MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Education Bureau (EDB) welcomed the announcement by the Ministry of Education that the number of Mainland higher education institutions participating in the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions (Admission Scheme) will increase to 165 (listed in the Annex) for the 2026/27 academic year. The institutions are located in 21 provinces/municipalities and two autonomous regions of the Mainland, and they will accept applications from candidates sitting the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination in 2026.

A spokesman for the EDB said today (November 10), “The Mainland higher education institutions participating in the Admission Scheme admit Hong Kong students based on their HKDSE Examination results, hence exempting them from taking the Joint Entrance Examination for Mainland Institutions. The number of participating institutions for the 2026/27 academic year has increased significantly by 20 compared to last year, with institutions from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region joining for the first time. The 165 participating higher education institutions offer various programmes. We encourage Hong Kong students to pursue further studies on the Mainland through the Admission Scheme and seize the opportunity to learn about the country’s latest social, economic and cultural landscape, and plan ahead for their future development. The EDB will continue discussions with the Mainland with a view to inviting more renowned Mainland institutions to participate in the Admission Scheme, and providing students with multiple study pathways and opportunities to connect with the country’s development.

“As in previous years, there is the School Principal Nomination Scheme under the Admission Scheme, and each secondary school can nominate up to eight students. The minimum entrance requirement adopted by the participating Mainland institutions is ‘Attained’ in the Citizenship and Social Development subject and a total score of 8 or above in the three core subjects (i.e. Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics) in the HKDSE Examination, and among them none is below 2.”

Students interested in participating in the Admission Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year can log on to the designated website to apply online from December 1 to 31, 2025, and subsequently review and confirm application verification results before January 10, 2026. As for cases in which students provided supplementary information as per the system’s request, they can log on and review verification results before January 23, 2026. Those who have passed the application verification should pay the application fee (HK$460) by January 31, 2026, after which Mainland institutions participating in the Admission Scheme may arrange interviews based on the application information submitted by students. Institutions will announce admission results in late July 2026 and arrange for supplementary enrolment according to the enrolment situation.

Details of the Admission Scheme are available on the EDB’s website (www.edb.gov.hk/admissionscheme). Students, teachers and parents can also participate in the Mainland Higher Education Expo 2026/27 jointly organised by the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs and the Department of College Students Affairs of the Ministry of Education, and the EDB on November 29 and 30 (Saturday and Sunday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Details will be announced in due course.

In addition, eligible Hong Kong students enrolled in undergraduate programmes of designated Mainland institutions can apply for a means-tested subsidy or a non-means-tested subsidy under the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS). MUSSS is not subject to any quota. The subsidy is granted on a yearly basis, and the subsidised period is the normal duration of the undergraduate programme pursued by the student concerned in a designated Mainland institution. Eligible applicants may only receive either a means-tested subsidy or a non-means-tested subsidy in the same academic year.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 10) that in view of notifications from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (UK) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in the UK and Sweden respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

The relevant areas are as follows:

UK
—-
Northern Ireland
(1) Pomeroy Townland Area
(2) Lisnaskea Townland Area

Lincolnshire County
(3) South Holland District
(4) Boston District

East Sussex County
(5) Wealden District

Sweden
—-
(6) Municipality of Ängelholm

A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 770 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.17 million poultry eggs from the UK, and about 20 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden in the first nine months of this year.

“The CFS has contacted the British and Swedish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council Regional Regulatory Forum 2025 today (November 10):

(Vice Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Ms Guo Tingting), (Secretary-General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Wang Songmiao), David (Chairman of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council (AFRC), Dr David Sun), Janey (Chief Executive Officer of the AFRC, Ms Janey Lai), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. I am delighted to join the AFRC Regional Regulatory Forum. This second edition has brought together some 400 participants – regulators, industry leaders and academics – from across nine economies. To those who have travelled from abroad, a very warm welcome to Hong Kong. We treasure your participation, and look forward to meaningful exchanges of perspectives and regulatory collaboration.

