​Hongkong Post announced today (June 18) that, as advised by the postal administration of Iraq, due to the events in the region, Hongkong Post has suspended all postal services to Iraq with immediate effect until further notice.
The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, Ms Maisie Ho, visited Boston, Massachusetts, from June 15 to 17 (Boston time) to foster closer ties with the city's biotechnology, research, and academic sectors. During her visit, she attended the BIO International Convention (BIO 2025), one of the world's leading global biotechnology event.
At the June 15 (Boston time) welcome dinner for the Hong Kong delegation at BIO 2025, Ms Ho highlighted Hong Kong’s status as a global hub for biotech innovation and fundraising. She also noted Hong Kong's strong presence at BIO 2025, showcasing the depth and diversity of the city's biotechnology sector, including pharmaceuticals, immunotherapies, gene editing, diagnostics and stem cell technologies.
The Hong Kong delegation included representatives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and its delegation of 16 leading biotech portfolio companies, the medical faculties of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as representatives from the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. At the Hong Kong Pavilion, they showcased the city's life and health sciences capabilities, aiming to attract global enterprises, talent, and investment, and reinforcing Hong Kong's status as a global biotech hub.
At the "Hong Kong x Boston Biotech Disrupt Night" on June 16 (Boston time) hosted by Invest Hong Kong, Ms Ho spoke on Hong Kong's strategic advantages in biotechnology, citing world-class infrastructure, strong intellectual property protection, top-tier universities, and a vibrant start-up ecosystem. She also emphasised government support, funding and initiatives such as InnoLife Healthtech Hub and the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. The event, attended by over 140 biotech industry representatives and investors, also featured a panel discussion featuring Hong Kong and Boston's biotech leaders where they had an insightful exchange on the potential of Boston biotech companies in leveraging Hong Kong for their Asian market expansion.
"Hong Kong offers a nurturing environment for life sciences—combining policy support, research excellence, and regulatory certainty. As the world's second-largest fundraising hub for biotech IPOs, we also offer deep access to capital and a highly international talent pool. With our world-class infrastructure, common law system, robust IP protections, and proximity to Mainland China and Asia, we serve as a gateway and global launchpad for biotech companies aiming to scale and internationalise", she said.
While in Boston, Ms Ho also met with representatives of the academia to explore areas of mutual interests and promoted Hong Kong's various talent admission schemes and the city's commitment to become an international education and research hub. Her meetings included discussions with Visiting Fellow of Practice at Harvard University's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies Mr Mitchell Presnick; and representatives from the University of Massachusetts Boston, including the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Mr Joseph B. Berger; the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Ms Karen Ferrer-Muñiz; and the Vice Provost of Research and Strategic Initiatives, Mr Bala Sundaram. She also attended a reception hosted by the Mayor of Boston Ms Michelle Wu for key international biotech leaders and stakeholders.
​The 6th Mainland-Hong Kong-Macao Postal Summit was held today (June 17) in Hong Kong. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, was invited to officiate and deliver the opening remarks. The Director General of the State Post Bureau, Mr Zhao Chongjiu, the Chairman of China Post Group Co., Ltd., Mr Liu Aili, the Director of the Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau, Ms Lau Wai Meng and the Postmaster General, Miss Leonia Tai, delivered speeches respectively, and officiated the opening ceremony altogether.
​Mr Yau stated in his speech that it is highly significant for the Mainland-Hong Kong-Macao Postal Summit to be held in Hong Kong for the first time. Under the leadership of the State Post Bureau, the summit provides a sustainable and effective platform for the postal services of the three places to deepen communication and co-operation, enhance policy co-ordination and resource sharing, and promote integration and exchange in postal development. Hong Kong will continue to leverage our unique advantages under the "one country, two systems", to fully perform the functions to connect between our country and the rest of the world, to broaden and deepen regional collaboration, to facilitate the sustainable development of the Greater Bay Area, and to proactively integrate into the development of the country.
