MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (September 30) vehemently objected to the groundless remarks about Hong Kong in the Trafficking in Persons Report 2025 (Report) of the Department of State of the United States.
 
A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, “We vehemently oppose and resolutely refute the categorically false and baseless remarks in the Report on Hong Kong’s efforts to tackle trafficking in persons (TIP). TIP has never been a prevalent problem in Hong Kong, and there has never been any sign that Hong Kong is being actively used by syndicates as a destination or transit point for TIP. The rating of Hong Kong at Tier 2 (Watch List) is utterly unfair, without basis in fact, and a blatant attempt to smear Hong Kong’s reputation.”
 
The spokesman stressed, “The HKSAR Government has all along adopted a proactive, multi-pronged strategy in the fight against TIP. Substantial resources have been injected into combatting TIP and enhancing protection for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) in Hong Kong.
 
      “In 2024, the HKSAR Government continued to spare no effort in conducting initial screenings for all persons vulnerable to TIP risks, including illegal immigrants, sex workers, illegal workers, FDHs, imported workers and other suspected victims, who had come to the attention of the departments concerned. The HKSAR Government conducted around 11 300 initial screenings in 2024 (a 3% increase compared with the year prior) and identified eight TIP victims. Seven of these victims were Hong Kong residents involved in employment fraud in Southeast Asian countries. Our swift actions in returning the residents to Hong Kong, identifying them as TIP victims, rigourously investigating the cases and prosecuting those implicated underscore our commitment to tackling the scourge of TIP. It is totally baseless for the Report to cast doubt on our determination in combatting TIP and the quality of our screenings simply because of the low number of victims identified. As a responsible member of the international community, we remain steadfast in our fight against TIP.”
 
Protecting Foreign Domestic Helpers
 
The HKSAR Government recognises the significant contribution of FDHs to our society, and attaches great importance to protecting the interests of some 375 000 FDHs in Hong Kong. The Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) (EO) provides comprehensive protection for the employment rights and benefits of FDHs, which are on par with those afforded to local workers. In addition to legal safeguards, FDHs are entitled to additional benefits that are usually not available to local workers through a Government-stipulated Standard Employment Contract. These include free accommodation, free food (or food allowance in lieu), free medical treatment and free passage to/from their home countries.
 
Under the EO, an employment agency (EA) is only allowed to charge job seekers, including FDHs, a commission of not more than 10 per cent of their first month’s salary upon successful placement. Any EA contravening labour laws is liable to prosecution and licence revocation upon conviction. The Labour Department (LD) has also promulgated a Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (CoP) to stipulate additional standards for EAs beyond legal requirements, including prohibiting EAs from involving in the financial affairs of FDHs. Non-compliance with the CoP may result in non-renewal of an EA’s licence or its revocation.
 
The dedicated Foreign Domestic Helpers Division of the LD provides comprehensive support to FDHs, which include a one-stop portal available in 13 languages and a dedicated 24-hour hotline for FDHs, a wide range of publications on the rights and benefits of FDHs, advice on employment matters and assistance in seeking help from relevant authorities. The LD also co-operates with local Consulates General and the local community to enhance FDHs’ awareness of their rights, and joins hands with the Police to advise FDHs against engaging in money laundering or other illicit activities.
 
 The Immigration Department (ImmD)’s FDH Special Investigation Section also continues to scrutinise FDH visa applications to proactively identify potential TIP victims and cases of exploited FDHs. Where appropriate, the ImmD will render assistance to those FDHs who have been abused or exploited. To facilitate an FDH established to be a victim of a criminal case to stay in Hong Kong to assist in investigation or act as a witness in legal proceedings, ImmD will waive the fee for his/her extension of stay. Also, the ImmD takes into account records of past abuse and exploitation in considering future applications for employing FDHs from employers. If there is indeed evidence of such abuse or exploitation, the concerned employer’s future applications will normally not be approved.
 
To increase FDHs’ awareness to prevent them from falling victim to exploitation, ImmD has produced a briefing video designed specifically for FDHs who arrived in Hong Kong recently. The video, which is available in English, Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia, educates viewers on the signs of exploitation and encourage them to contact the authorities when in need. In collaboration with the relevant Consulates General, the briefing video has been integrated into regular welcoming sessions hosted by the respective CGs for newly-arrived FDHs and other form of awareness raising programmes. Thousands of FDHs have benefitted from this initiative so far.
 
