question is provided as follows:
     
(1), (2) and (3) The first batch of the Standards was promulgated on October 29, 2024, covering seven items, namely Chenpi (Guangchenpi), Huajuhong, Huajuhongtai (huajuhongzhu), Banlangen Keli, Xiasangju Keli, Shexiang Huoluo You and Zhangquan Potong You. The General Rules for the Chinese medicines standards and Safety Quality Control Items for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the General Rules) was also promulgated at the same time.
 
     To enhance mutual recognition and circulation of CMs, drug regulatory authorities of the three places are establishing more standards for commonly used Chinese herbal medicines (Chms) and proprietary Chinese medicines in an orderly manner through the Expert Committee mechanism, considering the needs of the industry. The second batch of the Standards was promulgated on August 31, 2026, covering seven items, namely Bajitian, Guizhi, Huajuhong (You) Peifangkeli, Jinyinhua Peifangkeli, Sharen (Yangchunsha) Peifangkeli, Xiaochaihu Keli and Zhibai Dihuang Wan, together with the revised General Rules.
 
     The Standards serves as the technical standards of the three places and is neither to replace the statutory standards of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) or Chinese Mainland, nor a mandatory standard for the industry to adopt. As such, the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) of DH also continues to advance the development of the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS), establishing safety and quality standards for some commonly used Chms in Hong Kong and strive for aligning with the formulation of international standards. HKCMMS provides a reference standard of Chms for the Chinese medicine (CM) industry, also promotes research in CMs to facilitate its modernisation and internationalisation, thereby encouraging international trade in CMs. The content of HKCMMS includes the names, source, description, identification, tests, extractives, assay and chemical structure of reference substances. To date, GCMTI has published 12 volumes of HKCMMS, covering 357 types of Chms.
 
     An International Advisory Board (IAB) under HKCMMS project, comprising of herbal medicine experts from the HKSAR, Chinese Mainland and overseas regions, is responsible for reviewing the standards for Chms. The objective of HKCMMS is to precisely align with the CM theoretical framework and market demands, while ensuring the incorporation of views from the local and Chinese Mainland industry through IAB. HKCMMS has been frequently cited by  
     In terms of international promotion, DH fully leverages the unique advantages of Hong Kong in having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, to actively develop and participate in efforts to promote CM to go global, in co-operation with the national strategy to promote CM’s global expansion, standardisation and matters related to strategic CMs management. In addition to the aforesaid contributions to standard setting and WHO herbal medicines standards, CMRO also continues to actively promote scientific research findings to the international community through authoritative platforms, such as the Western Pacific Regional Forum for the Harmonization of Herbal Medicines and the International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines. In 2025, Hong Kong hosted the 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which representatives from WHO were invited to join and exchange views on the future direction of the global development of traditional medicine and standards for CMs.
 
(4) The standards and recognition of healthcare professionals are promoted by the relevant professions in accordance with the principle of professional autonomy. In regulating healthcare professions, the Government adopts a risk-based approach in determining the most suitable mode of regulation applicable to an individual healthcare profession, based on the level of risk posed on public health, healthcare quality and public safety when providing services. The Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint (the Blueprint) sets out various measures to promote CMs regulation, quality enhancement and innovative research and development in Hong Kong. Among other things, CMs talents cultivation is a key driver of the CMs development in Hong Kong.
 
     At present, CMs professionals in Hong Kong have a wide scope of work and a diverse range of functions, and the competence standard of CMs professionals in different fields have yet been comprehensively established. Action 6.2 of the Blueprint explicitly proposes empowering the industry to cultivate talents in CMs and intends to establish a dedicated working group under the future sector advisory structure. This working group will bring together relevant stakeholders from the Chinese Mainland and the local CMs sector to discuss models for the continuing education and development of CMs professionals. The Blueprint also proposes leveraging the Chinese Medicine Development Fund to promote collaborative efforts among stakeholders to conduct research on the core competence for talents in the CMs sector, with a focus to clarify the alignment between professional competence and industry development needs, thereby laying the groundwork for future exploration of continuous professional development requirements and regulation for CMs personnel. The Government will align with the development direction sets by the CMs sector for its professionals and maintain continuous communication with the industry.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Ray Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:
 
