Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ17: Prevention of skin diseases among elderly people in residential care homes
Year Herpes Zoster (also known as Shingles) is an infectious disease that causes belt-like, painful skin rash with blisters. It is caused by varicella-zoster virus which is responsible for varicella (also known as Chickenpox). The virus resides in the nervous system of patients recovered from Chickenpox. Years later, in times of weakened immune system, such as due to ageing or stress, the virus may induce Herpes Zoster. A person with Herpes Zoster cannot pass this disease to others. However, individuals who have never had Chickenpox and have not received the Chickenpox vaccine may be infected and develop Chickenpox if they have contact with the sores of a Herpes Zoster patient.
As regards pruritus (itchy skin), since there are many possible reasons (including causes relating to non-communicable diseases), confirmation of the cause(s) of the relevant symptom should be diagnosed by a medical practitioner.Issued at HKT 16:35
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Tender of 2-Year Exchange Fund Notes to be held on May 23 A total of HK$1,200 million 2-year Notes will be on offer, of which HK$5 million will be made available for offer to members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender bids through Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (HKSCC). If the Notes reserved for non-competitive tender are under-subscribed, the non-subscribed amount will be added to the portion of notes for competitive tender (initially set at HK$1,195 million). The Notes will mature on 26 May 2027 and will carry interest at the rate of 2.16 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrears.
Issue Number9.30am to 10.30am (up to HK$5 million for non-competitive tender) Deadline for submission of non-competitive tender bids by retail investors through HKSCC May 26, 2026 November 26, 2026 May 26, 2027Price/Yield Table of the new EFN at tender for reference* only:
Yield-to- Maturity* Disclaimer
The information provided here is for reference only. Although extreme care has been taken to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date, the HKMA does not warrant that all, or any part of, the information provided is accurate in all respects. You are encouraged to conduct your own enquiries to verify any particular piece of information provided on it. The HKMA shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any use or reliance on any of the information provided here. Issued at HKT 16:30
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ12: Prevention of water mains bursts Question:
It has been reported that there have been many water mains burst incidents in Hong Kong in the past year, with the ageing of water mains in old districts being a particular cause for concern. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of water mains burst incidents in each of the 18 districts in Hong Kong in the past year;
(2) whether it will conduct a comprehensive inspection of water mains and expedite the replacement of damaged or aged water mains; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) as the Government has advised, in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council in relation to the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026, that it will expand the monitoring area of the Water Intelligent Network (WIN) to include fresh water trunk mains and the remaining part of the fresh water distribution mains not currently covered by WIN, of the number of District Metering Areas (DMAs) under the expanded WIN and the implementation timetable (set out by District Council district);
(4) whether additional stop valves will be installed for water mains in non-DMAs not covered by WIN to reduce the risk of a large-scale water outage in the event of a water mains burst; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) whether it has drawn reference from the experience of the Mainland in using advanced smart technologies to monitor and manage underground water mains to further prevent water mains bursts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Water Supplies Department (WSD) has all along been committing to providing reliable, sufficient and quality water supply to the public. The WSD ensures that the water supply networks could effectively operate through continuous improvement in asset management and making good use of technology.
From 2000 to 2015, the WSD carried out a territory-wide replacement and rehabilitation of water mains programme to replace and rehabilitate about 3 000 kilometres long aged water mains (including fresh and salt water mains), thereby raising the operational effectiveness of the water supply networks.
Since 2015, the WSD has implemented multi-pronged measures, through establishing Water Intelligent Network (WIN) and adopting risk-based asset management programme for water mains for formulating and implementing water main improvement works on risk-based approach, continuously maintaining the healthiness of the water supply networks and reducing the risks of water main bursts or leaks.
Through the above-mentioned measures and efforts made over the years, the number of annual water main burst cases has been greatly reduced from around 2 500 cases in 2000 to around 40 cases in 2023 and to 27 cases in 2024. The leakage rate of fresh water mains has also dropped from over 25 per cent in 2000 to around 13.4 per cent in 2024.
The replies to various parts of the Hon Yang Wing-kit’s question are as follows:
(1) According to records from the WSD, the numbers of water main burst cases in various districts for the entire year of 2024 and the first three months of 2025 are listed in the table below:
Region(as at March 31)(2), (3) and (5) Since 2016, the WSD has been establishing WIN within the fresh water distribution networks in the territory (covering approximately 80 per cent of the fresh water distribution networks). By the end of March 2025, the WSD completed the establishment of all 2 400 district metering areas (DMAs). It helps to strengthen management of leakage in water supply networks with the strategy of “divide and conquer” and continuous monitoring, and to implement targeted measures including active leakage detection, pressure management, speedy repair of water main with leakage and replacement or rehabilitation of water mains, to maintain the healthiness of the water supply networks. The numbers of DMAs by District Council districts are tabulated as follows:
District Council districts???Meanwhile, the WSD has commenced the enhancement of WIN, focusing on the following two aspects:
(i) Expanding, in phases, the monitoring area of WIN to include fresh water trunk mains and the remaining fresh water distribution mains (covering approximately 20 per cent of the fresh water distribution networks) that are currently not covered by WIN by installing sensors to monitor water flow and pressure at strategic locations to provide a more comprehensive coverage of the fresh water supply networks; and
(ii) Upgrading the functions of the existing WIN, which includes upgrading the sensors used for monitoring the water flow and pressure in phases to collect real-time data with a view to speeding up detection of any abnormal conditions in the pipe networks.
The WSD is currently carrying out the planning and design works and hence the numbers and locations of sensors are not yet available. The above expansion and upgrading work are expected to be completed by 2027.
The WSD consistently collaborates with local and mainland academic and research organisations to study the use of other advanced technologies, such as acoustic detection and optical fiber, to facilitate early detection of leakage situations of water mains.
(4) When water main burst incident occurs, the WSD will implement appropriate measures with a view to minimising the water suspension area and duration. The relevant measures include temporary redirecting of water supply in inter-connecting water supply networks to maintain the water supply during emergency repair work of the water main burst. If redirecting of water supplies is infeasible, the WSD will close the water valves in the vicinity to stop the water outflow from the burst water main for emergency repair work, thus minimising the suspension area. Therefore, considering the actual operational need of water supply networks, we will install water valves at suitable locations, with due balance to reducing water supply impact to individual buildings and avoiding inconvenience caused to road users by the valve installation works.
In addition, the WSD has strengthened management of emergency water supply incidents. Regarding the mechanism for dissemination of information for emergency repair works of water mains, the WSD has updated its internal guidelines that outline specific factors to be considered for emergency repair of water mains and associated time required, ensuring dissemination of more accurate information about the anticipated water resumption time for residents to make appropriate preparations. We have also strengthened the communication with various stakeholders of different districts (including District Offices, members of District Council and Care Teams) through setting up instant messaging platforms for rapid two-sided communication, providing information to the public regarding the arrangement of temporary water supplies and progress of repair work, etc. The WSD has also established mechanism to bring together resources of government departments for deploying sufficient water wagons to provide temporary water supply during emergency situation, providing timely support to the public and businesses affected. Issued at HKT 16:28
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
Question:
The Government announced in the 2016 Policy Address that an overall hospital development plan had been devised with the Hospital Authority to allocate $200 billion to implement the development projects in the subsequent 10 years, and the New Acute Hospital in Kai Tai (New Acute Hospital) was one of the projects under the plan. The New Acute Hospital, which will provide 2 400 beds and 37 operating theatres, is expected to be completed next year and will become the leading hospital in the Kowloon Central Cluster serving residents in the Kowloon City and Wong Tai Sin districts. Most of the clinical services of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), including the accident and emergency (A&E) services, will be relocated to the New Acute Hospital, bringing direct impact to members of the public in Kowloon Central. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in the light of the completion of the New Acute Hospital, how the authorities assess the level of public awareness of the services provided by the New Acute Hospital, and what specific plans are in place to step up publicity and promotional efforts, so as to ensure thorough public understanding of the New Acute Hospital’s scope of services, relocation arrangements and means of access;
(2) given the gradual replacement of QEH’s A&E services by the New Acute Hospital, what measures the authorities have in place to ensure seamless transition of the services, particularly the provision of appropriate transport options for groups such as the elderly, persons with impaired mobility and those in need of emergency medical services; and
(3) whether it will, before implementing the New Acute Hospital’s service relocation arrangements, conduct public consultation on the New Acute Hospital’s accessibility and establish a regular communication mechanism to collect views from residents and relevant stakeholders to jointly explore improvement proposals, thereby ensuring that aspects such as (i) the transport accessibility to the Hospital in different time periods; (ii) the compatibility of the existing public transport network with the demand for hospital services; and (iii) feeder services for special groups will met the needs of the residents?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) and the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Starry Lee is as follows:
(1) In 2016, the Government and the HA commenced the implementation of the First Hospital Development Plan with $200 billion set aside for a total of 16 projects, covering the redevelopment and expansion of 11 hospitals, the construction of a new acute hospital, three community health centres and one supporting services centre.
