Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SLW to attend APEC Ministerial Meeting in Korea
During his visit, Mr Sun will also meet with senior officials responsible for manpower and labour issues from APEC member economy governments, including Korea.
Mr Sun will return to Hong Kong on May 13. In his absence, the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, will be the Acting Secretary for Labour and Welfare.
Issued at HKT 12:00
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Remarks by SLW on closure of Ocean Empire Food Shop
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Below are the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on the closure of Ocean Empire Food Shop at a media session after attending a radio programme today morning (May 10):
Reporter: What is the Labour Department’s current plan of action regarding the unpaid wages and severance payment owed to former employees of Ocean Empire Food Shop? What steps are the Labour Department taking to ensure these contributions are recovered and paid to the workers? The second question is, what steps are the Government taking to strengthen employment protection and prevent similar situations to recur in future? Thank you.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Right now our top priority is to help the 100 or so workers, local or imported, to get what they should get under the law, i.e. their unpaid salaries, unpaid leave as well as severance payment. We are helping them to apply for support under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund against insolvency and wage default. It takes a bit of time, but they don’t have to worry. Right now, under the Fund, be it unpaid salaries, unpaid leave as well as severance payment, there is a well-established mechanism for them to get back money that is owed to them. We are working closely with the employers because with their help, it could speed up the whole process. In Hong Kong we have very elaborated labour laws providing much needed and necessary protection for our workers, and such protection applies to both local and imported workers.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Govt assists food shop workers
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said today the Government’s top priority is to help the workers of Ocean Empire Food Shop get back their unpaid salaries, leave and severance pay following the shop’s closure.
Mr Sun told reporters this morning that about 100 workers – both local and imported – are being assisted in applying for support under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund, against insolvency and wage default.
He said: “It takes a bit of time, but they do not have to worry. Right now, under the fund, be it unpaid salaries, unpaid leave as well as severance payment, there is a well-established mechanism for them to get back money that is owed to them.
“In Hong Kong we have very elaborate labour laws providing much needed and necessary protection for our workers, and such protection applies to both local and imported workers.”
Mr Sun added that the Labour Department is working closely with the employers whose help could speed up the whole process.
Chris Sun to depart for Jeju
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun will depart for Jeju, Korea, tomorrow to attend the Seventh Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting.
During his visit, Mr Sun will also meet senior officials responsible for manpower and labour issues from APEC member economy governments, including Korea.
Mr Sun will return to Hong Kong on May 13. In his absence, Under Secretary for Labour & Welfare Ho Kai-ming will be the Acting Secretary.
Speech by SCST at Europe Day Opening Ceremony (English only)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the Europe Day Opening Ceremony today (May 10):
Ambassador Harvey Rouse, Head of the EU (European Union) Office to Hong Kong and Macao, Consuls General (of European Union Member States), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear French little friends over there,
Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you at the opening of Europe Day Festival. And actually indeed, thank you very much for the support that I have got from different Consuls General ever since my appointment to the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism. I have actually seen quite a number of you over different events in the last five months.
On today’s special occasion, I would like to highlight the pivotal role Hong Kong plays as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Hong Kong has deep-rooted cultural origin and bond from the Mainland of China, but we also have for decades cultivated strong cultural ties with foreign countries, including the European Union (EU) and its member states. Through regular exchanges, we have built a solid foundation of mutual understanding and collaboration. I am most delighted to learn from Ambassador Rouse that our local artists, Opera Hong Kong, will be performing “The Story of Carmen”, a classic European Opera, at today’s Festival. In fact, Carmen, was also performed at our Hong Kong Arts Festival earlier this year and I was one of the audience enjoying it. This is an example of how we can bring talent and tradition from different parts of the world, showcasing our efforts and achievements in promoting cultural exchange and collaboration.
Hong Kong will continue to leverage our distinct institutional strengths under “one country, two systems” to “bring in” diverse cultures from around the world while enabling Chinese culture to “go global”.
Hong Kong’s creative industries are now economic drivers for our economy. The Greater Bay Area Development and the Belt and Road Initiative provide unprecedented opportunities for our creative talents to shine on the global stage. By working closely with EU member states, we aim to unlock even greater potential for cultural exchanges and economic growth. Thank you very much for having our local Hong Kong artist to do the backdrop named after this meaningful event.
