Tag Archives: China

     A woman who went missing in Tuen Mun has been located.      Tsui Yiu-ling, aged 56, went missing after she was last seen at Light Rail Town Centre Station on June 3 afternoon. Her family made a report to … read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) today (June 14) held its Annual Donor Award Ceremony to commend outstanding regular blood donors. The BTS also announced that a total of 4 081 donors gave blood 25 times or in its multiples in 2024/25, which breaks the BTS record for three consecutive years. This highlights the growing awareness and embrace of blood donation culture in Hong Kong. The BTS expressed its sincerest gratitude to all the enthusiastic blood donors.

     The officiating guests of the award presentation included the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko; the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Red Cross, Dr Lau Chor-chiu; and the Chairman of the BTS Hospital Governing Committee, Mr Ignatius Chan, etc, presenting awards to the awardees.

     Dr Libby Lee said, “The BTS has adopted a multipronged approach to promote blood donation as a habit to ensure a stable blood supply in Hong Kong. I would like to urge blood donors to inspire their family and friends to become fellow blood donation champions, to help patients through their life-threatening moments. I would also like to encourage everyone to register as a bone marrow donor to save lives. I look forward to seeing more young people recognised at the Donor Award Ceremony as key players in this lifesaving effort in the future.”

     Dr Tony Ko added that, a stable blood supply ensures the healthcare system functions effectively to safeguard the health of in Hong Kong people. The HA has always supported blood donation activities. In the past year, HA staff donated more than 1 800 units of blood. Many colleagues dedicate themselves to protecting patients both within and beyond their workplace. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all staff members and blood donors across the city for their invaluable contribution.

     Dr Lau Chor-chiu said, “To strengthen our network with universities, the BTS has collaborated closely with the Hong Kong Red Cross Youth Development Service. Following the establishment of the Hong Kong Red Cross University Club (Hong Kong Baptist University) last year, this year BTS has also engaged in the establishment of the Club of Chinese University of Hong Kong. The BTS will actively engage in the campus blood donation activities.”

     Mr Ignatius Chan stated that, “BTS has paid our utmost effort recruiting young donors over the years, aiming at strengthening the team dedicated to saving lives through blood donation. This year, the BTS organised a University Blood Donation Marathon and visited 13 universities and tertiary institutions. During the event, the BTS collected over 2 800 units of blood, among which 1 200 people were first-time donors. Besides, the BTS continues to collaborate with the Education Bureau to promote blood donation education in secondary schools, ensuring that the culture of blood donation is rooted in campus.”

     This year, a total of 127 800 enthusiastic blood donors donated nearly 219 200 units of blood, turning into over 372 100 units of blood products for clinical treatment in Hong Kong hospitals after they underwent processing and testing at various laboratories of the BTS. 

     In addition to individual donation awards for enthusiastic blood donors, Elite Partnership Awards were presented to the following corporate, community and academic partners, in recognition of their enthusiastic support and remarkable achievements in blood donation. The respective winners are:

Elite Partnership Award – Corporate Partners 
Prudential Hong Kong Limited
Sino Group
Nan Fung Group
Link Asset Management Services Limited
Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited

Elite Partnership Award – Community Partners
Tsz Shan Monastery
Rotary International District 3450
Scout Association of Hong Kong
Evangelical Free Church of China – Yan Fook Church

Elite Partnership Award – Community Partners (Blood Donation Vehicle)
Whampoa Garden Management Limited
Lung Mun Oasis
Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation 

Elite Partnership Award – University
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Hong Kong Baptist University
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Elite Partnership Award – Secondary School
Shatin College 
West Island School
Po Leung Kuk Wu Chung College  
Discovery College
Buddhist Hung Sean Chau Memorial College
F.D.B.W.A. Szeto Ho Secondary School
Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Secondary School
King’s College
PHC Wing Kwong College
Lai Chack Middle School

     The BTS invites members of the public to support blood donation activities continuously and become regular blood donors. Donors can make appointments via “HK Blood” mobile app or by calling the BTS’ donor centres. For details, please visit www.ha.org.hk/rcbts.

            

     â€‹The Department of Health (DH) today (June 14) organised a symposium entitled “A New Era for Dental Services in Hong Kong” at the Auditorium of the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Renowned dental academics from the Mainland and overseas, as well as local dental professionals explored the way forward and measures to promote oral health and foster the sustainable development of the dental services in Hong Kong. The symposium also celebrated the important milestone of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the DH’s Dental Services.
      
     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the incumbent Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of the DH, Dr Kitty Hse; and four former Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of the DH officiated at the opening ceremony of the symposium.
      
     In his address, Professor Lo said, “Oral health is vital to overall health. At the end of last year, the Government released the final report of the Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care, shifting the focus of Hong Kong’s oral health and dental care system from treatment-oriented to an approach targeting prevention, early identification and timely intervention. The Government adopts the strategies of widely promoting among citizens across all age groups prevention-oriented primary oral healthcare, and provides essential curative dental care services targeting underprivileged groups.”
      
     He stressed that the Primary Dental Co-care Pilot Scheme for Adolescents launched by the Government in March 2025 is an initiative of widely promoting among citizens, encouraging adolescents to prevent dental diseases while the Community Dental Support Programme launched last month is an initiative focusing on enhancing dental services for the underprivileged (including elderly who have financial difficulties). The Government looks forward to collaborating with the dental professionals, training institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the members of the public to usher in a new era of dental services in Hong Kong, and continue to enhance various initiatives to promote oral health for all.
      
