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2025
As of noon today, donations received by the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po had reached about $3.7 billion. Combined with the $300 million in startup capital from the Government, the fund now amounts to around $4 billion. Accommodation supportAs of this morning, under the co-ordination of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau 581 residents are staying in hotel rooms, while 559 residents are staying in youth hostels/camps. Another 3,513 residents are currently living in transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or the Hong Kong Housing Society, or at Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun. Currently, more than 1,000 units are still avilable to affected residents as longer-term accommodation. The transitional housing and Housing Society projects in various districts can altogether provide around 500 units at present. Moreover, Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun and Runway 1331 at Kai Tak can offer around 900 units. Relief suppliesOn the Government’s online platform for donated supplies, about 2,000 registrations have been received. Over 29,000 donated items have been distributed. Handling of reported missing peopleSix missing person cases that were being followed up by the Casualty Enquiry Unit have been concluded. Five of the individuals died in the fire, while the remaining individual was found to have passed away in 2023. In view of the latest situation, the Police Force will adjust the service hours of its casualty enquiry hotline for the Tai Po fire (1878 999) to 7am to 11pm daily, from tomorrow. Furthermore, the forensic pathologist recently established, through scientific examination, that one set of human remains belongs to two deceased individuals. As a result, the number of deceased has increased to 161. School campus relocationFrom the 2026-27 school year, Tai Po Baptist Public School will use the premises of the former Church of Christ in China Kei Ching Primary School at Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po, allowing pupils to resume normal activities at a single school site.
Victor Pang has been appointed as the Commissioner of the Civil Aid Service (CAS) for a term of two years, with effect from January 1, 2026, the Government announced today. The appointment was made by Chief Executive John Lee using his authority under the Civil Aid Service Ordinance. Mr Pang joined the CAS as a volunteer member in 2021 and was promoted to Deputy Commissioner in 2025. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung welcomed the appointment of Mr Pang. “Mr Pang is deeply committed to the CAS, and has exemplary executive and leadership skills. I am confident that under Mr Pang’s leadership, the CAS will continue to be an efficient auxiliary service, providing quality and reliable service to members of the public,” he said. Mr Tang also thanked outgoing CAS Commissioner Lo Yan-lai, who has served the CAS for 44 years, for his valuable contribution. He noted that during the past seven years as Commissioner of the CAS, Mr Lo has led the service to take part in prominent rescue operations and major events, including operations to combat the COVID-19 epidemic. Mr Lo has also demonstrated exceptional dedication to youth development work, he added. “Under his leadership, the CAS has consistently delivered excellent results, rendering timely and professional support to regular disciplined forces, and making solid efforts in maintaining Hong Kong as a safe and livable city,” Mr Tang added.
From December 22, the eligible age for using the self-service immigration clearance e-Channel service by holders of the Electronic Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to & from Hong Kong & Macau (e-EEP), People's Republic of China (PRC) passport holders, and departing visitors using "Smart Departure" will be lowered to seven years old or above.Announcing the move today, the Immigration Department noted that currently, holders of the e-EEP, PRC passport holders and departing visitors using "Smart Departure" who are aged 11 or above are eligible to use the e-Channel service. The department said that lowering the applicable age for these visitors using the e-Channel service to seven or above aims to enhance clearance efficiency at control points and enable more eligible visitors to Hong Kong to use the e-Channel service.
The Government today said it strongly disapproves of and objects to the slanders and smears by the G7 foreign ministers as well as the European Union High Representative, after the court found Lai Chee-ying guilty of offences of endangering national security in strict accordance with the law and evidence. The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The Government pointed out that safeguarding national security is a top priority of every country. In accordance with international law and international relations based on the Charter of the United Nations, it is each and every sovereign state's inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, and is also an international practice. Acts and activities endangering national security could bring very serious consequences. Prompt action must be taken to prevent and suppress such acts and activities effectively. No country will watch with folded arms and tolerate any of such acts and activities endangering national security without taking any action. The relevant countries have also enacted legislation to combat collusion with foreign forces, including the National Security Act 2023 by the UK, Foreign Agents Registration Act by the US, and the Countering Foreign Interference Act by Canada. In recent years, they have even intensified their crackdown, frequently labeling and charging individuals and organisations with legitimate dealings with China as “undertaking espionage activities” yet charges are often dropped later on, or the defendants are found not guilty, due to insufficient evidence. It is ironic that these countries now try to whitewash Lai Chee-ying's blatant collusion with foreign or external forces, and his begging for sanctions against China as well as the Hong Kong SAR, as “exercising freedom of speech and the press”. This clearly exposes the double standard of these countries. The Government noted that they showed no respect for the fact that charges had been laid against Lai Chee-ying and other defendants by the Department of Justice entirely based on evidence and public interest. There was no respect for the court of the Hong Kong SAR which had exercised judicial power independently and strictly on the basis of facts and evidence. It added that they also refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court's considerations and rationale for the verdict. Instead, they wantonly vilified the Hong Kong SAR prosecutorial and judicial authorities' discharge of their duties in accordance with the law as “undermining rights and freedoms”, and continued to unscrupulously distort the facts to criticise the Hong Kong SAR. What these countries have done in this case is a true reflection of their bullying behaviour all along, which is extremely ugly and despicable. The Government reiterated that the court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail. The Government said that some countries have conflated the criminal acts in this case with freedom of the press, and have even played up different cases to vilify the Hong Kong SAR, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the Hong Kong SAR's human rights and rule of law. In fact, Lai Chee-ying's case has nothing to do with freedom of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants have used journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong. The public trial of this case has revealed Lai Chee-ying's close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily, and one of the senior managers even said they were free within a “bird cage”. Meanwhile, Lai Chee-ying had repeatedly and personally colluded with foreign forces, begging for sanctions and hostile actions against the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government. Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech as protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. In fact, the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to the Hong Kong SAR, are protected in accordance with the law. Like all other places in the world, journalists, just like all other citizens, have an obligation to abide by all the laws. According to the principles established by Article 19 of the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence, when the media and journalists publish opinions, information and articles, they must observe and discharge “special duties and responsibilities”, including protection of national security and public order; journalists must, in accordance with the tenets of “responsible journalism“, act in good faith on accurate factual basis and provide reliable and precise information, so as to be entitled to the protection of freedom of speech and press freedom. The Government stressed that the human rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents are firmly protected by the Constitution and the Basic Law. Any foreign or external forces attempting to discredit Hong Kong through the conviction verdict in Lai Chee-ying's case will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and will never succeed. It further stated that it will continue to steadfastly perform its duties and safeguard national security.
In response to media enquiries about the publication by Amnesty International, an anti-China organisation, of its so-called research on the situation of persons in custody (PICs) in Hong Kong earlier, the Correctional Services Department today strongly condemned the content of the so-called research as fact-twisting as well as baseless. The department pointed out that the research is intended to smear the legitimate custodial management it carried out in accordance with the law by citing different lies told by anti-China fugitives, who had breached supervision orders and had absconded from Hong Kong to engage in acts and activities endangering national security. The department also criticised this anti-China organisation for not including in full the written response from the department earlier in its so-called research, with a view to presenting a distorted picture with ill intentions. Amnesty International is an anti-China organisation under the guise of an organisation purportedly safeguarding human rights. In the past, Amnesty International smeared the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government through fabrication by falsely claiming that a Uyghur student had gone missing in Hong Kong and attributing the incident to the Hong Kong SAR Government. In fact, the person concerned had never entered Hong Kong nor been denied entry into Hong Kong. This shows that it is the usual and despicable tactic of this anti-China organisation to disseminate false information to smear the Hong Kong SAR Government. The department must refute its false accusations one by one in order to set the record straight. Contrary to the claims made by Amnesty International, the department is committed to ensuring a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment and providing appropriate rehabilitation programmes to PICs to help them turn a new leaf with dignity. Its allegations of conditions prevalent within correctional institutions, such as physical violence, extremely high temperatures and poor ventilation inside the institutions in summer, solitary confinement and unsanitary conditions, are wholly unfounded. The department takes a zero tolerance approach on physical abuse. As provided by the Prison Rules, any department officer who, without necessity, uses force in dealing with prisoners or uses undue force, violates discipline and may also be criminally liable in such circumstances. To cope with hot weather conditions, the department has taken extensive measures, including the installation of anti-suicide safety fans and industrial fans, the progressive replacement of ventilation systems, and the installation of new gates and windows with improved ventilation efficiency. The department has also conducted trials of heat-insulating coatings on buildings and providing hand fans and cooling towels to PICs. Regarding association arrangements, the Prison Rules empowers the department to remove a PIC from association with other PICs for purposes such as safeguarding the interests or personal safety of the PICs. Where the removal from association is initiated at the request of a PIC, the PIC may request to resume association at any time. On sanitation and hygienic condition, daily inspection are conducted to ensure cleanliness of the correctional institutions and frequent examinations are conducted by the institutional medical officers for purposes of cleanliness and sanitation. Besides, the management of correctional institutions regularly arranges for comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the institutions, and arranges outside contractors to carry out pest control and rodent eradication work. The department has put in place mechanisms, including regular visits from Justices of the Peace, who inspect the prisons to ensure the rights of PICs are protected. PICs who feel aggrieved by any treatment they received could lodge a complaint through various channels within and outside the department, eg the Ombudsman.
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to co-ordinate and steer the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's preparatory work for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong for the New Year. Mr Chan noted at the meeting that a series of events will be held in Hong Kong during the New Year's Eve and New Year holiday, and New Year's day also marks the start of a three-day long holiday on the Mainland. Highlighting that a notable increase in the number of visitors during the period is expected, he said the Hong Kong SAR Government will make good preparations for receiving visitors, including actively co-ordinating the ancillary arrangements of boundary control points (BCPs) and transportation, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to ensure effective crowd management, information dissemination, and arrangements of public transportation and BCPs. The New Year's Eve countdown event this year will forgo the fireworks display and take place in an alternative format to welcome the New Year together with the public and visitors. The Tourism Board will separately announce the detailed arrangements for the countdown event. In view of a series of New Year's Eve countdown events, the Hong Kong SAR Government has discussed with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to extend the service hours of BCPs on New Year's Eve. Further details will be announced as soon as possible. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port and the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port will maintain 24-hour operation as usual on New Year's Eve. As for public transport arrangements, the MTR Corporation will extend its East Rail Line services to and from MTR Lo Wu Station, and the majority of MTR railway lines will run overnight on New Year's Eve. Furthermore, bus routes will be arranged between MTR Sheung Shui Station and San Tin Yellow Bus Station to enable passengers using the East Rail Line to cross the boundary via the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port, which operates round-the-clock, after the end of services to Lo Wu. An Interdepartmental Joint Command Centre set up by Police, the Immigration Department, the Customs & Excise Department and other relevant departments will be activated from December 31 to January 4 to monitor the real-time situation at various control points. The centre will maintain close liaison with Mainland port authorities and take timely contingency actions to flexibly deploy manpower at the BCPs. Moreover, the Security Bureau will activate the Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre from December 31 to January 4 to closely monitor and co-ordinate public order at BCPs and facilitate interdepartmental follow-up action where necessary in case of emergencies. The Transport Department's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will operate 24 hours a day. It will closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services in all districts, as well as at BCPs and major stations across Hong Kong, take prompt measures to address service demands, and disseminate the latest traffic updates through various channels. Moreover, in view of the potential notable increase in the number of tourists visiting Sai Kung High Island Reservoir East Dam during the New Year's Eve and New Year holiday, Police have taken targeted measures, including deploying uniformed officers at strategic locations at Pak Tam Chung, Man Yee Road and East Dam, for traffic and crowd management during peak tourist arrival and departure periods. The Transport Department has co-ordinated with the operator to enhance the service of Green Minibus Route No. 9A, from Pak Tam Chung to the East Dam, subject to passenger demand.