Author Archives: hksar gov

     The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) announced today (January 28) that the mascots for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), Xiyangyang and Lerongrong, are in Admiralty and Wan Chai respectively to meet the public and visitors, celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the National Games together.
 
      The mascots Xiyangyang and Lerongrong were inspired by the Chinese white dolphin, a Grade 1 National Key Protected Species, with their names symbolising joy, harmony, and unity. The 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The three small water droplets on the heads of the mascots represent distinctive colours of the three places, which are the red of the kapok flower symbolising Guangzhou, the purple of the bauhinia symbolising Hong Kong, and the green of the lotus flower symbolising Macao.
 
      One pair of the mascots, which are 2.2-metres tall and made of fiberglass, has been placed at Tamar Park near the Central Government Offices in Admiralty. Another mascot pair is 1.6-metres tall, and these fluffy mascots have been placed at the first floor of Immigration Tower in Wan Chai. A number of souvenirs, including plush toys and badges, which will be available for sale later this year, are also displayed at this location.
 
      In addition, a third pair of 1.6-metres tall fluffy mascots, has been placed near the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui in preparation for joining the International Chinese New Year Night Parade tomorrow night (January 29).
 
      The 15th NG will be held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao from November 9 to 21 this year. Hong Kong will stage eight competition events, namely basketball (men’s U22), track cycling, fencing, golf, handball (men’s), rugby sevens, triathlon and beach volleyball, as well as one mass participation event, bowling. The 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will take place between December 8 and 15. Hong Kong will stage four competition events, which are boccia, wheelchair fencing and table tennis (TT11) for the NGD, and table tennis for the NSOG. Hong Kong will also organise one mass participation event, which is para dance sport.
 
      For information on the games in Hong Kong, please visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk/en/index.html), as well the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk).

        

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is very concerned about media reports on some batches of several kinds of beverages of the Coca-Cola Company that might contain higher levels of chlorate which are being recalled in certain areas in Europe. The CFS today (January 28) has contacted local importers and retailers to follow up on the incident. A preliminary investigation by the CFS revealed that Swire Coca-Cola HK Ltd has not imported or sold the affected batches of products.

     Chlorate is a pesticide and a disinfectant against bacteria. Long-term intake of excessive chlorate may affect the thyroid function. Members of the public are advised not to consume the affected batches of the products if they have purchased any overseas. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately.

     Details of the products concerned are as follows:

(1)
Brand: FUZE TEA
Product name: BLACK TEA PEACH HIBISCUS, GREEN TEA MANGO CHAMOMILE, SPARKLING BLACK TEA LEMON
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 200ml glass, 250ml can and 330ml can

(2)
Brand: FANTA
Product name: ORANGE, ZERO SUGAR ORANGE, AGRUMES, EXOTIC, LEMON, ZERO SUGAR PINEAPPLE GRAPEFRUIT
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 200ml glass, 250ml can and 330ml can

(3)
Brand: MINUTE MAID
Product name: MULTIVITAMINS, APPLE 
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 200ml glass and 150ml can

(4)
Brand: COCA-COLA
Product name: ORIGINAL TASTE, ZERO SUGAR, ZERO SUGAR NO CAFFEINE, LIGHT, CHERRY, ZERO SUGAR CHERRY, ZERO SUGAR VANILLA
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 200ml glass, 1 litre glass, 150ml can, 250ml can and 330ml can

(5)
Brand: NALU
Product name: ENERGY GREEN, EXOTIC, BOTANICAL YUZU ROSEMARY, FROST, BOTANICAL STRAWBERRY RHUBARB
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 250ml can and 330ml can

(6)
Brand: ROYAL BLISS
Product name: TONIC WATER, AGRUMES YLANG YLANG
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 250ml can

(7)
Brand: SPRITE
Product name: LEMON-LIME, ZERO SUGAR 
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 250ml can and 330ml can

(8)
Brand: TROPICO
Product name: L’ORIGINAL
Production code: 328GE to 338GE
Packaging: 330ml can

     The CFS will closely monitor the progress of the incident. An investigation is ongoing. read more

     In response to a local media report today (January 28) that the Government is considering a ban on waterpipe tobacco and that the measure will dampen the desire of tourists from the Middle East to visit Hong Kong, a spokesman for the Health Bureau (HHB) reiterated that the Government has proposed to prohibit, by legislation, flavours in conventional smoking products including waterpipe tobacco, rather than banning waterpipe tobacco itself. Tobacco control is a major public health issue. The HHB expresses regret over the inaccurate information, which is misleading to citizens and tourists, disseminated by certain media and individuals.

