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2026
The Mainland Civil & Commercial Legal Practice Training Course 2026, organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, concluded today, attracting over 400 registrations. This two-day course was designed for local legal and dispute resolution practitioners. It aims to deepen the local sector's understanding of the Mainland's civil and commercial legal system, practical operations and latest developments, while fostering cross-boundary professional exchanges. Addressing the opening ceremony, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam noted that the country’s continuous high-level opening up has substantially increased the demand for cross-boundary legal services. He said that Hong Kong needs more talent equipped with practical knowledge of cross-boundary civil and commercial law, adding that the course directly addresses this pressing need. Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan said in his closing remarks that rapid arbitration development allows Hong Kong to fully leverage its institutional strengths. He noted that Hong Kong will support the Mainland and overseas arbitration institutions in establishing branches locally to attract high-calibre professionals and boost the city’s status as a dispute resolution services centre. First held in 2025, the training course this year focused on a range of key areas of Mainland civil and commercial law. Topics covered mutual legal assistance arrangements, Mainland arbitration and investment protection agreements. Two thematic panel discussions examined international investment arbitration and the challenges Chinese enterprises face in overseas development. Speakers included senior judges from the Supreme People's Court and other Mainland courts, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Commerce, and various legal and arbitration experts.
Chief Executive John Lee said the defendants’ conspiracy was abundantly clear and they must be brought to justice after the Court of First Instance of the High Court delivered the verdict in the incitement to subversion case of "Hong Kong Alliance". The court today delivered the verdict in the case concerning the Alliance, Lee Cheuk-yan, Ho Chun-yan and Chow Hang-tung, who were charged with "incitement to subversion". The Alliance, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were convicted as charged after trial, while Ho Chun-yan pleaded guilty earlier and was convicted. The court adjourned the case to next Friday for mitigation. Mr Lee noted that the Alliance had long been deliberately planting seeds of hatred against the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the central government in Hong Kong society, attempting to incite disaffection, hatred and other sentiments among members of the public against the CPC and the central government through various means, and inciting people to subvert state power. “The acts of the defendants over a long period of time endangered national security; their conspiracy was abundantly clear, which must be brought to justice,” Mr Lee said.He emphasised that incitement to subversion is an extremely serious offence. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has the responsibility to safeguard national security, and will resolutely prevent, suppress and punish acts and activities endangering national security. “This case once again demonstrates that no matter how offenders disguise their real agendas with sophistry and rhetoric, as long as they commit an offence endangering national security, the Hong Kong SAR Government will ensure that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring the offenders to account." Welcoming the court's verdict of conviction, the Hong Kong SAR Government highlighted that during the trial of this case, external forces blatantly and repeatedly smeared the Judiciary, the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies, using political tactics and misleading remarks in an attempt to interfere with the fair trial of the case, and making baseless attacks against the Hong Kong SAR's efforts in protecting human rights and freedoms as well as safeguarding national security. The Hong Kong SAR Government strongly condemned their despicable attempt to openly trample on the rule of law. It reaffirmed that the law never allows anyone to openly harm one's own country and compatriots under the pretext of human rights, democracy and freedom. It added that the court reached its verdict strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely without any political considerations. Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law. The court emphasised that the defendants were put on trial not because of their political views or beliefs, adding that it only considered the law and evidence relevant to the case to decide whether the prosecution was able to prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt. It pointed out that when ordinary reasonable persons received the messages of the Alliance and other defendants, they must have understood that the aim of their agendas was to end the leadership of the CPC, and that other people were being encouraged to put the agendas into action. In addition, the court pointed out that the defendants had all along been hostile towards the CPC and the central government under its leadership, and adhered to the course of resisting the central government and refusing to make any compromise. After the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the defendants refused to pull back from the brink and were bent on embracing the resistance line of the Alliance to the very end. Even though the defendants knew that what they had said and done might have already gone beyond the scope of lawful freedom of expression, they paid no regard to it. The defendants intended to cause others to lose confidence in the CPC by stirring up hostility and causing division, so as to achieve the objective of undermining the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Hong Kong SAR Government added that the Hong Kong SAR is an inalienable part of the PRC. The state provides the fundamental guarantee for the prosperity and development of Hong Kong, and the highest principle of "one country, two systems" is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. The Hong Kong SAR Government will resolutely safeguard the fundamental system of the state established by the Constitution and the security of state power, and will, in strict accordance with the principle of the rule of law, prevent, suppress and punish acts and activities endangering national security with full force and in accordance with the law.