The theme of the forum today, “Accounting for the Future”, carries a clever dual meaning: What lies ahead for the accounting profession? And how must the profession evolve to truly account for the future?

We are living through a time of profound transformation in which the accounting profession is being reshaped. Technological advancement, especially artificial intelligence (AI), transforms the work and value of accountants. Meanwhile, the growing global focus on sustainability is expanding the remit of audit and assurance. How can we embrace AI and ensure the integrity of AI-assisted processes? And how can we ensure the relevance and credibility of sustainability reporting?

Hong Kong’s path

As an international financial and business centre, Hong Kong must be at the forefront of these developments. And a world-class financial hub must be built on the highest standards of professional integrity too. These are vital for capital to flow with confidence, for markets to function effectively, and for economic activity to flourish.

For Hong Kong, there is an additional dimension amid today’s evolving geoeconomic landscape. That is our role to connect China with the world and to serve as a two-way platform for capital and businesses. The recent Fourth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee laid out China’s development roadmap under the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, reaffirming the country’s commitment to high-level, two-way opening up. In essence, China is welcoming more investments and foreign businesses into the country, and at the same time, encouraging Mainland enterprises to go global to reconfigure their supply chain and industry chain, as well as deepen international industrial collaboration.

Many of these Mainland enterprises are choosing to “go global” through Hong Kong. They are leveraging our full suite of financial and professional services, from trade finance, supply chain and treasury management, to cross-border tax advisory and ESG (environmental, social and governance) consulting. This growing momentum is reflected in our capital markets. Hong Kong currently leads the world in IPO (initial public offering) fund raising, and there are over 300 companies in the pipeline waiting to be listed on our Stock Exchange.

In this context, Hong Kong is not just a “super connector” but also a “super value-adder”. We play a vital bridging role, helping Mainland enterprises connect with international markets and converge Mainland standards with the global ones. Our professional services sector will help them navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments, and communicate with global investors and other stakeholders, for example in the areas of financial reporting, corporate governance and sustainability.

Ladies and gentlemen, all these developments are placing higher expectations on our accounting and auditing professionals – demanding an unwavering commitment to the highest standards, uncompromising professional integrity, a heightened sense of social responsibility, and greater versatility in skills and expertise.

I’m pleased to note that our industry and regulator are working together to advance the development of the profession. In Hong Kong, regulators are enablers of progress and innovation. As David eloquently illustrated with the “chopsticks principle”, the AFRC has a dual mandate of prudent regulation and market development facilitation.

Allow me to supplement two points. First, the philosophy of promoting regulation and development side by side is a core and unique strength of our regulation. Regulators are required to maintain close engagement with stakeholders, and address their challenges and pain points while staying alert to emerging growth opportunities.

Second, about policy co-ordination. As you know, we do not adopt a single super-regulator approach. Each sector has its own regulator, for example, the HKMA (Hong Kong Monetary Authority) for the banks and the SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) for the securities brokers. But we have established a co-ordination mechanism that regularly brings regulators together to share market insights and intelligence, and to address cross-sectoral issues or emerging issues that may not readily fall onto the shoulder of a particular regulator. This mechanism ensures that our regulatory frameworks remain agile, forward-looking and responsive to market situations, and facilitate market innovation.

On the global stage, when it comes to regulation, Hong Kong has always been at the forefront of international best practices. But we do more than just that – we also contribute. We take part in various international committees and contribute our perspectives and experiences in standard setting, education and capacity building. For example, in the area of sustainability reporting, the CEO of the SFC co-chairs the IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions) Sustainable Finance Task Force’s Workstream on Corporate Reporting, which plays a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board) disclosure standards.

Embracing the future: sustainability, AI and talent

Looking ahead, the accounting profession in the region must rise to the challenges of today and tomorrow, and capture the opportunities arising. Three issues stand out: sustainability, technology and talent.

