Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Director of Immigration officiates at Passing-out Parade
In his speech, Mr Kwok said that the year 2026 marks the significant milestone of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Immigration Department (ImmD). He stated that since its establishment in 1961, the ImmD has always walked abreast with the Hong Kong community, staying united in guarding Hong Kong and serving the public. Reflecting on his 36 years of service with the ImmD, he has witnessed the continuous evolution of its services, which has fully demonstrated the spirit of keeping pace with the times and striving for excellence. With the department’s headquarters relocated to Tseung Kwan O, all its branches have been working together to enhance efficiency by proactively embracing technology and harnessing AI to move towards the era of a “Smart ImmD” while steadfastly upholding its original aspiration of providing “people-oriented” services.
Looking ahead, Mr Kwok remarked that the ImmD will continue to stand at the forefront of Hong Kong’s development, supporting the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and to better integrate into and serve the overall development of the country. Specifically, this will include further enhancement of clearance modes at various control points, implementing “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” and “contactless clearance”; deep integration of AI with next-generation identity-identification technologies to ensure Hong Kong’s continued leading position in immigration management internationally; and constant refinement of visa policies to inject new impetus into Hong Kong’s economic development.
Mr Kwok encouraged the graduates to remain united and display team spirit. He also urged them to demonstrate integrity and probity during law enforcement, while maintaining a warm and sincere attitude when delivering services to honour the uniform they put on. He expressed hope that the graduates, in whatever positions, would “identify, respond to and steer changes” to ensure that ImmD service has always acted ahead of time.
During the parade, the Immigration Band played multiple pieces of military band music of a new era, patriotic songs and pop classics, then assembled with the Guard of Honour to form the number “65”, followed by concentric circles representing the department’s values. This was to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the department’s establishment, and to symbolise that all members of the ImmD work in seamless harmony with one heart and one mind. The ImmD is committed to taking the safeguarding of national security as its primary mission by upholding its core values of “Patriotism and Perseverance”, thereby guarding the southern gateway of the country while fully supporting social development and the needs of the community.
Issued at HKT 19:22
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Hong Kong Customs conducts anti-illicit cigarette patrol and publicity activities in Sham Shui Po District
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs conducts anti-illicit cigarette patrol and publicity activities in Sham Shui Po District
Customs will continue to strengthen patrols, publicity and education to raise the public awareness of anti-illicit cigarettes. Customs reminds members of the public not to buy or sell illicit cigarettes to avoid creating a criminal record that could affect their future.Issued at HKT 17:35
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Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
“In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so,” a spokesman for the BD said.
Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.
The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:
(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.
(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.
“The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation,” the spokesman added.
To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD’s website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.
Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD’s website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.
Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.
Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.
LCQ21: Toys and children’s products safety
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ21: Toys and children’s products safety
Question:
The Government published in the Gazette the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Notice 2026 on March 13 this year, which seeks to update the safety standards for toys and four classes of children’s products listed in Schedule 2 (i.e. children’s high chairs and multipurpose high chairs for domestic use, children’s paints, playpens for domestic use, and wheeled child conveyances) under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424). The Notice will take effect in August this year. The industry has reflected that with frequent updates of the standards, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) including importers, retailers and manufacturers face multiple challenges in adapting to new regulations, clearing existing stock and complying with international standards; and at the same time, the influx of large quantities of untested cross-border online-purchased toys into Hong Kong also creates an unfair situation for law-abiding local businesses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in the past three years and this year to date, of (i) the number of complaints concerning unsafe toys and children’s products received, (ii) the number of proactive inspections carried out, (iii) the number of samples taken for testing, (iv) the number of cases found to be in breach of regulations (stating the main causes of non-compliance: excessive levels of plasticiser and heavy metals, small detachable parts posing choking hazards, absence of bilingual warning labels, etc) by the Customs and Excise Department, and (v) the number of prosecutions initiated by the authorities and the penalties imposed on the convicted, with a breakdown of the aforesaid in tabular form;
(2) as it has become increasingly popular in recent years for members of the public to purchase toys through cross-border e-commerce platforms, whether the authorities have compiled statistics on the number and proportion of toys that do not meet the latest safety standards of Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) in response to the inflow of non-local toys into Hong Kong that are not tested locally, whether the authorities have proactively established cross-regional co-operation and notification mechanisms with the relevant Mainland authorities or major online shopping platforms to block at source the inflow of unsafe toys into Hong Kong; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether the authorities will consider providing one-stop regulatory advisory services or transitional guidance, with designated personnel assisting SMEs in clarifying the latest toy safety standards of different economies (such as the European Standard BS EN and the International Standard ISO); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) given that the latest revised standards will come into force in August this year and many local toy manufacturers have reflected that the transition period is too short such that they may not have enough time to procure and upgrade production machinery and testing equipment in order to comply with the new regulatory requirements, whether the authorities will consider providing a more flexible grace period or transitional arrangements for the industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government attaches great importance to ensuring the safety of toys and children’s products and regulates the safety of toys and children’s products which are manufactured, imported or supplied for local consumption, in accordance with the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424).