Upon the completion of the New Acute Hospital (NAH) located in the Kai Tak Development Area, most of the clinical in-patient services of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), including the accident and emergency (A&E) services, will be relocated to the NAH; while the Ambulatory Care Centre (Extension) of the QEH will remain at the King’s Park site. Situated in Central Kowloon, the NAH will form a service network with the Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Tai Sin Hospital in the Kowloon City District; the Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH), Kowloon Hospital and other hospitals in the Kowloon Central Cluster (KCC); and the Ambulatory Care Centre (Extension) of the QEH to provide comprehensive healthcare services to the residents in the Kowloon Central area and neighbouring areas.
To tie in with the progressive relocation of services from the QEH to the NAH from early 2026 onwards, the KCC has been keeping the public informed through various channels since 2023 of the construction progress and basic information of the NAH, as well as the arrangements of service relocation from the QEH to the NAH.
As for community publicity work, the KCC has held 16 community outreach publicity activities in the past six months (from October 2024 to April 2025) in collaboration with community partners such as the Hong Kong Housing Society, District Offices, District Council (DC) members, the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams), and ethnic minorities, whereby community talks, workshops, briefing sessions, publicity booths, etc. were arranged in different housing estates and locations. The aim was to reach out to residents in the Kowloon Central area to explain the services of the NAH and the relocation arrangements for services of the QEH, so as to enhance the public’s awareness of the services of the NAH and plan for further publicity work having regard to their enquiries. The KCC has also been briefing patients and their families about the service arrangements of the NAH through in-hospital publicity activities. Since 2025, mobile publicity booths have been set up regularly at the major entrances of the QEH and specialist out-patient clinics to distribute brochures and newsletters of the NAH to patients, with staff answering their enquiries directly. Thirteen publicity activities have been carried out so far (as of April 2025). The KCC also places promotional banners, roll-up stands and posters at the main entrances of the hospital and the locations frequented by hospital users to ensure that the messages can be effectively conveyed to patients and the public in need.
The HA also maintains close communication with community stakeholders and visited the four DCs of Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong in September 2024 and January 2025 to report in detail on the construction progress and service arrangements of the NAH. Three visits were arranged from March to April 2025 for representatives from District Offices, DC members, representatives from patient groups, relevant government departments and community stakeholders to visit the mock-up site of the NAH to learn about the design and planning of the NAH as well as express their views. In addition, the KCC established a Community Liaison Group chaired by the Cluster Chief Executive of the KCC in 2024. The members include representatives of District Offices, DC members, representatives from patient groups, relevant government departments and community stakeholders. The KCC representatives regularly report at the meetings of the Community Liaison Group the latest information of the NAH. The Community Liaison Group held its first meeting in November last year and arranged for group members to visit the mock-up site of the NAH in March this year.
In addition, the KCC will enhance information dissemination through various channels, including the website of the NAH, social media and instant messaging groups, to continue to provide to the public the latest information of the hospital, covering information of introduction of clinical services and traffic information, etc.
To ensure the smooth travel of the public to the NAH, the KCC is exploring launching a Transportation Information Card before the commissioning of the NAH to provide detailed information on public transportation routes with stops at the NAH, including bus routes, locations of green minibus (GMB) stop, MTR connections, as well as walking routes in the vicinity of the hospital and transfer suggestions. The KCC will arrange to widely publicise the relevant information through hospitals, community partners and social media platforms to familiarise the public with the new hospital location.
As the commissioning of the NAH approaches, the HA will announce in a timely manner the commencement date of relevant services, detailed arrangements of relocation and clinical services, etc. through various channels, and will further enhance various publicity work in future, including increasing the number of community outreach activities in collaboration with the media, DC members, the Care Teams and relevant government departments, and expanding publicity points in the hospitals, with a view to disseminating the latest information via various channels to enable more patients and stakeholders to obtain information on the relocation of services in a timely manner, thereby ensuring the smooth relocation of services.
(2) and (3) The A&E services of the QEH will be relocated to the NAH upon the latter’s completion. The NAH will be a designated trauma centre, with a round-the-clock A&E department equipped with comprehensive facilities to deal with all types of emergency cases and situations as well as serious incidents. After it is put into service, the A&E department of the NAH will operate with synergy with that of the KWH of the KCC in jointly providing comprehensive and high-quality A&E services to the residents of the Kowloon Central area.
The existing QEH and the future NAH are both major acute general hospitals in the Kowloon Central area. Therefore, the HA attaches great importance to the relocation of the A&E services and has been in close communication with relevant government departments on the future service arrangements of the A&E department, including the zoning of ambulances and patient transfer arrangements. The HA also holds regular meetings with these departments on the subject to ensure the smooth relocation of the A&E services.
Regarding the accessibility of the NAH, the HA has been paying special attention to the arrangements of transport facilities for the new hospital, especially the needs of the elderly and people with mobility impairment. In this regard, the HA has been maintaining close communication with the Transport Department (TD) on the related traffic matters of the new hospital. Regular meetings have been held to provide relevant data and exchange views, such as projections of pedestrian flow, work schedule of the healthcare personnel, hospital visiting hours, so that relevant departments and various transport operators can review the traffic arrangements, assess the overall public transport services demand in the Kai Tak Hospital area (KTHA), and make appropriate traffic proposals in advance having regard to the needs. These include strengthening services for citizens in Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin districts and the surrounding vicinity to travel to and from the KTHA in a targeted manner, as well as enhancing the connectivity between the KTHA and the MTR network.
At present, there are four franchised bus routes and six GMB routes serving the KTHA (see Annex 1), connecting the areas such as Kwun Tong, Kowloon City, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as nearby MTR stations such as Kai Tak Station, Sung Wong Toi Station, To Kwa Wan Station, Kowloon Bay Station, Ngau Tau Kok Station, Kwun Tong Station, and Wong Tai Sin Station, which could facilitate the general public (including the elderly) to visit the KTHA. To enhance the accessibility of the NAH, the TD plans to introduce or extend three franchised bus routes via the KTHA, including the addition of CTB Route No. 20X and the extension of KMB Routes No. X6C and No. 15A, in order to further enhance the connectivity of public transport network between the KTHA and other districts. Details of the relevant routes are set out in Annex 2.
Meanwhile, the TLB is implementing the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak in full swing for connecting the Kai Tak former runway area to the Kai Tak MTR Station. TLB’s target is to invite tender in the second half of this year and award the contract in 2026. When the system is put into service, citizens can walk from the station located at the Kai Tak Sky Garden to the NAH via the existing footpath at Kai Tak Bridge Road. In addition, the barrier-free walkway under construction connecting the amenity area under the Kwun Tong Bypass and the NAH will also enhance the connectivity and pedestrian accessibility between the NAH and the Kowloon Bay hinterland.
Regarding groups with special needs, a Rehabus feeder service between the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital and the nearby MTR stations (including Lok Fu Station and Kai Tak Station) is already in place in the KTHA. To tie in with the commissioning of the NAH, the TD is exploring with the Rehabus operator to extend the Rehabus feeder service to the NAH. In addition, the KCC is in close communication with the designated government-funded organisations providing Rehabus feeder service on the boarding and alighting arrangements of the rehabuses serving the new hospital, and provides advice to cater for the needs of hospital users with mobility impairment. In addition, the NAH will continue to provide point-to-point non-emergency ambulance transfer services for patients with specified clinical conditions and with mobility impairment, so as to ensure that all patients in need can travel to and from the hospital smoothly for treatment.
In addition, the KCC is committed to building a barrier-free environment in the NAH to ensure accessibility for patients and visitors in the hospital. The design of all buildings in the NAH has adopted all obligatory barrier free design requirements under the “Design Manual: Barrier-Free Access 2008” issued by the Buildings Department. Relevant design requirements cover accessible parking spaces, passages, corridors, doorways, ramps, toilets, steps and stairs, handrails, lifts, lighting, etc. to ensure that various facilities are accessible to all persons, regardless of their physical conditions or age.
As mentioned above, the HA has maintained communication with community stakeholders on the service arrangements of the NAH, including reporting in detail to the DCs on the construction progress and service arrangements of the NAH. The HA will continue to maintain close liaison with different stakeholders on the accessibility of the NAH, and proactively listen to the views of the relevant non-profit organisations and patient groups, including reporting information on the new hospital and collecting views through regular meetings of the Community Liaison Group. The HA will also refer relevant views to the relevant government departments for consideration as appropriate. In addition, the TD will continue to closely monitor the progress of the NAH project and the overall development of the area. Subject to the demand, the TD will explore to make timely adjustments or enhancement of the public transport services in the area, or introduce new franchised bus or GMB routes to facilitate the public to travel to and from the KTHA and meet their transportation needs.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ5: Developing marine economy Question:
It has been reported that a number of coastal provinces in the Mainland have set up inter-departmental co-ordination groups led by provincial governors to co-ordinate policies on marine economy. However, there are views pointing out that the development of marine economy in Hong Kong is taken forward in a piecemeal fashion without top-level planning. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as there are views that development of marine economy involves various portfolios and it is difficult for a single-policy bureau to co-ordinate inter-departmental resources, whether the Government will make reference to the experience of the Mainland and set up a dedicated team led by officials at the decision-making level to co-ordinate the development of marine economy; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as there are views that the existing policy focusing on regulation may hinder the development of marine economy, how the Government will promote the development of maritime industries, e.g. of the breakthroughs in terms of the introduction of the relevant legislative amendments and innovative policies, as well as the enhancement of cross-boundary co-operation and co-ordination; and
(3) apart from the three tourism projects currently being taken forward by the Development Bureau under the large-scale land-disposal approach, whether the Government will consider selecting more islands and coastal areas with potential for tourism development to implement the large-scale land-disposal approach on a trial basis, so as to bring in social capital for participation in infrastructure development and operation, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of marine tourism in Hong Kong?
Reply:
President,
International organisations and individual economies have different definitions for “marine economy”, and there is no unified global standard on which industries fall under the scope of marine economy. For Hong Kong, having made reference to the breakdown of the industry classification of the Mainland’s marine economy and roughly compared the industries covered therein with those in the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0 compiled by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department and other known industry classifications, the Government Economist considered that the marine economy-related activities in Hong Kong can be broadly categorised into the following six categories: One of the six categories, “maritime transportation and port industry” includes ports, shipping, and maritime commercial services. In 2022, this sector contributed 4.2 per cent to Hong Kong’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounted for 2.1 per cent of total employment. Besides, “marine utilisation, extraction, production, and related manufacturing”, along with “wholesale and retail of marine products”, are partially related to capture fisheries and mariculture. According to data from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the local capture fisheries and mariculture production in 2023 was approximately 87 000 tonnes, with a total value of about $2.4 billion, estimated to contribute less than 0.1 per cent to GDP. As for the remaining three categories, their value-added contributions could not be estimated due to limited data.
