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The inaugural Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forum and the inaugural LawTech Conference were held today, marking the conclusion of Hong Kong Legal Week 2025. The five-day event attracted approximately 6,000 online and offline registrants from nearly 50 jurisdictions, demonstrating Hong Kong's status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre that enjoys unique advantages owing to its common law system under the “one country, two systems” arrangement. The GBA Lawyers Forum, which took the theme of “GBA Connectivity: Setting Sail for Global Horizons”, brought together prominent legal experts from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland to share insights on cross-boundary legal collaboration. This was followed by the LawTech Conference, which was the main event of this week's three-day LawTech Fest. The conference, themed “The AI Era: Shaping the Legal Landscape in the 21st Century”, featured a keynote speaker, an interactive segment and roundtable discussions, during which the LexGoTech Roundtables Report was released. In closing remarks at the conference, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam highlighted that the Chief Executive's recent Policy Address emphasised the Government's commitment to promoting AI as a core industry. Besides promoting the integration of lawtech and AI in the legal sector, the Department of Justice will establish an interdepartmental working group by the end of this year to co-ordinate the responsible bureaus in reviewing relevant legislation, he added.
As of noon today, donations received for the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po reached $2.7 billion, on top of the $300 million startup capital from the Government, taking the fund's total to around $3 billion. The Government said the fund will be used to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support. It earlier announced that the Support Fund will provide families of each deceased victim with a token of solidarity of $200,000, as well as $50,000 to cover funeral costs. As of today, a total of 73 cases have been processed, and disbursements are underway. In addition, the Government announced that the Support Fund will provide a living allowance to each affected household. As of today, 923 cases have been processed, and disbursements are ongoing. It also announced yesterday an increase in the living allowance from $50,000 to $100,000. Those households that earlier received the living allowance of $50,000 do not need to register again, and the additional $50,000 allowance will be disbursed in phases. An emergency subsidy of $10,000 has been disbursed to 1,930 households so far. Social workers from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have been in contact with more than 1,900 affected households, and more than 4,900 residents have been registered for the “one social worker per household” follow-up service. SWD staff also paid visits to the affected residents staying in transitional housing units in Ta Kwu Ling and a youth hostel in Sham Shui Po today and distributed Octopus cards with a face value of $2,000 to facilitate their daily travels and address their imminent needs. Accommodation supportAs of this morning, a total of 1,369 residents have been accommodated through the co-ordination of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau, in youth hostels, camps, or hotel rooms. Another 2,499 residents have moved into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or units from the Hong Kong Housing Society. Hospitalised casualtiesThe Hospital Authority announced that a total of 79 patients received treatment at various public hospitals following the fire. Among them, 19 were previously listed in critical condition due to severe burns, smoke inhalation and respiratory injuries. After receiving treatment, the condition of all the critical patients has improved. As of 6pm today, 30 patients remain hospitalised, with none in critical condition, six in serious condition and 24 in stable condition, while 49 patients have been discharged. Missing personsPolice completed searches inside all seven buildings. Officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit conducted searches around the buildings and near the collapsed scaffolding today, which had been confirmed as safe. No human remains were found and the number of deceased remains at 159. The officers also handed over suspected human remains found earlier to forensic pathologists for further testing. Relief suppliesOn the the supplies donation online platform, the Government has so far received over 1,400 registrations, of which approximately 30% were submitted by organisations. Over 2,800 pieces of donation items, including bedding and electrical appliances, have been distributed to the accommodation soon to be open for residents to live in. Inspection workThe Housing Bureau today continued to arrange emergency maintenance contractors to help Police clear away miscellaneous items at the surroundings of the buildings. Further support works also continued in the small number of units that may be subject to more damage. Upon liaison with Police, the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit started to extract concrete cores from three of the seven affected buildings today. The Labour Department continues to inspect fire protection facilities and the fire emergency preparedness of building maintenance work sites with large-scale scaffolding to ensure the occupational safety of workers. As of 4pm today, it has inspected 300 construction sites, issued a total of 148 written warnings and 79 improvement notices and taken out 25 prosecutions.