The relevant safety standards set out in the Ordinance are international standards or standards adopted by major economies. The Government keeps in view any updates or amendments made to the relevant safety standards and amends the schedules to the Ordinance annually to update the safety standards applicable to toys and children’s products supplied in Hong Kong, ensuring the standards are up-to-date and operative versions. For this year’s amendments, the Government submitted the proposed amendments to the safety standards applicable to toys and four classes of children’s products, namely “children’s high chairs and multi-purpose high chairs for domestic use”, “children’s paints”, “playpens for domestic use” and “wheeled child conveyances”, which was laid on the table of the Legislative Council on March 18, 2026.
As the enforcement agency of the Ordinance, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) proactively conducts surveillance visits in the market and on online shopping platforms. In light of risk assessment, the C&ED test-purchases different types of toys and children’s products and passes them to the Government Laboratory for safety tests. Besides, the C&ED conducts investigations into the complaints received and the cases referred from relevant government departments or organisations and takes appropriate enforcement actions based on facts and evidence. In addition, the C&ED will actively follow up information about suspected unsafe toys and children’s products obtained from different sources, such as media coverage, measures taken by the Mainland or overseas places against certain toys and children’s products, the news about product safety issued by law enforcement agencies and institutions of product safety outside Hong Kong, etc.
Having consulted the C&ED and the Trade and Industry Department (TID), our reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) and (2) From 2023 to the end of February 2026, the C&ED received 72 complaints in relation to unsafe toys and children’s products, conducted 5 695 surveillance visits and spot checks, conducted 671 product samples testing and investigated 90 cases. During the above period, the C&ED prosecuted the persons or companies involved in eight cases related to toys and four cases related to children’s products. All the defendants (including nine companies and two persons) were convicted and fined by the Court, with the amount ranging from $3,000 to $32,000. Furthermore, the C&ED issued 17 prohibition notices to prohibit related persons from supplying products that were believed to be unsafe for a specified period of time; and issued 68 warning letters. Meanwhile, the C&ED conducted 38 blitz checks at boundary control points to combat the import of unsafe toys and children’s products into Hong Kong. The relevant figures categorised by year are listed in the table at Annex. The C&ED did not compile statistics on the situation involving cross-boundary e-commerce platforms separately.
All along, the C&ED considers the enforcement priorities in accordance with the established risk management principles and procedures, with a view to ensuring the proper and effective use of resources. Meanwhile, the C&ED conducts risk assessments on individual cases, closely monitoring the toys available in the market as well as on online platforms and stepping up spot checks and safety testing on toys of relatively higher risk. In addition to law enforcement actions, the C&ED strives to strengthen compliance promotion to assist traders (including online platforms) in understanding the requirements of the Ordinance. Regarding the publicity and education, the C&ED has been organising seminars and distributing pamphlets about the Ordinance to provide consumers with the information on toy safety.
(3) As many local goods are purchased through different channels from the Mainland, the C&ED has maintained effective communication and co-operation with the relevant Mainland authorities, covering exchange of information and intelligence on unsafe products under the established notification mechanism. In addition, the C&ED has proactively engaged with major Mainland online shopping platforms to establish closer communication channels, thereby strengthening the efforts to block unsafe products from entering the local market.
In February this year, the C&ED signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the cross-boundary e-commerce platform, namely Taobao & Tmall, to further enhance collaboration and promote compliance so as to jointly prevent unsafe products from entering Hong Kong through online shopping channels, thereby providing more comprehensive protection for local consumers.
