Month: July 2025

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Secretary for Health commences visit to Nanjing (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Secretary for Health commences visit to Nanjing  
     During the meeting with the Commissioner of the Jiangsu Commission of Health, Ms Tan Ying, Professor Lo introduced the efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in promoting the international inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine, as well as the high-quality development of public hospitals.
 
     Professor Lo said, “The HKSAR Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of Chinese medicine and promoting the high-quality and high-standard development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong on all fronts. Jiangsu and Hong Kong have established a solid foundation in Chinese medicine academic inheritance and talent exchange. By the end of this year, the two flagship projects, namely the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the permanent Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute building, will commence services in phases. This will further strengthen the co-operation between the two places in the areas of Chinese medicine services, talent development and testing research.”
 
     Regarding the high-quality development of public hospitals, Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government will continue to promote the accreditation of more public hospitals under the China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version), with a view to maintaining the high standard of hospital management and services in the HKSAR while aligning with the national healthcare service system. Apart from Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, which have been successfully accredited in December last year and March this year respectively, the Hospital Authority will launch the accreditation programme at Queen Mary Hospital, United Christian Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital this year, and plans to implement the programme at one major acute hospital under each of the seven hospital clusters by 2026. The participation of public hospitals in the relevant accreditation programme can serve as a demonstration to the international community of the national hospital accreditation standards, with Hong Kong acting as a gateway to facilitate the national standards going global. In this connection, both sides also explored ways to further encourage more hospitals in the two places to pursue accreditation under the relevant standards to amplify the impact of national standards.
 
     Professor Lo also visited Simcere Pharmaceutical Group headquartered in Nanjing earlier. He introduced the senior management of the company to the initiatives put forward by the HKSAR Government in developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, including strengthening the approval regimes for drugs and medical devices, as well as promoting the development of the clinical trial industry.
 
     He said, “The Chief Executive announced in his 2023 and 2024 Policy Addresses to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. We will set up the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation by the end of next year to accelerate the clinical use of new drugs and medical devices. Moreover, the HKSAR Government will make full use of the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute located in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, and working in collaboration with the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center in the Shenzhen Park to jointly establish a one-stop clinical trial collaboration platform.”
 
     Professor Lo encouraged Mainland pharmaceutical companies to make good use of the “1+” mechanism and “primary evaluation” for new drug registration, which will be rolled out in phases starting next year, to introduce newly developed drugs into Hong Kong to meet local healthcare needs and access international markets through Hong Kong. He also welcomed Mainland pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in Hong Kong, fully leveraging the multiple unique advantages of the HKSAR to facilitate the translation and clinical application of advanced biomedical technologies.
 
     Professor Lo will attend the 13th Nanjing Academic Symposium on Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation and visit a local hospital in Nanjing tomorrow.
Issued at HKT 19:00

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Light public housing tenders invited

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Bureau today invited tenders for two Light Public Housing (LPH) operation and management contracts pertaining to Phase 2 of the project at Olympic Avenue in Kai Tak.

The two contracts are for the operation and management of about 4,500 and 3,200 units at the Olympic Avenue LPH project. This includes the management of property and occupants, daily maintenance, provision of social services, and the management and operation of ancillary facilities.

To encourage participation by different stakeholders in the community, the bureau said it welcomes tenders from all capable and experienced service providers, including non-government organisations and those with a valid property management company licence, or collaborations between different organisations.

The bureau remarked that two separate contracts are being drawn up due to the project’s relatively scale, and to encourage participation from different organisations.

To ensure service quality, the bureau will carry out technical assessments based on organisations’ management capabilities, relevant experience and past service performance, as well as their proposed modes of operation and management, the social services they will provide, the feasibility of their exit plans, and their intended use of innovation and information technology. The tender price will then be evaluated to form a consolidated assessment before the contracts are awarded.

Interested organisations can download the tender documents from the bureau’s website or via the e-Tendering System. They may also contact the Dedicated Team on Light Public Housing directly.

The tender references are HB2025/OPR-LPH-OA2 and HB2025/OPR-LPH-OA3.

