Month: April 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Johnny Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):

Question:

     It has been reported that the HKGAI V1 large model, which was released in February this year by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI) funded by the Government’s InnoHK research clusters, is the first large language model generated in Hong Kong based on the full parameter fine-tuning of DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, and continuous training, marking a major breakthrough in the field of local AI. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the development and operating costs of the HKGAI V1 large model, and how such costs compare with the development and operating costs of other similar models;

(2) as it is learnt that AI technology has been actively applied around the world in recent years, whether the Government has compared the effectiveness of the HKGAI V1 large model with that of the AI large models developed in other regions; if so, of the results;

(3) as it is learnt that HKPilot (i.e. a generative AI document processing copilot application), which is the large language model version developed by HKGAI, has been put on trial use in more than 70 government departments at present, of its initial effectiveness and the relevant data (e.g. the amount of costs that can be reduced and the extent of benefits that can be enhanced);

(4) as it is learnt that neighbouring regions (including a number of Mainland cities) have started to deploy DeepSeek large models in the field of government services to create “AI civil servants” to take up some of the work originally undertaken by manpower, how the SAR Government will make use of the HKGAI V1 large model to assist the Government in enhancing government efficiency and reducing manpower expenditure, so as to improve the quality of government services; and

(5) of the Government’s specific plans and performance targets for realizing the extensive application of the HKGAI VI large model, including (i) the specific timetable for opening up the model for public use, (ii) how it will enrich the application scenarios in the long run so as to apply and popularize the technology, (iii) how it will make the best use of the model to benefit people’s livelihood, and (iv) how it will make use of the model to assist in promoting the upgrading and transformation of Hong Kong’s industry structure?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Johnny Ng is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI), set up in 2023 with the funding support of the AIR@InnoHK research cluster focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies, specialises in the research and development (R&D) of generative AI technology, with the goal of building Hong Kong’s self-developed AI foundation models and ecosystem. HKGAI is currently conducting R&D on a series of open-source foundation models, including a local large language model (LLM) and a generative AI document processing copilot application (HKPilot) based on this LLM.

     According to the information provided by HKGAI, its locally developed LLM has been specifically optimised for Hong Kong’s cultural and linguistic environment as well as safety, which enables the LLM to possess not only capabilities similar to other outstanding LLMs in the market, but also excels in handling localised application scenarios.

     The estimates of R&D and operating expenditure of HKGAI is around $235 million. We do not maintain the breakdown related to the development costs of individual models or applications.

(3) and (4) HKPilot which is now at the R&D stage is mainly used for document processing tasks such as drafting, translation, and summarisation of documents. In order to help HKGAI further train up and optimise its LLM, the Government started using the HKPilot from mid-2024. The Digital Policy Office (DPO) has invited all bureaux and departments (B/Ds) to arrange government personnel of different grades to participate in the pilot programme. Currently, the DPO does not have information related to cost reduction or efficiency improvement from the pilot.

     In February 2025, HKGAI updated its locally developed “HKGAI V1” LLM based on DeepSeek technology, and is integrating the model into the HKPilot to further enhance its document processing capabilities, while allowing pilot use by government staff and collecting their user feedback. The DPO will continue to co-ordinate B/Ds to gradually increase the number of government personnel participating in the pilot programme. In the longer term, the application will help reduce the manpower required for government personnel to handle general document processing tasks, allowing manpower to be deployed to other areas of need.

