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2026
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Tran Hai Quan signed a bilateral agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters (MLA) today on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Viet Nam respectively. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Tang said Hong Kong has been sparing no effort in strengthening its international law enforcement capabilities by expanding its network of bilateral arrangements with foreign jurisdictions concerning mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. He pointed out that the signing of the agreement on MLA today represents an important step forward in legal co-operation between Hong Kong and Viet Nam. Under the Basic Law, the Hong Kong SAR Government may, with the authorisation of the Central People's Government, make appropriate arrangements with foreign states for reciprocal juridical assistance. The MLA agreement contains the essential features and safeguards of international agreements of this type. The assistance covered by the agreement includes identifying and locating persons, serving documents, taking evidence, executing requests for search and seizure, providing information, confiscating proceeds of crime, and more.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders who apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorization prior to visiting Sri Lanka may obtain an entry visa for a stay of up to 30 days upon arrival at Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport. The Hong Kong SAR Government made the announcement today following a notification from the Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the People’s Republic of China. Sri Lanka is along the Belt & Road. The Immigration Department said that under the Belt & Road Initiative, this visa-on-arrival arrangement will bring greater convenience to Hong Kong SAR passport holders, thereby strengthening tourism, cultural and economic ties between the two places. To date, 175 countries and territories, including Sri Lanka, have granted visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to Hong Kong SAR passport holders.
The Police Force today held its National Security Education Day 2026 and the Hong Kong Police Force Fun Day, aiming to raise public awareness of national security.Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing said national security concerns the well-being of 1.4 billion compatriots, including the people of Hong Kong, and serves as the cornerstone of the country’s peace and stability.He commended the force for its efforts to safeguard national security and curb violence and disorder, stating that it fearlessly discharges its duties, making an enormous contribution an impregnable defence of national security in Hong Kong, and rendering it one of the world’s safest cities.Citing the white paper Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems, which was published by the State Council Information Office in February, he said that safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests remain the overarching principle of “one country, two systems”.Mr Cheuk emphasised that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must faithfully fulfil its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security and create high-standard security in support of the “one country, two systems” policy. He added that the Government will strengthen publicity and public education on the matter, leading and supporting all sectors of society to study and comprehend the white paper’s substance and requirements, thereby enhancing citizens' awareness of national security and better enabling them to safeguard it.Held at Harcourt Garden in Admiralty, the event featured a national security education exhibition zone and interactive games conveying the message that safeguarding national security is everyone’s responsibility and a duty to be fulfilled.In addition, specialised equipment from various units, including the Counter Terrorism Response Unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, and the Police Dog Unit, was on display, showcasing the force’s professionalism, as well as the diversity of its work.
The Fire Services Department today staged an open day at the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O, in support of the National Security Education Day, with more than 9,000 people attending. Financial Secretary Paul Chan watched a parade of fire and ambulance appliances in the morning. He then visited national security-themed game booths and toured the National Security Education & Resource Centre at the academy. Interactive exhibition boards and game booths at the open day provided engagement aimed at facilitating public understanding of the importance of national security. A flag-raising ceremony was also held, with the department's Guard of Honour performing a Chinese-style foot drill. In addition, training facilities – including a simulated Pak Shing Kok railway station, the Fire & Ambulance Services Education Centre & Museum, and the National Security Education & Resource Centre – were open to the public. Information on the department's recruitment activities was made available throughout the day.
In support of National Security Education Day, on April 15, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) and the Civil Aid Service (CAS) today held open days to raise public awareness of national security and showcase their accomplishments. Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan attended the CSD’s open day, which was held in Stanley, at the department's Correctional Services Museum and Community Education Experience Centre. Echoing the theme of this year's National Security Education Day – “Proactively Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, Follow a Holistic Approach to Development and Security” – the CSD’s open day featured game booths themed around the 15th Five-Year Plan and national security, with a view to deepening understanding of these and strengthening a sense of national identity among members of the public. Following the recent publication of the white paper Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems by the State Council Information Office, the event also included a game booth exploring the white paper's content interactively. In addition, the CSD today launched “National Security Education Special Edition of Rehabilitation Express”, a promotion vehicle that will visit primary and secondary schools across the city in order to disseminate national security messages to young people. Some of the content carried by the vehicle will also be used in virtual-reality games for persons in custody, giving them access to accurate national security knowledge and building their sense of national identity through immersive three-dimensional virtual scenarios within correctional institutions. Held at its headquarters, meanwhile, the CAS open day featured emergency rescue and mountain search and rescue demonstrations. There were also music performances, a freestyle bicycle show, game booths and interactive activities.
