MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (the HKSAR Government) today (September 29) announced the successful pricing of around HK$20 billion worth of digital green bonds (Digital Green Bonds) denominated in HK dollars (HKD), Renminbi (RMB), US dollars (USD) and euro (EUR) under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme. 

Following a virtual roadshow, the Digital Green Bonds were priced on September 28 as follows:
 

• HKD 5.5 billion 2-year tranche at 3.80 per cent
• RMB 7.5 billion 5-year tranche at 1.65 per cent
• USD 200 million 3-year tranche at 5.023 per cent
• EUR 450 million 4-year tranche at 3.734 per cent

 
This issuance has once again set a new record for the largest digital bond issuance in the world, with subscription ratios across four currencies reaching 1.3 to 11.3 times, further promoting market adoption and broadening investor base for digital bonds.

Building on three successful issuances since 2023, the latest issuance reinforces HKSAR Government’s commitment in promoting innovation in the bond market. Alongside traditional settlement rail and the tokenised central bank money option introduced in the previous issuance, tokenised deposits, empowered by EnsembleTX, have been incorporated into the primary issuance settlement process for the HKD tranche of this issuance. It represents the world’s first digital bond that integrates tokenised deposits in HKD, advancing towards a more integrated digital ecosystem, and lays a foundation for exploring the programmable features of digital money.

This issuance also continues to advance adoption of global standards. By adopting the International Capital Market Association’s latest Bond Data Taxonomy (BDT) Version 2.0 (Note 1), this issuance promotes greater data consistency, interoperability and end-to-end automation across the bond lifecycle.

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “The HKSAR Government has successfully issued digital green bonds for the fourth time, totalling HK$20 billion, which is the largest issuance of its kind globally. The offering was oversubscribed, demonstrating strong market appetite for tokenised products issued in Hong Kong. Denominated in multiple currencies, these bonds cater to the asset diversification needs of both local and overseas investors, and have incorporated a range of innovative technologies to further advance innovation in the bond market. The Government will continue to issue tokenised bonds on a regular basis, expand the use cases for the underlying technologies, and harness fintech to empower the bond market’s continued development.”

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “This fourth issuance of tokenised green bond demonstrates the HKSAR Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovative forms of bond issuance and driving green transformation. The Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong released last year highlighted the focuses on the expansion of the suite of tokenised products and the advancement of use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration. The Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address further stated that the Government will work to broaden use cases and popularise digital bonds. This issuance will further enhance society’s understanding of the integration of sustainable development and fintech, while strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading global green and sustainable finance hub.”

     The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Eddie Yue, said, “Since 2023, we have been breaking new ground with digital bond issuances of the HKSAR Government. This fourth issuance reinforces our commitment to stay ahead in the digital finance space, continues to unlock new synergies across digital infrastructures, and deepens our digital asset ecosystem. We are encouraged by the strong investor demand and the expanding market participation, and look forward to sustaining this momentum to further catalyse market innovation and promote adoption.”

Key features of the Digital Green Bonds

The clearing and settlement system of the Digital Green Bonds is the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU), with HSBC Orion as the digital assets platform. HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, ICBC (Asia), J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, UBS, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Ashurst Perkins Coie Hong Kong, and Linklaters were involved in the preparation for the issuance.
 

Issue size	Around HK$20 billion equivalent
Currency	HKD, RMB, USD, EUR
Issue ratings	AA-/Aa3/AA+ (Fitch / Moody’s / S&P), on par with the issuer’s long-term rating
Governing law	Hong Kong law
Settlement cycle	T+1
Use of proceeds	To finance and/or refinance projects that fall under one or more of the “Eligible Categories” set out in the Government’s Green Bond Framework Vigeo Eiris has provided a Second Party Opinion on the Government’s Green Bond Framework. The Digital Green Bonds have also received the Green and Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme Pre-issuance Stage Certificate from the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency
Listing	Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Lead Managers, Joint Bookrunners	HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, ICBC (Asia), J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered Bank
Joint Lead Managers, Joint Bookrunners	Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, UBS
Joint Green and Sustainable Bond Structuring Banks	Crédit Agricole CIB, Bank of China (Hong Kong), BNP PARIBAS, Standard Chartered Bank
Clearing and Settlement System	CMU operated by the HKMA (Note 2), with linkage to Euroclear and Clearstream
Platform	HSBC Orion
Platform Provider	HSBC
Platform Direct Participants	Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC, ICBC (Asia), Standard Chartered Bank
Trustee	HSBC
Principal Paying Agent	HSBC
Legal Advisers	Allen Overy Shearman Sterling (to issuer), Ashurst Perkins Coie Hong Kong (to Platform Provider), Linklaters (to banks and agents)

