Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ22: Human resource situation of Chinese medicines industries
AYNote 2: UGC-funded institutions do not offer UGC-funded programmes related to Chinese pharmacy at sub-degree, taught postgraduate (Tpg) or research postgraduate levels.
The number of Chinese pharmacy related (Note 3) locally-accredited non-UGC-funded Ug and Tpg programmes as well as the actual intakes by the level of study in the recent five AYs are set out below (Note 4):
AYNote 4: Self-financing post-secondary institutions do not offer programmes related to Chinese pharmacy at sub-degree or research postgraduate levels.
The Government does not maintain relevant records on the number of graduates from various Chinese pharmacy related programmes in Hong Kong.
Note 7: Figures may not add up to total due to rounding.
(3) and (4) According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, a retailer of Chinese herbal medicines (Chms) shall nominate one responsible person for the supervision of the dispensing of Chms, and not more than two deputies, one of whom shall act in the absence of that responsible person. Both the aforementioned responsible person and the deputies must meet the minimum requirements regarding knowledge and experience as set out in Schedule 1 of the Chinese Medicines Regulation. These include having a recognised academic qualification/diploma/certificate (for example, a local university bachelor’s degree in Chinese medicine (CM), a diploma/certificate in CMs issued by a local university or the Vocational Training Council (VTC), or other qualifications regarded by the Chinese Medicines Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMs Board) as equivalent); or holding registered/listed Chinese medicine practitioner (CMP) status, and possessing the relevant Hong Kong practical experience in dispensing Chms. For details, please refer to Annex 1. As at the end of March 2026, there are 1 111 licensed retailers of Chms provided Chms dispensing services in Hong Kong. The numbers of responsible persons and deputies supervising the dispensing of Chms were 1 090 and 1 346, respectively. (One responsible person may supervise more than one retailer of Chms.)Issued at HKT 18:50
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 6) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Big Stone County of the State of Minnesota in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 11 940 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 3.53 million poultry eggs from the US in the first three months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the American authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Judy Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
It has been reported that the Japanese Prime Minister will push for amending the pacifist constitution. There are views that “neo-militarism” may become a growing threat that jeopardises regional peace and stability. The Government needs to enhance the younger generation’s awareness of guarding against “neo-militarism”, and examine whether the current primary and secondary school curriculum system is adequate for students to develop an accurate understanding of the history of Japanese aggression of China. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the proportion of teaching content relating to the history of Japanese aggression of China and the harm of militarism in the curriculum framework and teaching materials of Junior Secondary Chinese History and Senior Secondary Citizenship and Social Development subjects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it has any plans to regularly review the quality of relevant teaching materials to ensure that their content accurately and objectively reflects historical facts, so as to counterbalance information disseminated by Japan to the outside world that downplays or distorts the history of militarist aggression, and enable the teaching materials to properly guide students to understand the historical background of Japanese militarism and the principles underlying the formulation of the post-war pacifist constitution; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether it will strengthen relevant training for frontline teachers to ensure that they are equipped with the capability to obtain the latest information and effectively guide students to correctly understand the history of Japanese aggression (including the harm inflicted on compatriots, the situation during the occupation of Hong Kong, the historical lessons of militarism and the importance of upholding peace for the well-being of future generations); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether it has any plans to encourage schools to enhance students’ understanding of the history of Japanese aggression of China through extra-curricular activities beyond the classroom; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) given that the Government proposed in the 2025 Policy Address to optimise the curriculum frameworks for the senior secondary Chinese History and History subjects, and that the Education Bureau announced the content of the curriculum frameworks in October 2025 and issued questionnaires to collect views from schools offering or planning to offer the subject concerned, of the latest progress on the consultation results and the review exercise?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) has attached great importance to the education of the history of the War of Resistance and is committed to promoting patriotic education and a correct understanding of history. The young generation should understand the 14-year history of Chinese people’s War of Resistance against Japanese fascist and militarist invasion, as well as remember the Chinese people’s courageous resistance to the Japanese aggression and the scourge brought about by the Japanese militarism to our country and the world, thereby further strengthening the younger generation’s awareness of the resurgence of militarism.
