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Speech by DSJ at Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit 2026 (English only) (with photo)

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit 2026 today (October 28):
 
Professor Leung (Founding President and CEO of the Hong Kong Association for External Friendship, Professor Priscilla Leung), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. Let me begin by thanking the Hong Kong Association for External Friendship for inviting me to join today’s session of the Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit 2026.
 
     Today’s session centres on the Belt and Road Initiative. With the growing number of collaborations among partner countries under the Initiative, legal certainty, trusted rules, effective dispute resolution and credible institutions have become indispensable. That is precisely where Hong Kong, under the principle of “one country, two systems”, is positioned to serve as the legal anchor for this grand vision.
 
Hong Kong – a natural partner to Belt and Road countries
 
     I recently joined the Chief Executive’s mission trip and visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two of our Belt and Road partners in Central Asia. It is striking that both of them respond to the demands of the international business community with a robust legal infrastructure. Kazakhstan’s Astana International Financial Centre has adopted a common law framework, with an independent court and international arbitration centre. Uzbekistan’s Tashkent International Financial Centre is moving in a similar direction. They grasp a simple truth: capital follows confidence, and confidence is built on law.
 
     This is where Hong Kong comes in. Supported by “one country, two systems”, we are the only common law jurisdiction in China and the only bilingual common law jurisdiction in the world using both Chinese and English. We are truly a gateway between China and the world. Hong Kong is therefore the natural partner for Belt and Road countries to connect their projects to the Chinese capital and global markets. Let me take our legal services as an example to demonstrate our unique strengths.
 
Hong Kong’s unique strengths
 
     Hong Kong offers a full spectrum of legal services – cross-border transactions, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, maritime and shipping, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and risk management – grounded in a common law framework compatible with international standards. The Department of Justice (DoJ)’s Panel List of Hong Kong Legal Services Providers Supporting “Go Global”, published in April this year, fully reflects the breadth of Hong Kong’s legal professional services, supporting the full business cycle from deal structuring, due diligence, to financing, compliance and disputes resolution. For Belt and Road projects, that means legal certainty from negotiation to enforcement.
 
     And within our spectrum, I would like to highlight dispute resolution services to illustrate our leading position. In the 2025 International Arbitration Survey by the Queen Mary University of London, Hong Kong ranked as the second most preferred seat for arbitration globally and first in the Asia-Pacific region. Further, since 2020, Hong Kong has been one of the four arbitration venues under the Law and Arbitration Clause of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO). Earlier this year, the Chinese translation of “GENCON 2022”, submitted by the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping, became the first-ever approved non-English general purpose voyage charter party in BIMCO’s century-long history.
 
     Our sound and mature legal system explains why international legal organisations have given us a vote of confidence by establishing their presence in Hong Kong. In October 2025, the International Organization for Mediation, the first-ever international intergovernmental legal organisation dedicated to international mediation, set up its headquarters in Hong Kong. This affirms the city’s position as a world-leading legal hub and its development as the global capital of mediation”.
 
     I am also pleased to share with you all that with the support of the Central People’s Government, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) will establish its first overseas liaison office in its 100 years of history, and the opening ceremony will be held during the upcoming Hong Kong Legal Week next week. I am confident that the UNIDROIT Hong Kong liaison office, alongside the existing Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre, and the HCCH in Hong Kong (Asia Pacific Regional Office of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in Hong Kong), will lead to greater synergy for international collaboration.
 
     With the support of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, the DoJ is committed to further deepening Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. None of this happens without strong talent. That is why we set up the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy in 2024, which serves as a capacity-building and knowledge sharing platform for legal professionals in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and other jurisdictions, in particular those along the Belt and Road. Looking ahead, we will construct the Hong Kong International Legal Service Building, which is a new landmark housing the Academy’s headquarters, as well as other international legal and dispute resolution services institutions.
 
     In terms of legal infrastructure, we are future-proofing our framework through ongoing arbitration and mediation legislative amendments, keeping it competitive and in line with the latest international practice. We are also actively promoting sector-specific dispute resolution like sports dispute resolution and maintaining arbitration-related mutual legal assistance arrangements with the Chinese Mainland.
 
