Month: March 2026

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government announced that Leonie Lee will assume the post of District Officer (Sha Tin) tomorrow, succeeding Frederick Yu.

Ms Lee joined the Administrative Service in 2006. She has served in various bureaus and departments, including the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the then Home Affairs Bureau, the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Education Bureau, the Development Bureau, the then Food & Health Bureau and the Health Bureau.

Before taking up the new post, Ms Lee was Commissioner for Harbourfront at the Development Bureau.

Source: Government of Singapore

25 March 2026  – The National Environment Agency (NEA) continued its stepped-up enforcement approach to uphold high standards of public cleanliness in 2025.

Over 13,600 enforcement actions taken for littering offences in 2025 

2.        In 2025, NEA took approximately 13,600 enforcement actions for littering offences islandwide, of which 13,200 were for ground littering. At cleanliness hotspots – identified through localised litter counts, public feedback and sustained ground observations – enforcement efforts were enhanced through visible patrols, standees, surveillance cameras, and ground engagements.

3.         About 300 enforcement blitzes were conducted at hotspots, more than double the blitzes in 2024.  Additionally, NEA issued over 700 Corrective Work Orders (CWO) in 2025, with 60 CWO sessions conducted at cleanliness hotspots to enhance deterrence. These targeted measures proved effective, resulting in a 40 per cent reduction in litter count at hotspots observed over a six-month period. 

About 350 enforcement actions taken for high-rise littering in 2025

4.           High-rise littering feedback has remained stable over the past three years, averaging 28,600 feedback cases annually. In 2025, NEA conducted approximately 2,200 camera deployments and took about 350 [1] enforcement actions for high-rise littering offences.

5.           One notable enforcement outcome involved a case at Ang Mo Kio Ave 6. Following persistent feedback of high-rise littering, surveillance cameras were deployed and successfully captured multiple acts of littering from a unit within a two-week period. The offender was convicted in court and fined a total of $2,800. 

6.            Under the Environmental Public Health Act, any individual who litters is liable on conviction to a court fine of up to $2,000 for a first conviction, $4,000 for a second conviction, and $10,000 for the third and subsequent convictions. The court may also impose a Corrective Work Order, requiring offenders to clean public areas for up to 12 hours. 

Strengthening detection through extended surveillance and partnerships

7.           NEA continues to explore new ways to enhance surveillance and enforcement capabilities. Since August 2025, NEA has extended camera surveillance duration for high-rise littering from 14 days to up to 28 days, to improve the effectiveness of the intervention.  

8.            In October 2025, NEA also introduced a six-month pilot programme with town councils (TCs), providing each TC with two high-rise littering surveillance camera deployments per month, to enable TCs to respond to the ground situation. TCs can deploy cameras at high-rise littering hotspots identified by their ground staff. All TCs have joined the pilot, with 39 cameras deployed since October 2025 with a 30 per cent catch-rate.

About 1,300 enforcement actions for rat-related lapses in 2025

9.            NEA’s two-monthly surveillance cycle showed a decrease in the average number of rat burrows per cycle from about 5,400 in the first half of 2025 to about 4,200 in the second half of the year. Majority of burrows were detected in public housing estates, followed by grass verges along roadsides and in industrial estates. 

10.           Since 1 April 2025, NEA has tightened enforcement against premises managers and owners for rat-related lapses including poor refuse management and housekeeping practices, defects in refuse handling facilities (e.g. bins, bin centres), and presence of rat harbourage. About 1,300 enforcement actions were jointly taken by NEA and the Singapore Food Agency against premises owners for rat-related lapses, of which about 620 were for poor refuse management.  

11.          Targeted operations were conducted in areas such as Little India, which saw stepped up rat control efforts since September 2025. These efforts included engaging stakeholders on good housekeeping and proper refuse management, conducting regular night inspections, and stepped-up enforcement. Between September 2025 and January 2026, a total of 114 enforcement actions were taken against premises owners and operators for rat-related lapses, of which 70 were for poor refuse management [2] . With the collective efforts of stakeholders in the area, NEA’s latest thermal and passive infrared camera deployments showed up to 70 per cent reduction in rat activities at various locations within Little India. 

