Month: August 2026

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee today said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address will be released on September 16.

Mr Lee noted that releasing the Policy Address immediately after the announcement of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan aims to help the public better understand the close interconnection between the two documents.

“Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan sets out the blueprint for the city’s economic and social development over the next five years, and is a forward-looking, strategic and directional guiding document. The Policy Address serves as an annual report on the Chief Executive’s implementation of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and sets out the key policy priorities for the year in response to the prevailing circumstances. The two are inextricably related,” he said.

Mr Lee remarked that by reading Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan alongside the Policy Address, the public can more easily see how the Government will introduce policy initiatives in 2026 to advance the direction and strategies set out in the plan.

He stated that he will establish various indicators as annual milestones in the Policy Address, and subsequently formulate the policy initiatives, key policy priorities and major projects each year by taking into account the international environment, economic projections and the latest dynamics in realising the blueprint.

Mr Lee will announce Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan at a Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting, which will be immediately followed by the release of the Policy Address.

“I am grateful to the President of the LegCo for supporting my proposal and for scheduling a special meeting on September 16 to allow the LegCo and the public to have an early understanding of the contents of the two documents. I will also attend the Chief Executive’s Interactive Exchange Question and Answer Session at the LegCo the following day.”

He will also hold a press conference on the afternoon of September 16 and attend a television forum in the evening to elaborate further on Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch of Bureau of Industrial Parks (BIP), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), held a handover ceremony on August 1 for its acting and incoming branch directors. BIP Deputy Director-General Liu Chi-Chuan served as the presiding official for the handover. Witnessed by distinguished guests and colleagues, Acting Branch Director Lee Chao-Hsing completed the official seal handover to incoming Branch Director Wu Miao-Wen, who formally assumed office today.
Deputy Director-General Liu said at the ceremony that former Branch Director Yu Shu-hui led the Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch through a period of government organizational restructuring and institutional consolidation during her tenure. She guided the team in steadily advancing industrial park development, enhancing park services, improving public infrastructure, and optimizing the overall park environment. During his tenure as acting branch director, Lee Chao-Hsing also fulfilled his responsibilities with dedication and professionalism, maintaining the operational management and service quality of the industrial park. Deputy Director-General Liu expressed his sincere appreciation for the contributions and efforts of both directors.
Incoming Branch Director Wu Miao-Wen has extensive experience in industrial park development, management, and public administration. He began his public service career at the grassroots level and subsequently held various positions at the Export Processing Zone Administration, including officer, assistant engineer, technical specialist, section chief, and deputy division chief. Following the government’s organizational restructuring, he served as Director of the Land Development and Construction Management Division of the BIP, where he was responsible for the planning and development of technology-based and industrial parks, engineering construction, building administration, and related supervision. With extensive and comprehensive practical experience in industrial park development, construction, and operational management, Director Wu’s professional expertise has earned broad recognition.
Deputy Director-General Liu pointed out that the Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch oversees four technology industrial parks and 12 industrial parks in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, making it an important foundation for industrial development in southern Taiwan. He expressed his expectation that Director Wu will lead all staff of the Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch in continuing to promote industrial park renewal and infrastructure improvements, strengthen construction quality and operational management efficiency, enhance the overall competitiveness of the parks, and lay a stronger foundation for industrial development in southern Taiwan.
Director Wu said that, going forward, he will uphold the principle of serving industries and supporting business development, while continuing to improve industrial park management and service quality. He will actively promote investment attraction, industrial upgrading, and smart infrastructure development, with the goal of creating high-quality industrial parks that integrate smart technologies, safety, and sustainable development, thereby injecting new momentum into industrial development in southern Taiwan.
The handover ceremony not only symbolizes the transfer of responsibility and mission, but also demonstrates the Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch’s continued commitment to advancing industrial development and innovation in its industrial parks. Moving forward, the branch will remain focused on the needs of enterprises, create a high-quality investment environment, and support industries in pursuing smart, low-carbon, and sustainable development, working together to usher in a new era of industrial development in southern Taiwan.