     The Belt and Road Initiative is our country’s vision for global connectivity. Hong Kong is not just a participant but an indispensable partner, bringing valuable contributions to the development of the initiative with our unique strengths.
 
     With that in mind, I wish you all a very fruitful session filled with constructive ideas. Thank you.

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East Asia

LCQ9: Regulatory regime on Basic Housing Units and rehousing of tenants

     Following is a question by the Hon Steven Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (October 28):
 
Question:
 
     The regulatory regime on Basic Housing Units (BHUs) has been rolled out under the principle of “registration first, enforcement later” with 48-month transitional arrangements. There are views that many elderly landlords of subdivided units (SDUs) have only a superficial understanding of the registration and alteration requirements, coupled with market concerns about the reduction in flat supply and rehousing of tenants. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the total number of publicity briefing sessions targeting SDU landlords organised across the territory by the Dedicated Team on Subdivided Units of the Housing Bureau (HB) so far (with a breakdown by the 18 districts of the locations, number of sessions and estimated number of landlords reached); whether arrangements have been made for the District Services and Community Care Teams or District Offices in various districts to provide home visit support for elderly or mobility-impaired landlords (with a breakdown by the 18 districts of the number of beneficiaries, specific support arrangements and resources allocated);
 
(2) of the number of units (or the percentage in the total number) among the 100 000-odd SDUs in Hong Kong to be eliminated as estimated by the HB due to failure to obtain recognition or landlords ceasing operation; of the latest number of BHUs registered in Hong Kong as at September 2026, with a breakdown by the 18 districts;
 
(3) whether the HB has compiled statistics on the average cost and relevant data of converting SDUs into BHUs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(4) of the manpower to be deployed as well as the enforcement priorities and criteria when the HB formally commences enforcement actions in March 2027 against unauthorised letting of subdivided units with no grace-period registration and no recognition in force; of the estimated number of affected tenants who will need to be rehoused in temporary or transitional housing during the enforcement phase; whether it has assessed if the existing stock of Light Public Housing and transitional housing is sufficient to cope with a sudden surge in rehousing demand, and how it will mitigate the impact of such a surge in rehousing demand on the elderly and schoolchildren?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The current-term Government is determined to tackle the long-standing, big and difficult issue of substandard subdivided units (SDUs) in Hong Kong. Since taking office, the current-term Government has introduced a number of systematic housing policies and measures to significantly increase the public housing supply through proactively enhancing quantity, speed, efficiency and quality. Taking into account about 30 000 Light Public Housing (LPH) units, the total public housing production in Hong Kong in the coming five years (i.e. from 2026-27 to 2030-31) will reach about 196 000 units, which expedites the grassroots (including SDU households waiting for public housing) in moving into public housing, thereby enabling us to tackle the issue of substandard SDUs. To this end, the Chief Executive established the Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units (the Task Force) in 2023 for conducting an in-depth study and making recommendations on the comprehensive and orderly handling of the issue of substandard SDUs. Having considered the Task Force’s recommendations, the Chief Executive announced in 2024 to put in place, through legislation, the Basic Housing Unit (BHU) regime, under which SDUs in residential buildings must comply with minimum standards of living conditions (minimum standards) and obtain BHU recognition before they can be legally let out for habitation, so as to ensure the provision of safe, hygienic and reasonable living conditions. The Basic Housing Units Ordinance (Cap. 658) (the Ordinance) was then passed by the Legislative Council in September 2025. The BHU regime has been rolled out since March 1, 2026 under the principle of “registration first, enforcement later”, with applications for grace-period registration and BHU recognition being accepted concurrently in the first year and enforcement actions commencing in an orderly manner in the second year.
      
