Tag Archives: China

    The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 5) urged the public not to consume a batch of raw milk cheese imported from France due to possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The trade should stop using or selling the affected product immediately if they possess it.

    Product details are as follows:

Product name: MORBIER LAIT CRU DE SCEY AOP 7KG MEULE
Brand: PERRIN VERMOT
Place of origin: France
Pack size: 6.56 kilograms
Best-before date: February 23, 2025
Batch number: 34008
Importer: Culina HK Limited

    “The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product is being recalled in France due to possible contamination with STEC. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned,” a spokesman for the CFS said.

    The importer concerned has stopped sale and removed the affected batch of the product from shelves and initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2342 3221 during office hours.

    “People will contract STEC-causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people,” the spokesman said.

    The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing. read more

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (February 5) announced that the overall number of visitors to Hong Kong reached around 1.4 million following the conclusion of the eight-day Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland (January 28 to February 4) yesterday, with various arrangements for receiving visitors rolling out smoothly.
 
     Mr Chan said, “During this Chinese New Year Golden Week, the wide range of celebration events held in Hong Kong, including the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade on the first day of Chinese New Year, the fireworks display on the second day, the Chinse New Year Raceday on the third day and the Chinese New Year Cup football match on the fourth day, were well received by the public and visitors from the Mainland and different parts of the world, allowing them to immerse themselves in a vibrant festive atmosphere.”
 
Visitor flow and situation of boundary control points
 
     During the eight-day Chinese New Year Golden Week, the Immigration Department recorded a total of around 1.4 million inbound visitors to Hong Kong through various sea, land and air control points. Among them, Mainland visitors accounted for about 1.2 million, representing around 85 per cent of the total arrivals. The daily average of Mainland visitors was around 150 000.
 
     The arrival of Mainland visitors peaked on January 30 (the second day of Chinese New Year) with around 190 000 Mainland visitors arriving in Hong Kong. During the Chinese New Year Golden Week, the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point received the highest number of Mainland visitors, followed by the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point. The overall operation of the control points and transport services ran smoothly.
 
Major tourist attractions, inbound tour groups and hotel occupancy rate
 
     Visitors went to different parts of Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week, with high visitor flow observed at major tourist attractions including the West Kowloon Cultural District, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, the Peak Tram and Ngong Ping 360. Smooth and effective crowd management measures were implemented. In addition, according to the information provided by the hotel industry, the hotel occupancy rate during the Chinese New Year Golden Week reached 90 per cent in general.
 
     In terms of Mainland inbound tour groups, according to the Travel Industry Authority’s information, over 2 200 Mainland inbound tour groups visited Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week, with around 83 per cent engaged in overnight itineraries. These tour groups involved around 79 000 visitors, accounting for around 7 per cent of all Mainland visitors, and they were orderly in general.
 
Cross-boundary traffic
 
     Throughout the Chinese New Year Golden Week, the Transport Department had been steering public transport operators to enhance their service capacity with a view to meeting the cross-boundary passenger demand. The traffic conditions at various boundary control points were mostly smooth.
 
     Mr Chan said, “Thanks to the close collaboration of all relevant government departments, organisations and the trade in making comprehensive preparations and responses, as well as the co-operation of the public and tourists, the various reception arrangements during the Chinese New Year Golden Week operated smoothly this year, enabling citizens and tourists to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong in a joyous and festive manner.” read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 5) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York (HKETONY) hosted its annual Hong Kong Spring Reception on February 4 (New York time), welcoming close to 400 guests (tbc) from government agencies, businesses, think tanks, non-profits, academic institutions, cultural organisations and the media to usher in the Year of the Snake. 

     The Director of the HKETONY, Ms Maisie Ho, extended a warm welcome to attendees and highlighted Hong Kong’s resilience and recent accomplishments amid global challenges.

     “This year, we welcome the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac – a symbol of wisdom, adaptability, and transformation. The snake sheds its skin to embrace new beginnings, reminding us that change, though sometimes challenging, is essential for growth. In many ways, this symbolism resonates deeply with Hong Kong’s journey. We have always been a city that adapts, innovates, and thrives in the face of change.”

     “In 2024, Hong Kong maintained its position as one of the world’s top four IPO venues, raising a total of US$10.6 billion. Invest Hong Kong also had a record-breaking year, assisting 539 overseas and Mainland companies – including 24 from the United States – to set up operations in Hong Kong. We also saw an all-time high of 15 126 non-Hong Kong companies registering in the city,” she shared.

     Ms Ho further emphasised the strength of Hong Kong’s economic ties with the US, noting that Hong Kong is home to 1 390 US firms, the highest in recent history. “The US is one of Hong Kong’s leading trading partners and consistently enjoys trade surplus with Hong Kong over the years. Over the past decade, there has been a trade surplus amounting to US$270 billion,” she said.

     During her address, Ms Ho expressed gratitude to the “Hong Kong Family” – the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Invest Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), and the Hong Kong Association of New York – for their on-going support. 

     The evening was further enriched by a special performance featuring three talented Hong Kong musicians: violinist Ding Yijie, erhu player Yang Enhua (both from the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong), and professional pianist Laurina Hong. Sponsored by the HKETONY and Cathay Pacific, the trio presented a captivating selection of music blending Eastern and Western traditions, showcasing Hong Kong’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. 

     Hong Kong’s creativity was also celebrated with two striking inflatable art installations by local creative brand Chocolate Rain. These pieces were part of the “Hong Kong Meets America – Pop Art Exhibition” at the American Dream Mall last October, adding a unique touch to the evening’s festive atmosphere.

     Additionally, the HKTB featured renowned wine and spirits expert Anthony Giglio, who shared his insights into Hong Kong’s bar scene and introduced the evening’s signature cocktail, “The Cloud Nine”, which added a distinctive and flavourful touch to the celebration.

            

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited relating to fraudulent websites, internet banking login screens and Apps, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites, login screens or Apps concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more