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said today it strongly opposes malicious attacks, false statements and smears against the Hong Kong SAR made by the US and other western countries, as well as anti-China media, organisations and politicians, following the conviction of Lai Chee-ying. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government stressed the court’s judgment was made strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, and that biased statements and malicious smears relating to the case disregard the rule of law. It added that such statements and smears reflect that the national security risks faced by the city are real. The Hong Kong SAR Government said that external forces showed no respect towards the court’s independent judgment of the case, which was made on the basis of facts and evidence, and refused to acknowledge the evidence against Mr Lai and the rationale for the verdict. Such forces chose to let politics trump the law by slandering and attacking the Hong Kong SAR Government, confounding right and wrong, it added. The statement highlighted that the court’s verdict clearly stated that Mr Lai was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. It said the 855-page document explaining the reasons for court’s conviction of Mr Lai and three defendant companies, and outlining its analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, is fully open to the public. The court found that Lai’s only intent, whether before or after the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL), was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even at the sacrifice of the interests of the people of Hong Kong and China. The statement also outlined that the court found that written articles under consideration were objectively seditious and written with a view to bringing the Hong Kong SAR Government into hatred and contempt and to exciting disaffection against it. The court also found that Lai consciously used Apple Daily and his personal influence to carry out a consistent campaign to undermine the legitimacy or authority of the Central People’s Government and the Hong Kong SAR Government and harm the relations between them and with the people of Hong Kong. The statement said that various countries, as well as anti-China media, organisations and politicians, attempted to smear the Hong Kong SAR Government and Hong Kong SAR courts by alleging political persecution against Lai, while choosing to ignore the reality that the court’s conviction was well-founded, reasoned, and made strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference or political considerations. The Hong Kong SAR Government also stressed that Lai’s case had nothing to do with freedom of the press. It said that some media organisations, and organisations that claim to represent journalists, have conflated criminal acts in this case with freedom of the press, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights and rule of law. It added that, over the years, the defendants used journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to Hong Kong and the country, with the court proceedings revealing Lai’s hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily and his repeated and personal collusion with foreign forces, whom he begged for sanctions and hostile actions against the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government. The statement iterated that Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech as protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. It outlined that the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. It said the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civic & Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to the Hong Kong SAR, including freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of publication, are protected in accordance with the law. The Hong Kong SAR Government also emphasised that, just as in other places in the world, journalists in Hong Kong, like all other citizens, have an obligation to abide by the law. It highlighted that according to the principles established by Article 19 of the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights, and other relevant jurisprudence, when the media and journalists publish opinions, information and articles, they must observe and discharge “special duties and responsibilities”, including protection of national security and public order. It said that journalists must, in accordance with the tenets of “responsible journalism”, act in good faith on an accurate factual basis and provide reliable and precise information, so as to be entitled to the protection of freedom of speech. The Hong Kong SAR Government also reiterated that Lai Chee-ying used his media outlet, Apple Daily, to wantonly create social conflict, incite social antagonism, incite hatred, glorify violence and openly beg for foreign sanctions against China and the Hong Kong SAR. It said he had harmed the fundamental interests of the country and the well-being of the people of Hong Kong through actions that were shameful and malicious. The statement added that righteousness has been upheld by the law and the core values of Hong Kong safeguarded by the court’s verdict. It said the law never allows anyone, regardless of profession or background, to harm their country and compatriots under the guise of human rights, democracy, and freedom. The Hong Kong SAR said it has a responsibility to safeguard national security, and will continue to resolutely combat acts and activities endangering national security, and to ensure that laws are observed and strictly enforced so as to bring offenders to account.