     Dr Lam said in his welcoming speech, “Since its establishment in 1945, the Dental Services of the DH has achieved significant development over the past 80 years. From providing emergency dental extraction service during the post-war period to introducing fluoridation of drinking water in Hong Kong in 1961 to combat and prevent dental diseases; to rolling out the prevention-oriented School Dental Care Service for all primary school students in Hong Kong in 1980, which has been well-received by parents; to providing specialist dental services to patients with special healthcare needs; and to implementing various community dental care programmes to cater for the needs of the elderly and underprivileged, etc. The Dental Services is expanding to meet the needs of the society, enhancing both the quality and quantity of services.”  
      
     He added that the Dental Services of the DH endeavours to grow alongside Hong Kong, and will continue to actively implement the Oral Health Action Plan through policy innovations, leveraging on technology and community collaboration, with emphasis on providing preventive care to the public and special community dental services to underprivileged groups, in order to promote oral health and the retention of natural teeth. 
      
     The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, also delivered a video message for the symposium. The keynote speakers were Professor Hiroshi Ogawa, the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Translation of Oral Health Science; Professor Zheng Shuguo, the Chairman of the Department of Preventive Dentistry of the School of Stomatology of Peking University; and Dr Navdeep Kumar, Consultant in Special Care Dentistry of University College London. They shared insights on topics such as the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health (2023-2030), the Mainland’s policy and efforts to promote global oral health, and the challenges and innovations in providing dental care to adult patients with special needs.
      
     Sixteen NGOs and partners who have been actively participating in government-subsidised dental programmes such as Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly, Healthy Teeth Collaboration and Special Oral Care Service, were invited to attend the symposium to share their fruitful achievements in serving the elderly and persons with special needs.
      
     Apart from the symposium, the Bright Smiles Mobile Classroom of the DH’s Oral Health Promotion Division, decorated with a theme celebrating the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Dental Services, will tour around Hong Kong districts to promote oral health to the public. Details will be announced on the Facebook fan page of “愛牙 Love Teeth HK” later.  

        

     â€‹An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined $2,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (June 14) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

     Customs officers intercepted the 35-yer-old incoming female passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 13) and seized about 44 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $181,000 and a duty potential of about $146,000 from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. 

     Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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/).

  

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Charles Ng today (June 14) concluded his visit to Canada, deepening economic and business ties with Canadian investors and enterprises.

     During his visit June 8 to 14 to Waterloo, Toronto, and Montreal, Mr Ng met with investors, family offices, start-ups, academia, and business leaders, emphasising Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub and gateway to Mainland China and international markets. He hosted roundtables highlighting Hong Kong’s strengths in wealth management and cross-border investments and discussed how Canadian enterprises can leverage Hong Kong for global expansion. He toured innovation labs and facilities at universities and discussed Asian expansion plans with Canadian founders. The meetings connected researchers and ecosystem builders across life sciences, medtech, cleantech, AI, and more.

     Mr Ng also highlighted the upcoming Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2025, inviting Canadian investors and entrepreneurs to visit Hong Kong from November 3 to 7 and explore Asia’s dynamic markets. The event offers unparalleled access to industry leaders, cutting-edge fintech trends, and high-growth opportunities for positioning companies at the forefront of innovation.

     Mr Ng said, “The visit was highly fruitful, underscoring the strong economic relationship and vibrant investment exchanges between Hong Kong and Canada. It highlighted Hong Kong’s distinctive role as a ‘super connector’ linking global markets, offering Canadian businesses valuable pathways for expansion into Asia. This engagement not only reinforced ties between the two markets but also unlocked exciting collaborative opportunities.”

     Participants at the events expressed keen interest in Hong Kong’s business environment and connectivity. Investor Relations Officer, Velocity Incubator, University of Waterloo, Mr Andrew Martinko, said, “We learned from Invest Hong Kong about their strong commitment to driving tech innovation through action. They presented a dynamic and expanding start-up ecosystem, clearly focused on welcoming talented Canadian founders and connecting them with high-potential Asian markets and diverse funding opportunities, all within close geographic reach.”

     Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of XSIM AI Canada Inc, Ms Shan Tao, said “Participating in the StartmeUpHK Festival was a pivotal moment for XSIM AI Canada Inc. The support and insights from InvestHK and the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association helped us uncover the unique opportunities within Hong Kong’s ecosystem. It ultimately led to a conditional offer from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation’s Soft Landing Programme, and the establishment of our business there. Hong Kong is where our vision for practical, scalable, purpose-driven industrial AI found both strategic alignment and real momentum – advancing economic value and environmental impact.”

     Partner at DS Avocats and Honorary Secretary of the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide, Ms Cindy Ho, facilitated high-level connections during the trip and shared her insights. She said, “Canada and Hong Kong share a robust and time-tested business relationship, driving trade, investment, and innovation. With Hong Kong serving as a vital hub for Canadian businesses expanding into Asia, and Canadian expertise fuelling innovation in Hong Kong, this dynamic exchange is unlocking new opportunities and reinforcing bilateral trade and investment in the global economy. As a legal professional working closely with international businesses, I have seen firsthand how Canada and Hong Kong businesses can benefit namely through the Hong Kong-Canada Income Tax Agreement. Together, we are building a future of shared prosperity and ambition, backed by strong trade and investment agreements and a long-term commitment to sustainable growth.”