A seminar was held to mark Constitution Day today, attended by about 900 participants from various sectors of the community. The seminar was jointly hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR to enhance public understanding of the constitutional basis of the country and Hong Kong. Before the seminar began, all participants stood and observed one minute of silence in memory of the victims of the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Speaking at the Seminar, Chief Executive John Lee first expressed deep condolences to the victims of the fire and offered sincere sympathies to their families and the affected residents. He said that the Hong Kong KSAR Government is devoting efforts to disaster relief and follow-up support, and will establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the incident so as to prevent similar tragedies and meet public expectations. As for Constitution Day, Mr Lee said the Constitution provides the strongest rule-of-law safeguards and institutional foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and is also the constitutional basis for establishing the Hong Kong SAR. He also pointed out that Hong Kong must in future fulfil key roles and contributions as follows: safeguarding the Constitution and the Basic Law; better integrating into and serving the overall national development by seizing the national development directives and opportunities for Hong Kong set out in the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, building an international innovation and technology centre as well as a hub for international high-calibre talents, and developing new quality productive forces; and serving as a bridge for exchanges between Chinese culture and world civilisations by telling the true stories of the successful practice of "one country, two systems". The Chief Executive called on all sectors to work together to build and develop Hong Kong, contribute to the cause of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and vote on December 7 to elect capable and aspiring Legislative Council members who will join the Government in assisting the victims, promoting reforms and building a better home in Hong Kong. Addressing the seminar, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR Deputy Director Liu Guangyuan said the Constitution provides rule-of-law safeguards for realising the rejuvenation of the nation, lays the legal foundation for Hong Kong to integrate into the grand journey of national rejuvenation, and endows the city with institutional advantages to leverage its strengths in the great cause of national rejuvenation. Mr Liu emphasised that the Legislative Council election to be held as scheduled will demonstrate observance of and respect for the constitutional order and the spirit of the rule of law, and will provide strong support for maintaining social stability and post-tragedy reconstruction work. The poll represents the most responsible attitude towards Hong Kong's future, he added. The full version of the seminar will be uploaded to the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau website for the public to review. Click here for details of Constitution Day.
The Government has announced that the living allowance for each household affected by the Wang Fuk Court fire, channelled via the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, will be increased from $50,000 to $100,000. At least 674 households will benefit. The Government will also provide a $200,000 token of solidarity to the families of each deceased victim, as well as $50,000 to cover funeral costs. As of today, 67 cases have been processed. Separately, the Government has so far emergency subsidy payments of $10,000 to 1,929 households. Social workers from the Social Welfare Department have been in contact with more than 1,700 affected households to help them register for the “one social worker per household” service. Departmental staff also paid a visit to affected residents staying in transitional housing units in Yuen Long today, and distributed Octopus cards with a face value of $2,000. The Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Association of Banks today met again with 28 retail banks, including digital banks, and introduced additional measures to continue assisting those affected by the blaze. The Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, set up to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and to offer them long-term support, amounted to $2.8 billion as of noon today. Of that sum, $2.5 billion comes from donations, whilst $300 million is the Government’s start-up capital. Accommodation supportAs of this morning, 1,241 residents had been accommodated, via the co-ordination of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau, in youth hostels, camps, or hotel rooms. Another 2,235 residents have moved into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or units from the Housing Society. Meanwhile, the Transport Department has been steering public transport operators to strengthen the provision of franchised bus, green minibus and residents’ bus services by deploying additional vehicles and manpower to support residents staying in transitional housing in various districts. Relief suppliesAn online platform for the donation of supplies, established by the Government and the information technology sector, has received over 1,300 registrations for donations including food and beverage items, clothing, daily necessities, bedding, and electrical appliances. Handling of reported missing personsPolice have completed searches inside all seven buildings which caught fire. Following searches conducted by around 300 officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit, areas around the buildings and near the collapsed scaffolding were confirmed to be safe. No human remains were found, and the number of the deceased remains at 159. The officers also handed over suspected human remains found earlier to forensic pathologists for further testing. InvestigationsThe Inter-departmental Fire Investigation Task Force, led by the Fire Services Department and also involving