â€‹The Court of First Instance of the High Court today (November 19) handed down sentences to the 45 convicted defendants in a case of conspiracy to commit subversion. Amongst all, a starting point of 15 years' imprisonment was adopted for the principal offender Tai Yiu-ting. Given his guilty plea, his sentence was brought down to 10 years' imprisonment. As regards the others, they were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment ranging from four years and two months to seven years and nine months.  
      
     â€‹The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, "The sentence shows the court confirmed that the offence of the defendants was extremely serious and they should be severely punished. The reasons for verdict handed down by the court earlier for this case have pointed out clearly that the ultimate aim and purpose of the so-called 'Project 35+' was to undermine, destroy or overthrow the existing political system and structure of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) established under the Basic Law and the 'one country, two systems' principle. The case is extremely serious in nature involving a significant number of defendants. Those involved acted under the guise of democracy and freedom to subvert the political regime of the HKSAR. The objective was to paralyse the Government, exert a severe impact on society, the economy and people's livelihood, create political instability and a constitutional crisis in the HKSAR, and bring the Government to a standstill.
      
     â€‹"This case shows that anyone who intends to subvert state power and endanger national security will ultimately be punished in accordance with the law. Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law, where laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers must be held accountable. No one is above the law. Anti-China, destabilising forces harm and destabilise Hong Kong and subvert state power under the pretext of so-called democracy, freedom and human rights. The HKSAR Government will pursue their legal liabilities and severe punishment will be imposed in accordance with the law."
      
     The spokesman of the HKSAR Government said, "During the trial, evidence adduced in the Court revealed that the persons concerned put forward the '10 steps to mutual destruction' which would bring Hong Kong society to a standstill through large-scale street riots and other means at the same time. Coupled with international political and economic sanctions, 'mutual destruction' would be achieved, causing deep suffering to members of the public.
      
     â€‹"It is clear from the reasons for sentencing handed down by the court that the defendants, led by Tai Yiu-ting, have invested a great deal of time and money in premeditating and planning the so-called 'primary election', which showed that they had a long-term plan to make the scheme a success. As such, the court rejected the proposition of the defence that the scheme was bound to fail as a mitigation reason. Tai Yiu-ting was the initiator of the whole scheme and the '10 steps to mutual destruction' he put forward advocated revolution in substance. Besides, all the defendants who participated in the so-called 'primary election' played an essential role in the whole scheme.
      
     â€‹"Regarding the sentence of individual defendants, the Department of Justice would study the reasons for sentencing in detail and consider whether a review application to the Court of Appeal regarding the sentence will be filed.
      
     â€‹"The HKSAR Government has noticed that the United States and some Western countries, anti-China organisations, anti-China politicians and foreign media have recently made malicious attacks and smears on various cases. The HKSAR Government has stated on many occasions that like all cases, this case was handled strictly on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law. All defendants received a fair trial strictly in accordance with laws applicable to Hong Kong and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, free from any interference."
      
     â€‹The spokesman emphasised, "Safeguarding national security is the inherent responsibility of every citizen. The HKSAR Government is resolutely determined to crack down on acts and activities that endanger national safety, ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced, so as to bring offenders to account. We must remain vigilant at all times against national security risks, which can arise suddenly. We should not forget the pain even though the wound has been healed, nor should we rip apart the old wounds. We must not let Hong Kong suffer from such unforgettable pain again. Only with a safe and stable environment in Hong Kong can we focus on pursuing economic growth, advancing development, improving people's livelihoods and bringing fulfilment to the people."

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) today (November 19) held an award presentation ceremony to honour 103 academics from the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities for their distinguished research achievements and significant contributions to the higher education sector.
 
    Selected through a rigorous process by the RCG, the awardees included:
* 10 RGC Senior Research Fellows;
* 10 RGC Research Fellows;
* 10 Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellows;
* 13 Early Career Awardees; and
* 60 RGC Postdoctoral Fellows (this year, the number of awardees under the Fellowship Scheme has increased from 50 to 60, demonstrating the RGC's commitment to enhancing its support for young researchers).
 
     Officiating at the ceremony, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said that the Government is committed to building Hong Kong into an international knowledge hub for talent locally, nationally and globally. With the rapid and thriving development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area, and with Hong Kong's advantage as a cosmopolitan international city that connects to the Mainland and the world, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned as a prominent international innovation and technology centre. Together with the UGC and the RGC, the Government is sparing no effort to nurture and expand Hong Kong's research talent pool and attract and retain talent to further promote the long-term development of Hong Kong's higher education system.
 
     "The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address the launch of another round of the Research Matching Grant Scheme (RMGS) with a $1.5 billion injection. Based on the successful experience of the inaugural round of the RMGS, which attracted around $5.8 billion in donations or sponsorship for research, we are confident that another round of the RMGS will enable our universities and institutions to work more closely with various sectors of society and attract more funding sources to support our ambition to expand our research and development capacities," Dr Choi added.
 
     Also officiating at the ceremony, the RGC Chairman, Professor Timothy W. Tong, congratulated the awardees for their remarkable accomplishments and expressed appreciation for the Government's new initiatives to support the higher education sector.
 
