MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Hong Kong has five universities among the top 100 in the World University Rankings 2027, published by Times Higher Education (THE).

Commenting today, the Education Bureau highlighted that two of the city’s ranked institutions had gained higher positions in the latest rankings.

It said the results demonstrate the robust strengths of Hong Kong’s higher education system and its world-class standing in terms of teaching, research, and international outlook.

It added that the rankings reflect the Government’s investment of resources and its policy support over the years, both of which have laid a solid foundation for the city’s higher education institutions.

In the latest rankings, the University of Hong Kong ranks 33rd globally; the Chinese University ranks 42nd; and the University of Science & Technology ranks 58th. City University and Polytechnic University have risen to 70th and 79th respectively.

The bureau said the consistent high international rankings of Hong Kong’s universities not only reflect the local higher education sector’s excellence, but also bear witness to the Government’s proactive leadership in policy measures aimed at driving innovation and change, as well as expanding capacity while enhancing quality.

It added that the Government will continue to spare no effort in promoting the sector’s comprehensive integration into overall national development, contributing to China’s development as a leading country in education.

Looking ahead, the bureau said that with the advent of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, the city’s higher education is ushering in a golden period of development full of promising potential.

“We will continue to promote the all-round connectivity in areas such as talent training, frontier scientific research, and industry-academia-research collaboration, optimise resource allocation, support various institutions in consolidating their existing advantages while pioneering innovation, and nurture more outstanding talent equipped with both international perspective and exceptional capabilities, thereby making greater contributions to the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and the country.”

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

September 26, 2026  
No. 468  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) reiterates that United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, which consists of just 150 words, makes no mention of Taiwan. It neither states that Taiwan is part of China nor authorizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to represent Taiwan in the UN system. Therefore, no party can invoke this resolution to preclude Taiwan’s participation in the UN system. 

Neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other. This is the objective status quo across the Taiwan Strait and an internationally recognized fact that cannot be distorted or misrepresented. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent Taiwan in the UN system and other international multilateral mechanisms.

The 81st session of the UNGA is currently being held at the UN headquarters in New York. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the adoption of UNGA Resolution 2758. In recent years, China has continually intensified its efforts in bilateral and multilateral arenas to distort the resolution and coerce or entice the nations of the Global South to go along with its stance. China’s aim is to eliminate the existence of the ROC (Taiwan), reinforce its narrative that the Taiwan issue is an internal affair, and build a legal foundation for its misguided intention to alter the regional status quo through aggressive actions. 

This has caused discontent in the international community, which has repudiated this behavior. In addition to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, the executive or legislative branches of such nations as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, and Belgium, as well as the European Union, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, and the American Legislative Exchange Council, have all voiced public support through diverse means to refute China’s improper interpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758. 

Recently, the European Union also clearly pointed out that UNGA Resolution 2758 consists of only 150 words in total, that its content is very brief, that it addressed the transfer of the representation of China at the United Nations from “the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek” to “the representatives of the government of the People’s Republic of China,” and that the word Taiwan appears nowhere in the text. MOFA expresses its sincere gratitude to international partner countries for clearly expressing their positions. 

MOFA emphasizes that following the end of World War II, the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which has the force of international law, superseded such political statements as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. The treaty did not hand Taiwan over to the PRC, and the PRC has never ruled Taiwan. 

Crucially, starting from the mid-1980s, Taiwan underwent a process of political liberalization and democratization through a bottom-up transformation, and completed its first direct presidential election in 1996. By then, all central executive and legislative representatives of the ROC (Taiwan) government were elected by the people of Taiwan. This made the ROC（Taiwan）government the sole legitimate government to effectively govern and externally represent Taiwan. It also established the objective status quo and fact that the ROC (Taiwan) and the PRC exist on an equal footing, with neither being subordinate to the other. Since then, Taiwan has witnessed three changes of governing party―in 2000, 2008, and 2016―consolidating its democratic system and sense of identity. This also reflects the firm belief in and strong commitment to freedom and democracy among Taiwan’s people.

