Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, visited the Hong Kong Park (the Park) of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone yesterday (February 9).  During his inspection, Mr Xia hosted a discussion session in Qianhai and was briefed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on its work plans on the economy and financial services. 

     In the morning, Mr Xia, accompanied by the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, paid an on-site visit to the Park. Mr Xia listened to presentations by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, on the overall planning and development overview of the Northern Metropolis, as well as by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, on the the latest development progress and the key foci of work for the Park.

     Thereafter, Mr Xia inspected the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone, and hosted a discussion session in which Mr Paul Chan introduced work and focus by the HKSAR Government in 2025 to advance the economy. The session lasted for nearly four hours, with in-depth discussions about how Hong Kong could further understand, respond to and embrace changes under the new circumstances, accelerate reforms to foster progress, enhance cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, and better integrate into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; Ms Linn; Professor Sun; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; and the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, attended the session. 

     At the discussion session, Mr Xia recognised the work of the HKSAR Government under the leadership of the Chief Executive. He hoped that the HKSAR Government would thoroughly implement the spirit of the important speeches by President Xi in Macao and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and continue to be bold in reform, dare to break new ground, and to innovate continuously; and that there would be more reciprocal co-operation and collaborative development within the GBA.

     Mr Paul Chan stated that under the leadership of the Chief Executive, the HKSAR Government team will firmly uphold the principle of “one country” while leveraging the advantages of “two systems”. The Government team is determined to undertake reforms, dare to be innovative, and actively integrate into the national development and align with national development strategies. In face of a complex external environment, Hong Kong will co-ordinate development and security, maintain financial and economic security, whilst promoting the acceleration of economic progress. As the country further deepens reforms, promotes high-quality development and advances high-level opening up, Hong Kong will leverage its unique advantages and functions of connecting with both the Mainland and the world, as well as its strong international character.  Hong Kong will reinforce traditional advantageous industries such as financial services, trade and shipping, while also exploring new development areas. At the same time, Hong Kong will focus on nurturing new quality productive forces and new economic growth points, and continue to make systematic investments in innovation and technology. Hong Kong will harness platforms such as the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone, and strengthen collaboration with sister cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, seeking to play to the comparative strengths of the cities and elevate their economic development. 

     The Governor of Guangdong Province and Deputy Head of the Office of the Leading Group on Construction of the GBA of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong; Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the HKMAO of the State Council, Mr Zhou Ji; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR (LOCPG), Mr Zheng Yanxiong; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the HKMAO of the State Council, Mr Nong Rong, Deputy Director of LOCPG, Mr Qi Bin, joined the inspection and discussion session.

    

     â€‹Hongkong Post announced today (February 10) that, as the United States Authorities have confirmed that additional duty would not be imposed for postal items containing goods despatched from Hongkong Post to the United States, acceptance of postal items containing goods destined to the United States will be resumed starting from tomorrow (February 11).

     The postal administration of the United States notified Hongkong Post last week that postal items containing goods should not be despatched, unless a “formal entry” has been filed as unilaterally requested by the United States. Hongkong Post has suspended the acceptance of postal items containing goods destined to the United States, and continued to negotiate with that postal administration. Hongkong Post was formally notified today by that postal administration confirming that the United States Authorities at present do not impose additional duty for postal items containing goods despatched from Hongkong Post to the United States. Therefore, Hongkong Post can temporarily resume the relevant postal service.

     Hongkong Post reminds members of the public that the United States Government is constantly changing policies and may further change its policies at any time. There may also be backlogs for mail items destined to the United States and delay of delivery, which may cause inconvenience or even losses to the public.

     The HKSAR Government reiterates its strong disapproval of the United States’ imposition of additional duty on products of Hong Kong, and urges the United States to take urgent actions to rectify its wrongdoing.

     For enquiries, members of the public may call the Hongkong Post enquiry hotline at 2921 2222. read more

     The stakeholder consultation on the proposed regulatory regime for Basic Housing Units (BHUs) launched by the Housing Bureau (HB) on December 2, 2024 concluded today (February 10).
 
     Since the establishment of the Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units (SDUs) (the Task Force) in October 2023 until the end of the stakeholder consultation period, under the lead of the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, as the Head and the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, as the Deputy Head, the Government organised and joined nearly 40 engagement sessions, meeting nearly 700 participants and gathering views from political parties, academics, professional bodies, non-governmental organisations, estate agents, renovation services industry and contractors associations as well as concern groups on tackling the SDU issue and the BHU regulatory regime. At the same time, as at 6pm today, we received nearly 2 200 submissions of views (including around 1 600 submissions using six different templates with largely similar contents) mainly through email and post, etc.
 