Sports is another area under my portfolio that is full of exciting opportunities. The Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong’s largest-ever sports infrastructure, was officially commissioned in March this year. I am sure many of you were among the first to enjoy our signature rugby event, Hong Kong Sevens, at this state-of-the-art stadium in end March. Building on that success, we hosted mega international and local concerts in April, each drawing over 40 000 fans per show. And I believe quite a number of you were there for the Coldplay concert either. We have another series of concerts this weekend as well called Mayday from Taiwan, who is also performing in Hong Kong and they pledged to come back every May to perform here. We will fully utilise the opportunities that this new venue present to Hong Kong and stage more mega sports events and competitions for the enjoyment of all. And of course, larger venue means larger parties. As some of you may know, we will soon welcome international football club teams to play at both the Hong Kong Stadium and the Kai Tak Stadium in end May and late July, featuring Manchester United versus Hong Kong, China Representative Team, Liverpool versus AC Milan from Italy, as well as Arsenal versus Tottenham Hotspur. To sports fans from around the world and particularly the European Union – please stay tuned for more exciting sports events in Hong Kong later this year. Through these sporting events, my bureau will continue our efforts in fostering greater passion for sports.
On tourism, leveraging the robust foundation built over the years, we aspire to further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a premier world-class tourism destination. With the concerted efforts of the Government and industry players, we witness a strong comeback of our tourism industry after the pandemic. In the first four months of 2025, we welcomed a total of 16 million visitors, representing an increase by 1.2 times as compared to the same period in 2023 when Hong Kong started to resume normal travel. The rebound is particularly strong among visitors from the European Union, which register a surge by 1.4 times compared to 2023. Quoting the Labour Day Golden Week as another example, we recorded a total of around 1.1 million inbound visitors to Hong Kong, among which the number of non-Mainland visitors was around 180 000, representing a year-on-year increase of about 31 per cent. These underscore the resilience of our tourism industry and Hong Kong’s enduring appeal as a world-class travel destination. To ensure continued growth, the Government promulgated the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 last December, setting out our vision and mission over the next five years. With the steadfast support and contribution of our industry partners, I am confident that we will reach new heights on tourism in the years to come.
Before I close, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the European Union for organising this wonderful event of Europe Day and subsequent events as outlined by Ambassador Rouse just now. I wish it every success and everyone an enjoyable time. Thank you.
Middle East offers good prospects
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The founder and CEO of a digital marketing group, part of a delegation to the Middle East led by Chief Executive John Lee, says he is optimistic about growth in the region and believes it offers good prospects for investments and mergers.
The trip, encompassing visits to Qatar and Kuwait, is aimed at strengthening connections with the two countries in areas such as finance, trade and technology.
Mr Shen Chengang, who is among a host of delegates from the business community, heads a Mainland firm that offers digital marketing services, including sales data tracking, media outreach, product promotion, and support for Mainland enterprises seeking to expand into overseas markets.
Mr Shen highlighted that amid global trade uncertainty, Mainland businesses are focusing less on the US market as they seek to mitigate risks.
By way of contrast, Mr Shen outlined that the Middle East market has witnessed rapid growth over the past few years. With strong consumer purchasing power, he said, it offers a complementary dynamic to the Mainland market.
He emphasised that the Middle Eastern countries give significant opportunities for Mainland firms to engage in the development of logistics and mobile payment systems, and to explore investment and merger prospects.
Mr Shen added that Hong Kong, as an international financial centre, can provide invaluable expertise to support investment and merger processes, thereby aiding Mainland enterprises in terms of risk mitigation.
OFCA organises third 5G Campus Application Competition (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Riding on the success of the 5G Campus Application Competitions held in the past two years, the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) organises the third edition of the Competition this year under the theme “5G x Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – The Sky is the Limit for Knowledge” to enhance students’ understanding of the fifth generation mobile (5G) technology and the UAS, and encourage them to explore the application of 5G technology in the low-altitude economy, with a view to boosting their creativity and tapping their potential in innovative technologies.
Speaking at the Kick-off Ceremony cum Seminar of the Competition today (May 10), the Director-General of Communications, Mr Chaucer Leung, said, “The 5G Campus Application Competition held last year focused on 5G and artificial intelligence (AI). It was encouraging to see the participating students’ innovative thinking and dedication to research and development in terms of 5G and AI applications, scenario design and collaboration, as demonstrated in the final entries. OFCA organises the third Competition this year to encourage participating students to make use of the unique advantages of 5G technology and explore how to collect data through drones for developing various application solutions for the low-altitude economy, so as to stimulate the innovation and technology potentials of the younger generation, expanding their knowledge and transform their creative thinking into practical solutions for the future.