(4) According to the Ordinance, toy manufacturers, importers and suppliers are required to comply with all the applicable requirements contained in any one of the three toy standards specified in Schedule 1 to the Ordinance. The Government keeps in view amendments to the safety standards, and at the same time monitors the latest requirements for toys safety standards from law enforcement agencies and institutions of product safety outside Hong Kong, and will update or revise the Schedules to the Ordinance as and when appropriate.
The TID publishes the Commercial Information Circulars about the relevant trade information (including toy safety) on its website to keep the trade informed of the latest safety requirements or standards of markets outside Hong Kong in a timely manner. The C&ED has also been striving to carry out compliance promotion for traders to assist the traders in understanding the relevant toy safety requirements of the Ordinance.
(5) In the light of the updates or amendments to various safety standards by the standardisation bodies concerned, the Government formulates proposals to amend the schedules to the Ordinance annually, conducts public consultation on the amendment proposals to inform relevant stakeholders, including the trade, of the latest amendments to the relevant safety standards and seeks their views on the relevant amendments. Regarding this amendment proposal, we consulted 47 major trade associations (including the Hong Kong Toys Council), children’s product suppliers, testing and certification bodies and organisations advocating for children welfare, which did not raise any objection in principle to the proposed updates or request a grace period or transitional arrangement.
In setting the commencement date of the amendments to the schedules to the Ordinance, the Government needs to consider ensuring the safety of toys and children’s products supplied in Hong Kong, while taking into account the situation that the trade needs time to adapt to the newly amended standards. We will continue maintaining close communication with the trade through existing channels to jointly ensure the safety of toys and children’s products.
Issued at HKT 19:40
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Business of Innovation and Technology Week in April gathers global innovation and technology elites to showcase cutting-edge innovations
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Business of Innovation and Technology Week in April gathers global innovation and technology elites to showcase cutting-edge innovations
The fourth InnoEX, co-organised by the ITIB and the HKTDC, will be held from April 13 to 16 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This annual I&T event, themed “Innovate • Automate • Elevate” this year, will bring together I&T enterprises, industry elites and buyers from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas to jointly promote the application of cutting-edge technology solutions in five key areas, namely AI+, robotics, the low-altitude economy, property technology and retail technology, while exploring global collaboration opportunities. The “RoboPark” zone will also be held concurrently, showcasing over 100 robots from technology enterprises in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas.
Another highlight of InnoEX is the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion set up by the Digital Policy Office. This year, themed “AI+ Hong Kong”, the pavilion will showcase over 100 I&T solutions, including those developed by the Government that benefit the public and businesses, as well as award-winning I&T projects by local industry and students, demonstrating Hong Kong’s achievements in I&T and smart city development.
The third Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference and the Xiangjiang Nobel Forum will also be held from April 12 to 16 at the HKCEC. The event is organised by the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities with full support from the ITIB. Top I&T talent from around the world including Nobel Prize and Turing Award laureates, academicians, renowned scientists, etc, will gather in Hong Kong to discuss frontier developments and co-operation in areas such as AI, embodied robotics, biomedicine, quantum technology and green energy, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s international standing in the global scientific arena.
In addition, the International Academicians Hong Kong Forum to be held on April 14 by the International Alliance of Academicians has joined the BIT Week this year. The forum has invited a Fields medallist and over 10 globally renowned experts and academicians in the fields of medicine, AI and higher education as speakers to jointly promote the translation of academic achievements from research to application.
Meanwhile, the 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit will be held April 13 and 14 at the HKCEC. Under the theme “Digital and Intelligent Empowerment for Innovative Development – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”, the summit is expected to attract more than 1 000 government and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, experts and scholars from around the world to Hong Kong. They will engage in in-depth exchanges on Internet frontier topics to strengthen regional digital collaboration and jointly create new momentum and advantages for the development of the Asia-Pacific region.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Under ‘one country, two systems’, Hong Kong is the only open economy in the world that simultaneously benefits from the strengths of both China and the global community. Through flagship exhibitions and a wide range of activities, the BIT Week in April will bring together over 3 700 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions. This demonstrates Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world, as well as its best bridging role of ‘bringing in’ and ‘going global’, thereby helping Hong Kong proactively seek development breakthroughs, actively integrate into the National 15th Five-Year Plan, accelerate its development into an international I&T centre, and deepen co-operation with the Mainland and overseas markets.”
