Month: July 2025

Posted on

5G subsidy scheme launched

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) today launched a subsidy scheme to help mobile network operators (MNOs) install radio base stations (RBSs) in country parks, outlying islands and other rural and remote areas.

Under the Subsidy Scheme to Extend 5G Coverage in Rural & Remote Areas, participating MNOs will install approximately 50 new subsidised RBSs in these areas to enhance mobile network coverage and capacity.

The OFCA anticipates that once the new RBSs are completed and activated, mobile network coverage of country parks in Hong Kong will increase to at least 90%, while coverage along major government hiking trails will reach 98% or above.

It added that the subsidy scheme will enhance network coverage in the surrounding areas and benefit some 70 villages located in the vicinity of the proposed RBSs, enabling residents, citizens and tourists to enjoy higher-quality mobile network services, and also facilitating the development of smart tourism.

Interested licensed MNOs are welcome to submit applications.

Click here for details of the scheme. Call 2961 6333 for enquiries.

Posted on

Secretary for Health chairs 10th meeting of High Level Steering Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Secretary for Health chairs 10th meeting of High Level Steering Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance (with photo)      The Steering Committee will continue to make every effort to combat the threat of AMR through multi-sectoral collaboration. The progress achieved so far underscores the importance of implementing evidence-based strategies, strengthening surveillance and research, and enhancing public awareness. 

     For detailed information about AMR and the Action Plan, please visit the thematic websiteIssued at HKT 17:45

NNNN

Posted on

Hong Kong Customs detects two incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 6) and today (July 7) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 15 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and 2kg of suspected heroin with a total estimated market value of about $4.2 million.

The first case involved a 27-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 15kg of suspected cannabis buds and a grinder containing traces of suspected cannabis buds concealed in his two check-in suitcases and carry-on rucksack. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, a 30-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found a batch of suspected heroin, weighing about 2kg, concealed inside some packaging of drink powder in her carry-on luggage. The woman was subsequently arrested. 

After an investigation, the arrested man of the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of a dangerous drug. The arrested woman of the second case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The cases will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 8).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities. 

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).

     

Posted on

Lands Department issues five pre-sale consents in second quarter of 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Lands Department issues five pre-sale consents in second quarter of 2025 

Expected year of completionThe LandsD also issued eight consents to assign in the second quarter, involving a total of 3 436 residential units in two phases each of two developments in Tseung Kwan O and Wong Chuk Hang, and three phased developments in Ho Man Tin, Yau Tong and Kai Tak respectively, as well as the kindergarten of a phased development in Tseung Kwan O.

As at June 30, 2025, 18 applications for pre-sale consent for residential developments involving 7 162 residential units were being processed. Details are as follows:
 

Expected year of completionIn addition, six applications for consent to assign involving 729 residential units and three non-residential units respectively as well as three applications for pre-sale consent for non-residential developments were being processed.

Members of the public can obtain up-to-date information on consents issued for the past quarter and cases pending approval by visiting the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 17:00

NNNN

Posted on

Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme to be extended to Foshan in July, with new service points in Zhongshan and Guangzhou

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

“The Pilot Scheme will be launched at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital for the first time, which will not only bring another breakthrough to the EHCV Scheme but also provide eligible elderly persons with additional choices in healthcare services,” said a Government spokesman. With the four additional service points in the above table, the number of service points in the GBA where EHCVs can be used will increase to 15, benefitting more than 1.78 million eligible Hong Kong elderly persons.

EHCVs are applicable for outpatient healthcare services provided by 12 designated departments at the ZSHTCM, including Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Gynecology, Traditional Chinese Medicine Characteristic Clinic, Health Management Center, Psychology Department, Department of Sleep Medicine, Department of Stomatology and Emergency Department.

Posted on

School places to be announced

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau today reminded parents that this year’s secondary school places allocation results will be announced tomorrow.

The allocation exercise involves 48,011 students, 95% of whom have been allocated discretionary places or their first three choices in the central allocation stages, and 85% have been allocated discretionary places or their first choice.

Of the students who got their places through the central allocation stages, 91% were allocated the first three choices, while 74% were allocated the first choice.

All students joining the exercise should collect their allocation and admission slips tomorrow and register at their allocated secondary school on July 10 or 11.

Call the bureau’s School Places Allocation Section at 2832 7740 or 2832 7700 for enquiries.

Posted on

InvestHK attracts $160b investment

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today announced that it had assisted over 1,300 overseas and Mainland companies to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong from January 2023 to the first six months of 2025, bringing in foreign direct investment of more than $160 billion and creating over 19,000 jobs within the first year of operation or expansion.

These results demonstrate that InvestHK has achieved ahead of schedule its performance indicators as set out in the 2022 Policy Address.

