Une délégation calédonienne, menée par le membre du gouvernement chargé de la construction et de l’innovation technologique Petelo Sao, s’est rendue à Brisbane du 18 au 20 août afin de participer à la Pacific Infrastructure Conference 2025. Une réunion était organisée mardi 9 septembre afin que chaque participant puisse faire un retour d’expérience sur sa participation à cet événement d’ampleur autour des infrastructures durables dans la région.
Organisée tous les deux ans, la Pacific Infrastructure Conference réunit à chaque édition des dirigeants et des acteurs publics et privés de la région, afin d’échanger sur les perspectives et les nouveautés liées aux infrastructures durables. Un sujet essentiel pour les îles du Pacifique qui rencontrent des défis de développement spécifiques liés à leur géographie, à leur connectivité limitée, à leur vulnérabilité au changement climatique et parfois à leur accès limité aux financements.
Une forte affluence pour une seconde édition riche en opportunités
Cette année, l’événement a rassemblé plus de 650 délégués, 80 intervenants et plus de 40 exposants issus d’une vingtaine de pays. Les sessions thématiques animées par des dirigeants du Pacifique ont affiché complet, reflétant un intérêt croissant de la part des cabinets de conseil, des entreprises de construction et des prêteurs pour les projets et les opportunités dans la région.
Parmi les temps forts de cette conférence, on notera notamment l’envoi par la Banque asiatique de développement (BAD) de l’une de ses plus importantes délégations à un événement économique régional du Pacifique, avec environ 25 représentants participant à des tables rondes et à des réunions bilatérales.
Les dirigeants du Pacifique, dont le membre du gouvernement, ont également présenté leurs priorités en matière d’infrastructures lors de sessions thématiques très fréquentées.
La conférence a aussi enregistré une forte participation des chambres de commerce et des représentants du secteur privé des îles du Pacifique, illustrant le rôle actif du secteur privé dans la définition des priorités dans le domaine des infrastructures
Une vitrine pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie
La délégation calédonienne a eu l’occasion de s’exprimer lors de cette conférence avec notamment une intervention assurée par le membre du gouvernement Petelo Sao, comprenant un point sur le plan de reconstruction de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, une présentation du savoir-faire et des projets calédoniens liés à l’adaptation au changement climatique, la décarbonisation et l’innovation. Cette tribune a également permis de présenter le Référentiel de la construction de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (RCNC) et d’aborder la récente certification du Sland (matériau issu de la récupération des scories). La scorie qui a d’ailleurs été au cœur de certains débats puisqu’elle pourrait notamment intéresser les îles du Pacifique touchées par l’érosion.
Autre moment clé pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie, la signature entre le Conseil des entreprises des îles du Pacifique et de l’Australie (APIBC) et New Caledonia Trade and Invest, d’un mémorandum d’entente destiné à renforcer les liens économiques régionaux.
Des opportunités se sont également présentées pour les membres de la délégation venus du secteur privé (l’entreprise Bleuscope, la SLN, la Secal, l’entreprise Tokuyama, Arbe), avec, par exemple, des échanges individuels avec des partenaires de la région.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​Following is a question by Dr the Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (September 10):
Question:
The Special Administrative Region Government has earlier on indicated that the Government would first concentrate its efforts on pressing ahead the development of the Northern Metropolis, while the pace to take forward the reclamation project for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands (KYCAI project) could be slowed down. Nevertheless, the authorities would prudently complete the necessary preparatory work in the study stage. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2025-2026, the Government indicated that the Civil Engineering and Development Department was reviewing and fine-tuning the relevant background information and project description in the Environmental Impact Assessment report for the KYCAI project, and would make the report available for public inspection in a timely manner, of the latest progress of the relevant work;
(2) of the studies being undertaken by the Government on the KYCAI project which seek to ensure that the construction works of the project can be commenced swiftly at appropriate times in the future; and
(3) whether a development timetable has been drawn up for the KYCAI project at present; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Land production takes time, involving various aspects of planning and studies, as well as the implementation of various land and infrastructure projects. It is the Government’s responsibility to plan ahead and lead land development with a long-term perspective, ensuring that adequate land is supplied in a timely manner to support Hong Kong’s long-term economic development and people’s livelihood needs. The Government is also keenly aware that land has to be rolled out in a gradual and pragmatic manner, taking into account a basket of factors, including, inter alia, the market economic conditions. Having carefully reviewed these factors, the Government publicly stated earlier this year that it will currently focus on developing the Northern Metropolis. The Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands (Kau Yi Chau) project, as another major land development project, is accorded a lower priority. However, the Government will continue with the studies already commenced on the Kau Yi Chau project.
The replies to the various parts of the question raised by Dr the Hon Lo Wai-kwok are as follows:
(1) The Kau Yi Chau project is currently in its early planning and study stage. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA Report) relating to the reclamation to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on December 31 last year. Although the EPD subsequently informed the CEDD that the EIA Report was suitable for public inspection, given that the implementation programme of the Kau Yi Chau project has been slowed down and no specific arrangements have been made, the Development Bureau, after reviewing the situation, considers it inappropriate to proceed with the relevant statutory EIA procedures (including public inspection, submission of the EIA Report to the Advisory Council on the Environment, and consideration by the Director of Environmental Protection for the approval of the EIA Report) at this stage. Proceeding with the above procedures without a target reclamation timetable could hinder focused discussion and arouse public concerns about the relevance of the approval results after a period of time. To avoid unnecessary public speculation and debate on the Kau Yi Chau project, we recommend adopting a more prudent arrangement. This involves waiting until the implementation timetable for the reclamation works is mostly ascertained and the EIA Report is updated as needed before submitting the EIA Report to the EPD, as well as exhibiting it for public inspection and seeking approval.
(2) The Kau Yi Chau project is a source of long-term land supply. Therefore, although there is no concrete timetable for its implementation, the analysis and information obtained from the ongoing studies are particularly crucial for the future implementation of the project. Such information remains applicable and retains significant reference value, which will help expedite the commencement of the Kau Yi Chau project when conditions permit. Currently, the Government will continue to complete the ongoing studies, including ground investigation, preliminary design of reclamation and major transportation infrastructure, and technical assessments related to land development. Even after these studies are completed, further studies, particularly detailed engineering design, will be required before progressing to the reclamation phase. However, the studies already undertaken form a good basis for us to commence other necessary preparatory work at the appropriate time.
(3) In view of the situation mentioned above, the Government has not yet formulated a timetable for the implementation of the Kau Yi Chau project. In fact, we do not have the necessary conditions for the reclamation project to be carried out within this term of Government.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (September 10):
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Hotel accommodation tax Question:
The Government has resumed the collection of hotel accommodation tax (HAT) at a rate of 3 per cent on the accommodation charges with effect from January 1 this year. However, some members of the hotel and guesthouse industry are of the view that, given the rising operating costs, fierce competitions from the nearby markets and the significantly heightened sensitivity to hotel accommodation charges among visitors, the Government should continue to pay attention to and assess the impact of reinstating HAT on the industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the following information regarding hotels and guesthouses in Hong Kong in each month from January to June this year: (i) the number of hotels and guesthouses and (ii) the total number of rooms provided (broken down by whether or not HAT has been charged), as well as (iii) the amount of HAT collected by the Government (set out in a table);
(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of rooms which are considered as long-term accommodations among those set out in (1) on which HAT is not charged (set out in a table on a monthly basis);
(3) whether it has reviewed if the collection of HAT after its reinstatement meets expectations, and how it assesses the impact of reinstating HAT on the competitiveness of hotels in Hong Kong;
(4) as it is learnt that the authorities have indicated that HAT is not part of the hotel room tariffs, and they have urged online travel platforms (OTP(s)) not to calculate the commissions payable by hotels and guesthouses based on the room rates with HAT, whether the authorities have compiled statistics on the number of OTPs which are still calculating the commissions concerned based on the tax-loaded room rates at present; of the measures put in place by the authorities to promote OTPs to calculate commissions based on the room rates without HAT;
(5) whether it will consider introducing electronic filing of documents to facilitate hotels and guesthouses in making returns in respect of their payable HAT, thereby reducing the administrative workload of the industry;
(6) whether it has plans to make good use of the HAT revenue to promote the upgrading and transformation of hotels and guesthouses to enhance competitiveness of the industry; if so, of the details of the plans; if not, the reasons for that; and
(7) since some members of the hotel industry are of the view that they are facing intense competition and have proposed reduction or suspension of the collection of HAT by the Government, will the Government consider such proposals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The hotel accommodation tax (HAT) is imposed on hotels and guesthouses under the Hotel Accommodation Tax Ordinance (Cap. 348) (the Ordinance). The Government resumed the collection of HAT at a rate of 3 per cent with effect from January 1, 2025, as part of its comprehensive fiscal consolidation programme.
Upon consultation with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), my reply to Hon Yiu Pak-leung’s question is as follows:
(1) and (2) The number of hotels and guesthouses in Hong Kong and the total number of rooms provided by them from January to June 2025 are as follows:
to HAT (Number of rooms)^(Number of rooms)(86 348)(3 245)(6 341)(9 165)(92 689)(12 410)(86 410)(3 231)(6 240)(9 159)(92 650)(12 390)(86 410)(3 227)(6 240)(9 157)(92 650)(12 384)(86 410)(3 171)(6 358)(9 211)(92 768)(12 382)(86 422)(3 171)(6 358)(9 301)(92 780)(12 472)(86 420)(3 238)(6 358)(9 591)(92 778)(12 829) # Including hotels or guesthouses exempted from paying HAT under the Ordinance, i.e. (a) the rate of the accommodation charge is less than $15 per day; (b) the accommodation is provided by society not established or conducted for profit; or (c) the hotel or guesthouse contains less than 10 rooms normally available for lodging guests.
Under the Ordinance, HAT is levied quarterly and hotel and guesthouse proprietors should pay the tax to the Government within 14 days after quarter-end. The HAT collected by the Government for the first and second quarters of 2025 amounted to about $190 million and $170 million respectively.
(3) Since the announcement of resumption of collection of HAT, the Government has maintained close communication with the representatives of the hotel and guesthouse industry. We assisted the industry in understanding the operational arrangement of HAT through meetings, briefings and a communication platform, and incorporated the industry’s feedback when formulating the implementation details. The IRD has updated the relevant information and frequently asked questions on their website from time to time, and set up a telephone enquiry hotline and a dedicated helpdesk at the Inland Revenue Centre to provide information to the industry, general public and visitors. The IRD also visits hotels and guesthouses from time to time to see if the industry has any problems in completing the returns and making tax payments, and to provide assistance and clarifications. We understand that the industry has no major difficulties in completing the returns and making tax payment. The Government’s work on HAT collection has been generally smooth.
In terms of tax revenue, the HAT collected for the first two quarters of 2025 accounts for around 37 per cent of the annual estimate of $970 million. According to past data, the hotel occupancy rates in the second half of the year are generally higher than those in the first half. Furthermore, the HAT that can be collected varies with adjustments in room rates. Hence, the final revenue from HAT for this financial year will depend on the total number of overnight visitors and room rates throughout the year.
The Government fully took into account the impact of the tax on visitors and the industry when considering the resumption of collection of HAT. HAT only constitutes 3 per cent of hotel/guesthouse room rates and is levied on an ad valorem basis. Since the relevant tax only accounts for a small portion of the total spending of overnight visitors in Hong Kong, we do not consider that it will affect visitors’ wish to consider Hong Kong as a travel destination. According to the statistics of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the average hotel occupancy rate and the number of overnight visitors for the first half of 2025 increased by around 2 per cent and 7 per cent respectively, compared to the same period in 2024. In fact, visitors take into account multiple factors when selecting travel destinations, including the appeal of the relevant places. The Government will continue to enrich Hong Kong’s tourism products and experiences, develop distinctive travel itineraries, host different types of mega events and encourage hotels to collaborate with attractions and event organisers to provide accommodation packages and special offers, with a view to attracting more visitors to Hong Kong and extend their stays.
(4) Prior to the resumption of collection of HAT, the Government met with representatives from online travel agencies (OTAs) and issued emails to them to explain the operational arrangement of HAT. We clarified that, if OTAs collect HAT on behalf of the hotels or guesthouses, the tax amount should not be included in the calculation of commissions charged to hotels and guesthouses. Mainstream OTAs have followed the Government’s appeal when handling the commissions with hotels and guesthouses.
(5) To further enhance operational efficiency and facilitate tax payments by the public and industries, the IRD has been making good use of information technology to improve their services. The IRD is actively exploring ways to improve the current filing process of HAT, including electronic filing, to reduce the administrative work of the industry.
(6) Similar to other taxes, HAT forms part of the Government’s general revenue. The Government will consider the actual needs of different policy areas and holistically consider how to allocate resources in accordance with the principle of prudent financial management.
The Government is fully committed to promoting the overall development of the tourism industry and hotel/guesthouse industry. In a bid to pursue the concept of “tourism is everywhere” and implement the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0, the Government has allocated over $1.23 billion in 2025-26 financial year to prioritise tourism development. An array of measures will be implemented to attract visitors, which include hosting and supporting mega events in Hong Kong, enhancing harbourfront facilities, facilitating meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions tourism, supporting cruise development, stepping up publicity targeting Middle Eastern and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) visitors, as well as promoting smart tourism and refining the platform to enhance visitors’ experiences. The Government will continue allocating resources to strengthen its promotional efforts through the HKTB, thereby boosting Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors.
(7) In formulating any revenue measures, the Government will take into account the economic situation and development needs of Hong Kong, views from different sectors of the community and the Government’s fiscal situation. The HAT provides a stable source of Government revenue without affecting members of the public. The Government currently has no plan to adjust the HAT rate. Issued at HKT 12:52
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Ma Fung-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (September 10):
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ14: Building a data trading ecosystem Question:
The Financial Secretary has indicated in the 2024-2025 Budget that the Government has commissioned an expert group to undertake an in depth study on how to develop a robust data trading ecosystem in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the Cyberspace Administration of China signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Facilitating Cross-boundary Data Flow within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” in June 2023, and jointly announced the facilitation measure on the “Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong)” (the GBA Standard Contract) in December 2023 to facilitate cross boundary flow of personal information from the Mainland cities in the GBA to Hong Kong and streamline the relevant arrangements.
Sector(2) With the acceleration of global digital transformation, data has become a key production factor, and a highly efficient data ecosystem is one of the key factors attracting enterprises to establish a foothold in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is underpinned by its distinctive advantages under “one country, two systems” and endowed with the characteristics of an international city. From supply and demand of data to application scenarios, Hong Kong is equipped with a robust foundation and possess an abundance of favourable conditions for promoting the development of data ecosystem.
The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget that an expert group, comprising professionals from sectors such as information technology, commerce and industry, finance and data sources, is commissioned to study how to develop a robust data trading ecosystem in Hong Kong. This includes Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” in data trading, the prerequisites, rules, and measures for promoting international data trading, as well as feasible implementation models. The study also covers key issues related to data trading, including data format standardisation, data pricing mechanisms, and data security protection, etc. The expert group is conducting a consultancy study on these topics and is expected to complete work and submit recommendations to the Government within 2025-26.Issued at HKT 11:51
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, at the Opening Ceremony of BIOHK2025 today (September 10):
Mr C Y Leung (Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference), Professor Sun Dong (Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry), Professor Albert Yu (Chairman of the Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization (HKBIO) and President of BIOHK2025), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
During the debate on the Member’s motion on “Expeditiously kick-starting the construction of a carbon inclusive market” in this Council on November 20 last year, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology stated that the Administration would draw reference from the development and experiences of carbon inclusive initiatives in different provinces and municipalities to explore the possibility of expanding schemes such as the GREEN$ scheme in Hong Kong, with a view to further encouraging members of the public to practise a green and low-carbon lifestyle. There are views that the current GREEN$ scheme, which aims to encourage public participation in resource separation and recycling activities in daily life, has yet to be developed into a more comprehensive, mature and systematic carbon inclusive mechanism. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that members of the public can currently earn GREEN$ Points by participating in recycling activities for redeeming gifts, and that different types of recyclables yield similar number of GREEN$ Points per kilogram or per piece, of the criteria the authorities have adopted to determine the number of GREEN$ Points for various types of recyclables;
(2) as it is learnt that some private organisations currently reward members of the public for their pro-environmental behaviour, such as recycling, by calculating the corresponding carbon reduction, so as to better incentivise the public, whether the authorities will consider drawing on such a practice to base GREEN$ Points on the carbon reduction of recyclables, thereby enhancing the appeal and effectiveness of the GREEN$ scheme;
(3) whether it will consider making reference to the Mainland mobile applications that record public carbon reduction behaviours, and expanding the scope of the GREEN$ scheme to incorporate various green and low-carbon behaviours across the categories of “clothing, food, accommodation and transport” into GREEN$ Points, so as to create a multi-dimensional carbon inclusive ecosystem;
(4) whether it will consider encouraging more businesses to participate in the GREEN$ scheme, such as by allowing GREEN$ Points to be used for redeeming shopping vouchers or enabling point interoperability with more reward platforms, so as to strengthen incentives for public participation in the scheme and stimulate local retail consumption while encouraging carbon reduction; and
(5) whether it will collaborate with other Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to introduce a common carbon inclusive strategy or mechanism?