     As telephone scams continue to jeopardise the safety of people’s financial property, the Communications Authority (CA) formulated in April 2023 the Code of Practice on Management of Scam Calls and Scam SMS by Telecommunications Service Providers (CoP), which stipulates that telecommunications service providers (TSPs) should monitor patterns of suspicious or fraudulent communications and may suspend the services associated with the telephone numbers concerned if the relevant criteria are fulfilled. The TSPs have implemented measures such as issuing alerts for suspicious incoming calls, blocking such calls and suspending the services associated with the telephone numbers involved in scams, reflecting that the industry possesses a certain level of technical and system capability. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) as the existing CoP already empowers the TSPs to monitor suspicious incoming calls and suspend the services associated with the telephone numbers concerned, whether the CA will, by amending the CoP, issuing guidelines or using the licence conditions, study the establishment of uniform basic requirements for the TSPs to prevent incoming scam calls, including criteria for risk identification, data updating, as well as alert and call-blocking arrangements; if so, of the details and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) whether the authorities will, by amending the CoP or the licence conditions, mandate all the TSPs to provide users with basic functions for identifying and blocking incoming scam calls free of charge; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) of the number of requests made by the CA to the TSPs in accordance with the relevant licence conditions over the past three years to block suspicious incoming calls or suspend the services associated with the telephone numbers concerned, and the number of telephone numbers or messages involved; and whether the CA has monitored the TSPs’ compliance with the CoP or the licence conditions over the years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Hong Kong is a regional communications hub. The Government has always attached great importance to the security of telecommunications networks to safeguard public interests and sustain public confidence. The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) has set out that the Government will step up efforts to prevent and combat telecommunications fraud and cyber fraud. The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) has been working closely with the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and major telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to implement a series of measures to combat telephone fraud from different perspectives. In response to the question raised by the Hon Ray Wong, in consultation with the Security Bureau and OFCA, the consolidated reply is as follows:
 
     At present, the Communications Authority (CA) has established a unified mechanism requiring the TSPs to detect risks and suspend telecommunications services of suspicious telephone numbers. In this connection, the CA issued the Code of Practice on Management of Scam Calls and Scam SMS by Telecommunications Service Providers (CoP) in April 2023, requiring the TSPs to monitor calls and messages originating from their networks and systems and to set criteria for identifying suspicious patterns. The TSPs have now adopted technologies such as AI and big data. Once a suspicious pattern is detected in the calls or messages made or sent from a telephone number (e.g. making or sending a large number of calls or text messages within a short period of time), the TSP will suspend the service of the telephone number concerned. Based on operational experience, the CA further implemented the revised CoP in December 2025 to tighten the criteria for detecting suspicious patterns, with a view to stepping up efforts in combating telephone scams. From January to August 2026, the average monthly number of local telephone numbers with telecommunications services suspended has decreased to about 5 700, a significant reduction of nearly half compared with the monthly average of around 11 400 in the same period last year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the enhanced measure.
 
     Apart from requiring the TSPs to monitor their networks to detect risks, the CA introduced new licence conditions for the TSPs in 2022 pursuant to the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106) (TO) to clearly require that the TSPs must block or suspend telephone services and websites suspected of being involved in fraudulent activities in accordance with the requests from law enforcement agencies. In this regard, since September 2022, the Police and major TSPs have established a close collaborative mechanism under which the TSPs will promptly block or suspend the service of websites and telephone numbers based on fraud records provided by the Police. As at end-August this year, a cumulative of more than 120 000 webpage links and more than 17 000 local and non-local telephone numbers have been blocked or with services suspended. In addition, since April 2023, the TSPs have been required by the CA to block suspicious incoming calls starting with “+852”. As at end-August this year, the TSPs have blocked over 8.9 million of such calls from outside Hong Kong, providing effective protection for Hong Kong’s telecommunications networks.
 
