Brussels ETO Celebrates Chinese New Year with Local Communities in Spain and Ireland, Highlighting Innovation and Trade Opportunities

Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) organised Chinese New Year receptions in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time), and Dublin, Ireland, on March 5 (Dublin time), bringing together over 220 guests from local business, public and community sectors in the two countries.

Jointly organised by Brussels ETO, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), with the support of the Spain Hong Kong Business Association, the reception in Barcelona was held to coincide with the Mobile World Congress (MWC), and was well attended by guests including the Hong Kong innovation and technology (I&T) delegation attending the MWC, as well as local start-ups, enterprises and related institutions.

In her welcoming remarks, the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, highlighted that I&T had become a new growth engine for Hong Kong. "We are building a more complete innovation value chain, one that integrates basic research, commercialisation and advanced manufacturing," she said.

Ms Yung also mentioned that Hong Kong achieved a new milestone of having over 5 200 start-ups last year, representing an 11 per cent year-on-year increase. She encouraged European companies, talent and students to come to Hong Kong to leverage the opportunities arising from the rapid development of the I&T sector and related infrastructure in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Northern Metropolis.

Hong Kong's wine and liquor trade as well as related business opportunities were the special focus of the reception in Dublin. Together with the HKTDC and InvestHK, with the support of the Dublin Chamber, Brussels ETO held a business seminar before the reception with the local liquor trade to promote the business opportunities that Hong Kong offers as a leading hub for wine and liquor trading and auctions, following Hong Kong's reduction of duty on liquor with an alcoholic strength of more than 30 per cent in 2024.

Ms Yung also highlighted Hong Kong's premier role as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and Asia, with the city strategically located at the heart of the region with world-class transport connectivity. She encouraged Irish wine and liquor traders to leverage Hong Kong as a regional hub for trading, distribution, and auctions to expand their market share on the Chinese Mainland and across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows local guests mingling after the business seminar in Dublin, Ireland, on March 5 (Dublin time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows (from left) the Chief Executive Officer of the Dublin Chamber, Ms Mary Rose Burke; Deputy Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of the Invest Hong Kong Brussels Office Mr Fernando De La Cal Gonzalez; the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung; the Director of United Kingdom, Nordics and Ireland of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Joey Ko; and Deputy Representative of Brussels ETO Mr Kasper Ng, toasting at the Chinese New Year reception in Dublin, Ireland, on March 5 (Dublin time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows (from left) Deputy Representative of Brussels ETO Mr Kasper Ng; the President of the Spain Hong Kong Business Association, Mr Ricardo Ferrer; the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung; the Director of France, Spain and Portugal of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Christopher Lai; and the Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of the Invest Hong Kong Brussels office, Ms Paula Kant, toasting at the Chinese New Year reception in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows local guests attending the Chinese New Year reception in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, speaking at the Chinese New Year reception in Dublin, Ireland, on March 5 (Dublin time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels continues to hold Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe. Photo shows the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, speaking at the Chinese New Year reception in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs cracks $4.7 billion money laundering case and dismantles dangerous drug packing and distribution centre

Hong Kong Customs mounted an operation codenamed "Axis" yesterday (March 11) and arrested a local man who is suspected of dealing with a total of about $4.7 billion of funds with unknown sources via his bank accounts of two companies between April 2022 and February 2026. During the follow-up investigation, another local man who was suspected of operating a dangerous drugs packing and distribution centre was arrested in a commercial premises.

Customs officers targeted a money laundering syndicate and initiated financial investigation against a 66-year-old local man. It was revealed that his financial background was highly incommensurate with the enormous transactions conducted in his company bank accounts. It is suspected that he had dealt with suspicious funds through local companies accounts and engaged in money laundering activity.

After an in-depth investigation,Customs officers raided a residential address yesterday and seized mobile phones and bank documents therein. During the premises search against the business address of one of the subject companies, Customs officers seized a bankbook counter, cash, bank cards, suspected dangerous drugs, including cannabis buds, cannabis oil products, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA tablets and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia and inhalation apparatuses, about 9 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and suspected nicotine oil. The estimated market value of the drug seizures was about $300,000. A 36-year-old local man was arrested.

Customs will conduct follow up investigation under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO), Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

Under the OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents any person's proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.

Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering activities 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).

Source: AI-found images