Month: October 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The flame-lighting ceremony of the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) was held in Nansha, Guangzhou, today (October 9). The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, lit the flame of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), while the Vice President and Secretary-General of the Organising Committee of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG and Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, represented the HKSAR to receive the flame of the Games.
 
     Staged at a port in Nansha, Guangzhou, the flame-lighting ceremony was officiated by the Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Huang Kunming; the President of the Organising Committee of the 15th NG and Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Gao Zhidan; the Executive President of the Organising Committee of the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG and Director of the Executive Council of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Mr Zhou Changkui; the Executive President of the Organising Committees of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong HKSAR Government, Mr Lee; the Executive President of the Organising Committees of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG and Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Mr Sam Hou-fai; and the Executive President of the Organising Committees of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Meng Fanli. All officiating guests received the torches and lit the flame of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG together. Subsequently, representatives of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao received the flames.

     Also attending the ceremony were the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum, and the Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong), Mr Yeung Tak-keung.

     The “source flame” of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG was extracted and ignited from combustible ice and associated gas collected earlier by the Haima, a remotely operated underwater vehicle, from the northern South China Sea, via electricity generated from solar power to achieve deep-sea ignition. Upon completion of the ceremony, torch relays for the 15th NG will be held in Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen next month.
 
     The flame lantern of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, which is called “Starfire Building Dreams”, has three pillars inside representing Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Named “Blossom”, the torch embodies the core design philosophy of “fusion” and “glory”. On the one hand, the torch symbolises “exchange and integration”, demonstrating the special Lingnan culture of “three places, one family” and “same roots, same blood connections”, on the other hand, it signifies “shared prosperity” and manifests the development path of unity and collaboration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao under the advantages of the principle of “one country, two systems”. For the flame cauldron, its name is “Ding Sheng Tong Xin”.

     For more information on the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in Hong Kong, please visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk/en/index.html), as well the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The International Low-Altitude Economy Summit, organised by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and co-organised by the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Greater Bay Area Low Altitude Economy Alliance, was held today (October 9). The Summit brought together over 1 000 government representatives, industry leaders, academic experts and members of international organisations from places including Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Europe and Singapore to explore the development prospects, policy frameworks and technological innovations of the low-altitude economy (LAE), fostering regional and international collaboration. A number of staff and students from PolyU also joined the Summit.

The Summit featured a kick-off ceremony, keynote speeches, fireside chats, an innovation showcase and multiple parallel sessions, with an aim to establish a cross-disciplinary and cross-regional exchange platform to promote collaboration among government, industry, academia and research sectors, injecting new impetus into the LAE development in Hong Kong, the region and the world.

Officiating at the kick-off ceremony, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, said that the Government is rapidly advancing the development of the LAE. Of the first batch of 38 Regulatory Sandbox pilot projects, 17 have already commenced and another 11 are expected to be launched by the end of this month. On the legislative front, the first phase of amendments has been completed, covering drones weighing 25 to 150 kilograms and allowing unconventional aircraft to conduct trials under specific conditions. Mr Wong mentioned that the Government will soon roll out advanced “Regulatory Sandbox X” pilot projects, which will encompass more complex application scenarios such as cross-boundary routes and passenger-carrying low-altitude aircraft. He expressed his sincere gratitude to PolyU for hosting the Summit, establishing the Research Centre for the LAE and launching a related master degree programme to nurture talent.

Subsequently, the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Kevin Choi, moderated a fireside chat on Policy Dialogue on the LAE. He engaged in in-depth discussions from an international perspective with top experts from the Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Thales Group, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore on four key areas, namely top-level planning, technological empowerment, regulatory safeguards and regional co-ordination. Mr Choi shared his experiences from years ago in promoting the new Air Traffic Management System and planning the operation of the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport in an orderly manner. He led the experts to focus on discussing how Hong Kong can currently, and in the future, participate in and advance the national LAE development blueprint, transforming enormous LAE potential into tangible economic value, advancing global standard harmonisation and strengthening regional and international co-operation, with an aim to providing a stable and forward-looking policy environment for industry growth.

In the afternoon, Co-Head of the Project Facilitation Task Force under the Working Group and Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Mr Dominic Chow hosted a roundtable discussion at a parallel session on Policy and Regulation. He discussed the collaboration and standard-setting for the LAE in the Greater Bay Area with political and business leaders from Zhuhai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou Nansha and Hong Kong. The discussion also explored Hong Kong’s connectivity to promote the prospects for Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises to expand into the Asia-Pacific region and international markets.

The Summit was held in support of the directives on promoting the LAE outlined in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address”, fostering research and development and its applications, as well as reviewing talent development strategies. The Government will continue to support the industry and universities in organising more training and flagship events to showcase business opportunities and innovation achievements of the LAE, and jointly building an innovative, efficient and safe LAE ecosystem, propelling Hong Kong as an Asia-Pacific hub for innovative low-altitude applications.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (October 9) that the second edition of the DFSA-HKMA Joint Climate Finance Conference will take place on November 26 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

     As the flagship initiative of the DFSA-HKMA partnership to support and enable climate finance in the Middle East and Asia, this year’s conference will focus on “Transforming Tomorrow: Harnessing Green Finance for Sustainability” and will reflect the shared commitment of Dubai and Hong Kong – two of the world’s most dynamic financial hubs – to shape the future of global finance through innovation, resilience and cross-border collaboration.

     The Chief Executive of the DFSA, Mr Mark Steward, said, “As we look to the future, our partnership with the HKMA reflects a shared commitment to shaping a more connected, resilient, and forward-looking global financial landscape. ‘Transforming Tomorrow’ is more than a theme – it is a call to action aligned with the ambition of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to advance sustainable finance and innovation on a global scale.”

     The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The Joint Climate Finance Conference is another step forward in strengthening the Asia-Middle East Corridor to facilitate capital and knowledge flows, to support the sustainable development of our regions and beyond, leveraging the roles of Hong Kong and Dubai as finance and innovation centres. We look forward to continuing to deepen our collaboration with the DFSA, in climate finance and other areas.”

     The conference will feature a fireside chat between Mr Steward and Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA Mr Darryl Chan, focusing on how technological innovation, policy frameworks, and cross-sector collaboration can unlock the full potential of climate finance – catalysing capital flows toward sustainable projects and accelerating the global transition to net zero. High-profile speakers will engage in panel discussions on topics such as opportunities for greening the Asia-Middle East Corridor and how tokenisation can drive global transition. The conference will also provide a deep dive into the findings of the DFSA-HKMA joint research on the role of sustainable debt in scaling up climate finance in emerging markets.

     Strategic partners of the conference include the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority and Nasdaq Dubai. The DIFC Authority continues to embed sustainable practices into its core operations and built environment, promoting environmental responsibility. Nasdaq Dubai is the leading global hub for green Sukuk (Islamic bonds) and sustainable Islamic finance, attracting global investors committed to environmentally responsible growth.

     By convening policymakers, industry leaders, and global investors, the conference will serve as a platform to explore how regulatory foresight, fintech advancement and sustainable finance can converge to create more inclusive and agile financial ecosystems.

     Details of the DFSA-HKMA Joint Climate Finance Conference can be found here.

About DFSA
 
     The DFSA is the independent regulator of financial services conducted in and from the DIFC, a purpose-built financial free zone in Dubai, UAE. The DFSA regulates and supervises financial services firms and markets in the DIFC. These include asset managers, banks, custody and trust services, commodities futures traders, fund managers, insurers and reinsurers, traders of securities and fintech firms. The DFSA supervises exchanges and trading platforms for both conduct and prudential purposes, overseeing an international securities exchange (Nasdaq Dubai) and an international commodities derivatives exchange (Gulf Mercantile Exchange). The DFSA is also responsible for supervising and enforcing anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism requirements applicable in the DIFC. Please refer to the DFSA’s website for more information.
 
About HKMA
 
     The HKMA is Hong Kong’s central banking institution. The HKMA’s main functions are: (i) maintaining currency stability within the framework of the Linked Exchange Rate System; (ii) promoting the stability and integrity of the financial system, including the banking system; (iii) helping to maintain Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, including the maintenance and development of Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure; and (iv) managing the Exchange Fund.
 
About Nasdaq Dubai
 
     Nasdaq Dubai is the international financial exchange serving the region between Western Europe and East Asia. It welcomes regional as well as global issuers that seek regional and international investment. The exchange currently lists shares, derivatives, Sukuk, conventional bonds and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS). The majority shareholder of Nasdaq Dubai is Dubai Financial Market with a two-thirds stake. Borse Dubai owns one-third of the shares. The regulator of Nasdaq Dubai is the DFSA.
 
