MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Two incoming male passengers were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with a fine of $1,000, and three months’ imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (December 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 27, at Hong Kong International Airport on November 16. About 58 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $237,700 and a duty potential of about $191,700 were seized from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 today.

     As well, Customs officers intercepted another incoming male passenger, aged 42, at the airport on the abovementioned date. About 19 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $77,900 and a duty potential of about $62,800 were seized from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 today.

     Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

     Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

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

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government announced today that the end date of unused subsidy/relief balances under the Electricity Charges Subsidy Scheme and the Electricity Charges Relief Scheme for 2024/25 will be extended by one year to December 31, 2026.

The Government explained that the extension is being granted as a considerable number of households have not yet used up the subsidy/relief disbursed to them.

All unused balances will be carried forward to cover billed electricity charges up until December 31, 2026, or the date of account closure, whichever is earlier. This will be reflected in the bills of eligible accounts.

The Government added that it will keep the situation under review and consider whether a further extension is necessary.

For enquiries on account matters, CLP Power Hong Kong users can call 2678 2678, while Hongkong Electric Company users can call 2887 3411.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Two new sections of the GreenWay in the Kai Tak Development Area opened today for use by pedestrians and cyclists.

The two sections, each approximately 400 metres in length, are located at Kai Tak Promenade, as well as Shing Kai Road Garden and Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) Dining Cove.

The opening of these two sections fully connect the 2km-long scenic GreenWay on the runway’s western side, extending from Shing Kai Road Garden through KTSP Dining Cove to Kai Tak Promenade, overlooking Victoria Harbour.

Consistent with existing sections, the newly opened parts of the GreenWay feature speed-reducing rumble strips to ensure the safety of both pedestrians and cyclists. The area also provides bicycle parking and a parallel barrier-free walkway, offering a convenient alternative for the public.

To accommodate various events, KTSP will adjust GreenWay opening hours at Dining Cove and apply crowd management measures as necessary.

The GreenWay in Kai Tak is about 13km long, about 4.3km of which is open within the Kai Tak Development Area. The remaining sections are expected to be opened progressively from 2026 onwards in coordination with government and private development projects in the area.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced its Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025-2030, which introduces a new risk-based hepatitis B screening programme and other measures to strengthen prevention and control of viral hepatitis.

The measures are designed to reduce the transmission of viral hepatitis and lower related morbidity and mortality, including deaths from liver cancer attributable to viral hepatitis.

The target is to eliminate the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis by 2030, in line with the World Health Organization’s global goal. 

According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, liver cancer is the third largest cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. In 2023, there were 1,408 deaths from liver cancer, accounting for 9.5% of all cancer deaths. Over 70% of hepatocellular carcinoma cases were associated with hepatitis B.

In addition to the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, the action plan also enlists the Primary Healthcare (PHC) Commission and other relevant organisations.

It is estimated that approximately 410,000 people in Hong Kong have hepatitis B. Among these, 40% are unaware of their condition and 70% are not receiving appropriate follow-up care.

The action plan will bolster efforts to prevent and control viral hepatitis along four strategic axes, namely heightening awareness, tracking the health sector’s response, preventing new infections, and expanding access to screening, care and treatment.

The PHC Commission will launch a Chronic Disease Co-care Platform to introduce risk-based hepatitis B screening and management on a pilot basis, in addition to testing for high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol.

It will target Hong Kong residents born in or before 1988 whose family members or sexual partners have contracted chronic hepatitis B, as well as residents who have no known medical history of chronic hepatitis B or related symptoms.

A participant diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B through the platform will receive subsidised medical consultations, medication and liver ultrasonography services, and undergo regular liver cancer surveillance.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced that a disciplinary investigation into an incident relating to the procurement of bottled drinking water has been completed, and that it is consulting the Department of Justice regarding disciplinary actions to be taken.

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau made the announcement while giving an update on the work of the “Task Force on Review of Government Procurement Regime”.

Subsequent to the implementation of a series of measures in October to strengthen protection against fraudulent acts, the task force, chaired by Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui, is exploring further enhancement measures.

The bureau said that the additional measures are expected to be ready next month and will be announced in tandem with the task force’s report, which will conclude the case.

Meanwhile, the Government Logistics Department has launched an open tender for the contract to supply bottled drinking water to government offices on Hong Kong Island and parts of the outlying islands.

In alignment with new guidelines promulgated in October, requirements have been strengthened with regard to the preparation of tender documents, tender evaluations and contract management, to help procurement officers guard against fraudulent acts and selecting competent suppliers.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government announced today the handover of a residential site, Tung Chung Area 122 (TC122), to the Housing Society, for the development of subsidised sale flats (SSFs).

The Tung Chung site was originally among several government sites identified for tender under the Private Subsidised Sale Flat – Pilot Scheme. The site has now been handed over to the Housing Society for development as one of its SSF projects. A preliminary estimate indicates that around 1,600 SSFs will be completed at the site in 2031-32. 