The spokesman said, “The ‘two-week rule’, under which an FDH shall leave Hong Kong upon completion of employment contract or within two weeks from the date of early contract termination, whichever is the earlier, aims to allow sufficient time for FDHs to prepare for their departure. Also, the rule allows sufficient flexibility to cater for exceptional circumstances and does not preclude FDHs from working in Hong Kong again after returning to their places of origin. Exploitation of FDHs is never tolerated in Hong Kong. Any FDHs who have been abused or exploited could apply for change of their employers in Hong Kong without first returning to their places of origin. FDHs abused or exploited should not feel inhibited from lodging complaints against their employers.”
 
“The ‘live-in requirement’ underpins the long-established government policy of ensuring employment priority for the local workforce. As in many other jurisdictions, importation of workers in Hong Kong is allowed only when there is proven manpower shortage in specific trades that cannot be met by local workers. In accordance with this policy objective, live-in FDHs have been imported since the 1970s to address the shortage of local live-in domestic helpers. The legality of the “live-in requirement” was upheld by the Court of Appeal in a ruling handed down in 2020 in an appeal of a judicial review.”
 
Comprehensive Legal Framework, Robust Enforcement and Training
 
On the unsubstantiated remarks in the Report about the lack of composite trafficking legislation in Hong Kong, the spokesman said, “The HKSAR Government’s current legislative framework, which comprises over 50 legal provisions against various TIP conducts, provides a comprehensive package of safeguards comparable to composite TIP laws found in other jurisdictions. Every jurisdiction should have its latitude to determine the best legal framework to tackle the issue and there is simply no one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, our legal framework has served Hong Kong well. The Court of Final Appeal has also affirmed in various rulings that the HKSAR Government had no positive obligation to enact and maintain a criminal offence specifically criminalising the relevant activities prohibited under Article 4 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights (BOR 4), and that it would have a wide margin of discretion in the manner of compliance with its obligations under BOR 4. There is no indication to suggest that the effectiveness of our anti-TIP efforts has in any way been undermined without composite trafficking legislation.”
 
Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Hong Kong have all along remained vigilant in investigation and enforcement. The Police continued to commit significant efforts to combating vice activities including prostitution in 2024. A total of 102 anti-vice operations were mounted, an increase of 46% compared with 2023. A total of 254 persons were arrested for the offence of keeping a vice establishment or prostitution-related crimes under the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200). In connection with job scam cases where victims were lured to Southeast Asian countries and detained to engage in illegal work, two persons who had been arrested in 2022 were convicted of conspiracy to defraud in November 2024 and were sentenced to 56 months’ and 36 months’ imprisonment respectively.
 
As regards the protection of FDHs, the Police arrested 41 FDH employers in relation to physical or sexual abuse in 2024. Separately, 71 FDH employers were prosecuted for aiding and abetting their FDHs in breaching the latter’s conditions of stay, with 38 employers convicted. In parallel, the LD continued to take robust enforcement actions against any EA that contravenes the EO, the Employment Agency Regulations (Cap. 57A) or the CoP. In 2024, the LD conducted over 1 600 regular and surprise inspections to EAs providing placement services for FDHs. In the same year, six EAs providing placement services for FDHs were convicted for unlicensed operation or attempting to overcharge FDHs, while three EAs had their licences revoked or refused renewal for contravening the EO or failing to comply with the CoP.
 
Educating frontline officers of our LEAs and the LD on TIP, including detection, investigation, prosecution and victim assistance continued to be a top priority. In 2024, around 2 000 officers from various government bureaux and departments attended TIP-related training, marking an 8% increase over that in 2023. The Government also pursued a new initiative in 2024 to deliver sharing sessions on combatting TIP for frontline staff working at the airport to enhance their awareness of TIP. Hundreds of frontline staff members have benefitted from the training thus far.
 
Safeguarding National Security
 
The spokesman added, “The legal framework in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is fully in compliance with the international standard for the protection of human rights. The Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication, and the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applicable to the HKSAR are protected in accordance with the law. Legislation that safeguards national security only targets a very small number of organisations and individuals that endanger national security.”
 