Spokesman: Mr. Liu (Deputy Director General, BIP)
Contact Number: 886-7-3613349

Contact Person: Specialist Hsu (Personnel Office, Kaohsiung-Pingtung Branch, BIP)
Contact Number: 886-7-823-9371

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Hong Kong’s current health expenditure (CHE) reached HK$262.513 billion in 2024–25, marking a 5% increase year-on-year, according to the latest Domestic Health Accounts (DHA) released by the Health Bureau today.

The figure represents 8.2% of the city’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with expenditure per capita standing at HK$34,890 for the period.

Public funding for healthcare accounted for 51.6% of the CHE in 2024–25, or 4.2% as a percentage of GDP, remaining broadly in line with that of the previous year. Private healthcare expenditure made up the remaining 48.4% of the CHE in Hong Kong, or 3.9% of GDP.

Primary healthcare expenditure accounted for 30.4% of the overall CHE, making progress toward the Primary Healthcare Blueprint’s objective of achieving a better balance between primary and secondary/tertiary care in overall healthcare expenditure in the long run.

The bureau added that the expenditure trend reflects that the Government is gradually establishing a more sustainable healthcare system to cope with challenges posed by an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the reception celebrating the 81st National Day of Socialist Republic of Viet Nam today (August 25):

Consul General Mrs Le Duc Hanh (the Consul-General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Hong Kong and Macao???), Deputy Commissioner Hua You (Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), members of the diplomatic community in Hong Kong, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 
     Our ties matter all the more at a time of profound change in the global geo-economic landscape. It is in the interest of both of us to work together: to strengthen rules-based and mutually beneficial co-operation across our region; to build more resilient and diversified supply chains; and to open up new opportunities for our businesses and our people.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 24) seized about 12.4 kilograms of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of over $5 million, at Hong Kong International Airport.

Through risk assessment, Customs yesterday inspected an air parcel, declared as swimming pool sanitisers and arriving in Hong Kong from Spain via France. Upon inspection, Customs officers found that the batch of suspected ketamine inside four plastic buckets in the parcel.

After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation today (August 25) and arrested a local female suspect aged 23 in Kwun Tong. The investigation of the case is ongoing.

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Customs reminds people to pay attention to the fact that drug trafficking is a serious criminal offence. Criminal conviction will result in grave repercussions for their future and they should not take risks in the hope that they may not be caught.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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 Information Services

Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing today chaired the 13th meeting of the Task Force on District Governance to follow up on the initiatives assigned by the Steering Committee on District Governance.

The meeting co-ordinated various departments in formulating specific implementation measures on local issues and reviewed ongoing work progress and performance.

Mr Cheuk said: “The Task Force continues to monitor and steer various departments in their efforts to refine policies and measures addressing district issues of all scales, actively responding to social needs so that district services become more effective and more precisely targeted.”

“All departments will continue to uphold the principle of delivering practical outcomes for the people, striving to resolve various livelihood challenges and enhance the effectiveness of district governance,” he added.

The Task Force followed up on the implementation progress and outcomes of 12 district issues managed by various departments.

In terms of community support, as at the end of June 2026, the District Services & Community Care Teams across all districts had visited or reached out to over 121,000 single and two-person elderly households, carers of elderly persons and persons with disabilities. More than 4,100 households involving over 4,600 elderly persons or persons with disabilities were referred to receive subsidies for installation of the Care-On-Call device.

To provide sheltered rest areas and encourage the elderly to actively engage with the community, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department has installed 50 sets of covered seating at outdoor venues across 18 districts.

Additionally, as of June this year, approximately 220,000 elderly people have been served by the “Smart Silver” Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders, which was launched by the Digital Policy Office in December 2024. The office will strengthen support for ethnic minorities through initiatives such as digital training programmes, outreach campaigns and the recruitment of ethnic minority volunteers to assist them in mastering digital technology.

