Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Public healthcare services in Hong Kong East Question:
The Hospital Authority (HA) has earlier on announced its plan to merge the Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) and the Hong Kong West Cluster in anticipation of a decline in the demand for healthcare services due to a reduction in the catchment population in the two clusters to about one million in future. It has also indicated that it is necessary to re-examine the plan to expand the Ambulatory Care Block of the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) under the Second Ten-year Hospital Development Plan. However, there are views that population is not the only indicator of service demand, and if the decline in population is accompanied by an increase in the proportion of the elderly population, this may lead to an increase in the demand for chronic disease treatment, long-term care and services of the accident and emergency departments, etc, and there are concerns about whether the suspension of the expansion project of PYNEH will adversely affect the local community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
The catchment population of HKEC in 2024(3) whether it knows the following information on the services provided by PYNEH in the past three years: (i) the numbers of beds for ambulatory services and beds for inpatient services and (ii) their utilisation rates, (iii) the ratio of the use of these two types of beds by elderly people aged 65 and above to the total number of people using such beds, (iv) the average waiting time for patients to be admitted to wards and (v) the average inpatient days;
(4) given that HA has proposed in the Hospital Authority Strategic Plan 2022-2027 to re-orientate service models to reduce the reliance on inpatient care by promoting ambulatory care to cut down on unnecessary hospital stay and enhance the efficiency of bed usage, whether the Government knows if HA has assessed the impact of suspending the expansion project of the Ambulatory Care Block of PYNEH on the efficiency of bed usage and patients’ waiting time for admission to wards, and of the relevant corresponding measures; and The catchment area population of the HA clusters (including the HKEC) in 2024 and 2031 are set out in the table below (Note 1 and 2):
Hospital clusters and the catchment areaEastern, Wan Chai, Islands (excluding Lantau Island)Central & Western, Southern (For reference) Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, Wong Tai Sin Kwun Tong, Sai Kung Sham Shui Po, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan, Lantau Island Sha Tin, Tai Po, North Tuen Mun, Yuen Long
Year(General (acute and convalescent)) (as at March 31 of respective year)(General (acute and convalescent))(General (acute and convalescent))(acute and convalescent))(including cases of unknown age)
YearNote 3: The HA had adjusted its services to cope with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong in early 2020. The above situation should be taken into consideration of when comparing the volume of services provided by the HA in the relevant years. As the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong gradually subsided and various epidemic control measures were lifted in early 2023, the HA had been dovetailing with the Government’s measures in resumption of normalcy and gradually resuming its public healthcare services.
Note 4: Bed information covers only the general beds in the HA. Infirmary, mentally-ill and mentally-handicapped beds are special in nature and the 400 mentally-ill beds at PYNEH are hence not included herein. As the public hospitals will deploy the hospital beds flexibly having regard to service needs, the number of beds for in-patients and day in-patients are combined in the compilation.Issued at HKT 17:51
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question: It has been reported that earlier on, due to the severe inadequacy of ancillary transport facilities at the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir (East Dam), numerous visitors were left stranded there in the evening. Some taxi drivers even took advantage of this situation by overcharging. Furthermore, some members of the public have relayed insufficient mobile network coverage in the area, which has adversely affected public communications and their ability to seek assistance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):
Question:
It has been reported that the traditional agriculture and fisheries industry is facing the challenges of transformation and sales promotion. Regarding the measures to support the agriculture and fisheries industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the Government currently assists fishermen and farmers in overcoming the problem of capital shortfall through various measures (e.g. the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund and the Farm Improvement Scheme), which enable them to enhance production efficiency and product quality with the use of modernised equipment or technologies, whether the Government has assessed the effectiveness of such measures; if so, of the details;
(2) as there are views pointing out that fishermen and farmers generally lack market information and marketing skills to sell agricultural and fisheries products, whether the Government has, apart from organising the FarmFest annually and developing the “Local Fresh” mobile app and shopping website, considered providing them with training related to sales and promotion, as well as establishing more platforms and channels for selling agricultural and fisheries products; and
(3) as there are views that the supply chain of local agricultural and fisheries products is plagued by the problem of insufficient preservation and transportation facilities, how the Government improves the logistics infrastructure in areas for agriculture and fisheries uses, especially the cold chain logistics and transport network; of the Government’s plans in place to assist fishermen and farmers in setting up a modern storage and distribution system, thereby reducing the loss of and damage to their products and expand their sales network?