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung stressed today that the Constitution is the most important component of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's constitutional order and of paramount importance to “one country, two systems”, following a court's guilty verdict in an incitement to subversion case. Meeting the media this afternoon, Mr Tang said the court's ruling enabled justice to be done in the case against the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance as well as Lee Cheuk-yan, Ho Chun-yan and Chow Hang-tung, who were charged with “incitement to subversion”. He highlighted that the alliance, since its establishment, had adopted so-called fundamental agendas and objectives to end the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and overthrow the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China (PRC) established by the Constitution. “We must all acknowledge that the Constitution is the fundamental law of the State,” Mr Tang said. He noted that Article 22 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) explicitly prohibits the overthrowing or undermining of the PRC's fundamental system or overthrowing the PRC's central power. “In this case, even after the Hong Kong NSL took effect, the defendants continued with various acts, including attempting to hold unauthorised assemblies, inciting the public through slogans and so-called resistance, publishing content, media interviews, and speaking publicly, attempting to incite others to subvert state power, as well as overthrow or undermine the CPC leadership status by unlawful means constituting the offence stipulated under the Hong Kong NSL. “Finally, I would like to reiterate that regarding any attempt to endanger national security, we will act in strict accordance with the principle of the rule of law and never show leniency,” he added.
The Government has pressed ahead with inter-departmental drills at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area, testing operational readiness across cross-boundary passenger clearance and vehicle inspection procedures. Multiple departments, including the Police Force, the Immigration Department, the Customs & Excise Department, the Department of Health and the Government Property Agency took part in the exercises to ensure full preparedness ahead of the port’s commissioning. During passenger clearance simulations at the departure hall, the Immigration Department tested contingency measures for a “Collaborative Inspection & Joint Clearance” automated channels breakdown that triggered heavy queuing. In response, frontline staff redirected travellers to manual counters and co-ordinated with the Shenzhen General Station of Exit & Entry Frontier Inspection to set up temporary manual counters. Officers also deployed handheld devices to perform departure clearance for eligible Hong Kong residents, rapidly clearing the backup. In separate passenger scenarios, immigration officers escorted a traveller who failed to pass through the automated channel to the duty room for identification document verification. Similarly, at the arrival hall, officers guided a visitor denied entry into Hong Kong to the duty room for examination, before co-ordinating Customs inspection and escorting her back to Shenzhen. Vehicle inspection drills at the vehicle departure hall involved the Customs & Excise Department, the Police Force, the Immigration Department, and other departments testing responses to multiple operational scenarios. In one mock situation at the “Customs front kiosk”, a vehicle was scanned for its licence plate, and officers found that it lacked a valid Closed Road Permit. In another, a vehicle was stopped after passengers failed to disembark for Customs inspection, prompting Customs officers to direct the vehicle to an inspection area for follow-up. Meanwhile, at the vehicle arrival hall, the Immigration Department simulated a system failure across the “joint one-stop” vehicle lanes. Officers smoothly transitioned to manual checks of identification documents and licence plates. Concurrently, the Department of Health deployed to the kiosk to execute manual temperature screening using handheld infrared scanners.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is conducting a series of inter-departmental emergency drills at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area, including mock scenarios of a traffic accident, power outage, lift failure and electrical short circuit, to test departmental emergency response ahead of the port’s opening.One of the drills simulated a traffic accident involving three private cars at the public transport interchange inside the Hong Kong Port Area. The scenario involved multiple injuries, prompting emergency crews to rush to the scene. Firefighters first ensured that the area was secure and that no one was trapped before assessing the casualties and then standing by with a charged hose line as a precaution. Ambulance personnel then provided further medical treatment before taking the injured to hospital. Meanwhile, police officers investigated the cause of the simulated crash and conducted a breath test on a driver. The Fire Services Department also staged a rescue operation inside the port building, where four travellers were simulated as trapped in a lift, complaining