The Postmaster General of Hongkong Post, Miss Leonia Tai, expressed that the Hongkong Post is committed to enhance communication and co-operation among the three postal administrations, to promote mutual integration and development, and to actively seek collaboration oppotunities. In the face of the complex and changing international landscape, the three postal administrations would strengthen their connections and jointly respond to international challenges. Hongkong Post fully supports the cultural exchanges among the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao and the strengthening of the innovative development of philatelic culture. Hongkong Post looks forward to work jointly with the Mainland and Macao postal administrations to strive for improvements and high-quality development of the industry.
​Following the opening ceremony, representatives from the three places engaged in business exchanges and in-depth discussions on key topics. The meeting concluded with a summary by the Director General of the State Post Bureau, Mr Zhao Chongjiu, who highlighted the fruitful outcomes of the summit. Seven important consensus were reached, including: (1) the mechanism of the Mainland-Hong Kong-Macao Postal Summit is becoming increasingly refined to strengthen co-operation among the three postal administrations, to further promote regional integration; (2) improving delivery customs clearance channels, jointly formulating response strategies to international challenges and market changes; (3) improving the connectivity of the delivery service network in the Greater Bay Area and strive to build an international logistics hub in the Greater Bay Area ; (4) collaboratively ensuring service support for the 15th National Games and jointly launching special products; (5) safeguarding mail security management system among the three places; (6) deepening cultural co-operation in postal services and promoting the innovation and prosperity of philatelic culture with the three places, and (7) continuing to cultivate innovation and talent development among the three places, and jointly promoting the long-term high-quality development of the postal industry in the three places.
Hong Kong Customs today (June 17) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 11 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $2.2 million.
The case involved a 26-year-old female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds in her check-in suitcase. The woman was subsequently arrested.
The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 18).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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 Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 17) investigating a cluster of influenza A infections in a primary school in Sham Shui Po. The CHP also appeals to members of the public to remain vigilant, maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, and receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV).
The cluster involves 46 persons, including 41 male students aged 7 to 10, and five staff members. They developed symptoms on or after June 7. Among them, 41 persons sought medical attention and three were hospitalised. Two were subsequently discharged and one remains hospitalised. All of the patients had mild symptoms. Laboratory testing revealed that respiratory specimens of the aforesaid three hospitalised students tested positive for influenza A virus, while rapid antigen tests revealed that 32 teachers and students also tested positive for influenza A virus.
The personnel of the CHP had inspected the primary school twice and found that inter-class and inter-grade activities were organised in the schools, and that individual function rooms and classrooms were not adequately ventilated, and items shared among the students were not thoroughly disinfected. The CHP has provided advice to the school management on prevention of upper respiratory tract infection, including thorough cleaning and disinfection, opening windows where appropriate for better ventilation, refraining infected students from going to school, stopping inter-class and inter-grade activities, wearing masks by teachers and students during the outbreak and conducting temperature monitoring on entering school, etc. The school is currently under medical surveillance.
To prevent outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory infections, it is of prime importance that children with fever, regardless of the presence of respiratory symptoms, should not be allowed to attend school, and should consult a doctor promptly. In addition, children, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses are urged to get vaccinated as early as possible to prevent seasonal influenza.
Influenza vaccination has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, while significantly reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications), particularly the elderly and children who have a higher risk of becoming infected with influenza and developing complications, should be vaccinated. Although the level of influenza activity has remained low since the end of the winter influenza season, sporadic outbreaks in schools and residential institutions caused by influenza viruses are still possible, especially when there are gatherings of crowd coupled with inadequate infection control measures. The number of severe cases involving adults and cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complications recorded in the influenza season earlier this year has significantly decreased compared with the 2018/19 influenza season. It is believed that this is the result of the general public's willingness to receive the SIV.
For the latest information, members of the public can visit the CHP's seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages.