Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui today proceeded to Oslo, Norway, after concluding a visit to the UK, where he showcased Hong Kong’s determination to expand international financial co-operation.
Addressing a lunch event hosted by the UK’s Hong Kong Association yesterday, Mr Hui said Hong Kong’s vibrant capital markets offer global investors, including those from the UK, a gateway and access to invest in Asia’s burgeoning tech sector.
He highlighted that the strengths of Hong Kong’s capital markets are supported by geopolitical developments and the Mainland’s technological advancements, and urged global investors to leverage the city’s deep market liquidity and robust regulatory framework.
Mr Hui also remarked that Hong Kong’s integration into the London Metal Exchange’s global warehouse network in January this year not only enhances Hong Kong’s commodities infrastructure but also creates significant opportunities for UK firms.
Riding on its proximity to Asia’s industrial markets, Hong Kong can partner with the UK to jointly tap growing demand for new-energy metals and support global industrial transformation and sustainable development, he added.
Mr Hui also held a roundtable meeting yesterday with members of TheCityUK, a body representing the UK’s financial and related professional services industries, and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on establishing a partnership between it and the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC).
He was joined in doing so by TheCityUK’s Leadership Council Chair Bruce Carnegie-Brown.
The MOU was signed by FSDC Executive Director King Au and TheCityUK’s Managing Director of Public Affairs, Policy & Research John Godfrey.
Mr Hui said the MOU reflects a shared vision to harness the strengths of Hong Kong and the UK, creating opportunities that benefit both places and the global financial ecosystem.
Earlier in the day, Mr Hui held a bilateral meeting with City of London Lord Mayor Alderman Alastair King, and briefed him on developments in Hong Kong’s financial services sector.
Mr Hui also met PwC UK Chief Markets Officer Carl Sizer to discuss the role the auditing and accounting profession can play in helping Mainland enterprises go global.
On Monday morning, Mr Hui attended a briefing session hosted by British independent think-tank Asia House, and spoke to its members about the latest financial developments in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area at large.
He also responded to questions about Hong Kong’s financial outlook in a Q&A session moderated by Asia House Chief Executive Michael Lawrence.
His other engagements on Monday included a meeting with senior management from ICBC Standard Bank, and another with Economic Secretary to the UK Treasury Emma Reynolds and other financial officials.
He briefed the bank’s Chief Executive Officer Wang Wenbin and other senior executives about the international gold trading market and commodity trading ecosystem that Hong Kong is developing.
At the meeting with the UK officials, Mr Hui reaffirmed the financial partnership between the Hong Kong and London, as two leading international financial centres, and gave an update on the situation in Hong Kong’s capital markets.
In addition, Mr Hui paid a courtesy call on Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UK Wang Qi.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ21: Safeguarding mental health of academic staff members and students Question:
The mental health of academic staff members and students in Hong Kong draws societal concern. There are views that the Government should strengthen the protection of their physical and mental health as well as to provide appropriate support services to the families of suicide victims concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of academic staff members and students committing suicide and attempting to commit suicide in each of the past five years and, among them, the numbers of cases in which death inquests were held, together with a breakdown by types of school (i.e. (i) primary school, (ii) secondary school and (iii) university);
(2) of the Government’s follow-up and support procedures in respect of cases of suicide attempts among academic staff members and students, including the policy bureaux involved, the category of professionals providing support services in those cases and the areas and extent of intervention, as well as details of the support services provided by them; and
(3) in respect of the suicide cases mentioned in (1), whether the Government has provided support services (e.g. professional emotional counselling services) to the families, relatives and friends of the suicide victims; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; primarily which government departments’ staff members to provide assistance to the families of suicide victims and inform them of their rights under the law (including the rights of the families to request for holding a death inquest)?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) attaches great importance to the mental health of teachers and students, and has all along been encouraging schools to adopt the Whole School Approach. Through cross-departmental, cross-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration, the EDB enhances the mental health of teachers and students and provides enhanced support for students with mental health needs (including those with suicidal risk) via various measures and activities directed at three levels, namely Universal, Selective and Indicated. In recent years, the EDB has implemented a number of measures to support students’ mental health. This includes implementing the “4Rs Mental Health Charter” in the 2024/25 school year, with a view to helping students develop healthy living habits and positive interpersonal relationships, and enhancing their resilience. In addition, starting from the 2023/24 school year, the EDB has launched the Mental Health Literacy Resource Packages suitable for students at different learning stages. In consultation with the Social Welfare Department (SWD), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Lillian Kwok is as follows:
(1) and (2) The EDB has all along required primary and secondary schools to report fatal suspected student suicide cases. The numbers of relevant cases in primary and secondary schools in the past five years (2020 to 2024) are tabulated as follows. Of the cases reported, secondary students accounted for about 91 per cent of the total cases, while primary students accounted for about 9 per cent.
Year The EDB does not collect data on fatal suspected suicide cases of school personnel, attempted suicides of students, relevant cases of university students and number of death inquests held.
We continue to strengthen the identification of and support for students with mental health risks. For example, the EDB organises about 40 additional thematic teacher training workshops in the 2024/25 school year to introduce the practical skills, counselling techniques and intervention strategies in supporting students with mental health needs, as well as organises parent education talk series for parents of primary and secondary school students that cover topics related to the mental health of children.
Regarding support measures, if schools suspect the students having suicidal risk, schools will arrange school guidance personnel (for example, student guidance teacher/student guidance personnel or school social worker) for early support. If necessary, schools will solicit professional support from the school-based educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, medical, or police officers to ensure that appropriate intervention measures will be taken. To enhance cross-sector collaboration, starting from December 2023, the Government has implemented the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism in all secondary schools in Hong Kong by pooling together the schools’ multi-disciplinary teams, the off-campus support network and medical services. The implementation of the Mechanism has been extended till the end of 2025 and related arrangements were enhanced.
Furthermore, the Government established a cross-departmental referral and collaboration mechanism in April 2024. For instance, when police officers handle attempted suicide cases concerning primary and secondary students that happen outside schools, the Police will, upon obtaining the consent from the student concerned and the parent/guardian, refer the case to the school the student is attending, via the EDB, for support services. If the student and parent/guardian wish to receive support services from other organisation(s), the SWD will refer the case for services provided by other social services units, such as Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSCs), Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness, and Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres. Schools or relevant social welfare organisations will provide students with emergency intervention services, such as assessments, support and counselling through individual, group or online mode.
Regarding support for teachers’ physical and psychological well-being, the EDB has set up the Teachers’ Helpline since 2006 to support teachers in coping with stress at work and mental health problems. Apart from this, professional counselling services and face-to-face counselling will be provided as and when necessary, and professionals will be arranged to follow up relevant cases. Meanwhile, the service providers will organise talks on how to relieve stress for teachers. In addition, starting from the 2023/24 school year, the EDB has commissioned non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or tertiary institutions to organise courses on physical and mental health for teachers every year, covering topics on mental health, expressive arts, mindfulness and physical health, to enhance teachers’ capacity at work.
(3) The SWD subvents The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong to operate the Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre (SCIC), which offers immediate crisis intervention and in-depth counselling services for persons in need. The SCIC also renders support services to persons affected by suicidal behaviours (including familes and friends), including consultation hotline, groups, talks and workshops. Moreover, 67 territory-wide IFSCs (including two Integrated Service Centres), operated by the SWD or subvented NGOs also provide appropriate service and assistance for the families and relatives of suicide victims, including financial assistance, counselling service, and connection with community resources. Issued at HKT 18:56
The scope of passengers exempted from paying the air passenger departure tax (APDT) will be expanded from October 1 under amendments to the Air Passenger Departure Tax Ordinance, the Government announced today.
The ordinance currently allows certain classes of passengers to be exempted from the APDT, including children aged under 12, direct transit or connecting flight passengers, passengers arriving at and depart from Hong Kong by aircraft on the same day, and passengers arriving at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by vehicle via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge or by ship and subsequently depart by aircraft while remaining within the restricted area at all times before departure.
