Tag Archives: China

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality today (June 6) jointly organised the National Fish Releasing Day 2025 fish restocking exercise concurrently with other exercises nationwide, with an aim to restore and enhance aquatic resources as well as to raise public awareness of the conservation of aquatic resources and the need to improve aquatic habitats.

     Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, said, “Today is the National Fish Releasing Day designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Hence, fish restocking exercises are launched nationwide concurrently to restore and enhance aquatic resources. We are actively responding to this initiative and are conducting restocking exercises jointly with the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality for the first time.”

     Miss Wong added that the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, released by the Government in collaboration with the agriculture and fisheries sectors in December 2023, proposed the implementation of restocking to restore and enhance fisheries resources, as well as to strengthen public education, arouse public awareness of the conservation of marine resources and environment, and enhance understanding of the significance of restocking.

     After the launching ceremony, AFCD representatives and some guests proceeded to Tung Ping Chau Marine Park (TPCMP) and Hong Kong waters adjacent to Shenzhen in Mirs Bay, where they released some 23 500 juvenile fish of native species, including Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara), star snapper (Lutjanus stellatus), black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), and two newly added species this year, yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) and red seabream (Pagrus major). The released juvenile fish are from reputable hatcheries and in good health, with their broodstock originating from Hong Kong or the nearby South China Sea. Restocking is a science-based approach of releasing appropriate species to their natural environment, allowing them to grow and reproduce. TPCMP, with its diverse habitats including artificial reefs, coral communities, natural rocky reefs and boulders, provides a favourable habitat for these juvenile fish. Commercial fishing has been banned in this marine park. The AFCD will conduct underwater surveys regularly to monitor the condition of the released fish and will continue to monitor the overall status of fishery resources in Hong Kong.

     The fish restocking exercise, supported by the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, the Hong Kong Fishermen Consortium, Ocean Park Hong Kong and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, brought together about 150 students, representatives from religious groups, fishermen’s associations and green groups, etc. The AFCD will also arrange for the public and students to take part in other restocking exercises later this year, and strengthen collaboration with various groups to organise more educational activities for the public and schools, share information about restocking, as well as provide technical advice to groups interested in conducting restocking in local waters.

     The AFCD reminds the public to think carefully before participating in animal release activities to avoid affecting the ecological environment or causing unnecessary suffering to animals. The public may consider participating in science-based restocking or other charitable activities as alternatives to animal releases.

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     Hong Kong Customs mounted a special enforcement operation on May 28 and yesterday (June 5), and detected two cases of selling suspected counterfeit goods on online platforms. A total of about 700 items of suspected counterfeit goods, including perfumes and skincare products, with an estimated market value of about $300,000, were seized, and two persons were arrested.

     Customs earlier received information from the public and a trademark owner alleging that counterfeit skincare products were put on sale through online platforms. Customs officers then made use of a big-data analytics system to conduct risk assessments and analyses, and through cyber patrols, discovered that another account on an online platform was also selling suspected counterfeit perfumes and skincare products. An investigation was then launched.

     After a comprehensive investigation and with the assistance of the trademark owner, Customs officers took enforcement actions on the aforementioned dates and searched two residential units in Mei Foo and Kwun Tong, resulting in the seizure of the batch of suspected counterfeit goods.

     During the operation, two women aged 43 and 31 were arrested.

     The investigation is ongoing, and the arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out. Also, Customs is looking into the source of the goods involved in the cases, and samples will be sent to the Government Laboratory for safety testing.

     Customs reminds consumers to purchase goods at reputable shops or online shops and to avoid conducting transaction with suspicious traders. They should check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.

     Customs has been striving to protect consumer rights and carries out inspections in the market and on the Internet from time to time. Moreover, Customs officers use a big-data analytics system to carry out risk assessments and analyses to verify whether online shops have complied with the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) with a view to safeguarding the interests of consumers during online purchases.

     Under the TDO, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting 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).

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to the press releases issued by the banks listed below relating to fraudulent websites, internet banking login screens, phishing emails or other scams, which have been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlinks to the press releases are available on the HKMA website.
 

Bank	Type of Scam
The Bank of East Asia, Limited	Fraudulent website and internet banking login screen
Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited	Fraudulent website and internet banking login screen
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited	Fraudulent website and internet banking login screen
China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited	Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens

 
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the scams concerned, should contact the relevant bank with the information provided in the corresponding press release, and report the matter to the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more

     The Government announced today (June 6) that the Financial Secretary, under the authority delegated by the Chief Executive, has appointed five new members and reappointed seven serving members to the Advisory Committee of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for a term of two years from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2027.
 
     The membership of the SFC Advisory Committee for the new term is as follows:
 
New appointees
——————
Mr Vincent Chui Yik-chiu
Mr Lam Chi-ki
Ms Elisa Ng Ka-li
Ms Katherine Ng Kit-shuen
Mr Xu Tao
 
Reappointed members
————————–
Professor Cai Hongbin
Dr Jia Hongrui
Ms Li Tong
Mr Phillip Meyer
Ms Fion Ng Siu-mui
Mr Tse Yung-hoi
Mr Harold Wong Tsu-hing
 
     The Government also expressed gratitude to the outgoing members, Ms June Wong Wai-man and Mr Wilfred Yiu Ka-yan, for their valuable contributions during their terms.
 
     A Government spokesman said, “The SFC Advisory Committee comprises members from different professions. They possess extensive operational experience and professional knowledge of the financial markets. We are confident that they will provide independent and professional advice to the SFC on matters related to the SFC’s policy and market regulation.”
 
     The SFC Advisory Committee was established under Section 7 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance to advise the SFC on policy matters regarding its regulatory objectives and functions. In addition to the 12 appointed members, the SFC Advisory Committee comprises the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and two Executive Directors of the SFC. read more

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (June 6) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$431.0 billion as at the end of May 2025 (end-April 2025: US$410.2 billion) (Annex).
      
     Including unsettled foreign exchange contracts, the foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong at the end of May 2025 amounted to US$430.9 billion (end-April 2025: US$409.4 billion).        
      
     The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$431.0 billion represent over five times the currency in circulation or about 38 per cent of Hong Kong dollar M3.
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of June 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

June 6	SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
June 13	SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
June 30	SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
June 30	Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account

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