Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (October 26) that COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months to 11 years under the Government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme have arrived in Hong Kong. Members of the public can make appointments for eligible children through the Government’s online booking platform starting from tomorrow (October 27) at noon.
      
     “Scientific evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in reducing the risk of severe disease and death. Although COVID-19 has become a common respiratory infection in Hong Kong and around the world, certain high-risk individuals, especially young children, who have not received their initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and have not developed immunity through natural infection, face a higher risk of serious complications if they become infected. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases (JSC) under the CHP earlier recommended that COVID-19 vaccines of the LP.8.1, XFG or NB.1.8.1 lineages may be used in the 2026/27 season. In accordance with the above recommendations, the Government has procured the Spikevax XFG mRNA vaccine for children and will begin administering free vaccinations to eligible infants and children aged 6 months to 11 years from Thursday (October 29),” said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
      
     Members of the public can make appointments for eligible infants and children aged 6 months to 11 years through the Government’s online booking platform at noon on October 27. Parents can also make appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations via the eHealth mobile application for infants and children registered with the eHealth. The system will automatically fill in personal particulars and any COVID-19 vaccination history to facilitate the public when making bookings.
      
     Infants and children may receive COVID-19 vaccinations at designated Maternal and Child Health Centres or Student Health Service Centres under the DH, Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, or designated Private Clinic COVID-19 Vaccination Stations. For details, please refer to the relevant webpage.
      
     According to the JSC’s latest recommendations, children aged 6 months to 4 years without prior COVID-19 infection should receive two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for completion of initial doses, with an interval of at least 28 days between doses. Children aged 5 years or above (regardless of history of infection) and children aged 6 months to 4 years with prior COVID-19 infection require only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for completion of the initial dose.
      
     In addition, immunocompetent children aged 6 months to 11 years should receive booster doses at least six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later), regardless of the number of doses received previously.
      
     Regarding the new batch of COVID-19 vaccines suitable for individuals aged 12 or above, the relevant procurement process is underway. Details will be announced separately.
      
     “Hong Kong entered the influenza season in late June this year. When children receive their COVID-19 vaccine, if they have not yet received the seasonal influenza vaccine, parents may inquire at the vaccination venues about arrangements for the seasonal influenza vaccine. According to scientific evidence, COVID-19 vaccines and seasonal influenza vaccines can be administered at the same time to provide dual protection,” said Dr Tsui.
      
     Members of the public may refer to the CHP’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme and Seasonal Influenza Webpage for more information. read more

     The Government announced today (October 26) the appointment of 18 new members and the reappointment of seven incumbent members to the Common Spatial Data Advisory Committee (CSDAC) for a new term until September 30, 2029.
       
     The CSDAC advises the Government on the enhancement and promotion of the development of the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure (CSDI) in Hong Kong. The CSDI portal is one of the key digital infrastructures underpinning smart city development in Hong Kong. It aims to enhance the use, management, discovery and sharing of spatial data for robust policy-making, driving innovation and value creation for society. Members of the CSDAC comprise representatives from five bureaux/departments and non-official members from various sectors including geospatial and IT-related groups, academia, public utilities, transport operators, the business sector, the construction industry, and social/community services. 
 
     As the Chairman of the CSDAC, the Director of Lands, Mr Maurice Loo, welcomed the newly appointed and reappointed members. He also expressed gratitude to the 14 outgoing members for their dedicated support to the Committee’s work over the past years. Their contributions in developing the 3D Digital Map and advancing the CSDI have been instrumental in driving innovation and enhancing spatial data applications for the city.

     The first meeting of the new term of the CSDAC is scheduled for November 18, 2026.

     The membership of the new term of the CSDAC is as follows: 

Chairman
————–
Director of Lands

Non-official members nominated by professional/trade organisations
—————————————————————————–
Professor Alain Chiaradia (Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design)
Ms Irene Ip Man-kiu (Hong Kong Institute of Architects)#
Ms Stephanie Lau Chit-yu (Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects)#
Professor Li Weifeng (Hong Kong Geographic Information System Association)#
Mr Ken Mao Shu-fai (Hong Kong Institution of Engineers)
Mr Ng Tak-wah (Hong Kong Institute of Planners)#
Professor John Shi Wen-zhong (Smart Cities Research Institute)
Ms Winnie Shiu Wai-yee (Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors)#
Mr Tsang Sun-kiu (Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong)#
Mr Wong Hang-chit (Internet Professional Association)#
Professor Paulina Wong Pui-yun (Smart City Consortium)#
Mr Yu Man-kit (Hong Kong Construction Association)#

Non-official members appointed on an ad-personam basis
—————————————————————–
Mr Chris Au Young Hing-wang#
Professor Chen Wu#
Mr Herbert Chia Pun-kok
Dr Crystal Fok Lo-ming
Ms Joyce Ho Mei-yee#
Mr Lai Kam-to
Mr Sam Law Cheuk-hang#
Mr Sean Lee Fan-fung#
Mr Patrick Lee Sai-yin#
Professor Wilson Lu Weisheng#
Professor Lawrence Poon Chi-kin#
Dr Charleston Sin Chiu-shun#
Professor Anthony Yeh Gar-on
 
Official members
———————–
Representatives of the Development Bureau
Representative of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau
Representative of the Buildings Department
Representatives of the Lands Department
Representative of the Planning Department

Secretary
————
Senior Land Surveyor (Spatial Data Infrastructure), Development Bureau
 
# new member read more

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Minister of Ecology and Environment, Mr Huang Runqiu, at Government House today (October 26) to exchange views on deepening green co-operation. The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, also attended.
 
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Huang and his delegation to Hong Kong to officiate at the Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference 2026. He thanked the country for its support for Hong Kong as a platform for international exchanges, and for choosing Hong Kong as the venue for the Conference, which is being held outside the Mainland for the first time. Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantage of connecting the Mainland and the world, and plays the roles of “super connector” and “super value-adder”, proactively building itself into an international green co-operation hub. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will, through the Belt and Road (B&R) Green Development Co-operation Platform established with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the B&R sustainable green development training centre established by the Environmental Protection Department, build a pool of talent in international environmental protection and facilitate technology exchanges and co-operation along the B&R to promote the green and high-quality development of the B&R Initiative.
 
     Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to green and sustainable development, and four binding indicators are set out in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan relating to environmental protection. Through developing zero-carbon energy and hydrogen energy, and enhancing waste reduction and recycling, Hong Kong is building itself into a green and liveable city and moving towards carbon neutrality. Hong Kong will continue to promote green transformation and green innovation, leverage its status as a centre for green and sustainable finance, and actively explore cross-boundary carbon trading, to support the country in building a carbon market of greater international influence.
 
     Mr Lee said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a key engine for the high-quality development of the country. Hong Kong is actively enhancing its role in the GBA’s green value chain to promote green development in the GBA. Hong Kong has successfully facilitated the establishment of a world-leading sustainable aviation fuel production base in Dongguan, and will further strengthen collaboration in resources circulation to jointly build a Zero Waste Bay Area, achieving complementary advantages for mutual benefits and win-win results between Hong Kong and the Mainland. He thanked the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for its continued support for Hong Kong’s environmental protection work, and expressed the hope that both sides will continue to work together to strengthen collaboration, better integrate into and serve the overall national development, and make greater contributions to the country’s ecological civilisation.

  

     ​Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving river trade vessels on October 9 and 13 respectively. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $33 million were seized.

     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, two river trade vessels departing from Hong Kong for Macao were selected for inspection on the abovementioned dates. Upon examination, Customs officers aboard the vessels found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including about 740 000 suspected pharmaceutical products.

     Investigations are ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.

     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Any person who exports pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid export licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.

     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).

  

Attention TV and radio duty announcers: Please broadcast the following special announcement as soon as possible, and repeat it at suitable intervals:      The Fire Services Department received reports at 12.43pm today (October 26) … read more