“In Hong Kong, drone systems have started to be deployed in applications and trials on the low-altitude economy. They generally operate in airspace within an altitude of 1 000 metres and could be used in scenarios such as emergency rescues, logistics, surveys, maintenance, safety inspections and show performances. The low-altitude economy not only activates low-altitude airspace as a new element for economic development, but also drives the development of communications technology, AI, and the digital industry, bringing new experiences of smart living to the public. The current well-developed 5G network of Hong Kong has laid a solid foundation for the development of the low-altitude economy,” Mr Leung added.
This year’s Competition is co-organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and will be held in stages, comprising the Kick-off Ceremony cum Seminar, the 5G x UAS Inspiration Training Workshop, the first-round adjudication, the Drone Operation and Mobile App Development Training Workshop, and the final-round adjudication cum award presentation ceremony. Participating teams are required to design an innovative mobile application and/or relevant prototype to demonstrate how the data collected by drones can be used and integrated with 5G technology for applications in the low-altitude economy so as to achieve at least one of the specific objectives of the Competition, such as enriching campus life, improving learning environment, optimising teaching resources or learning experience, improving nearby community environment or facilities, realising smart living development in real-life scenarios, and creating economic or social benefits.
The Chief Digital Officer of the HKPC, Mr Edmond Lai, also officiated at the event today. Veteran practitioners of the innovative technology and education sectors were invited to share with students and other participants the latest developments of 5G technology and the low-altitude economy. A representative from the HKPC also briefed the audience about the requirements and points to note of the Competition.
The Competition is supported by the communications sector as well as various educational organisations, including the Communications Association of Hong Kong, the Association of I.T. Leaders in Education, the Hong Kong Association for Computer Education, the Hong Kong Competence Education Foundation, the Association of Hong Kong Chinese Middle Schools, the Hong Kong Computer Society, the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers and the Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance.
The Competition is open to secondary students. The deadline of registration is May 30. Participants should take part as a school team consisting of three to five students and a teacher as team leader. To enrol in and learn more about the Competition, please visit OFCA’s website.
CE’s Middle East trip opens doors
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Executive John Lee led a delegation on a visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates two years ago. The trip had a significant impact on a member of the delegation who subsequently began doing business in the Middle East region.
Public transport company Chairman Cliff Zhang said that just a few months after joining the Chief Executive’s delegation in early 2023, his firm had already supplied three hydrogen buses to Abu Dhabi by November.
“The three hydrogen buses consist of a double-decker, a single-decker and a coach. We are continuously working very closely with the Integrated Transport Centre, which is the Transport Department equivalent in Abu Dhabi, to continue to work with them and collaborate on their green bus programme. And we expect that after the trial is finished later this year, then there will be an official launch of a bigger green bus programme.”
The Chief Executive will lead a delegation to Qatar and Kuwait this weekend and Mr Zhang will once again be part of the delegation.
He has high expectations for the upcoming trip, which he believes will be beneficial and valuable for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in seeking new markets for Hong Kong businesses.
The aim of the Chief Executive’s trip is to further cement the message that Hong Kong stands ready to do business with nations in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and that support for such endeavours comes from the Hong Kong SAR Government directly, Mr Zhang stated.
“I think the utmost significance is really to deliver that message, that Hong Kong is serious and very keen in terms of continuing to deepen the ties and collaboration with the region.
“Thanks to the Chief Executive’s invitation for us to be on that first trip, I think it certainly opened a lot of doors, but I think at the same time, it is really up to each of the enterprises and businesses to go back and to visit, and to try to do business and to have something being signed and delivered.
“We now have a lot of business partners and a lot of collaboration ongoing in the region with different countries and different parties.”
InvestHK promotes Hong Kong as Asia’s business launch pad in Eastern Europe and Middle East (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
InvestHK promotes Hong Kong as Asia’s business launch pad in Eastern Europe and Middle East (with photo)
Ms Lau said, “Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a global financial hub and Asia’s business launch pad make it the perfect partner for enterprises from Türkiye, Hungary and Egypt in expanding into the Mainland, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets, and further in Asia and beyond. Anchored in the Belt and Road Initiative, we look forward to fostering collaboration and showcasing how Hong Kong can drive their success across the region.”