12.          Sustained efforts from all stakeholders remain crucial, as rat populations can quickly rebound if good housekeeping practices are not maintained consistently. NEA will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach encompassing enforcement, innovative solutions, and stakeholder engagements, to uphold high standards of public cleanliness. Everyone plays a part to keep Singapore clean. All residents are encouraged to take active ownership of cleanliness in their environment and report public health offences via the OneService app. 

[1] Data is provisional as of 6 March 2026

[2] Data is provisional as of 6 March 2026

~~ End ~~

For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) and Friends of the Country Parks will hold the Country Parks Hiking & Planting Day 2026 on two separate Sundays, April 19 and April 26.

The event, at Tai Lam Chung Country Trail, Tai Lam Country Park, is open to the public. Participants can register on-site at the designated point from 9am to 10.30am on each of the event days. No pre-registration is required.

Seedlings and planting tools will be provided by the AFCD. Seedlings will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The department reminded the public to assess their physical strength and hiking experience before taking part.

Participants are also encouraged to hike with friends or family members and help conserve the countryside by practising proper hiking etiquette. This includes bringing reusable water bottles and towels, as well as following the “Take Your Litter Home” principle.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Bamboo artist Inkgo Lam, who apprenticed under Hong Kong bamboo steamer master Lui Ming, is known for blending traditional bamboo craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics.

Ms Lam is one of the 19 artists taking part in the Hong Kong Museum of Art’s newly launched “Live: Hong Kong Art Exhibition”.

She is presenting two bamboo carvings, Arrow (1) and Arrow (2). Using an arrow and a target as a metaphor for how people pursue goals, the works convey two contrasting states – balance and explosion.

Meanwhile, kinetic installation artist Joseph Chan brings audiences a distinctive carousel making its public debut. Titled Pride of Labour, the fully mechanical work is assembled from machine parts. But there is something different about the three horses – upon closer inspection they are seen to walk on human legs.

Mr Chan encourages visitors to look closely at their gait, thereby sparking curiosity and a spirit of exploration.

Staged to mark Art March, the “Live: Hong Kong Art Exhibition” brings together 19 established and emerging local artists. Spanning a range of media, including installation, ceramics, painting and more – it offers audiences a visual feast.

Vibrant convergence
Hong Kong Museum of Art Curator (Modern & Hong Kong Art) Prudence Ma said Art March is the artists’ moment in the spotlight, allowing them to showcase their works and engage directly with international curators, critics and collectors from around the globe.

She noted that during Art March, Hong Kong will host numerous arts and cultural events, including international commercial art fairs as well as the Hong Kong Museum of Art’s “Live: Hong Kong Art Exhibition”.

“This dynamic interplay of international art and Hong Kong art has fully demonstrated the value of Hong Kong.”

Fellow artists were also full of praise for how Art March has benefited them in practical ways.

Ms Lam revealed that artists that participate in the exhibition receive an artist’s fee, and that she had actually sold works to private collectors at other art fairs in the past. She believes that it is a win-win for artists when commercial fairs and museum exhibitions run in parallel.

Mr Chan also agreed that Art March serves as a valuable opportunity for artists to reach curators and potential buyers more easily, adding that he welcomes the opportunity for more people to come view his kinetic installation works.

Creative community
The artistic vibe is also alive at Oi! in North Point, the former clubhouse of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.

Every Art March, Oi! presents its “Oi! Spotlight” series. Oi! Curator Joan Chung said the venue’s two new exhibitions this year both take water as their point of entry, echoing the historic building’s locationby the waterfront.

One of them, local artist Chan Wai-lap’s “Jeremy’s Bathhouse”, is set in Oi!’s glass house.

The artist explained that the work draws inspiration from a rare species of snail whose shell coils to the left – a one in 40,000 phenomenon – discovered in the UK. The snail called Jeremy is seeking a similar lefty companion or friends.

Mr Chan combined the story with the site’s features to create a colourful bathhouse. Visitors must change into slippers at the entrance before entering the pool area. Each locker compartment holds only one slipper, requiring visitors to match the left and right themselves – a detail that makes the experience all the more special.

Beyond Oi!, he is also presenting his work at other fairs during Art March, including the aforementioned “Live: Hong Kong Art Exhibition.”

Mr Chan highlighted that there is more buzz around the art world in the wider community during Art March.

“People have suddenly become highly enthusiastic about art, which I see as positive, as artists get the chance to present their work and the public gets to admire more as well. Everyone really enjoys this month.”