the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, inspected the gas pipeline on the exterior wall where the fire started and found no damage to the pipeline. Regulation, inspection workThe Housing Bureau began sending emergency maintenance contractors to help Police clear away miscellaneous items in the surroundings of the buildings. Support works have also commenced in a small number of units which may be subject to further damage. The Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit visited Fung Wah Estate in Chai Wan (under the Tenants Purchase Scheme), as well as four Home Ownership Scheme courts, namely Sui Wo Court in Sha Tin, Ching Lai Court in Sham Shui Po, Yee Kok Court in Sham Shui Po, and On Kay Court in Kwun Tong, to oversee the progress of work to remove protective nets by registered contractors. The Housing Department also completed the removal of protective nets in 15 public housing estates today. As of 4pm, the Labour Department had inspected 239 construction sites, issued 130 written warnings and 61 improvement notices, and taken out 17 prosecutions.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today strongly condemned certain media, including Agence France-Presse, for their fact-twisting reports concerning the case under the National Security Law involving Lai Chee-ying, as well as the treatment provided by the Government during his detention. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the reports seek to smear Hong Kong by misleading the public into believing that the custodial and medical arrangements for Lai Chee-ying have been poor, adding that their despicable intent to vilify the city’s rule of law is blatant and violates the professional conduct of journalists. "The Correctional Services Department (CSD) and relevant units handle the custodial arrangements for Lai Chee-ying in the same way as other persons-in-custody (PICs). His legal representatives have also made it clear that he has all along been receiving appropriate treatment and care in prison. “The false reports by relevant media have no factual basis at all. In fact, the CSD attaches great importance to the safety and health of PICs. Regardless of the identities, ages and nationalities of PICs, the CSD is committed to ensuring that the custodial environment is secure, safe, humane, appropriate and healthy, which includes good ventilation, appropriate and timely medical support, as well as religious services. “The CSD also provides PICs with healthy food in accordance with legal requirements, which are in line with existing international health guidelines. The CSD has also put in place an established mechanism, including regular independent visitors, namely Justices of the Peace, who inspect the prisons to ensure the rights of PICs are protected.” The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that as the legal proceedings involving Lai Chee-ying are still ongoing, it is inappropriate to comment on the case in an attempt to interfere with the court to exercise judicial power independently, which might otherwise constitute perverting the course of justice. Nevertheless, relevant media continue to distort the facts, blatantly smear Lai Chee-ying's detention conditions and medical arrangements, and attempt to exert pressure on the courts, the statement said, noting that such acts must be sternly denounced to set the record straight.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said today that it strongly condemns foreign forces for making unfounded and slanderous remarks regarding the relief and investigation work following last week’s fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, and for maliciously attacking the city’s rescue operations. The Government said such foreign forces include anti-China media organisations, and and other destabilising anti-China forces. In a statement, it said those who try to use the disaster to stir up chaos in society are maliciously blotting out the efforts of the Government and the community and should be condemned. Stating that Hong Kong society is suffering from a collective trauma in the fire’s aftermath, it added that the city needs a society that is united, with people focused on follow-up support and recovery. The statement said that, regrettably, foreign forces and anti-China forces with ulterior motives have disseminated fake news and false messages online and through seditious pamphlets, intending to maliciously smear rescue efforts, instigate social division and conflict, and undermine society’s unity. It said these acts have caused “secondary damage” to the residents. The statement emphasised that, if left unchecked, such acts will not only impact negatively on relief work but will undermine the stability of society and endanger national security. Hong Kong must not let its guard down against such risks, the Government added. Furthermore, it said it will not tolerate malicious smears targeting the Government and rescue personnel, in particular criminal acts that are intended to incite hatred against the Government, confounding right and wrong. It iterated that what is most needed now is for all sectors of Hong Kong to stand united as one in supporting the affected residents to move beyond their grief as soon as possible. The Government said it will not condone any person who attempts to sabotage or interfere with the rescue work, adding that wherever these people are, the Government will make every effort in pursuing them in accordance with the law and make sure that justice is done. The statement reminded members of the public to stay alert to those who seek to exploit the disaster and disseminate unfounded information in an attempt to antagonise society, and to incite public hatred against the Government and the country, thereby endangering national security. It also appealed to members of the public not to defy the law and to refrain from having connections with destabilising anti-China forces. The Government stressed that it will exhaust all means to pursue and combat such forces, and will ensure any violations of the law will be pursued regardless of distance through decisive enforcement actions.