     In assisting members of the public in identifying suspicious calls, OFCA has requested the TSPs to provide call management services or call filtering applications. Users of these services may use personalised or pre-set “blacklist” and/or “whitelist” functions to filter anonymous and suspicious calls, thereby minimising suspicious and nuisance calls. Some TSPs even provide this value-added service for free to elderly customers aged 60 or above. As regards precautionary alerts, for suspected fraudulent calls originating from outside Hong Kong, the TSPs have fully implemented voice or text alerts for incoming external calls prefixed with “+852” since May 2023, in order to remind users to stay vigilant against suspicious incoming calls from outside Hong Kong with a “+852” prefix. In addition, since December 2024, when a member of the public answers a call made from a newly activated local pre-paid SIM (PPS) card, the TSP will first play an automatic voice alert message stating that the “call is made from a new PPS card” to raise the public awareness of suspicious calls. As regards fraudulent calls impersonating government departments and public organisations, OFCA has established a mechanism on dedicated telephone numbers for government departments and public organisations in need, such as the Government’s one-stop enquiry hotline 1823, the Police’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre hotline 18222, and the dedicated numbers with the prefix 18285 or 18286 launched by the Hospital Authority in mid-2026, so that members of the public can clearly identify official calls from government departments or public organisations.
 
     In addition, the Police launched a one-stop scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, in September 2022, and a mobile application version, “Scameter+”, in February 2023, to help members of the public distinguish suspicious online platform accounts, payment accounts, telephone numbers, email addresses, websites, etc, and to provide anti-fraud tips. Since February 2024, “Scameter+” has been equipped with the call alert function and the suspicious website detection function, which automatically identify scam calls and fraudulent websites. If potential fraud or cyber security risk is detected, “Scameter+” will issue a real-time notification, reminding users not to answer the call or browse the website. As at end August 2026, “Scameter” recorded over 16 million searches, while “Scameter+” recorded over 1.28 million downloads and alerted users to at least 410 000 suspicious calls and over 1 million suspicious websites.
 
     OFCA, as the executive arm of the CA, has been closely monitoring the TSPs’ compliance with licence conditions and the CoP. Should any TSP breach the requirements, the CA may impose sanctions on the TSP concerned under the TO.
 
     To step up efforts to prevent and combat telecommunications fraud and cyber fraud, the Government is conducting a comprehensive review on the overall implementation of the Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards, and is working on more targeted enhancement measures. The measures include lowering the maximum registration limit of PPS cards for individual users, as well as establishing new offences, which will criminalise the improper use of SIM cards registered with others’ information without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The Government is actively preparing the details of the legislative amendments and will consult the public on the proposals as appropriate.
 
     The Government will continue to deepen cross-sectoral collaboration among the Government, businesses and the public, and adopt a multipronged approach to combat telecommunications fraud and cyber fraud, so as to ensure the long-term security and stability of Hong Kong’s communications environment.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Vivian Kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:
 
Since the beginning of this year, the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) has taken a number of enforcement and disciplinary actions in respect of cases in which members of inbound tour groups were coerced to shop, and has imposed severe penalties on the tourist guides, travel agents and relevant registered shops involved in the contraventions, including revoking the licences of the travel agents and tourist guides concerned, as well as suspending the registration of the shops concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it knows the number of investigations conducted by the TIA in respect of suspected coerced shopping since commencement of its full-scale operation in September 2022; the penalties imposed on the licence holders or registered shops concerned (including the revocation or suspension of licences/registration), and the number of cases in which additional conditions were imposed;
 
(2) whether the TIA has, in terms of addressing the problems at source and improving the system, explored, assessed and studied the long-term solutions to malpractices such as coerced shopping;
 
(3) apart from coerced shopping, of the major categories of non-compliances in relation to practices in the tourism industry that the TIA has handled so far (such as hiking tours led by unlicensed local or cross-boundary tourist guides), and the respective numbers of such non-compliance cases;
 