 
DISCLAIMER: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT MADE BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN, AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED, AS AN OFFER OF, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE STATE LAWS. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SUCH SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
 
Note 1: The BDT is a standardised and machine-readable language of key economic terms of a bond (such as amounts, currency, maturity, interest), key dates (such as pricing, settlement) as well as other relevant information (such as governing law, relevant parties, ratings, selling restrictions) typically included within a term sheet. Version 2.0 of the BDT expands coverage to support more complex issuance structures, introduces greater flexibility in data fields to accommodate a wider range of transaction types, and extends its application across the full bond lifecycle.

Note 2: The Digital Green Bonds are cleared and settled through the CMU, and the settlement of transactions made through the CMU benefits from statutory settlement finality under Hong Kong law.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 released today (September 29) by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Hong Kong’s ranking rose further by one place to 14th globally among 139 economies, and remained fifth in Asia.

As regards the two sub-indices under the GII, Hong Kong’s ranking with respect to the “Innovation Input” sub-index remained at eighth globally, and its ranking in the “Innovation Output” sub-index rose by one place to 21st.

Hong Kong’s scores in all five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index were higher than the averages of the high-income group, with “Market Sophistication” ranking second globally, and “Human Capital and Research”, “Institutions” and “Infrastructure” rising to rank sixth, seventh and 11th globally respectively. As for sub-pillars, Hong Kong continued to top the ranking in “Credit”, and ranked among the global top 10 in many areas, including “Tertiary Education” (third), “Information and Communication Technology” (fourth), “Investment” (fourth), “Institutional Environment” (ninth) and “Business Environment” (10th). Data also showed that Hong Kong’s gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) and the number of researchers continued to rise. 

As for the “Innovation Output” sub-index, Hong Kong’s ranking in the “Creative Outputs” pillar rose by two places to 15th globally, and that in “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” pillar rose one place further to 29th. Data also showed that Hong Kong’s number of patents and mobile app creation continued to increase.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today said, “We are pleased to see the good progress Hong Kong has achieved in the GII. Expediting the development of innovation and technology (I&T) has been a policy priority of this Government. Following the directions set out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the HKSAR (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan), the Government is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. Among other things, Hong Kong will enhance the institutional framework for I&T development, expedite the alignment with key national strategies in technology, and develop the new ‘three major I&T parks and five key R&D institutions’ paradigm. In particular, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the San Tin Technopole will form a co-ordinated development at the upstream, midstream and downstream levels, jointly creating a comprehensive industrial ecosystem covering R&D, commercialisation, pilot and mass production. Hong Kong will also advance new industrialisation having regard to local circumstances, with a view to establishing a framework with Hong Kong characteristics for the development of a new industrialisation system, as well as take forward the AI+ Initiative on all fronts, enhance the layout of computing infrastructure, support small and medium-sized enterprises in accelerating their adoption of AI, and empower different sectors of the economy through AI technology. Meanwhile, Hong Kong will leverage the advantage of being closely connected to the Mainland and the world to develop an international hub for science and technology co-operation, as well as deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), thereby attracting global I&T resources and talent. The HKSAR Government will strive to realise the vision in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan that Hong Kong will basically have established an international I&T centre based in the GBA, serving the entire country and being connected to the world, after 2030.”

The GII is a ranking on the innovation capabilities and achievements of economies around the world. Its evaluation criteria cover multiple aspects, including institutions, human capital and research infrastructure, credit, investment, collaboration, knowledge creation, absorption and diffusion, and creative outputs.

The GII consists of two sub-indices: “Innovation Input” and “Innovation Output”. There are five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index, namely “Institutions”, “Human Capital and Research”, “Infrastructure”, “Market Sophistication”, and “Business Sophistication”; and two pillars under the “Innovation Output” sub-index, namely “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” and “Creative Outputs”. Each of the above pillars is further broken down into three sub-pillars.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2026 will be gazetted on October 2 to relax the criteria for stamp duty relief for intra-group asset transfers of enterprise groups, as proposed in the 2026-27 Budget.

According to the Stamp Duty Ordinance, stamp duty relief is provided for the transfer of immovable property or Hong Kong stock between associated bodies corporate. Currently, if one of two bodies corporate owns 90 per cent or above of the issued share capital of another, or a third body corporate owns 90 per cent or above of the issued share capital of each of them, relevant bodies corporate would be regarded as associated. The Bill will relax the criteria in determining whether two bodies corporate are associated, taking into account other direct or indirect beneficial interests or voting rights in addition to issued share capital, and lowering the ownership threshold to 75 per cent.

A Government spokesperson said, “Since some new enterprises, such as limited liability partnerships and companies limited by guarantee, etc, do not issue shares, other enterprises may exercise ownership in these enterprises through direct or indirect beneficial interests such as equity interests or participation interests. The Bill relaxes the definition of associated bodies corporate, enabling these new enterprises to also benefit from the stamp duty relief for intra-group asset transfers.

“Business expansion and restructuring frequently involve the transfer of assets within a business group. The Bill enables more enterprises to benefit from the relevant stamp duty relief, which will further enhance the business environment, thereby increasing the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s tax regime.”

The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first reading and the commencement of the second reading debate on October 14. Subject to passage by the Legislative Council, it will apply to the instruments executed on or after February 25 this year.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has noted recent social media posts concerning pest and rodent problems at various food premises and private premises. It is highly concerned about the situation and has initiated investigations and follow-up actions according to the nature of individual cases. The FEHD stressed that the presence of rodent infestation at licensed food premises is an offence. It will take the matter seriously and take enforcement action.

Regarding the rodent infestation incident at a supermarket in Luk Yeung Galleria, the FEHD has deployed staff to conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the food room was found to be in an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness. Prosecution has been instituted against the person responsible under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), and a Notice of Elimination of Vermin has also been issued to the person responsible for the premises, requiring the necessary improvement measures to be taken.   

As for the incident involving suspected foreign object found in takeaway food from a food premises in Tsing Yi, the department has arranged an inspection and has also attempted to contact the complainant, and to understand the process of food preparation, packaging and delivery. The department will objectively investigate the circumstances of the incident and follow up in accordance with the law.

In addition, regarding a rodent infestation complaint concerning a fitness centre in Festival Walk, the FEHD deployed staff on the same day to inspect the centre concerned and the shopping mall. Although no signs of rodents were found inside the shop, potential pest and rodent infestation risks were identified in the shopping mall. A Notice of Elimination of Vermin was issued to the shopping mall’s property management company, requiring it to take improvement measures. The FEHD also provided the persons responsible with advice on rodent prevention and eradication.

The FEHD adopts a risk-based inspection and enforcement strategy. It has also recently taken the initiative to conduct blitz inspections targeting major supermarket chains. Food business operators have a responsibility to ensure food safety and the hygiene of their premises, and to continuously implement effective measures to prevent pest and rodent infestation and food contamination. Government inspections and enforcement cannot replace operators’ responsibility for day-to-day hygiene management.

Rodent control requires corresponding measures to be taken according to the management responsibility for different types of premises. The FEHD is mainly responsible for rodent prevention and eradication in public places within its areas of responsibility. Other government departments are responsible for rodent prevention and eradication at the premises they manage. The FEHD will provide professional technical support and collaborate with the relevant departments as necessary. As for private premises, including shopping malls, fitness centres and residential premises, day-to-day environmental hygiene and rodent-control work is primarily the responsibility of owners, persons responsible for the premises and property management companies. The FEHD will provide professional advice in response to complaints and specific risk situations, and will take action in accordance with the law where necessary.

To encourage private premises to participate proactively in rodent control, the FEHD has extended the Anti-Rodent Charter to shopping malls, encouraging owners, operators and property management companies to conduct regular inspections, manage the environment properly and carry out rodent-prevention work. According to figures released earlier by the department, as of September this year, about 130 shopping mall organisations and groups had joined the initiative, covering about 8 200 shops. The FEHD will also provide technical support to help participating organisations continuously improve their rodent prevention work.