     "Looking forward, the RGC will continue working with the universities to promote research excellence and drive innovation in the higher education sector to nurture young talent for Hong Kong's economic and social development and strengthen Hong Kong's role as an international knowledge hub," he said.
 
     The list of awardees is in the Annex. Relevant award citations are available on the RGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/about/events/).

        

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 19) that in view of a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Gifu Prefecture in Japan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 2 000 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 227.42 million poultry eggs from Japan in the first nine months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Japanese authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 19) is investigating a probable case of botulism after a patient received injections of botulinum toxin on the Mainland. The CHP again reminded the public that botulinum toxin injections should only be prescribed and performed by registered doctors.
 
     The case involves a female patient aged 66 with underlying illnesses. According to information provided by the patient, she received injections that were claimed to be botulinum toxin from a person at a premises on the Mainland in early October. However, the patient was unable to confirm the professional qualifications of the person who performed the injections. A few days after the injection, she presented with symptoms including limbs weakness, swallowing difficulty and shortness of breath. She attended a Chinese medicine clinic on October 18. As the symptoms were persistent, she attended Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital on November 16 and was admitted the same day. She was in serious condition. She is clinically suspected to have botulism caused by botulinum toxin injection.
 
     The CHP has reported the case to the relevant authority on the Mainland. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing.
 
     "In Hong Kong, botulinum toxin injections should only be performed by a locally registered doctor. Customers should verify the doctor's full name against the list of registered doctors of the Medical Council of Hong Kong as well as their professional qualifications and relevant experience. When receiving injections outside Hong Kong, pay special attention to ensure the provider is qualified or registered with relevant jurisdictions for practice. In case of injections offered from suspicious sources, refrain from receiving them. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice from eligible medical professionals as soon as possible," a spokesman for the DH said.
 
     Due to the weakening of associated muscles and the fact that botulinum toxin may spread and affect other areas beyond the injection site, affected patients may have drooping eyelids, double or blurred vision, problems with chewing, hoarseness, or even difficulties in swallowing, speaking or breathing, which may happen hours, days or weeks after the injection.
 
     The DH urged the public to observe the health advice below before receiving botulinum toxin injections:
 

• Injections in Hong Kong should only be performed by locally registered doctors;
• Understand the procedure, potential risks and possible complications before receiving injections. Consult a doctor for an informed decision;
• Do not receive injections from suspicious sources;
• Do not receive an injection in the case of a history of allergy to botulinum toxin, or if there is an infection or inflammation on the injection site;
• Request the full name of the doctor in writing if referred by a beauty service provider for the procedure, as well as the professional qualifications and relevant experience; and
• If symptoms develop after injections, such as a fever or feeling unwell, seek medical attention immediately.

 
     The public may visit the DH's webpage on the differentiation between medical procedures and beauty services, the Drug Database of the Drug Office and the CHP's botulism page for more information.​

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, at the HSBC-Cathay-EcoCeres Sustainable Aviation Fuel Initiative activation ceremony today (November 19):

Ronald (Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Group, Mr Ronald Lam), Luanne (Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Hong Kong, Ms Luanne Lim), Matti (Executive Chairman of EcoCeres, Mr Matti Lievonen), Clara (Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Investment Corporation, Ms Clara Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon. I am delighted to be here with you today to mark a significant milestone in our journey towards a more sustainable future and a significant enhancement to our aviation hub. First of all, my appreciation to Cathay Pacific, HSBC and EcoCeres for activation of the groundbreaking partnership for the purchase of over 1 million US gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced by EcoCeres and used to refuel Cathay Pacific's aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). 

     The Government remains steadfast in its support for green aviation in Hong Kong. As the Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address last month, our goal is to establish a usage target for SAF within next year, aiming to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector. This initiative aligns with the increasing global demand for sustainable solutions in aviation, and we look to the industry for robust support in this regard.

     The announcement of this tripartite partnership arrives at a crucial time. The collaborative efforts of Cathay Pacific, HSBC and EcoCeres in advancing sustainability resonate with the Government's initiatives and vision. The purchase and future uplift of SAF represent a pivotal step towards achieving net carbon zero in aviation. The Government will maintain close communication with our partners in the aviation and other relevant stakeholders to ensure smooth progress of this journey.

     HKIA's inherent advantages – its prime geographical location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and exceptional connectivity with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – have long been the foundation of our aviation success. With the upcoming commissioning of the Three-Runway System next week on November 28, we anticipate new opportunities on the horizon. As we expand our aviation network, supporting HKIA in exploring new destinations and enhancing existing routes, we remain acutely aware of the importance of having a green and sustainable airport. A sustainable approach is integral to our vision of being a leading international aviation hub.

     With the growing emphasis on green aviation nationally and internationally, we expect to see more local and non-local airlines step up the usage of SAF, which allows them to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. HKIA is well equipped to respond to such demand. Meanwhile, this will present abundant opportunities for the SAF industry. We are eager to see our aviation industry continue to work hand in hand with the SAF production industry to advance this cause.

     Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Cathay Pacific, HSBC, and EcoCeres on achieving this remarkable milestone. Your collaboration sets a powerful example of what can be accomplished when we unite towards a common goal. I wish you continued success and innovation in the years to come.

     Thank you.