(4) whether the TIA will strengthen information exchange and collaboration with departments such as the Police, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Immigration Department and the Customs and Excise Department, and step up joint enforcement actions at tourist hotspots, country parks, commercial retail areas and so on, so as to continuously combat non-compliant practices in the tourism industry (including unlicensed tourist guides);
 
(5) whether the TIA has taken joint or collaborative actions with the relevant law enforcement departments in the Mainland since September 2022 to combat contraventions of the rules and regulations concerning the tourism industry in the two places;
 
(6) apart from strengthening regulation, how the TIA will promote the healthy development of the industry and enhance the professional standards of practitioners (including the latest progress of the specialised tourist guide licensing programme recently launched), so as to meet the growing demand of the visitors to Hong Kong for in-depth travel and diversified experiences with local characteristics; and
 
(7) as the TIA has launched the Tourist Guides and Tour Escorts Commendation Scheme to recognise outstanding practitioners in the industry, whether the TIA will consider expanding and regularising the Scheme to promote the high-quality development of the tourism industry and showcase the professional and positive image of the tourism industry in Hong Kong?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The tourism industry is a major industry driving Hong Kong’s economic growth and creating employment opportunities, which also serves as an important platform for telling good stories of Hong Kong. The Government has all along been committed to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of visitors to Hong Kong, adopting a “zero-tolerance” approach towards coerced shopping, and stringently combating unlawful practices that damage Hong Kong’s tourism reputation, with a view to consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a premier world-class tourism destination.
 
In consultation with the Security Bureau, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, and the Travel Industry Authority (TIA), the reply to the question raised by the Hon Vivian Kong is as follows:
 
(1) and (2) Under the Travel Industry Ordinance (the Ordinance), licensed travel agents and licensed tourist guides must comply with the conditions imposed on their licences, otherwise they commit an offence. A travel agent is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years, and a tourist guide is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year. The Travel Industry (General) Regulation stipulates that licensed travel agents and licensed tourist guides must take all reasonable steps to safeguard the safety and interests of any participant of a tour group, and ensure that no participant of the tour group is subject to coerced shopping, whether through the use of harassment, coercion or undue influence.
 
Since coming into full operation, the TIA has conducted over 10 000 inspections focusing on registered shops receiving visitors for shopping, averaging about 3 300 inspections annually, and has taken action on eight cases of alleged coerced shopping. Among these, the licences of three travel agents and four tourist guides were revoked for contravening the relevant requirements. The TIA has also referred the relevant cases to the Department of Justice to consider further criminal prosecution. In addition, a registered shop participating in the Administrative Scheme for Registered Shops (the Administrative Scheme) had its registration suspended by the TIA for 30 days for failing to make every effort to prevent coerced shopping involving visitors, violating its undertaking under the Administrative Scheme. The management and frontline staff of the shop were also required to undergo additional training provided by the TIA. The TIA will continue to enhance training for staff of other registered shops to continuously consolidate their understanding of the regulatory requirements.
 
Through the Joint Regulatory Alliance of the Tourism Market of 9+2 Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the TIA exchanges intelligence with the Mainland to coordinate efforts in combating cross-boundary non-compliant acts such as unreasonably low-priced tours and illegal tourist guides, thereby reducing the risk of coerced shopping at source. Since the beginning of this year, the TIA has notified the relevant Mainland authorities of over 15 online advertisements involving unreasonably low-priced tours, which were subsequently removed. Recent inspections also show that the number of such advertisements has decreased.
 
(3) to (5) Apart from the aforementioned cases of alleged coerced shopping, the suspected non-compliant acts handled by the TIA since coming into full operation, and the number of related investigation cases, are tabulated below:
 

The TIA has established a regular communication and collaboration mechanism with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the Immigration Department (ImmD), the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), and other relevant government departments. Joint inspections, enforcement actions, as well as promotional and educational activities are conducted at tourist hotspots, boundary control points, registered shops receiving inbound tour groups, and country parks as necessary.
 
