Tag Archives: China

     An owner of premises was convicted with a criminal record and fined $18,000 by the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on June 12 for the premises being used as an unlicensed guesthouse, which contravened the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.

     The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department had identified a suspected unlicensed guesthouse being operated in Kowloon. The OLA officers posed as lodgers and rented a room in the premises concerned. According to the OLA’s records, the guesthouse did not have a valid licence on the date of lodging. The OLA invoked section 5A(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance and instigated prosecution against the owner of the premises.

     Section 5A(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance stipulates that if any premises are a hotel or guesthouse while no licence is in force for the premises, each of the owners and tenants of the premises commits an offence.

     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed hotel or guesthouse is a criminal offence. The owner of the subject premises, unless a statutory defence can be established, also commits a criminal offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and three years’ imprisonment. A conviction will result in a criminal record. The court may also issue a six-month closure order for premises involved in a repeated offence.

     The list of licensed hotels and guesthouses is available on the OLA’s website (www.hadla.gov.hk) and the mobile application “Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses” for public reference. Anyone with information about suspected unlicensed hotels and guesthouses should immediately report it to the OLA through the hotline (tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), or by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website, or through the mobile application. read more

     The Correctional Services Department (CSD) today (June 13) held the first Rehabilitation Partners Award Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony to honour 120 non-governmental organisations, charitable institutions, commercial o… read more

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, and the Director General of the Research Office of the Supreme People’s Court, Mr Zhou Jiahai, today (June 13) in Beijing signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a standing interface platform on judicial and legal co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which serves as a regular and institutionalised high-level official communication mechanism for deepening exchanges and co-operation and taking forward the work on the interfaces of mechanisms, regulatory frameworks and talent. Before the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the Executive Vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court, Mr Deng Xiuming, met with Mr Cheung and his delegation.

     The establishment of the interface platform is one of the policy initiatives in “The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address”, and also an important measure in the Department of Justice’s Action Plan on the Construction of Rule of Law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for strengthening the interface of the communication mechanism between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

     The two sides reached an agreement on various fronts to enhance the advantages of the GBA development, including the establishment of a standing interface mechanism to deepen the judicial and legal interface of regulatory frameworks in the GBA, thereby enhancing the cross-boundary multifaceted dispute resolution mechanism; strengthening exchanges and co-operation in the training of foreign-related legal talent; and conducting regular exchanges and visits of relevant officers.

     Under the framework of the interface platform, high-level joint meetings between the two sides will be convened at least once a year to set the work priorities for the next stage, jointly prepare the work plans and programmes and notify each other on a regular basis.

     Mr Cheung said the standing interface platform would enable the two sides to advance closer and smoother practical and research work on judicial and legal matters relating to the GBA, and better utilise the unique advantages of “one country, two systems and three jurisdictions” of the GBA, so as to consolidate Hong Kong’s status as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, serving the high-quality development of the country and the construction of the rule of law in the GBA. read more

     The Government’s inter-departmental working group responsible for tackling management issues of oyster rafts in Deep Bay started to remove oyster rafts not authorised to temporarily remain at that location (i.e. oyster rafts without markers) today (June 13).

     The working group provided markers with unique identification numbers to local oyster farmers whose oyster rafts had been authorised to temporarily remain in Deep Bay. These markers should be attached to their corresponding oyster rafts for the working group to inspect. The working group started to remove oyster rafts without attached markers as well as all associated items today under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. 313) in accordance with the first phase of the management plan.  

     A spokesman for the working group said, “The working group will continue taking appropriate action, including the removal operation. Persons related to these oyster rafts may also be legally liable. The working group will assess factors such as navigational safety, water quality, and environmental conditions in Deep Bay, as well as the condition of oyster rafts authorised to temporarily remain in the next stage. With reference to this assessment, the working group will determine the culture area, actual number of oyster rafts, and culture locations to be permitted for oyster cultivation in Deep Bay under the management plan.” 

     The Government’s inter-departmental working group consists of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Lands Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Marine Department, the Environmental Protection Department, and the Home Affairs Department. Members of the public can call 2150 7093, fax to 2314 2866 or email mailbox@afcd.gov.hk to contact the working group.

    

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, called on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and met with its Deputy Minister, Mr Ta Quang Dong, in Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday (June 12).

     Mr Yeung said, “Our country has indicated clear support for Hong Kong to develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges, offering unlimited development opportunities to the arts and cultural sectors. Hong Kong has been a place consisting of a fusion of cultures of Asia and other parts of the world. Hosting the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum regularly enables cultural ministers and senior officials of Asian countries to exchange views and share experiences, thereby assisting Hong Kong to become a cultural hub connecting the country with the world.”

     He said that there has been cultural co-operation between Hong Kong and Vietnam. The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts collaborated with the Department of Training of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam to promote educational exchanges in arts and culture. Vietnamese performing groups also participated in the Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. In the area of sports, the Hong Kong football team has played against the Vietnam national football team many times. Tourism activities between Hong Kong and Vietnam have also resumed with great potential for co-operation. Hong Kong is committed to becoming an important tourist destination for Vietnam.

     Mr Yeung began his visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday. He first visited the Vietnam Television Corporation and met with its senior management to explore collaboration opportunities. He also visited the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies to learn about its strategies and recommendations from research and implementation of its plans.

     Mr Yeung visited the Vietnam Football Federation this morning (June 13). He then met in the afternoon with leaders of Vietnam’s creative industries, including film, television, and fashion to discuss opportunities of collaborations.

     â€‹Mr Yeung will depart for Hong Kong tomorrow (June 14) morning.