Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (November 20) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for October 2025. According to the Composite CPI, overall consumer prices rose by 1.2% in October 2025 over the same month a year earlier, slightly larger than the corresponding increase (1.1%) in September 2025. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI (i.e. the underlying inflation rate) in October 2025 was 1.0%, the same as that in September 2025.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of increase in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period ending October 2025 was 0.1%, and that for the 3-month period ending September 2025 was 0.2%. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the corresponding rates of increase were both 0.1%.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; and the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, visited government offices in Wan Chai today (November 20) to promote and call on civil servants to vote together in the Legislative Council (LegCo) Election on December 7.
Mr Chan said, “At this critical juncture where we are fully committed to boosting the economy and driving development, it is all the more important for the community to stay united and harness a stronger and broader force to propel Hong Kong forward. Positive and constructive interaction between the executive and the legislature will enable us to achieve faster and better development. Every vote cast is a vital force in building a better Hong Kong. I appeal to all residents, including civil service colleagues, to actively participate in the upcoming election and to elect capable, aspiring and visionary candidates to work hand in hand with the Government in promoting the city’s development.”
Mr Lam stated, “Every single vote is crucial for determining the future direction of governance, economic development, and the well-being of the people. It is also a vital force driving the continuous progress of society. I urge colleagues to vote and also bring along their families and friends to vote in order to create a better Hong Kong.”
Following the visit by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, to departmental colleagues last week, the three Secretaries of Departments have visited various government departments to appeal to civil servants to vote in the LegCo Election, underscoring their emphasis on the civil service team.
Mrs Yeung said, “After a month of promotion and departmental visits, the message for civil servants to vote together has been clearly conveyed among civil servants. I have also felt from the feedback of colleagues that they deeply recognise the importance of voting for the future and development of Hong Kong. Now is the time to understand the platforms of the candidates in your relevant constituency/constituencies, and the next step is to take concrete action by voting to fulfil your civic responsibilities.”
Government departments will flexibly deploy additional staff on polling day to fully support the work of the LegCo Election. They will also take possible measures to enable civil servants who are on duty on polling day to cast their votes. In addition, multiple Civil Servant Designated Polling Stations will be set up on polling day to facilitate civil servants in disciplined services and those who will have to be on duty nearby, so that they can return to their workplace as soon as possible after voting.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Police today (November 20) laid a holding charge against a 27-year-old man with one count of murder. A 33-year-old man and a 37-year-old man have been laid a holding charge each with one count of conspiracy to murder.
Three men were arrested on November 18 in suspected connection with a murder case happened in Sha Tin on March 16 afternoon, in which a 52-year-old man died.
The case will be mentioned at Shatin Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (November 21) morning.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Public market stalls for rent at upset prices on November 25
Districts in which the market stalls are located A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls that can be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is allowed to select one stall in the same market. The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed term tenancy scheme are allowed to select a stall in the same market, but must vacate and return the current stall to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement. The terms and conditions of renting market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis have been uploaded to the FEHD website, detailing qualifications of the applicants.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (November 20) that the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP) will subsidise a total of 2 131 places in 32 sub-degree programmes of six post-secondary institutions for the cohort to be admitted in the 2026/27 academic year.
These 32 designated sub-degree programmes fall under seven disciplines that have been identified as having keen manpower demand, namely architecture and engineering, computer science, creative industries, health care, sports and recreation, testing and certification, and tourism and hospitality. The programmes and number of subsidised places (see Annex) are determined by the EDB in consultation with relevant policy bureaux and departments.
The annual subsidy amounts for the 2026/27 academic year will be at $40,730 for laboratory-based programmes and $23,390 for non-laboratory-based programmes. The subsidy amounts are applicable to both new and continuing eligible students. The subsidy is tenable for the normal duration of the programmes concerned. Subsidised students will pay a tuition fee with the subsidy applied. Students in need may still apply for student financial assistance from the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency in respect of the actual amount of tuition fee payable.