The Water Supplies Department (WSD) today confirmed a personal digital assistant (PDA) containing consumers' data went missing during field meter-reading work conducted by its staff on Wednesday. The PDA contained a total of 495 names and addresses of domestic consumers from three buildings in Fortress Hill. Apart from one consumer's information that contained a telephone number, other information involved did not contain any personal identity card numbers or other personal information. The WSD has notified the relevant authorities including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Digital Policy Office, and also made a report to Police. The WSD said it will fully co-operate with the relevant authorities and Police in their investigations and operations. The WSD has informed the consumers referenced, alerted them to raise their awareness and apologised for the incident. Affected consumers who have any further enquiries on the incident may call the WSD's customer services hotline at 2824 5000 or send an email to: [email protected]. The WSD stressed that it attaches great importance to the incident, adding that immediate follow-up actions were taken. The department has reminded staff that they must heighten their vigilance and properly safeguard government property. They must also strictly follow guidelines regarding the proper handling and confidentiality of personal data. Meanwhile, the department is conducting a detailed investigation into the personnel involved and the circumstances of the incident. Depending on the findings, appropriate disciplinary action may be considered. It will also conduct a detailed review of the equipment and procedures used by staff during field meter-reading work, and explore measures to strengthen data protection.
Director of Immigration Benson Kwok will reach retirement age on April 9, 2026. He has been granted an extension of service to June 30, 2027. The Government today said that the purpose of granting Mr Kwok an extension of service is to facilitate a smooth transition of the senior management of the Immigration Department.
The Hospital Authority today reported a suspected case of unauthorised access to patient data after the information was found leaked on a third-party platform. The authority’s routine monitoring system detected the breach at around 2am on April 3. The matter was promptly reported to Police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data yesterday morning. The authority will fully co-operate with the Police investigation. Involving more than 56,000 patients from the Kowloon East Cluster, the leaked data includes names, gender, Hong Kong identity card numbers, hospital file numbers and details of surgical procedures. The authority sincerely apologised to the affected patients and pledged to take all practicable measures to minimise the impact on the patients. It will notify the affected patients as soon as possible via the “HA Go” mobile application, mail and phone calls. The Kowloon East Cluster has established a dedicated hotline at 5215 7326 for patient enquiries. The hotline operates from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday. Patients may also leave messages outside of these hours. Upon discovering the incident, the authority conducted a thorough review of its internal network systems. It confirmed that all systems are operating normally and securely, with no indication of a cyberattack. The authority has immediately suspended the contractor's system maintenance work.
The Government today filed an application with the Court of First Instance of the High Court for forfeiture of Lai Chee-ying’s offence-related properties, to achieve the important objectives of preventing and suppressing acts and activities endangering national security. The Court of First Instance earlier convicted Lai Chee-ying of three charges of offences endangering national security. In a statement, the Government said the application was made in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKNSL) and the Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Implementation Rules). According to Article 32 of the HKNSL, proceeds obtained from the commission of an offence under the Law including financial aid, gains and rewards, and funds and tools used or intended to be used in the commission of the offence shall be seized and confiscated. The application for and issuance of a forfeiture order must comply with the strict conditions set out in Schedule 3 to the Implementation Rules. The Court of First Instance may order the forfeiture only if it is satisfied, after an application is made by the Secretary for Justice, that the property to be forfeited meets relevant conditions. The Government said the Hong Kong SAR is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that "laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable". It noted that applying to the court for a forfeiture order is one of the effective means to combat serious crimes and protect the public interest, adding that laws and mechanisms for forfeiture of offence-related properties are commonly found around the world. The statement also pointed out that a forfeiture order made for the purpose of safeguarding national security can prevent persons convicted of offences endangering national security, their accomplices or agents from continuing to use their offence-related properties to engage in acts and activities endangering national security, so as to cut off the funding chains for offences endangering national security and to weaken their capacity to commit offences endangering national security. The Government reiterated that it will, as always, steadfastly and strictly adhere to the principle of the rule of law, stay committed to ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring offenders to justice. The Government will also effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, while protecting the lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents and other people in Hong Kong, the statement added.
The Immigration Department estimates that around 6.44 million passengers will pass through Hong Kong’s sea, land and air control points during the upcoming Easter and Ching Ming festive period from April 3 to 7. In consultation with the Shenzhen General Station of Exit & Entry Frontier Inspection and other Mainland authorities, the department also estimates that around 5.43 million passengers will pass through land boundary control points. Releasing the information in a statement today, it said the number of outbound and inbound passengers using land boundary control points will be highest on April 3 and April 7, with around 712,000 passengers and 671,000 passengers anticipated on those days respectively. The department also expects passenger traffic at the Lo Wu Control Point, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point and the Shenzhen Bay Control Point to be heavy, with daily average forecasts of about 240,000, 220,000 and 184,000 passengers respectively. To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic, the department has minimised leave for frontline officers to allow flexible deployment and operation of additional counters, temporary counters and channels. To ensure smooth passenger traffic flows, the department, the Police Force, Customs and the MTR Corporation will set up a joint command centre at the Lo Wu Control Point. The department will also establish close communication with Mainland authorities including the Shenzhen General Station of Exit & Entry Frontier Inspection. Residents and visitors can visit Easy Boundary, a one-stop information platform on immigration clearance launched by the Security Bureau, to obtain useful information. This includes average waiting times for passengers and private cars at land boundary control points, as well as for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge cross-boundary shuttle bus and the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus. To further enhance passenger clearance efficiency, 12 additional new e-channels, equipped with the “Face Easy e-Channel” function, were installed at the Hong Kong International Airport arrival hall today. When using the function, eligible Hong Kong residents need only face the camera, instead of presenting any documents or a QR code. Upon successful identity verification via facial recognition, immigration clearance will be completed.