(5) As mentioned above, HKGAI is making every effort to optimise its LLM and applications such as HKPilot, and aims to launch to the market a chatbot “HKChat” developed on the basis of its LLM for public use this year. HKGAI will conduct testing on the cybersecurity and stability of related systems before the official launch of HKChat, including inviting third-party experts to conduct audits. On the other hand, HKGAI’s LLM has the potential to develop and support practical applications in other professional fields (such as law and environmental protection). HKGAI will formulate an overall strategy and timetable for releasing the LLM and the applications for use by various sectors in the community.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Kingsley Wong and a written reply by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
 
Question:
 
     The Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration steers various bureaux and departments in improving environmental hygiene and street management. However, there are views that the fragmentation of responsibilities among departments (for example, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is responsible for clearing refuse in rear lanes, while the Transport Department is responsible for handling abandoned motorcycles) and the unclear delineation of enforcement powers and responsibilities (for example, the FEHD and the Highways Department can both clean up graffiti and bills) have undermined the effectiveness of improving environmental hygiene. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will consider conferring comprehensive enforcement powers on specific government departments to centrally handle environmental hygiene and street management, so as to enhance speed and efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) as it has been learnt that many problems of hygiene black spots originate from scavengers or street sleepers, whether the government departments keep a systematic record of such people and refer their cases to the Social Welfare Department, charitable organizations or District Services and Community Care Teams, etc for follow-up, so as to tackle problems of hygiene black spots at source;
 
(3) as some hawker stall operators have relayed to me that the streets stink due to effluent flowing from suspected burst sewers of locked vacant shops near their stalls, and some people also advise that some fenced-off private sites have long been reduced to rubbish dumps fraught with pest and rodent problems, regarding hygiene problems with private premises/sites (especially cases where owners cannot be contacted), apart from applying for a warrant to effect entry into premises from the Court (warrant) to enter such premises, how the authorities handle such cases more expeditiously and effectively; and
 
(4) of the number of cases in the past three years in which various government departments have applied for warrants from the Court to enter locked/fenced-off private premises/sites to handle hygiene problems, and the respective average duration between the decision of the government departments to take legal actions and the granting of warrants by the Court?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     In consultation with the relevant Bureaux, the reply to the questions raised by the Hon Kingsley Wong is as follows:
 
(1) Each department handles environmental hygiene and street management issues according to its jurisdiction. This reflects the different function, profession and legal empowerment of each department. Conferring comprehensive enforcement powers on specific Government departments is not practical and will also lead to the problem of excessive span of control. To tackle district environmental hygiene problems that involve various departments and with unclear delineation of responsibilities, the Task Force on District Governance (Task Force) chaired by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration (now renamed as the Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape) has already formulated the relevant standard mode of operation, i.e. departments concerned will conduct joint operations in accordance with the clarified division of labour. Successful examples include resolving the problems of shopfront extension and abandoned motorcycles in back alleys. We therefore do not consider it necessary to empower a designated department to carry out comprehensive enforcement.
 
(2) Scavengers or street sleepers is not merely an environmental hygiene issue. The Government would be caring and reasonable in handling these cases, taking into account individual circumstances in considering whether to take enforcement action and/or to make appropriate referral, so as to strike a balance between maintaining environmental hygiene and handling the matter in a humane manner. Upon receiving public complaints or reports concerning environmental hygiene, the District Office (DO) concerned will review the cases and, where necessary, deploy staff to conduct site inspections and preliminary assessments, and then liaise with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and/or other relevant departments for their prompt follow-up actions. If the hygiene black spots are owing to the behaviour of scavengers or street sleepers, for whom professional follow-up and handling are required to cater for their physical and mental well-being as well as welfare needs, the DO concerned, the FEHD or the relevant department will refer the case to the Social Welfare Department for appropriate support and assistance. 
 
(3) Owners and occupiers are responsible for maintaining the good hygiene of their private premises. For hygiene problem that occurs in private premises and causes nuisance to others or the general public, the FEHD will provide hygiene education to the occupiers or owners concerned, or order them to rectify the situation according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) (Ordinance). If they fail to comply, the FEHD will carry out prosecution and other follow-up actions. In case of appalling hygiene conditions, the FEHD would consider conducting one-off operation to improve the hygiene situation as soon as possible, and subsequently recover the expenses incurred from the person(s) concerned.
 
