Xin Ding Xin Trade Co., Limited and its director have pleaded guilty over a government bottled-water contract worth HK$52.94 million. The director admitted six offences in the water case and attempted fraud in a separate test-kit tender; the company admitted four offences in the water case. The District Court deferred sentencing to December 30, 2026.
The Government Logistics Department invited tenders in March 2025 to supply bottled water to government departments. In May, the director bid for the company, naming a mainland manufacturer and brands for the water and submitting manufacturer and testing documents. The tender committee judged the bid compliant and the lowest-priced, and recommended a three-year contract. The government approved it in June for HK$52.94 million.
The first delivery did not match the tender’s manufacturer details. According to the court account, the bottles named different manufacturers; the company said it would correct the packaging in a later batch. In August, the director sought approval to change supplier, citing heavy rain, flooding and a landslide. He submitted a test report presented as coming from the Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre, but a laboratory analyst later said the centre had not issued it.
The Government Logistics Department terminated the contract and recalled the water. HK01 reported that the company had supplied 3,208 bottles between July 8 and August 3, and that the government bought replacement distilled water, with losses of at least HK$2.03 million.
The other case concerned a Department of Health tender for one million doses of viral rapid test kits over 24 months. The court account said the company submitted an annual return labelled as the 2024 version that was actually the 2014 version. The department did not continue processing the bid.
The water offences concerned false descriptions and labelling, among other matters. The Witness reported that the prosecution told the court laboratory testing had confirmed the supplied water was fit to drink, and agreed that the supplied water did not violate health-related ordinances.