Month: July 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, commenced her first official trip to Europe with a visit to Disneyland Paris on the morning of July 3 (Paris time) upon her arrival in Paris, France. There, she gained first-hand insights of the latest developments of Disneyland Paris. During the tour, she shared with the President of Disneyland Paris, Ms Natacha Rafalski, that Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has just launched its 20th-anniversary celebrations, which will bring all-new experiences to visitors. She also noted the shared appeal of both resorts as world-class tourist destinations.

Afterwards, Miss Law paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco, Mr Deng Li. Miss Law expressed her hope to foster closer exchanges between Hong Kong and France, highlighting opportunities for collaboration across various sectors. Mr Deng talked about his views on the significance of Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges, highlighting that the city should make good use of its uniqueness. He also noted that Hong Kong is a potential market as an art trading centre.

In the afternoon, Miss Law met with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture of France, Mr Luc Allaire. During the meeting, Miss Law underscored Hong Kong’s dedication to fostering cultural exchanges on both the regional and global levels. She emphasised Hong Kong’s role as a dynamic platform for welcoming diverse cultures into its community, while showcasing Chinese culture on the world stage. Miss Law also shared her vision of transforming Hong Kong into a hub for hosting large-scale museum events. Both parties recognised the strong and vibrant cultural ties between Hong Kong and France, spanning areas such as cultural performances, art and museum exhibitions, film production, fashion and design. They expressed a shared enthusiasm for expanding collaboration and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening cultural connections and partnerships in the future.

Miss Law will continue her visit to Paris today (July 4, Paris time).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Land Registry today (July 4) released its statistics for the first half of 2025.
 
Land registration    
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration for the first half of 2025 was 36 848 (+12.0 per cent compared with the second half of 2024 and +5.0 per cent compared with the first half of 2024).
 
* The total consideration for these agreements for the first half of 2025 was $277.03 billion (+9.4 per cent compared with the second half of 2024 but -1.4 per cent compared with the first half of 2024).
 
* The number of assignments of building units for the first half of 2025 was 46 150 (+5.7 per cent compared with the second half of 2024 and +30.3 per cent compared with the first half of 2024).
 
* The total consideration for these assignments for the first half of 2025 was $283.12 billion (+4.2 per cent compared with the second half of 2024 and +32.5 per cent compared with the first half of 2024).
 
Land search    
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public for the first half of 2025 was 2 247 438 (-0.2 per cent compared with the second half of 2024 but +3.5 per cent compared with the first half of 2024).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan, deepening business ties between the two places. The delegation’s primary objectives were to promote two-way business opportunities in Web3 and fintech, and to facilitate strategic technology investments that benefit bothplaces.

From June 30 to July 4, Senior Vice President of Fintech at InvestHK Ms Pauline Fan led a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office to Japan. These included Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Web3 Harbour. Meetings and events were held in Osaka and Kyoto together with partners in Japan, including HashPort, Headline Asia, and IVC.

In Osaka on June 30 and July 1, delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation. They met with members of the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, the Japan External Trade Organization, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. These meetings facilitated meaningful exchanges and explorations of new business partnerships and investments. The momentum continued in Kyoto from July 2 to 4 at IVS 2025, the largest start-up conference in Japan, organised by Headline Asia and IVC. Industry leaders and emerging start-ups exchanged insights on fundraising, business partnerships, and breakthrough trends in Web3 and more.

Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said “This delegation marks a significant milestone in solidifying the collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in innovation and technology. With a strong influx of innovative ideas and investment flows between both sides, we are entering a pioneering era where groundbreaking technologies in Web3 and fintech are poised to redefine the future of digital economies.”

This delegation visit came at a perfect time following the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on June 26. It reinforces the HKSAR Government’s commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field. The statement introduces the “LEAP” framework: Legal and regulatory streamlining, expanding the suite of tokenised products, advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration, and people and partnership development. It sets out a vision for a trusted and innovative DA ecosystem that prioritises risk management and investor protection, while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets.

“Our dedicated team at InvestHK is ready to support players in the DA ecosystem, connecting prospective DA service providers with banks and professional services to facilitate their business setup and expansion in Hong Kong,” Mr Lau added.

