Accelerating Green Development Green Industries 171. Development of green industries is a major international trend and key to addressing global climate change. The combination of green finance and green technology will accelerate the build-up of… read more
Talent Hub
All-out Efforts to Trawl for Talents
Attracting Quality Talents and Professionals
151. The Government makes every effort to trawl for talents, and will shortly invite top and leading talents to come to Hong Kong for development under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. We will also enhance the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals and the General Employment Policy by allowing young non-degree talents with professional and technical qualifications and experience to come to Hong Kong to join skilled trades facing manpower shortage.
“Global Talent Summit‧Hong Kong”
152. The Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) provides comprehensive one stop support to incoming talents, promotes globally Hong Kong’s advantages and attracts talents. The HKTE plans to organise the second “Global Talent Summit‧Hong Kong” early next year to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for high-calibre talent.
Belt and Road Scholarship
153. The Government will continue to attract more students, especially those from ASEAN and other B&R countries, to study in Hong Kong through various measures, including the B&R Scholarship.
New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
154. Under the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, more than 880 applications have been received cumulatively, with an expected investment of over $26 billion. We will launch a series of enhancement measures shortly to provide greater flexibility under the Scheme.
All-out Efforts to Nurture Talents
155. To stimulate primary and secondary school students’ interest in I&T, I have invited the HKIC, the HKSTPC and Cyberport to co-ordinate the efforts of more than 100 technology enterprises under their purview to engage in interactions and exchanges with students to share frontier exploration and start-up experience in technology through organising product display in schools, site visits, etc, in the coming year. These technology enterprises cover various domains such as AI, robotics, and green technology.
156. We are also encouraging technology enterprises in Hong Kong to provide resources, technical guidance and practice scenarios for technology education such as coding and AI learning in schools, with a view to further enhancing young people’s interest and capability in I&T application through integrating theoretical learning and practical application.
Enhancing Collaboration with Cities in the Greater Bay Area
Medical Co-operation
157. The joint establishment of the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform by Hong Kong and Shenzhen is one of the benchmark collaboration projects in the GBA. We are seeking to establish the Real-World Study and Application Centre by the end of this year. With the data from the “special measure of using Hong Kong registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in GBA”, we aim to accelerate approval for registration of new drugs in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, fostering R&D, clinical trials and application of advanced biomedical technology in Hong Kong.
158. The Hospital Authority (HA), through various talent exchange programmes, invites healthcare professionals, including those from the Mainland especially the GBA, for professional and clinical exchange with local healthcare personnel to foster mutual professional enhancement and, in the long run, establish a regional healthcare talent pool.
Data Flow and Exchange
159. The facilitation measure on the “Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong)” helps promote the safe and orderly cross-boundary flow of authorised personal information, and has been well-received by the telecommunications sector since its launch. The measure has already been opened up for participation by other sectors.
Financial Co-operation
160. The HKMA and the PBoC signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cross-Boundary Credit Referencing Pilots last year on a pilot basis between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The initiative has received positive feedback from the industry. We will progressively expand the pilot coverage to further facilitate cross-boundary financing for enterprises.
Youth Exchange
161. The Labour Department has since this year relaxed the requirements of joining the GBA Youth Employment Scheme to young people aged 29 or below with sub-degree or higher qualifications, and increased the limit of allowance for enterprises to $12,000 per month per person for up to 18 months.
Co-operation in Transport and Logistics
162. At the end of last year, the AA and the Zhuhai Transportation Holdings Group signed the Agreement of Shares Acquisition concerning the equity acquisition of Zhuhai Airport, which provides a reinforced foundation for passenger and cargo connectivity between the airports. Separately, 21 airlines and 125 logistics companies have participated in the sea air intermodal cargo transhipment mode under the co-operation of Hong Kong and Dongguan. It is expected that the first phase construction of the permanent facility for the Phase 1 development of the logistics park in Dongguan will be completed this year and the preliminary study of the Phase 2 development will commence shortly.
Co-operation Relating to Construction Industry
163. The Building Technology Research Institute established last year is comparing and complementing the testing and certification requirements between standards in different regions with a view to promoting local application of high-quality and cost-effective construction materials. Moreover, the Institute will closely liaise with the counterparts concerned in Guangdong Province for commencing a strategic study on standards in the GBA soon.