Another exhibition, “Oi! Spotlight – Space · Ecology · Poetics: Zheng Jing’s Way of Art”, is Chinese Mainland artist Zheng Jing’s first solo show in Hong Kong.

Using water, sound and light, the works interact with the space itself.

Mr Zheng recalled the memories he formed of Hong Kong during his childhood through watching its films and television shows, so when he first visited the city two years ago, it felt already familiar to him.

In one piece, Mr Zheng gathered a range of Hong Kong’s urban sounds, from the trams’ signature “ding-ding” to the tune of the local ice-cream truck, and presented them as a soundscape in the space, alongside imagery of Victoria Harbour. Visitors are able to manipulate light from a mirrored installation, tracing through the waves so they feel as if they are beneath the waters of the harbour.

The artist added that his understanding of Art March has deepened while preparing for the exhibition.

“Art exhibitions held across Hong Kong throughout March are perhaps more than a festival. They are artists and creators exchanging and presenting work together, revealing a distinctive side of the city.”

Curator Ms Chung supplemented that Art March has become a cultural brand for Hong Kong, promoting collaboration among artists and curators and raising the sector’s professional standards.

She pointed out that by building an international platform and gathering artists from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas, Art March plays a crucial role in reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The fourth edition of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong (WGHK) Summit concluded today (March 24) under the theme “Building Lasting Legacies”, bringing together over 400 influential top family office decision-makers, next-generation successors, industry leaders and pioneers from around the world to explore new perspectives for multi-generational succession and sustained wealth growth for global family offices.
      
     Co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the WGHK Summit drew family office decision-makers from Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania, and Africa to Hong Kong for in-depth discussions on topics ranging from cross-generational wealth management and cultural legacy to technological innovation and philanthropy.
      
     Delivering opening remarks at the gala dinner, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “Facing risks and uncertainty, investors diversify by necessity. Families seeking to preserve their legacy look for a safe haven—not merely a place to park capital, but a place with institutional strengths, legal clarity and credible commitments.

     “Hong Kong is not only a safe harbour. It is also a city of business opportunities, and a platform for growth, for connection and for the purposeful deployment of capital. For families from around the world, Hong Kong is, no doubt, the best gateway to tap the enormous opportunities on the Mainland. International capital and investors are optimistic about Hong Kong. Our stock market performed strongly last year. And our asset and wealth management is also thriving. We are also opening up new frontiers, including gold and commodity trading, as well as fixed income and currency markets, which will further enrich our financial ecosystem.”
      
     The Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, delivered welcome remarks at the Summit and said, “Hong Kong is a perfect base to support the prudent diversification of the investments by family offices. The world is getting more uncertain. Many conflicts are escalating and proceeding in a manner that is increasingly worrying and concerning. Against this global backdrop, Hong Kong offers something that is quite rare and precious. Under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong provides an economic and business environment with policy predictability and institutional trust. Our common law legal system, independent judiciary, open economy, free flow of capital, freely convertible currency, and simple tax regime all work together to provide a welcoming and dependable home for wealth that lasts through generations.”
      
     Speaking at the Summit, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “As we gather under the visionary banner of ‘Building Lasting Legacies’, I want to frame our discussions through a lens that truly defines Hong Kong: Safe, Stable and Sophisticated. It is the bedrock upon which global family offices are choosing to build, preserve and multiply generational wealth. Each session of today’s Summit has reinforced one fundamental truth: Hong Kong offers the safe harbour, the policy stability and the sophisticated ecosystem that ambitious families need to turn vision into lasting impact. Our Government remains fully committed to strengthening this foundation to drive Hong Kong as a nexus of legacies and innovation.”
      
     Mr Hui highlighted that wealth succession is not only about growing fortune, but also about carrying forward core values across generations. He said that the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy is turning vision into action through its flagship philanthropic initiative, Impact Link (iLink). Since its launch, iLink has organised 17 workshops and seminars, equipping and inspiring over 700 family participants with the knowledge and confidence to begin their philanthropic journeys. Last June, the launch of the iLink Online Portal connected 55 family partners and strategic partners who together nominated 12 non-governmental organisations and charitable projects, offering families international connectivity and information collection for structured, informed decision making in charitable giving. Mr Hui described it as “Wealth for Good in its purest and most inspiring form”.
      