The SSSDP aims to subsidise students to pursue designated full-time locally accredited self-financing undergraduate and sub-degree programmes in selected disciplines with a view to nurturing talent for industries with keen human resource demand. The designated undergraduate programmes in the 2026/27 academic year, including the number of subsidised places and the subsidy amounts concerned, were announced on September 9.
Students may apply directly to the relevant institutions for admission to the designated sub-degree programmes under the SSSDP. Details of the SSSDP are available on the EDB website (www.cspe.edu.hk/sssdp).
The Education Bureau today announced that it will subsidise 2,131 places on 32 sub-degree programmes at six post-secondary institutions in the cohort to be admitted in the 2026-27 academic year under the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors.
The 32 designated sub-degree programmes fall under seven disciplines identified as having keen demand for manpower. These are architecture and engineering; computer science; creative industries; healthcare; sports and recreation; testing and certification; and tourism and hospitality.
In the 2026-27 academic year, the annual subsidy amount for laboratory-based programmes will be $40,730, while that for non-laboratory-based programmes will be $23,390.
The adjusted subsidy amounts are applicable to eligible new and continuing students.
For admission to the designated programmes, students can apply directly to the institutions.
The designated undergraduate programmes under the scheme for the 2026-27 academic year, including the number of subsidised places and the subsidy amounts, were announced on September 9.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, and Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung visited government offices in Wan Chai today to call on civil servants to vote in the Legislative Council Election on December 7.
Mr Chan said that the election comes at critical juncture where the Government is fully committed to boosting the economy and driving development, and that it therefore important for the community to stay united and harness a stronger and broader force to propel Hong Kong forward.
He remarked that constructive interaction between the executive and the legislature will enable the city to achieve faster and better development, and that every vote cast is vital to building a better Hong Kong.
The Financial Secretary called on all residents, including civil servants, to actively participate in the upcoming election and to elect capable, aspiring and visionary candidates to work hand in hand with the Government to promote the city’s development.
For his part, Mr Lam said that every vote is crucial for determining the future direction of the city’s governance, its economic development, and the well-being of its people. He urged civil servants to also remind their family members and friends to vote in order to create a better Hong Kong.
Following a visit by Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki to departmental staff last week, departmental secretaries have visited various government departments to appeal to civil servants to vote in the election.
Mrs Yeung stated that the message for civil servants to vote has been clearly conveyed throughout a month of promotion and departmental visits.
She added that the feedback she has received from colleagues indicates that they fully recognise the importance of voting for the future and development of Hong Kong.
The CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office and the State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office have invited two members of the central authorities’ publicity delegation to speak at a seminar in Hong Kong about the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
The publicity delegation members are President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hou Jianguo, and Deputy Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial & Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the CPC Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs Zhu Weidong.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will host the seminar at the Central Government Offices on the morning of November 25 in order to promote the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session to people from various sectors of the community.
It said the “Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic & Social Development, adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session, provide a top-level strategic blueprint for the country’s development over the next five years and are of great significance to Hong Kong. It added that all citizens of Hong Kong should earnestly study and implement the session’s spirit.
The seminar will run from 9.30am to noon on November 25. Media will be invited to cover the event. In addition to a live broadcast on Radio Television Hong Kong TV 32, it will be streamed simultaneously on the RTHK website, the Information Services Department’s website, the news.gov.hk Facebook page, and the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau’s Facebook page.
The full version of the seminar will also be uploaded to the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau website.
The Hong Kong SAR Government said the seminar offers an invaluable opportunity for delegation members to speak in Hong Kong about the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session. It added that the public should grasp the opportunity to watch the seminar, study how to implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session, and grasp how the Recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan will lay a more solid foundation for the country’s realisation of socialist modernisation.
President Lai attends opening of Google’s AI Infrastructure Engineering Center in Taiwan
On the morning of November 20, President Lai Ching-te attended a launch ceremony for Google’s AI Infrastructure Engineering Center in Taiwan. In remarks, President Lai affirmed that the center’s launch carries great significance for deepening cooperation between Taiwan and the United States, cultivating AI talent, and bolstering supply chain resilience. The president stated that facing the global AI wave, the government will continue to leverage Taiwan’s advantages by promoting the 10 new AI infrastructure initiatives. Taiwan’s goal, he said, is to create an output value over NT$15 trillion, 500,000 AI jobs, and establish three international-level AI laboratories by 2040, striving to make Taiwan an AI island.
A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I am delighted to join you all today to witness the official opening of Google’s AI infrastructure R&D center. On behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, I would like to express my sincere congratulations and gratitude to Google.
In recent years, Google opened two hardware R&D offices in Banqiao. And with its new AI infrastructure R&D center, the company is steadily building its confidence and commitment to long-term investment in Taiwan. This also allows the world to see that Taiwan is not only a vital part of the global technological supply chain, but also a key hub for building secure and trustworthy AI.
Taiwan has been able to become a crucial partner for Google because of two key factors:
First, Taiwan has an open democratic system. In indicators such as global bribery risk, investment environment risk, and corruption perceptions, Taiwan ranks among the top performers in Asia, making us a trustworthy partner for international enterprises.
Second, Taiwan holds a crucial strategic position in the Indo-Pacific. We also have a world-class semiconductor industry cluster, high-level R&D talent, and a sound system for intellectual property rights.
These factors make Taiwan an optimal base for developing integrated AI software and hardware.
Facing the global AI wave, our government will continue to leverage Taiwan’s advantages by promoting the 10 new AI infrastructure initiatives. This will help Taiwan build a full AI ecosystem across digital foundations, critical technologies, and smart applications.
Our goal is to create an output value over NT$15 trillion, 500,000 AI jobs, and establish three international-level AI laboratories by 2040, transforming Taiwan into a key node for global AI innovation.
We aim to make Taiwan one of the world’s top five computing centers, help all sectors adopt AI tools, and promote the application of AI across a range of fields, striving to make Taiwan an AI island.
Considering this national strategy, the opening of Google’s AI infrastructure R&D center today is highly significant. Going forward, this center will help cultivate Taiwan’s core AI talent, enabling Taiwanese engineers and researchers to innovate alongside the world, developing next-generation AI solutions together.
The center will also help cooperation between Google and Taiwanese industry grow even closer, enhancing the technical capabilities of Taiwan’s industries and cementing Taiwan’s leading position in the global AI supply chain.
I am confident that this center will help foster Taiwan-US industrial exchanges and bolster Taiwan’s economy. It will also give US industry a trustworthy R&D and supply base in Asia as AI competition ramps up globally, bolstering the security and resilience of critical technologies and supply chains.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Google for its efforts over the past few years helping Taiwan enhance network security and prevent cybersecurity threats, and working with our government to combat fraud and disinformation.
Moving ahead, Taiwan will continue to work with Google and like-minded partners around the world, striving to ensure that AI technology benefits all, while factoring in cybersecurity, privacy, and social trust.
Our government will also continue to build a stable, friendly, and innovative environment, promoting more diverse cross-domain collaboration, allowing enterprises to invest with confidence and global talent to apply their skills with peace of mind.
We want Taiwan to be more than a participant, but a leader in innovation and a key base for global AI development. Let’s work together to ensure that the world, by choosing Taiwan, embraces a new era of AI that is more trustworthy and more resilient.
To close, I wish Google’s AI infrastructure R&D center a successful launch, and everyone here good health and success in their endeavors. Thank you.
Following his remarks, President Lai took part in the launch ceremony with other distinguished guests in attendance for the event, including American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.
The Education Bureau said today that the performance of Primary 3, Primary 6 and Secondary 3 students participating in the three major subjects under the 2025 Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) – namely Chinese Language, English Language, and Mathematics – remained generally steady.
The bureau said it had received the latest TSA report from the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority (HKEAA) and that the results are similar to those of previous assessments.
The bureau said it was pleased to note that schools generally agree that the TSA report provides useful insights into the ability and performance of students and helps schools to devise suitable curriculum plans teaching strategies.
At a later date, the HKEAA will directly provide primary and secondary schools with school-level data from the TSA.
With a view to supporting schools in making effective use of assessment data and information to enhance learning and teaching, the bureau will hold thematic seminars on “Promoting Assessment for Learning” in December with reference to the 2025 TSA report.