About DIFC
 
     The DIFC is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 77 countries with an approximate population of 3.7 billion and an estimated GDP of USD 10.5 trillion. With a 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe, and the Americas through Dubai. 
 
     The DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of 46 078 professionals working across over 6 920 active registered companies, making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region. 
 
     The centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive AI, fintech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups. Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels, and public spaces, the DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the OASES Enterprises Signing Ceremony today (October 9):

Peter (Director-General of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Mr Peter Yan), government colleagues, representatives of our valued strategic enterprises, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning.

     It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the Signing Ceremony today, where the fifth batch of 18 strategic enterprises affirm their plans to establish or expand in Hong Kong.

     The enterprises joining us today represent a wide spectrum of cutting-edge industries – from leading global pharmaceutical firms to trailblazers in generative AI, autonomous driving, and microelectronics. They also include leading pioneers in new media and Web3 technologies.

     This is a significant milestone. With today’s addition, the number of strategic enterprises attracted to Hong Kong will surpass 100. Collectively, they are bringing in over HK$60 billion in investment and creating about 22 000 quality jobs. Beyond numbers, they also bring transformative ideas, world-class expertise, global perspectives, and a spirit of innovation that will further enrich our fast-evolving innovation and technology ecosystem.

     Today is special also because, for the first time, we are welcoming cultural and creative enterprises that integrate technology with artistry and entertainment. This is an initiative announced in this year’s Budget, and I’m delighted to see it becoming a reality . The global digital entertainment market is growing rapidly, powered by IPs, AI and Web3. Hong Kong – with our unique connectivity to both the Chinese Mainland and the world, openness and diversity as an international city, and a vibrant ecosystem in innovation and technology – is an ideal launchpad for these enterprises to grow and scale across Asia and beyond.  

     To all the strategic enterprises joining us today: a very warm welcome to Hong Kong. I am delighted that you have chosen our city as your base for growth and further innovative breakthroughs. Here, you will find the capital, talent, partners, ecosystem and network that will help you succeed.

     The deepening collaboration between Hong Kong and the sister cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) also offers tremendous growth opportunities, particularly for those in sectors such as AI, biotech and new energy. The GBA is an innovation powerhouse that merges innovative strengths and advanced manufacturing capabilities. This year, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou science and technology cluster is ranked the world’s top innovation cluster by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

     A highlight of this collaboration is the Co-operation Zone between Hong Kong and Shenzhen along the Shenzhen River, known as Hetao or the Loop. This Co-operation Zone will serve as a testing ground for innovative policies, including the unimpeded flow of critical factors of production, including people, capital, goods and data.
 
     In this connection, Hong Kong’s appeal is clear. Take pharmaceutical companies for example. We are working to establish a primary evaluation mechanism for drug and medical device approvals. This will allow Hong Kong to independently review and approve drugs, medical products and devices developed in this zone, accelerating their time to the market. In Hetao, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have established cross-boundary clinical trial institutions, enabling studies that meet the regulatory standards of both jurisdictions. Together with other favourable government policies like talent, shared advanced laboratories and supercomputing power, Hong Kong is on the way to becoming a regional drug development hub. 

     I’m pleased to note that some of you are already engaged in long-term collaborations with our medical schools and clinical trial institutions in the GBA, and I encourage you to explore more.

     Ladies and gentlemen, looking ahead, our efforts to attract strategic enterprises will grow in depth and breadth.
 
     Our goal is simple and clear: to bring more strategic enterprises to Hong Kong, so that we can have an even more vibrant ecosystem and a growing industry base to help our businesses and start-ups thrive, and to provide our people with more and better career opportunities. 

     On that note, to our strategic enterprises here today, I thank you once again for choosing Hong Kong as your partner for growth. I wish you every success in your journey ahead.

     Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels on September 18 and 26. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $170 million were seized.

Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Strategies were thus formulated, and four suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Southeast Asia via ocean-going vessels were selected for inspection.

Customs inspected two containers that were scheduled to be shipped to Indonesia and declared as carrying computer accessories and watch parts, and tally counters and computer accessories on September 18, and two containers scheduled to be shipped to Malaysia and declared as carrying refined lead on September 26. Upon examination, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including laptop computers, watches, silver slabs, cameras, auto parts, batteries, integrated circuits and toys, in the four containers.

An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.

Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, chaired the joint meeting of the Chinese Medicine Development Committee (CMDC) as well as its Chinese Medicine Practice Subcommittee, Chinese Medicines Industry Subcommittee and Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint Subcommittee (CMDBSC) today (October 9) to have in-depth discussions on the formulation of the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint (Blueprint), preparations for the commissioning of The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the permanent premises of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI), as well as various policy initiatives relating to the promotion of Chinese medicine (CM) development set out in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address”.

Professor Lo said, “The year 2025 is a notable year for CM development in Hong Kong, signifying more breakthroughs, reforms and opportunities for CM development in Hong Kong. We will publish Hong Kong’s first Blueprint by the end of this year. Meanwhile, the two flagship institutions for CM development, namely CMHHK and the permanent premises of the GCMTI, will also commence services in phases starting from December this year.”

On the formulation of the Blueprint, the CMDBSC and its three working groups have each held multiple meetings to focus on discussing various topics on CM development since their establishment in September last year. The Chinese Medicine Unit of the Health Bureau has conducted hundreds of exchange activities with stakeholders in the CM sector from local, the Mainland and overseas. After consolidating views from various parties, the CMDBSC has made recommendations to the CMDC on the concrete strategies for the overall development of CM, as well as the short-, medium- and long-term objectives and respective feasible initiatives for the long-term planning outlined in the Blueprint.

Professor Lo said, “I would like to express my gratitude to members for their invaluable advice on policy initiatives relating to CM development. I look forward to the Blueprint, jointly formulated with members and stakeholders of the CM sector, mapping out the vision and strategies for the future development of CM in Hong Kong, thereby developing Hong Kong into a bridgehead for CM to go global.”

In addition, preparations for the commissioning of CMHHK and the permanent premises of the GCMTI are now in full swing. The two flagship institutions for CM development, with services to be commenced in phases from December this year, will be conducive to Hong Kong’s further development in areas such as CM clinical services, talent training, and testing standards. In the first year, CMHHK will provide out-patient and day-patient services, as well as roll out CM services for special diseases, including degenerative diseases, stroke rehabilitation and other common diseases among the elderly, to provide the public with more comprehensive options for healthcare services.

During the meeting, representatives of relevant government departments and organisations also briefed the members on the latest progress of other major CM policy initiatives outlined in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address”, including:
 

• Promoting the sharing of electronic health records (eHRs) in the CM sector through eHealth, and further expanding the sharable scope of eHRs on eHealth between CM and Western medicine practitioners;
• Advancing the development of the Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine services by expanding the Hospital Authority (HA)’s “knee osteoarthritis” programme to all hospital clusters, and commencing the “palliative care” pilot programme to provide palliative care services for patients suffering from conditions such as organ failure, thereby improving their quality of life; and
• Hosting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in December this year to gather experts and stakeholders from the GBA, the Mainland and overseas to explore the high-quality development and future direction of CM.

Professor Lo said, “I led a delegation to call on the National Health Commission, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Medical Products Administration in Beijing this September to introduce the latest updates of various key healthcare initiatives, including the latest CM developments in Hong Kong, the formulation of the Blueprint and developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. The Chief Executive put forward a number of policy initiatives on CM development in his 2025 Policy Address. The Government will continue to press ahead with the high-quality and high-standard development of CM in Hong Kong on all fronts, leveraging the unique advantage of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world, with a view to assisting the national drive for CM to go global and contributing to the national development of CM.”

The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan; the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Eddie Lee; the Project Director of the Chinese Medicine Hospital Project Office of the Health Bureau, Dr Cheung Wai-lun; the Director (Strategy and Planning) of the HA, Dr Ching Wai-kuen; the Hospital Chief Executive of CMHHK, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, and representatives of the relevant government departments and organisations also attended the meeting today.

Established in 2013 and chaired by the Secretary for Health, the CMDC drives the direction and long-term strategies of the future development of CM in Hong Kong by providing recommendations to the Government in four key areas, namely the development of CM services, personnel training and professional development, scientific research and development, and development of the CM drug industry (including CM drug testing).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     Following the ballot for the White Form Secondary Market Scheme 2024 (WSM 2024) drawn on April 24, 2025, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) will begin issuing Approval and Confirmation Letters tomorrow (October 10) to the successful applicants who have passed detailed vetting of their eligibility.
 
     The HA’s Subsidised Housing Committee endorsed in January 2025 that starting from WSM 2024, the quota will increase significantly by 1 500 to 6 000. All of the 1 500 additional quotas will be allocated to young applicants aged below 40 under the Youth Scheme (WSM) in order to encourage young people to move up the housing ladder. Among the applications received, over 80 per cent came from young applicants opting to join the newly implemented Youth Scheme (WSM), clearly demonstrating that the scheme is well received by young applicants.
 