Regarding the question raised by the Hon Judy Chan, the EDB’s reply is as follows:
(1) and (2) The three curricula of Primary Humanities, junior secondary Chinese History and History cover the content of the history of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, so as to cultivate students’ sense of national identity and patriotism.
Junior secondary Chinese History
Secondary 3 Chinese History provides the topic of “Japanese invasion of China and the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression”, which includes learning content such as the background of Japanese invasion of China, the course and result of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and anti-Japanese aggression activities, with a view to nurturing students’ proper values of sense of nationhood and cherishing peace. The above accounts for about 14 per cent of the learning content in Secondary 3, with learning and teaching resources sharing about the same proportion.
Junior secondary History
The content related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is mainly distributed in relevant topics in Secondary 2 and 3. The content covers Japan’s modernisation and transformation into a great power and external expansion after the colonial expansion of European countries in East Asia since the mid-19th century; the rise of Japanese militarism and continuous external aggression in the early 20th century; its invasion of our country and neighouring countries in Asia during the Second World War and the tremendous harm it brought about; and the development of Japan after its defeat in the Second World War, so as to enable students to understand from a broad perspective the history of Japan’s aggression and militarism.
Primary Humanities
The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is the essential learning content in Primary 6, covering the learning of the causes of the Japanese invasion of China and the development during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, thereby enabling primary students to have a basic understanding of the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The content of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is one of the components of “6.3 Change of Our Country” in Primary 6 of Primary Humanities. As planned, publishers will submit relevant teaching materials to the EDB for review, and publish them in due course.
Senior secondary Citizenship and Social Development (CS)
The part concerning learning about the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in CS is mainly covered in the itineraries of the Mainland study tours for students. For details on the visiting sites related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in CS, please refer to the Student activities section below.
Learning and teaching resources
The EDB has produced diverse learning and teaching resources on the theme of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, including “Learning and Teaching Resource Pack on ‘AI Fighters of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression’ School Roving Exhibition”, “The 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression: Selections from the Hsu Chung Mao Collection”, Learning and teaching resource on Historical Theme (War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression) (covering the September 18th Incident, Nanjing Massacre, Peace Declaration, etc). Besides, the EDB also presented the “Chronicle of the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade (Revised Edition)” to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong offering local curricula (including special schools) in 2025. A thematic talk was also organised to help schools integrate the content into the learning and teaching of relevant subjects, thereby deepening students’ understanding of the history and contributions of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column during the War of Resistance.
Textbook review
The EDB has drawn up a set of rigorous textbook review procedures. Textbooks submitted for review are reviewed by the textbook review panels, which comprise subject officers from the EDB, frontline teachers and academics from tertiary institutions. Reviewers conduct reviews in accordance with Textbook Writing Guidelines, and publishers should amend the content of the textbooks based on the Textbook Review Reports to ensure the quality of textbooks and alignment with the requirements of the curriculum. Textbooks which have passed all of the above review will be put on the “Recommended Textbook List” for schools’ textbook selection. Currently, the textbooks of both Chinese History and History cover the historical background of the rise of militarism in Japan and its launching of external aggression, and the impact and harms it brought about to our country and the world during the Second World War. Some textbooks also mention the contents of Japan under the occupation and reforms of the Allies after Japan’s defeat in the Second World War (including the promulgation of the “pacifist Constitution”, etc). The EDB will constantly review the quality of relevant textbooks provided by publishers with the aim to enhance content accuracy and reflect historical facts in an objective manner.
(3) and (4) Continuous professional development
The EDB has attached importance to and continuously organised teachers training programmes and diverse student activities relevant to Japan’s invasion on China and the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression to support the educational work on the history of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. From the 2024/25 school year till now, the EDB has organised a total of 28 relevant teacher training activities, including large-scale academic seminars, visits to museum exhibitions and workshops, thematic seminars, online training programmes, and local and Mainland field visits, providing a total of over 3 570 training places to enhance the professional capacity of teachers. Teachers responded positively to the above training programmes.
Student activities
In addition, in tandem with the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in 2025, the EDB organised various feature student activities, including:
“History e-Reading Award Scheme 2025” with the theme to commemorate the victory of the War of Resistance (a total of over 36 300 students from 187 schools participated)
“Learn from Museums – Novice Curator Training Programme 2025” co-organised with the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence (a total of over 80 students from 20 schools participated)
“The 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance” Hong Kong Secondary School Short Video Competition (a total of 330 students from 42 schools participated);
Joint participation of students and teachers from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in the “Remember History, Cherish Peace”: 88th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre Student Commemorative and Educational Activity (a total of over 6 100 students from 91 schools participated);
“From War to Peace: Life Lessons from Modern Chinese History” Student Learning Series Activities (including the “AI Fighters of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression” School Roving Exhibition and “Visual Narrative of the War of Resistance: Territory-wide Creative Competition”, with a total of over 13 000 students from 87 schools participated);
The 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance Thematic Exhibition and Learning Project (a total of over 5 500 students from 90 schools participated);
A study tour on tracing the footsteps of heroes against Japanese aggression (a total of about 160 students from 36 schools participated);
“Learning Circle of National Education” seminars and visits themed on the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column (a total of over 90 students from seven schools participated); and
The Third National Security Education Study Tour visiting the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (a total of about 150 students from 30 schools participated).
The EDB has been organising diverse student activities to provide students with learning experiences beyond the classroom so as to strengthen their understanding of the War of Resistance and cherish the hard-won peace, as well as understand that safeguarding and pursuing world peace are the common aspiration and goal of humanity. Examples include adding to student Mainland study tours visits to sites related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, such as historic sites, museums and thematic memorial halls including the first Patriotic Education Base for Hong Kong and Macao Youth established at the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, the “918” Historical Museum in Shenyang. Through field visits, students can transform the historical knowledge learned in the classroom into concrete insights, gain a deep understanding of the historical lessons from the history of the War of Resistance and militarism on the basis of a correct historical perspective, and cherish the hard-won peace, thereby understanding the arduous journey of our country’s development towards prosperity and strength, and strengthening their sense of belonging to the nation and responsibility.
(5) The optimised senior secondary Chinese History and History curriculum frameworks were announced in October 2025, and the school briefing sessions were also held in the same month, with over 500 teachers participated. In November 2025, the school questionnaire surveys for the two History subjects were completed, with a response rate of over 80 per cent. Schools generally expressed a positive view on the content of the optimised curricula and suggested assessment modes. To support the implementation of the optimised curricula in September 2027, the EDB will collaborate with tertiary institutions and experts/scholars to develop learning and teaching resources, and review textbooks for use upon the implementation of the curricula in the 2027/28 school year. Meanwhile, the EDB will also provide systematic teacher training on the optimised curricula, with no fewer than 1 500 training places offered in the 2026/27 school year, to support schools in implementing the optimised curricula effectively. Furthermore, the EDB will continue to enhance teacher networks and facilitate professional exchange among teachers through frontline teachers’ experience sharing, thus actively promoting the work on history education.
