Secretary for Health Attends Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Macao

Secretary for Health attends Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Macao

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to attend the 8th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine held in Macao today (September 22) to have in-depth exchanges on the inheritance and innovation, talent cultivation, and industry transformation of Chinese medicine (CM) with the Vice Minister of the National Health Commission and Commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr Liu Jinfeng, and health officials from the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Guangdong Province and cities in the GBA, as well as experts and representatives from the CM sectors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Professor Lo elaborated on the direction of advancing the development of CM set out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) and the 2026 Policy Address recently announced by the Chief Executive. He said, "The National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly proposes advancing the inheritance and innovation of CM and promoting CM to go global. Hong Kong is proactively aligning with the overall national development, and the Chief Executive has proposed in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan to promote comprehensive, high-quality, and high-standard development of CM; to make good use of CM to provide Hong Kong citizens with higher-quality and more comprehensive healthcare services for better health outcomes by inheriting the wisdom of CM and leveraging our country's development experience and resources; and to strive to establish Hong Kong as a bridgehead for the global expansion of CM by participating in developing international CM standards with a view to extending the benefits of Chinese medicine services and products to more countries."

The two flagship institutions for CM development, namely The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI), which commenced services last year, enhance Hong Kong's role in promoting collaboration in the GBA and the country's high-quality development of CM, as well as in serving as a bridgehead for CM's global expansion. Professor Lo added, "The 2026 Policy Address sets out a number of initiatives, including the launch of 24-hour in-patient services at CMHHK starting from the end of this year, the establishment of the International Consortium of Herb-Drug Interaction, the continued development of the Hospital Authority's integrated Chinese-Western Medicine services, and the sponsoring of regional and international CM conferences and exhibitions, signifying more breakthroughs and opportunities ahead for the development of CM in Hong Kong."

The Hong Kong SAR Government will progressively implement various initiatives under the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint in accordance with the guiding principles of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, contributing its utmost efforts to promote the inheritance, innovation and development of CM.

The Conference was co-organised by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau of Guangdong Province, the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government (HHB) and the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR Government. Representatives from Hong Kong took part in the plenary forum, as well as the keynote session and roundtable discussion of parallel forums, introducing to attendees the latest developments in areas such as CM policy development, CM regulation and standard setting, clinical CM practices, and the integrated Chinese-Western medicine services in Hong Kong, along with the latest progress of CMHHK and the GCMTI.

Members of the Hong Kong delegation included the Controller of Regulatory Affairs of the Department of Health, Dr Fung Ying; the Project Director of the Chinese Medicine Hospital Project Office of the HHB, Dr Cheung Wai-lun; and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee. The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMHHK Operator, Mr Wong Kwai-huen, and the Hospital Chief Executive of CMHHK, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, also joined the delegation for the Conference.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, attended the opening ceremony of the 8th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine held in Macao today (September 22). Photo shows Professor Lo (second right); the Vice Minister of the National Health Commission and Commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr Liu Jinfeng (fourth right), and other guests officiating at the opening ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to attend the 8th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine held in Macao today (September 22). Photo shows Professor Lo (centre); the Controller of Regulatory Affairs of the Department of Health, Dr Fung Ying (10th left); the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (13th right), and other attending representatives of Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the 8th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine held in Macao today (September 22). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects case of non-registered precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified transactions

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 21) detected a case involving a local company that conducted transactions of pearls and jewellery containing pearls valued at over HK$120,000, without registration under the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime. An investigation is ongoing.

According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), unless exempted, any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs. Any dealer, other than a registrant, who claims to be a registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 is liable to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

Customs reminds dealers in precious metals and stones that they must obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.

For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Customs' webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).

Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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, Photo source: reference image