164. We are actively collaborating with the Guangdong Province to leverage complementary advantages of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) methods and develop MiC as an industry in the GBA. Efforts will be dedicated to R&D, quality accreditation and international marketing of MiC.
165. We have, in collaboration with Guangdong Province, successfully established the “Professional Title” evaluation mechanism for the first batch of Hong Kong engineering professionals. The mechanism will be gradually extended to other construction-related professions with the right conditions. We will also collaborate with Guangdong Province and Macao SAR to formulate GBA standards on the skill levels for skilled workers and technicians of the construction sector, and take forward the “One Examination, Multiple Certification” arrangement. We will announce the GBA standards for the first pilot trade in due course.
Legal Co-operation
166. The Department of Justice (DoJ) is actively taking forward its work in setting up a dedicated platform for GBA lawyers to provide better support to the business development and brand building of lawyers. The DoJ will also actively promote the establishment of a GBA legal information platform to enhance legal information exchange.
Development of Qianhai
167. The Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone is one of the major co-operation platforms in the GBA. Since the promulgation of the “Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone”, Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation has achieved substantive progress in various policy areas. For example, the turnover of Qianhai Mercantile Exchange, a subsidiary of HKEX, exceeded RMB100 billion over the year. It operates our country’s only offshore spot trading platform for soybeans.
168. On the basis of the successful implementation of the measure of “allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law” in Qianhai, the DoJ collaborated with the relevant Mainland authorities and achieved the extension of the above measure and the measure of “allowing Hong Kong invested enterprises to choose Hong Kong as the arbitration place” to other pilot cities in the GBA, providing Hong Kong investors with a more facilitative business environment.
169. Cyberport has been actively collaborating with the Qianhai Management Authority to facilitate the landing of start-up enterprises at respective parks. So far, some 10 Cyberport enterprises are exploring setting up their operations in Qianhai, whilst two enterprises on AI and digital entertainment from Qianhai have established businesses at Cyberport.
170. Hong Kong will continue to support Qianhai in trying out new policies on a pilot basis and pursuing more policy innovation and breakthroughs, with a view to promoting the successful policies to the rest of the GBA and even the entire country. read more
Healthcare Industry
Train and Pool Healthcare Professionals
126. In recent years, the Government has increased the number of medical training places on several occasions. The number of places will increase to 650 in the 2025/26 academic year. The public healthcare sector will leverage the revised legislative framework to admit non-locally trained healthcare professionals.
Enhance Regulation for Drugs and Medical Devices
127. The Government will, in the first half of this year, put forward the timetable for establishing the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the roadmap towards adoption of “primary evaluation”. We will also formulate strategies and measures to facilitate R&D of drugs and medical devices.
Third Medical School
128. The Task Group on New Medical School has invited local universities interested in setting up the third medical school to submit proposals. It expects to complete assessment and formulate recommendations to the Government this year. We will set aside resources to support universities in the development of the new medical school on a matching basis.
Cultural and Creative Industries
129. The Government is committed to promoting the development of cultural and creative sectors as industries. A cumulative total of over 780 projects, some of which with potential for industrialisation, have been approved under the CreateSmart Initiative, involving a total funding of about $3.4 billion and benefiting more than 30 000 SMEs. To foster the vibrant development of the local creative industry chain, OASES will strategically attract to Hong Kong more cultural and creative enterprises that integrate I&T into their work.
Large-scale Art Events
130. The inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo concluded in October last year, featuring over 1 600 arts leaders and practitioners from more than 60 countries and regions. We will organise the second edition of the Expo next year, transforming the event into a flagship of our arts and cultural industries.
131. The Government will continue to attract and support the staging of international or large scale arts and cultural events in Hong Kong through the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund, with a view to promoting the development of Hong Kong as an East meets West centre for international cultural exchange. We have updated the assessment criteria to require funded events to help promote tourism and bring economic benefits.