Tenderers must submit their tenders by noon on August 29, either electronically via the e-Tendering System or by deposit in the Government Secretariat Tender Box situated at the lobby of the public entrance on Ground Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. Late tenders will not be accepted.

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Census and Statistics Department wins Outstanding Gold Award in Privacy-Friendly Awards for second consecutive time (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Census and Statistics Department wins Outstanding Gold Award in Privacy-Friendly Awards for second consecutive time  
The Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Mr Leo Yu, attended the awards presentation ceremony yesterday (July 10) and exchanged insights with representatives from other award-winning enterprises, public and privacy organisations, as well as government departments on their efforts to safeguard personal data privacy.
 
Mr Yu said, “By upholding the values of respect for privacy and commitment to excellence, the C&SD has long been maintaining momentum for improvement. The department has been implementing various measures to continuously enhance personal data privacy and data security. Colleagues of all ranks of the department will continue to be committed to a high standard of personal data protection and data security. The general public can feel secure in providing data to us, for compiling relevant and accurate statistics. The statistics will be used by the Government as references when formulating public policies, and also be used by various sectors of society. The public can thus contribute together to the social and economic development of Hong Kong by this means.”
     
The Privacy-Friendly Awards, organised by the PCPD, aims to recognise the efforts made by enterprises, public and private organisations as well as government departments in protecting personal data privacy. There are four categories of the Privacy-Friendly Awards, which are Outstanding Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, with new special awards introduced this year to commend organisations for their outstanding performance in the relevant aspects of protecting personal data privacy.
 
For details on personal data privacy protection at the C&SD, please visit: www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/page_1083.htmlIssued at HKT 17:45

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Development Bureau imposes regulating action on contractor involved in fatal industrial incident at non-governmental construction site in Chek Lap Kok

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Development Bureau imposes regulating action on contractor involved in fatal industrial incident at non-governmental construction site in Chek Lap Kok 
The DEVB, being the party to procure services for public works, attaches great importance to the site safety performance of all construction sites under the purview of contractors on the List, regardless of whether the sites are public works construction sites or not. The DEVB issued a notification to the contractor concerned today to suspend it from tendering for public works contracts in the roads and drainage category with immediate effect pursuant to the regulating regime. The contractor concerned has to conduct an independent safety audit to review its safety management system. Taking cognisance of the outcome of the independent safety audit, the contractor is required to submit an improvement action plan and implement improvement measures, with a view to demonstrating that it has an effective safety management system before the lifting of the suspension from tendering can be considered. The suspension from tendering is not only confined to future tender exercises but is also applicable to tender exercises with procedures initiated but not concluded.
 
The Labour Department is investigating this industrial incident and will handle it in accordance with the law. Subject to the investigation findings, the DEVB may impose further regulating actions on the contractor concerned later on, including extension of the period of suspension from tendering for public works contracts and even removal from the List.
Issued at HKT 17:35

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Ballot applications to start on July 17 for free use of leisure facilities on Sport For All Day 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the Sport For All Day (SFAD) 2025 on August 3 (Sunday), with a number of fee-charging leisure facilities to be open for public use free of charge on that day. These facilities include indoor badminton courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, squash courts, table tennis tables, fitness rooms, activity rooms, dance rooms, etc; outdoor tennis courts, bowling greens, archery ranges, golf facilities, etc; and public swimming pools and water sports centres (craft hiring). Details are available on the event dedicated website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/sfad.

The free-of-charge sessions for August 3 will be allocated through balloting. From July 17 to 23, members of the public can make ballot applications on SmartPLAY as individual users. Each application can include up to three choices of sessions. Any applicant wishing to change the choices in his/her application made can do so on SmartPLAY before the closing time at 11.59pm on July 23. The computer balloting results will be announced on July 26. Successful applicants will be notified by the SmartPLAY system. Any remaining sessions will be open for application on SmartPLAY on a first-come, first-served basis from July 28 to members of the public not having been allocated any free session by ballot or not having made any application. Each successful applicant will only be allocated one free session, whether through balloting or first-come, first-served booking.