The exemption scope will be expanded to include passengers arriving at HKIA by aircraft and departing from the airport by aircraft on the arrival day or on the following day, which is a maximum of 48 hours.
Passengers arriving in Hong Kong through immigration controls by means other than by aircraft and departing from HKIA by aircraft on the arrival day or on the following day, which is a maximum of 48 hours, will also be included for the APDT exemption.
An exclusionary provision will be incorporated into the amendment order to prevent people from making a brief return trip between Hong Kong and the Mainland or Macau deliberately to be eligible for the exemption.
The Budget announced an APDT increase from $120 to $200 per passenger. Noting that while the increase will only have a minimal impact on air passengers as it constitutes a very small portion of the overall travelling cost of the public and tourists, the Government said that having considered the stakeholders’ view, new exemptions were made to enhance the competitiveness of the airport.
The two new exemptions will take effect on October 1, together with the new tax rate of the APDT. Passengers arriving in Hong Kong on or after that day and meeting the criteria will be exempted.
Based on air passenger traffic statistics in 2024, the two exemptions could benefit about 830,000 air transfer passengers and about 2.5 million intermodal transfer passengers annually, leading to a potential revenue foregone of about $670 million per year.
The Government said the new exemptions can attract more passengers to use HKIA. As there will be more transfer passengers spending on hotel accommodation and local consumption during their stay, the exemptions are expected to bring about positive economic benefits.
The Air Passenger Departure Tax Ordinance (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 2025 will be published in the Gazette on June 13 and tabled at the Legislative Council on June 18.
The Government will engage the Airport Authority to handle refund applications centrally for all eligible passengers. The airport will set up a new e-application platform for passengers to apply for the refund by cash at the airport or by other means such as credit cards and electronic payment platforms.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Tourism Strategy Committee announced The three newly appointed members are Mr Raymond Chow Wai-kam, Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok, and Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun.
The composition of the Committee with effect from June 11 is as follows:Mr Raymond Chow Wai-kam* Mrs Gianna Hsu Wong Mei-lun Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok* Mr Ronald Lam Siu-por Mr Simon Lee Siu-po Mr Dominic Lee Tsz-king Mr Jonathan Leung Chun Mr Ma Ho-fai Mr Michael Moriarty Mr Wilfred Ng Sau-kei Dr Pang Yiu-kai Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun* Mr Paul Tse Wai-chun Mrs Annie Tse Yau On-yee Mr Peter Wong Chak-fung Mr James Wong Cheuk-on Mr Ivan Wong Chi-fai Ms Belinda Yeung Bik-yiu Dr Frankie Yeung Wai-shing Mr Yiu Pak-leung Dr Allan Zeman Issued at HKT 18:08
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ2: Developing Hong Kong into international education hub Question:
The Government is now establishing the “Study in Hong Kong” brand to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for education. There are views pointing out that with the robust development of local basic education and the extensive recognition of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination qualification, primary and secondary schools are well-positioned to admit non-local students amid the continuing decline in the number of students. At present, however, entry for non-local students to study in Hong Kong’s public or aided primary and secondary schools (other than English Schools Foundation (ESF) schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools) is not permitted. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of minor students coming to Hong Kong on student visas to study in private primary and secondary schools, ESF schools, and DSS primary and secondary schools over the past three school years, as well as the distribution of their years of study;
(2) whether it will consider drawing on the practices of other countries to relax the eligibility criteria for student visas, so as to allow non-local minor students entry into Hong Kong to study in public or aided primary and secondary schools, as well as introducing student guardian visas for their parents to stay in Hong Kong and engage in time-limited employment; and
(3) whether it will consider encouraging private enterprises or educational institutions to establish additional student hostels or overseas students’ apartments to provide accommodation and ancillary services suitable for students of different ages, as well as establishing corresponding licensing and registration regimes?