Development of Film Industry
132. The Government has always been a staunch supporter to the development of the film industry. A cumulative total of over $1.3 billion has been approved by the Film Development Fund to support more than 120 film projects. These projects involved more than 110 new directors and producers, and the relevant films have won more than 180 awards. The Fund has also launched the Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market to encourage Hong Kong film companies and Mainland cultural enterprises to invest in and promote productions by Hong Kong directors.
Cultural Intellectual Property
133. The Government will support cultural IP creators and producers to propel more than 30 cultural IP projects cumulatively in the coming five years. We are fostering more cross-sectoral collaboration within the cultural and creative sectors so as to enhance the communication power and sales value of cultural IP products.
Tourism Industry
134. Tourism boosts local economic development and creates employment opportunities. To pursue the concept of “tourism is everywhere” and implement the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0, I will allocate $1,235 million to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) in the coming year.
135. The HKTB will collaborate with more international brands to tell the good stories of Hong Kong’s tourism. For example, the HKTB signed a three-year global strategic partnership agreement with Art Basel to establish immersive experience zones of Hong Kong culture in all four annual Art Basel shows around the world, strengthening Hong Kong’s connection with the global art scene.
136. We will step up efforts to promote a series of distinctive tourism products such as eco tourism, panda tourism, horse-racing tourism, etc, to enrich travel experiences in Hong Kong.
137. The HKTB will continue to support the staging of more meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions in Hong Kong, which are expected to bring about 183 000 additional visitor arrivals and spending of about $1.4 billion.
138. I have earmarked resources to strengthen support to the cruise industry, encouraging cruise lines to increase their number of ship calls to Hong Kong, make overnight calls and use Hong Kong as the homeport. We will provide cruise lines with more concessions to attract cruise ships to berth at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal during the low season.
Mega Event Economy
139. We will continue to promote and publicise Hong Kong as a mega events capital globally, attract more tourists to Hong Kong and enhance their tourism experience during their stay.
140. Kai Tak Sports Park is the largest ever sports infrastructure in Hong Kong with the 50 000-seat Stadium. Large scale sports and entertainment events will be held in the Park, thereby driving visitation and spending.
141. The Government has been supporting the staging of major international sports events in Hong Kong through “M” Mark System. We will adopt a more strategic approach in continuously attracting sports events which can bring significant economic benefits to Hong Kong, and are in discussion with LIV Golf which has been held in Hong Kong for two consecutive years to explore long-term partnership. Announcement will be made shortly.
Seize Opportunities Arising from Resumption of Multiple entry Individual Visit Scheme
142. The Government of the HKSAR expresses great gratitude to the Central Government for resuming at the end of last year the multiple entry Individual Visit Endorsements for Shenzhen permanent residents and expanding the arrangement to Shenzhen residence permit holders. Since the implementation of the new measure, more than 700 000 visitors have travelled to Hong Kong on multiple entry Individual Visit Endorsements.
143. Thanks to the new measure and with an increase in the number of overseas travellers, the city bustles with activities. Retail, catering and other sectors all reported growth in business volume during the recent Christmas and New Year holidays. The Government will make good use of the various measures that benefit Hong Kong to proactively promote the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Develop Visitor Sources from the Middle East and ASEAN
144. In collaboration with the HKTB, the Government will make extra efforts to develop markets in the Middle East and ASEAN to attract more high end visitors. The Government is encouraging various sectors of the community to enhance tourism support facilities, such as providing worship facilities in hotels and stepping up staff training to strengthen the industry’s understanding of the visitors’ different cultural backgrounds.
Smart Tourism
145. The HKTB will enhance the one stop travel information platform, Discover Hong Kong to provide a “Live Travel Map” and a “Smart Itinerary Planner” so as to provide visitors with more comprehensive and personalised itinerary suggestions, travel information and offers.
Leverage Harbourfront Resources
146. We are making every effort to enhance the harbourfront on both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The recently opened western section of the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point has been popular among the public. The eastern section of the Boardwalk, the Hung Hom Urban Park (Phase 2) and the open space at Eastern Street North in Sai Ying Pun will also be completed this year. We will set up refreshment stalls at harbourfront locations in Central, Wan Chai, North Point and Tsim Sha Tsui this year to enrich visitor experience.