Over the past few months, the TIA and the ImmD have successively conducted joint enforcement actions at tourist hotspots such as the East Dam of High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung, Tsim Sha Tsui, the West Kowloon Cultural District and Central to combat illegal engagement in tourist guide work and other related illegal acts. Both parties have also stepped up joint inspections as well as promotional and educational work during the Mainland Golden Week holidays and peak visitor periods, reminding visitors not to patronise illegal tourist guides or tour escorts. The TIA also maintains close collaboration with the C&ED, including conducting joint inspections and promotional and educational activities at various tourist and shopping hotspots prior to the Mainland Golden Week holidays, to remind the trade to operate compliantly and safeguard the consumer rights of visitors.
 
The TIA also exchanges intelligence and follows up with the AFCD on cases involving tour groups and suspected unlicensed tourist guides around country parks and the Geopark. Furthermore, the TIA collaborates with the Transport Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Department of Health, and the Airport Authority Hong Kong on matters relating to traffic, environmental hygiene, and visitor protection. The TIA also exchanges information with the HKPF regarding tour group activities, crowd control, and traffic order, and coordinates traffic arrangements at attractions, restaurants, and boundary control points as necessary to minimise the impact on residents and traffic.
 
In terms of cross-boundary co-operation, apart from the work in combating unreasonably low-priced tours, the TIA has established an intelligence exchange and case referral mechanism with relevant Mainland authorities. If the TIA discovers clues involving Mainland tour organising agents, online platforms, or other suspected non-compliant activities, it will notify the Mainland authorities in charge under the mechanism for follow-up actions in accordance with the law. To date, the TIA has reported 31 suspected non-compliant cases to the relevant Mainland authorities. The TIA will also follow up on suspected non-compliant cases involving Hong Kong licensed travel agents, tourist guides or tour escorts, and Mainland inbound tour groups as referred by the Mainland authorities.
 
(6) and (7) The TIA promotes the development of the industry on various fronts, including:
 
(i) The training courses and licensing examinations for tourist guides and tour escorts are now taught and assessed in accordance with Qualifications Framework Level 3 (QF Level 3). The TIA has also expanded the scope of recognised continuing professional development activities to cover areas such as smart tourism and language proficiency, supporting practitioners in continuously upgrading their service standards.
 
(ii) The TIA launched the specialised tourist guide licensing programme in 2026, under which specialised tourist guide (STG) licences are issued for individual professional areas to attract persons with relevant knowledge to join the industry and encourage the trade to nurture tourist guide talents with specialist knowledge. The STG licences launched so far include the Geopark tourist guide licence and the reception services tourist guide licence. The TIA plans to expand the programme to cover other fields, such as in‑depth tours focusing on history and culture by the end of 2027 to further increase the supply of professional tourist guides.
 
(iii) To attract more young people to join the tourism industry, the TIA actively promotes professional qualification articulation with tertiary institutions. Following the recognition of two full-time programmes of the Vocational Training Council, the TIA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Education University of Hong Kong in September 2026 to recognise its relevant courses as specified training courses for tourist guides and tour escorts, allowing students who have completed the relevant courses to directly sit for the relevant licensing examination to obtain industry-recognised professional qualifications.
 
(iv) To recognise the contributions of professional tourist guides and tour escorts to Hong Kong’s tourism industry, and to encourage the trade to continuously enhance service quality, the TIA held the first Tourist Guide and Tour Escort Recognition Scheme in March 2026, selecting six Outstanding Tourist Guides and six Outstanding Tour Escorts to commend excellent practitioners. The TIA plans to organise the second Recognition Scheme next year.
 
Note 1: These cases involved contravention of the requirements set out in the Directives for Licensees which TIA promulgated pursuant to the power conferred by section 152(2)(k) of the Ordinance, for examples: failing to issue within the required time limit a receipt with a levy stamp, changing itinerary without consent, and failing to set out the specified information in the written itineraries of Mainland inbound tour groups.