     The HB will work at full steam to consolidate the views received on the BHU regulatory regime and report to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Housing on the summary of views and seek the Panel’s views on the latest proposal on the regulatory regime as soon as possible. Subsequently, the HB will introduce the relevant Bill into the LegCo and strive for its passage within this year. Upon completion of the legislative process, registration for pre-existing SDUs under rental will commence, with applications for recognition as BHUs to be accepted concurrently. A grace period will be granted to landlords of SDUs that have been successfully registered to provide reasonable time for them to discuss tenancy agreements with their tenants and to convert their SDUs to up-to-standard BHUs.
 
     With regard to the new market supply of BHUs as well as the supply of public rental housing, Light Public Housing (LPH), Transitional Housing (TH), etc, the Government will adopt a pragmatic approach and adhere to the people-oriented principle when taking enforcement actions against illegal renting of substandard SDUs in an orderly manner upon completion of registration period to gradually eradicate substandard SDUs. To ensure that SDU households affected by the enforcement actions will not be displaced, the Government will provide assistance on a need basis in identifying other rental accommodation in the private market for relocation, as well as flexibly deploy other housing resources (such as interim housing, LPH, TH, transit centres, etc) to provide temporary shelter for the households in need.
 
     A spokesman for the HB said, “The Government would like to express gratitude to stakeholders for their active expression of views on the BHU regulatory regime, and is glad that different sectors of the society generally support the proposed framework of the BHU regulatory regime while giving suggestions on the implementation and execution details. Opinions from stakeholders are crucial to the policy formulation and legislative process. The Government will carefully consider and study the views collected when formulating the latest proposal of the BHU regulatory regime, and is determined to strive for completing the relevant legislative work this year as planned, with a view to gradually improving the living conditions of SDU tenants and thus tackling the ‘long-standing, big and difficult’ issue of substandard SDUs.”
 
     The current-term Government faces up to the issue of SDUs and acknowledges its complexity and urgency, while understanding that this long-standing issue must be handled with prudence. The Government is determined to work out solutions to eradicate substandard SDUs at their roots and has been widely listening to views from different stakeholders. The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address to put in place through legislation, a system on the renting of SDUs in residential buildings under which only up-to-standard SDUs could be recognised as BHUs (the BHU regulatory regime). After legislation, SDUs in residential buildings must comply with a set of minimum standards (including requirements in respect of floor area, headroom, structural and fire safety, ventilation, lighting, hygiene, water and electricity meters, etc.) before being recognised as BHUs and allowed to be rented out, so as to ensure the provision of reasonable and safe living conditions.

        

     Police today (February 10) appealed to the public for information on a boy who went missing in Kwai Chung.      Ma Kin-hei, aged 14, went missing after he was last seen at Kwai Chung Interchange yesterday (February 9) morning. His family … read more

     The Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, met with the visiting Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Dr Qu Dongyu, today (February 10). The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Mr Mickey Lai, also attended the meeting.

     Mr Chan welcomed Dr Qu’s visit to Hong Kong with his delegation. Mr Chan said that the FAO has 194 Member Nations launching work worldwide, leading international efforts to eradicate hunger. It plays a pivotal role in global food security, promoting the development of distinctive agricultural products in various countries and regions, advancing the development of fisheries and aquaculture, and preventing and controlling major animal diseases. Its achievements are widely recognised.

     Mr Chan said that Hong Kong is promoting the upgrading and transformation of the overall agriculture and fisheries industry towards modernisation and sustainable development. The Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries formulated in Hong Kong earlier has also set out specific work targets in this regard. In addition, Hong Kong has consistently engaged in various collaborations with the FAO. For example, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department earlier participated in the drafting of a series of FAO guidelines on African Swine Fever (ASF) to assist smallholder pig farmers in the Asian region to respond to ASF, and the relevant guidelines have now been widely adopted by Asian countries/regions. 

     Mr Chan further said that he looks forward to greater co-operation between Hong Kong and the FAO to strengthen knowledge exchange, promote regional co-operation, and make further contributions to global food security and sustainable development. Dr Qu thanked the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s support of the FAO and said he looks forward to engaging in closer collaboration in the future.