Author Archives: hksar gov

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (February 1). They are, on Hong Kong Island, the Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club; in Kowloon, the Society for Truth and Light; and in the New Territories, HK Saving Cat and Dog Association Limited, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
      
     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people to distinguish among the three flag-selling activities.    
      
     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on February 1 is as follows:
 

Region	Name of organisation	Colour of collection bag	Colour of flag
Hong Kong Island	The Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club	Red	Sky blue
Kowloon	The Society for Truth and Light	Orange	Orange
New Territories	HK Saving Cat and Dog Association Limited	Blue	Sky blue

 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD’s website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD’s hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
      
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added. read more

     â€‹The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO), in collaboration with the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), hosted the “Toast to the Snake” reception in Glasgow, the United Kingdom (UK), in the evening of January 30 (London time) to celebrate the Year of the Snake.

     Speaking at the reception, the Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, highlighted Hong Kong’s unique advantages under “one country, two systems” including the common law regime, the free flow of capital, people and information, and policy support from the Mainland. Mr Law emphasised that those strengths did not go unnoticed. He said, “Hong Kong saw a record number of 9 960 non-local companies operating in the city last year, representing a 10 per cent year-on-year increase, with 720 of them coming from the UK. The International Monetary Fund had also reaffirmed Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre and recognised the resilience of the city’s financial system.”

     Around 270 guests from the business, academic and cultural sectors as well as the Chinese community attended the reception. Among the guests were the Minister for Business of the Scottish Government, the Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow, and the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh.

     In the morning of the same day, the London ETO and Invest Hong Kong sponsored CBBC’s China Consumer Scotland 2025 event, featuring among others a panel discussion on the opportunities arising from Hong Kong’s reduction of liquor duty as announced in “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address”. Mr Law highlighted in his welcome speech that various high value-added sectors, such as logistics and storage, tourism as well as food and beverage would also benefit from this new measure. He encouraged Scottish brands to grasp this opportunity.

     Speaking at one of the panel discussions, the Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of the InvestHK London Office, Ms Daisy Ip said, “Hong Kong boasts a thriving premium spirits market and a diverse range of high-end bars and dining establishments, making it a significant growth market for spirits. The city offers well-developed cold chain logistics services, robust logistics networks, and seamless connection with the Mainland and key Southeast Asian markets. Hong Kong can serve as Asia’s hub for liquor trade and distribution.”

     The China Consumer Scotland 2025 event was attended by close to 50 business representatives who were related to the spirits industry or interested in the opportunities in the Chinese market. read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Yellow fire danger warning      The fire danger situation today (January 31) is yellow and the risk of fire is high. People are urged to prevent fires breaking out and hikers should… read more

     â€‹Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 2025 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Fireworks Display today (January 30):

王冬�主席（香港上海滙�銀行有�公�主席）�廖宜建行政總�（香港上海滙�銀行有�公�亞太��席行政總�）���嘉賓���朋�：

     å¤§å®¶æ–°å¹´å¥½ï¼�今日是乙巳蛇年的大年åˆ�二，我首先在此å�‘大家ç¥�ç¦�，蛇年身體å�¥åº·ï¼Œèº«å£¯åŠ›å�¥ï¼Œå¿ƒæƒ³äº‹æˆ�。

     å¤§å¹´åˆ�二的煙花匯演，是香港æ¯�年賀歲活動的é‡�頭戲。全港市民和來自海內外的旅客，都å�¯ä»¥è§€è³žåœ¨ç¶­æ¸¯é†‰äººå¤œæ™¯çš„襯托下，絢麗多彩ã€�璀璨奪目的煙花。

     ä»Šå¹´çš„賀歲煙花別開生é�¢ï¼Œå°‡å‘ˆç�¾å¤§ç†Šè²“的圖案，與所有觀眾分享香港大熊貓家庭共六ä½�æˆ�員的喜悅。相信大家都留æ„�到，香港æ¯�年的新春煙花都有ä¸�å�Œçš„新元素，為維港上空帶來新的璀璨，就如é�ˆè›‡è±¡å¾µçš„é�ˆæ´»è®Šé€šï¼Œèˆ‡é¦™æ¸¯äººé�ˆæ´»æ‡‰è®Šã€�創新求進的精神互相è¼�映。