Having consulted the Deputy Financial Secretary, the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), and the Development Bureau (DEVB), my consolidated reply to the question of the Hon Steven Ho is as follows:
(1) Given the extensive scope of the marine economy, which encompasses a diverse range of industries and development models, multiple policy bureaux and departments within the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government are responsible for related areas. Relevant bureaux and departments attach importance on these developments and have formulated and implemented strategies, action plans, or blueprints accordingly. Each policy bureau and department, in accordance with their professional functions, introduces targeted measures to advance the development of marine economy-related areas under its purview, which are in line with the overarching policy direction, strategies, and pace of development. This approach fosters synergies between marine economy development strategies and other initiatives within the respective bureaux and departments, thereby more effectively achieving their policy objectives. The Government believes that the current approach suits Hong Kong’s circumstances. Bureaux and departments will continue to review the development direction and progress of their respective areas, working collectively to drive the growth of marine economy. The SAR Government will also monitor progress across all fronts and, if necessary, explore ways to optimise the development approach. On maritime services, apart from enforcing the relevant legislation to ensure marine safety, the Marine Department (MD) also endeavours to make maritime services more convenient. For instance, allowing the use of electronic certificates instead of paper-based certificates for ship-related matters. The MD also maintains close liaison and collaboration with Mainland maritime authorities at all levels.
On marine tourism, the CSTB put forward in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 to make more and better use of Hong Kong’s rich island and coastline tourism resources. As such, the CSTB encourages the development of more diverse tourism products with characteristics, and is ready to study and foster areas where removal of statutory and regulatory barriers are required. At the same time, the CSTB actively promotes development of island tourism and large-scale integrated resort projects focusing on eco-tourism, as well as continues to consolidate Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s hub for international cruise thereby promoting development of cruise tourism.
The ITIB has all along been dedicated to enhancing Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem with a view to supporting the development of different technology industries (including marine technology) in various areas including capital, research and development, supporting tech start-ups and talent. At present, Hong Kong has one State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, contributing to the protection and management of the marine environment.
On the fisheries front, the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the AFCD are actively taking forward the various initiatives under the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, including designation of four new fish culture zones as well as introduction of modernised facilities to support development of mariculture, explore the streamlining of relevant legislations to promote development of leisure fisheries, and at the same time strengthen co-operation with the Mainland. To further enhance the competitiveness of local agricultural and fisheries products, the AFCD plans to establish a unified new brand for safe, low-carbon and premium local agricultural and fisheries products, and to establish production standards, farming methods as well as a certification and traceability system for these products, etc. The AFCD will continue to actively participated in the promotional activities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to promote quality local products. In addition, the AFCD has designated three new marine parks in the past five years, and has also formulated new fishery management strategies in marine parks and implemented marine ecological enhancement measures. Besides, the DEVB recently has also proposed to provide marina and land supporting facilities at two waterside areas, namely the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter expansion area and the harbourfront site in the vicinity of the Hung Hom Station.
As to whether there are other suitable sites for large-scale land disposal in the future, the DEVB is willing to listen to different views, and will consider the experiences gained from taking forward the above three projects.Issued at HKT 15:25
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCSD welcomes public to join free programmes of Performing Arts Fun Day 2025 The first of the Fun Day series will take place at YLT from 2pm on May 18 (Sunday), with activities including performances and workshops of handbell, choir, Cantonese opera, dance and guzheng. Guided stage tours will also be held for participants to explore the Auditorium of YLT including the backstage, which is rarely open to public, and learn more about the advanced stage equipment and operations. Parent-child storytelling sessions, a book display, and an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of YLT will also be held at the foyer, while guzheng performances will be held at the bamboo courtyard in the Theatre. This Performing Arts Fun Day 2025 event is one of the programmes celebrating the 25th anniversary of YLT.
KTT will hold another Fun Day series from 2.15pm on May 25 (Sunday). Audiences will be welcomed by a variety of jazz tunes performed by members from the Hong Kong Youth Jazz Collective of the Count-In Music with guided appreciation of jazz music. A cappella group Boonfaysau and participants of the 18dART Community Arts Scheme in Kwai Tsing will perform an array of pop songs. In addition, Ming Ri Institute For Arts Education will stage an interactive theatre performance, “The Kingdom of Fairy Tales”, while the Kwai Chung & Tsing Yi District Culture & Arts Co-ordinating Association will give an exhilarating dance performance.