Other major industry events during the BIT Week include the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and Smart Lighting Expo, as well as the Hong Kong Web3 Festival. Details of the BIT Week can be found at bitweek.hktdc.com/enIssued at HKT 18:23
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Hospital Authority announces service arrangements of family medicine and Chinese medicine clinics during Easter and Ching Ming Festival holidays
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (April 1) announced that a total of 18 family medicine clinics (FMCs) will provide public holiday FMC services during the Easter and Ching Ming Festival holiday period (April 3 to 7) (see Annex). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system, the eHealth mobile app or the “Book FMC” function of the HA Go mobile app.
The spokesperson reminded members of the public to stay vigilant about personal and environmental hygiene during the public holidays to avoid spreading diseases. Members of the public who develop respiratory symptoms should wear a mask and seek medical advice promptly. The spokesperson emphasised that non-emergency patients should avoid using accident and emergency (A&E) services and seek treatment at FMCs, private doctors or 24-hour outpatient services at private hospitals to reduce pressure on public hospital A&Es. The Health Bureau has collated information on private healthcare facilities, covering 13 private hospitals, more than 49 clinics, and 208 non-profit organisations and private Chinese medicine clinics, which will be in operation during the the Easter and Ching Ming Festival holidays across 18 districts in the city. The information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant healthcare facilities can be accessed by members of the public via the eHealth website and the “Doctor Search” function of the eHealth mobile app.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson appealed to eligible members of the public, especially high-risk groups, to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19 to reduce the chance of infection for themselves and their family members, as well as to reduce critical cases and deaths.
Moreover, Chinese Medicine Clinics and Training and Research Centres (CMCTRs) located in the 18 districts will arrange special sessions to provide the government-subsidised Chinese medicine (CM) out-patient services from April 3 to 7 (see Annex). Meanwhile, the CM out-patient services will also be enhanced before and after the public holidays (April 2, April 8 and 9). Patients may make an appointment either by telephone during service hours or through the “18 CM Clinics” mobile application (applicable to patients who have registered for 18 CMCTRs’ services). Please refer to the latest information on CM services on the HA CMK website (cmk.ha.org.hk/services/notice/during-the-easter-public-holidays-2026).
LCQ13: Measures to protect students’ visual health
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Maggie Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (April 1):
Question:
(1) whether the Government has currently conducted a systematic assessment of the main causes of the high prevalence of myopia among primary and secondary school students, and whether it will formulate corresponding policies and guidelines to improve the optical health of primary and secondary school students (particularly regarding the problem of the high prevalence of myopia); if so, of the details and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(1) and (3) The Government attaches great importance to the visual health of children and adolescents. Among others, the DH provides free vision screening service to children and adolescents in Hong Kong at different life stages of their development through the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) and Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs) to identify students with vision problems early and provide them with timely advice and intervention. The services of the MCHCs of the DH include free Pre-School Vision Screening for pre-school children aged four to five, which seeks to facilitate the early identification of children with problems such as amblyopia, squint, significant refractive errors for referral to ophthalmologists or optometrists as necessary, and to undergo further visual assessment and treatment with a view to protecting their vision and visual development. As regards primary and secondary school students, the DH provides free annual health assessment services which cover visual screening.
(a) Nearly half of them (46.8 per cent) were already wearing glasses, with the proportions for secondary and primary school students being 64.4 per cent and 34.9 per cent respectively;
(2) Government departments have all along been providing health education for students and parents through various means, including reducing screen time and encouraging more physical activities, to protect students’ vision.
The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address announced that the DH would update the relevant guidelines to mitigate the impact of social media on the health of children and adolescents. The Advisory Group on Health Effects of Screen and Social Media Use for Children and Adolescents was established in October 2025, with representatives from the DH, the EDB, the Social Welfare Department, as well as scholars and representatives of non-governmental organisations. The interdepartmental expert Advisory Group is currently reviewing the latest medical and scientific evidence, as well as the relevant development and experiences in other countries and regions while consolidating expert opinions, with the aim of issuing updated health recommendations on the use of screen and social media by children and adolescents within 2026.
