Month: August 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Education Bureau (EDB) announced that the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS) 2025/26 will be open for applications from eligible Hong Kong students from today (August 12) until October 13. 

A spokesman for the EDB said that the MUSSS would benefit Hong Kong students pursuing undergraduate studies in 201 designated Mainland institutions, including 145 institutions participating in the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions for the 2025/26 academic year.

Eligible students may apply for a means-tested subsidy (only for those students who have passed the means test) or a non-means-tested subsidy under the MUSSS. The subsidy under the MUSSS is granted on a yearly basis, and the subsidised period covers the normal duration of the undergraduate programme pursued by the student concerned in the designated Mainland institution. Eligible applicants may only receive either a means-tested subsidy or a non-means-tested subsidy in the same academic year. The MUSSS is not subject to any quota. It is envisaged that the MUSSS will benefit most Hong Kong students who are pursuing undergraduate studies on the Mainland and have different financial needs.

The subsidy under the MUSSS will be disbursed based on the distance between the locations of the institutions and Hong Kong, which will be grouped into three categories. Details of the subsidy rates under the different categories are set out in the Annex.

Details of the MUSSS are available on the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/musss). Eligible students are required to submit their applications via the MUSSS Electronic Application Platform (musss.edb.gov.hk) or send the completed application forms by post to the EDB on or before October 13. The EDB is expected to notify applicants of the application results in phases from the first quarter of 2026.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​The Wage Security Division of the Labour Department will be relocated to a new office for operation starting from August 18 (Monday). 
 
The address of the new office is 21/F, C-BONS International Center, 108 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon (via Exit B6 of MTR Ngau Tau Kok Station). The office will be open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6.15pm, and closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The telephone and fax numbers of the office will remain unchanged.
 
To facilitate the relocation, the current office at 16/F, Overseas Trust Bank Building, 160 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, will be closed after the service hours on August 15 (Friday).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Currently, there are no rapid test products on the market that have been certified by international health authorities for public use in self-testing for chikungunya fever (CF), the Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Edwin Tsui said today.

Dr Tsui reminded people who suspect they may be infected with CF to seek medical advice promptly and avoid self-testing, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Noting that some online advertisements claim to sell rapid test products for CF that can be used by the public for self-testing, he said the department has immediately contacted the manufacturer concerned, who subsequently confirmed that the product is not intended for self-testing by the public. The manufacturer has also notified the suppliers in Hong Kong to suspend retail sales of the product in the city.

Dr Tsui also urged the public not to self-medicate, particularly with aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, as these drugs may cause serious side effects, e.g. increasing the risk of haemorrhage.

Furthermore, the department noted that a local research institution is actively developing rapid test products for CF.

It has proactively contacted the institution concerned to learn more about the performance and quality of these test products, and has encouraged the institution to apply to list its tested products under the department’s Medical Device Administrative Control System.

As of 5pm today, no new imported case of CF has been recorded.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau began his visit to New Zealand today to promote Hong Kong’s unparalleled strengths under the “one country, two systems” principle and foster economic and trade collaboration between the two places.

 

While meeting the Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Forestry, Minister for Trade & Investment and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Todd McClay in Wellington, Mr Yau updated Mr McClay about Hong Kong’s economic developments as well as its trade and investment promotion initiatives such as the deduction in liquor duty.

 

On regional co-operation, Mr Yau highlighted Hong Kong’s readiness for early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and called for New Zealand’s support for its early accession to it, through which the city is committed to making important contributions to regional economic development and integration.

 

Mr Yau also met Chair of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Invest New Zealand board member Charles Finny to gain a better understanding of the latest developments of its industries and discuss co-operation opportunities.

 

He pointed out that Hong Kong’s unique advantages and favourable business environment present tremendous business opportunities for New Zealand enterprises and investors.

 

Additionally, the commerce chief paid a courtesy call on Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue Wang Xiaolong to keep him abreast of Hong Kong’s efforts in deepening international co-operation to cope with the changes in the global economic and trade landscape.

 

Mr Yau then attended a business dinner co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, Sydney and BusinessNZ, at which he said that Hong Kong is the world’s fifth-largest merchandise trading entity after the Mainland, the US, the EU and Japan.

 

Apart from emphasising that according to the World Investment Report 2025, global foreign direct investment inflows to the city reached US$126 billion in 2024, ranking Hong Kong third globally, Mr Yau added that this is a vote of confidence by Hong Kong investors.

 

As he briefed the dinner participants on the vast potential of the Greater Bay Area, Mr Yau encouraged the business sector there to explore the bay area’s business opportunities and enjoy preferential treatment under the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, leveraging the city’s distinctive advantage as a gateway to the GBA and Mainland markets.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC) today announced that the nomination of 100 candidates for the Election Committee (EC) Subsector By-elections and 10 nominations for EC members have been determined as valid. In addition, the CERC also determined eight registrations of ex-officio EC members as valid.

As regards the 93 vacancies in the EC membership to be returned by the 2025 EC Subsector By-elections, the Returning Officers (ROs) received a total of 101 nomination forms for candidates by the close of nominations.

Upon review, the CERC has determined 100 candidates as validly nominated. One candidate had passed away during the nomination period. The CERC thus determined his nomination as invalid in accordance with relevant electoral law.

As for the 10 members to be returned through supplementary nominations by designated bodies, the ROs received a total of eight nomination forms submitted by designated bodies, involving 11 nominees.

The CERC has determined 10 nominations, according to the priorities indicated by the designated bodies, are sufficient for filling the number of seats assigned to the subsectors.

Meanwhile, the Registration & Electoral Office (REO) has received eight registrations for ex-officio members. Upon review, the CERC has determined that these eight registrations are valid.

The subsectors involved engineering, medical and health services, social welfare, as well as architectural, surveying, planning & landscape.