     The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “Hong Kong stands as a leading global hub for wealth management, innovation, culture, and philanthropy. The WGHK Summit’s gathering of family leaders from across the globe fully embodies Hong Kong’s role as a super-connector. InvestHK will continue to serve as a bridge, providing comprehensive strategic support and on-the-ground facilitation for global families, transforming the collaborative opportunities sparked at the Summit into tangible outcomes of ‘Building Lasting Legacies’ in Hong Kong.”
      
     This year’s WGHK Summit featured one fireside chat and three panel discussions. The opening fireside chat on “Beyond the Scoreboard: Sports, Philanthropy, and Building Lasting Legacies” explored how sports and philanthropy can complement each other to create positive impacts. The three panel discussions, themed “Family Office Playbook: Governance, Capital, and Values Across Generations”, “Lasting Culture: Owning Demand, Building Communities, Creating Legends”, and “Lasting Change: AI, Robotics, and Building the Future Together”, invited helmsmen of internationally renowned family businesses, brand leaders, and tech pioneers to delve into cross-generational wealth planning and family governance, brand building, and how cutting-edge technologies are co-building the future.  
      
     A number of distinguished guest speakers shared their insights at the Summit.
      
     Co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Insilico Medicine, Dr Ren Feng, said, “Hong Kong plays a pivotal role at the intersection of two strategic pillars – frontier technology and life sciences. Built on a strong research base, an efficient capital market, and a forward-looking commitment to AI and technologies, Hong Kong not only provides fertile ground for companies like Insilico Medicine to translate breakthrough technologies into real-world impact but also serves as a distinctive global hub for capital and family offices – bridging long-term value investors with cutting-edge biopharmaceutical innovation. At WGHK2026, we showcased how AI is reshaping the traditional drug discovery and development paradigm and explored how family office investors can play a catalytic role in this technological transformation – together shaping the future of global health.”
      
     “Hong Kong’s decision to position itself as a cultural hub where East truly meets West makes it the natural springboard for family-run heritage brands,” says Representative of Major Shareholder of Leica Camera AG, Mr Maximilian Kaufmann. “World-class infrastructure and seamless connectivity link people, ideas and businesses here, giving companies like ours the ideal platform to share our story across Asia. Having grown up inside Leica and learning from a father who always shouldered responsibility, I see Hong Kong as the place where tradition and entrepreneurship can thrive side by side.”
      
     Founder of Yao Foundation, former Chairman of Chinese Basketball Association and NBA All-Star, Mr Yao Ming, said, “Hong Kong is where East and West meet, Chinese and other cultures converge. Those who are more inclusive, more open, and more diverse will have more opportunities, and are more likely to spark the greatest inspiration and innovation. That is Hong Kong’s most distinctive and valuable advantage. I’m happy to continue serving as a bridge between East and West – bringing different visions and people together, and supporting one another to succeed, so that everyone benefits.”
      
     The Summit kicked off with a spectacular and powerful joint performance by the Diocesan Boys’ School Chinese Drum Team and robotic drummers that quickly caught the eyes of the floor. Seeing youngsters collaborating with smart technology on stage perfectly echoed the Summit’s theme of “Building Lasting Legacies”. This harmonious fusion of traditional artistry and frontier innovation symbolised how the next generation is embracing their mission to forge the future with innovative thinking.
      
     It was a successful conclusion for the Summit with a gala dinner where worldwide family office decision-makers and industry leaders continued their exchanges against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour, delving into cross-generational succession, asset allocation, and collaborative opportunities. The two-day programme covered three major areas – wealth management, cultural branding, and smart technology – facilitating numerous cross-sector dialogues and exploration of potential collaborations, further consolidating Hong Kong’s leading position as a global family-office hub.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Acting Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-C) today ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike off three companies relating to Apple Daily from the Companies Register and these companies have been dissolved.

The CE-in-C invoked the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Companies (Winding Up & Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance to strike off the three companies – Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited.

The registrar has thereupon struck the three companies off the Companies Register and published a notice in the gazette. The companies have been dissolved.

In the case, Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily were prosecuted with a total of three charges of offences endangering national security.

The court convicted Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily of all charges and handed down sentences on February 9. Amongst others, the three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of $3,004,500.