147. The Government has invited the Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited to conduct a study to develop the waterfront and former pier sites to the south of Hung Hom Station into a new harbourfront landmark. It will include iconic commercial and residential developments, retail, dining and entertainment facilities, as well as yacht club for promoting yacht tourism. We will put forward land use proposals in the middle of this year.
Education Industry
148. Hong Kong’s post secondary education sector is highly international and diversified. We boast five of the world’s top 100 universities and a pool of first rate R&D talent. We will launch a new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme totalling $1.5 billion to attract more organisations to support research endeavours of institutions.
149. The Government will host more international education conferences and exhibitions to highlight Hong Kong’s position as an international post-secondary education hub. We will step up promotion of the “Study in Hong Kong” brand to attract more outstanding non-local students. The quota of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme will be increased to 400 places per year.
150. Self-financing post-secondary institutions complement publicly-funded institutions in providing diversified articulation pathways for young people. The Government has launched a new round of the Land Grant Scheme and the Start-up Loan Scheme, under which land sites are granted at nominal premium with interest-free loans, so as to support capacity expansion and quality enhancement of self-financing institutions. read more
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Dennis Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):
Question:
The Office of the Communications Authority announced at the end of last year that starting from December 31 last year, local mobile service providers would play a voice alert message to local users for calls made from newly activated local prepaid Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards, stating, “This call is made from a new prepaid SIM card”, so as to further assist members of the public in staying vigilant against suspicious calls. On the other hand, it has been reported that the number of telephone fraud cases has remained high since the Government introduced the Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has estimated the effectiveness of the aforesaid voice alert measure;
(2) of the number of telephone fraud cases received by the Police last year and the total amount of money involved;
(3) of the respective numbers of cases received by the Police last year concerning the purchase and registration of local SIM cards using false identity documents, and the sale of SIM cards registered in the names of others;
(4) of the respective numbers of cases in which telecommunications service providers rejected SIM card registration requests and deregistered suspicious SIM cards last year;
(5) of the number of cases received by the Police last year concerning the use of artificial intelligence image synthesis technology to create falsified images and commit fraud through video calls; and
(6) the number of downloads of “Scameter+” since its launch, and the number of suspicious calls it has successfully blocked?
Reply:
President,
The Real-name Registration Programme for SIM Cards (RNR Programme) has been fully implemented since February 24, 2023, requiring that all SIM cards issued and used locally (including SIM service plans and pre-paid SIM cards (PPS cards)) must complete real-name registration before service activation. The RNR Programme helps plug the loophole arising from the anonymous nature of PPS cards used in conducting illegal activities in the past, and assists law enforcement agencies in the detection of crimes involving the use of PPS cards (including phone deception). To combat phone deception, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) has been collaborating with the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and telecommunications operators to devise and implement a series of measures from the telecommunications services perspective to combat such illegal activities by tackling the problem at source. Regarding the question raised by Dr the Hon Dennis Lam, having consulted the Security Bureau, the Police and OFCA, our reply is as follows:
(1) and (4) To assist the public in guarding against suspicious calls, local mobile service providers have been required since December 31 last year to send voice alerts to local mobile and fixed service users for calls made from newly activated local PPS cards to raise users’ awareness of suspicious calls. The voice alerts are applicable to newly activated local PPS cards while the SIM service plans are not affected. The measure has been implemented for about two months and has been operating smoothly overall. OFCA will continue to review the implementation of the measure, and make appropriate adjustments as necessary to ensure its effective implementation.
In addition, to ensure the effective implementation of the RNR Programme, OFCA has been requiring telecommunications operators to continuously enhance their registration platforms taking into account the implementation experiences, including the request for telecommunications service providers to adopt “iAM Smart” as the default registration method for Hong Kong identity (HKID) card holders under the RNR Programme since October last year or otherwise, telecommunications operators must manually verify the registration information submitted upon receipt of a registration request for completing the necessary procedures before activating the PPS cards. At the same time, telecommunications operators have to conduct full manual verification of the registration information submitted on the online registration platforms by all non-HKID holders (e.g. holders of valid travel documents or passports) for PPS cards. Moreover, telecommunications operators are required to conduct regular sampling checks on the registration information of registered PPS card users and manual checks on suspected cases. If users subject to sample checks are unable to verify the registration information following the instructions of the respective telecommunications service providers, the relevant PPS cards may be deregistered and cannot be used further.