     “Each successful applicant will be issued with one Approval Letter and two Confirmation Letters. One Confirmation Letter is applicable to the HA’s Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Secondary Market, while the other is applicable to the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS)’s Flat-for-Sale Scheme (FFSS) Secondary Market. Within six weeks from the date of issuance, holders of Approval Letters may submit the Confirmation Letters to the HA and/or the HKHS for application for the Certificate of Eligibility to Purchase (CEP) to purchase a flat with the premium not yet paid in the HA’s HOS Secondary Market or the HKHS’s FFSS Secondary Market,” a spokesman for the HA said today (October 9).
 
     “The CEP is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance, and no extension will be granted upon its expiry. To complete the transaction, holders of the CEP need to apply for a Letter of Nomination from the HA or the HKHS after they have entered into a Provisional Agreement for Sale and Purchase (PASP). The applicant and the family member(s) named in the application form must meet the eligibility criteria of WSM 2024 from the submission of the application form up to the date of signing the PASP. Moreover, subsidized sale flats (SSFs) shall be occupied by the owner and all members of the family named in the Application Form for the purchase of the flat,” the spokesman said.

     The list of successful applications will be uploaded tomorrow to the website for WSM 2024 (www.housingauthority.gov.hk/wsm/2024).
 
The HA has enhanced the mortgage arrangements for SSFs by extending both the maximum mortgage guarantee period and mortgage repayment period, allowing purchasers to have mortgage loans of longer tenure. The relaxation measures applicable to the secondary market have been implemented since March 1, 2024. Details are available on the website for WSM 2024.
 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

     The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (October 9) announced the completion of a direct investigation operation into the respite services for supporting carers of elderly persons and persons with disabilities, with 25 major recommendations for improvement made to the Social Welfare Department (SWD).

     In recent years, tragic incidents have happened from time to time when carers succumb to unbearable pressures. At least 15 injury or fatal incidents relating to carers have occurred in the past three years in Hong Kong. Cases involving “the elderly caring for the elderly”, “the elderly caring for the disabled”, and “the disabled caring for the disabled” are increasingly prevalent.

     Mr Chan said, “Carers are the most important, or even the sole pillar, for many elderly persons and persons with disabilities. They have made invaluable contributions to their families and society, and should be recognised and supported by society. Each and every one of these tragedies is extremely shocking and heartbreaking. Respite services form an indispensable part of the support measures for these great carers, allowing them to take a break.

     “The Office of the Ombudsman (Office) acknowledges and commends the current-term Government’s efforts in strengthening the support for carers and the results, including innovative and effective measures such as introducing the 24-hour Designated Hotline for Carer Support (Hotline), setting up a one-stop Information Gateway for Carers, engaging the District Services and Community Care Teams to implement the Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers, and launching the Carer Support Data Platform for identification of and proactive follow up on high-risk carers. Regarding respite services, the current-term Government’s efforts and achievements in expanding the service network are also praiseworthy. 

     “Respite services offered by service providers are directly or indirectly supported by public funds through different forms of government funding. Therefore, it is entirely legitimate for members of the public to expect these publicly funded providers to offer reasonable services to carers.

     “Our direct investigation reveals two major problems. First, the service utilisation rates vary significantly across districts, and service distribution is uneven. Second, some service providers have a poor record of providing services, are suspected of being unduly selective in admitting applicants, and even create unnecessary obstacles for service applicants. They have certainly failed to live up to society’s expectations of fulfilling their mission of helping the needy.”  
  
     Investigation Officers of the Office scrutinised information and conducted multiple covert telephone operations, calling the Hotline and 46 day care units and residential care homes disguised as carers to enquire about respite service vacancies, application procedures, ancillary facilities and fee structures. Eight site inspections were also conducted to understand the actual enquiry and application handling by different types of service providers and the Hotline.

     The Office found that the overall utilisation rates of respite services remained persistently low. In the past few years, the average utilisation rates ranged from only 50 per cent to 60 per cent for the elderly, and were even lower for persons with disabilities at only 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The utilisation rates of certain providers and districts are below 10 per cent, or are even at 0 per cent. Meanwhile, on the whole, utilisation rates varied significantly across the 18 districts. This reflects that the existing resources have not been fully or evenly utilised. Take day respite services as an example: in the past few years the average utilisation rates across the 18 districts ranged from 20 per cent to 138 per cent for the elderly, and from 4 per cent to 63 per cent for persons with disabilities. For districts with particularly strong service demands, carers will face huge difficulties in applying for the service, showing that the support for carers is still inadequate.

