The Education Bureau (EDB) is organising the Hong Kong Secondary Student Space Station Popular Science Payload and Science Experiment Design Challenge, which encourages student teams to submit scientific experiment design proposals suitable for implementation under space conditions or microgravity. The kick-off ceremony and experiment proposal design briefing session of the challenge were held today (February 25).

     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, officiated at the ceremony, which took place at the Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre with representatives from the co-organising, supporting, and partner institutions. The challenge is jointly organised by the EDB, the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS-TECSU), and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), with the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government (LOCPG) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) serving as a supporting organisation. The Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, and the Education Convergence are partner organisations.

     The challenge aims to promote aerospace education, deepen students' understanding of the country's achievements in the aerospace area, and strengthen their confidence in science and technology. Award-winning and selected proposals have opportunities to be realised and developed into final products, and would be recommended to the space station space mission and Space Station Hong Kong Popular Science Satellite Project, to commence in 2026.

     Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Dr Choi said that China's aerospace engineering is a major testament to the country's technological and comprehensive national strengths, fulfilling the long-held aerospace dreams of the Chinese people. This competition gives students valuable opportunities for aerospace education, training and practice, enabling them to have the opportunity to participate in national aerospace projects, explore aerospace science, and realise their aerospace dreams. She added that the challenge is highly meaningful and students are encouraged to form teams to participate in it.

     She pointed out that, to align with the national direction of invigorating the country through science and education, and in support of Hong Kong's development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, the EDB continues to step up the promotion of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) education in schools, with an aim to enhance students' interest and capabilities in scientific research and I&T through diversified support measures.

     Dr Choi expressed her gratitude to the CAS-TECSU, the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the LOCPG in the HKSAR, and HKUST, among other organisations, for their robust support of the challenge, which has enabled its smooth implementation.

     Associate Vice-President for Research and Development (Research) of HKUST Professor Penger Tong also officiated at the ceremony. He said he hopes that this science popularisation activity will ignite the passion of Hong Kong's younger generation for aerospace technology and enable them to make greater contributions to the aerospace endeavours of the country.

     During the briefing session, the project leader of the Space Station Hong Kong Popular Science Satellite from HKUST, Professor Yu Hongyu, delivered a keynote titled "Exploring the Universe, Igniting Dreams – Building Aerospace Aspirations with Hong Kong Secondary Students," introducing the latest developments in the aerospace technology of the country to teachers and students. Meanwhile, Associate Director of the Space Science and Technology Institute of HKUST Professor Wang Yi and EDB representatives introduced the regulations, rules, and scoring criteria of the challenge.

     Other officiating guests included the Deputy Director of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the LOCPG in the HKSAR, Dr Chen Zhilu; the President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, Mr Hsu Hoi-shan; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, Mr Wong Kam-leung; and the Vice Chairperson of the Education Convergence, Mr Chan Wai-lun. A total of 400 teachers and students from various schools also attended the briefing session.

     Under the Hong Kong Secondary Student Space Station Popular Science Payload and Science Experiment Design Challenge, participating student teams are required to submit science experiment design proposals that are suitable for conducting in a space environment or under microgravity conditions for review by an expert panel. The organising bodies will provide a series of training activities for participating teams, including payload design creation sessions led by aerospace experts, as well as online consultations, payload design reviews and improvement suggestions. An award ceremony and achievement exhibition is expected to be held in late June or July.

     Student teams interested in participating are required to register on the challenge's website (spacepayload.hkust.edu.hk) after obtaining a nomination from their respective school(s) by March 8. For details, please refer to Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 31/2025 (applications.edb.gov.hk/circular/upload/EDBCM/EDBCM25031E.pdf).

      

     The Lands Department announced today (February 25) that the tender for a site, Tsing Yi Town Lot No. 202 at the junction of Tsing Hung Road and Tsing Yi Road, Tsing Yi, New Territories, has been awarded to Titanium 2 (HKSAR) Limited (parent company: Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $3,678,600,000.

     There was one tender for Tsing Yi Town Lot No. 202.
 