Reply:
President,
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme (GREEN$ ePIS) in November 2020 to encourage more members of the public to integrate waste reduction and recycling habits into their daily lives. Through years of dedicated efforts by the EPD and support from the public, the GREEN$ ePIS has gradually evolved from an incentive scheme into a platform that facilitates collaborative efforts from various sectors of society to promote green waste reduction and recycling culture. It has successfully motivated public participation in waste separation and recycling, as well as cultivating recycling habits.
The reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee is as follows:
(1) When determining the GREEN$ rewards for various types of recyclables, the EPD primarily considers the disposal quantity, recycling rate, and market value of different wastes. This approach aims to increase overall recycling quantity, reduce disposal quantity, and avoid direct competition with private recyclers in the market. For instance, food waste, plastic bottles and glass bottles, which have high disposal quantity but low recycling rates and market values, will earn more points to encourage public participation in recycling and fostering recycling habits, while other recyclables will use a standard point system.
(2) & (3) One of the Government’s key carbon reduction strategies is to minimise waste disposal in landfills. Therefore, members of the public who submit recyclables with higher disposal quantity (such as food waste, plastic bottles and glass bottles) can earn more GREEN$ points, which aligns with the principle of promoting carbon reduction. Since February 2024, the EPD has partnered with Carbon Wallet, a carbon reduction reward platform under the MTR Corporation, to launch a pilot scheme. Users of GREEN$ mobile app can convert their GREEN$ points into Carbon Wallet points for redemption of various rewards related to low-carbon living, such as free MTR single journey tickets and local eco-tours. Members of the public can also earn points through Carbon Wallet for carbon reduction activities such as walking, taking MTR journeys, and adopting vegetarian diet. The collaboration between Carbon Wallet and GREEN$ ePIS encourages the public to take part in both recycling and carbon reduction activities, achieving significant synergy effects. We have also observed that, to promote a green and low-carbon lifestyle among the public, some provinces and municipalities in the Mainland have implemented carbon inclusive initiatives. For instance, they have launched apps to track public daily low-carbon activities, such as low-carbon commuting, energy and water conservation, and residential photovoltaic installations, to convert these actions into carbon coins. These carbon coins can be redeemed for gifts, including shop consumption vouchers and online ride-hailing coupons, with the purpose of promoting a green and low-carbon lifestyle. To encourage greater public participation in practising low-carbon living, the EPD will continue to explore collaborations with more carbon reduction reward platforms to utilise public resources more efficiently and enhance the coverage and appeal of GREEN$ ePIS.
(4) The EPD has collaborated with “MoneyBack” since December 2024, enabling members of the public to convert their GREEN$ points into “MoneyBack” points, which can be freely redeemed for the required rewards at over 500 supermarkets and retail stores across the territory. The response to this initiative has been enthusiastic. To further enhance the GREEN$ ePIS, the EPD plans to fully digitalise the GREEN$ gift redemption by April 2026, connecting with more reward platforms in the market to offer more convenient and diverse gift options, thereby encouraging greater public participation in recycling activities. We hope that, through introducing more reward platforms linked to supermarkets and retail stores for points redemption, we can not only boost public participation in carbon reduction and recycling, but also help stimulate local retail consumption.
(5) In terms of exploring regional co-operation with the Mainland, we will continue to maintain exchanges with Guangdong on carbon inclusivity implementation through the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection and Combating Climate Change. We will also draw reference from the experiences in developing carbon inclusivity mechanisms in different provinces and municipalities, and explore potential areas and opportunities for collaboration to further encourage citizens to adopt a green and low-carbon lifestyle. Issued at HKT 11:05