Regarding the district environment, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has completed toilet refurbishment works at 24 markets or cooked food markets. Improvement works for stalls at the Yue Wan Market Cooked Food Centre are underway and are scheduled for completion in December 2026, while projects at the Ap Lei Chau Market Cooked Food Centre and the Luen Wo Hui Market Cooked Food Centre were completed in April and July respectively.

The Highways Department (HyD) continues to enhance the safety and usability of the public footpath network. As of mid-August this year, the department has completed the replacement of paving slabs with concrete surfaces at four locations to enhance durability and mitigate problems such as the loosening or fracturing of paving slabs caused by bearing loads, compression or heavy usage.

Furthermore, the Transport Department, in collaboration with the HyD, the Architectural Services Department and the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, has completed enhancement works at 14 covered public transport interchanges including upgrading lighting fittings and refurbishing walls and ceilings.

Mr Cheuk thanked all departments for their dedicated efforts in advancing the work and achieving notable results in various measures benefitting the public. He urged them to continue closely monitoring district concerns, always put the people first, and understand the needs of society, so that the public can experience the warmth and determination of the Government’s governance.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Working Group on Patriotic Education (WGPE) under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee concluded a three-day study tour on aerospace technology to Wenchang and Haikou in Hainan today.

Led by WGPE Convenor Eliza Chan, the delegation comprised members of the WGPE’s Media Publicity Sub-group Cally Kwong, Lee Luen-fai and James Li. Director of Information Services John Tse, more than 20 local media representatives, and post-secondary journalism students also joined the tour.

During the trip, the delegation visited various aerospace facilities to learn about the country’s rapid development in aerospace science, alongside a patriotic education base in Haikou to deepen their understanding of the country’s revolutionary history.

On August 23, the group visited Hainan Chang Guang Satellite Information Technology Company Limited to explore updates in the satellite industry. The visit focused on key strategies for building a modernised industrial system and accelerating national advancement as an aerospace power.

The delegation yesterday toured the Hainan Aerospace Shenzhou Science and Technology Museum, viewing interactive exhibits and models detailing the country’s latest developments in aerospace technology. They later visited the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site to understand advancements in commercial spaceflight, before proceeding to the Wenchang Aerospace Supercomputing Center to study space computing and meteorite science.

Marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) this year, the delegation visited the former site of the First Qiongya Congress of the CPC this morning. The visit to the Hainan-based patriotic education venue offered insights into the historical background and significance of the Qiongya Revolution.

Ms Chan noted that the tour provided valuable opportunities for delegates to gain multi-perspective insights into national strategic planning for advanced aerospace science, and aimed to boost society’s national pride and patriotic sentiment through media reports.

She emphasised that the WGPE will continue to collaborate closely with frontline media and host diverse activities to promote patriotic education, sharing information on national development from various angles. Ms Chan expressed hope that media practitioners would uphold professional standards and produce impactful reports that effectively communicate the positive narratives of both the country and Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today released provisional recommendations on the boundaries and names of District Council Geographical Constituencies (DCGCs) for the 2027 District Council Ordinary Election, and launched a public consultation that will run until September 24.

The election will be held in late 2027. The Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance (EACO) stipulates that the EAC is required to review the boundaries and names of DCGCs, formulate provisional recommendations, conduct public consultation and submit a report on the relevant recommendations to the Chief Executive.

EAC Chairman David Lok said that the EACO stipulates that the population of a proposed DCGC shall be as near the number calculated in accordance with the formula set out in that section as practicable, and the EAC shall ensure that the population of each DCGC does not exceed or fall below the upper or lower limit of 25% of the relevant number applicable to it.

Based on the population projections as of June 30, 2027, the projected population of each DCGC falls within the statutory permissible range. Therefore, the EAC will not, in principle, on its own initiative adjust their boundaries.

The EAC also takes into account the latest developments in the districts in accordance with the relevant statutory criteria when formulating the provisional recommendations.