Reply:
President,
The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the Government would promote the development of an international hub for post-secondary education by establishing the “Study in Hong Kong” brand as well as pooling together and nurturing excellent global talents. The policy is built on the foundation that Hong Kong’s universities enjoy an international reputation. Among our eight public universities, five are ranked among the world’s top 100 and six within Asia’s top 50, and four are among the top ten on the list of the most international universities in the world. The internationalisation and diversity of our post-secondary education attract outstanding talents from all over the world to Hong Kong for further studies and research. Meanwhile, the National 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong as a development centre in eight key areas (“eight centres”), the Education Bureau (EDB) has been proactively encouraging post-secondary education institutions to develop more related applied degree programmes to complement with the talent backing for the “eight centres”. At the same time, we are also committed to promoting the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, developing Hong Kong into an international education hub, attracting outstanding talent from all over the world in all aspects to enrich the local talent pool.
Regarding our basic education, under the “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. We have been providing 12-year free and quality primary and secondary education to all local children through public sector schools, and parents of local children are offered with diversified choices. Meanwhile, non-local children can study in non-public sector schools, including international schools, private schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, on a self-financing basis. These arrangements aim to ensure a reasonable balance between the supply and demand of school places in basic education in the relevant arrangements, while achieving prudent use of public funds. In fact, Hong Kong’s diversified and quality school education system has long been ranked among the top in international education comparative studies.
Having consulted the Security Bureau and the Immigration Department (ImmD), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Chu Kwok-keung is as follows:
(1) In the past three years (2022 to 2024), a total of 1 686 applications for student visa/entry permit were approved by the ImmD for non-local children aged 17 or below coming to Hong Kong for education (see Annex). The ImmD and the EDB do not keep statistics on the types of schools admitting these students.
(2) The Government is committed to developing a vibrant international school sector to meet the demand for education from non-local families living in Hong Kong as well as children of families coming to Hong Kong for work or investment. International schools operate on a self-financing and market-driven basis and belong to the private school sector. They have been enjoying the flexibility, including the medium of instruction, curriculum arrangements, public examinations, etc, and they are not subsidised by public funds for daily operation, providing diversified choices for local parents, while offering school places to non-local children who pay school fees at their own expense under the “user pays” principle. As seen from the figures provided by the ImmD over the past three years, there have been hundreds non-local children aged from five years eight months to 17 years being approved with study visa/entry permit to come to Hong Kong for education annually. We will closely keep in view the demand for school places from non-local children, conduct dynamic assessments of the demand and supply of school places, create conditions in a timely manner, and launch policy measures to adjust the supply of school places including supporting the development of non-profit-making private schools offering non-local curriculum through the school allocation exercise. Meanwhile, we will proactively explore the feasibility of facilitating non-local students to come to Hong Kong to study in non-public sector schools on a self-financing basis.
As the goal of public sector schools is to provide 12-year quality and free primary and secondary education to eligible children to meet the educational needs of local children, we adopt mother-tongue teaching. The medium of instruction, curriculum arrangements, public examination (i.e. Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination), etc in public sector schools are based on the learning needs of local children.
Therefore, for public sector schools, the Government has always been devoting substantial resources to public sector schools in providing quality education to students over the years, meeting the different learning needs of students in an all-round way, including catering for the learning diversity for students with special educational needs and non-Chinese speaking students with the provision of additional learning support and complementary measures. Public sector schools are publicly funded at full costs, offer local curriculum and serve local children. It ensures the prudent use of public funds and fair allocation of educational resources, and benefit local children.
At present, the parallel development of the public sector schools and non-public sector schools not only caters for the learning needs of the children of different stakeholders, but also achieves the purpose of prudent use of public funds and an appropriate allocation of resources. Therefore, the policy meets Hong Kong’s actual circumstances.