of dizziness and discomfort. Firefighters safely opened the lift doors using a manual key after confirming that the power supply was switched off. After initial checks, two of the rescued travellers were sent to hospital for further treatment. Another drill simulated an electrical appliance short circuit in a building rest area, forcing a large number of travellers to evacuate. Emergency teams directed travellers out of the building, while arriving firefighters deployed a hose line to prevent potential flare-ups. One traveller felt unwell and was taken to hospital. In a separate development, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, together with other government departments, staged emergency scenarios including a simulated power failure, a breakdown of the air-conditioning system and a sudden escalator failure. Under the department’s supervision, technical staff carried out emergency repairs to ensure a swift resumption of services. After the establishment of the Hong Kong Port Area, the Hong Kong SAR Government continues to conduct drills and exercises of varying scales to ensure relevant departments and units familiarise themselves with handling different emergency situations.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government conducted an interdepartmental tabletop exercise today in preparation for the opening of Huanggang Port. Held at Police Headquarters, the exercise aimed to bolster collaboration and emergency response capabilities across participating departments and relevant stakeholders. The session focused on realistic simulation scenarios involving potential safety incidents and emergencies once the port commences operation. Key scenarios tested responses to extreme weather, power failures, fires within the port building, major traffic accidents on the new connecting road or in the public transport interchange, and suspected infectious disease outbreaks among arriving passengers. Through detailed scenario analysis and contingency reviews, participating bureaus and departments assessed their emergency response plans, interdepartmental communication mechanisms, and collaborative decision-making processes. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung inspected the exercise and commended the participating parties for their effective co-ordination. The exercise brought together key government bodies, including the Security Bureau, the Transport & Logistics Bureau, the Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Immigration Department, the Customs & Excise Department, the Information Services Department, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, the Architectural Services Department, the Government Property Agency, the Department of Health, the Transport Department, the Highways Department, the Civil Aid Service, the Auxiliary Medical Service, and the Digital Policy Office. Representatives from the Shenzhen side also participated in online exchanges to strengthen the notification and co-ordination mechanism between relevant units in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to strengthen risk management to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of the port upon its official opening.
In preparation for the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly, scheduled for late November in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), in collaboration with other government departments and relevant organisations, conducted a comprehensive inter-departmental exercise covering the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Victoria Harbour and the West Kowloon area. The exercise held last night covered a wide range of measures and arrangements such as simulating crowd-flow management for approximately 1,000 delegates, their movement between event venues, command and coordination of land and sea transport, a wireless network stress test and contingency plans for unexpected situations. The exercise also simulated a scenario where terrorists rammed a vehicle into the venue and opened fire during the General Assembly, resulting in mass casualties. Concurrently, a neighbouring educational institution was evacuated due to a separate incident. Participating departments and organisations swiftly activated their emergency response mechanisms. The exercise thoroughly tested the coordination capabilities of relevant stakeholders across various key operational areas including immediate tactical intervention, emergency response, triage and casualty care, handling of suspicious objects and management of affected persons. The operation mobilised over 2,600 personnel from multiple government departments and entities, including the HKPF, the Fire Services Department, the Hospital Authority, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. Commissioner of Police Chow Yat-ming observed the exercise on site and commended all participating units for their professional performance and coordination.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Shenzhen Vice Mayor Luo Huanghao met today to discuss the planning and development of boundary control points, following an inspection of preparatory work at Huanggang Port. Mr Tang and Mr Luo co-chaired a meeting of the task force on Hong Kong-Shenzhen control points development. Prior to the meeting, delegations from both cities visited Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area. In addition to Huanggang Port's progress, officials also exchanged views on the Sha Tau Kok Boundary Control Point redevelopment project. Mr Tang noted that preparations for the upcoming opening of Huanggang Port are in full swing, with testing and drills actively underway. Both sides aim to ensure the port operates safely, efficiently and smoothly while providing high-quality services for residents and travellers. Representatives from the Architectural Services Department, the Customs & Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Health and the Government Property Agency also attended the meeting.