Reply:
President,
The Government is actively taking forward the various initiatives under the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, with a view to promoting the upgrading and transformation of the agriculture and fisheries industries towards modernisation and sustainable development. Such initiatives include providing financial support and technical support, as well as improving the marketing environment, thereby meeting the development needs of the industries on various fronts.
The reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung is as follows:
(1) In terms of financial support, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), through the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund and the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund (SADF) of HK$1 billion each, assists the local agriculture and fisheries industries to switch to sustainable and high value-added mode of operations, thereby boosting the overall competitiveness of the industries. The Equipment Improvement Project and the Farm Improvement Scheme under the two respective Funds have also been providing financial assistance to eligible local fishermen/farmers for purchasing modernised and mechanised operational equipment and materials to enhance their competitiveness.
Since the establishment of the two Funds, progress has been made with initial achievements, benefitting more than 4 570 fishermen/farmers. The AFCD reviews from time to time the effectiveness of approved or completed projects under the two Funds in fostering the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industries. Upon project completion, the grantee should submit a final report and an audited account, specifying the project’s financial position and benefits brought to the industry, and should share the achievements with the industries. In addition, the AFCD will also organise seminars and sharing sessions for the trade.
Besides, the Government, through the AFCD, the Fish Marketing Organization (FMO) and the Vegetable Marketing Organization (VMO), manages six fisheries and agricultural loan funds which provide fishermen/farmers with low-interest loans to help them switch to more sustainable operations or further enhance and expand their business. The AFCD and the FMO/VMO have been monitoring the operation of these funds on a continuous basis. Over the past five years, a total of about HK$500 million of loans were approved under these fisheries and agricultural loan funds, benefitting more than 1 660 fishermen/farmers.
(2) The AFCD and the FMO/VMO have been providing proactive assistance to the industries to promote their local premium agricultural and fisheries products, including the organisation of major events such as the 75th National Day Farm and Gourmet Festival and the FarmFest, participation in food exhibitions (e.g. Vegetarian Food Asia, Food Expo, HOFEX and Organic Aquaculture Festival), development and setting up of the “Local Fresh” e-commerce platform and a physical store, collaboration with retailers to establish regular sales channels, and organisation of holiday bazaars and thematic sales activities in supermarket chains. The AFCD and the FMO/VMO will continue to explore online and offline sales channels, identify more partners for collaboration and step up the promotional efforts. We are also actively promoting leisure farming and fisheries, including allowing the public to taste fresh local agricultural and fisheries products at farms and fish farms, which will help publicise and promote the products.
To further enhance the competitiveness of local agricultural and fisheries products and strengthen sales and promotion, the AFCD plans to establish a unified new brand for safe, low-carbon and premium local agricultural and fisheries products covering various locally produced agricultural and fisheries products, and to establish production standards, farming methods as well as a certification and traceability system for these products to ensure that the quality is up to standard. The AFCD is carrying out preparatory work with the local certification body, agricultural and fishermen organisations and other stakeholders. The AFCD and the certification body will make reference to international experiences when formulating a certification system that applies to the local agricultural and fisheries products and will fully consult the industries and relevant stakeholders before launching the new brand to ensure that the system standards are widely accepted by the industries. The AFCD is actively striving to build the unified new brand in 2025/26.
In addition, the AFCD has in recent years offered courses on practical skills, such as business start-up, business operation, simple clerical and accounting processing, to fishermen with a view to enhancing their marketing and administrative knowledge. The AFCD also plans to organise training courses related to brand building and online marketing in future to enhance farmers and fishermen’s knowledge and understanding of various marketing practices, tools, sales channels, etc, so as to assist the industries in enhancing the competitiveness and market visibility of their agricultural and fisheries products.
(3) The FMO/VMO have established a fish processing centre and the Premium Vegetables Section respectively to provide processing, freezing and packaging services for local agricultural and fisheries products, enhancing product value and extending shelf life of the products. In recent years, the FMO has actively introduced the vacuum skin packaging technology to enhance the freshness and appearance of products and facilitate logistics and transportation. For agricultural products, the “Pilot Scheme on Marketing and Branding of Graded Local Vegetables”, which is financially supported by the SADF, has been launched to grade local “accredited vegetables” and establish regional packaging and distribution centres with a view to providing a steady supply of premium vegetables and enhancing the consumers’ awareness of and demand for “accredited vegetables”. In addition, the FMO/VMO will review the utilisation and planning of existing wholesale markets, such as studying the feasibility of expanding the processing and cold storage facilities at Tai Po Wholesale Fish Market and other suitable locations.
Regarding logistics, the existing logistics distribution services in Hong Kong can generally meet the needs of the local agriculture and fisheries industries. Local farms and fish farms usually arrange their own logistics and distribution services to deliver the harvested agricultural and fisheries products to customers or sell them through wholesale markets. Meanwhile, the FMO/VMO also provide logistics, delivery and marketing support to some farmers and fishermen.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ7: Combating phishing Question:
The Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre handled a total of 12 536 security incidents last year, with phishing accounting for over half of all cases, marking a 108 per cent increase from 2023. In addition, between January and February this year, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) posted on its website press releases on phishing instant messages and fraudulent websites related to banks for more than 50 times. Regarding combating phishing, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of fraud cases involving phishing and the losses incurred in each of the past five years, together with a breakdown by industry;
(2) among the phishing websites reported by members of the public on the public intelligence platform since the launch of “Scameter”, of the proportion of those that have actually been added by the Police to the scam database; whether a mechanism for immediate takedown of the reported phishing websites has been put in place; if so, of the average time taken to take down such websites;
(3) as it has been reported that in view of the susceptibility of SMS messages issuing an SMS one-time password (OTP) to interception by hackers, the HKMA has requested that banks implement measures by the end of last year requiring customers to authenticate online credit card transactions using the banking applications in their mobile phones instead of using an SMS OTP for authentication, whether the HKMA will formulate a specific timetable for phasing out OTP authentication; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) as the Office of the Communications Authority has launched the SMS Sender Registration Scheme for companies or organisations that have registered as Registered Senders to use SMS messages with the prefix “#” in order to help members of the public ascertain the authenticity of SMS messages, but it has been reported that some fraudsters use fraudulent mobile base stations, which are illegal radio devices, to circumvent the existing mechanism, impersonating official or financial institutions to send fraudulent SMS messages, whether the authorities will study the formulation of measures to address the aforesaid situation, and at the same time step up publicity to raise the public’s anti-deception awareness; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Deception is a serious crime. Regardless of the tactics used by criminals, we will take stringent combat actions as long as illegal activities are involved. Phishing scams as mentioned in the question generally refers to a crime where illegal elements sent out through SMS messages, emails, voice messages, QR codes, etc, to potential victims en masse, impersonating organisations such as banks, telecommunication service providers (TSPs) or even government departments. Alleging that irregularities in the recipients’ accounts are detected or account verification is needed, criminals lure recipients of the messages into clicking on an embedded link and entering a fake website to provide their account login credentials, credit card information, personal information, etc. The criminals will then use such information to make purchases with credit cards or transfer the bonus points out of the recipients’ accounts. The Police have been making every effort to combat various types of fraud cases, including phishing scams, in collaboration with different government departments. Apart from taking intelligence-led enforcement actions, the Police are raising public awareness against this type of crime through public education and promotional activities.
In consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the reply to the Member’s question is as follows:
(1) The Police have maintained statistics on phishing scam cases since 2023. In 2023 and 2024, 4 322 and 2 731 cases on phishing scam were received respectively. The monetary losses involved were $102.4 million and $53.5 million respectively. In the first two months of 2025, the Police received a total of 242 phishing scam reports, a decrease of 347 cases (58.9 per cent) as compared with the same period last year. The monetary loss involved decreased by 54.2 per cent to $4.9 million.
The Police do not maintain any breakdown by industry in relation to phishing scams.
(2) “Scameter” has yielded remarkable results since its launch in September 2022. As at February 2025, more than 7.60 million searches had been recorded and about 950 000 alerts on frauds and cyber security risks had been issued. Members of the public had also reported over 355 000 suspicious phone calls and over 38 000 suspicious websites through the public intelligence platform of “Scameter”.
In February 2023, the Police launched a mobile application version, “Scameter+”, to help members of the public distinguish suspicious online platform accounts, payment accounts, phone numbers, email addresses, websites, etc, and to provide the public with anti-fraud tips. “Scameter+” has now been upgraded and is equipped with automatic detection functions, namely the Call Alert function and the Website Detection function, which will automatically identify scam calls and fraudulent websites. If potential fraud or cyber security risk is detected, “Scameter+” will issue a real-time notification, reminding users not to answer the call or browse the website. There is also a public intelligence platform in “Scameter+” for members of the public to report frauds and pitfalls, thereby further enriching its database.
The Police update the database of “Scameter” on a daily basis and will continuously review and enhance its functions, while strengthening other anti-fraud measures in a proactive manner. The database of “Scameter” comprises information collected from reports made by members of the public and obtained by the Police from other channels, including criminal investigations and intelligence. We do not maintain statistics on the percentage of phishing websites reported by the public that have actually been added by the Police to the scam database.
Moreover, under the co-ordination of the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), the Police and major TSPs have established a mechanism where TSPs will, based on the fraud records provided by the Police, block the telephone numbers suspected to be involved in deception cases and intercept suspicious website links as soon as possible. As at end February 2025, the TSPs had successfully blocked about 40 000 website links involved in fraud cases and more than 8 600 suspected fraudulent phone numbers at the Police’s request. The OFCA does not maintain any record of the average time required for relevant actions by TSPs.
(3) The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has been closely monitoring the trend of digital frauds and actively encouraging banks to implement effective anti-fraud measures. In line with the HKMA’s guidelines, card-issuing banks have gradually started providing customers with more secure authentication methods since late 2024. Customers can authenticate online payment card transactions through their bank’s mobile application (App) instead of using SMS One-Time Passwords (OTPs). According to banks’ statistics, the related fraud rate has decreased by nearly 80 per cent.
In response to the latest modus operandi of digital frauds, the HKMA announced three new measures in April 2025, and which are succinctly referred to as E-Banking Security ABC. The measures require banks to strengthen E-banking security to further enhance customers’ fraud prevention capabilities.
Firstly, banks are required to implement (A) a new measure called Authenticate in-App by Q4 2025 or earlier. Thereafter, when customers log into Internet banking and conduct high-risk transactions (such as adding new payees, increasing transfer limits, changing the phone number for receiving bank notifications, or binding Internet banking accounts to mobile devices), they will need to conduct authentication through their bank’s mobile App instead of using SMS OTPs. Furthermore, starting in Q3 2025, when customers bind or rebind their mobile devices, they will have to conduct authentication via facial recognition or similarly stringent authentication methods (such as visiting a branch in person), replacing the current practice of using SMS OTP for two-factor authentication. If customers insist on using SMS OTPs for authenticating transactions or device binding, banks will need to follow the HKMA’s requirements, and implement effective risk management measures for those transactions or binding requests, such as enhancing the monitoring of related transactions and deferring the execution of higher-risk transactions. These measures will help gradually phase out the use of SMS OTPs for authentication purposes.