She added that Hong Kong offers unmatched access to the Mainland and the Asia-Pacific region through initiatives such as the Greater Bay Area and its Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN. The city’s business-friendly environment, free capital movement and a robust innovation and technology ecosystem hosting nearly 10 000 companies from overseas and the Mainland, and close to 4 700 start-ups, empowers businesses to innovate and grow.
Ms Lau will arrive in Istanbul tomorrow (May 11, Istanbul time) to engage with Turkish companies from various sectors which are interested in using Hong Kong as a springboard to grow across the Asia-Pacific region. She will speak at different events, including an Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Business Seminar, a Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye Business Seminar, and meet with Turkish media to highlight Hong Kong’s business-friendly environment, which includes a low and simple tax regime, free capital flow, and a common law system under the “one country, two systems” principle.
In 2024, Türkiye was Hong Kong’s 30th largest trading partner, with bilateral merchandise trade between the two places amounting to HK$16.6 billion. The Hong Kong–Türkiye comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement signed in 2024 enhances tax certainty, facilitating cross-border transactions.
Since Türkiye’s inclusion in Hong Kong’s Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales has supported Hong Kong companies expanding into the Turkish market. To further strengthen bilateral business ties, InvestHK set up a second office in Izmir in January 2025 to promote opportunities that Hong Kong offers to Turkish corporates seeking regional expansion.
On May 13 (Budapest time), Ms Lau will arrive in Budapest to meet major Hungarian companies keen on using Hong Kong as a regional hub for Asia-Pacific expansion. She will meet with media to update them on Hong Kong’s latest business environment and opportunities. Ms Lau will also attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference in Hungary.
In 2024, Hungary was Hong Kong’s 33rd largest trading partner and around 9.4 per cent (HK$9.4 billion) of the total merchandise trade between Hungary and the Mainland routed through Hong Kong. Hong Kong serves as a gateway for Hungarian businesses targeting Asian markets, leveraging its role as “super connector” under the Belt and Road Initiative, while Hungary benefits from Hong Kong’s open investment environment. Hungarian manufacturing, technology, and healthtech companies can tap Hong Kong’s vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem, backed by global capital and world-class universities, to grow in ASEAN and China’s Greater Bay Area.
On May 17 (Cairo time), Ms Lau will visit Cairo to connect with global Egyptian businesses eager to establish operations in Hong Kong to seize Asia-Pacific opportunities. She will also attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference in Cairo.
In 2023, InvestHK signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones of the Arab Republic of Egypt, pledging mutual co-operation on investment promotion exchanges and support. In 2024, bilateral merchandise trade between Hong Kong and Egypt amounted to HK$2.1 billion, up 5.4 per cent over 2023.
Issued at HKT 9:00
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Get ready for the HKDSE Examination results release
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The results of the 2025 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination will be released on 16 July. To facilitate Secondary 6 (S6) students’ early planning for the way forward, the Education Bureau (EDB) will continue to provide them with appropriate support and latest information on multiple pathways.
On the “Designated Webpage for S6 Students” (the “Webpage”) (https://www.edb.gov.hk/s6/en) updated by the EDB in a timely manner, students can obtain essential information related to the HKDSE Exam results release, further studies in local/ non-local institutions, multiple pathways, and counselling and support services. The “Reminders for 2025 HKDSE Exam and Exam Results Release” section on the “Webpage” features clear visuals and concise text highlighting the important dates and points to note for students’ easy reference.
In addition, students can access the electronic tool “e-Navigator” (https://enavigator.edb.hkedcity.net/main/index.php) through the “Webpage” to search for matching local institution programmes and to formulate an appropriate plan for further studies by inputting their predicted or actual HKDSE Examination results.
To better prepare S6 students and their parents for the results release ahead of time, the EDB will organise an online parents’ seminar titled “Get prepared for the HKDSE Examination Results Release – the Latest Information on Multiple Pathways” on 10 June 2025 (Tuesday). The seminar will cover various topics including the EDB’s support measures for S6 students, arrangements for the HKDSE results release, procedures for programme choice modification and results release through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), and the latest information on non-JUPAS programmes and multiple pathways. Registration for the seminar is now open. For details, please visit the EDB “Parents’ Talks” webpage (https://www.edb.gov.hk/parentstalks) (Chinese version only). The presentation slides (Chinese and English versions) and video recording of the seminar will be uploaded to the “One-stop Portal on Articulation to Multiple Pathways‧Transition to Senior Secondary and Post-secondary Education” website (https://www.edb.gov.hk/amp/en) in late June 2025 for public reference.