The HKSAR Government has been steadfastly combating TIP in an all-out and highly proactive manner. A high-level steering committee, established in March 2018, provides policy steer on actions against TIP and protection of FDHs. An Action Plan to Tackle TIP and to Enhance Protection of FDHs in Hong Kong has been promulgated by the steering committee, with multi-faceted, comprehensive, strategic and targeted measures all firmly put in place by the end of 2019 to cover victim identification, investigation, enforcement, prosecution, victim protection and support, prevention, and partnership with different stakeholders. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) is supporting and presenting two Hong Kong film productions at the 21st Zurich Film Festival being held from September 25 to October 5 (Zurich time).

Speaking before the movie screening of “Sons of the Neon Night” on September 26, the Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Indiana Wong, highlighted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s commitment to promoting Hong Kong movies on the global stage.

“Hong Kong’s openness and diversity inspires our filmmakers to craft extraordinary stories, offering fresh and distinctive perspectives to the world. Through the support of the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund, we are dedicated to increasing the overseas exposure of Hong Kong movies,” said Mr Indiana Wong.

Alongside “Sons of the Neon Night”, Hong Kong’s animation work “Another World” is also to be showcased at the festival, providing audiences with a glimpse on the diversity of Hong Kong movies. Following the screening, HKETO Berlin hosted a reception, welcoming guests from the cultural, business, and media sectors.

About HKETO Berlin

HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (September 29) chaired the third meeting of the fourth-term Human Resources Planning Commission.
 
     The Development Bureau (DEVB) briefed members at the meeting on measures to address the manpower needs of the construction industry. It reported that the Government would continue to implement government projects related to economic development and people’s livelihood. The original estimate for the Government’s average annual capital works expenditure in the coming five years was about $120 billion. To support the local construction industry, the Government will earmark an additional $30 billion in the next two to three years to increase the expenditure on works projects to continue to drive economic development. With the recovery of the economy, the volume of private sector works projects is expected to rebound, and the demand for construction personnel will remain high. The DEVB has been adopting a multi-pronged approach, including enhancing local training and attracting new blood, driving technology adoption to raise the productivity of the local work force, with a view to addressing the ageing problem of the construction industry and manpower shortages for individual trades, while deploying non-local manpower resources as a supplementary measure. In support of the Government’s array of measures to address manpower demand and promote development of the construction industry, members offered advice on the related work.
 
     At the meeting, the Transport and Logistics Bureau also briefed members on the latest manpower planning and development plan for the maritime and aviation sectors, including the strategies and actions on manpower development as set out in the Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy and the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering promulgated in December 2023 and November 2024 respectively. Members were also briefed about the background and recent findings of the comprehensive review of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund (MATF), and noted the major recommendations and the corresponding enhancement measures. In particular, the Maritime Services Traineeship Scheme (Legal) launched in September 2023 and two new schemes (i.e. the Maritime Services Trainee Scheme (Marine Insurance) and the Train-the-Trainers Scheme to be launched in November and December 2025 respectively) under the MATF aimed at nurturing home-grown high value-added maritime services practitioners and enhancing the industry’s training capacity. On the aviation industry, members were briefed on the latest initiatives implemented by the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy and the implementation progress of the Labour Importation Scheme for the Transport Sector – Aviation Industry. Members were pleased to note the effectiveness of the above measures, and expressed support for the Government’s continued efforts in manpower development of the industries with a view to consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub and an international shipping centre.
 
     Members were also briefed by the Census and Statistics Department on the latest situation and characteristics of Hong Kong’s population and labour force. In the face of an ageing population, the current-term Government has introduced various measures to encourage childbirth as well as policies to attract talents in order to cope with the challenges brought by manpower shortage and provide impetus for future population growth. Meanwhile, the improvement in the educational attainment and productivity of the labour force also helps drive the sustained development of Hong Kong’s economy. Members welcomed the various measures which aimed at enhancing Hong Kong’s future workforce, in the hope that such measures would be conducive to the long-term sustainable development across industries in Hong Kong. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (September 29) announced a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection. The CHP urged schools and parents to arrange for schoolchildren to receive free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV), as vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications. It also reduces the risk of serious illness or death from infection.

The case involves a 13-year-old girl with good past health. On September 27, she developed a fever, a cough and vomiting. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tuen Mun Hospital yesterday (September 28). Her nasopharyngeal swab specimen tested positive for the influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A (H3) infection complicated with encephalopathy and shock. She remains hospitalised in the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital and is in serious condition.

She had not received the 2024/25 SIV. Her household contacts are currently asymptomatic. No influenza outbreaks have been reported at her school recently.

     “Hong Kong is currently in the summer influenza season and there has been a significant increase in influenza-like illness  outbreaks in schools since September. As of September 28, 207 outbreaks have been reported in schools since the start of the school year in September, including 21 cases in kindergartens/child care centres, 112 cases in primary schools and 74 cases in secondary schools. Eight severe paediatric influenza cases involving children aged 3 to 17 have been recorded since the start of the school year. Six of them had good past health,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

The 2025/26 SIV Programmes have commenced, offering free or subsidised SIV to eligible high-risk groups through various vaccination programmes. This year, all schools may choose to use the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV nasal vaccines) and “hybrid mode”, i.e. schools are allowed to choose both injectable inactivated influenza vaccines and LAIV for the same or different outreach vaccination activities.

     “Currently around 2 300 schools (99 per cent) are going to arrange the SIV school outreach activities, with about 1 300 schools (58 per cent) scheduled to conduct outreach activities by the end of October. The earliest school SIV outreach activity took place today. For schools that will not arrange SIV outreach activities, the school list will be uploaded onto the CHP’s website to enable parents of the students in those schools to arrange SIV for their children. I urge all schools to arrange outreach activities as soon as possible. Parents should not hesitate. As the saying goes, ‘get vaccinated once a year and sooner is better than later’. Parents should arrange for their children to receive SIV as soon as possible to effectively prevent influenza and reduce the risk of serious illness or death from infection,” Dr Tsui said.
 
The Government has opened all 29 of the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for all children aged 6 months to under 2 years. Moreover, the 25 District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service outlets under the Primary Healthcare Commission, and 74 general outpatient clinics and 38 public hospitals of the Hospital Authority to provide more choices for the public. For a list of vaccination venues, please refer to the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes page. Parents of eligible children may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.

Dr Tsui reminded high-risk individuals to wear surgical masks when staying in crowded places. People with respiratory symptoms, even if mild, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly. They should also consider whether to attend work or school.
 
For the latest information on seasonal influenza, members of the public can visit the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages. 

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Led by Financial Secretary Paul Chan, the Working Group on Devising Development & Operation Models under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis held its first meeting this afternoon.

This followed the meeting of the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis chaired by the Chief Executive in the morning.

The meeting reaffirmed the working group’s main objectives, which include: formulating development and operation models for designated development areas in the Northern Metropolis, tailored to their nature and scale; considering appropriate land disposal approaches for industry land and major development projects in the Northern Metropolis; and devising financing arrangements for industry parks and major development projects.

The afternoon meeting also considered the tendering approach for the large-scale disposal site at the Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area, the policy on setting up industry park companies for industry land in the area, and the progress of rolling out parcels of the remaining land in Phase 1 of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

Mr Chan said at the working group meeting that the Northern Metropolis is a key driver of Hong Kong’s innovation, technology and industrial development, and an important base for deepening co-operation with sister cities in the Greater Bay Area.

To expedite the Northern Metropolis’ development, it was necessary to formulate appropriate development models, operation mechanisms and financing arrangements for the various development areas and projects, in tandem with the new phase of diversified industrial development, the finance chief pointed out.

Furthermore, he said the working group will adopt an open-minded, flexible and innovative approach in considering the development strategies that best suit the characteristics of various sites in development areas and industry parks of the Northern Metropolis.

It will endeavour to remove unnecessary barriers, ease restrictions and allocate resources effectively.

It will also seek to leverage market capital and attract investments and enterprises through a multitude of strategies, with a view to accelerating industry establishment and speeding up the development of the Northern Metropolis, Mr Chan added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​Hong Kong Customs on September 27 seized about 2 kilograms of suspected scheduled rhino horns, with an estimated market value of about $0.8 million, at Hong Kong International Airport.
 
Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected an air postal packet declared to contain “ceramic gifts” imported from France. Upon inspection, the suspected scheduled endangered rhino horns were found mingled with ceramic products inside the carton.
 
After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 39-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case.
 
The arrested man will be charged with the illegal import of an Appendix I species. He will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 30).
 
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
 
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).