Additionally, banks will also need to implement the remaining two new measures, namely (B) “Bye to unused functions” and (C) “Cancel suspicious payments”, during Q2 2025. The former will give customers the option to deactivate Internet banking functions like increasing transfer limits and adding new payees, to better suit their personal needs while strengthening risk management. The latter will further enhance the effectiveness of the Suspicious Account Alert mechanism, and provide customers with sufficient time to review the alert content.
Together, the three new measures referred to as E-Banking Security ABC mentioned above will offer more comprehensive fraud prevention and protection coverage for bank customers.
(4) The SMS Sender Registration Scheme (the Scheme) was implemented on December 28, 2023, and was fully opened to all industries in February 2024. As at end March 2025, over 495 public and private organisations (including the Immigration Department, the Department of Health, the Police and the Consumer Council) have participated in the Scheme. Under the Scheme, only those companies or organisations qualified as Registered Senders are able to send SMS messages using their Registered SMS Sender IDs with the prefix “#”. TSPs will block fraudulent SMS messages sent by non-Registered Senders via the Internet. In addition, to enhance the implementation effectiveness of the Scheme, the OFCA will, after obtaining the consent of the Registered Senders, request TSPs to prohibit non-“#” SMS messages suspected to impersonate identities of a Registered Sender, further safeguarding the public’s interest. An SMS Sender Registry is available on the OFCA’s website for the public to verify registered companies, and efforts will continue to engage more organisations to participate in the Scheme.
In mid-February this year, there were public enquiries about suspected fraudulent SMS messages with the prefix “#”. The Police and the OFCA were highly concerned. Of the 31 reports received by the Police, two involved monetary losses, totalling about $30,000. The Police subsequently arrested a male and seized illegal radiocommunications apparatus. A joint press briefing with the OFCA was held to brief the public on how to stay vigilant against this type of fraud. The incident was an isolated case, and the relevant apparatus could only affect mobile phones within a limited area without undermining the overall implementation effectiveness of the Scheme. The OFCA has requested all TSPs to enhance monitoring of abnormal network signals, and has established a reporting mechanism. If similar cases are detected in future, the OFCA will promptly co-ordinate with the Police to take follow-up actions.
In response to these illegal activities, the Police will continue to adopt a multipronged approach, including use of technology in fraud prevention and enhanced enforcement actions, to combat fraud on all fronts. Regarding use of technology in fraud prevention, the Police will collaborate with other departments to step up interception of suspicious transactions and fraudulent phone calls. Anti-scam applications will also be upgraded to provide immediate alerts. Enforcement-wise, the Police will carry out rigorous investigation on money laundering activities and stooge accounts, and will work with overseas law enforcement agencies to combat cross-border fraud syndicates.
Apart from resolute law enforcement actions, the Government has adopted a multipronged publicity strategy to enhance public awareness of fraud. The Police will continue to work jointly with the OFCA and the industry in stepping up publicity and education, with a view to raising the public’s anti-deception awareness. The OFCA and TSPs will strengthen monitoring on network signals and take timely response measures when abnormalities are found.
Specifically, in January 2025, the OFCA launched the District Anti-Phone Deception Ambassador Scheme, which received support from more than 150 District Council (DC) members’ ward offices covering 18 districts in Hong Kong with the participation by more than 300 DC members and their staff members, to promote anti-phone scam messages at district level. The OFCA will continue to step up publicity and public education in the community through issuing press releases, broadcasting TV and radio announcements, publishing social media posts, producing and distributing promotional leaflets and posters, and organising various different community activities to deliver anti-phone scam messages to the public more comprehensively. Since 2023, the OFCA has conducted a total of 21 roadshows with Legislative Council Members and DC members, and organised 182 public education and publicity programmes.