First, sustainability. While the US (United States) is rolling back its climate commitments, many others – including China – are moving full steam ahead. In Hong Kong, we remain firmly committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, by a multipronged strategy: net-zero electricity generation, green buildings, green transport and waste reduction.

And our accounting profession is making significant strides in advancing sustainability reporting. With the ISSB now setting a global baseline for corporate disclosure, Hong Kong is moving decisively in the same direction. In December last year, we launched Hong Kong’s Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure, setting a clear path for large publicly accountable entities to fully adopt the ISSB standards by 2028. In June, the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation) recognised us as one of the first jurisdictions with a clear and credible roadmap.

The AFRC’s upcoming public consultation on a local sustainability assurance framework marks another important step forward.

Second, technology, particularly AI. The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government embraces AI and is driving its advancement through a twin-engine strategy: developing AI as a core industry, and promoting “AI+”, i.e. AI as an enabler to upgrade and transform traditional sectors.

The transformative power of AI is formidable. It brings tremendous potential, but at the same time, its use must be matched with a strong sense of responsibility. That’s why we are  building strong governance frameworks for the responsible adoption of AI.

In financial services, we have issued a policy statement on the ethical use of AI. For the accounting profession in particular, the AFRC will assess the emerging opportunities and potential risks associated with the use of AI by audit firms. Guidance will be developed to enhance awareness and support AI deployment.

Finally, talent. While the accounting profession is evolving rapidly, one truth remains unchanged – and has become even more vital: its future success depends on people.

Like many jurisdictions around the world, Hong Kong faces a persistent shortage of accounting talent. To address this, the AFRC and HKICPA (Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants) are working closely with academic and professional institutions on a number of education and professional development initiatives. And as a stop-gap measure, we welcome talent from outside Hong Kong to join us. In March this year, we included accounting professionals in our Talent List to make it easier for qualified non-local accountants to come to work in Hong Kong.

Over the longer term, we will continue to invest in building a vibrant future for the accounting profession, providing practitioners with continuous upskilling to further enhance their strategic and advisory capabilities. This will help them better seize the opportunities on the horizon.

Fellow accountants and friends, just as crucial is work-life balance. Let’s also work to cultivate a culture that supports sustainable, fulfilling career paths, making the profession more attractive and rewarding for the next generation.

Concluding remarks

Ladies and gentlemen, in answering the questions for “Accounting for the Future”, perhaps I can borrow a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The future depends on what you do today.”

Hong Kong stands ready to work with you all today – to shape that future together.

I wish you a successful and inspiring Forum, and continued good health and business in the time ahead. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (November 10) that, owing to venue rearrangements, the open auctions for the 2026 Lunar New Year Fair stalls at Kwai Chung Sports Ground in Kwai Tsing and Yuen Wo Playground in Sha Tin, as well as the 2026 Che Kung Festival Fair stalls, originally scheduled to be held at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, on November 17 (Monday), 18 (Tuesday), and 19 (Wednesday), will now be held at the Lecture Hall, 1/F, Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. The auction session is scheduled from 10am until completion of the auction.

Auction arrangements for other Lunar New Year Fairs remain unchanged. Interested parties intending to bid for stalls at the Lunar New Year Fair at Kwai Chung Sports Ground, Yuen Wo Playground, and the Che Kung Festival Market are advised to take note of the above changes to the venue arrangements. For more information, please visit the FEHD website at www.fehd.gov.hk or call the FEHD hotline 2868 0000.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hongkong Post announced today (November 10) that a set of special stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of “Christmas Stamps V” will be released for sale on November 25 (Tuesday).