The bureau said that the Government always takes a pragmatic approach in adjusting development arrangements at different sites based on demand and actual circumstances.

The Housing Society is a close partner of the Government in housing matters and has profound experience in the development of SSFs. Having assessed the situation, the Government believes handing over TC122 to the Housing Society will expedite the development of SSFs at the site.

The Government announced a policy framework for the pilot scheme, aimed at tapping market forces and boosting overall development capacity, in June 2023. It is now monitoring the market closely with a view to assessing whether adjustments need to be made to the scheme’s parameters or to future tender arrangements. Further announcements will be made in due course.

The Government stressed that the handover of TC122 to the Housing Society is in line with its policy objectives of boosting SSF supply, helping grassroots households achieve home ownership and encouraging upward mobility. It believes the move will be welcomed by the public.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) announced today (December 30) that it will respectively consult the Central and Western District Council and the Kowloon City District Council next month about the clearance and rehousing arrangements for the redevelopment of Sai Wan Estate (SWE) and Phase 1 of Ma Tau Wai Estate (MTWE).
 
     “The HA conducts assessments on aged public rental housing (PRH) estates from time to time in order to ensure the buildings are in a safe condition and suitable for accommodating residents. The actual circumstances will also be considered in a prudent manner when deciding whether to redevelop a PRH estate,” a spokesman for the HA said.
 
     The HA has reserved adequate rehousing resources for the affected tenants for the clearance and rehousing proposals of the two aforementioned PRH estates. The proposed clearance and rehousing of SWE can be carried out under a single phase in 2029 so that all affected tenants will be rehoused to Phase 1 of the Ka Wai Man Road public housing development (Annex I) nearby in one go. With the thoughtful arrangements by the project team, this proposal will allow all affected tenants to move into the new estate together with their neighbours, maintaining warm neighbourhood relationships and continuing the sense of community. There are currently 636 flats in SWE. It is expected that the number of flats will increase by 460 to about 1 100 flats after the redevelopment to cater for more residents in need.
 
     As for the MTWE redevelopment, in consideration of the unanimous views of the residents and the community that the clearance and rehousing arrangement should be expedited, the HA proposes using part of the new Mei Tung Estate public housing development as additional rehousing resources on top of the reception estate at To Kwa Wan Road public housing development so that the phases of redevelopment can be reduced from three to two, thereby significantly shortening the rehousing period for all MTWE residents from 14 years to seven years. The clearance in Phase 1 will cover Geranium House and Narcissus House and the rehousing of the affected tenants is anticipated to commence in 2028. The clearance and rehousing for Phase 2 will be announced in due course (Annex II). After the redevelopment of the entire estate, the number of flats in MTWE is expected to increase from more than 2 000 to about 4 000 flats, providing over 2 000 additional units for residents in need.
 
     In addition, the HA also proposes offering domestic tenants affected by the clearance a domestic removal allowance to help meet part of their moving expenses. Eligible one-person and two-person households, regardless of age, may also opt to receive a cash allowance in lieu of rehousing to a PRH unit as an alternative option to suit their needs. For example, elderly persons may move into residential care homes for the elderly, settle in the Chinese Mainland, or live with their children, etc. Furthermore, the HA also proposes to accord priority to affected tenants of HA’s announced clearance projects who would like to purchase subsidised sale flats (SSFs) in lieu of PRH in flat selection over other applicants in the SSFs sale exercise(s) launched before the target clearance date.
 
     The HA will establish an on-site Community Service Team in SWE and MTWE to help maintain effective communication with the affected households, especially the elderly, to provide help and fully assist them in vacating their existing flats and adapting to their new living environment throughout the project.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Department of Health (DH) today (December 30) reminded the trade that, starting from June 14, 2026, medical gases will be regulated as pharmaceutical products. Medical gases, classified as pharmaceutical products, must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in Hong Kong. In addition, traders involved in the manufacture, wholesale or retail of medical gases must obtain relevant drug dealer’s licence(s) in accordance with the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138). To avoid contravening the Ordinance, suppliers who have not yet applied for a relevant licence and/or registration of pharmaceutical products should take immediate action before the regulation officially takes effect.

     The Board decided on June 14, 2024, that medical gases should be regulated as pharmaceutical products under the regulatory framework of the Ordinance. In addition, pharmaceutical products containing nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and nitric oxide should be regulated as prescription drugs. A two-year preparation period has been provided for the trade to apply for relevant licences and registration of their products.

