Month: July 2025

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Innovation & Technology Commission (ITC) announced today that it would streamline and consolidate funding schemes under the Innovation & Technology Fund (ITF) with a view to promoting new industrialisation and supporting the development of new quality productive forces in a more focused manner.

To more effectively support enterprises in seizing opportunities brought by new industrialisation to upgrade and transform through relevant funding schemes, the ITC will consolidate three funding schemes under the ITF which promote new industrialisation – the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme, the New Industrialisation & Technology Training Programme, and the Manufacturing+ to be launched this year – into the New Industrialisation Support Scheme.

Under the new scheme, the objectives and modus operandi of the three schemes will remain unchanged.

Given that the objectives and beneficiaries of both the Research & Development Cash Rebate Scheme and the Innovation & Technology Support Programme (ITSP) largely overlap, these two schemes will be consolidated.

Local public research institutes may continue to collaborate with enterprises for applied research and development  (R&D) projects through the ITSP after the consolidation measures take effect.

Additionally, given that existing R&D-related funding schemes under the ITF – ITSP, Mainland-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme & Enterprise Support Scheme – have already been subsidising patent registration fees for R&D projects by universities, research institutions and enterprises, the ITC considers that the Patent Application Grant (PAG) has achieved its goal of fostering a patent development culture in Hong Kong. PAG will be integrated into existing funding schemes.

The consolidation of resources, adjustments to funding ceilings and ratios for the aforementioned funding schemes will take effect from August 1.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Development Bureau said today that it has issued notifications to the contractors and a subcontractor involved in a July 27 fatal industrial incident at a public works construction site in Southern District, suspending them from tendering for public works contracts with immediate effect.

The contractors involved were on the List of Approved Contractors for Public Works, while the sub-contractor concerned was on the List of Approved Suppliers of Materials & Specialist Contractors for Public Works.

As the body responsible for procuring services for public works, the bureau stressed that it attaches great importance to site safety at all construction sites under the purview of contractors on the lists.

It explained that the contractors and subcontractor have been instructed to conduct an independent safety audit to review their safety management system, submit an improvement action plan based on the audit, and then implement measures with a view to demonstrating that their safety management system is effective. A lifting of the suspension will be considered once these steps are taken.

The suspension from tendering is not limited to future tender exercises, but is also applicable to tender exercises which have been initiated but not concluded.

The Labour Department is investigating the industrial incident and will handle it in accordance with the law.

Subject to the findings of the department’s investigations, the bureau may carry out further regulating actions against the contractors and subcontractor which may include extending the suspension period or even removal from the lists.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government announced today that the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme will be extended to Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (GPHCM) in Guangzhou starting July 31.

The Elderly Health Care Vouchers are applicable for outpatient healthcare services provided by 10 departments at the GPHCM. The service fees are denominated in renminbi.

The GPHCM is the fourth service point in Guangzhou and the second Chinese medicine hospital under the pilot scheme, providing eligible seniors with additional choices in healthcare services, the Government said.

With this additional service point, the number of service points in the Greater Bay Area where the vouchers can be used will increase to 16, benefitting more than 1.78 million eligible Hong Kong elderly people.

Apart from the GPHCM, the other three service points in Guangzhou are The First Affiliated Hospital and its Nansha Division at Sun Yat-sen University, and Guangdong Clifford Hospital.

Users should register with eHealth before using the vouchers at GBA service points, the Government added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Police are investigating a murder and suicide case happened in Tsuen Wan today (July 27) in which a man, a woman and two boys died.

At 4.45am, Police received a report that a man was found lying unconscious on Kwan Mun Hau Street, suspected of having fallen from height.

Police officers sped to the scene and located the 37-year-old man sustaining multiple injuries. He was rushed to Yan Chai Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 5.03am. Officers later located a 36-year-old woman, a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old boy lying unconscious inside a hotel room on Tsuen Wah Street. The three, believed to be the man’s wife and sons, had sustained multiple injuries and were certified dead at scene.

Initial investigations revealed that the man had allegedly attacked the other three deceased with a knife inside the hotel room.

A 24 centimeters long kitchen knife in suspected connection with the case was seized inside the room.
Post-mortem examinations will be conducted later to ascertain the cause of death of the deceased.

Active investigation by the District Crime Squad Team 2 of Tsuen Wan District is underway.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

An incoming male passenger was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and fined $800 at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today (July 26) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the 18-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (July 25) and seized 42 587 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $175,000 and a duty potential of about $141,000 from his personal baggage. He was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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).