Since the implementation of the RNR Programme, as of the end of January this year, around 4.1 million PPS cards were rejected as the clients failed to provide information in compliance with the registration requirements. In addition, telecommunications operators have cancelled the registration records of about 3.2 million non-compliant PPS cards. OFCA will continue to maintain close liaison with telecommunication operators and will refer any suspicious cases to the Police for follow-up action as soon as possible.
To further enhance the RNR Programme, the Government is reviewing the overall implementation of the RNR Programme, including the limit on the number of PPS cards, as well as prohibiting the resale of registered SIM cards. The Government plans to introduce the relevant legislative amendments to the Legislative Council within this year.
(2) and (3) The Police received a total of 9 204 telephone deception cases in 2024, involving a total amount of $2.91 billion. The Police does not keep statistics on the number of cases concerning the purchase and registration of local SIM cards using false identity documents or the sale of SIM cards registered in the names of others.
(5) and (6) The Police received a total of three fraud cases related to deepfake technology in 2024, involving fraudsters impersonating senior executives of companies to lure victims to make money transfers, and cases of deepfake technology being used to lure victims in Hong Kong, the Mainland and various places in Southeast Asia to invest in cryptocurrencies.
In addition, the Police launched a one-stop scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, in September 2022, and a mobile application version, “Scameter+”, in February the following year, to help members of the public distinguish suspicious online platform accounts, payment accounts, telephone numbers, email addresses, websites, etc, and to provide anti-fraud tips. As of the end of last year, “Scameter+” had been downloaded for over 874 000 times, and had alerted users to over 90 000 suspicious calls and over 600 000 suspicious websites. In addition, since September 2022 and up to the end of last year, the Police have asked telecommunications operators to block more than 8 300 local and non-local suspicious telephone numbers and nearly 30 000 suspicious website links. read more
International Trade Centre
105. As an international trade centre, Hong Kong capitalises on unique advantages and reinforces connectivity, and serves as a bridge linking the Mainland and global markets. It provides high-standard professional services for international trade, helping our country promote the new development pattern of “dual circulation”.
Multinational Supply Chain Management Centre
106. HKTDC and InvestHK jointly encourage Mainland enterprises to establish a foothold in Hong Kong and set up international or regional headquarters for managing offshore trading and supply chain, thereby assisting these enterprises in going global and planning supply chains and industry chains. HKTDC will provide them with one-stop professional consulting services to help them establish market connections and understand laws and regulations in overseas markets.
107. Hong Kong serves as an important regional trade financing centre. The outstanding trade finance by banks has reached $380 billion, about 40 per cent of which provide financing for merchandise trade outside Hong Kong. The Trade Financing Liquidity Facility recently introduced by HKMA and PBoC also provides greater flexibility for RMB trade financing. In addition, the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation will provide credit insurance for export services relating to multinational supply chain to render more comprehensive support to enterprises seeking to go global.
108. The Government will make reference to the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records advocated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law and consider legislative amendments to facilitate digitalisation of trade documents. We will submit the relevant legislative proposal to LegCo next year.
Network Expansion
109. To expand our trade network and attract more inward investment and enterprises from the Global South markets to Hong Kong, the Government is following up actively with the governments of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia on the establishment of Economic and Trade Offices in these two countries. In addition, InvestHK has established consultant offices in Cairo, Egypt and Izmir, Türkiye. HKTDC has also set up a consultant office in Cambodia.
110. We are exploring the signing of investment agreements with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt and Peru, and conducting negotiations with 17 countries on Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements.
Strengthen Co-operation with Belt and Road Countries
111. Hong Kong will continue to utilise our role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative. We, together with business and professional services sectors, will continue to further cultivate the ASEAN and Middle East markets, and explore opportunities in Central Asia, South Asia and North Africa. HKTDC will strengthen B&R project matching, particularly on green development and I&T.