     The Government has conducted a comprehensive review of the existing statutory powers and penalties of environmental hygiene-related legislation and is amending the Ordinance and other relevant legislations to enhance the Government’s efficiency, effectiveness and deterrence in handling various environmental hygiene problems. As regards the problem of rodent infestation in private premises, amendments to the Ordinance include raising the penalty for non-compliance with the “Notice of Elimination of Vermin”, to make the persons concerned take timely follow-up action. It is also proposed that the “Notice of Elimination of Vermin” be served on property management companies for their follow-up action to eliminate vermin infestation in the common areas of private premises.
 
(4) In the past three years (2022 to 2024), the FEHD has successfully obtained 144 warrants from the Court for investigating or handling water seepage cases in buildings and other environmental hygiene cases. The FEHD would generally issue a notice to the occupier or owner concerned before applying for a warrant. However, in urgent circumstance, the FEHD will apply for a warrant from the Court without first issuing a notice. Upon receiving the application, the Court will typically decide on the same day whether to grant the warrant.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
 
Question:
 
     The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the initial visa validity period for high-income talents under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (i.e. Category A talents under the Scheme) would be extended from two years to three years (the new measure). However, quite a number of Category A talents have relayed to me that they are doubtful about the application process for extending the validity period, and consider that there is room for improvement in the process. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the specific process for Category A talents to apply for extension of the initial visa validity period to three years under the new measure; whether clear announcements have been made on the relevant application process to facilitate submission of applications by Category A talents;
 
(2) whether it has plans to enhance the process mentioned in (1), e.g. whether consideration will be given to exempt current visa holders who are Category A talents from submitting applications for extension of stay, or implement the initiative of “one-click application” on the Internet to automatically extend the visa validity period to three years; if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) whether the Government has considered, in approving Category A talents’ applications for extension of stay, granting approval for both the extension of visa validity period normally granted and the extension of an additional one-year under the new measure at the same time (e.g. applicants who meet the requirements will be granted not only extension of visa period for three years under normal circumstances, but also an additional one-year visa period in the light of the new measure, adding up to a total of four years); if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:
 
President,
 
     To alleviate the acute manpower shortage, the Government launched the new Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) in end-2022, targeting high-income individuals and top-notch university bachelor’s degree graduates, to trawl for outside quality talents to enrich the local talent pool. The eligibility and assessment criteria of the TTPS are concise and clear. Eligible talents are not required to have secured offers of employment in Hong Kong before applying for visas through the TTPS to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. Yet, upon expiry of the first visas, they will have to be employed or have established/joined in business in Hong Kong so that extension of stay can be granted.
 
     An applicant under Category A of the TTPS is required to have an annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above in the year immediately preceding the date of application. Since the launch of the TTPS, up to end-February this year, close to 99 000 applicants have been approved, of which over 25 000 are under Category A, accounting for about one-quarter of the total.
 
     Our reply, in consultation with the Immigration Department (ImmD), to the Member’s questions is as follows:
 
     The 2024 Policy Address announced the reform of various aspects of the talent admission regime, including extending the validity period of the first visas of high-income talents under the TTPS from two years to three years. For Category A applicants with approvals given from the day of announcement (i.e. October 16, 2024), the validity period of their first visas has been extended from two years to three years to facilitate their planning to move to Hong Kong with their families. 
 
     The new measure also applies to around 21 000 Category A applicants whose applications were approved before the announcement in the 2024 Policy Address. As announced by the Government through a press release and media briefing on November 1, 2024, these previously approved talents may apply to the ImmD, within three months before the expiry of their limit of stay, for unconditional extension of stay for one year. If they have secured offers of employment, or have established or joined in a business in Hong Kong upon applying for an extension, they may be granted an extension of stay for up to three years after submitting relevant proof. The pattern of their limit of stay is in line with the prevailing arrangement of granting extension of stay of up to three years under most of the talent admission schemes. We have no plan to change it.
 