The court pointed out that without the facilitation from the three companies relating to Apple Daily, two of the charges in this case could not have occurred, and that there were no valid mitigating factors in respect of the three companies.

HKNSL Article 31 stipulates that the operation of an incorporated or unincorporated body such as a company or an organisation shall be suspended or its licence or business permit shall be revoked if the body has been punished for committing an offence under that law.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said it is necessary to revoke the registration of the three companies relating to Apple Daily, and prohibit the operation or continued operation of the three companies in the Hong Kong SAR, in order to effectively safeguard national security.

The Secretary for Security issued written notices to the three companies relating to Apple Daily respectively on February 11, affording them an opportunity to make representations regarding the intention of the Secretary for Security to make recommendation to the CE-in-C. Replies were received from the directors of the three companies on February 25, confirming that there were no representations from those companies.

Taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case, including the conviction and severity of the offences committed by the three companies relating to Apple Daily and the recommendation by the Secretary for Security, the Acting CE-in-C today ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register.

The three companies have been dissolved and become prohibited organisations. Any person who engages in the acts specified in the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance commits an offence, including acting as an office-bearer or a member of a prohibited organisation; and giving aid of any kind to a prohibited organisation, and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 14 years.

The Government appeals to members of the public not to participate in any activities of prohibited organisations or have any connection with them.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The fourth edition of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit concluded today, bringing together over 400 influential top family office decision-makers, next-generation successors, industry leaders and pioneers from around the world to explore new perspectives for multi-generational succession and sustained wealth growth for global family offices.

Co-organised by the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong, under the theme “Building Lasting Legacies”, the summit drew family office decision-makers from Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania and Africa to Hong Kong for in-depth discussions on topics ranging from cross-generational wealth management and cultural legacy to technological innovation and philanthropy.

Delivering remarks at the gala dinner, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said that facing risks and uncertainty, investors diversify by necessity. Families seeking to preserve their legacy look for a safe haven – not merely a place to park capital, but a place with institutional strengths, legal clarity and credible commitments.

“Hong Kong is not only a safe harbour. It is also a city of business opportunities, and a platform for growth, for connection and for the purposeful deployment of capital. For families from around the world, Hong Kong is, no doubt, the best gateway to tap the enormous opportunities on the Mainland.”

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong delivered welcome remarks at the summit, noting that the world is getting more uncertain. He said many conflicts are escalating and proceeding in a manner that is increasingly worrying and concerning. Against this global backdrop, Hong Kong offers something that is quite rare and precious.

“Under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong provides an economic and business environment with policy predictability and institutional trust. Our common law legal system, independent judiciary, open economy, free flow of capital, freely convertible currency and simple tax regime all work together to provide a welcoming and dependable home for wealth that lasts through generations.”

Also speaking at the summit, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said: “As we gather under the visionary banner of ‘Building Lasting Legacies’, I want to frame our discussions through a lens that truly defines Hong Kong: Safe, Stable and Sophisticated. It is the bedrock upon which global family offices are choosing to build, preserve and multiply generational wealth.

“Our Government remains fully committed to strengthening this foundation to drive Hong Kong as a nexus of legacies and innovation.”

This year’s summit featured one fireside chat and three panel discussions. The fireside chat explored how sports and philanthropy can complement each other to create positive impacts.

The three panel discussions invited helmsmen of internationally renowned family businesses, brand leaders and tech pioneers to delve into cross-generational wealth planning and family governance, brand building and how cutting-edge technologies are co-building the future.

The summit concluded with a gala dinner where worldwide family office decision-makers and industry leaders continued their exchanges, delving into cross-generational succession, asset allocation and collaborative opportunities.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, at the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit 2026 today (March 24):

Secretary for Financial Services and Treasury, the Honourable Mr Chris Hui, Permanent Secretary Ms Salina Yan (Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services)), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. Let me start by extending to all of you a warm welcome. Hong Kong launched this Summit three years ago, and I am glad to say it was an instant success.

A key goal of the Summit is to showcase what Hong Kong has to offer as a premier hub for family offices. When we started back in 2023, Hong Kong had about 2 700 single family offices. Now, the number is close to 3 400. The increase shows that more and more family offices around the world are recognising the huge benefits, and excellent services, that Hong Kong has to offer.