112. The B&R Summit is a flagship platform for Hong Kong to participate in and contribute to the B&R Initiative. The 10th Summit will be organised in September and we will encourage different sectors to hold events around the Summit period for enhancing synergies.
Supporting Local Enterprises
113. To support the development of local enterprises and help them go global, we will inject $1.5 billion in total into the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales and the Export Marketing and Trade and Industrial Organisation Support Fund, and streamline application arrangements. CEDB will announce details later.
114. The Government has been providing loan guarantees to businesses through the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme. As at the end of last year, a total of over $288 billion of loans has been approved under the Scheme, benefitting nearly 65 000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To meet the financing needs of SMEs during transformation, we relaunched the principal moratorium arrangement in November last year for one year, allowing enterprises to apply for principal moratorium for up to 12 months.
115. In addition, many banks have joined the Taskforce on SME Lending jointly established by HKMA and the Hong Kong Association of Banks, committing to making flexible arrangements as far as practicable to ease the cash flow burden on SMEs. The funds dedicated for SME financing in the participating banks’ loan portfolios have recently been increased to over $390 billion.
116. To further assist local SMEs in tapping into the Mainland market and increasing sales from electronic commerce (e-commerce) markets, HKTDC will launch the “E-Commerce Express” in collaboration with large-scale e-commerce platforms to provide Hong Kong enterprises with one-to-one consultation services and thematic seminars. HKTDC will also enhance its mentorship scheme together with the Trade and Industry Department. By doing so, local enterprises will better leverage e-commerce and online shopping platforms in the Mainland to boost sales. In addition, HKTDC will organise the second edition of the Hong Kong Shopping Festival.
International Maritime Centre
117. Hong Kong is a leading international maritime centre. The Government will continue to embrace changes and adopt an innovative spirit to create a stronger impetus for the development of the industry.
Establish Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board
118. The Government will establish the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board this year to strengthen relevant research, promotion and manpower training to facilitate the sustainable development of the international maritime centre.
High Value Added Maritime Services
119. In the past few years, the Government has introduced a series of tax measures conducive to the development of the maritime industry. In light of changes of international tax rules, we are enhancing these measures, including introduction of tax deduction on ship acquisition cost for ship lessors under an operating lease. To drive the development of maritime services, we also propose to provide half-rate tax concession to eligible commodity traders. We will introduce a bill into LegCo in the first half of next year.
Modern Logistics Development
120. The Government endeavours to identify and release suitable logistics sites. The first of such logistics sites in the vicinity of the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals has just been disposed of by public tender. Meanwhile, the Government initiated a study on the development model for logistics sites in the NM in order to develop modern logistics clusters. Findings of the study are expected to be announced this year.
Smart Port
121. To develop smart port, the Government has set aside $215 million to install the port community system, with a view to enhancing the flow of data among stakeholders in the maritime, port and logistics industries. We will seek funding approval from LegCo this year.
International Aviation Hub
122. The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) connects to nearly 200 global destinations. Daily passenger throughput and number of aircraft movements have largely returned to pre pandemic level. Air cargo throughput has topped the global ranking for multiple years. The HKIA Three-Runway System was commissioned at the end of last year, while the related passenger facilities will commence operation by phases from the end of this year.
Airport City
123. The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) has just promulgated a development plan for expanding the Airport City. With the aviation industry as its focal point, the Airport Island as well as the land and waters in its vicinity will be utilised for the development of a new highlight project encompassing high end commercial, art, tourism and leisure activities.
Facilitate C919’s Entry to International Aviation Market
124. In January this year, our country’s home developed aircraft C919 was officially deployed for scheduled flights between Hong Kong and Shanghai. The inaugural flight outside of the Mainland signified a major breakthrough for home developed aircrafts to go global. Hong Kong will help C919 enter the global market. The Hong Kong International Aviation Academy will expand its training programmes to cover C919 aircraft related aspects.
Aircraft Parts Processing and Trading Centre
125. Under the co-ordination of InvestHK, the AA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a leading overseas professional aeronautic services company to explore the possibility of providing professional services such as aircraft dismantling, parts recycling and related training in Hong Kong, thereby developing Hong Kong into the first aircraft parts processing and trading centre in Asia. read more