Month: May 2026

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki and Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Janice Tse will depart for Beijing this afternoon on a duty visit. During their visit, they will call on the State Council’s Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office.

They are scheduled to return to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon.

During Mr Chan’s absence, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing will act as Chief Secretary. Under Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Clement Woo serve as Acting Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs during Miss Tse’s absence.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On the evening of May 27, President Lai Ching-te attended an event celebrating the 250th anniversary of United States independence. President Lai noted that this year marks both the 250th anniversary of US independence and the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election, and that the people of both nations have pursued freedom and democracy with extraordinary courage, each laying the foundation for national development. Although Taiwan and the US are separated by a vast distance, he said, they are brought closer together by the shared values of freedom and democracy. He expressed hope that Taiwan and the US will continue to deepen bilateral cooperation on the foundation of the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. He also pointed out that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. He then expressed hope for deepening economic and trade cooperation to jointly promote prosperity around the world.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I am very pleased to be invited to attend this reception celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence, hosted by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincere wishes in advance  for a happy Independence Day to the American people, and wish President Donald Trump good health and the United States  peace and prosperity.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of American independence. Two hundred and fifty years ago, the great American people wrote a chapter in the history of the pursuit of freedom with extraordinary courage that has taken root and flourished across the globe, leaving a deep imprint on the world. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election. Thirty years ago, the great people of Taiwan showed that same extraordinary courage. Undaunted by the threat of missiles from China, the people of Taiwan resolutely cast their sacred votes to build a democratic Taiwan and secure the nation’s future.
Although Taiwan and the US are separated by the vast Pacific Ocean, we are brought closer together by freedom, and democracy makes our friendship stronger. It is my sincere hope that the rock-solid relationship we have built over these decades on the foundation of the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances will continue to deepen, and that our cooperation will grow stronger still.
I would like to thank AIT Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene for highlighting the many fruits of Taiwan-US cooperation in his remarks just now. I also want to underscore two important priorities . The first is maintaining the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will not permit any attempt  to alter the cross-strait status quo by use of force or coercion, because peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is an indispensable element of global security and prosperity.
The second is the continued deepening of Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation, particularly in the AI era. Taiwan is the fourth largest trading partner of the US; the US was previously Taiwan’s third largest trading partner, but rose to become our single largest trading partner in the first quarter of this year. This clearly reflects the depth of the economic and trade relationship between our two countries. I also want to note that 25 US states and Guam maintain trade offices in Taiwan. Looking ahead, I hope that platforms including the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, the Joint Statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and Taiwan-US Economic Security Cooperation, and the Taiwan-US Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue will continue to deepen our bilateral relationship and economic and trade cooperation, jointly advancing Taiwan-US economic prosperity in ways that will extend outward to benefit people around the world.
Marking this special occasion, I have prepared three gifts to convey my sincere congratulations on the 250th anniversary of American independence. The first is an orchid from orchid growers in Tainan which has the pattern of the American flag on its petals. The second is a specially made batch of egg cakes, a staple  Taiwanese street food. The third is a copy of the autobiography of Morris Chang (張忠謀), which I have asked Director Greene to convey to President Trump on my behalf. I hope this gift will give our American friends a deeper understanding of the development of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and further strengthen our cooperation in semiconductors and AI going forward.
To close, I once again wish everyone a happy Independence Day in advance . And I wish all the guests present tonight good health, success in all your endeavors, and happiness at home.
Members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan were also in attendance at the event.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Civil Service Bureau today said it has received the tentative results of the 2026 Pay Trend Survey from the Pay Trend Survey Committee’s secretariat.

Based on the survey results, the net pay trend indicators for the upper, middle and lower salary bands for this year are 4.12%, 2.64% and 1.17% respectively.

The bureau stressed that the Chief Executive-in-Council will consider all relevant factors under the established mechanism in determining the annual civil service pay adjustment.

These factors include the state of Hong Kong’s economy, changes in the cost of living, the Government’s fiscal position, net pay trend indicators calculated from the survey, the pay claims of staff and civil service morale.

The tentative results show the rates of pay adjustment in the private sector in three salary bands for the period from April 2, 2025 to April 1, 2026. The committee will validate the survey findings next week.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Judiciary today announced its plan to establish the Hong Kong International Commercial Court (HKICC), a specialist division of the High Court, to adjudicate complex, high-value international and cross-boundary commercial disputes.

Its establishment is designed to strengthen Hong Kong’s standing as both an international financial centre and a leading international dispute resolution hub, in alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

The Judiciary said the HKICC’s establishment marks a significant development in Hong Kong’s judicial system under the “one country, two systems” principle and comes in response to increasing demand for a specialist judicial forum dedicated to addressing the legal and factual complexities arising from the significant growth in international and cross-border commercial activities in recent years.

It said the resolution of such disputes requires specialist judicial expertise, as well as tailored court procedures and practices to enhance flexibility and efficiency. The HKICC is designed to meet these needs, while maintaining the core values and safeguards of Hong Kong’s legal system, which is firmly rooted in the common law.

The HKICC will complement Hong Kong’s existing dispute resolution framework. Besides arbitration and mediation, the HKICC will provide parties engaged in international and cross-boundary commerce with a comprehensive range of dispute resolution options.

It promises transparency, authoritative judicial determinations, a structured appellate process, and the certainty of enforceable judgments, including their recognition and enforcement on the Mainland under relevant two-way arrangements.