The new Huanggang Port operates 24 hours a day, featuring a dedicated public transport interchange within the Hong Kong Port Area, allowing travellers easy commutes to and from various districts across Hong Kong. According to Assistant Commissioner for Transport/New Territories Amy Tse, the port is well connected by a comprehensive public transport network. This includes seven franchised bus routes, six green minibus routes, five short-haul cross-boundary coach routes and various long-haul services, as well as direct taxi access. Seven franchised bus routes operated by three bus companies serve the port, including six daytime routes and one overnight service. For daytime bus services, Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) operates Route B10 to Kwai Tsui Estate in Kwai Fong via the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange and Route B11 directly to Tin Fu in Tin Shui Wai via Yuen Long MTR Station. New Lantao Bus operates Route B12, connecting the port with Wu Kai Sha and passing through Science Park and Tai Po. Citybus runs three daytime routes: Route B13 to Siu Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island and Route B14 to Kai Tak in Kowloon, both stopping at the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange, along with Route B15 running to Castle Peak Bay in Tuen Mun via Tuen Mun MTR Station. For late-night travellers, KMB runs overnight Route NB73 serving Sha Tin. In addition, six green minibus routes are available. Daytime services comprise Route 44B to Tuen Mun Station, Route 44B1 to Tuen Mun Ferry Pier and Route 78 to Pat Heung Road. Overnight minibus services include Route N44B to Tuen Mun, Route 79S to Tin Shui Wai and Route 616S to Mong Kok. Travellers can also utilise five short-haul cross-boundary coach routes serving major hubs, including Mong Kok, Austin Road in Jordan, Lam Tin, Exhibition Centre Station in Wan Chai and Tsuen Wan. Passengers wishing to travel by taxi can take fleet, urban or New Territories taxis directly to the port area. Miss Tse noted that the Transport Department and transport operators are fully prepared to deliver a seamless, efficient and convenient travel experience for passengers journeying between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government conducted its second large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area today to further test the overall management of passenger and vehicular flows at the port building and the public transport interchange (PTI). An inter-departmental counter-terrorism and major incident exercise was also held to strengthen the response capabilities of various departments in emergency cases. The exercise mobilised about 5,000 civil servants from around 30 departments. During the drill, participants took various modes of public transport to arrive at the port. They then proceeded to the departure hall and the arrival hall of the port building. Subsequently, they left the port by taking public transport as instructed. Participants and vehicles dispatched by various public transport operators took part in cyclical trials involving more than 250 departures to simulate the flow of people and vehicles arriving and departing from the port. Participants in the drill simulated queuing for immigration clearance procedures in the departure hall and the arrival hall to test the relevant crowd-control arrangements. This drill also featured a new “crowd concentrated-flow test”. A large number of participants were first held on designated floors, in order to create a short-term unforeseen surge pressure subsequently by simulating a situation where an influx of passengers arrive and proceed to the PTI. This is to test inter-departmental co-ordination arrangements and further test the effectiveness of the management of passenger and vehicular flows and various supporting measures. During the drill, different types of tests were also featured. These included simulating the operational arrangement of small vehicles crossing the boundary; simulating a large number of departing passengers queuing to use the clearance facilities; and a large number of passengers gathering at the PTI to wait for individual public transport services. Other tests involved the Department of Health’s quarantine station discovering suspected infection cases and requesting ambulancemen to co-operate in handling the situation; and the taxi management arrangements being activated in response to a large number of taxis going to the PTI. The flow test was followed by an inter-departmental counter-terrorism and major incident exercise conducted at the departure hall on the fifth floor of the port building. The exercise simulated a scenario in which extremists launched a shooting attack after they were discovered to possess firearms and ammunition, causing mass casualties and requiring immediate evacuation. The exercise aimed to enhance departments’ co-ordination and response capabilities in handling terrorism and violence-related intelligence, and responding to different forms of terrorist attacks. Next, different departments conducted a major-incident exercise, which simulated a serious traffic accident on the new connecting road to the port, thereby hindering vehicles from using the original route to enter the port. Traffic was redirected under police instruction to use the southbound route, with one-lane two-way, intermittent access to the port’s PTI. Vehicles were also directed to leave the port and return to the urban area. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung inspected the drill on-site, which was conducted smoothly. He held a meeting with the participating departments afterwards to review the flow and suggestions given by the participants, in order to make further enhancements in subsequent drills.