Hong Kong Implements Advance Passenger Information System to Enhance Aviation Security

Immigration Department implements Advance Passenger Information System

The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced that the Advance Passenger Information (API) System was implemented today (September 3).

To meet the aviation security requirements of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and to align Hong Kong with other aviation hubs worldwide, as well as to enable the ImmD to further enhance its passenger clearance and enforcement capabilities to prevent undesirables, including potential non-refoulement claimants, from boarding flights heading to Hong Kong, the ImmD implemented the API System today, requiring aircraft operators to comply with the Immigration (Advance Passenger Information) Regulation (Cap. 115Q) by transmitting advance information to the ImmD about flights and passengers heading to Hong Kong.

An ImmD spokesman said, "During check-in for a flight heading to Hong Kong, the aircraft operator will capture the required API data from a traveller's travel document and transmit the API data of each traveller and the aircraft information to the API System, which will instantly process the information and provide a response message, i.e. a board or no-board direction, for each traveller back to the aircraft operator. The aircraft operator shall act upon the direction given through the API System, i.e. to allow or not allow specific travellers to board the aircraft heading to Hong Kong."

To allow sufficient time for over 100 aircraft operators to connect to the API system and to ensure the system will run in a smooth and orderly manner, the rollout will be carried out in phases. A transitional period of around 12 months will also be adopted. The offences and defences, and the miscellaneous provisions under Parts 4 and 5 of the Regulation will come into effect after the transitional period, starting from September 1, 2025.

The spokesman emphasised, "The freedom to travel and the right of Hong Kong residents to enter or leave Hong Kong are guaranteed under Article 31 of the Basic Law and Article 8 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights as set out in the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance (Cap.383). Such freedom and right are not affected by the implementation of the API System. The API system will not issue a no-board direction against Hong Kong permanent residents who enjoy the right of abode in Hong Kong."

Source: AI-generated images

Remarks by FS at media session (with photo/video)

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, together with the Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission, Ms Julia Leung, and the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue, met the media this evening (April 7). Following are Mr Chan's remarks at the media session:

Reporter: What tools does the Government have to handle the situation of the market and will Hong Kong consider a national team investor equivalent to intervene? Should the markets keep dropping, what is the bottom line for the state of the market before countermeasures will be considered?

Financial Secretary: I think Julia has explained very clearly the situation in the Hong Kong stock market. Basically, the market has been functioning orderly. There are substantial selling but also buying interests. The spread between the two has been very tight, indicating that the buying power remains very strong.

Hong Kong is a free port, and we encourage capital and investors from different parts of the world to take part in our capital market. Over the years, we have been taking a number of measures to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of our capital market, no matter whether it is improving the listing regime, lowering the transaction costs, expanding the markets, attracting investors and capital from around the world, or offering new products such as the ETF (exchange-traded fund) listed on the Saudi stock exchange (and investing in the Hong Kong stock market). All in all, we will persistently and consistently push forward initiatives on various fronts. With an expanding market and more participants from different parts of the world, the liquidity and resilience of our market will be enhanced. The resilience of our market has been very strong. We do not think the current volatility in the market warrants the taking of any drastic measures.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Remarks by FS at media session (with photo/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases