Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices at medicine shop
Hong Kong Customs today (April 29) arrested a salesman of a medicine shop suspected to have engaged in unfair trade practices involving a misleading omission in the course of selling a proprietary Chinese medicine, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received information alleging that a salesperson of a medicine shop in Jordan was suspected of providing material information about the total price of a proprietary Chinese medicine in an untimely manner. The total price, which was 10 times higher than what was expected, was only revealed after the medicine was ground into powder.
After an extensive investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 32-year-old salesman of the medicine shop concerned.
An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man was held for questioning.
Customs has long been concerned about visitors being misled into making purchases by unfair trade practices, and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-term visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.
With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement activities to vigorously combat unfair trade practices.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO, and consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. Consumers should also be cautious about the unit price for a commodity and ask for more information, including the total price of the goods selected, before making a purchase decision.
Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/en).
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, attended Viva Technology 2025 (VivaTech) in Paris, France, yesterday (June 13, Paris time). In his keynote speech at a seminar and networking reception themed "From Hong Kong to the World: Embarking on the New Journey of Innovation" organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Professor Sun said Hong Kong is forging ahead with a clear vision to develop as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, and is committed to pushing boundaries, embracing change, and seizing global opportunities.
Professor Sun said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been introducing agile policies, building world-class infrastructure and facilitating global I&T collaboration. He noted the flagship research and development (R&D) initiative, InnoHK, fosters global R&D collaboration. Hong Kong is also carrying out meticulous planning for building artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, including AI Supercomputing Centre opened last year and the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute to be established, together with $10 billion dollars-worth Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund channeling more market capital to turbocharge strategic industries, with AI at the core.
Highlighting that Hong Kong being an ideal gateway for global enterprises to enter the Mainland market, Professor Sun said the HKSAR Government has been actively attracting overseas and the Mainland I&T enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong. Companies choosing HK for the international headquarters exemplify Hong Kong’s important role as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" between Mainland China and the rest of the world, serving as a two-way springboard for attracting overseas enterprises and helping Mainland enterprises to "go global".
During the seminar and networking reception, Professor Sun also exchanged views with members of the local I&T sector, investors and start-ups' founders on I&T development and collaboration.
Professor Sun also visited the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion. Twenty start-ups from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and Cyberport participated this year, showcasing cutting-edge solutions and innovations in areas of AI, robotics, HealthTech, sustainable and ClimateTech, and Fintech. At the same time, Professor Sun toured the Canada Pavilion set up by Canada which was selected as country of the year for VivaTech 2025, the China Pavilion and pavilions set up by other leading enterprises and start-ups where he had a brief exchange with representatives of the participating organisations to learn more on their innovative solutions.
In the evening, Professor Sun met with Mr Emmanuel Carcassonne, the Chairman of La French Tech Hong Kong-Shenzhen, a community dedicated to supporting the development of the French startup ecosystem both in France and internationally. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is a reliable partner for French startups to settle and expand businesses in Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun paid a courtesy call on Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in France Mr Chen Li, to brief him on the work of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, enhancing the I&T ecosystem, fostering co-ordinated development among upstream, midstream and downstream, as well as the city's continuous efforts in integrating into national I&T development.
Professor Sun will continue his visit to Paris today (June 14, Paris time) and depart for the Netherlands on June 15 (Amsterdam time).
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
