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2026
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will lead a legal services delegation departing tomorrow on a visit to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing. The trip is intended to strengthen exchanges between the legal sectors in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and to promote co-operation in legal and dispute resolution services. The delegation comprises about 40 representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, and local and international law firms. In Shanghai, Mr Lam will lead the delegation in attending a roundtable meeting for Shanghai and Hong Kong lawyers and enterprises, and visit Shanghai’s judicial departments and institutions. During their stay in Hangzhou, the delegation will hold exchange sessions with representatives of the Zhejiang legal community, and visit a local "foreign-related" legal organisation. Moving on to Nanjing, Mr Lam will attend an unveiling ceremony for a legal and business integration service platform between Jiangsu and Hong Kong. During his visit to the Mainland, he will meet various local leaders. Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on March 26. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary.
The Immigration Department announced today that starting next Monday, Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks will provide expanded self-service options for Hong Kong identity card and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport replacements. The kiosks are located at the Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O. From next Monday, the kiosks will accept replacement applications for lost identity cards from eligible persons aged 18 or above. No prior appointment is required. The service will also extend to eligible Hong Kong SAR passport applicants aged 18 or above seeking replacements due to loss, damage, defacement or unavailability. These applicants may also use the kiosks without a booking. Call 2824 6111 for enquiries.
Invest Hong Kong announced the launch of the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global's thematic website today. The website offers one-stop information and professional support for Mainland enterprises seeking to expand into overseas markets via Hong Kong and aims to assist them in making effective use of the city's various international advantages in planning and implementing their go-global strategies and exploring new opportunities. It also consolidates key information for Mainland enterprises going global, including the GoGlobal Task Force's member list and support services; promotional events held by the Task Force on the Mainland and in Hong Kong; success stories of Mainland enterprises going global via Hong Kong; practical resources; and the first phase of the cross-sector professional services platform launched on the same day by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. As one of the new measures announced in the 2026-27 Budget, the platform brings together service providers from Hong Kong in eight major sectors – finance, legal, accounting, branding and marketing, logistics, communication technology, infrastructure and real estate, and testing and certification. The platform will match Mainland enterprises with suitable Hong Kong service providers, offering one-stop professional support for their global expansion. The list of service providers on the platform incorporates professional opinions from the Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global led by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, relevant members of the GoGlobal Task Force, professional bodies and industry organisations. It will be regularly updated as needed. Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau said that the cross-bureau, cross-departmental and cross-organisation GoGlobal Task Force, launched in October last year, serves as a one-stop platform and the best partner for Mainland enterprises to go global. “We encourage Mainland enterprises to make good use of Hong Kong's international advantages in finance, trade, professional services, innovation and technology, and talent to assist them in expanding their business in the global market,” Mr Yau said. Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan remarked that the Department of Justice (DoJ) earlier released the inaugural edition of the “Collection of Success Stories: Hong Kong's Professional Services Supporting Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global” (bilingual in Chinese and English), which is available on the DoJ website. The DoJ will prepare a list of Hong Kong legal professional services providers with detailed classifications of practice areas and publish the list on the GoGlobal Task Force's thematic website, leveraging its one-stop service platform advantages to provide enterprises with comprehensive and accurate information.
Chief Executive John Lee today expressed sorrow over the passing of Sir Anthony Mason, a former non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal, and extended his deepest condolences to Sir Anthony's family. Sir Anthony was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2013 in recognition of his contributions to Hong Kong. He served as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal from 1997 to 2015. Mr Lee said that Sir Anthony brought profound wisdom and illustrious experience in his contributions to nurturing the Court of Final Appeal’s development from its earliest days, and that he adjudicated a wide range of high-profile cases, serving the court with dedication and excellence. The Chief Executive highlighted Sir Anthony was highly esteemed and respected in the judicial and legal sectors, and consistently supported – both during his tenure and after his retirement – Hong Kong’s appointment of judges from common law jurisdictions as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal under the Basic Law. He added that Sir Anthony was instrumental in establishing the Court of Final Appeal’s reputation and furthering its prestige in Hong Kong and other common law jurisdictions. “Sir Anthony also steadfastly supported legal education in Hong Kong, having lectured to numerous students, teachers and legal professionals of Hong Kong throughout the years. He constantly inspired the younger generation with his wit and intellect and made eminent contributions to Hong Kong's legal sector.” Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, also expressed deep sadness over Sir Anthony’s passing. “He sat on many of the court’s most significant constitutional cases during its formative years and authored some of its most important judgments. Beyond constitutional law, he also contributed substantially to the court’s jurisprudence in other important areas of law, leaving a lasting imprint on its early development.”