The LCSD appeals to successful applicants to arrive on time to make the best use of the booked facilities. All users should observe the Conditions of Use of LCSD Recreation and Sports Facilities (the Conditions) as set out on the LCSD website www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/condition/index.html (including the “no-show/not present during the use of the booked sessions” penalty). If a successful applicant fails to take up a booked session on time, the arrangements stipulated in the Conditions will apply. For enquiry, please call 2414 5555 or visit the dedicated website.

No prior application will be required for using public swimming pool facilities. Members of the public may line up at the entrances of swimming pools before the start of a session. Free admission is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

A series of free recreation and sports programmes will also be conducted on the same day (from 2pm to 6pm) at designated sports centres across the 18 districts. The arrangements for distributing free activity coupons will be announced within July.

Echoing the SFAD 2025, a number of organisations will open up their facilities or roll out recreation and sports programmes on August 3 for the public free of charge. Up-to-date information will be provided on the dedicated website.

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Approved Yuen Long Outline Zoning Plan amended

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Approved Yuen Long Outline Zoning Plan amended 
The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP are amended to take into account the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning scheme area, where appropriate. 
Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before September 11. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29C on “Submission and Processing of Representations and Further Representations” (TPB PG-No. 29C).* The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.Issued at HKT 16:00

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Welcome to Participate in the 2025 Presidential Hackathon

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Initiated by Taiwan’s Presidential Office in 2019, the Presidential Hackathon International Track has now entered its 7th year. This event invites individuals of all ages and nationalities to leverage open data, technology, and innovative thinking to propose solutions for public issues, addressing national development and societal needs. It aims to foster cross-border, cross-disciplinary, and public-private collaboration, encouraging interaction among data owners, data scientists, and experts from various fields. Global participants are welcomed to submit innovative data-driven solutions to enhance public welfare and governance innovation.
The International Track targets global citizens, with the 2025 theme being “Digital Innovation for Resilience and Sustainability,” aligning with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It seeks innovative digital technology solutions to achieve: (1) Strengthening Whole-of-Social Resilience: Enhancing society’s capacity to respond to sudden challenges (e.g., disasters) through solutions like early-warning applications that integrate central and local networks to improve disaster response efficiency; (2) Promoting Sustainable Development: Advancing environmental and resource protection, such as using integrated IoT environmental data and AI analysis to support decision-makers in crafting sustainable policies for a more livable environment.
Eligibility and Requirements:
1. Open to all, encouraging teams from academia, industry, civil society, government, and media, with a vision for solving specific issues using open data.
2. Teams must consist of 3–10 members, with each person limited to one team, and must designate one primary and one secondary contact person.
3. At least one team member must be a non-ROC national.
4. Registration is open from June 16, 2025, 9:00 AM to August 8, 2025, 5:00 PM (GMT+08:00). Teams must submit an online application form via the official website (https://gov.tw/cYQ), with all submissions and documents in English.
For details, visit: https://presidential-hackathon.taiwan.gov.tw/

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Same-sex partnerships bill published

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill was published in the Government Gazette today.

The bill fulfils the obligation of the Government under Article 14 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights (BOR14) – as declared by the Court of Final Appeal in the case of Sham Tsz Kit v Secretary for Justice – whereby an “alternative framework” will be established through legislation for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, while providing for appropriate rights and obligations attendant on such recognition.

The bill aims to establish a registration system for same-sex partnerships. It covers the setting up of a same-sex partnership registry, the conditions for registration of same-sex partnerships, the mode of application for registration and revocation of registration, and offences and penalties related to the registration mechanism.

The bill also amends certain provisions in other legislation to provide for rights and obligations attendant on the recognition of same-sex partnerships.

The Government said it respects the court’s judgment, and will fulfil its obligation under BOR14 by establishing an alternative framework through legislation. It stressed that the current proposal fully accounts for the actual situation and overall interests of Hong Kong, and strives to achieve an appropriate balance.

The Government added that it will continue to maintain close communication with the Legislative Council to implement the bill.

It reiterated that establishing the alternative framework to introduce a registration system for same-sex partnerships will not compromise the Government’s established position on upholding Hong Kong’s monogamous and heterosexual marriage system.

The bill will be introduced in LegCo for first reading on July 16.