The third Fun Day will be held at STTH from 2pm on June 8 (Sunday). Professional dancers of the Hong Kong Dance Company will demonstrate various types of Chinese classical and ethnic dance, accompanied by dance appreciation and an interactive session. Apart from a Cantonese opera experimental theatre performance and an accessories workshop by Cantonese Opera Advancement Association, the Hong Kong Theatre Works will conduct the “Not One Less” interactive theatre, suitable for families. Guided tours of the City Art Square will be held to introduce public sculptures and installations created by world-renowned artists in the outdoor spaces of STTH.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ22: Reverse Mortgage Programme
Payment term(+11% year-on-year)(+26% year-on-year)(-16% year-on-year)(+22% year-on-year) The RMP offered the Enhanced Fixed-rate Mortgage Plan for members of the “AMIGOS By HKMC” loyalty programme from mid-July 2021 to the end of 2022. The monthly payout under the offer was higher than that under the floating-rate mortgage plan at that time by up to 30 per cent, while the monthly mortgage insurance premium was increased by 0.25 per cent per annum. The Enhanced Fixed-rate Mortgage Plan received 884 applications in total.
(2) As reverse mortgage is a loan arrangement by nature, its demand is affected by various factors, such as the personal needs of individual retired homeowners and the condition of the residential property and financial markets (including interest rate fluctuation), etc. The HKMC has been keeping under review the condition of applications for the RMP. Through years of ongoing efforts in promotion and education, the public has become more receptive to the RMP and the other two products, and has a better understanding of the benefits of the products in respect of retirement financial planning. The number of applications for the RMP has also increased steadily. The HKMC will continue with its public education and promotion to further enhance the public’s understanding of the RMP.Issued at HKT 15:00
Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) held a two-day Global Online Career Fair last week, featuring nearly 50 renowned Hong Kong enterprises that offered over 700 quality job vacancies across sectors such as accounting, finance, consultancy services, legal compliance and engineering.
The online career fair recorded over 26,000 visits in two days, with about 3,000 curricula vitae received.
To facilitate a connection between talent and enterprises, a one-to-one online meeting session was set up specifically at the career fair, resulting in about 4,800 direct dialogues between talent and enterprises. Participating enterprises expressed that about half of such dialogues would be taken forward.
According to participating accounting firms, they learnt through the online career fair that many international professionals were interested in coming to Hong Kong.
The event effectively linked global talent with enterprises in Hong Kong, thereby enabling direct engagement, enhancing the talent’s understanding of the structure and recruitment process of Hong Kong enterprises, and enhancing the experience of such talent.
Participating talent came from over 12 countries or regions, such as the Mainland, Singapore, India, the UK, Australia, the US, Malaysia, France and Canada, with 62% of them holding master’s degrees.
The HKTE said that the online career fair enables talent on the Mainland and overseas to exchange views directly with enterprises prior to relocation to Hong Kong, gain insights into the city’s job market, and reinforce their confidence in pursuing development in Hong Kong.
From January to April this year, Invest Hong Kong assisted 223 Mainland and overseas enterprises, representing an increase of 13% relative to the same period last year.
Acting Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan told legislators today that these enterprises are expected to bring in direct investment of over $22.3 billion and create more than 4,900 jobs within their first year of operations or expansion.
More than a quarter of the enterprises indicated they plan to set up international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong, he added.
The top five places of origin of the 223 enterprises are the Mainland, the US, Japan, the UK and Singapore. Meanwhile, the top five sectors are financial services and fintech, family offices, innovation and technology (I&T), tourism and hospitality, and consumer products.
Separately, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), established directly under the Financial Secretary by the current-term Government, has so far attracted 84 strategic enterprises to Hong Kong, many of which plan to establish their international or regional headquarters in the city. OASES was set up in 2022 to attract high-potential and strategic I&T enterprises from around the globe.
Besides attracting enterprises and investment, the current-term Government is also committed to attracting talent from the Mainland and overseas. From January to April this year, over 45,000 new applications under various talent admission schemes were received, with more than 35,000 being approved.
Mr Chan stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to make every effort to attract more enterprises and talent from the Mainland and overseas.