The Security Bureau's Narcotics Division and the Action Committee Against Narcotics today launched a large-scale anti-drug publicity event targeting etomidate, and premiered a new anti-drug publicity video featuring renowned artiste Aaron Kwok. At the “Listen to Me: Let’s Stand Firm. Knock Drugs Out!” event, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung introduced the concept of the new round of the Government’s anti-drug publicity campaign. Mr Tang said the Government has taken the fight against the temptation of etomidate to a new phase by adopting a bright, stylish and positive image in the new campaign which encourages members of the public to proactively choose a healthy lifestyle and stay away from drugs. Joining the anti-drug publicity as the Honorary Anti-drug Commissioner, Mr Kwok remarked that it is worrying to see young people, either out of ignorance or greed, abusing etomidate or taking part in its trafficking, adding that he feels the call of duty and responds to it by wielding his influence among the public, so that anti-drug messages can be brought to everyone. At today’s event, Action Committee Against Narcotics Sub-committee on Preventive Education & Publicity Chairman Wilfred Ng announced the major public-education initiatives to be launched by the Narcotics Division for 2026. These include a roving anti-drug game booth to be set up at shopping malls and schools starting next month, and a family yoga event to be held in April and May across the city. Furthermore, the Government launched new TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest starring Mr Kwok, depicting scenarios in which young people are lured via social media into taking or trafficking etomidate, and highlighting the drug’s impact on a person's physical and mental health. Advertisements and publicity materials bearing the slogans “Etomidate: Not once not ever” and “Listen to Me: Let’s Stand Firm. Knock Drugs Out!” will be displayed at major public transport facilities, large outdoor billboards, and at the entrances of cross-harbour tunnels, cinemas, housing estates, schools, and government premises. They will also be pushed to citizens via popular mobile applications and websites. Members of the public may report etomidate-related crimes by calling the etomidate reporting hotline at 6629 2966, texting the same number on WhatsApp, or sending messages via WeChat account “eto-report”.
All eight of the Security Bureau’s disciplined and auxiliary services will hold open days on weekends from late March to mid-April, dovetailing with National Security Education Day on April 15. The open days will be held at the services’ training schools, museums, headquarters or divisional premises. They are targeted at deepening public understanding of the services and their work and achievements in safeguarding national security. Activities and attractions will include flag-raising ceremonies, Chinese-style foot drills, rescue demonstrations, flight simulation experiences, demonstrations of virtual reality training systems, displays of firearms and equipment, working dog demonstrations and game booths. From tomorrow, interested parties can register for free tickets via the disciplined services’ websites. Tickets are not required for the Police Force, Civil Aid Service and Auxiliary Medical Service open days. Click here for details.