(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.) In view of the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Chief Executive John Lee said today he will establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Ahead of the Executive Council meeting, Mr Lee said he has identified a large number of areas where issues should be addressed as the fire reflected significant lapses in building works, from construction to supervision, with multiple points of failure. “We must implement systemic reform. And the issues identified include: First, the safety requirements, standards, supervision and routine maintenance system for construction works. “Second, systemic issues in the construction process, such as inappropriate connected interests, conflicts of roles and corrupt collusion. “Third, establishing an up-to-date list of materials for which safety standards are properly set, ensuring their review and updating, and the required verification and testing systems. “Fourth, examining the roles and responsibilities of regulatory personnel across all stages of the project chain, including government departments and authorised professionals. “Fifth, issues of corruption, bid-rigging and irregular tendering in building maintenance projects. “Sixth, the supervision and responsibility of the installation and effective operation of fire safety systems in buildings. “Seventh, accountability related to the above areas in the fire in Tai Po. “And eighth, the adequacy or otherwise of legislation and penalties.” The Chief Executive called for a thorough investigation and serious reform, saying that the Government will overcome the obstacles of vested interests, and pursue accountability regardless of who is involved. He stressed that the Government must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace, and provide comfort to the living. Mr Lee announced the setting up of an independent committee to review the fire, while criminal and fire investigations continue separately. He will invite a judge to lead the committee's work, ensuring its independence and credibility. “I shall liaise with him to define its detailed terms of reference, and at the same time I will explore ways to assist in supporting the committee's operational efficiency, such that the Government can provide more detailed information or carry out some work on its direction so as to enable it to complete its task efficiently and submit a report early to the Chief Executive with recommendations to assist the Government to make the reform.”
The Secretary for Security today prohibited the operation or continued operation of the “Hong Kong Parliament” and the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with immediate effect. Exercising the power conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), he published an order in the Government Gazette. The Secretary for Security recently issued written notices to the two organisations, to allow them to submit representations pursuant to section 60(4) of the SNSO. The Security Bureau said that representations from the “Hong Kong Parliament” were received but no representations from the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” were received before the deadline. The bureau said the Secretary for Security carefully considered all relevant information, including the representations submitted by the “Hong Kong Parliament” and reasonably believes that the prohibitions are necessary for safeguarding national security. As the two organisations immediately become “prohibited organisations”, the bureau stated that any person who engages in acts specified in sections 62 to 65 of the SNSO commit an offence. Acts specified as offences include acting as an officer-bearer or a member of a prohibited organisation, or professing or claiming to be an office-bearer of the prohibited organisation; conducting any activity on behalf of a prohibited organisation; participating in any meeting of a prohibited organisation; inciting any other person to become a member of a prohibited organisation; and giving aid of any kind to, or procuring any subscription or aid for, a prohibited organisation. Those who commit such offences are liable to a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 14 years. The bureau called on members of the public not to defy the law, participate in any activities of prohibited organisations, or have any connection with them.
Police today announced that 10 hotlines have been set up in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Members of the public with relevant video footage or photos are urged to contact officers through the hotlines to assist in the police investigation. The hotline numbers are: 5337 6671, 5337 6672, 5337 6673, 5337 6674, 5337 6675, 5337 6676, 5337 6677, 5337 6679, 5337 6680 and 5337 6681. The 10 hotlines operate from 8am to 8pm daily with immediate effect and are solely for the collection of video footage or photos related to the fire. Call 1878 999 for enquiries about fire casualties.
The Fire Services Department (FSD) today appealed to the public to stay alert to a video of unknown origin on the Internet, carrying a fraudulent fundraising message in the name of a family member of the deceased fireman, Ho Wai-ho. In an attempt to deceive, the fraudulent message included a bank account under a name highly similar to that of the family member. The department has immediately referred the case to Police for follow-up. Should people wish to express their support for the family of the deceased fireman by making donations, they may do so via either of the following:1. Deposit into the bank account of Ho Shing, Ho Wai-ho's fatherAccount Name: HO SHINGAccount Number: 039-744-1-039365-9 (Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd) 2. Issue a cheque and send it to the FSD via mail or in person for forwarding, payable to “何勝” or “HO SHING”Address: Welfare & Building Management, Fire Services Department, 11/F, South Wing, Fire Services Headquarters Building, 1 Hong Chong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. (Attn: Mr Wong Hon-kiu)