The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, held engagement sessions on February 25 and 27 to exchange views with about 100 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and about 30 HKSAR deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), respectively, before they attend the third session of the 14th NPC and the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee to be held in Beijing in early March. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip, also attended the engagement sessions separately.
      
     Mr Lee said that the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, as important members of the country's institutions and leaders from various sectors, care for and are familiar with matters concerning the country and Hong Kong. He noted that he proposed the establishment of a regular exchange mechanism in the 2023 Policy Address, overseen by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, to enhance the HKSAR Government's communication with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC. During the meeting, the deputies and members actively provided their insights and ideas by proposing viewpoints and suggestions that aligned with the national development and the actual situation in Hong Kong.

     Mr Lee said that with devotion to the country and home, the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC provide various suggestions on the long-term development of the country and Hong Kong. He expressed his gratitude to the deputies and members for their efforts in playing a bridging role, fostering Hong Kong's further integration into national development and making greater contributions to the high-quality development of the country and Hong Kong.
      

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, held engagement sessions on February 25 and 27 to exchange views with about 100 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and about 30 HKSAR deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), respectively, before they attend the third session of the 14th NPC and the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee to be held in Beijing in early March. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip, also attended the engagement sessions separately.
      
     Mr Lee said that the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, as important members of the country's institutions and leaders from various sectors, care for and are familiar with matters concerning the country and Hong Kong. He noted that he proposed the establishment of a regular exchange mechanism in the 2023 Policy Address, overseen by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, to enhance the HKSAR Government's communication with the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC. During the meeting, the deputies and members actively provided their insights and ideas by proposing viewpoints and suggestions that aligned with the national development and the actual situation in Hong Kong.

     Mr Lee said that with devotion to the country and home, the HKSAR deputies to the NPC and HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC provide various suggestions on the long-term development of the country and Hong Kong. He expressed his gratitude to the deputies and members for their efforts in playing a bridging role, fostering Hong Kong's further integration into national development and making greater contributions to the high-quality development of the country and Hong Kong.
      

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (February 26) took enforcement action to crack down on shortweight activities involving a scrap trader in Tseung Kwan O. 

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a scrap trader in Tseung Kwan O was suspected of using an inaccurate electronic platform scale to weigh scrap metal. Subsequently, officers yesterday posed as vendors and sold scrap copper to the concerned trader. During the operation, it was found that the scrap trader had used an inaccurate platform scale, making the weight of the weighed scrap copper displayed on the scale to be 24 per cent less than the actual weight, thereby paying a lower recycling price, i.e. paying $310 less. The trader was suspected of contravening the Weights and Measures Ordinance (WMO).

     An investigation is ongoing.

     In response to shortweight activities conducted by scrap traders using inaccurate electronic platform scales, Customs has stepped up spot checks and will continue to take stringent enforcement actions to protect the interests of citizens and uphold a fair trading environment.

     Under the WMO, any person who possesses, manufactures, supplies or uses for trade any weighing or measuring equipment which is false or defective commits an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $25,000. The false or defective weighing or measuring equipment is liable to forfeiture.

     In addition, if any fraud is committed in the use for trade of any weighing or measuring equipment, the person perpetrating the fraud commits an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     Customs reminds traders that they should use accurate weighing equipment and comply with the requirements of the WMO when recycling scrap.

     Customs appeals to the public to report any case of suspected fraud using defective weighing or measuring equipment to the department's 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/en). 

  

     This year's Hong Kong Flower Show (HKFS) will be held at Victoria Park for 10 days from March 14 to 23, running from 9am to 9pm daily, featuring the richly coloured cosmos as its theme flower and "Ablaze with Glory" as the theme. With veil-thin petals that flutter in a light breeze, cosmos exudes a gentle and charming vibe. Symbolising tenacity and bliss, the blooming flowers of vigorous cosmos will bring exuberance and vitality to the show.
 
     Native to Mexico, cosmos is an annual herbaceous member of the Asteraceae family. Through years of natural propagation and artificial hybridisation, cosmos has produced many variants and cultivars, including distinctive ones with curled or ligulate florets and double-petal flower heads. Cosmos is highly adaptable to various climates and soils and can even thrive in poor soil conditions.
 
     Cosmos has large and beautiful flowers. The flowering period is as long as several months. The flowers come in an array of vibrant colours, ranging from pure floral colours such as lavender, fuchsia, magenta, pink and white to special species with colours in two-tone, picotee, stripes and inner halo.
 
     The colourful and vigorous cosmos, with its long-lasting flowering period, is easy to cultivate and maintain. It is therefore a desirable material used in roadside planting, decorating flowerbeds and flower arrangements. Apart from being adornments, cosmos has culinary and medicinal uses. The entire plant can be used in traditional Chinese medicine to clear heat and toxins, while its tender shoots and leaves are served as delicacies across Southeast Asia.
 
     In addition to this year's theme flower and other flowering plants, the event will showcase a large collection of exquisite potted plants, beautiful floral arrangements and well-crafted landscape displays by local, Mainland and overseas organisations. There will also be commercial stalls selling flowers and horticultural products. A wide variety of educational and recreational fringe activities will also be provided for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages.
 
     For more details about the HKFS and its admission fee arrangements, please visit the webpage at www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/index.html or call 2601 8260 for enquiries.
 
     The HKFS is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting the flower show for the 13th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.

                

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 a press release issued by Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     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 personal 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 website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.