Hong Kong Customs mounted a territory-wide large-scale enforcement operation codenamed "Tempest" between February 29 and May 14 to step up efforts to combat illicit cigarette activities on all fronts at each control point and all districts across the territory in Hong Kong. Throughout the operation, Customs detected a total of 4 726 related cases and seized about 139 million suspected illicit cigarettes, about 105 kilograms of cigars, and about 1 525kg of manufactured tobacco products, with a total estimated market value of about $625 million and a duty potential of about $454 million. During the operation, Customs arrested 4 347 persons aged between 15 and 89, and detained 26 vehicles suspected to be used for illicit cigarette distribution.
      
     A Customs spokesman said today (May 28), "In order to identify duty-paid cigarettes more effectively, Hong Kong Customs will collaborate with relevant policy bureaux to conduct feasibility studies and promote the implementation of a duty-paid labelling system."
      
     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source, together with raids in-town, to crack down on the distribution, storage, and peddling of illicit cigarettes on all fronts.
      
     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.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes and that conviction would lead to a criminal record. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying 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 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     A spokesman for the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (WFSFAA) today (May 28) urged members of the public to stay alert to fraudulent WhatsApp messages purported to be sent by the Student Finance Office. The WFSFAA has reported the case to Police.

     The spokesman stressed that the WFSFAA would not use WhatsApp or social media accounts to contact applicants of the financial assistance schemes, but would only use letters, phone calls, emails or SMS messages for such communication. To help members of the public verify the identities of SMS senders, all SMS messages from the WFSFAA would be sent by SMS Sender IDs with the prefix "#".
      
     Members of the public are reminded to stay alert to suspicious messages and not disclose any personal information. Anyone who has been scammed should contact Police immediately.

     The Innovation and Technology Commission today (May 28) held the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme Signing Ceremony with representatives of 24 research teams from universities invited to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
      
     Witnessed by Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Ms Lu Xinning; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Dr Wang Weiming; the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Eddie Mak; and presidents and vice-presidents of universities concerned, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Ivan Lee, signed the MOU with representatives of the 24 research teams at the ceremony to confirm the first batch of projects participating in the RAISe+ Scheme. The total funding amounts to over $1 billion and covers innovation and technology (I&T) fields in health and medical sciences, new materials and new energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, electrical and electronic engineering, engineering, advanced manufacturing, Chinese medicine, and environmental, agricultural and marine biotechnology (see Annex). The signing ceremony marks a new milestone for Hong Kong's I&T development. The Innovation and Technology Commission expressed its hope that the Scheme can incentivise collaboration among industry, academic and research sectors to further promote the "1 to N" transformation of research and development (R&D) outcomes and the industry development, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong's high-quality economic development and accelerating the development of Hong Kong's new quality productive forces.
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     Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Sun expressed his gratitude towards the positive responses from universities to the Scheme and congratulated the 24 teams being recommended by the Steering Committee of the RAISe+ Scheme. He looked forward to witnessing the potential impact of those projects on Hong Kong's I&T system and the possible emergence of unicorn companies.
      
     Professor Sun further added that in addition to launching the RAISe+ Scheme to strengthen the midstream sector, a lot of efforts were made to promote the development of downstream industries, with a focus on life and health technology, AI and data science, as well as new energy and advanced manufacturing industries. "We have successfully negotiated with more than 100 tech enterprises with strategic importance to set operations or expend their presence in Hong Kong in just two years. This echoed our development direction to enhance our I&T ecosystem with a virtuous cycle of interactions between difference sectors," he said.
      
     The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the RAISe+ Scheme, Mr Duncan Chiu, also addressed during the ceremony that the RAISe+ Scheme plays a pivotal role in establishing a vibrant and self-reinforcing I&T ecosystem. The Scheme was introduced at the perfect timing, as Hong Kong was eagerly in need of this critical grant to promote the successful commercialisation of R&D outcomes to unleash the maximum potential of the I&T community.
      
     After the signing of the MOU, the ITC will proceed to finalise the details of the projects, including the specific funding amount, with the research teams.
        
     With a funding allocation of $10 billion, the RAISe+ Scheme was launched in 2023 and aims to fund at least 100 research teams from universities funded by the University Grants Committee, which have good potential to become successful start-ups on a matching basis. Funding support from $10 million to $100 million will be provided to each approved project. Assessment criteria include the I&T component of the project, commercial viability of project outcomes, technical and management capability of the team, relevance of the project with government policies or the overall interest of the community, and financial considerations of the project.
      
     Details of the scheme are available on its dedicated website (www.itf.gov.hk/en/raiseplus). For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the scheme (Tel: 3655 5678; email: raiseplus@itc.gov.hk).

      

     The exhibition entitled "Harmony of Rites and Music: Exploring the Qilu Culture through Shandong Relics" opened today (May 28). It is advised by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Shandong Provincial People's Government and the Development Bureau (DEVB), and jointly presented by the Commissioner for Heritage's Office of the DEVB and the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. The exhibition displays fine artefacts from Shandong and Hong Kong, enabling the public to learn about the unique Qilu culture and the pluralistic integration of Chinese civilisation. 

     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, and the Standing Committee Member and Secretary-General of the Shandong Provincial Committee, Mr Fan Bo, officiated at the opening ceremony. The Secretary of the Shandong Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Shandong Provincial People's Congress, Mr Lin Wu, and the Director-General of Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Ms Wang Lei, also attended the ceremony. 

     A total of 60 sets (about 200 items) of fine artefacts from Shandong are being displayed for the first time in Hong Kong. Highlight exhibits include the "eggshell black pottery high stem cup with perforations" that represents the pinnacle of Chinese prehistoric pottery craftsmanship; the "white pottery tripod 'he' wine vessel" solely used by nobles in the Neolithic period; the "red pottery 'gui' with bag-shaped legs", a representative object of prehistoric Shandong culture; the ritual bronze yue-axe inscribed with "Ya chou" of Shang dynasty; the stacked bronze tableware from Qi State during the Warring States period; the chime bells inscribed with "You" and the stringed crystal and agate ornaments from the Spring and Autumn period; and a delicate bronze ding inscribed with "Lu Ji" from Western Zhou period. Other exhibits include jade and stoneware, pottery ware, bronze ware and musical instruments, illustrating the development of Qilu culture from the Neolithic period to Ming dynasty.

     Also on display are significant artefacts unearthed in Hong Kong, including yazhang-tablet, stone yue-axe, stringed stone ornament set, quartz rings, perforated pottery basin with incised wave pattern, white pottery basin with perforated ring-foot and bird-shaped pottery jar with handle. Through the comparison of artefacts of both places, the pluralistic integration of Chinese civilisation is demonstrated. 

     The exhibition is being held at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, until October 6. Admission is free. For details, please visit the website of the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) of the DEVB (www.amo.gov.hk/en/news/index_id_150.html?year=2024) or call 2208 4488.

     A short video about the preparation for the exhibition can be viewed at the AMO website.

                

The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:

     The Communications Authority (CA) has approved an application by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), a domestic free television programme service (free TV) licensee, for changes in its shareholding structure on account of the allotment of 8 743 836 new shares to GF Global Capital Limited (GF Global) (Note).
 
     According to TVB, the shareholding changes would not bring about any material change to the legal and beneficial ownership of the licensee.
 
     In approving the application, the CA is satisfied that after completion of the shareholding changes, TVB will continue to comply with all applicable regulatory requirements under the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) and its free TV licence, and be able to honour the investment and programming commitments it has made under its licence.
 
Note: GF Global is a company incorporated in Hong Kong and is principally engaged in investment trading activities.