     The BHU regime provides a 48-month transitional arrangement, i.e. a 12-month registration period (until February 28, 2027) for pre-existing SDUs to obtain a 36-month grace period (until February 28, 2030) upon successful registration, allowing sufficient time for SDU owners/operators to gradually adapt to the statutory requirements and submit applications for BHU recognition. The new regime has been implemented for nearly eight months so far with satisfactory progress: the Housing Bureau (HB) has received registration applications involving more than 75 000 SDUs (i.e. more than 21 000 applications from residential flats), covering about 70 per cent of the total of about 110 000 SDUs in Hong Kong. At the same time, the HB has made on-going efforts in promoting applications for BHU recognition, and received recognition applications involving about 250 SDUs to date. Most of such applications were received in recent months, indicating that the market is familiarising with the minimum standards and accelerating the pace of alteration works for SDUs. Through the HB’s proactive and flexible handling and guidance provided to applicants/professionals regarding the relevant statutory requirements, 53 SDUs have already been granted BHU recognition. These successful cases demonstrate that the minimum standards are practicable and feasible, and the market is willing to proactively comply with the BHU regime for compliant operation in the long run.
      
     The criminal offence of illegal letting of SDUs with no registration and no recognition under the BHU regime will only come into effect 12 months after the commencement of the regime (i.e. upon the expiry of the registration period, from March 1, 2027 onwards). By then, the HB will adopt a pragmatic, people-oriented and risk-based approach when taking enforcement actions against illegal letting of SDUs in a reasonable, compassionate and orderly manner, instead of taking immediate and indiscriminate enforcement actions, so as to ensure that SDU households will not be displaced due to relevant enforcement actions. The six Subdivided Unit District Service Teams (DSTs) engaged by the HB will continue to provide tenants in need with immediate and comprehensive support, including assisting in applying for traditional public rental housing (PRH), LPH, transitional housing (TH), Hostels for Single Persons, or finding alternative accommodation, so as to provide suitable shelters for them.
 
     The reply to the question raised by Hon Steven Ho is as follows:
 
(1) The HB attaches great importance to stakeholder engagement, so as to enhance understanding of the BHU regime by the public and stakeholders, and ensure its smooth implementation at the community level. The HB has all along been pressing ahead with relevant publicity and stakeholder engagement work to enable SDU owners/operators, tenants, as well as relevant professionals, estate agents, property management, renovation services industry and non-governmental organisations to understand the regulations, responsibilities, and rights under the BHU regime, and to encourage owners/operators to submit applications for registration and recognition early.
 
     Since the establishment of the Task Force, the Government has organised/joined more than 130 briefings/seminars/professional training/publicity activities/consultation meetings (more than 50 of which included SDU owners as target audience), explaining to and exchanging views with more than 9 000 participants. Through these activities, the Government continuously and extensively explains the policy direction for tackling the issue of substandard SDUs and the detailed arrangements of the BHU regime to different sectors of the community. These activities have penetrated different districts across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories and focused on districts with more SDUs, such as Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, and Kowloon City, attracting participation by different stakeholders (including SDU owners from various districts).
 
     In addition, since the commencement of operation of the six DSTs in early 2022, they have been dedicated to providing comprehensive support to SDU owners/households (including the elderly and mobility impaired persons in need). These DSTs are required to visit no less than 6 000 SDU households annually based on the relevant performance indicator and provide necessary support. Also, the DSTs have all along maintained close liaison with the Home Affairs Department/the District Services and Community Care Teams to assist owners/households in need. Furthermore, the HB, together with the DSTs, has arranged form-filling workshops for SDU owners in need (including the elderly and mobility impaired persons), providing one-stop service from explaining the new regime, filling out registration forms to collecting forms on-site, and assisting relevant owners in submitting their applications under the BHU regime.
 
(2) Based on the results of the Task Force’s consultancy study, out of the total of about 110 000 SDUs in Hong Kong, it is roughly estimated that about 30 per cent of SDUs have relatively poor living conditions and may require substantial alteration works to meet the minimum standards for BHUs; while the remaining about 70 per cent of SDUs should be able to meet the minimum standards upon minor alteration works. Given that relevant owners have been letting out SDUs, and that the aggregate rent received from several units subdivided from a single flat is higher than the rent of one whole flat, it is anticipated that there are still financial incentives for a considerable number of owners to continue to operate rental of SDUs in compliance with the requirements of the BHU regime. Furthermore, with the BHU regime setting clear, practicable and feasible minimum standards for the living conditions of SDUs, it is expected that new supply meeting these standards will progressively emerge in the market to meet the relevant rental demand.
 