To combat the rampant phishing scams, the Police have increased publicity efforts. Through the Police electronic platform, the website CyberDefender as well as traditional media, the Police have educated the public about common and new tactics used by fraudsters. The Police have warned members of the public not to click onto any hyperlink embedded in messages of unknown sources or suspected to contain phishing websites. Instead, they should contact the relevant institution directly for verification, or carry out risk assessment and fact checking using the “Scameter” or “Scameter+”. For assistance, they are advised to call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222. Issued at HKT 12:20
The Security Bureau held an interdepartmental pre-typhoon tabletop exercise today at the Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre (EMSC) in the Central Government Offices.
The exercise aimed to enhance the emergency response and collaboration of bureaus, departments and other parties concerned in handling possible emergency situations if Hong Kong is struck by a super typhoon.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory’s forecast, five to eight tropical cyclones are expected to hit the city this year. The tropical cyclone season will begin in June or earlier, and end in October or later.
To ensure comprehensive preparedness, representatives from around 40 bureaus, departments and other parties participated in this year’s exercise.
The exercise simulated a scenario in which a super typhoon and heavy rainstorm battered Hong Kong, causing widespread destruction, property damage and serious blockage of main thoroughfares.
Participants were required to outline their response measures under different scenarios.
The exercise served as an interdisciplinary platform for the participants to share their experience and expertise, and enabled the participating parties to gain a deeper understanding of the operation of the EMSC as well as their respective roles and responsibilities, with a view to enhancing the preparedness and interdepartmental collaboration in responding to threats posed by super typhoons.
On day three of the Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Milan, Italy, Financial Secretary Paul Chan spoke at the Governors’ Plenary and met ADB President Masato Kanda.
The Governors’ Plenary focused on promoting regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific through digital transformation.
Mr Chan noted that digital transformation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace; however, the region is facing a digital divide, and the trade war is likely to extend into the technology sector, thereby exacerbating digital fragmentation. Consequently, he stressed that ADB members should work together to address these challenges and strengthen co-operation on digitalisation.
He also shared Hong Kong’s strategy and action plan for digital transformation, which includes advancing digital infrastructure, facilitating digital transformation and cross-boundary data flow, and nurturing talent.
Furthermore, Mr Chan introduced Hong Kong’s strategy of using artificial intelligence to empower digital development and support small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation.
Urging ADB members to collaborate on enhancing digital governance and nurturing talent, Mr Chan said Hong Kong is willing to share its experiences and technological solutions with other members to seize the vast opportunities presented by digital transformation and promote sustainable development in the region.
While meeting Mr Kanda on the same day, they exchanged views on the international economic landscape and regional development issues.
Mr Chan stated that Hong Kong supports the ADB’s work and is willing to share its experiences in areas such as financial innovation, infrastructure financing, green finance as well as innovation and technology (I&T). He also emphasised the importance of strengthening personnel training and exchanges with the ADB.
Yesterday, Mr Chan met Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Economy & Finance Ilhom Norqulov and Tajikistan’s State Committee on Investments & State Property Management Chairman Sulton Rahimzoda to discuss mutual co-operation.
In addition to highlighting that as an international financial centre, Hong Kong can effectively match funds with infrastructure projects in both countries, provide relevant professional services and support the operation of projects, the Financial Secretary underscored that there is significant potential for co-operation in I&T.
As a result, the Financial Secretary invited delegations from both countries to visit Hong Kong to connect with local industries and explore collaboration opportunities.
Mr Chan is due to depart for Hong Kong today and will arrive in the city on May 8.
Chief Executive John Lee will lead a business delegation to visit Qatar and Kuwait on May 10.
In addition to further strengthening exchanges and connections with the Middle East region in areas such as finance, trade, investment, and innovation and technology (I&T), the purpose of the visit is to promote the latest advantages and opportunities in Hong Kong to local political and business communities.
Noting that the Middle East region is experiencing rapid development with abundant capital, Mr Lee explained that the region is actively seeking to diversify risks, particularly by channelling investments into China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, aligning with the global economic shift towards the East. Qatar and Kuwait are both economically vibrant and fast-growing countries in the Middle East region, he pointed out.