Christmas is a season filled with joy, warmth and blessings. As a city embracing both Chinese and Western cultures, Hong Kong showcases a lively festive ambience throughout Christmas. Following the release of Christmas stamps in 2002, 2007, 2014 and 2020, Hongkong Post once again is releasing a new set on this classic theme this year, which features the dazzling nightscape of Victoria Harbour as the backdrop, incorporating festive elements to demonstrate Hong Kong’s unique metropolitan Christmas atmosphere. In addition, the designer has included hidden surprises in the miniatures using invisible fluorescent ink, which are waiting to be revealed under ultraviolet light.

Official first day covers for “Christmas Stamps V” will be on sale at all post offices and Hongkong Post’s online shopping platform ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (November 11). This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all post offices and ShopThruPost from November 25, while serviced first day covers affixed with the special stamps and postage prepaid Christmas cards (air mail) will be available at philatelic offices only.

A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on November 25 at all post offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.

Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra (HKYSO) of the Music Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold its annual concert entitled “One Thousand and One Nights” at 3pm on December 7 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of the Tsuen Wan Town Hall.

The concert will be conducted by Music Office instructor Dr Joseph Kam. The orchestra will share the stage with guest cellist and Music Office alumnus Alex Lau in Antonín DvoÅ™ák’s masterpiece “Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104”. The repertoire will also include the outstanding orchestral work by BedÅ™ich Smetana, “The Bartered Bride” Overture, a piece full of joyful, playful, and lively folk spirit; and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade, Op. 35”, inspired by the classic folktale collection “One Thousand and One Nights” and about how a wise queen touches the heart of a brutal king with her captivating stories.

​     Established in 1978, the HKYSO is composed of members aged between 12 and 25. Over the years, it has nurtured many eminent local performers and music educators. The HKYSO has also played the role of a music ambassador for Hong Kong and has participated in concert tours to France, Israel, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Singapore and the Chinese Mainland.

​     Tickets priced at $80, $100 and $130 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2796 1003 or 3842 7784 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC) published a notice in the Gazette today (November 10) to declare that two registrations of ex-officio members of the Election Committee (EC) are valid.
 
In accordance with section 5J of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569), a person holding a specified office under Part 2A of the Schedule may register as an ex-officio member of the EC. If the specified person is not eligible to be registered as an ex-officio member, or is the holder of more than one specified office, he/she may designate another person who is holding an office in a relevant body in relation to the specified office to be registered as an ex-officio member.
 
The Registration and Electoral Office has received two registrations of ex-officio members. After review, the CERC has determined that the relevant registrations are valid. The subsectors and specified offices involved are listed below:
 

Subsector	Specified office
Education	The President of the Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Engineering	The Chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The proprietor of a food shop was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (ECO). The proprietor pleaded guilty and was fined $96,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today (November 10). 

A worker employed by the proprietor sustained an injury after she slipped by accident while working on September 10, 2024. The proprietor failed to pay periodical payments to the injured employee during her period of temporary incapacity on normal paydays or within seven days thereafter as required by the ECO, the amount of which should have been at the rate of four-fifths of the difference between the employee’s monthly earnings at the time of the accident and her monthly earnings during the period of temporary incapacity. Moreover, the proprietor also failed to secure an insurance policy for the employee.

“The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay periodical payments to employees who sustain injuries at work within the statutory time limit stipulated in the ECO. Employers are also required to take out insurance policies for all employees to cover their liabilities both under the ECO and common law for injuries at work,” an LD spokesman said.

“The LD will not tolerate these offences and will continue to make dedicated efforts in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Tseung Kwan O Hospital (TKOH) made the following announcement today (November 10):
 
     A 76-year-old male patient in a surgical ward of TKOH was confirmed to be infected with Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) on November 3. In accordance with prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has conducted contact tracing. Four more male patients (aged from 58 to 71) were found to be VRE carriers. All patients have no signs of infection and are in stable condition. Three of the patients are currently being treated in isolation in TKOH; the other two patients have already been discharged.
 
     The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the ward concerned:
 

1. isolation of VRE cases and application of stringent contact precautions;
2. enhanced environmental cleaning and disinfection; and
3. enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients.

 
     The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.