The Government gazetted today (December 6) the proposed road improvement works necessary for the phases 2 and 3 columbarium development at Wo Hop Shek Cemetery.

     Details of the proposal are set out in the Annex. The plans and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:

Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

North Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, North District Government Offices,
3 Pik Fung Road, Fanling, New Territories

District Lands Office, North,
6/F, North District Government Offices,
3 Pik Fung Road, Fanling, New Territories

     The gazette notice, scheme, plans and location plan are available at www.tlb.gov.hk/eng/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.html.

     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Logistics Bureau's Drop-in Box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettetlb@tlb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics not later than February 4, 2025.

     Five property owners were convicted and fined over $400,000 in total at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts last week for failing to comply with statutory notices issued in respect of their residential units under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) according to the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

     The Buildings Department issued statutory notices under section 30B(5) of the BO to the respective five owners of 13 domestic units in a 61-year-old composite building on Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay, requiring them to appoint a registered inspector to carry out the prescribed inspection and necessary prescribed repair in respect of the balconies of their units.

     Since the owners failed to comply with the statutory notices, they were prosecuted by the BD and were convicted and fined by the court on November 28. Three owners, each holding one unit, were fined $22,920, $24,920 and $25,720 respectively; an owner holding two units was fined $44,640 in total; and another owner holding eight units was fined $287,840 in total.

     "Failing to comply with a statutory notice without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The BD may instigate prosecution proceedings against the owner according to the BO", a spokesman of the BD said today (December 6).

     Pursuant to section 40(1BC) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a statutory notice served on the person, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 5 ($50,000 at present) and to imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $5,000 for each day that the offence has continued.

     The Layman's Guide on MBIS can be downloaded from the BD website at www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/resources/pamphlets-and-videos/LGMBIS_e.pdf

     Hong Kong Customs conducted a two-week joint operation with the Mainland and Macao Customs from November 18 to 30, during which inspection of goods across the three places and destined for North America, Europe, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative was stepped up, with a view to combating cross-boundary and transshipment counterfeiting activities. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs detected 26 cases and seized about 36 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods, including mobile phone accessories, watches, jerseys and handbags, with a total estimated market value of about $11 million.

     Through intelligence analysis and in-depth investigations, Hong Kong Customs in the operation detected 22 related cases at a number of local express couriers. Meanwhile, Customs officers on November 27 inspected one 40-foot container, arriving in Hong Kong from the Mainland and containing suspected counterfeit goods, at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal Customs Cargo Examination Compound, leading to the detection of one more case.

     In the other three cases, Customs officers intercepted three incoming lorries on November 22 and 23 at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, seizing a batch of suspected counterfeit goods from the vehicles. Three male lorry drivers, aged between 27 and 58, were arrested. The three arrested men have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Hong Kong Customs will continue to work closely with the Mainland Customs, Macao Customs and overseas law enforcement agencies to vigorously combat cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipping activities through intelligence exchanges and joint enforcement actions. 

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 80 80 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) held a bilateral meeting in Hong Kong yesterday (December 5) to further strengthen the bilateral co-operation between the financial services sectors of the two jurisdictions.
      
     During the meeting, the HKMA and the SAMA engaged in an in-depth discussion covering several major areas, including financial infrastructure development, supervisory technology adoption, global investment outlook and opportunities, and experience in economic research.
      
     The meeting followed an earlier bilateral meeting between the HKMA and the SAMA, held in Riyadh in July 2023.
      
     The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, "We are delighted to welcome the SAMA delegation to Hong Kong. Connectivity between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia has been growing in recent years. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the SAMA and continuing our exchange in areas of mutual interest, to further enhance the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong's roles as the gateways between the Middle East and Asia."
      
     The Governor of the SAMA, Mr Ayman Al-Sayari, said, "The bilateral meeting reinforced the continuous co-operation between our central banks, highlighting our shared commitment to fostering international collaboration, sharing knowledge, and driving innovation to support a robust and resilient financial system. We look forward to deepening our dialogue with the HKMA through ongoing exchanges of views, experiences, and policy insights."

     â€‹Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) concluded today (December 6) its annual meeting, which gathered key representatives from its 34 overseas and Mainland offices, as well as officials from other bureaux and departments, for cross-departmental sharing and discussions to further synergise its efforts in promoting Hong Kong as a premier business hub in the Asia-Pacific region.  
      
     The annual meeting was packed with cross-geographical and sector-team discussions, knowledge sharing and a fireside chat with officials from different bureaux and departments, including the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Hong Kong Talent Engage, and the Trade and Industry Department, as well as visits to innovation and development hubs and business partners in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
      
     The theme of the annual meeting, "One Team with One Mission", underscores the unified commitment of 34 global offices to working jointly to attract enterprises and investment. As of November 2024, InvestHK has assisted over 500 Mainland and overseas companies to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 50 percent. The annual meeting serves as a key platform for exchanging insights and uniting InvestHK's global efforts to explore innovative strategies to attract foreign direct investment, reinforcing Hong Kong's position as the leading international business location in Asia. 
      
     The highlight of the annual meeting was InvestHK's Annual Reception held on the first day. It brought together more than 500 guests from all over the world, including business leaders, valued partners, and representatives from consulates and chambers, promoting cross-sector collaboration and synergy.
      
     In his opening remarks, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, "Hong Kong's unique advantages continue to be recognised by the international community. As the only economy in the world where the global advantage and the China advantage come together, Hong Kong is ranked again as the freest economy in the world by the Fraser Institute in its latest report. In the Business Ready 2024 Report recently published by the World Bank Group, Hong Kong was rated among the top in international trade. Hong Kong indeed has a lot to offer for companies around the world, which would like to set up regional headquarters to tap into the Mainland market, or for Mainland companies aiming to go overseas through Hong Kong."
      
     The Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Ms Maggie Wong, kicked off the annual meeting and delivered a keynote speech, welcoming and thanking InvestHK's staff for their efforts in promoting Hong Kong globally. She also expressed confidence in Hong Kong's future and encouraged active collaborations and discussions within the Government to promote the city's strengths.
      
     Concluding the annual meeting, the Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, "It has been a remarkable year for InvestHK, and I am proud of the progress we have made together. While external challenges exist, our continued growth reflects our resilience and readiness to embrace new opportunities. We have overcome challenges in the past, and we will continue to do so in the future. This is the spirit of InvestHK – agile, determined, and always ready to go the extra mile to serve our clients."
      
     The annual meeting included visits by InvestHK's overseas staff to innovation and development hubs in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, including Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Northern Metropolis and Kai Tak Sports Park, as well as BYD Group, Shenzhen HighGreat Innovation Technology Development Co Ltd and Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen. Through these visits, the overseas staff gained first-hand insights into the rapid developments in these two places, enabling them to tell Hong Kong stories even better in the markets where they are based.