Mr Lok added that the EAC noticed that several residential buildings completed after the delineation of DCGCs for the 2023 DCOE straddle the current boundaries of DCGCs.

To ensure that an entire residential building is included within a single DCGC, the EAC, adopting the principle of affecting a smaller population, proposes minor adjustments to part of the boundaries of Yuen Long Rural East, Tin Shui Wai South & Ping Ha, Wu Tip Shan, and Robin’s Nest DCGCs.

Moreover, on July 15, 2026, the Legislative Council passed a resolution approving the District Councils Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2026 made by the Chief Executive in Council, which amended the district areas of Yuen Long District and North District to include the Loop into Yuen Long District and update the district area of North District.

With the relevant amendments applying to the 2027 District Council Ordinary Election, the EAC also proposes corresponding adjustments to the boundaries of the relevant DCGCs pursuant to the order.

As for the names of the 44 existing DCGCs, the EAC considers that they adequately reflect the local conditions of each DCGC, and therefore proposes to retain all of them.

The public can make written representations on the provisional recommendations by email, by post to 8/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, or by fax to 2511 1682 on or before September 24.

Call 2891 1001 for enquiries.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 24) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport. About 35 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $8.2 million were seized.

A 19-year-old British male transit passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, and planned to take a flight to London, the United Kingdom, yesterday. During Customs clearance, the suspected cannabis buds, weighing about 35kg in total, were found in 64 bags inside his two check-in suitcases. The male was subsequently arrested.

The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (August 26).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
 
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
 
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
 
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, at the discussion session entitled Work Towards High Quality Agricultural and Rural Development in the Asia-Pacific Region at the 11th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Food Security Ministerial Meeting (FSMM) in Hangzhou today (August 25):

Thank you Chair. First of all, I would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China for hosting the meeting and the warm hospitality.

Hong Kong, China, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. With a population over 7.5 million, our total land area is just about 1 100 square kilometers. The topography of the territory is hilly, and only 30 per cent of the land is flat.

This drives the need for innovative, space-efficient solutions such as intensive farming, urban agriculture, and new technologies to boost productivity and resilience.

To promote sustainable agriculture and fisheries, Hong Kong, China, has promulgated a blueprint with a series of active programmes. The goal is to modernise and intensify local production to raise both output volume and value, while at the same time supporting the long-term sustainability of our farming communities.

On sustaining agricultural production capacity, we have established an Agricultural Park to nurture agro-technology and modern farm management. In parallel, a Modernised Techno-Agricultural Park has been set up through public-private partnership, to support development of modern commercial farms.

Due to our land scarcity, Hong Kong, China, is also pioneering modern and environment-friendly multi-storey pig farming. A dedicated site has been reserved for a six-storey, fully enclosed pig farm, capable of housing over 10 000 pigs.

The new pig farm will employ automated, climate-controlled, digitally managed and AI-assisted systems, that will offer a replicable model for economies facing similar land constraints.

To facilitate agricultural trade, our Vegetable Marketing Organization serves as a vital bridge between producers and consumers. It provides orderly marketing services, expands online and offline channels, and promotes high-quality local produce.

The organisation also actively promotes high-quality local agricultural and fisheries products by participating in food exhibitions, supplying seasonal produce to large catering groups, designing special menus, and conducting online and offline promotional campaigns.

We have recently launched a new brand, the Hong Kong Harvest, to certify local agricultural and fisheries products that meet rigorous safety, quality and traceability requirements.

Through branding local produce, our goal is to enhance market competitiveness, build consumer confidence, increase farmers’ incomes and attract younger talent to join the agricultural and fisheries industry. All these serve as part of our efforts to drive sustainable development of the agricultural and fisheries industry, as well as rural revitalisation.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong, China, stands ready to share experiences and work with fellow APEC economies to advance agricultural innovation, strengthen regional trade and build a more resilient and prosperous Asia-Pacific community. Thank you.