     The HHB put forward proposals for tobacco control measures in June last year, including, among others, the proposal to prohibit flavours in conventional smoking products (including waterpipe tobacco) as defined under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), and did not propose to ban all kinds of waterpipe tobacco. In response to a question raised by a Legislative Council Member at the Legislative Council meeting on July 3 last year, the HHB has once again clearly pointed out that the proposal to prohibit adding flavours (such as fruit flavours) in conventional smoking products seeks to counteract the intention of tobacco companies to use flavouring agents to disguise the hazards of tobacco products and attract people to smoke. The Government also observed that the use of flavoured waterpipe tobacco has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. In order to prevent tobacco companies to use waterpipe smoking as another means to entice members of the public, in particular women and young people, to become addicted to smoking, the Government’s proposal to ban flavours in conventional smoking products will also apply to waterpipe tobacco.

     Waterpipe is a smoking device originating from regions including the Middle East, and traditionally is used without added flavour. In order to entice people to smoke, tobacco companies add flavours to waterpipe tobacco and this has led to the growing popularity of waterpipes in other regions as well. In addition, Islam is widely followed in the Middle East, and alcohol consumption or bar patronage is not prevalent. As venues offering outdoor waterpipes in Hong Kong are mostly bars, the ban on adding flavours in waterpipe tobacco will have limited impact on the experience of Muslim tourists visiting Hong Kong. In fact, more progressive measures in other regions have been implemented. For example, Singapore banned the import and sale of all waterpipes in 2016, and publicly available information shows that the number of tourists from the Middle East (including Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) arriving in Singapore before and after the ban came into effect remain comparable.

     Under the Ordinance, conducting a smoking act in a statutory no smoking area (such as indoor areas of bars) is prohibited. Any person engaged in a smoking act in statutory no smoking areas commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500. Currently, only about 10 per cent of bars in Hong Kong have outdoor areas where waterpipe tobacco may be smoked legally. The Government will consider introducing a grace period when formulating the new legislation to allow time for the public and the bar sector to make adjustments.

     Moreover, where smoking products (including waterpipe tobacco) are sold, in bars or other premises, the restrictions on the promotion and sale of smoking products stipulated in the Ordinance apply. Offenders are liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000. Venue managers of statutory no smoking areas are empowered by the Ordinance to request a smoking offender cease the smoking act; if the offender is not co-operative, the manager may contact the Police for assistance. The spokesman appeals to operators and venue mangers of bars/restaurants not to assist any person in breaching the statutory smoking prohibitions, or provide a waterpipe apparatus and tobacco to customers for use in statutory no-smoking areas. The Department of Health will continue to closely monitor and take stringent enforcement actions to tackle illegal waterpipe smoking activities. read more

     â€‹The year-end caring visits in 18 districts co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Department continued today (January 28). Principal Officials (POs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government continued … read more

     â€‹In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary cold shelters in various districts today (January 28) for people in need of the service. The temporary shelters will remain open when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.
      
     Clean mattresses and blankets/quilts, hot meals and hot water will be provided to shelter users free of charge during the opening of the temporary shelters.
      
     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.
      
     Anyone seeking temporary refuge, or those with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters, may call the department’s hotline 2572 8427 for more information.
      
     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
——————–
 
Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon:
——————
 
Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong:
Yau Tong Community Hall
38 Ko Chiu Road, Yau Tong

Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories:
—————-
 
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall 
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung
 
North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long read more