The Fire Services Department (FSD) has been mounting territory-wide special enforcement actions in phases at domestic and composite buildings since July 2024. During the operation, the FSD inspected 124 such buildings in Tsuen Wan District and issued 23 warning letters to relevant incorporated owners, reminding them to submit valid fire service installations and equipment certificates before the specified deadline.
      
     Eight incorporated owners involving 11 buildings in Tsuen Wan District (listed in the Annex) were prosecuted by the FSD for failing to conduct annual inspections of fire service installations or equipment on their premises. They were convicted and fined a total of $25,900 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (February 13).
      
     According to the Fire Service (Installations and Equipment) Regulations, any person who owns any fire service installation or equipment installed in any premises commits an offence if they fail to have such fire service installation or equipment inspected by a registered contractor at least once in every 12 months. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000.
      
     The FSD will continue to conduct territory-wide special enforcement actions in various districts and remind owners of fire service installations or equipment in the premises to have such fire service installations or equipment inspected by a registered contractor at least once in every 12 months.

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (February 14) the appointment of Professor Douglas So Cheung-tak as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Built Heritage Conservation (ACBHC), as well as the appointment of six new members and the reappointment of 11 incumbent members for a two-year term until December 31, 2026.
      
     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, "The ACBHC is an important advisory body, providing invaluable advice on built heritage conservation to the DEVB. I am confident that with his extensive experience as the Chairman of the Antiquities Advisory Board during the past six years, Professor So will capably lead the work of the ACBHC. I look forward to working closely with the Committee in taking forward various initiatives.
      
     "I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing Chairman, Professor Desmond Hui Cheuk-kuen, and seven outgoing non-official members, Professor Ching May-bo, Ms Winnie Chiu Wing-kwan, Ms Renee Hue Yi-yan, Dr Samantha Kong Wing-man, Mr Jeffrey Kwok Pak-wai, Ms Sharon Liu Chung-gay and Dr Chloe Suen Yin-wah for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the Committee."
      
     The ACBHC was established in 2016 to advise the Government on the operation of the Built Heritage Conservation Fund. The new term of the ACBHC comprises members from different fields and professions including architecture, historical research, social enterprise, engineering, surveying, town planning, heritage conservation, finance, business, public education as well as arts and culture.
      
     The membership of the new term of the ACBHC is set out below:
 
Chairman
————
Professor Douglas So Cheung-tak*  
 
Non-official members
—————————
Mr David Chak Wing-pong
Mr Joel Chan Cho-sing
Mr Jason Cheung King-wai
Ms Dorothy Chow Yeuk-yu*
Dr Fok Yeung-yeung
Mr Chris Lee Tsz-leung
Mr Li Man-hong*
Ms Yanice Mak Wing-yan
Mr Francis Ngai Wah-sing
Ms Clara Shek Ka-lai
Ms Karen Tang Shuk-tak
Ms Anita Wan Wai-ling*
Mr Ronald Wu Keng-hou*
Miss Theresa Yeung Wing-shan*
Ms Winnie Yip*
Mr Plato Yip Kwong-to
Mr Yu Ka-sing 

Official members
———————
Commissioner for Heritage, Development Bureau
Assistant Director of Architectural Services (Property Services)
Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Heritage and Museums)
 
* New members

     A red tide was sighted during the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (February 14).

     On February 13, staff of the Marine Department spotted a red tide at Tolo Harbour. The red tide still persists and no associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

     A spokesman for the working group said, "The red tide was formed by Asterionellopsis glacialis, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and non-toxic."

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at Yim Tin Tsai, Yim Tin Tsai (East), Yung Shue Au and Lo Fu Wat fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.

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

     Result of the tenders of the People's Bank of China RMB Bills held on February 14, 2025: 
 

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) hosted a business seminar and luncheon entitled Building a Stronger Future: The Synergistic Power of Fintech and Logistics in Manila, the Philippines, today (February 14) to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Some 200 guests from the local government, business, academic, cultural and media sectors attended the event.
 
     In her welcome speech, the Director-General of the HKETO Jakarta, Miss Libera Cheng, noted that commercial and people-to-people ties between Hong Kong and the Philippines have continued to develop. Bilateral trade in goods amounted to US$13.9 billion last year, and Hong Kong was the fifth-largest trading partner and third-largest export market of the Philippines.
 
     "The Philippines is Hong Kong's largest source of tourist arrivals from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). We welcomed close to 1.2 million Filipino visitors last year, far exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is connected to five major cities in the Philippines, not only enabling tourists to visit Hong Kong with ease, but also serving as an important international gateway to the Philippines. As we press ahead with the Skytopia airport city plan, HKIA will become a new world-leading commercial and logistics landmark."
 
     Miss Cheng added that fintech and logistics are the economic pillars of the future. Their synergistic power has driven the rapid growth of e-commerce and other sectors. In this regard, the Chief Executive introduced in his 2024 Policy Address a series of relevant measures, including expanding the geographical coverage of "E‑commerce Easy" under the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales to ASEAN countries, and holding the Hong Kong Shopping Festival in the ASEAN market in due course to help small and medium-sized enterprises tap into the local e‑commerce sales market.
 
     "We also welcome Philippine enterprises to make use of various business-friendly measures, such as the reduction in the duty rate for liquor last year and the world-class gold storage facilities at HKIA, to fully leverage Hong Kong's role as an international financial and trade centre."
 
     The Acting Deputy Director (Commercial Relations) of the HKETO Jakarta, Ms Ida Ho, moderated the subsequent panel discussion to explore with local industry leaders the latest developments of the relevant sectors and explore opportunities for co-operation between the two places.
 
     Dignitaries attending the dinner included the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Mr Huang Xilian; the Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, Ms Mary Jean Pacheco; the Mayor of Taguig, Ms Maria Laarni Lopez Cayetano; the Regional Director of South East Asia and South Asia of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Ronald Ho; and senior representatives from major local business chambers.
 
     The HKETO Jakarta will be hosting events in Malaysia in the coming two weeks to celebrate Chinese New Year.