The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority also announced the assessment frameworks and sample questions for the optimised curricula of the two History subjects in March 2026. Nearly 700 teachers participated in the briefing sessions held in the same month. The optimised curricula will be implemented in Secondary 4 starting from the 2027/28 school year, and the first Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examinations are expected to be held in 2030 after the optimisation of the senior secondary Chinese History and History curricula.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by Professor the Hon William Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
The Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme currently allows the shared use of health care vouchers (HCVs) between two eligible elderly persons who are in a spousal relationship upon their mutual consent and completion of procedures to pair up their HCV accounts. However, the relevant consent notification will become invalid upon the death of either spouse. It is learnt that at present, once the Department of Health (DH) has obtained the death registration information of an HCV user, it will automatically freeze the healthcare account of the deceased elderly person, without requiring the family members to make a declaration to the DH on their own initiative. Nevertheless, before the death registration procedure of the deceased spouse is completed, the elderly person may have inadvertently used the HCV subsidy of the deceased partner, resulting in the person concerned and the doctors or Chinese medicine practitioners, etc of the relevant medical units having to be invited by the Police to assist in investigations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) since the implementation of the scheme for the shared use of HCV between spouses, of the number of cases identified by the authorities involving the use of HCV subsidy of a deceased partner; of the respective numbers of cases confirmed to be deliberate abuse and inadvertent misuse among them; as well as of the number of cases currently still under investigation; and
(2) in the event that an elderly person receiving HCVs passes away locally, whether the information about the decease can be transmitted instantly to the HCV system through electronic channels, so as to prevent members of the public from abusing or inadvertently misusing the subsidy of a deceased partner, avoid implicating medical institutions thereby causing them financial and time losses, and save the resources required for police investigations; if not, of the specific plans the authorities have in place to fully link up the information across various systems?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Department of Health (DH), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon William Wong is as follows:
The Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (EHVS) aims at providing financial incentives for the eligible elderly persons to choose private primary healthcare services that best suit their health needs, so as to provide them with additional choices on top of the existing public primary healthcare services. Elderly persons should produce their valid Hong Kong identity cards (HKICs) and need to receive the healthcare services provided by the enrolled healthcare service providers in person in order to use the vouchers.
To facilitate elderly persons to better use Elderly Health Care Vouchers (EHCVs) more flexibly, the government allowed shared use of EHCVs between spouses in July 2023. An elderly person and his/her spouse (both parties aged 65 or above) only need to attend the practice place of any healthcare service provider together in person to pair up their EHCV accounts, when either party uses the EHCV to pay for healthcare services. Once the accounts are paired up, the elderly person and his/her spouse can, upon exhaustion of his/her own EHCV account balance, use the EHCV balance in the spouse’s account. Every time a spouse’s EHCVs are used, the elderly person is required to provide a copy of the latest HKIC (or Certificate of Exemption) of the spouse to the healthcare service provider for verification.
As at end December 2025, over 178 000 elderly couples (representing approximately 356 000 elderly persons) have registered to pair up their EHCV accounts. During the same period, there were over 670 000 EHCV claim transactions related to shared use of vouchers, involving a total claimed amount at approximately $410 million.
Under the EHVS, upon the passing of an elderly person, his/her EHCVs within the account shall immediately become invalid. Even after registering for shared use of EHCVs, the remaining EHCV account balance of the deceased will not be transferred to the EHCV account of the surviving spouse, nor will it be treated as part of the estate for any individual. No person shall use the healthcare vouchers of a deceased elderly person by using their identity document. This includes elderly persons who have registered for the shared use of vouchers, who must not use the identity documents of their deceased spouses to share their vouchers. Failure to comply is a breach of regulations and may lead to prosecution for crimes such as fraud.
To ensure that eligible elderly persons understand the operation of the EHVS, including the arrangements for shared use of EHCVs between spouses, the DH has implemented the following measures:
Dissemination of relevant information and reminders through various channels, including leaflets, dedicated webpage and social media;
Starting from June 2024, eligible elderly person are required to confirm with the healthcare service providers that his/her spouse is still alive before he/she can use the EHCVs from the spouse’s account; and
Healthcare service providers also have the responsibility to comply with the terms and conditions of the EHVS agreement and to verify the identity of voucher recipients when providing healthcare services. The DH has been conducting promotion to healthcare service providers through various channels, including organising briefing sessions, mailing leaflets and issuing relevant reminders regularly via the eHealth System (Subsidies) (eHS(S)), etc.
Regarding the information system, the DH has established a notification mechanism with the Immigration Department for registered death cases. Upon the passing of an elderly person, his/her EHCV account in the eHS(S), which supports the operation of EHVS, shall immediately become invalid. The surviving spouse will not be able to access or transfer the EHCV account balance under the name of the deceased. Having regard that the majority of elderly persons pass away in public hospitals, the DH has established an hourly death notification mechanism with the Hospital Authority since June 2024 to further enhance the reporting efficiency. If an elderly person registered with eHealth passes away in a public hospital, their EHCV account in the eHS(S) will be frozen immediately, and no one will be able to use the EHCVs of the deceased.