(3) In general, the boarding services provided by different types of schools are mainly aimed at enriching local students’ learning experiences, and cater for the residential needs of a small number of non-local students. At present, there are a total of 16 publicly-funded and private ordinary primary and secondary schools across the territory, which provide boarding services offering about 3 500 boarding places altogether. If individual schools have needs, and the premises and space allow, they can submit applications to the EDB to provide boarding facilities on a self-financing basis. We will consider the applications based on the actual needs. The facilities and management of boarding schools should comply with the relevant stipulations such as the Education Regulations (Cap. 279A). The accommodation arrangements outside schools should also comply with all relevant laws and requirements. The EDB will closely monitor the residential needs of non-local students, including the boarding facilities provided by different types of schools, and maintain communication with the education sector and relevant government departments to review the related arrangements in a timely manner.
President, education is the key to a hundred-year plan. While being open to different views, the EDB will carefully consider each and every policy initiative to maintain the strengths of Hong Kong education, orderly promote the development of an international hub for post-secondary education, and strengthen the high quality development of education in Hong Kong.Issued at HKT 17:53
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Marine Department (MD), in collaboration with the search and rescue (SAR) agencies in Guangdong and Macao as well as several Hong Kong government departments, including the Guangdong Rescue Co-ordination Centre, the Macao Marine and Water Bureau, the Macao Customs, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Government Flying Service, the Fire Services Department and the Civil Aid Service, smoothly conducted a joint maritime SAR exercise in the waters off Ha Mei Wan, Lamma Island, today (June 11).
A spokesman for the MD said, “The objective of the SAR exercise is to test the communication efficiency, co-ordination capabilities and resource deployment among the SAR agencies in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The exercise also aims to strengthen co-operation between Hong Kong and neighbouring regional SAR centres to enhance their response capabilities in the event of future major maritime emergency incidents.”
The exercise simulated a collision between a cross-boundary high-speed passenger ferry carrying around 70 passengers from Macao to Hong Kong and a local oil tanker in the waters north of Shek Kwu Chau. The accident caused damage to the ferry’s hull; two passengers on board went missing after falling overboard, and many passengers were injured. Following the collision accident, the local oil tanker caught fire, trapping a seriously injured crew member in the engine room.
Under the co-ordination of the MD’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, the participating SAR units took various contingency measures to carry out SAR operations. These operations included traffic regulation in the surrounding area to ensure safety at the scene to search for and rescue the missing persons who had fallen into the sea, extinguishing the fire on board the oil tanker, providing on-the-spot first aid to the injured, and deploying a helicopter to transfer the seriously injured to hospital for treatment. The exercise lasted about three hours, mobilising 17 SAR vessels, a helicopter and a total of more than 230 people.
The MD regularly conducts exercises with various SAR units and maritime stakeholders to strengthen co-operation with SAR centres in neighbouring areas and provide effective and rapid SAR services.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (June 11) announced that the monthly gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in May was 8.6 per cent, at Level 2, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the survey areas was fairly extensive. Relevant government departments have stepped up mosquito prevention and control actions.
In May, among the 64 survey areas, the area gravidtrap index in six areas exceeded the alert level of 20 per cent. The gravidtraps were mostly located in the vicinity of private residential areas, public housing estates, schools, recreational and sports facilities and public places. The FEHD has collaborated with relevant government departments by taking immediate action to strengthen mosquito prevention and control work in the area concerned.
Moreover, the monthly density index for Aedes albopictus in May was 1.3, which represented that an average of 1.3 Aedes albopictus adults were found in the Aedes-positive gravidtraps, indicating that the number of adult Aedes albopictus was not abundant in the survey areas. The gravidtrap and density indices for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures are available on the department website at www.fehd.gov.hk.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, “There is a significant relationship between local mosquito infestation and seasonal changes. The gravidtrap indices in various survey areas would be relatively higher during hot and rainy spring and summer months (i.e. from May to September) as mosquitoes breed quickly. Members of the public are reminded to continue the routine mosquito prevention and control work, especially the repair and maintenance of structures. Cracks and dents that may accumulate water and become potential breeding grounds should be filled and levelled to reduce the chance of mosquito breeding.”