Police today held the Good Citizen Award Presentation Ceremony 2025 to commend 80 citizens for their assistance in combating crime and saving lives. The Good Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Leung Ho-yin who rescued three people from drowning after they fell into the sea during Super Typhoon Ragasa in last year. In addition, six organisations received the Good Organisation Award in recognition of their active support for Police in promoting anti-deception initiatives, fighting crime, safeguarding national security and fostering youth development. Speaking at the ceremony, Commissioner of Police Chow Yat-ming expressed his gratitude to the awardees for their courage in making the right choices during critical moments. Mr Chow noted that exercising calm judgment can help the public avoid falling victim to scammers. He urged citizens to use of “Scameter+” mobile app to identify suspicious calls and websites. Regarding the six Good Organisation Award recipients, the Commissioner praised them for fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities. He highlighted their efforts in spreading anti-scam and anti-drug messages throughout the community to support police work. A new promotional video series, A Flash Moment of Good Citizens, premiered at the ceremony. Adapted from four award-winning cases of 2025, the series features the award winners themselves portraying their stories. The videos will be uploaded to the Police’s Facebook page and YouTube channel for public viewing.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) Secretary-General Prof Ignacio Tirado today signed a memorandum to establish the UNIDROIT Liaison Office for the Asia-Pacific Region in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. The agreement, signed during a virtual ceremony, marks the first time in UNIDROIT’s 100-year history that the organisation has established a regional presence outside its headquarters in Rome. Mr Lam noted that Hong Kong’s robust common law system and world-class legal infrastructure make the city an ideal location for UNIDROIT’s first regional presence. He added that signing the memorandum is a key step in establishing the liaison office, with preparatory work now proceeding at full speed. The liaison office is expected to open in November, and the Department of Justice will co-organise the Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit and the Centenary Regional Event with UNIDROIT during Hong Kong Legal Week 2026. Mr Lam said these events will further strengthen the collaborative relationship between the department and the international organisation.
The Department of Justice today held the Rule of Law Education (ROLE) Ambassador award ceremony and sharing session under the ROLE Stars Train-the-Leaders (TTL) Programme, conferring the title of ROLE Ambassador to 40 trainees. Delivering his opening remarks, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said that today marked an important milestone of the TTL Programme, as the 40 ambassadors are the first batch of trainees who completed all the training courses under the TTL Programme since it was launched in November 2023. Mr Lam emphasised that the key to maintaining Hong Kong’s sound rule of law environment is to cultivate public understanding of the principles of the rule of law and to enhance the public’s basic understanding of the city’s common law system. He encouraged the ambassadors to become dedicated advocates for promoting the rule of law in Hong Kong by passing on the knowledge and experience they gained from the TTL Programme in ways that are appropriate to their respective capacities and positions. At the event, four trainees shared their thoughts and experience of becoming ROLE Ambassadors. They said the courses had deepened their knowledge of the rule of law and boosted their confidence in disseminating such messages. They added that they had concrete plans to promote correct information about the rule of law and cultivate the spirit of respecting the rule of law in schools and the community. Mr Lam, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Chairperson of SideBySide Executive Committee Poon Siu-tung and Under Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Clarence Leung presented the certificates and badges of ROLE Ambassadors to commend the trainees’ completion of all the courses under the TTL Programme and their efforts in promoting the rule of law in the community. The qualification of ROLE Ambassador is valid for two years, which aims to encourage ambassadors to continue to participate in the Department of Justice’s rule of law education activities and to actively organise rule of law promotion activities during the period in order to obtain a renewal. As at end-2025, a total of about 380 trainees participated in the TTL Programme, among which 40 have been qualified as the first batch of ROLE Ambassadors under the TTL Programme.
The Government announced today that $6.15 million will be granted to the family of Senior Fireman (Posthumous) Ho Wai-ho under the “Financial Assistance Scheme for Family Members of Those Who Sacrifice Their Lives to Save Others”. The late fireman sacrificed his life on November 26 last year while participating in a search and rescue operation at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun, who chairs the “Committee on Financial Assistance Scheme for Family Members of Those Who Sacrifice Their Lives to Save Others”, paid tribute to Mr Ho, whom he said commanded citizens’ greatest respect, having demonstrated exceptional courage and a high degree of gallantry in striving to save and protect the lives of others. “We deeply mourn the loss of such an excellent and devoted public servant.” The grant represents the Government’s recognition of the highest order of gallantry and selflessness shown by firefighter, Mr Sun added. Set up in 2002, the scheme provides financial aid to family members of those who lose their lives in attempting to save or protect others. The sum approved in each application is worked out based on the age, normal retirement age of the deceased, and prevailing median monthly employment earnings. The minimum and maximum levels are currently set at $6.15 million and $12.3 million, respectively.