MOFA therefore solemnly calls on the international community to collectively counter China’s malicious distortion of UNGA Resolution 2758 and jointly defend the rules-based international order. MOFA further demands that the United Nations maintain neutrality and refrain from acquiescing to China’s suppression of Taiwan’s legitimate right to participate in international affairs. The United Nations should facilitate Taiwan’s contributions to regional and global peace and stability, as well as the well-being of all humanity, so as to promote the early realization of “a United Nations that delivers for all.” （E）

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA welcomes joint statement by European and Indo-Pacific nations supporting Taiwan Strait peace and stability

Date：2026-09-24
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

September 24, 2026  
No. 462  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung greatly welcomes and appreciates a joint statement issued by Australia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom that called for Taiwan Strait peace and stability.
 
The show of support came as foreign ministers and high-level representatives from the group of European and Indo-Pacific nations met on September 22 for its second meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
 
In a section of its statement dedicated exclusively to the issue, the group emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and said that it encouraged dialogue and opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
 
Pointing out that security, peace, and prosperity in Europe and the Indo-Pacific were increasingly intertwined, the group also pledged to enhance collaboration with a view to countering hybrid threats and other shared challenges and ensuring each nation’s resilience.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the fact that the international community and like-minded partners continue to express concern and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the maintenance of the status quo. In the face of mounting geopolitical and regional challenges, Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defense and whole-of-society resilience. Building on the solid foundations that already exist, it will also continue to bolster cooperation with like-minded democracies so as to jointly safeguard Taiwan Strait peace and stability and advance regional security and prosperity. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA welcomes joint statement by US, Japanese, South Korean foreign ministers reiterating importance of peace and stability across Taiwan Strait

Date：2026-09-22
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

September 22, 2026  No. 454    
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely welcomes and appreciates the joint statement issued following a trilateral meeting in New York between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, and South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. 

The statement reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo. It also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations. The fact that the United States, Japan, and South Korea once again publicly reiterated these positions fully demonstrates that Taiwan Strait security has become a strong international consensus. 

Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are not only central to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region but also closely connected to the stability of the global economy and international supply chains. 

In the face of growing regional challenges, Taiwan will continue to bolster its national defense and resilience, staunchly uphold the status quo, and strengthen cooperation with the United States, Japan, South Korea, and other democratic partners to jointly safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes the international community’s continued attention to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. MOFA will continue to work hand in hand with international partners to actively promote Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and enable Taiwan to make greater and more substantive contributions to addressing global challenges. (E) 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA offers sincere congratulations on establishment of Panama-Taiwan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group by Panama’s National Assembly

Date：2026-09-09
Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

September 9, 2026  
No. 425  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes the establishment of the Panama-Taiwan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group by the National Assembly of Panama, which will deepen parliamentary exchanges and the democratic partnership between the two countries. 
 
The friendship group was officially inaugurated during a ceremony at the National Assembly on September 8. A total of 45 legislators joined, including President of the National Assembly Shirley Castañedas, First Vice President of the National Assembly and Cochair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) Manuel Cohen Salerno, Second Vice President Manuel Cheng, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee Joan Manuel Guevara, IPAC Cochair Ronald Ameth De Gracia, and Medin Jiménez, who will serve as chair of the friendship group. Membership accounts for more than 60 percent of all lawmakers in the National Assembly. 
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung was invited to record a video message for the occasion, underscoring the friendly cross-party momentum and staunch support for Taiwan in the National Assembly. Minister Lin extended sincere congratulations on the launch of the friendship group and stated that Taiwan and Panama shared such common values as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. He anticipated that the friendship group would help enhance parliamentary diplomacy, expand cooperation and exchanges across domains, and advance the welfare of the peoples of both nations, creating mutual benefit and coprosperity.
 
Over the past six months, more than 20 Panamanian legislators have visited Taiwan. Minister Lin actively encouraged members of the National Assembly friendly to Taiwan to build consensus and promote the formation of the friendship group. The group’s smooth establishment marks a historic milestone in the resumption of exchanges between Taiwan and Panama.
 
Additionally, US Congressional Taiwan Caucus Cochair Mario Díaz-Balart recorded a video congratulating the National Assembly on the founding of the friendship group. In it, he affirmed that Taiwan and Panama shared the core values of prosperity, freedom, and democracy. Citing his own experience cochairing the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, he said that he fully understood the significance of the friendship group’s establishment. Also via video, Taiwan Legislator and IPAC Cochair Fan Yun extended felicitations to the National Assembly on establishing the friendship group, noting that it would serve as a new platform for exchanges and cordial interactions between Taiwan and Panama. Representatives from embassies of like-minded countries and diplomatic allies in Panama—including the United States and Paraguay—attended the event to offer congratulations, highlighting their support for the strengthening of democratic alliances.
 
MOFA expresses its appreciation to Panamanian supporters of Taiwan across all sectors for their steadfast backing. It will continue to work closely with the National Assembly and the friendship group to actively further parliamentary diplomacy and bolster the Taiwan-Panama partnership. (E)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung; and the Commissioner for Youth, Mr Andy Lam, attended the Youth Dialogue on the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address organised for members of Youth Link today (September 29). They introduced the policy measures related to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) in the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address to over 80 young people and engaged in discussions with the youth.

During the dialogue, Miss Mak introduced the key initiatives on youth development in the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address. Chapter 19 of the Hong Kong’s First Five-year Plan contains two dedicated sections that emphasise “enhancing youth development opportunities” and “supporting young people in pursuing their dreams”, while areas related to youth development also run through the other chapters of the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan. In response to the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, the Policy Address also introduces a series of new measures to support youth development, inspiring young people to unleash their potential and pass on the spirit of loving the country and Hong Kong, and activating international youth exchanges and collaboration. She also mentioned that the third edition of the Youth Development Summit will take place on November 7, and encouraged young people to actively participate in the Summit and seize the opportunity to interact with youth from the Chinese Mainland and overseas.

Youth Link members attending the dialogue actively participated in the discussions. They shared their views on the initiatives in the Policy Address, including deepening youth patriotic education, introducing the thematic finance internship programme in the Mainland, as well as thematic aerospace training activities in the Mainland. They also welcomed the establishment of an International Young Talent Exchange Base as well as launching a new HYAB – United Nations Youth Leaders Internship Programme. Miss Mak invited the attending youth to also provide suggestions on enhancing the HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme and launching AI experiential activities.

Youth Link, launched by the HYAB in September 2023, currently has over 30 000 youth members. It aims to connect participants of various government youth programmes and offer them opportunities to develop diverse talents, as well as to strengthen their communication, interaction and trust with the Government. The HYAB will continue engaging young people through the Youth Dialogue and other activities under Youth Link and communicate with more young people on a continuous and regular basis.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The interdepartmental Pest Control Steering Committee (PCSC) held its 24th meeting today (September 29) to review the effectiveness of departments’ enhanced mosquito control measures during the rainy season this year and their work plans for the coming year, to discuss the progress of sustaining territory wide rodent prevention and control efforts, and to receive updates on the latest developments in food waste recycling.

Mosquito control

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:

     The University Grants Committee (UGC) held a presentation ceremony for the 2026 UGC Teaching Award today (September 29) to honour academics from UGC-funded universities for their outstanding teaching performances and achievements, as well as their leadership and scholarly contributions to teaching and learning within and outside their campuses.—————————–
Professor Helen Geng, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Division of Science, Lingnan University———————————-
Dr Michael Rivera, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Hong Kong———————–
Eye Learn, I.CARE: Joint-University Eye Care Ambassador Training Scheme, led by Professor Kelvin Chong (Professor (Clinical), Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)), with Professor Arthur Tsang (Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, CUHK), Dr Sharron Leung (Head of Nursing Education and Programme Director of Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Hong Kong Baptist University) and Ms Stephany Tai (Research Assistant, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK) as team members.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following are the closing remarks by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the Family Office Mediation and Collaborative Practice Training today (September 29):
 
Nick (Director of the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre, Professor Nick Chan), Ms Cooley (Chief Executive Officer of Cooley Family Office, Ms Ann Cooley), Jason (Global Head of Family Office at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Jason Fong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. It is my honour today to speak at the closing session of the inaugural Family Office Mediation and Collaborative Practice Training in this historic venue.
 