     The DH today issued a reminder to the trade and notified other stakeholders about the aforesaid regulation. For details on applying for the relevant licences and product registration, please visit the Board’s website or the website of the Drug Office of the DH. Information on the regulation of medical gases can be found on the DH’s Drug Office website.
     ​
     According to the Ordinance, illegal possession or sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products or prescription drugs, and manufacture or wholesale of pharmaceutical products without relevant licences, are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment upon conviction.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government today (December 30) announced the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025-2030 (Action Plan 2025-2030), which sets out strategies to further strengthen the prevention and control of viral hepatitis by a series of initiatives, including the introduction of a new risk-based hepatitis B screening programme. These initiatives aim to reduce the transmission of viral hepatitis and lower related morbidity and mortality, especially new cases and deaths of liver cancer attributable to viral hepatitis. The goal is to eliminate the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis by 2030, in line with the World Health Organization’s global goal.  
      
     According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, liver cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. In 2023, there were 1 408 liver cancer deaths, accounting for 9.5 per cent of all cancer deaths. Over 70 per cent of hepatocellular carcinoma cases were associated with hepatitis B.
      
     The Government has attached great importance to the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis. As early as late 2020, the Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis (Steering Committee), co-chaired by the Director of Health and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), formulated the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2020-2024 (Action Plan 2020-2024).

     Over the past five years, the Government has fully implemented all measures outlined in the Action Plan 2020-2024, achieving substantial progress. Through the introduction of new initiatives, including providing antiviral treatment for pregnant women with high hepatitis B virus (HBV) viral loads and arranging serologic testing after hepatitis B vaccination for high-risk infants, the rate of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HBV in Hong Kong dropped to 0.2 per cent in 2024, which is well below the pre-intervention level of approximately 1 per cent.
      
     After carefully reviewing the effectiveness of the action plan and the latest international developments, the Steering Committee has clearly set out specific actions to be implemented in the next five years. In addition to the Department of Health (DH) and the HA, the Action Plan 2025-2030 also incorporates the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) and other relevant organisations for more comprehensive coverage and stronger synergy.
      
     The major challenge in eliminating viral hepatitis lies in the substantial number of the undiagnosed or untreated local population with hepatitis B. It is estimated that approximately 410 000 people in Hong Kong have hepatitis B. Among them, 40 per cent are unaware of their condition and 70 per cent are not receiving appropriate medical follow-up. The Action Plan 2025-2030 strengthens efforts to prevent and control viral hepatitis along the following four strategic axes:
 
(1) Heightening awareness: The collaborative partnerships and engagement with District Health Centres and other community stakeholders will be strengthened, leveraging the complementary strengths of each organisation to raise awareness among the general population, target populations and healthcare professionals. This will support viral hepatitis screening and management in the community; 

(2) Tracking health sector response: The set of local indicators will be updated to enhance the existing surveillance on viral hepatitis, allowing for closer monitoring and evaluation of progress towards viral hepatitis elimination targets. The surveillance system will support data-driven policy formulation by providing a basis for developing specific and effective measures, and offering data to validate the effectiveness of the health sector’s response; 

(3) Preventing new infections: The primary transmission route for HBV is MTCT, which drives the prevalence of HBV in Hong Kong. Therefore, sustained prevention of MTCT of HBV is crucial for eliminating new HBV infections. This includes hepatitis B screening for pregnant women, neonatal hepatitis B vaccination, using antivirals to prevent MTCT of HBV and arranging post-vaccination serologic testing for high-risk infants. Other prevention strategies include preventing healthcare-related transmission of HBV and hepatitis C virus and reducing the risk and disease burden among key populations, such as people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men; and

(4) Expanding access to screening, care and treatment: To gradually scale up hepatitis B screening in Hong Kong, the Government will launch a screening service subsidising groups at increased risk of HBV infection. A shared care model supported by primary care will also be developed to build up capacity for hepatitis B management.

     The PHC Commission will launch a Chronic Disease Co-care Platform. In addition to covering the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol), the platform will introduce risk-based hepatitis B screening and management on a pilot basis. It targets Hong Kong residents born in or before 1988 (that is the year of the introduction of universal childhood hepatitis B immunisation programme) whose family members (including parents, siblings and offspring) or sexual partners have contracted chronic hepatitis B, and residents who have no known medical history of chronic hepatitis B nor related symptoms. If a participant is diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B through the platform, he/she will receive subsidised medical consultations, medication and liver ultrasonography services, and undergo regular liver cancer surveillance. This aligns with the implementation of the Action Plan 2025-2030, which seeks to increase the diagnosis and treatment coverage of hepatitis B in Hong Kong. Details of the hepatitis B screening will be announced early next year. The new measures are expected to promote the early identification of people with chronic hepatitis B in the community and provide timely follow-ups and treatment, thereby reducing the risks of complications (such as cirrhosis and liver cancer) and lowering related morbidity and mortality rates. The PHC Commission will further announce the implementation details and introduce related services in early 2026.
      
     The Government expects to reach a number of key milestones for each of the four strategic axes by 2030. Details are set out in the Annex.
      
     The Action Plan 2025-2030 is available on the DH’s website: www.hepatitis.gov.hk.