Apart from reducing screen time, the DH recommends students to spend at least two hours outdoors each day to prevent or delay the onset of myopia, taking into account considerable number of studies had pointed out that spending time doing outdoor activities can prevent the onset of and delay the progression of myopia in children, and such effect is positively correlated to time spending outdoors.
In addition to doing more outdoor activities, the Government also encourages children and adolescents to establish regular and healthy lifestyle, and educates them to avoid excessive immersion in electronic devices through different subjects. In this regard, the EDB endeavours to support schools in adopting a life-wide learning approach through curriculum guides, learning and teaching resources and teacher training programmes to help schools provide diversified student activities, thereby fostering students’ balanced development in their daily lives. Primary Humanities already includes the learning content on proper and healthy use of electronic devices, helping students understand the need to protect eyes, and pay attention to the posture and duration when using the devices. At the Junior Primary level, the Primary Science curriculum also incorporates learning elements such as healthy lifestyles and eye protection. It teaches students to engage in regular exercise and avoid the prolonged use of electronic devices, encouraging them to develop healthy living habits. Furthermore, the EDB revised the Physical Education (PE) Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – Secondary 6) (Curriculum Guide) as early as 2017 to incorporate the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) on physical activity for children and adolescents aged five to 17 as the development direction of the PE curriculum, and in 2020, adopted the WHO’s updated guideline of “accumulating at least an average of 60 minutes daily of moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activities across the week”, reminding students to engage in physical activity regularly to promote physical and mental well-being. Thus, the EDB launched the “Active Students, Active People” Campaign (the ASAP Campaign) and “MVPA60 Award Scheme” several years ago to support schools in promoting students’ physical fitness and health. Since the launch of the ASAP Campaign, student participation has exceeded 420 000.
(4) The Government is committed to enhancing public healthcare services to provide a safety net for the public. As of December 31, 2025, of the 348 doctors listed on Specialist Register of the Medical Council of Hong Kong and registered as ophthalmologists in Hong Kong, 110 (31.6 per cent) were providing services in the HA on a full time or part time basis. To address the public’s ongoing demand for ophthalmic services, the Government will continue to strengthen the overall ophthalmology services in the HA, increase healthcare manpower and enhance professional training.
The Government has been committed to promoting prevention-oriented primary healthcare services in accordance with the recommendations of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, including the active promotion of the Life Course Preventive Care Plan by the PHC Commission. Based on the core principles of prevention-oriented and whole-person care, a personalised preventive care plan will be formulated to address the health needs of citizens (including children) across different life stages with reference to the latest evidence. Family doctors and primary healthcare professionals will collaborate to provide health advice and education on healthy lifestyles tailored to individual factors such as age, sex, and family history, for instance, making recommendations on daily screen time based on children’s age groups. Moreover, the District Health Centres will also provide health assessments and conduct health promotion activities, and play the role of a primary healthcare resource hub in the district by connecting different healthcare professions in the community to co-ordinate and make referrals for citizens in need (including children). The PHC Commission is studying to further extend eye health education and screening services through multidisciplinary collaboration (including allied health professionals such as nurses and optometrists) via family doctors.
LCQ6: Promoting green and low-carbon development in Hong Kong
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Fok and a reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (April 1):
Question:
The Ecological Environment Code of the People’s Republic of China recently adopted by the National People’s Congress proposes to promote green and low-carbon development, including establishing and improving the incentive mechanism for green consumption and government green procurement system as well as guiding green travel. In addition, while the HKSAR (Hong Kong Adminstrative Region) Government published the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles in February 2026, the proportion of electric private cars is currently projected to remain below 50 per cent by 2030. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the current share of green and low-carbon industries in Hong Kong’s gross economic volume; of the specific measures put in place by the Government to promote the development of such industries and increase their share;
(2) of the measures put in place to further improve the Government’s green procurement system, including updating the approval standards for the construction of imported electric vehicles and other new energy vehicles; and
(3) given that the Government has decided not to extend the first registration tax concession arrangement for electric private cars (including the “One-for-One Replacement” Scheme), whether the authorities have assessed its impact on green travel for the public and the development of green and low-carbon industries; whether the authorities will review the relevant policies in a timely manner from the perspective of encouraging green consumption; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Resolution of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in 2024 proposed to accelerate the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development. According to the definition provided by the National Development and Reform Commission, green and low-carbon industries refer to industries that utilise advanced technologies and energy to reduce the consumption of traditional fossil fuels and negative impacts on the natural environment during the production process. As of 2025, the value of the national green and low-carbon industries reached RMB 11 trillion, with over 2 million related enterprises in such industries as new energy, electric vehicles (EVs), energy conservation and environmental protection, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products, etc.
In consultation with the Census and Statistics Department and the Transport Department (TD), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Kenneth Fok is as follows:
(1) Being a city, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) does not have the green and low-carbon industries such as energy-saving mining, desert pollution control, wind power equipment manufacturing, nuclear power plant facility construction, or EV production that are available in the Chinese Mainland. Therefore, there are no statistical data directly corresponding to the Chinese Mainland’s green and low-carbon industries. The annual economic contribution of the local environmental industries relevant to the green and low-carbon industries from 2021 to 2024 amounted to more than $10 billion, accounting for approximately 0.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. The Government will monitor the development of the relevant industries and conduct studies as and when appropriate.
The measures that the Government has taken to promote and enhance the development of green and low-carbon industries are as follows:
(a) Emerging Industries such as New Energy: The Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong published in 2024 provides top-level planning for hydrogen energy development. It aims to create a favorable environment for local hydrogen development in a steady and orderly manner, fostering new quality productive forces and maintaining international competitiveness. Furthermore, the Government is leading a local enterprise, a major global supplier of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), to develop its business in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to build an influential SAF value chain.
(b) Research and Innovation: The Government has injected a total of $400 million into the Green Tech Fund to support local green technology development, transforming research and development projects with application potential into commercially valuable technologies or products for local production.
(c) Building a Green Manufacturing and Services Ecosystem: The Government allocated an additional $100 million to launch a new round of Cleaner Production Partnership Programme in May 2025 to support Hong Kong-owned factories to adopt new cleaner production technologies and utilise green technologies to transform and upgrade traditional industries.
(d) Promoting Low-carbon Transportation: The Government has set the target to cease the new registration of fuel-propelled private cars in 2035 or earlier, and is committed to achieving zero vehicular emissions before 2050. Since 2011, we have been encouraging the industry to test and promote the use of various new energy transportation technologies through the New Energy Transport Fund.
(e) Building Green Transportation Infrastructure: The Government promulgated the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles in February this year. We will leverage market forces to build a public charging network with fast chargers as the backbone. By the end of 2035, about 10 000 fast chargers will be installed, and about 270 000 to 300 000 parking spaces with charging facilities will be able to support around 800 000 EVs. Furthermore, to promote the internationalisation of charging standards, the National Energy Administration and the Environment and Ecology Bureau have established a joint working group to launch a pilot scheme for the next-generation EV charging technology, ChaoJi, facilitating the “bringing in and going global” of the country’s innovative charging technologies.
(f) Developing a Circular Economy: The Government leverages market forces to develop environmental infrastructure. For instance, Hong Kong’s first large-scale EV battery recycling facility at the EcoPark is under construction, and is expected to commence operations in the first half of 2026. This facility will facilitate the development of the EV battery recycling industry and strengthen Hong Kong’s role in the green value chain in the GBA. With Government’s assistance, two local companies are expected to set up production lines in the Tuen Mun EcoPark by mid-2026 to upcycle local waste into core raw materials for electricity-free cooling products and acoustic metamaterial products.
(g) Promotion of Energy-efficient Products: To encourage the public to select energy-efficient appliances, the Government implements the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme under the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Ordinance, requiring prescribed products supplied in Hong Kong to bear energy labels to inform consumers of the products’ energy efficiency performance.
(2) The Government has all along been practising green procurement to implement the concept of environmental protection. The Government’s Stores and Procurement Regulations require bureaux and departments to take environmental factors into consideration when drawing up tender specifications, thereby promoting green procurement while ensuring the prudent use of public funds.
The Government is also accelerating the conversion of its fleet to EVs. In February 2024, we updated the environmental requirements of private cars. Except where operational requirements preclude the use of EVs, all new or replacement private cars procured must be EVs. Senior government officials are also leading by example by procuring EVs when replacing their official cars. As the market of electric van-type light goods vehicles (LGVs) is becoming more mature, we will review the Government’s Circular Memorandum “Green Procurement in the Government” to explore the feasibility of making electric van-type LGVs a mandatory requirement in future procurement. We will also regularly review with the Government Logistics Department whether to incorporate more vehicle types in the mandatory procurement requirement.
Regarding the updating of standards for the construction of imported EVs and new energy vehicles, the TD has been regularly reviewing and amending existing legislation and guidelines having regard to the standards in different countries and regions to keep pace with the latest development in the automotive market, including issuing and updating the “Vehicle Construction Approval Requirements for Electric Vehicles”. This guideline incorporated national standard and other international safety standards for EVs and electric motorcycles, as well as guidance notes and specifications for electric vehicle technology and safety requirements. The guideline also accepts type approval applications for EVs equipped with battery-swapping technology. The TD will continue to maintain close communication with the trade, update the technical guidelines and streamline the approval process as and when appropriate.
(3) The Government has been encouraging the public to use public transportation and green commute methods, such as walking, to reduce carbon emissions. If it is necessary to buy a private car, an EV should be chosen. In recent years, the technology of electric private cars has matured, and the market has already been driving the green transformation of private cars. The popularisation of EVs has become an irreversible trend. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of electric private cars in Hong Kong could surpass 290 000, with over 45 per cent of private cars being EVs. By 2035, the number is projected to approach 500 000.
Thank you, President.
Illegal building reporting revived
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Buildings Department (BD) today announced the relaunch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs), and the reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
The BD said it will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous.
It noted that the Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs.
The DEVB also pointed out that the Government prepared to relaunch the reporting scheme to allow owners of NTEHs, or village houses, who did not report their UBWs in the 2012 administrative reporting scheme to do so.
The relaunched reporting scheme will maintain the original criteria adopted for the original scheme regarding the types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates.
This means that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law, and were not the First Round Targets are eligible.
Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50% of the roofed-over area of the main building.
In addition, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.
Reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD’s website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. A $600 administrative fee is payable for each application.
Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.
Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will distribute leaflets and posters to Rural Committees, and make use of other channels, to let villagers know more about the relaunch of the reporting scheme.
Owners who had successfully participated in the 2012 reporting scheme are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.
Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets.
After dealing with such targets, the BD will take priority enforcement action against the relevant UBWs that remain unreported after the application deadline.
It will formulate an enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation.
CS visits Beijing, Hebei new areas
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today visited the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMAC) and Hebei’s Xiong’an New Area to learn about practical experience in large-scale new area planning and construction.
Both places are listed as part of the “one core and two wings” national development strategy, and the tours aimed to provide a solid reference for the planning and construction of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT).
The Chief Secretary, leading a delegation, went to the BMAC in the morning, where they toured the planning exhibition hall, the Yunhe Business District, the Beijing Library and the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing.
The delegation learned about the BMAC’s overall planning and development, its experience in attracting and concentrating higher education resources, as well as promoting the integration of the industry, academic and research sectors. They also observed the canal-side development and conservation, and the construction of major public cultural facilities there.
Mr Chan said the BMAC has been developed into a world-class harmonious and liveable demonstration area through high-standard planning, green and smart development, and a model of integration between campus and city.
He added that he hoped to draw on its valuable experience in relieving city functions, sharing resources, and innovation ecosystems, thereby providing practical inspiration for the NMUT’s top-level design, smart campus development and sustainable growth.
In the afternoon, the delegation proceeded to the Xiong’an New Area in Hebei to tour the comprehensive service centre at the startup area. They found out about its planning and construction, as well as its “one-stop” integrated services for relieving Beijing of functions that are not essential to its role as the nation’s capital.
This was followed by a visit to the University Town of Fifth Cluster North Collaborative Innovation Exhibition Hall, and the Beijing Forestry University Xiong’an Campus Smart Exhibition Hall and project construction site.
Mr Chan said the first batch of Beijing universities’ campuses in Xiong’an has entered a large-scale construction stage, achieving campus-city integration, deep integration of industry and education, and smart and green development, injecting strong innovative vitality into the new area.
He added that the delegation learned about Xiong’an New Area’s experience in fields such as higher education institution and industry linkage, infrastructure-led development, and sustainable planning. It will provide valuable insights for the NMUT’s high-quality planning and construction, helping it develop into a hub for international education, innovation, and technology.
The delegation was joined by representatives from the eight University Grants Committee-funded universities in today’s visits.