Here's a follow-up to my previous blog post on this subject.

Here's a follow-up to my previous blog post on this subject.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene has ordered  a light refreshment restaurant in Yuen Long and a restaurant in Shatin to suspend business for 14 days for illegally extending their business areas.

The light refreshment restaurant restaurant in Yuen Long, Chow Chow Café, at shop 24 on the ground floor and with outside seating accommodation at the shop front of Ho Shun King Building at No. 3 Fung Yau Street South,  was ordered to suspend business from today to July 13.

The Shatin restaurant, on the ground floor and mezzanine floor at 20 Chik Fuk Street in Tai Wai, was ordered to suspend business for the same period.
 

A 19-year-old motorcycle passenger has died after he fell from the motorcycle and was struck by a taxi.

The accident occurred at about 1am, on Tsing Kwai Highway near Container Terminal 6. The passenger was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital were he died at 1:42am.

The 54-year-old taxi driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death.

Anyone who saw the accident should call Police on 3661 1710.

Hong Kong-listed auto after-sales service provider New Focus Auto Tech Holdings says that it has entered into definitive agreements with CDH Investments about a $97.37 million investments. CDH has agreed to buy 1.3 billion ordinary shares of New Focus …

The Customs & Excise Department has signed agreements with Argentina and Vietnam to strengthen co-operation to combat transnational crime.

Commissioner of Customs & Excise Clement Cheung signed a Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Co-operation & Mutual Administrative Assistance yesterday with Argentina's Federal Administrator of the Federal Administration of Public Revenue Ricardo Echegaray in Brussels.

He also signed a Customs Co-operative Arrangement with the Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Ngoc Tuc while attending the 121st/122nd Sessions of the Customs Co-operation Council.

Hong Kong has so far signed 20 similar co-operative instruments with its counterparts.

The visa-free period for Croatians to visit Hong Kong will be extended from 14 to 90 days from July 1, the Immigration Department announced today.

At present, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders can visit Croatia visa-free for up to 90 days.

The visa policy is subject to constant review and changes will be introduced if circumstances warrant, the department said.

Hong Kong is well placed to handle all kinds of arbitration because the city has a mature common law legal system, internationally renowned arbitration institutions, well-developed arbitration facilities, and talent with global vision and a solid grasp of international rules.

This was the message from Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen, speaking at the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group Conference 2013 opening ceremony in Beijing today.

He said Hong Kong's location enables it to provide resolution services involving civil and commercial disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Greater China area.

The development of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the Asia-Pacific region is heading towards a golden age, he said. He emphasised the need to build an arbitration culture and an arbitration-friendly environment within the region, as well as the importance of conducting inter-disciplinary research.

The global economic balance has shifted from the West to the East, he said, so with more economic and trade activities, the need for arbitration and ADR services will become higher.

More than 400 government officials and legal and arbitration professionals from the Mainland, Hong Kong and other parts of the world attended the conference.

Speaking to the media, Mr Yuen said his visit is a good opportunity to promote Hong Kong’s arbitration development.

He met legal and judicial officials yesterday to discuss mutual legal assistance in combating money laundering and cross-boundary marriage legal issues.

Asked about the Snowden incident, Mr Yuen said no reply has been received so far since the Government wrote to US authorities on June 21. He said he has not discussed the matter with Beijing officials.

He reiterated that the Government acted in accordance with the law and the treaty signed with the US in 1996.

The Immigration Department said it received today a notification from the US government that Edward Snowden's US passport had been revoked.

Under Hong Kong law, a passenger coming to Hong Kong must possess a valid travel document.

The department said it has already notified all airlines that Mr Snowden would not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. Therefore, all airlines should not allow him to board any Hong Kong-bound flights.

Customs officers have arrested a 38-year-old man in Mong Kok and seized 1.4kg of cannabis buds worth $260,000.

The officers stopped the man in Mong Kok yesterday and found the drug hidden in five sealed aluminium cans in a shopping bag.

He was charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen today met legal and judicial officials in Beijing to enhance co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Mr Yuen met the Supreme People's Court President Zhou Qiang, the Supreme People's Procuratorate Procurator-General Cao Jianming, and the Public Security Vice Minister Chen Zhimin.

Mr Yuen told Mr Zhou of the Department of Justice’s policy to enhance Hong Kong's status as the legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia Pacific region. They also discussed mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters.

Mr Yuen updated Mr Cao on the department’s latest developments in prosecution work, adding Hong Kong has been co-operating closely with the Mainland and other jurisdictions to combat cross-boundary crime.

Mr Yuen held talks with Mr Chen on criminal judicial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

He will attend the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group Conference 2013 opening ceremony tomorrow, and will deliver a speech on the development of arbitration and its current practice in Hong Kong.

The number of reported drug abusers aged under 21 dropped 38% in the first quarter of the year.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics studied figures from the Central Registry of Drug Abuse today. It said the total number of reported drug abusers dropped 17% year-on-year to 3,377, while the number of reported young abusers fell 38% to 367.

The number of newly reported drug abusers decreased 31% to 553, while the number of newly reported young abusers dropped 49% to 166.

Female drug abusers fell 25% to 508, while male abusers dropped 15% to 2,869.

Dispute this, Commissioner for Narcotics Erika Hui said the Government is concerned about the hidden nature of drug abuse.

The Beat Drugs Fund will support district programmes to help parents, teachers and frontline workers in drug prevention, early identification and intervention.

