Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, today (July 27) witnessed in Shenzhen the signing of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Joint Botanical Garden Co-operation Agreement between the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality. The collaboration will create an in-depth integration model of ecological co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, laying the foundation for the joint application for the establishment of a National Botanical Garden by the two places in the future.

     Witnessed by Mr Tse; the Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, Mr Dai Jintao; and Deputy Director of the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province Mr Liang Xiaodong, the Co-operation Agreement was signed by the Director-General of the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Xu Songming; the Director-General of the Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Zhang Guohong; the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Mr Mickey Lai; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan.

     According to the Co-operation Agreement, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will collaborate in fields including the collection and protection of plant diversity, ecological protection and the building of ecological corridors, building of synergy and capability in scientific research, science promotion and education, as well as horticultural exhibitions. The two places will jointly conduct regional plant resource systematic surveys, establish an integrated conservation system for rare and endangered wild plants, and advance regional native vegetation restoration and ecosystem remediation.

     In addition, the Co-operation Agreement will foster the launch of in-depth collaboration projects between two places in plant taxonomy, nature conservation and ecological restoration to promote professional talent exchange, the planning of horticultural exhibitions with distinctive national and regional features, and the launch of nature education and citizen science promotion activities. 

     Mr Tse visited the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning in the afternoon with representatives from other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies to learn about Shenzhen’s experience in developing a livable and green urban environment, exchanged views with other representatives and joined a mangrove planting event. 

     Mr Tse will attend the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry tomorrow (July 28) to discuss topics such as forest conservation and sustainable management, the balance between ecological protection and livelihood, as well as technological innovation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     ​Invest Hong Kong, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), and the Investment Association of Central State-owned Enterprises, jointly organised a business matching conference on industrial and capital collaboration between state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and investment institutions, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in Beijing today (July 27). The event aimed to introduce GBA business advantages and the latest opportunities to Beijing-based SOEs and investment institutions, encouraging them to leverage Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to expand into international markets.
 
     This conference is one of the key investment promotion initiatives jointly organised by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, aimed at further enhancing the working mechanism of the Pan-Greater Bay Area Inward Investment Liaison Group and deepening the integration between industrial development and investment capital within the GBA. It attracted over 150 representatives from SOEs and investment institutions, fund companies, cutting-edge industry projects, and business associations, fully reflecting the strong interest of various sectors in the development opportunities of the GBA.
 
     At the conference, representatives from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao delivered presentations to introduce the latest developments and the investment environment of the GBA, further demonstrating the GBA’s potential to local SOEs.
 
     Deputy Director-General of the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province Mr Zhu Xiaojun said that the conference comes at an opportune time, aligning with the new investment planning stage of central SOEs. He expressed hope that the initiative would strengthen co-operation between central SOEs and investment institutions, and GBA in terms of industry development and capital matching. Highlighting Guangdong’s advantages in industrial ecosystem completeness, market scale, innovation capacity, and business environment, he encouraged enterprises to invest, deepen co-operation, and expand in the GBA.
 
     The Acting Deputy Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, Miss Cathy Li, said that Hong Kong, as the most international city in the GBA, leverages the advantages under the “one country, two systems”, its common-law system aligned with international standards, and its well-established financial and risk management systems, which serve as a stable and reliable international operations hub for SOEs, which can capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths as a platform for fundraising and financing, professional services, risk management and corporate treasury functions, while combining these with the GBA’s comprehensive industrial chain and vast market potential to develop and strengthen their international businesses. At the same time, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government encourages SOEs to participate in the synergistic development of innovation and technology in the GBA, establish operations in the Hetao Hong Kong Park, and work together in nurturing new quality productive forces.
 
     Director of the IPIM Mr Larry Leong said that Macao will continue to seize the opportunities arising from the “one country, two systems” framework and the China and Portuguese Speaking Countries platform to serve as a gateway for Central SOEs to go global and expand into Portuguese-speaking markets. He added that the IPIM will further enhance its one-stop services for investors, strengthen support for trade between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries, and deepen efforts to attract investment while supporting overseas expansion – helping enterprises leverage Macao’s unique strengths and policy benefits to expand overseas.
 
     The conference also included a project roadshow session, during which several Guangdong enterprises presented their projects on-site and engaged in interactions and exchanges with representatives from local investment institutions.
 
