DH launches Annual Training Programme on Tobacco Control 2026, featuring optimised curriculum structure and record number of registrants from WHO Western Pacific Region
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 28) officially launched its Annual Training Programme on Tobacco Control 2026, which is designed specifically for tobacco control professionals in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region. TACO optimised the Programme's curriculum this year, attracting over 900 tobacco control professionals from various countries and regions, setting a new record for registrations.
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health, Photo source: reference image
In April 2012, the DH was designated by the WHO to establish the WHO Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in Hong Kong, China, to serve as a regional hub that supports tobacco control and smoking cessation training for other member countries and regions within the Western Pacific Region.
"This year's Programme takes the form of webinars. Starting from today, one session will be held each month until November. Over 900 tobacco control professionals from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR, Japan, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Palau, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands are participating. Previously, the Programme consisted of short-term in-person or online courses lasting five consecutive days. In response to the participants' feedback and needs, we have further optimised the curriculum structure this year by organising five webinars over five months to provide greater flexibility, making it easier for interested tobacco control professionals from various regions to participate. The response to this new model has been excellent, with the number of registrants far exceeding previous years," saidthe Head of TACO, Dr Manny Lam.
The Programme is structured according to the core pillars of tobacco control introduced by the WHO. Over 10 overseas and local experts were invited to share their knowledge and valuable practical experiences in tobacco control, enabling participants to master techniques and strategies in tobacco control-related areas such as policies, legislation, law enforcement, health economics, publicity and advocacy, as well as the development of smoking cessation services and assessments to a further extent. Through this systematic training, participants will be equipped with the knowledge necessary to formulate comprehensive strategies to control the tobacco epidemic and counter emerging threats, and to plan tobacco control measures in a more forward-looking manner. The Programme also facilitates experience sharing in the region, enhancing the effectiveness of tobacco control efforts in the Western Pacific Region and collectively safeguarding public health.
The Technical Lead for Tobacco-Free Initiatives at the WHO's Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Ms Mina Kashiwabara, welcomed the active participation of the Western Pacific Region. She said, "Every new participant strengthens our collective capacity to protect current and future generations from the harms of tobacco use and nicotine addiction."
In addition to regularly organising the Programme, TACO also provides comprehensive smoking cessation training courses annually for healthcare professionals in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR to enhance their capabilities in providing counselling and treatment for tobacco dependence. Furthermore, TACO organises annual training courses on Chinese medicine acupuncture to help frontline Chinese medicine practitioners from the three areas further improve their knowledge and skills in smoking cessation. The DH has also prepared a variety of resources for healthcare professionals, including patient pamphlets, referral forms to cessation clinics, "Very Brief Advice" and "Brief Intervention on Smoking Cessation" delivery toolkits, online training courses, and a Practical Handbook for Smoking Cessation Treatments. These resources are designed to support healthcare professionals in helping smokers quit through various channels. Relevant information has been uploaded to TACO'swebsite.
Members of the public can call 1833 183 or visit the smoking cessation thematic website for more information on quitting smoking, and the available support tools and services.
The Department of Health, Photo source: reference image
Mainland circular tech leader ATRenew opens first Hong Kong store establishing city as go-global hub
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (July 28) announced ATRenew Inc. (ATRenew), the Chinese Mainland's leading pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and services platform, had opened its first physical store under its new consumer brand RERE- short for Revalue and Renew - in Hong Kong. This launch positions the city as a go-global hub for the growing circular economy while bringing the group's consumer buyback and retail operations to Hong Kong for the first time - complementing its long-standing business-to-business (B2B) pre-owned electronics trading ecosystem.
Located in Tsuen Wan, the store launches under ATRenew's new consumer brand RERE marks a major step in taking the company's brand, sustainability innovation and business model global. For traded-in smartphones, ATRenew developed a proprietary data destruction system certified by international authority ADISA Certification. Utilising advanced multi-pass data overwriting, the platform ensures fully traceable and unrecoverable data erasure - eliminating data theft risks at the source and setting a high standard for privacy and data protection for users.
At the heart of ATRenew's offering is a set of proprietary, AI-backed technologies. Self-service tools allow customers to value and sell a device in minutes, while automated quality inspection - refined through diagnostic data from the group's extensive Mainland facilities - delivers high-precision grading. Combined with a standardised digital device-identity system, ATRenew ensures quality, defect traceability, driving efficiency and security for cross-border transactions. These capabilities empower FoneSquare, its new B2B global trading platform, giving overseas wholesale buyers confidence in the origin and condition of every device.
The opening is supported by a Memorandum of Understanding with leading retailer JD Mall Hong Kong. Under this partnership, the group will roll out in-store one-stop buyback services for electronic devices, making it easy for shoppers citywide to sell or trade in pre-owned devices.
The Director-General of Investment Promotion, Ms Alpha Lau, said, "ATRenew represents a great Chinese green story, and we are delighted that Hong Kong serves as a prominent showcase of the group's full recycling-to-retail model in service of the circular economy. As an international investment and trade hub operating under common law, Hong Kong is not just a financing engine but also an ideal test bed for innovations. Today, we also warmly welcome two of our InvestHK clients, ATRenew and JD.com, joining hands in driving sustainability innovation. This expansion demonstrates our strengths as a go-global springboard for both Mainland and overseas businesses with green aspirations."
The Founder and Chef Executive Officer of ATRenew, Mr Kerry Chen, said, "The global circular economy is entering a critical growth phase, with Hong Kong serving as the central hub for ATRenew's overseas supply chain and brand expansion. Driven by our three-pillar globalisation strategy of 'business, capabilities, and brand', ATRenew is extending its well-established standardisation, automated technologies, and robust supply chain overseas. We are committed to making buy-back services more accessible and providing users worldwide with high-quality pre-owned products, empowering a green and sustainable future."
Globally, rising environmental awareness and demand for value are fuelling fast-growing appetite for quality pre-owned electronics. International Data Corporation projects the worldwide market for used smartphones to surpass 430 million units, with a market value of close to US$110 billion, by 2027.
Looking ahead, ATRenew plans to build on its Hong Kong-Dubai "dual-hub" for international growth, establishing its full recycling-to-retail ecosystem across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa.
InvestHK provided end-to-end support to facilitate ATRenew's expansion in Hong Kong, offering market intelligence, business matching, and setup guidance. It also connected the group with key partners and supported its international expansion and compliance navigation - advancing ATRenew's ambition to build RERE into a globally recognised certified pre-owned brand.
For more information about ATRenew, please visit www.atrenew.com.
Mainland circular tech leader ATRenew opens first Hong Kong store establishing city as go-global hub Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Mainland circular tech leader ATRenew opens first Hong Kong store establishing city as go-global hub Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Mainland circular tech leader ATRenew opens first Hong Kong store establishing city as go-global hub Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