Local judges with substantial experience in commercial law will sit on the HKICC. Eminent senior judges or practitioners from other common law jurisdictions may also be invited to sit on an ad hoc basis in accordance with the existing legal framework. Assessors and experts may be engaged, where appropriate, to assist the judges in specialised areas. It is anticipated these arrangements will enhance the HKICC’s expertise and international standing, and promote the development of its jurisprudence in line with international best practices, while remaining solidly based on Hong Kong law.

The High Court Ordinance and the Rules of the High Court provide the necessary legal framework for the establishment of the HKICC as a division of the High Court.

A dedicated Practice Direction will be issued for the HKICC to prescribe the categories of cases within its jurisdiction and to set out detailed court procedures. These will include measures to streamline the litigation process, provide a more flexible regime for the handling of appeals, and ensure the timely disposal of cases and appeals, with reference to the best practices of other international commercial courts.

A floor in the High Court Building will be designated for use by the HKICC. In line with international practice, and reflecting the international and cross-jurisdictional nature of cases, the HKICC will make extensive use of technology in handling cases, including remote hearings, electronic filing, electronic bundles, and voice-to-text transcription.

The Judiciary stressed that the establishment of the HKICC represents its firm commitment to judicial excellence and professionalism, and to strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a highly respected forum for dispute resolution, thereby reinforcing its enduring role within the global legal and commercial community.

The Judiciary aims to establish the HKICC within the coming year. Preparatory work is already under way, and stakeholders, in particular the legal profession, will be consulted in due course.

Welcoming the Judiciary’s announcement on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Chief Executive John Lee said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly points the way to strengthening the rule of law in foreign affairs; improving mechanisms for international commercial mediation, arbitration and litigation; supporting Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance its status as an international financial, shipping, aviation and trade centre; and deepening its development as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre.

Mr Lee stated: “The Hong Kong SAR is the only common law jurisdiction in the country. Hong Kong’s commercial and trade laws based on common law are internationally compatible, and well trusted by international businesses or investors. The establishment of the HKICC fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s unique advantages under ‘one country, two systems’ of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world.

“It will contribute new and greater strength to the country’s high-level opening up, while further promoting the development of international commercial rules.

“The establishment of the HKICC will strengthen Hong Kong’s core capabilities and advantages in international litigation, complementing Hong Kong’s existing international arbitration and mediation services to provide global enterprises or investors with diversified and comprehensive options for dispute resolution.

“This will further enhance the international competitiveness of Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services, propelling Hong Kong to a higher level of development in international dispute resolution services.”

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam remarked that the HKICC will focus on handling complex and high-value international commercial disputes. He highlighted the jurists presiding over the cases will include not only judges from Hong Kong, but also judges with high prestige and experience in other common law jurisdictions. 

Mr Lam said that he Hong Kong SAR Government has the utmost confidence that the HKICC will not only deliver authoritative and convincing rulings in the cases it hears, but also make significant contributions through its jurisprudence to the development of international commercial law.

He added that this will further consolidate the international reputation and status of Hong Kong’s common law system, enabling the city to better leverage its unique advantages in this regard under “one country, two systems”.

Source: Government of Singapore

 28 May 2026 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) will introduce measures from 1 July 2027 to further reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment (RAC), targeting large commercial refrigeration systems, transport refrigeration, and air-conditioning for passenger cars and light goods vehicles (LGVs). These measures will help Singapore reach its climate goals of reducing emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

2.           Many air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases as refrigerants. These greenhouse gases contribute significantly to global warming, which can be hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. To reduce GHG emissions in the RAC sector, NEA introduced Global Warming Potential (GWP[1]) limits in 2022 for household air-conditioners, refrigerators and water-cooled chillers used for large building cooling systems. The latest measures, which have been developed in consultation with suppliers, users and recycling companies, will now cover centralised commercial refrigeration systems and vehicle air-conditioning.

3.           From July 2027, new refrigeration systems typically used in supermarkets must use more environmentally friendly refrigerants with GWP not exceeding 150. From July 2028, air-conditioning in new passenger cars and light goods vehicles must also comply with these requirements. This later start date gives vehicle suppliers more time to adjust, as some models using lower-GWP refrigerants are not yet widely available. The GWP limits are aligned with standards already adopted in markets such as the EU and Japan, where low-GWP alternatives are available.

4.           To minimise business disruption, these limits apply only to new equipment. Businesses can continue using existing systems until they reach the end of their service life. Furthermore, some of these measures build on existing industry practices. For example, key supermarket operators in Singapore are already using refrigeration systems with lower-GWP refrigerants. Suppliers and manufacturers are supporting the transition to lower-GWP refrigerants and offering lower-GWP refrigeration systems that are energy efficient.

5.           From July 2027, companies that dismantle the following equipment must register with NEA and follow proper disposal procedures for spent refrigerants. These requirements formalise practices that are already adopted by many companies, and there are service providers in Singapore to carry out this recovery work: 

a) Centralised Commercial Refrigeration systems typically used in supermarkets

b) Centralised Industrial Refrigeration systems for cold rooms

c) Air-conditioning for Passenger Cars & Light Goods Vehicles

d) Refrigerated Trucks

6.           The transition away from HFCs is part of a global effort to address climate change, and NEA will continue to review its measures to support this transition, taking into account industry readiness and availability of low-GWP alternatives.

[1] GWP is a measure of the warming effect of a gas relative to the warming effect of an equivalent mass of carbon dioxide, usually over a 100-year time horizon.

~~ End ~~

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