Rodent control relies on the joint participation of the Government, the trade, property management companies and members of the public. All parties must address the three basic elements of rodent survival – food, harbourage and access routes – by cutting off food sources, eliminating hiding places and blocking access routes. By reducing the risk of rodent infestations at source, we can work together to safeguard environmental hygiene.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In response to media enquiries regarding the Department of Health’s (DH) plan to revise the Codes of Practice (CoPs) for licensed private healthcare facilities (PHFs) to update regulatory requirements on the use of injectable and infusible products in PHFs, the DH today (September 29) responded as follows:
 
In 2013, the Government accepted the recommendations of the Working Group on Differentiation between Medical Procedures and Beauty Services under the Steering Committee on Review of Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities that procedures involving injections should be regarded as medical procedures and only be performed by registered medical practitioners or registered dentists. Products intended for human parenteral injection are high-risk products. Unless they fall within other regulatory categories (e.g. medical devices or proprietary Chinese medicines), they are generally classified as pharmaceutical products under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) and must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold or distributed in Hong Kong. The “Guidance Notes for Definitions and Abbreviations for Medical Device Administrative Control System (GN-00) ” published by the DH also explicitly stipulates injectable dermal fillers are classified as medical devices.
 
All registered pharmaceutical products carry a Hong Kong registration number in the format of “HK-XXXXX” on their packages. Members of the public can use the “Search Drug Database” function on the website of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong to check information on individual registered pharmaceutical products by entering the product name or ingredient; all listed medical devices carry a listing number in the format of “HKMD XXXXXX”. Members of the public may refer to the “List of Medical Devices” at the Medical Device Division’s website for detailed information.
 
The DH regulates premises where registered medical practitioners and registered dentists practise under the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance (Cap. 633) (the Ordinance). The Government set up the Advisory Committee for Regulatory Standards for Private Healthcare Facilities (Advisory Committee) under the Ordinance. It comprises members from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Hospital Authority, the academia, and representatives from private hospitals, registered medical practitioners’ as well as dentists’ associations. The terms of reference of the Advisory Committee are to devise, review and update the standards of regulation for PHFs and make recommendations on the CoPs issued by the Director of Health from time to time.
 
Since injectable and infusible products intended for human are high-risk products, the Advisory Committee has endorsed updated regulatory requirements and required that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed PHFs must fall within one of the following categories:

i) Pharmaceutical products registered or exempted from registration under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A);
ii) Human organ or human tissue products in compliance with the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance (Cap. 465); or
iii) Medical devices listed under the Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS).
 
In light of the Advisory Committee’s decision, the DH will also revise the CoPs for licensed PHFs accordingly. The DH intends to publish the revised CoPs in the Gazette in the fourth quarter of 2026. The revised CoPs, except for the sections on medical devices, will take effect one month after publication in the Gazette. To allow licensed PHFs sufficient time to identify compliant alternative products, the requirement for using injectable and infusible medical devices listed under MDACS will take effect on March 1, 2027.
 
Regarding the aforesaid requirement on injectable and infusible products, the DH issued a letter on September 9, 2026, to notify licensees of PHFs, licence applicants and the medical device industry. This letter, as well as frequently asked questions, have also been uploaded to the DH’s website for reference.
 
The Ordinance stipulates that operators of PHFs must obtain a licence or a letter of exemption before they can operate the relevant PHFs. The regulatory regimes for private hospitals and day procedure centres have been fully implemented, while the Government has started accepting applications for clinic licences and requests for letters of exemption for small practice clinics since October 2025. Any premises (including premises claiming to provide beauty services) that provide medical services/carry out medical procedures must obtain a relevant licence or letter of exemption under the Ordinance according to the nature of the medical services/procedures. The Government expects that, as early as the end of December 2027, any premises (including premises claiming to provide beauty services) that provide medical services or carry out medical procedures will be required to hold a relevant licence or letter of exemption under the Ordinance according to the nature of the services or procedures. As of yesterday (September 28), the DH has issued a total of over 3 400 clinic licences or letters of exemption for small practice clinics.