The Correctional Services Department today announced the full implementation of the Video Visit e-Booking Service, which offers an additional way of paying visits to persons in custody (PICs). The department introduced a trial run of the video visit service at different correctional institutions in phases from November 11, and received a positive response. Starting from today, declared PIC visitors can make bookings for video visits through the department’s General Visit e-Services Platform. This service is open only to declared PIC visitors who have a registered account on the platform. Visitors can make bookings for the next seven days at any of the five Multi-purpose Family & Rehabilitation Service Centres in Mong Kok, Shau Kei Wan, Sheung Shui, Tuen Mun and Sha Tin, or at the Lai Chi Kok Video Visit Centre. They can also use an e-ordering service to buy approved “hand-in” articles for prisoners, meaning they do not have to physically visit shops or carry items into correctional institutions themselves. The CSD added that the video visit service aims to bring convenience to the public, and that visitors can still visit correctional institutions in person according to their needs.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today strongly condemned the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and foreign anti-China media for turning a blind eye to the court’s conviction judgment in Lai Chee-ying’s case, in an attempt to mislead the public, deliberately whitewashing criminal Lai Chee-ying under the cloak of so-called democracy. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the court verdict was made strictly in accordance with the law and evidence. It pointed out that such an attempt aims to obscure Lai Chee-ying’s shameless acts and subversive work as an agent of external forces, in order to infiltrate and brainwash young people, through manipulating the media to incite the public, the interests of the country and the people. The Hong Kong SAR Government said the HKJA has no credibility, lacks recognition and representativeness, and has even been refusing to disclose the list of its latest executive committee members. It is despicable for an organisation of such a nature to call itself the representative of the press. The HKJA, as with other foreign anti-China media outlets, has been intentionally misleading the public by consistently and deliberately conflating the criminal acts in Lai Chee-ying’s case with press freedom. It has even played up, with ill intent, different cases to discredit the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights and rule of law situation, aiming precisely to confuse the public and smear the Hong Kong SAR. These are extremely despicable political manipulations that must be strongly condemned, the Hong Kong SAR Government said. It reiterated that the conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations, as the court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The 855-page reasons for verdict in this case are fully open for public inspection, and include the court’s analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail. Furthermore, the Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that the case has nothing to do with press freedom at all. Over the years, it explained, the defendants have used journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong. Lai Chee-ying was fundamentally the mastermind behind a series of anti-China and destabilising activities in Hong Kong, and was no doubt an agent of external anti-China forces. The public trial of this case revealed Lai Chee-ying’s close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily, and one of the senior managers even said they were free within a “bird cage”. The Hong Kong SAR Government strongly urges the HKJA and other foreign anti-China media to understand the facts relating to Lai Chee-ying's case as soon as possible, and do the right thing to stop any form of infiltration and activities of a subversive nature, including “brainwashing” young people of the Hong Kong SAR for external forces. It will absolutely not condone any acts endangering national security that incite the public to betray the interests of the country and the people.
The Fire Services Department said today that in response to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, it has maintained close collaboration with property management organisations and stepped up inspections of fire service installations and equipment (FSIs) in buildings since December 4. The department has redeployed manpower internally to enhance inspections of FSIs in buildings, particularly those undergoing major maintenance, and has proactively inspected the functional status of fire alarms. Should any non-compliance be identified, the department will conduct thorough investigations and decisively take enforcement action. At the same time, the department has redeployed personnel to promptly follow up on reports of abnormal operation of FSIs in buildings and will take appropriate enforcement action accordingly. Additionally, it earlier engaged in in-depth exchanges with the Property Management Services Authority, the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies, the Housing Authority, the Housing Society, and the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong. The department emphasised that apart from ensuring annual inspections of FSIs are conducted in their premises in accordance with the Fire Service (Installations & Equipment) Regulations, property management bodies must also proactively discharge their management duties and assist property owners in properly maintaining the FSIs in common areas to ensure their continuous and effective operation. The FSD also reminds property management personnel to inspect the FSIs regularly during daily work and assist owners and their organisations to handle any damage or malfunction of the FSIs in a timely manner. To address public concerns regarding the performance of building fire alarms, stakeholders have agreed to promote voluntary fire alarm testing to safeguard public safety. The scope of the testing includes checking that manual call points are intact and capable of activating the fire alarm system; ensuring stable power supply to FSIs and reliable operation of standby power supply; and verifying that signals transmitted from fire control panels are normal with no false alarms or failures. The department will continue to lead the Inter-departmental Fire Investigation Task Force to probe the cause of the fire at Wang Fuk Court, including investigation of the FSIs. As the investigation has revealed that the condition of the buildings' FSIs may involve criminal elements, the case is being followed up by Police.