DEP Visited Ministry of Ecology and Environment in Beijing for Marine Ecological Protection

DEP visits Ministry of Ecology and Environment

The Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, visited the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) in Beijing today (April 21), and held technical exchanges with representatives from the Department of Marine Ecology and Environment of the MEE, the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province, and the Ecology Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality on the building of "Beautiful Bays" and the development of assessment standards for estuarine bay areas.

In December 2025, the MEE announced the fourth batch of national "Beautiful Bays", and Hong Kong's Mirs Bay was selected as an "Outstanding Example of Beautiful Bays" with an excellent overall score. Dr Chui said that Mirs Bay's recognition highlights the efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in marine ecological environment protection, and represents a significant achievement of the HKSAR Government in jointly building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into an international, first-class beautiful bay area. The HKSAR Government will actively advance the building of "Beautiful Bays" and is committed to enhancing the quality of the marine ecological environment through the prevention and control of nearshore pollution, co-ordinated ecosystem protection and shoreline remediation.

At the exchange meeting, Dr Chui shared the HKSAR Government's work on the building of "Beautiful Bays" and introduced the biological water quality indicator "Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index" developed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). He also had an in-depth discussion with the Mainland experts on the development of assessment standards applicable to estuarine bay areas for monitoring, addressing and managing nutrient enrichment in coastal and estuarine waters.

During his visit to Beijing, Dr Chui also met with representatives of the BRI International Green Development Coalition and the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to explore collaboration on environmental technologies, aiming to jointly achieve the goal of high-quality green and sustainable development under the Belt and Road Initiative. Dr Chui was also invited to attend the launching ceremony of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers' 50th anniversary event "Hong Kong Engineering Legacy Exhibition@Capital" yesterday (April 20). He shared at the ceremony the EPD's experience in winning the Grand Award in the Innovation Category (2010-present) of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers' 50th Anniversary Legacy Award for its Territory-wide Sewage Surveillance Programme.

The Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, Photo source: reference image

Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million

Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs case yesterday (May 12), and seized about 35.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 235 grams of suspected ketamine and 64g of suspected crack cocaine in Tseung Kwan O and Shau Kei Wan. The total estimated market value was about $27 million. A 31-year-old man was arrested.

During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Tseung Kwan O yesterday afternoon, Customs officers intercepted a suspicious man and seized about 30kg of suspected cocaine inside a suitcase and a backpack carried by him. The man was subsequently arrested. Customs officers later escorted him to a residential premises nearby for a search and further seized about 5.4kg of suspected cocaine. Upon a follow-up investigation, the man was further brought to an industrial premises in Shau Kei Wan for a search, and about 307g of suspected cocaine, 235g of suspected ketamine, 64g of suspected crack cocaine and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia were seized.

The arrested man has been charged with three counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 14).

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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).

Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases