Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Launches Thematic Consultation for Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan on District Governance, Gathering Insights from Around 670 Participants

Home and Youth Affairs Bureau holds Hong Kong's five-year plan Thematic Consultation Session - District Governance

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) held the Hong Kong's five-year plan Thematic Consultation Session - District Governance at the Central Government Offices today (May 18). The consultation session was conducted in a hybrid format to gather views from District Council members, representatives of the three District Committees, District Services and Community Care Teams, grassroots associations and clansmen associations in respect of district governance in Hong Kong's five-year plan. Around 670 district personalities attended either in person or online.

The fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress approved the "Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China" (the 15th Five-Year Plan) in March 2026. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is proactively aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan and is drawing up its first Hong Kong's five-year plan, which should take a macro view and be strategic and forward looking.

Speaking at the thematic consultation session, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, highlighted that the 15th Five-Year Plan sets out important strategies for the country in various areas, including improvement of the social governance system. She stressed that the HKSAR Government will closely align with these strategies, strengthen institutional advantages, and improve the efficacy of district governance, thereby strengthening the public's sense of fulfilment, happiness and security. The HYAB hoped to gather the insights and expectations of stakeholders with rich district experience through the thematic consultation session to assist the HKSAR Government in preparing the first Hong Kong's five-year plan.

The HYAB will continue to collect views from various sectors of society on its policy areas through different channels and formats, with the aim of ensuring that the Hong Kong's five-year plan better meets Hong Kong's practical needs and provides clear directions for future development.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau held the Hong Kong's five-year plan Thematic Consultation Session - District Governance at the Central Government Offices today (May 18). Photo shows the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, exchanging views with a participant at the thematic consultation session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau held the Hong Kong's five-year plan Thematic Consultation Session - District Governance at the Central Government Offices today (May 18). Photo shows the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, speaking at the thematic consultation session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Food Safety Day 2026 highlights importance of hand hygiene for safeguarding food safety and public health

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department kicked off its Food Safety Day 2026 promotional campaign today (June 7). With "handwashing" as the core theme, a series of thematic short videos, social media posts, and posters, will be launched to highlight the importance of maintaining hand hygiene in preventing foodborne diseases, and to echo World Food Safety Day of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization.

Maintaining proper hand hygiene remains one of the most effective measures for preventing foodborne diseases and safeguarding food safety. Unclean hands of food handlers may transfer harmful microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, from bacterial carriers or raw food to utensils, surfaces and ready-to-eat food.

A spokesman for the CFS said, "Food handlers should wash their hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water, as alcohol hand sanitisers work less effectively at removing grease, dirt and certain foodborne microorganisms. When washing hands, the rubbing process should last for at least 20 seconds. To prevent the spread of preventable infectious diseases, handwashing should be carried out before and after handling food, before putting on gloves and after removing them."

The spokesman also reminded food handlers to wash their hands whenever possibly contaminated, such as after touching the face, coughing, sneezing, using the toilet, smoking, and handling money, waste, mobile phones, chemicals or raw food ingredients, as well as after completing cleaning tasks.

Members of the public are also reminded that wearing gloves cannot replace proper handwashing. Food handlers and the public should maintain good personal hygiene practices and adopt appropriate hygiene measures when preparing food, thereby reducing the risk of foodborne diseases and curbing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

For more information about Food Safety Day 2026, please visit the CFS website at www.cfs.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/whatsnew_act/Food_Safety_Day_2026.html.

Source: AI-found images