Regarding the over 1,300 companies, 630 came from the Mainland, followed by the US, the UK, Singapore and Canada.

Among the companies InvestHK assisted, the top few sectors include financial services and fintech, innovation and technology, family offices, tourism and hospitality, as well as business and professional services.

Additionally, under the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, InvestHK is responsible for its financial requirements assessment. Since its launch in March 2024, there are 1,548 applications as of June 2025, in which 673 applications were granted formal approvals. The verified investment was over $21 billion, while the expected investment amount to be brought into Hong Kong was over $46 billion.

Director-General of Investment Promotion Alpha Lau said: “Our investment promotion efforts span various industries, aligning with policy directives and closely adhering to the key measures outlined in the Policy Addresses in recent years, such as the low-altitude economy, liquor trade and the development of the Northern Metropolis.

“We also assist Mainland companies to go global via Hong Kong and further promote Hong Kong’s advantages as a regional trade and high-end logistics hub.

“We will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s role as a two-way springboard for Mainland and overseas companies to connect between our country and the rest of the world under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle.”

Looking ahead, Ms Lau noted that InvestHK will focus on four strategic sectors, namely financial services and fintech, innovation and technology, supply chain management and logistics, as well as sustainable development and the green economy.

“We are also committed to leveraging Hong Kong’s ‘perceptible and experiential’ soft power to promote cultural ties, showcasing the city’s charm to the world in order to attract foreign investment. This will lead to drive the development of relevant industries and assist enterprises in capital matching through Hong Kong’s stable capital market.”

In addition to highlighting that this year marks InvestHK’s 25th anniversary, Ms Lau emphasised that over the past quarter century, the Government’s dedicated investment promotion agency has assisted over 7,700 overseas and Mainland companies from around the world to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong.

These companies, she pointed out, span a wide range of sectors, including finance, innovation and technology, professional services, and sustainable development, creating over 95,000 jobs and bringing in direct investment of more than $440 billion.

Posted on

Government launches Subsidy Scheme to Extend 5G Coverage in Rural and Remote Areas

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Government launches Subsidy Scheme to Extend 5G Coverage in Rural and Remote Areas 
     Under the Subsidy Scheme, participating MNOs will install approximately 50 new subsidised radio base stations (RBSs) in various locations in Hong Kong, including country parks, outlying islands and other rural and remote areas, to enhance mobile network coverage and capacity in these areas, thereby improving residents’ quality of life and safeguarding the safety of rural activities.
 
     “We anticipate that once the new RBSs are completed and activated, mobile network coverage of country parks in Hong Kong will increase to at least 90 per cent, while coverage along major government hiking trails will reach 98 per cent or above. The Subsidy Scheme will enhance network coverage in the surrounding areas and benefit some 70 villages located in the vicinity of the proposed RBSs, enabling residents, citizens and tourists to enjoy higher-quality mobile network services, and also facilitating the development of smart tourism,” a spokesman for OFCA said.
 
     As announced in the 2023 Policy Address, the Government would expedite the expansion of mobile network infrastructure in rural and remote areas through subsidies. To implement the initiative, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and OFCA, having completed the relevant technical studies and stakeholder consultations, formulated the specific arrangements for the Subsidy Scheme. The Legislative Council approved the relevant funding in April this year.
 
     OFCA, as the implementation agency of the Subsidy Scheme, will rigorously assess applications and monitor installation progress as well as the future operation of the RBSs to ensure the effective use of public funds. For details of the Subsidy Scheme, including application eligibility and procedures, technical requirements and site locations, please refer to the thematic websiteIssued at HKT 15:25

NNNN

Posted on

Sustainable fishing applications open

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Applications for marine fish culture licences and the use of government-provided deep sea cages in the new fish culture zone at Mirs Bay (South) are open from today until September 6, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department announced.

 

The department explained that it hopes to encourage the intensification of production for fishermen in the new fish culture zones while adopting a sustainable and environmentally friendly mode of operation, together with the use of cages that are resilient to strong wind and water currents.

 

To reduce the start-up cost for fishermen, the department will set up two sets of steel truss deep sea cages and three sets of high density polyethylene deep sea cages equipped with modern aquaculture facilities in phases in the new fish culture zone at Mirs Bay (South) by the end of this year. The deep sea cages will be provided to local fishermen associations through licence agreements.

 

Applicants shall provide a detailed business plan, including an introduction to the proposed sustainable mariculture business, as well as a demonstration of their eligibility to use government cages and compliance with the relevant environmental protection and mitigation measures.

 

While the department added that people interested in operating in the new fish culture zone may consider applying for the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund, it also stressed that the fund cannot be used to pay for the licence fees of government cages.

 

A briefing session will be held on July 17 to introduce the application process and licensing requirements of marine fish culture licences and the use of deep sea cages.