     The consolidated findings from covert telephone operations and site inspections revealed that many service providers will assess the physical and mental condition of applicants (i.e. care recipients) before deciding on whether to admit them, by requiring them to attend an in-person interview at the premises before submitting a formal application. For carers who need the services urgently, the requirement of a prior interview could frustrate and cause increased stress to them. Moreover, some service providers require applicants to undergo additional medical examinations at their own expense beyond the basic scope specified by the SWD. Such examinations could include a chest X-ray, blood and urine tests, physiotherapy and even mental health assessments, etc, which would create unnecessary obstacles and financial burdens for carers. The SWD currently permits service providers to impose extra requirements for medical examinations without clear regulations, and it is difficult to assess whether these extra items are necessary.

     The Office also encountered astonishing responses of some service providers during the covert telephone operations. Some refused to disclose vacancy availabilities to carers or even unreasonably rejected their applications for different reasons. Some declined applicants who wished to use respite services for only a few days, or only accepted application for use of respite services for months. Some declined applications on an urgent basis, claiming insufficient staffing to offer respite services, and requiring applicants to visit the premises in person and confirm its suitability before disclosing vacancies. The Office also encountered extremely unhelpful staff who failed to respond to enquiries and hastily ended the call after instructing the caller to consult social workers instead. Meanwhile, many service providers immediately replied that there were no vacancies when responding to telephone enquiries, contrary to the information displayed in the SWD’s Vacancy Enquiry System for Respite Services and Emergency Placement (Enquiry System). During the Office’s investigation, Hotline social workers shared that they encountered similar difficulties when using the Enquiry System for respite service matching.

     Furthermore, elderly persons and persons with disabilities are mostly frail and inconvenient to travel. They might even be wheelchair bound. When elderly carers accompany their family to respite service units, they might encounter immense difficulties in walking up or down the staircases or travelling by public transportation.  They might give up respite service if they cannot afford taxi fare. The investigation revealed that very few service providers operate transfer services for users. It is noteworthy that the Hotline provides reimbursement of taxi fares on an accountable basis for callers in need, and even outreach services for escorting users to the respite premises. If promoted and expanded, such measures are beneficial to more carers, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

     Mr Chan said, “Consolidating our findings, we cannot rule out that the low utilisation rates are partly attributable to the lukewarm attitude of some service providers, their improper handling of service enquiries and applications, suspected undue selection of applicants and even creation of unnecessary obstacles for service applicants, as well as not attaching importance to updating vacancy information in the Enquiry System. 

     “The mission of social welfare services is to alleviate poverty, support the disadvantaged and provide care for needy persons. The practitioners shoulder heavy responsibilities and society places high expectations on them. However, our investigation revealed that certain service providers did not fulfil their mission, as they disregarded the welfare of needy carers, elderly and persons with disabilities. The performance of these service providers is most disappointing. Such black sheep certainly failed to live up to society’s expectations and jeopardised the professionalism of the social welfare sector and the trust of our citizens.

     “We must emphasise that all these service providers are subsidised by the SWD and are using public funds to provide services; this is not pro bono volunteer work. They have a duty to offer quality services to people in need, not to mention vulnerable groups in serious need of help. The SWD, as the regulatory authority, also bears an undeniable responsibility. Despite a strong demand for respite services, the utilisation rates of certain providers and districts are below 10 per cent, or are even at 0 per cent. The SWD and the service providers concerned should deeply reflect on the actual reason for the very low utilisation rates. In fact, some service providers with utilisation rates at 0 per cent had improved this immediately and even significantly raised their utilisation rates following supervision by the SWD, demonstrating that proactive efforts could yield tangible results. The Office considers it incumbent on the SWD to explore feasible measures to increase service providers’ proactiveness, and to strengthen service monitoring vigorously.

     “Although the performance of some service providers was unsatisfactory, there are also service providers which are committed to serving people in need. The Office acknowledges and appreciates their contribution. I appeal to all in the social welfare sector to put forth their best efforts for the well-being of carers, improve respite services to share their burdens and relieve their pressure in a timely manner, prevent tragedies and benefit society.”