     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Ms Loretta Lee said that the department will continue to work closely with the Guangdong and Macao governments to actively introduce Hong Kong’s latest developments and investment opportunities to more SOEs and investment institutions, assisting them in leveraging Hong Kong’s professional services and international networks to expand into overseas markets, achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (July 27) released the fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in July, covering 25 survey areas, as follows:
 

District	Survey Area	July 2026
		First Phase Gravidtrap Index	First Phase Density Index
Central and Western	Central and Admiralty	9.3%	1.2
	Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun	9.1%	2.4
Kowloon City	Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan	24.1%	1.1
Kwun Tong	Lam Tin and Sau Mau Ping	9.7%	1.2
	Yau Tong and Cha Kwo Ling	1.8%	1.0
Wong Tai Sin	Diamond Hill and Tsz Wan Shan	16.7%	1.0
	Ngau Chi Wan and San Po Kong	5.6%	1.3
	Wong Tai Sin East	8.7%	1.3
North	Fanling South	17.8%	1.4
Sai Kung	Sai Kung Town	3.8%	1.0
Sha Tin	Sha Tin East	6.5%	1.0
Kwai Tsing	Kwai Chung West	17.8%	1.0
	Tsing Yi North	6.7%	1.3
Tsuen Wan	Tsuen Wan West	9.1%	1.2
Yuen Long	Hung Shui Kiu and Ping Shan	6.0%	1.3

 

District	Survey Area	July 2026
		Area Gravidtrap Index	Area Density Index
Islands	Cheung Chau	4.7%	1.4
Kwun Tong	Kowloon Bay	7.1%	1.9
	Kwun Tong Central	4.8%	1.3
Yau Tsim	Tsim Sha Tsui East and King’s Park	6.5%	1.1
Sha Tin	Sha Tin Town Centre and Fo Tan	7.5%	1.4
Tai Po	Tai Po East	19.6%	1.2
Tsuen Wan	Ma Wan and Sham Tseng	9.1%	1.3
Tuen Mun	So Kwun Wat	11.7%	1.2
	Tuen Mun West	9.1%	1.3
Yuen Long	Tin Shui Wai	16.2%	1.0

The FEHD continues to carry out a series of measures, including:

• Interdepartmental collaboration: convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders (such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies) in strengthening mosquito control work at venues;
• Precise risk assessments: carrying out intensive and targeted mosquito control work at locations with more serious mosquito infestations, including stepping up inspections, eliminating mosquito breeding and potential breeding grounds, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at appropriate locations;
• Promotion and education: organising exhibitions with relevant departments and stakeholders, and distributing leaflets and posters to enhance public awareness of mosquito control and prevention; and
• Rapid alert mechanism: notifying residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, and advising property management companies and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.

During the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers at two construction sites, three parks and four public housing estates in Kowloon City District, Wong Tai Sin District, North District, Tai Po District and Yuen Long District, the FEHD has issued a total of nine statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such items within a specified timeframe. Meanwhile, the FEHD has initiated three prosecutions against the relevant construction site contractors and the estate management company following the discovery of mosquito breeding at two construction sites and a public housing estate in Kowloon City District and North District.

Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:

• tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
• remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
• check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
• change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
• properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
• properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
• scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Development Bureau briefed the Land and the Development Advisory Committee (LDAC) at its meeting today (July 27) on the two new measures to incentivise urban renewal. The major arrangements of the measures are as follows:
 
(1) The Bonus Plot Ratio Pilot Scheme: If a developer commits to pull down a building with residential elements in the seven designated areas (Note), whose building age reached 50 years or above with the site area not less than 700 square metres, and redevelop it into residential use, an additional 20 per cent premium-free gross floor area (GFA) will be provided as bonus. The developer can choose to submit planning application to the Town Planning Board (TPB) to directly utilise the bonus plot ratio in kind for in-situ redevelopment. The developer can also choose to translate the bonus plot ratio into land premium value for offsetting the land premium payable for in-situ redevelopment or any other land transactions in the Northern Metropolis and other parts of the territory. To simplify the execution procedures, the Government will use standard rates to calculate the premium value of the bonus plot ratio. All in-situ redevelopment projects joining the Pilot Scheme are required to be effected by means of lease modification to ensure timely completion of the redevelopment project. The bonus plot ratio will not affect other existing GFA concession measures. Subject to market response, the Development Bureau will evaluate the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme, as well as introduce adjustments where necessary and consider whether the period of the Pilot Scheme will have to be extended; and 

(2) The cross-district transfer of plot ratio (TPR) arrangement: It is to relax the current arrangements of TPR within the same district, allowing cross-district transfer of plot ratio from the sending sites to other areas across the territory, including the New Development Areas, so as to reduce the development density in the urban area. It is also to extend the geographic coverage of sending sites from Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei to the remaining five designated areas (Note), as well as removing the limit of two receiving sites and reducing the site area requirement of receiving sites from 1 000 sq m to 700 sq m. To provide additional incentives, if the sending site is used for designated uses benefiting the local community, subject to the TPB’s approval, certain premium-free GFA could be provided within the sending sites as bonus GFA, in addition to the full transfer of the plot ratio and GFA from sending sites in order to support the on-going management and maintenance of the sending site. Furthermore, the premium assessment arrangement will be relaxed to allow the land premium assessment for the sending sites and receiving sites to be combined. All cross-district TPR proposals will require submission of planning applications to the TPB, which will perform a gatekeeping role in ensuring the transfer will not cause adverse impact to the surrounding environment. 