     æ–°çš„一年，特å�€æ”¿åºœæœƒç¹¼çºŒæŽ¨å‹•é¦™æ¸¯è®Šé�©å‰µæ–°ï¼Œé�ˆæ´»æ‡‰å°�å�„種挑戰和機é�‡ï¼Œç¹¼çºŒç™¼æ�®ã€Œä¸€åœ‹å…©åˆ¶ã€�çš„ç�¨ç‰¹å„ªå‹¢ï¼ŒåŠ å¼·å…§è�¯å¤–通的工作，讓香港在國際舞å�°ä¸Šä¸�斷大放異彩。

     æˆ‘知é�“維港兩岸數å��è�¬è¨ˆçš„市民和旅客，都很期待今晚的煙花匯演，希望大家好好享å�—這個晚上。我在此感è¬�今年æˆ�ç«‹160周年的香港上海滙è±�銀行，贊助今晚的煙花匯演，為這個喜慶的節日帶來更多歡樂。

     æˆ‘ç¥�願國家富強昌盛，香港ç¹�榮興旺，市民事事如æ„�。接ç�€æˆ‘用英語來歡迎來自ä¸�å�Œåœ°æ–¹çš„朋å�‹ã€‚

     I’m delighted to join you at this fireworks extravaganza. Last night, we welcomed the Year of the Snake with a night parade. Tonight, we cheer it on with a fabulous fireworks show.

     Hong Kong, our vibrant city, is shining brighter than ever with its unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures. As we marvel with and over the dazzling pyrotechnics lighting up the skies above Victoria Harbour, let’s remember that the display is more than a cheering spectacle – more importantly, every burst of colour celebrates the diversity and soaring promise of our home.

     The snake symbolises wisdom, resilience and renewal in Chinese culture. Hong Kong has long thrived on its dynamic spirit and adaptability, endlessly mingling tradition and innovation. In the Year of the Snake, Hong Kong will revitalise its strengths and boundless future. 

     I invite you all to enjoy what Hong Kong has to offer in the Year of the Snake. Alongside magnificent mega events such as this evening’s, our city never fails to delight in its thriving wine and dine scene, breath-taking natural scenery, East-meets-West arts and cultural bounty, world-class sports and non-stop entertainment.

     My thanks to HSBC for sponsoring tonight’s fireworks display. HSBC celebrates its 160th anniversary this year. My warmest congratulations on your most meaningful anniversary!

     I wish you all a very healthy and successful Year of the Snake. Enjoy the show, as we look forward to an even brighter tomorrow. 

     ç¥�願å�„ä½�蛇年進步，心想事æˆ�，大家共å�Œåœ¨é€™å€‹æ­¡æ¨‚的春節氣氛è£�欣賞我們今晚璀璨的煙花。多è¬�大家ï¼�

read more

     In response to the illegal hawking without licence of cable car tickets in Tung Chung, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Lantau North Division of the Hong Kong Police Force conducted a joint operation against illegal hawking without licence at Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung today (January 30). During the operation, the police officers disguised as customers to gather evidence at the stalls located at the mentioned address. It was discovered that a man and a woman were selling Ngong Ping 360 cable car tickets. FEHD officers promptly intervened, arresting and charging the above-mentioned persons for illegal hawking without licence and causing obstruction in public place.

     The arrested persons were a 49-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman (both holding Hong Kong identity cards). During the operation, FEHD officers seized items such as cable car ticket redemption vouchers, price tags, metal folding tables and Octopus Mobile POS (point of sale).

     The FEHD reminds that according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), no one is allowed to trade on the streets unless he holds a valid hawker licence issued by the Department. Offenders will be prosecuted and, upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $10,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment will be imposed, and the commodities and equipment involved will be seized and confiscated. In addition, if the illegal hawking activities also cause obstruction to the public place, the offender will also be charged under the Summary Offenses Ordinance (Cap. 228). Upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $25,000 or three months’ imprisonment will be imposed.

     The FEHD will continue the discussions with relevant organisations and departments to address the issue at its source and curb the illegal hawking without licence of cable car tickets. read more