Two-way business success driving the agenda forward

Japanese firm Zaiko was the first company to establish a presence in Hong Kong through a similar delegation to Japan in 2024, facilitated by InvestHK. As a key portfolio company of Headline Asia, Zaiko serves as a platform that connects creators directly with people through digital events, video streaming, and data analytics. This inward investment exemplifies the potential for Japanese technology expertise to seamlessly merge with the vibrant economic sectors of Hong Kong, such as creative and event industries.

Waffo established a Hong Kong office in 2023 as its strategic hub for Asia and immediately joined the 2024 InvestHK Japan delegation. The company uncovered new opportunities and successfully entered the Japanese market by opening representative offices, collaborating with multiple Japanese clients and launching innovative cross-border payment and risk-management solutions. Leveraging Hong Kong as its launch pad, Waffo once again participated in this year’s delegation to further accelerate its growth in Japan.

The Goldian Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with a strong background in real estate development. In recent years, its family office has strategically pivoted towards the fast-evolving field of digital assets. With the support and facilitation from InvestHK, the Group has gained access to cutting-edge market intelligence, advanced fintech applications and high-potential business opportunities in Hong Kong’s financial ecosystem. Leveraging these advantages, the Goldian Group joined this year’s delegation and formally launched a real estate tokenisation initiative in Japan, marking a key step in cross-border digital asset innovation and regional collaboration.

With these achievements, InvestHK’s latest delegation clearly illustrates the rising synergy between Hong Kong and Japan’s Web3 and fintech industries, a collaboration that promises a new chapter of ingenuity, growth, and mutual prosperity. As both markets continue to harness innovation and investment, the future looks brighter than ever for such two-way partnerships in the digital economy.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3

 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, continued her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday (July 3, Lisbon time).

Ms Ho attended a business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels to promote the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world. Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations, as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing. Under the Housing•I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau (HB) will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Ms Ho expressed her gratitude in particular to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world. By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics. With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308 000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the HB and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency. Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a “gold” rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments. The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly. To improve energy efficiency, the HKHA has also implemented various green initiatives such as smart lighting control systems, light emitting diode lighting and solar photovoltaic systems. In estate management, the application of the Internet of Things and AI for collecting and analysing data has also enhanced estate management quality and efficiency. She said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

Ms Ho has arrived in Barcelona, Spain, last night and will begin her visit there today (July 4, Barcelona time).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law yesterday started the first leg of her visit to France in Paris, by touring Disneyland Paris and meeting French Ministry of Culture Secretary General Luc Allaire.

Apart from gaining first-hand insights of the theme park’s latest developments during her tour, Miss Law shared with Disneyland Paris President Natacha Rafalski that Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has just launched its 20th-anniversary celebrations, which will bring all-new experiences to visitors.

This was followed by a courtesy call on Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco Deng Li.

Miss Law expressed her hope to foster closer exchanges between Hong Kong and France, highlighting the opportunities for collaboration across various sectors.

At her afternoon meeting with Mr Allaire, Miss Law underscored Hong Kong’s dedication to fostering cultural exchanges on both the regional and global levels, and shared her vision of transforming the city into a hub for hosting large-scale museum events.

Both parties expressed a shared enthusiasm for expanding collaboration, and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening cultural connections and partnerships in the future.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart for Europe tomorrow to visit the Netherlands, France and Italy to introduce Hong Kong’s latest legal developments, promote its strengths in legal and dispute resolution services, and explore collaboration on international capacity building.

 

Mr Lam plans to attend seminars organised by the Department of Justice and other exchange sessions.

 

He will also deliver speeches to legal and business sectors to introduce Hong Kong’s unique advantages in the practice of the common law system under the “one country, two systems”, the strategic positioning of the city as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region, and its important role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the Mainland and the rest of the world.

 

The Secretary for Justice will return to Hong Kong on July 13 upon conclusion of his visit in Rome. Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary during his absence.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho attended a business luncheon during her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, to promote development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

At the business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Brussels, Ms Ho promoted the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the GBA, and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world.

Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing.

Under the Housing • I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Ms Ho expressed her gratitude to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world.

By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics.

With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308,000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the bureau and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency.

Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a gold rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments.

The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly.

The housing chief said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region