The theme of this year’s Summit is “Building Lasting Legacies”. We believe that family office is not just about investment performance. It is also about ensuring that precious family values can be passed on from generation to generation. It is about a lasting legacy.

This afternoon, I would like to share with you, quickly, three observations about how Hong Kong can contribute.

My first observation is that Hong Kong is a perfect base to support the prudent diversification of the investments by family offices. The world is getting more uncertain. Many conflicts are escalating and proceeding in a manner that is increasingly worrying and concerning.

Against this global backdrop, Hong Kong offers something that is quite rare and precious. Under “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong provides an economic and business environment with policy predictability and institutional trust. Our common law legal system, independent judiciary, open economy, free flow of capital, freely convertible currency, and simple tax regime all work together to provide a welcoming and dependable home for wealth that lasts through generations – a home that is hard to find, or duplicate, in this complicated world.

And we have a very vibrant financial market. Yes, it does have its ups and downs like all markets do. But, in overall terms, there is great momentum and the direction of development is very promising. The total market capitalisation of our stock market rose to over US$6 trillion last year. And Hong Kong reclaimed the number one position as the world’s leading IPO venue, raising about US$36 billion from 119 new listings. The year 2026 would most likely be another very productive year, as over 400 companies are applying to list in Hong Kong.

My second observation this afternoon relates to Hong Kong’s family-office-friendly ecosystem. As I mentioned, Hong Kong is now home to close to 3 400 single family offices.

Assets under management in Hong Kong rose to over US$4.5 trillion in 2024, which was 11 times our GDP. And we saw inflows of about US$46 billion to Hong Kong-domiciled funds. In terms of the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, Hong Kong ranks second in the world.

Building on this strong momentum, we will introduce more policies and measures to give family offices even stronger support. One example is the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, under which qualified investors will be allowed to reside in Hong Kong under appropriate terms. This scheme started operation in March 2024, and has since attracted nearly 3 200 applications. It means an anticipated investment of over US$12 billion in Hong Kong.

And we will also expand the preferential tax regimes for funds, family-owned investment holding vehicles of single family offices and carried interest. Family offices in Hong Kong will soon enjoy more flexibility as their investment portfolio evolves. At a time when family offices increasingly turn their attention to investment tools such as private credit, precious metals and commodities, carbon credits, insurance-linked securities, and digital assets, our preferential tax regimes will also evolve in a timely manner to suit their changing needs. This will be done through a piece of new legislation, which should be ready within the first half of this year.

My third, and last, observation this afternoon relates to legacy. Building a lasting legacy demands more than sound investment decisions. It depends also on robust succession architecture, cultural depth, and convictions about our future.

That is why Hong Kong is strengthening our institutional architecture to support philanthropy and the passing on of wealth from one generation to the next. We have introduced tax incentives specifically designed to encourage philanthropic giving. We do not have any estate duty, any capital gains tax, or any tax on dividends. Sounds like music to the ears of family office managers. I know. But here I am telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Also, we understand that arts and cultural assets are an increasingly important component of family wealth. Hong Kong is therefore also working very hard to strengthen our arts and culture infrastructure. We opened the M+ Museum near the end of 2021. In a space of just a few years, this wonderful museum has gained a strong reputation as Asia’s first global museum of visual culture. Right next to M+ is the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which opened in 2022, to house national treasures from Beijing’s Forbidden City. These two museums, together with the marvellous West Kowloon Cultural District, have become the must-see places for many of our visitors from all over the world.

Right this month, Hong Kong is hosting more than 100 arts and cultural events, including Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central, both of which will open this week. Do go and take a look. You will find yourselves in the good company of many international art lovers and traders, and may even find some great art pieces to add to your enormous family collection.

We will also enhance key components of the art lifecycle in Hong Kong. A museum-grade facility dedicated to the storage of art and high-value assets will be built within SKYTOPIA, which is Hong Kong’s airport city. This facility is scheduled to open early next year. SKYTOPIA will integrate art storage and trade, yacht and water sports, culture and leisure, and much, much more.

Ladies and gentlemen, before I close I would like to leave you with the idea that you are not just observers of Hong Kong’s efforts to be a premier hub for family offices. You are our partners, our fellow co-builders. Together, we will build not just wealth, but legacies that can withstand the test of time for generations and generations to come.