Compliance with the CoP is a condition for the issuance and renewal of licences. The DH inspects licensed PHFs from time to time and will take regulatory action if any licensed PHF is found to be in violation of the CoPs.

From time to time, the DH receives notifications of cases in which members of the public have developed complications following injection procedures, such as a probable case of botulism after a botulinum toxin injection announced on September 21 this year.

The DH has consistently reminded the public through various channels that injection procedures are medical procedures which should only be performed by locally registered medical practitioners or registered dentists. Members of the public should first ascertain the full name of the medical practitioner/dentist and check the List of Registered Medical Practitioners maintained by the Medical Council of Hong Kong or the List of Registered Dentists maintained by the Dental Council of Hong Kong. The professional qualifications and relevant credentials of the medical practitioner/dentist should also be verified. Before receiving an injection, members of the public should first understand the details of the procedure, potential risks and possible complications to make an informed decision. They should refuse injections from unknown sources, as their quality and efficacy are not assured.
 
Any person who is not a registered medical practitioner or registered dentist shall not perform medical procedures; otherwise the person may be charged for violating the Medical Registration Ordinance (Cap. 161) and the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap. 156). 
 
The illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for each offence upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment. If a person is suspected of illegally providing unregistered pharmaceutical products, the DH will conduct investigations and take enforcement actions. If medical professionals are involved, the DH will refer the case to relevant professional regulatory bodies for follow-up actions.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health (DH) has planned to revise the Codes of Practice (CoPs) to require that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed private healthcare facilities (PHFs) must fall within three categories.

In response to media enquiries today, the department reminded the public that injection procedures should only be administered by registered medical practitioners or registered dentists.

It stated that since injectable and infusible products intended for human use are high-risk products, the Advisory Committee for Regulatory Standards for Private Healthcare Facilities has endorsed updated regulatory requirements and required that all injectable and infusible products used in licensed PHFs must fall within three categories.

These include Pharmaceutical products registered or exempted from registration under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations, Human organ or human tissue products in compliance with the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, or Medical devices listed under the Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS).

In light of the Advisory Committee’s decision, the DH will revise the CoPs for licensed PHFs accordingly and plans to publish them in the Gazette in the fourth quarter this year.

The revised CoPs, except for the sections on medical devices, will take effect one month after publication in the Gazette.

To allow licensed PHFs sufficient time to identify compliant alternative products, the relevant requirement for using injectable and infusible medical devices listed under MDACS will take effect on March 1, 2027.

The department issued a letter on September 9 to notify licensees of PHFs, licence applicants and the medical device industry of the aforesaid requirement. The letter, as well as frequently asked questions, can be viewed online.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced that a resident who has completed a sentence in the Philippines has returned to Hong Kong safely accompanied by officers from the Immigration Department (ImmD).

He reunited with his family at the Hong Kong airport upon arrival in the city and expressed gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for their years of assistance, which enabled his prompt return to the city to reunite with his family after being released.

His family was delighted with the reunion and thanked the Hong Kong SAR Government and the ImmD for maintaining close contact with them and for providing proactive responses to their assistance requests.

The Government stated that it has always attached great importance to cases involving Hong Kong residents detained or imprisoned overseas, safeguarding their legal rights and remaining committed to providing assistance to them.

Upon the ImmD’s receipt of the request-for-assistance from the resident’s family in 2003, the Hong Kong SAR Government maintained close contact with the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR (OCMFA) and the Embassy, making every effort to provide practicable assistance to the resident and his family.

The Embassy also attached great importance to the case, having arranged officials to pay visits to the detained Hong Kong resident during his sentence and actively approached the local judicial authorities to follow up on the situation.

Upon learning that the resident had completed his sentence in the Philippines, the ImmD and the Embassy actively liaised with relevant Filipino authorities to follow up and immediately issued him with travel documents to expedite the overall repatriation procedure.

The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD also sent officers to the Philippines to co-ordinate the relevant repatriation arrangements with the Embassy and the Filipino authorities.

The Hong Kong SAR Government expressed gratitude to the OCMFA and the Embassy for their support and assistance in facilitating the prompt return of the resident following his release, which resulted in a prompt and smooth repatriation arrangement.

The ImmD will continue to follow up on the case and provide practicable assistance to the resident.