Furthermore, Mr Lee highlighted that this marks his first time leading Mainland enterprises in addition to leaders from industry and commerce and professional sectors of Hong Kong in an outbound mission, aiming to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths under the “one country, two systems” principle in connecting the Mainland and the world.
He stated that the visit also aims to give full play to Hong Kong’s role as a super connector and a super value-adder by deepening international exchanges and co-operation, acting as a bridge to serve enterprises in going global and attracting external investment.
At the same time, it also demonstrates the complementary advantages of co-operation between Mainland and Hong Kong enterprises, creating synergies and providing comprehensive supply chain services.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau, Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip, Commissioner for Belt & Road Nicholas Ho and Director of Information Services Apollonia Liu will join the delegation.
Members of the delegation include more than 50 representatives from Hong Kong’s business community and Mainland enterprises.
This includes over 30 leaders from industry and commerce and professional sectors of Hong Kong and over 20 entrepreneurs from Mainland provinces such as Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. The delegation spans fields including finance, industry and commerce, trade, infrastructure, I&T, energy, and transport and logistics.
Mr Lee will visit Qatar on May 11 and 12 and depart for Kuwait on the evening of May 12.
During the visit, he will meet with local government leaders to enhance communication and establish collaborative consensus, enabling businesses to clearly understand the policy directions of co-operation between the Hong Kong SAR Government and the governments of both countries, and leading the promotion of cultural exchanges.
Apart from leading the delegation to visit facilities and enterprises to gain insights into the latest developments in areas such as finance, trade, and I&T, exploring new opportunities, the Chief Executive plans to attend exchange events to introduce Hong Kong’s advantages and investment opportunities to the local business community.
Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on May 15. During his absence, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki will be Acting Chief Executive.
Kuwait and Qatar are both members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. From 2018 to 2024, bilateral trade between Hong Kong and the two countries grew by approximately 40%. Under the Belt & Road Initiative, investments from Mainland China in Kuwait and Qatar have also increased significantly. From 2013 to 2023, the annual average growth rates reached 21.6% and 11.6%, respectively.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council stated that Hong Kong can further provide financial and professional services to assist Mainland enterprises in entering the Gulf region.
The council’s Director of Research, Irina Fan, noted a strong demand from Mainland enterprises looking to expand overseas, adding that they are increasingly interested in Belt & Road-related markets.
According to their survey, 95% of Mainland companies would like to explore Belt & Road markets, many of which are smaller companies that lack international expertise and need assistance from Hong Kong.
The survey also reveals that 77% would like to come to Hong Kong for financial or professional services support to ensure success in the international market.
Ms Fan stated that this is why Hong Kong will play a crucial role in facilitating the shift of trade and investment diversity into the Belt & Road market, particularly in the Middle East.
The council also pointed out that both the Qatari and Kuwaiti governments aim to diversify their economies and incorporate elements of innovation and sustainable development. The current uncertain international trade and investment environment, together with geopolitical instability, has also prompted both countries to seek to strengthen investments in the Asian region, thereby presenting opportunities for Hong Kong.
A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.
Altogether, nine (9) sites have been targeted.
Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.
These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable.
There will be detailed briefing on ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, later today.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Cheung Sha Wan yesterday (May 6) in which a man died.
At about 11.30pm, a motorcycle driven by a 62-year-old man was travelling along Tai Po Road – Sha Tin Heights towards Sha Tin, while a private car driven by a 25-year-old man was travelling along Tai Po Road – Sha Tin Heights towards Kowloon. When approaching Kowloon Reservoir, the private car reportedly went out of control, dashed to the opposite traffic lane and rammed into the motorcycle.
Sustaining serious leg injuries, the motorcyclist was rushed to Caritas Medical Centre in unconscious state and was certified dead today (May 7) at 0.29 am.
The private car driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for enquiries.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, Kowloon West is underway.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 9188.