     As mentioned above, the HB has received registration applications involving more than 75 000 SDUs, with about 13 400 (18 per cent), 49 100 (65 per cent) and 12 570 (17 per cent) SDUs located in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories respectively; and the relevant distribution across all 18 districts of Hong Kong is set out in Annex. The current number of registration applications has covered about 70 per cent of all SDUs in Hong Kong. Such satisfactory progress shows that most SDU owners/operators are keen to be brought under the new regime in order to obtain a 36-month grace period first and then plan for the next steps of their flats. Apart from registration applications, there have been about 250 SDUs submitted applications for BHU recognition, of which 53 SDUs have successfully obtained BHU recognition, indicating that the market is gradually adapting to long-term compliant operation as per the requirements of the BHU regime.
 
     In view of the positive market response to the BHU regime, coupled with the 48-month transitional arrangement provided under the regime which allows sufficient time for SDU owners to carry out alteration works to comply with the statutory requirements, it is expected that the supply of rental SDUs will not reduce significantly in the short term.
 
(3) To help stakeholders understand the minimum standards for BHUs and the associated alteration costs, the HB took the initiative to launch two BHU showflats in Kowloon City in May 2026, demonstrating the actual feasibility of altering existing SDUs into BHUs meeting the minimum standards. The alteration works of the showflats took about three to four weeks to complete, with an average cost of some $25,000 to $50,000 for each SDU (excluding professional certification service fees) using plain and safe materials primarily while maintaining the original layout as far as possible. To date, the HB has arranged more than 50 tours to the showflats, with over 800 participants involving different stakeholders. Besides, in respect of SDUs that have successfully obtained BHU recognition, individual applicants/operators have publicly mentioned that the alteration costs of their SDUs were similar to those as estimated through the HB’s showflats. While the alteration costs of the showflats and successful recognition cases could serve as indicative references, the HB does not collect alteration cost information for each recognition application. It is understandable that the quality of SDUs in the market varies, and the costs of relevant alteration works depend on factors such as the actual conditions of individual SDUs, the scope of works, the market positioning.
 
(4) With the commencement of enforcement actions against illegal letting of SDUs starting from March 1, 2027, the HB will not take immediate and indiscriminate enforcement actions; instead, a pragmatic, people-oriented and risk-based approach will be adopted when pressing ahead with enforcement actions in a reasonable, compassionate and orderly manner. In this regard, the factors that will be taken into account include: the extent to which the SDUs fall short of the minimum standards, such as whether serious safety problems are involved; the number of SDUs that falls short of the minimum standards in the building concerned; the conditions of the common area in the building where the SDUs are located; the supply of overall public housing (including LPH and TH). To this end, the HB will conduct inspection and take enforcement actions at target buildings identified with higher safety risks and in response to complaints received. It will also conduct joint operations with relevant departments to enhance deterrence. The HB will carefully examine the actual circumstances and evidence collected in each case of suspected illegal letting, and comprehensively consider appropriate follow-up actions in a reasonable and compassionate manner, including issuing warning letters and, if the evidence is sufficient, instigating prosecution. The HB’s Dedicated Team on Subdivided Units is responsible for the aforementioned inspection and enforcement actions.
 
     In the course of the aforementioned inspection and enforcement actions, the DSTs will provide comprehensive support to affected households in need to ensure that they are provided with suitable shelters, including traditional PRH, LPH, TH, Hostels for Single Persons, or assist them in finding alternative accommodation. Particularly for LPH and TH, there are numerous projects that cover different areas in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories available for applications by SDU households in need, thereby meeting different needs of the applicants for places of residence as far as possible where resources so permit. Besides, in tandem with the implementation of the BHU regime, and considering that some SDU households may not fulfil the application criteria for LPH or TH, the HB introduced in October 2025 a new type of “Category C tenants” for TH to provide assistance to SDU households who are affected by alteration works or enforcement actions under the BHU regime and have imminent short-term rehousing needs. Applicants for “Category C tenants” need not be persons currently waiting for traditional PRH, and can be exempted from meeting the prevailing income/asset limits for TH. Moreover, the HB has also reserved certain “reserved units” in TH projects in urban and extended urban areas for emergency use, providing emergency rehousing support for SDU households facing urgent housing needs (such as tenants who are forced to move out by their landlords and thus need to find temporary accommodation immediately). Since the implementation of the new regime, various types of temporary housing mentioned above have been able to accommodate SDU households with imminent short-term rehousing needs.
 
     To conclude, the HB will continue to promote and deepen the understanding of SDU tenants and owners/operators about the BHU regime through various channels at the district level, and proactively encourage owners/operators to submit registration/recognition applications as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the DSTs will continue to bridge the district level, providing precise and appropriate support to SDU owners/tenants in need. On the road to eradicating substandard SDUs, the HB will continue to accompany SDU tenants and assist them in improving the living conditions. read more

East Asia

LCQ11: Measures to respond to the influenza surges

     Following is a question by the Hon Dominic Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 28):
 
Question:
 
It is learnt that in recent months, there has been a substantial increase in the number of patients attending the Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments due to influenza and respiratory illnesses. The longest waiting time at certain A&E departments of public hospitals has exceeded 10 hours. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that public hospitals experience manpower shortages during the influenza surges, whether the Government has conducted any assessments of the existing and projected manpower shortfall in healthcare personnel during the current and future influenza seasons, and formulated short-term and long-term measures to address this shortage; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) of the cumulative number of healthcare professionals admitted under the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes since its implementation in 2022; whether the authorities have assessed the effectiveness of the Programmes in supporting the frontline clinical service needs of public hospitals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) given that the Hospital Authority has collaboration with private hospitals over the past five years (including implementing special measures during periods of peak service demand) to refer patients from public hospitals to private hospitals, of the scope of coverage and specific effectiveness of such collaborative arrangements; whether the authorities have plans to further expand the scope of such arrangements and enhance the participation of private hospitals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether the Government has made reference to the primary healthcare diversion arrangements and A&E response mechanisms adopted by the Mainland and other places around the world (such as Singapore, Europe and the United States) during peak periods of seasonal infectious diseases, and whether it has implemented measures in Hong Kong that are considered worthy of adoption; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) whether the Government has considered further strengthening community-based diversion mechanisms through the Primary Healthcare Commission and District Health Centres in 18 districts in addition to the existing measures, with a view to alleviating the pressure on A&E departments and inpatient wards of public hospitals at source; if so, of the specific measures and targets; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,

      In consultation with the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA), the reply to the questions raised by the Hon Dominic Lee is as follows :
 
      Hong Kong is currently in the influenza season. Local influenza activity increased with fluctuations from late June this year, reaching the peak in early September, and currently remains at a high level. In mid-October, the percentage of influenza virus positive detections in respiratory specimens remained above the baseline level. The Centre for Health Protection of the DH anticipates that influenza activity will continue to fluctuate at a high level in the coming weeks. Although influenza activity has remained at a high level, there is currently no information suggesting that the increase in attendances arising from influenza and respiratory illnesses in recent months has placed an excessive burden on the Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments in public hospitals. 
 
      The A&E departments in public hospitals aim to provide A&E services for critically ill or seriously injured people and victims of disasters. At present, 18 public hospitals under the HA provide A&E services. The A&E departments implement a patient triage system under which patients are classified into five categories, namely Critical, Emergency, Urgent, Semi-urgent and Non-urgent, based on their clinical conditions, and receive treatment according to the priority of their urgency category. The HA’s service targets specify that all Critical patients (i.e. 100 per cent) will receive immediate treatment. Patients classified as Emergency and Urgent are also accorded priority treatment upon arrival at the A&E departments, with the targets being that most Emergency patients (95 per cent) and Urgent patients (90 per cent) will be treated within 15 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. 
 
      Following the implementation of the fees and charges reform for public healthcare, the efficiency of A&E services for patients requiring emergency care in public hospitals has improved. Taking September 2026 as an example, the service targets for Category I (Critical) and Category II (Emergency) patients were fully achieved, with 100% of Critical patients receiving immediate treatment and Emergency patients being treated within 15 minutes. The proportion of Category III (Urgent) patients receiving treatment within 30 minutes reached 90.6 per cent, higher than the 83.1 per cent recorded in the same month last year. As for Category IV (Semi-urgent) and Category V (Non-urgent) patients, the average waiting time was 152 minutes, which was comparable to that of the same month last year. 
 
(1), (4) and (5) To effectively respond to the influenza season and alleviate the burden on the healthcare system, the Government has adopted a multi-pronged prevention and control strategy, with vaccination serving as the primary line of defence. At the same time, the Health Bureau (HHB), the DH and the HA have all along closely monitored the activity of seasonal communicable diseases and the service demand of public hospitals. Contingency arrangements have been formulated in advance, and resources and manpower are deployed as necessary in response to actual circumstances, with a view to ensuring that patients in need receive appropriate and timely treatment.
 
     Vaccination has been scientifically proven to be one of the most effective means to prevent severe cases of seasonal influenza and its complications. It also reduces the risks of in-patient admission and mortality. All members of the public aged six months or above, except those with known contraindications, should receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV). The Government has all along encouraged the public to receive vaccination early, and has been providing free or subsidised SIV to eligible high-risk groups through various vaccination programmes. The 2026/27 SIV Programme commenced on September 17, 2026. With the concerted efforts of various sectors of the community, including the medical sector, schools, parents and residential care homes, as at October 19 this year, around 900 000 doses of SIV had been administered under the various SIV programmes in the 2026/27 season, representing a decrease of about 10 per cent compared with the same period last year. The current influenza season has lasted for nearly four months to date. As of October 22, there had been a total of 26 cases of severe paediatric influenza infection (of which 20 had recovered and been discharged, two are in serious condition, two are in critical condition, and two have died). Among these cases, 16 patients had not received SIV in the preceding season. A total of 869 adult cases of severe influenza infection, including 599 deaths, have also been recorded so far in current influenza season. Among these cases, 459 patients had not received SIV in the preceding season. Members of the public are urged to receive SIV as early as possible in order to build an immunity barrier in the community and reduce the risk of severe illness and mortality.
 
     To facilitate vaccination for the public, vaccination venues under the SIV Programme are located across Hong Kong. Eligible persons may receive SIV at about 270 public service points, including around 110 designated clinics under the DH located in various districts across the territory; 77 Family Medicine Clinics and 38 public hospitals under the HA; and 45 District Health Centres, District Health Centre Expresses and their service points under the Primary Healthcare Commission. In addition, more than 1 900 private doctors have participated in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme, providing vaccination services at over 3 100 service points across all districts of Hong Kong.
 
     Moreover, the DH is actively collaborating with the District Councils and the District Services and Community Care Teams to encourage the organisation of vaccination activities in the community. The DH has also strengthened interdepartmental collaboration, including partnerships with the Social Welfare Department and the Hong Kong Housing Society, to promote SIV outreach activities at District Elderly Community Centres, Neighbourhood Elderly Centres and elderly housing projects.
 
     Regarding hospital services, the HA closely monitors the service data of public hospitals and assesses service demand, as well as the corresponding resource and manpower requirements, having regard to a basket of parameters. The HA will activate service surge contingency measures in light of the actual situation. These measures include flexible manpower deployment and increasing service capacity through special honorarium schemes, with a view to alleviating short-term manpower pressure. In addition, to meet the clinical needs of elderly patients, the A&E departments work closely with geriatric departments and, through the Integrated Discharge Support Programme for Elderly Patients, provide transitional integrated support services for hospitalised patients aged 60 or above who are at a higher risk of emergency re-admission after discharge, thereby reducing the likelihood of emergency re-admissions and alleviating service demand for A&E services.
 
     While enhancing the response capability of hospitals, the Government has also been promoting patient diversion to enable patients to receive treatment at the appropriate level of care. The Government has all along encouraged patients with milder conditions to make better use of primary healthcare services, including family doctor services in the community, so as to alleviate the pressure on the A&E departments in public hospital, allowing the A&E departments to focus resources on handling patients with urgent medical needs. Since January 1, the HA has regularised the A&E refund arrangement, allowing eligible patients with stable conditions to opt for consultation at other healthcare institutions while waiting, thereby providing greater flexibility in making alternative consultation arrangements.
 
     To meet the primary healthcare needs of the public, 15 HA Family Medicine Clinics provide services during Sundays and public holidays. Having regard to days with high service pressure, the HA has also increased an additional 10 000 consultation quotas as necessary. Depending on the actual circumstances, the HA also increases the number of clinics providing services to 18 during public holidays such as Christmas and New Year, offering the public more options for seeking medical care.
 
     As regards family doctor services, around 1 000 Western medicine practice premises and about 1 000 Chinese medicine practice premises currently provide evening consultation services under the Primary Care Directory. The Primary Healthcare Commission will continue to encourage primary healthcare service providers to provide services during long holidays, and will also consolidate information on private healthcare institutions providing services during public holidays across the 18 districts of Hong Kong. Members of the public may access information (including addresses, telephone numbers and service hours) on these healthcare institutions through the “Doctor Search” function on the eHealth website and the eHealth mobile application. This would facilitate members of the public in identifying suitable private healthcare services in the community during non-office hours and public holidays, thereby diverting non-urgent attendances from the A&E departments.
 
     The HHB co-ordinates the policy measures for responding to peak seasons of seasonal communicable diseases, which are implemented by the DH, the HA and the Primary Healthcare Commission. They will continue to review the relevant arrangements, and keep in view and draw reference from good practices and experience in the Mainland and overseas jurisdictions, taking into account the healthcare system, service demand and operational circumstances in Hong Kong. Adjustments will be made where appropriate to continuously enhance local service arrangements.
 
(2) The HA has all along been actively promoting exchanges of healthcare professionals with the Mainland. Since the fourth quarter of 2022, the HA has launched the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes (the Programmes) to facilitate time-limited professional exchanges between healthcare professionals from the two places. The objective of the Programmes is not to alleviate service demand in public hospitals, but to enhance the quality of healthcare services in both places through mutual exchange and learning among healthcare professionals. The exchange period ranges from several weeks to 12 months and covers healthcare professionals from different disciplines, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and Chinese medicine practitioners. The Programmes have been well received by participating healthcare professionals from both sides.
 
     Having regard to factors such as the clinical experience of Mainland healthcare professionals participating in the short-term exchanges and the operational needs of individual departments, the HA arranges for them to join clinical departments in HA hospitals and work alongside local healthcare teams. They may provide appropriate clinical services to patients, participate in clinical procedures, and take part in teaching and research activities where appropriate. As for Chinese medicine experts, their primary role is to provide training for local Chinese medicine practitioners participating in the HA’s Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine services.
 
     The table below sets out the relevant figures on healthcare professionals from the Greater Bay Area who came to Hong Kong for exchange under the Programmes since inception and up to September 30, 2026:
 

Professionals Cumulative Number of Greater Bay Area Healthcare Professionals Participating in the Programmes since Inception and up to September 30, 2026
Doctors 92
Nurses 333
Allied Health Professionals 72
Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Note 1) 26
 
(3) Through the existing Low-charge Hospital Beds Programme in private hospitals, as well as collaboration programmes with Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong and the CUHK Medical Centre, the HA arranges, where appropriate, for suitable patients whose conditions are relatively stable to be transferred to the relevant private hospitals for the continuation of necessary treatment, such as post-operative care and rehabilitation services. The objective of the programmes is to alleviate bed occupancy pressure in public hospitals, rather than to specifically address influenza.
 
     The HA will continue to make good use of the above programmes and, make appropriate arrangements having regard to service demand and hospital bed utilisation.

Note 1: The figure represents the cumulative number of Chinese medicine experts included in the Chinese Medicine Expert Database. Upon joining the Database, the experts may be invited by the HA from time to time to come to Hong Kong to provide clinical training in accordance with the relevant training programmes. read more

East Asia