     The ImmD, before granting an extension of stay, has to ensure the relevant person’s compliance with the normal immigration requirements, including holding a valid travel document for return to his/her country of residence or citizenship. Hence, Category A applicants are required to submit applications to the ImmD for extension of stay. Applicants only need to submit their applications through the platform on the ImmD’s website, providing basic information and uploading valid travel documents. The procedures are very simple and convenient.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, announced today (April 2) that in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law, the Central People’s Government, upon his nomination and recommendation, approved the appointment of Mr Chow Yat-ming, Joe, formerly Deputy Commissioner of Police, as Commissioner of Police and the removal of Mr Siu Chak-yee from the post of Commissioner of Police. Mr Siu proceeded on pre-retirement leave today after serving the Hong Kong Police Force for 36 years.
 
Commenting on the appointment of Mr Chow, Mr Lee said, “Mr Chow has served in the Hong Kong Police Force for almost 30 years and has extensive experience in criminal investigation, intelligence gathering, policy-making as well as personnel management. He has a distinguished performance and possesses proven leadership skills. I am confident that he will capably lead the Police Force in meeting the challenges ahead.”
 
Speaking on the retirement of Mr Siu, Mr Lee said, “Since taking up the appointment as Commissioner of Police in June 2021, Mr Siu has made commendable efforts in maintaining Hong Kong as one of the safest cities in the world. He has demonstrated unswerving dedication and determination to safeguarding Hong Kong and upholding the rule of law in dealing with the social unrest. During his tenure, he has also been devoted to introducing strong and effective measures to prevent deception cases and combat criminal activities. Under his eminent leadership, the Police Force has continued to excel as a world-class professional law enforcement agency. On behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, I convey my heartfelt appreciation to Mr Siu for his contribution to the HKSAR and wish him a happy retirement.”
 
The following are biographical notes of Mr Siu and Mr Chow:
 
Mr Siu Chak-yee
——————
 
Mr Siu joined the Hong Kong Police Force in December 1988 as a Probationary Inspector. He was promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police in 2013, Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2017 and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2018. He was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police in 2019 and took up the Commissioner of Police post in June 2021.
 
Mr Siu has held a variety of posts during his 36 years of service in the Police Force, responsible for crime investigations, security and operations as well as management work. He was District Commander of Kowloon City District and Chief Superintendent (Human Resources Branch) between 2013 and 2017. He was Assistant Commissioner of Police (Personnel) from January 2017 and took up the post of Director of Operations in November 2018. He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) between November 2019 and June 2021. He was appointed as Commissioner of Police in June 2021.
 
During his career in the Police Force, Mr Siu has received many awards. He was awarded five Commanding Officer’s Commendations between 1995 and 2006; Commissioner’s Commendation in 2006; Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal in 2006 with the first, second and third clasps in 2013, 2018 and 2021 respectively; Hong Kong Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2016 and Hong Kong Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2021; Hong Kong Police TIDERIDER Medal in 2020 and the Medal for Safeguarding National Security in 2024.
 
Mr Chow Yat-ming, Joe
—————
 
Mr Chow joined the Hong Kong Police Force in November 1995 as a Probationary Inspector. He was promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police in 2016, Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2020 and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2021. He was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police in 2022.
 
Mr Chow has served in various posts in the Police Force, responsible for criminal investigation, intelligence gathering, policy-making as well as personnel management. He served as the Commander of Criminal Intelligence Bureau, District Commander of Yau Tsim District and the Deputy Regional Commander of Kowloon West Region between 2016 and 2020. He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in February 2020 and took charge of the Operations Wing and later the Personnel Wing. He became the Director of Personnel and Training in January 2021 and took up the office of the Director of Crime and Security in August 2021. He was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management) in April 2022 and assumed the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) in August 2023.
​
During his career in the Police Force, Mr Chow has received a number of awards. He was awarded Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal in 2013 with the first clasp in 2020; Chief Executive’s Commendation for Government/Public Service and Hong Kong Police TIDERIDER Medal in 2020; and Hong Kong Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2021.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region