     Overall, the Office has made 25 major recommendations for improvement to the SWD regarding the operational arrangements for respite services, including application procedures, ancillary facilities and information provided for carers, service planning, utilisation and monitoring, and publicity and promotion. The Office is pleased to note that the SWD has accepted all the recommendations.  

The Office’s major recommendations for improvement to the SWD include:
 

• request service providers to review the necessity for prior interviews with applicants, and encourage streamlining of application procedures as far as possible, such as conducting telephone or video assessments;

 

• thoroughly review the current medical examination requirements imposed by all service providers; any providers requiring additional examination items beyond the basic scope must justify the necessity and obtain prior approval from the SWD;

 

• explore jointly with service providers the establishment of a pre-registration mechanism under which carers can complete registration procedures in advance, and service providers can gain an early understanding of users’ conditions and level of care. Carers in need of services anytime can simply sign a declaration confirming that the situation has not changed, allowing them to obtain services at the shortest possible notice for emergency relief;

 

• step up reminding service providers of their responsibility of the timely updating of vacancy information and other details in the Enquiry System, and enhance monitoring to ensure compliance;

 

• encourage service providers currently operating a transfer service with their own vehicles to extend it beyond long-term care residents to also support respite service users as far as possible. For providers without their own transfer service, encourage them to proactively seek assistance from the Hotline for its social workers to offer transport assistance and an accompaniment service for users in need;

 

• continue making regular spot checks by means of telephone investigations disguised as carers, and expand the scope to cover all types of service providers; make recommendations to any service providers with inadequacies found and implement monitoring measures;

 

• based on the demand and utilisation patterns of different types of respite services, explore feasible measures to increase service providers’ proactiveness to offer respite services, thereby raising utilisation rates;

 

• comprehensively review the distribution of respite service places to address the supply imbalance across districts; and

 

• step up encouraging service providers to organise more experiential activities to help carers better understand respite services, boost their confidence, and allow elderly persons and persons with disabilities to adapt to the respite environment in advance.

     The full investigation report is available on the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Lands Department (LandsD) today (October 9) extended the coverage of the 3D Indoor Map and the 3D Indoor Network to all MTR stations, providing more comprehensive spatial data to facilitate public travel.

The LandsD collaborated with MTR Corporation Limited to release the 3D Indoor Map of around 30 selected MTR stations in March this year, providing information on points of interest and a supporting indoor point-to-point pedestrian route planning service within the stations. The coverage of the 3D Indoor Map has now been extended to the entire rail network, covering all 98 MTR stations across 10 MTR lines, namely Airport Express, Disneyland Resort Line, East Rail Line, Island Line, Kwun Tong Line, South Island Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Tuen Ma Line and Tung Chung Line. The Map provides interior layout information of the publicly accessible areas within stations, such as levels, units, shops, points of interest and indoor routes.

To support point-to-point route planning, the 3D Indoor Network captures connections between different parts of the stations, linking facilities, shops, entrances and exits as well as interfacing with the outdoor 3D Pedestrian Network. Based on information stored in the 3D Indoor Map and the 3D Indoor Network, the system displays facilities and areas along routes and offers barrier-free route options.

The 3D Indoor Map dataset has been uploaded to the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure (CSDI) Portal (portal.csdi.gov.hk) for free download by the public. To support application development, the portal also provides multiple Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), including the APIs of the 3D Indoor Map of MTR stations and the 3D Pedestrian Route Search, together with sample codes demonstrating related functions. Members of the public can also browse the 3D Indoor Map and use the point-to-point route planning tool on the online application platform “Open3Dhk” (3d.map.gov.hk).

In addition, the LandsD launched the 3D Visualisation Map (non-textured models) in late September this year. The new dataset covers the whole territory of Hong Kong and consists of over 220 000 geometric models representing different types of ground features, including buildings and infrastructure. It has been uploaded to the CSDI Portal for free download by the public.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     An owner was convicted and fined $51,980 in total, of which $41,980 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (October 8) for failing to comply with removal orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123). 
      
     The case involved two unauthorised structures with a total area of about 32 square metres on the roof of a composite building on Castle Peak Road, Sham Shui Po. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without the prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), two removal orders were served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failure to comply with the removal orders, the owner was prosecuted by the BD.
      
     A spokesman for the BD said today (October 9), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including the instigation of prosecutions, to ensure building and public safety.”
      
     Failure to comply with a removal order without a reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of up to $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.