“The Government is concerned about the mosquito infestation in May. The increase in the monthly gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus for May might be related to the continuously hot and rainy days in the month. The FEHD has continued to intensify the mosquito prevention and control work with relevant government departments in areas under their purview, including eliminating mosquito breeding places, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at suitable locations. The FEHD has also conducted site inspections with relevant departments, and provided them with professional advice and technical support to assist them in formulating and implementing effective anti-mosquito measures swiftly. At the same time, the FEHD has strengthened publicity and education. The FEHD will continue to monitor the mosquito infestation in all districts, and will conduct prompt and effective mosquito prevention and control work,” the spokesman continued.
The FEHD will conduct a three-phase Anti-mosquito Campaign this year. The second phase of the territory-wide campaign was launched on April 14 and will run until June 13. During the period, the district offices of the FEHD will target areas that have drawn particular concern, such as public markets, cooked food centres and hawker bazaars, single-block buildings, streets and back lanes, common parts of buildings, village houses, construction sites, vacant sites and road works sites, to remove accumulated water and carry out mosquito prevention and control work. To further enhance the effectiveness of mosquito control, the FEHD and relevant government departments have carried out phase two of the All-out Anti-mosquito Operations from May 7. In addition to the work of phase one, including eliminating potential mosquito breeding places, the FEHD called on property management entities to arrange for necessary repairs to their premises to minimise mosquito breeding places and commence adult mosquito control measures by means of regular ultra-low volume fogging operations.
The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, properly disposing of containers such as soft drink cans and lunch boxes, and drilling large holes in unused tyres. The FEHD also advises members of the public and estate management bodies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Aedes albopictus is a kind of mosquito that can transmit dengue fever (DF). DF is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and has become endemic in many countries in Southeast Asia. In 2024, the World Health Organization recorded over 14 million DF cases, which was a record number. The dengue activity in neighbouring areas has remained high. Members of the public should stay vigilant and continue to carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 10) seized about 1.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $1 million in Hung Hom. A 33-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Hung Hom yesterday afternoon, Customs officers intercepted a suspicious man and seized about 1.3kg of suspected cocaine inside a rucksack carried by him. The man was subsequently arrested. Customs officers later escorted him to a residential premises nearby for a search and further seized a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia.
The arrestee has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 12).
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Ngan Man-yu and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):
Question:
Regarding the supply of car parking spaces, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the following information on parking spaces for various vehicle classes (including private cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles) in Hong Kong from 2022 to 2024: the number of parking spaces, the district distribution, the utilisation rate, the increase or decrease in the number of parking spaces due to redevelopment, new development or other projects, with a tabulated breakdown by type of parking space (e.g. public or temporary car parks, on-street parking spaces); whether it has projected the parking space demand from this year to 2029, and of the currently planned number of parking spaces for various vehicle classes to be built, their locations, the government departments responsible for building them and their expected completion dates;
(2) whether it has plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the supply of parking spaces for various vehicle classes in the territory and study the further opening of car parks in schools and government premises in various districts in the evenings and on public holidays for public use; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether, on the pretext of not affecting traffic flow and road safety, it will consider increasing the number of free on-street parking spaces, extending the parking hours for night-time parking spaces and installing multi-storey stacked parking systems to improve land use efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In response to Oral Question 1, the Government has outlined its parking policy and I am not going to repeat it here. We will adopt a multi-pronged strategy to comprehensively increase parking supply, including leveraging technology, fostering stronger collaboration among stakeholders, and prioritising the parking needs of commercial vehicles (CVs).
Having consulted the Transport Department (TD), a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Ngan Man-yu is as follows:
(1) Over the past three years, the total number of parking spaces in Hong Kong has increased by more than 15 000, bringing the total to over 800 000 (Annex 1). The ratio of parking spaces to registered vehicles has improved, and the number of metered parking spaces has also grown (Annex 2). However, the recovery of some short-term tenancy (STT) car parks has led to a slight decline in CV parking spaces (Annex 3). To address this, we have implemented various measures to enhance CV parking supply. For example, public vehicle parks (PVPs) currently in operation and under construction will provide approximately 460 CV parking spaces, and we have mandated a minimum number of CV parking spaces in suitable STT car parks. The Government continues to collaborate actively with stakeholders to expand parking supply. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 25 000 additional parking spaces were introduced under urban redevelopment projects (Annex 4). Utilisation rates remain consistently high across all types of parking spaces, with metered parking spaces averaging around 90 per cent and trending upward. Among public car parks managed by the TD, utilisation rates range from approximately 80 per cent to 90 per cent, while STT car parks average around 60 per cent.