     On behalf of the Department of Justice (DoJ), I wish to first extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cooley Family Office and the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre for hosting this impactful initiative. The Training has provided a platform to equip legal, financial and family counselling professionals with the fundamental theory and essential skills and tools for family office mediation and collaborative practice.
 
     While disputes arising from family offices and family businesses can involve a substantial financial stake, they are rarely just about the dollar sign. Often, they concern matters of legacy, succession and complex family relationships. High intensity emotions and power imbalances inevitably complicate these conflicts. As the Chinese proverb says, “Even an upright judge finds it hard to settle family matters”, in Cantonese: 清官難審家庭事. While litigation can determine legal rights, it is very time-consuming and costly. It will also mean definitely a winner and a loser in the litigation, and this is undesirable in the context of family disputes, potentially destroying family bonds and tarnishing the reputation of family businesses.
    
     This is where mediation and collaborative practice demonstrate their unique value. Mediation offers a private, confidential and amicable alternative where a neutral third party assists parties to explore tailor-made and mutually beneficial solutions. Collaborative practice takes a step further by including multidisciplinary professionals in the discussion, so that they could provide holistic advice from legal, financial and psychological aspects in parallel.
 
     This Training is timely in promoting the use of family mediation and collaborative practice. I am especially delighted to see that it directly supports two of Hong Kong’s established priorities.
 
     The first priority is Hong Kong’s positioning. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to expediting the development and deepening of Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. Hong Kong has full support from the Chinese Mainland in this regard, as stated in the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The Government has also pledged this in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030). To achieve that, we will enhance our diversified and high-level dispute resolution services, including mediation.
 
     In terms of our long history of promoting mediation, our department launched the “Mediate First” Pledge in 2009 to encourage the use of mediation as the first step to resolve disputes. Today, over 1 300 companies, organisations and individuals have signed the Pledge, symbolising the success of this campaign. Family mediation is featured from time to time in the DoJ’s flagship events such as “Mediate First” Pledge events and Mediation Week.  
 
     In terms of legal infrastructure, we enacted the Mediation Ordinance in 2012. It provides a clear statutory framework grounded in confidentiality and party autonomy. We established the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System in 2024 to review our mediation regulatory system. And hence, on the recommendations of the Working Group, we will introduce an amendment bill by the end of this year to facilitate the appointment of mediators when parties fail to reach a consensus on the choice of mediators. 
 
     As a matter of government-wide general policy, a mediation clause has been incorporated in all applicable government contracts since February 2025.
 
     The establishment of the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong and the Government’s support for the IOMed further underlines our commitment to developing Hong Kong into a global mediation capital.
 
     The second priority is to promote the development of family offices, again as pledged in Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan. As a world-leading international financial centre and wealth management centre, we have been providing quality services for family offices to develop their businesses here. Such professional services certainly include Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services. Our Chief Executive has announced in the Policy Address this year that promotion will be stepped up following the passage of a bill to enhance the preferential tax regimes for, among others, single family offices. The goal is to attract more family offices to establish a presence in Hong Kong.
 
     Indeed, with over 3 300 single-family offices now established in our city, our global appeal is clearer than ever. Hong Kong enjoys the distinctive advantages of “one country, two systems”, a robust legal infrastructure based on the rule of law, and has a simple and low tax regime, world-class professional services and a globally experienced workforce. This Training in the past four days no doubt contributes to the edge of Hong Kong through cultivating a talent pool in family mediation and collaborative practice.
 
     On this note, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the training team for sharing their valuable expertise and experience, and I congratulate every participant for completing the Training as a step elevating your professional practice. I wish you every success in putting the skills to use, and in playing an important part to expedite the momentum of Hong Kong’s established priorities which I shared today. Thank you very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region