She said the Government will boost promotion of the 24-hour anti-drug telephone service 186 186, and encourage abusers to seek help early.

A new television commercial will also be aired, stating that people should not have to prove friendship or love by taking drugs.

Customs officers have arrested a 33-year-old man after seizing $24 million worth of smuggled electronic products.

They inspected four cargo containers at Kwai Chung Container Port on June 24, declared to contain "Wood Plup" (sic). They were about to be loaded onto a vessel destined for Tianjin.

Inside they found electronic goods, including game consoles, computer hard-disks, display panels, vehicle parts, laser heads, integrated circuits, and waste products.

It is believed the cargo was being smuggled to evade Mainland import tax.

Officers then searched several premises, including a Man Kam To cargo yard, and arrested the man.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) says it has committed $50 million to Clearlake Capital, a California-based private equity firm focused on special situations. Reflecting how limited partners (LPs) have held back commitments to private equity since the financial crisis, the latest commitment is one of only ten that CalPERS made in private equity […]

Visit ChinaMoneyNetwork.com for more great China Money Podcast audio and video Internet episodes covering important investment news and financial events in China, as well as daily news updates on important China business news happenings. Follow us on Twitter @chinamoneypod subscribe to all episodes on iTunes.

Baird Capital, the private equity investment arm of Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co., says it has made a meaningful financial commitment to back education executive Peter Winn and his team. Winn is the former president of the China-based operations of English First Professional (EF). In six years, Winn built this business from a concept […]

Visit ChinaMoneyNetwork.com for more great China Money Podcast audio and video Internet episodes covering important investment news and financial events in China, as well as daily news updates on important China business news happenings. Follow us on Twitter @chinamoneypod subscribe to all episodes on iTunes.

Secretary for Security TK Lai says the Government has asked US authorities to give a full and comprehensive response to claims its agencies hacked into Hong Kong computer systems.

Speaking to the media today, Mr Lai said the Security Bureau wrote to the US government on June 21 seeking a clarification, and an explanation for the allegation, adding the Government is disappointed no reply has been received so far.

As Hong Kong is an international financial centre, he said Internet security, personal privacy and freedom of information is very important for the commercial sector and the public.

Police will take action to ensure the planned Occupy Central protest does not hinder public order.

This was the message from Secretary for Security TK Lai to lawmakers today, saying the Government is very concerned about the proposed event, as people and companies are worried it will impact the community.

Mr Lai said that, according to reports, more than 10,000 people may be called upon to occupy trunk roads in Central to express their aspirations.

He said demonstrations must be held in a peaceful and orderly manner, and not hinder the general public.

"If there is any occupancy of trunk roads in Central – paralysis of traffic, blocking up of public thoroughfares – by over 10,000 people, it will cause grave impact on social order and public safety and even affect emergency services, thereby threatening lives and property."

He said Police will adopt appropriate measures to ensure public order and protect public safety.

Any public meetings of more than 50 people, and processions of more than 30, must be notified to the Commissioner of Police at least seven days before the event, and can only be conducted if there are no objections, he added.

The Wall Street Journal's China Real Time Report has an article entitled, "Why Chinese Workers Sometimes Hold Foreign Execs Hostage." The report begins: Beset by stories of runaway bosses, Chinese workers are adopting increasingly drastic methods in negotiating with their…

In this edition of China Money Podcast, senior equity analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, Michael Werner, returns to discuss the recent interbank market liquidity squeeze in China, which Chinese banking shares he likes and what he sees as the biggest risk…

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen will attend the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group Conference 2013 in Beijing from June 26 to 28.

Mr Yuen will deliver a speech to promote Hong Kong as a regional centre for legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, and will also update the conference participants on the latest developments of arbitration and mediation services in Hong Kong.

The conference’s theme is "International Arbitration in Asia-Pacific Region in the Next 10 Years – Opportunities & Challenges".

It will provide valuable opportunities for government officials and professionals from the Mainland and other parts of the world to share their views on the future of international arbitration in the region in the next decade.

During his Beijing stay, Mr Yuen will visit the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate to discuss legal and judicial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

He will return to Hong Kong on June 28.

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen has refuted claims that the Hong Kong Government deliberately delayed or obstructed extradition procedures in relation to Edward Snowden.

Mr Yuen told the media today that to issue a provisional warrant of arrest, the alleged offences would have to satisfy the dual criminality requirement under Hong Kong law. The Government has acted in full accordance with both the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the extradition treaty signed with the US in 1996, he said.

Hong Kong's Department of Justice wrote to the US Department of Justice on June 20 and 21, seeking clarification of certain legal and evidential matters, including Mr Snowden's full name and passport number, details on the charges, and what evidence would be relied on for prosecution. He said without this requested information, the department was unable to determine whether the charges fell within the scope of the extradition agreement.

It also sought clarification on whether US government agencies have hacked into Hong Kong computer systems as reported in the media, as this will affect the department’s consideration of whether the allegations against Mr Snowden are of a political nature, he said.

As US authorities still have not replied to requests for further information and clarification, the Hong Kong Government had no legal basis to ask the court to issue an arrest warrant, nor to stop Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong, he said.

When asked whether the Government had asked for the Central Government’s opinion in handling the matter, Mr Yuen said normal communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ office in Hong Kong has been maintained, but legal decisions are made by the department itself in strict accordance with the law.