When advancing PVP projects, the TD assesses district-level parking demand based on illegal parking occurrences and the availability of facilities near project sites. For example, priority is given to areas with a high concentration of logistics trades for additional CV parking spaces. The TD will also consider conducting studies to forecast medium-to-long-term parking needs.
The currently operating and under-construction PVPs will provide over 3 200 parking spaces. We are also exploring the adaptive reuse of construction shafts left after the completion of the Central Kowloon Bypass, with plans to convert them into underground multi-storey car parks featuring automated parking systems (APS).
Over the next two years, the Government will introduce 12 000 additional parking spaces, with at least 500 designated for CVs. The actual quantity will be even higher when accounting for additional CV parking spaces from upcoming STT car parks and private development projects.
Our priority remains the expansion of CV parking spaces, particularly in areas facing shortages, and we will intensify efforts to promote APS. Through policy initiatives and co-ordinated action with districts, we are confident that Hong Kong’s parking supply will continue to improve. Projected parking space supply estimates beyond 2025 are detailed in Annex 5.
(2) The standard of parking facilities in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) will be reviewed regularly and revised when necessary to meet future transportation and policy needs. The first batch of subsidised housing planned under the revised HKPSG in 2021 (Note) is scheduled for completion in 2026, providing approximately 4 700 parking spaces across 26 subsidised housing developments. This includes 220 CV parking spaces, as well as the introduction of 33 medium/heavy goods vehicle and 18 coach/bus shared-use loading and unloading bays for night-time CV parking. The TD is closely monitoring the implementation of the revised HKPSG and will review it as needed to ensure it aligns with the latest developments.
The Government Property Agency has opened around 1 000 parking spaces within the 12 joint-user general office buildings under its management, with some parking spaces available for public use throughout the day. Additionally, public car parks managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department provide more than 2 700 parking spaces for public use. The TD is actively collaborating with the Housing Department to explore the possibility of opening loading/unloading bays in five subsidised housing developments, including Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan for night-time CV parking, given the substantial parking demand from medium and heavy goods vehicles in these areas. Furthermore, the TD is working with the Education Bureau to encourage more schools to make school bus parking spaces available for student service vehicles during non-school hours, specifically to address CV parking needs.
(3) The TD has been proactively identifying suitable locations across districts to provide additional on-street parking spaces. As of 2024, more than 1 860 on-street night-time parking spaces have been designated. The free parking period for over 600 CV night-time parking spaces has been adjusted to start at 7pm, and future provisions of such spaces will aim to advance the free parking period as much as possible.
The Government has been implementing APS projects in suitable PVPs and STT car parks, as APS can nearly double the parking capacity within the same space. PVPs currently under construction will provide 1 000 automated parking spaces. Additionally, seven private car parks and three STT car parks are already equipped with APS. The PVPs are located in Tseung Kwan O, San Po Kong, Sham Shui Po, and Ma On Shan, while the STT car parks are in Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sham Shui Po, and Yau Ma Tei. Various APS models are being adopted, including puzzle-stacking as proposed in the question, vertical lifting and horizontal sliding, as well as circular shaft lifting systems.
The widespread adoption of APS in Hong Kong requires private sector involvement from the society. Both the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the TD have published APS implementation guidelines for industry reference. In the future, the TD will actively encourage developers to adopt APS and explore further incentive measures.
Thank you, President.
Note: The 2021 he revised HKPSG has increased the number of ancillary parking spaces for PCs in private and subsidised housing developments, the types and numbers of parking spaces for CVs in subsidised housing development, and introduced two types of “shared-use” parking spaces, one of which is to be shared by light goods vehicles and light buses, and the other by medium/heavy goods vehicles and coaches.