     A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said, "The Government attaches great importance to logistics development in Hong Kong, which is crucial for complementing the growth of the city as an international maritime centre and international trade centre. To realise our vision of Hong Kong as a premier international logistics hub in the region with a focus on handling high-value goods, we have committed in the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development, promulgated in October 2023, to providing a stable supply of quality logistics sites by releasing four quality logistics sites near the Hong Kong Kwai Tsing Container Terminals to address the industry's need for modern, high-end, multi-storey logistics facilities primed for high value-added logistics operations with synergy with our port. The positive market response to Tsing Yi Town Lot No. 202, which is the first of such sites, clearly reflects the trade's continual confidence in Hong Kong's role as an international logistics hub. The Government will release the remaining three logistics sites in a timely manner, taking into consideration the market situation."
 
     Tsing Yi Town Lot No. 202 has a site area of about 44 318 square metres and is designated for logistics services and public vehicle park purposes. The maximum gross floor area that may be attained is 227 836 sq m for developing multi-storey modern logistics facilities and a public vehicle park, thereby achieving multiple uses on one site.

     The Lands Department announced today (February 25) that in respect of the tender for the site Sha Tin Town Lot No. 651 at Mei Tin Road, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, New Territories, which was awarded on January 27 to the successful tenderer, Forum Pacific Limited (parent company: Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $606,000,000, the tender amounts submitted by the unsuccessful tenderers in descending order are published on an anonymous basis as follows: 

(1) $581,800,000
(2) $388,000,000
(3) $351,000,000
(4) $333,888,888
(5) $249,668,000

     The information disclosed in this press release is for information only. 

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 25) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (UK) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Washington County of the State of Indiana in the United States (US), and in Teignbridge District of Devon County in the UK respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 79 630 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 19.6 million poultry eggs from the US, and about 910 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 1.34 million poultry eggs from the UK last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the American and British 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.

     The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) today (February 25) announced the launch of a new round of the HYAB Thematic Youth Internship Programmes to the Mainland (Thematic Programmes) to provide young people with thematic internship opportunities in cultural, nature conservation and scientific research institutions on the Mainland.

     In the 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive emphasised that the Government would sustain its efforts in strengthening support for youth development. This includes continuing to implement various exchange and internship programmes on the Mainland and overseas to encourage young people to gain a deeper understanding of national development and global development trends. In this regard, the Government collaborates with relevant Mainland institutions to launch the Thematic Programmes to provide Hong Kong young people with diverse, unique and in-depth internship opportunities. Six internships will be rolled out under the new round of the Thematic Programmes, namely:
 

1. Hong Kong-Macao Youth Internship Programme at Palace Museum, co-organised with the Palace Museum in Beijing;
2. Youth Internship Programme at Wolong Region of Giant Panda National Park, co-organised with the Sichuan Provincial Administration of the Giant Panda National Park;
3. Youth Internship Programme at Chinese Academy of Sciences, co-organised with the Chinese Academy of Sciences;
4. Youth Internship Programme at Dunhuang, co-organised with the Dunhuang Academy;
5. Youth Internship Programme at Shandong on Marine Sciences, co-organised with the Laoshan National Laboratory at Qingdao, and
6. Youth Internship Programme at Wuyishan on Biodiversity Conservation, co-organised with the Wuyishan National Park Administration.

 
     The internship programmes will commence from June to August this year and last for three to six weeks, providing more than 110 thematic internship positions covering areas such as cultural heritage preservation, scientific research and technology, and ecological and environmental conservation. Through the internships, participants will gain an in-depth understanding and participate in the work of national cultural, nature conservation, and scientific research institutions, and acquire unique work experience by undertaking various training and research projects under the guidance of experts.

     Applicants should be aged between 18 and 30, are (i) a full-time post-secondary student (including sub-degree, undergraduate, or postgraduate) holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card; or (ii) a local full-time post-secondary student (including sub-degree, undergraduate, or postgraduate) holding a Hong Kong identity card. Apart from internships, the co-organisers will also provide training, field trips and other cultural exchange activities for participants, enabling them to experience the achievements of the country in various fields.

     Details of the new round of the Thematic Programmes are available on the website of the Youth Development Commission (www.ydc.gov.hk/en/programmes/ip/ip_youththematic.html).