I wish everyone a most successful and productive Summit, and an enjoyable and memorable stay in Hong Kong. Thank you all very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Acting Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-C) today (March 24), pursuant to Article 31 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and section 360C(1) of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) (the Ordinance), ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and AD Internet Limited (referred to as the three companies relating to Apple Daily thereafter) off the Companies Register. The Registrar of Companies has thereupon struck the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register and published notice thereof in the Gazette, and the three companies relating to Apple Daily are dissolved. Details are set out in the Gazette Extraordinary Notice No. 17 of 2026 (see Annex).

Lai Chee-ying case

In the Lai Chee-ying case, Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily were prosecuted with a total of three charges of offences endangering national security, including “conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security” (contrary to Article 29 of the HKNSL and sections 159A and 159C of the Crimes Ordinance), and “conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications” (contrary to sections 10, 159A and 159C of the Crimes Ordinance). The court convicted Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily of all charges on December 15, 2025, and handed down sentences on February 9 this year. Amongst others, the three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of HK$3,004,500.

The court held in its reasons for sentence that the offence of “conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications” in this case fell within the most serious category for its type, and the two offences of “conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security” fell within the category of offences of “a grave nature”. The court further pointed out that, without the facilitation from the three companies relating to Apple Daily, two of the charges in this case could not have occurred, and that there were no valid mitigating factors in respect of the three companies.

Striking the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register

Article 31 of the HKNSL stipulates that the operation of an incorporated or unincorporated body such as a company or an organisation shall be suspended or its licence or business permit shall be revoked if the body has been punished for committing an offence under that law. Given that the three companies relating to Apple Daily have been convicted and punished by the court in accordance with the law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has a responsibility to enforce the relevant provisions in Article 31 of the HKNSL regarding the three companies relating to Apple Daily.

Taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case, it is necessary for the HKSAR Government to revoke the registration of the three companies relating to Apple Daily, and prohibit the operation or continued operation of the three companies in the HKSAR, in order to effectively safeguard national security. In this light, the Secretary for Security issued written notices to the three companies relating to Apple Daily respectively on February 11, affording them an opportunity to make representations regarding the intention of the Secretary for Security to make recommendation to the CE-in-C under section 360C(1) of the Ordinance. Replies were received from the directors of the three companies on February 25, confirming that there were no representations from those companies. Taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case, including the conviction and severity of the offences committed by the three companies relating to Apple Daily and the recommendation by the Secretary for Security, the Acting CE-in-C today ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register.

A spokesman for the HKSAR Government stressed, “Safeguarding national security is a matter of fundamental importance. The court pointed out in its reasons for verdict that, being the majority shareholders of Next Digital Limited, the holding company of the three companies relating to Apple Daily, Lai Chee-ying was actually in control of the three companies. He closely managed and exercised hands-on control on the editorial direction of Apple Daily. Whether pre- or post-HKNSL, Lai Chee-ying utilised Apple Daily’s platform to publish seditious articles, and requested foreign countries to impose sanctions or blockades, or engage in other hostile activities against the People’s Republic of China and the HKSAR. The senior management of Apple Daily were fully aware of Lai Chee-ying’s intention and provided support by executing his editorial directions. The court also ruled that the conspiracies in the first charge of ‘conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications’ and the second charge of ‘conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security’ were facilitated by the three companies relating to Apple Daily, and that they were knowing and willing parties to the conspiracies. Therefore, to safeguard national security, it is necessary to exercise the power under section 360C of the Ordinance to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register, in order to achieve a reasonable balance between safeguarding national security and protecting human rights and freedoms.”

The three companies relating to Apple Daily have become “prohibited organizations”

“The Registrar of Companies has struck the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register, and on publication of notice in the Gazette, the companies shall be dissolved and become ‘prohibited organizations’. Any person who engages in the acts specified in sections 62 to 65 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance commits an offence, including acting as an office-bearer or a member of a prohibited organization; and giving aid of any kind to a prohibited organization, and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$1,000,000 and imprisonment for 14 years,” said the spokesman.

“The HKSAR Government will continue to resolutely safeguard national security to prevent, suppress, and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security, ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced, so as to bring offenders to account. The HKSAR Government appeals to members of the public not to participate in any activities of prohibited organizations, or have any connection with them by dissociating themselves from prohibited organizations.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region