Hong Kong Customs yesterday (October 13) seized 18 kilograms of suspected scheduled dried shark fins of endangered species, with an estimated market value of about $45,000, at the Lo Wu Control Point.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming 68-year-old Mainland female passenger at the Arrival Hall of the above-mentioned control point yesterday. Upon examination, the batch of suspected scheduled dried shark fins was seized from her personal baggage. Officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) attended the scene for inspection and preliminarily identified the batch of dried shark fins as of endangered species listed in the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance in Hong Kong. The case was handed over to the AFCD for follow-up investigation.

     Customs reminds the public not to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong.

     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).

  

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) announced today (October 14) that the "iAM Smart" mobile application is introducing an AI Assistant feature to answer enquiries about government public services.

     The AI Assistant's service covers enquiries related to government public services. Members of the public only need to type in their enquiries, and the AI Assistant will leverage AI technology to retrieve information instantly from official sources, and organise it into coherent and concise content for reference by members of the public. When members of the public enquire about an online application procedure, the AI Assistant will list out eligibility criteria, step-by-step instructions and a relevant service link, enabling one-click access to the online service. Where applicable, it will also integrate with the "e-ME" form filling function of "iAM Smart" to assist users in completing online forms with ease.

     The latest version of the "iAM Smart" mobile application (version 5.0), with the AI Assistant feature, will be released to users gradually starting from today to late October via official application stores. Users can install the latest version of the mobile application and simply tap the icon of the mascot "Swifty" (see attachment) on the homepage to activate the AI Assistant.

     The DPO will continuously optimise the AI Assistant feature. It is anticipated that an enhanced version of AI Assistant with personalised features will be launched by the end of 2026, further enhancing the user experience.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Bangkok, Thailand, tomorrow morning (October 15) to attend the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) as a member of the Chinese delegation.

     This year's Annual Meetings will bring together officials responsible for fiscal, financial and economic affairs, central bank representatives, business and non-governmental sector leaders, and academics from around the world to discuss issues including the global economic outlook, financial stability, poverty reduction, inclusive growth and job creation. The meetings will also focus on mobilising private capital to support infrastructure investment, employment and sustainable growth across economies, as well as harnessing artificial intelligence to promote development while managing the associated risks.

     Mr Chan will attend the plenary session of the Annual Meetings on October 16. During the Annual Meetings, he will also attend a roundtable co-organised by the IMF and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to explore investment and financing opportunities in the Hong Kong market for economies in the Middle East and Central Asia. He will outline how Hong Kong can leverage the strengths of its financial markets and professional services to meet these economies' investment and financing needs, and foster cross-border financial co-operation.

     In addition, Mr Chan will take part in dialogue sessions organised respectively by Bloomberg and the Atlantic Council to exchange views on Hong Kong's economy, offshore Renminbi business, technological and financial innovation, and the global economic and trade landscape. He will highlight Hong Kong's strengths and resilience as an international financial centre, as well as its role in connecting the Mainland and global capital markets.

     During the Annual Meetings, Mr Chan will also meet with financial officials from various economies and senior executives of the IMF, the WBG and international financial firms to exchange views on the global and regional economic and financial situations. He will also introduce the latest developments and opportunities in Hong Kong's financial services sector to strengthen ties and foster further co-operation.

     Mr Chan will depart from Bangkok for Hong Kong on the morning of October 17 and arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will act as Financial Secretary.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has collaborated with the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau (Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Heritage Administration) to present the "National Development and Achievements Series: Cultivation and Renewal – The Education Legacy of Hong Kong's Ta Teh Institute" exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) from today (October 14) to February 15, 2027. The exhibition presents a fuller picture of the Institute's educational legacy and its contribution in cultivating an impressive cohort of talented individuals who went on to play leading roles in the development of the country.

     Hong Kong's Ta Teh Institute was founded under the leadership of the Guangdong District Committee of the Communist Party of China, with co-operation between the Communist Party of China and the patriotic democrats. It was established in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, as a full-time liberal arts university and operated between 1946 and 1949. The Institute offered a high-calibre professional and cultural curriculum, and brought together many renowned academics and cultural figures, including historians Hou Wailu and Jian Bozan, political scientist Deng Chumin, literary theorist Huang Yaomian, economists Shen Zhiyuan and Qian Jiaju, as well as literary figures such as Guo Moruo, Mao Dun and Cao Yu, philosopher Hu Sheng, and more.

     This year marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Ta Teh Institute. The exhibition specially brings together more than 60 items (sets) of artefacts related to the Institute and its alumni, as well as around 125 historical photographs and supplementary exhibits, of which over half are displayed for the first time in Hong Kong. Selected exhibits include meeting minutes of the 8th Meeting of the Institute Affairs Committee, student cards, lecture outlines delivered by renowned professors, a medal of an athletic meet, a political work engineer uniform, and a commemorative badge for the liberation of Central-South China from alumni, and other exhibits. The exhibition recreates the most iconic features of the campus, including the arch, school buildings, dormitory and classroom, taking visitors on a journey through the campus life, inspiring teacher-student stories and vibrant learning atmosphere of this legendary Institute.
 
     During the exhibition, the HKMH will organise a series of engaging and diverse experiential activities, including lectures, interactive workshops, and screenings with talks, allowing audiences to understand more about the educational ideals upheld by the Ta Teh Institute and its unique place in the history of education in Hong Kong.
      
     This exhibition is one of the exhibitions of the National Development and Achievements Series, focusing on the nation's cultivation of talent. Admission is free. The exhibition is jointly presented by the LCSD and the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau (Guangzhou Municipal Cultural Heritage Administration), jointly organised by the HKMH and the Memorial Museum of Comrade Mao Zedong Sponsoring the Peasant Movement Institute, and supported by the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute. Details of the exhibition are available at hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/Ta-Teh.html.