The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said “At present, the pace of building ageing in Hong Kong far exceeds that of redevelopment by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the private market. In the past decade, the number of buildings aged 50 years or above increased by about 510 per year, while on average only 160 buildings were demolished by the URA and the private sector. And not many redevelopment projects in old districts are financially viable these days. In this regard, the Government has to adopt a new mindset and bold policy thinking to give a stronger policy push to encourage the private sector to participate in urban renewal, with a view to expediting redevelopment and rescuing urban decay.”
 
Members were very supportive of the two new measures proposed by the Government. They agreed that the Bonus Plot Ratio Pilot Scheme would provide incentives and enhance the financial viability of redevelopment projects in old districts, and that the cross-district TPR arrangement could further incentivise the market to use the planning tool to expedite urban renewal.
 
Members considered that it was time to give bolder and stronger push to promote urban redevelopment by the URA and the market. If the response of these measures is positive, members expected that the Government could extend the Pilot scheme and consider relaxing the implementation arrangements where appropriate. Given the measures would involve a lot of technical implementation details, Members would like the Government to set out such details in the application guidelines of the relevant measures, so as to facilitate implementation.
 
The above are two of the measures announced in the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address to expedite urban renewal. Having consulted relevant stakeholders and taken into account their comments, the Government has formulated the implementation arrangements. The LDAC today mainly discussed the implementation details of the relevant proposals. 
 
The Government will issue a joint practice notes for launching the Bonus Plot Ratio Pilot Scheme and revise the TPB Guidelines on TPR after obtaining the TPB’s endorsement, with a view to launching the two schemes in the third quarter of 2026.
 
Note: The seven designated areas refer to Cheung Sha Wan (the same Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) covering also Sham Shui Po), Ma Tau Kok (covering Kowloon City and To Kwa Wan), Mong Kok, Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan (covered by the same OZP), Tsuen Wan, Wan Chai and Yau Ma Tei.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Transport Department said today that the city’s new taxi fleet system is working well, with over 95% of passengers providing positive feedback on the fleets’ introduction.

More than 2,000 fleet taxis and about 2,400 fleet taxi drivers are now providing services, and had made approximately 4.2 million trips as of the end of May. Fleet services, provided by five fleets – SynCab, Big Boss Taxi, Amigo, Big Bee Taxi and Joie – commenced in phases last year. 

The department said the fleets have provided a wider selection of vehicle models, newer vehicles, spacious and tidy compartments, and courteous drivers, resulting in quality travel experiences for both local passengers and visitors.

It added that it has been active in promoting the development of taxi fleets and rendering all-round assistance to fleet operators in solving operational challenges. This has included engaging drivers and taxi owners and upholding service standards.

The department has also liaised with banks to arrange assistance for taxi owners to apply to the “Dedicated 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme for Battery Electric Taxis”. Over 200 applications have been facilitated, increasing the number of electric vehicles in fleets.

In addition, the department has coordinated with power companies and charging facility operators to optimise charging infrastructure for taxi fleets. Together, the fleets and charging operators offer over 160 charging service points across the territory to support the sector.

Meanwhile, 95 dedicated fleet taxi stopping places have been introduced cross 16 locations, including the airport, some boundary control points, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, some Airport Express stations, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Phase II, the Exhibition Centre Station Public Transport Interchange, M+ Museum, and the Hong Kong Port Area of the new Huanggang Port.

The five fleets have also implemented various measures to recruit drivers and taxi owners. The average age of drivers across the five fleets is 47, much lower than the industry average of 60. Moreover, 20% of fleet drivers are aged between 30 and 39, bringing a fresh outlook to the trade.

Furthermore, “Easy Ride”, an aggregated platform for all five fleets, has recorded over 400,000 visits, with over 10,000 taxis connecting to the platform. Nearly 40% of orders were completed by taxi fleets, demonstrating that the fleets are attracting passengers from multiple sources.

The department remarked that it monitors taxi fleets’ service quality closely. With fleet operators implementing effective driver management, the number of complaints received is lower than that for non-fleet taxis. The accident rate is also lower.