Hong Kong News Summary Today: Official Visits, New Traffic Regulations, and Public Health Information
Regarding international exchanges, Financial Secretary Paul Chan will depart for Europe in the early hours of tomorrow (May 18). He will visit Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; and Zurich, Switzerland, to introduce Hong Kong's latest economic developments and business opportunities to the local business communities, aiming to strengthen economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and European countries.
In terms of environmental and ecological development, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan also departed for the Tibet Autonomous Region this afternoon. During the visit, Secretary Tse will meet with local officials, conduct on-site inspections of local ecological conservation work, and explore cooperation opportunities between the two regions in environmental governance.
There are two important updates regarding transportation. Starting from midnight today (May 17), the government has officially implemented a temporary measure to reduce tunnel fees for commercial vehicles by 50%, covering government-tolled tunnels and the Tsing Sha Control Area; the system is currently operating very smoothly. Additionally, the Transport Department reminds the public that registration for the 79th round of the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" computer balloting will open tomorrow at 10:00 AM and close on May 21.
On social welfare, the Social Welfare Department held the "2026 Foster Care Service Award Presentation Ceremony" today, honoring over 200 foster families. These families have long provided warm homes for children lacking parental care. The department hopes to recognize their love and contribution through this event and encourage more citizens to join the foster care service.
Regarding health information, today marks "World Hypertension Day," and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health specifically calls on the public to pay attention to blood pressure health. The center advises citizens to practice a healthy lifestyle, including reducing salt intake and exercising regularly, and reminds everyone to measure their blood pressure regularly for screening to prevent complications caused by hypertension.
Concerning outdoor activity safety, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department issued several special reports today. Due to the discovery of oil pollution at Lung Mei Beach in Tai Po, the area is no longer suitable for swimming. Meanwhile, due to big waves or other environmental factors, red flags have been hoisted at Silver Mine Bay Beach and several other beaches, reminding the public not to enter the water at these locations for their own safety.
Finally, regarding administrative matters, the Liquor Licensing Board announced that it will hold a meeting next Tuesday (May 19). This meeting will publicly discuss an application for a liquor license renewal, which is a routine administrative procedure for the government in handling commercial license applications.