To ensure the proper use of public money, the DH adopts a monitoring mechanism to proactively investigate and handle reports. The DH will follow up on all cases stringently and will refer cases involving suspected fraud or false declarations to law enforcement agencies for investigation. Since the implementation of the shared use of vouchers between spouses, as at end December 2025, the DH has identified about 383 cases involving the suspected use of deceased spouse’s EHCVs that required further follow-up through the monitoring mechanism. These cases involved 524 transactions, accounting for about 0.08 per cent of the total EHCV transactions in paired EHCV accounts. Among the 383 cases requiring further follow-up, 351 cases have been referred to the police for further investigation following preliminary investigation and verification by the DH, while the remaining 32 cases are still under preliminary investigation and verification by the DH. In determining whether to take further legal action, the Government will holistically review the actual circumstances and evidence of each case, including verifying whether criminal intent was involved, and will seek legal advice where necessary. During the same period, the DH has recorded one case of successful prosecution involving a voucher recipient who was charged with fraud for using the EHCVs of the deceased spouse, resulting in a fine and a suspended prison sentence.
In addition, as at end April 2026, the DH identified 31 cases where healthcare service providers violated the terms and conditions of the EHVS agreement concerning the arrangements for shared use of EHCVs between spouses. For these cases, the DH will take appropriate actions or measures based on the specific circumstances, including issuing advisory/warning letters to the concerned healthcare service providers, withholding reimbursement of claims and recovering disbursed reimbursements, etc.
The Government will continue to monitor the usage of EHCVs and explore feasible measures to further enhance supervision, so as to ensure that EHCVs are put to good use and to prevent abuse.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ6: Development of Kowloon East waterfront Question:
“Co-using water body” is a key measure for the diversified development of the Second Central Business District in Kowloon East. However, it is learnt that some organisations face restrictions in setting up facilities such as spectator stands, beach rafts, landing ramps and steps (ancillary facilities) when organising water sports activities in the waters of the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter (KTTS), making it difficult to organise activities on an ongoing basis and conduct regular training. Furthermore, the lack of systematic management of the large number of vessels that have long been berthed at the KTTS also limits the room for the development of water sports activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the existing legislation enables the Government to carry out specified harbour enhancement works through streamlined procedures, whether the Government has plans to construct additional ancillary facilities along the shore of the KTTS to facilitate the organisation of water sports activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it will review afresh the functions and positioning of the KTTS and, by taking the opportunity arising from the planning of the Yau Tong Bay Comprehensive Development Area, study the construction of a breakwater in Yau Tong Bay to relocate the yachts from the typhoon shelter there for berthing, as well as setting up a yacht club to manage them centrally, so as to promote the development of the yacht economy; and
(3) given that, according to the information on the web page of the Energizing Kowloon East Office, the Government is studying the construction of a bridge linking between the former Kai Tak runway and the Kwun Tong promenade, of the progress of the study and the proposed completion date for the bridge?
Reply:
President,
In response to the Hon Tang Ka-piu’s question, after consulting the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and the Marine Department (MD), the Development Bureau’s corresponding replies are as follows:
(1) The north shore of the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter (KTTS) is the Kwun Tong Promenade while the south shore is the Kai Tak Promenade. To support various water activities at the typhoon shelter and to facilitate public viewing, a wooden boardwalk of about one kilometre in length is provided along the waterfront of the Kwun Tong Promenade. Besides, a performance stage and two spectator seating areas facing the typhoon shelter, each accommodating about 200 people, are also provided. The Kai Tak Promenade features glass balustrades along the waterfront for the public to view water activities/sports events. The Kai Tak Promenade also provides restrooms with shower facilities to facilitate public use and organisations’ hosting of water activities.
In terms of landing facilities, there are two existing sets of landing facilities within the KTTS. In addition, as part of the Kowloon Godown redevelopment project on the other end, an additional set of landing steps will be constructed for public use in accordance with the relevant planning requirement and these facilities are expected to be completed by 2028. Furthermore, there are five glass gates along the edge of the Kwun Tong Promenade which are connectable to floating platforms to facilitate embarking and disembarking of participants during water activities. Water sports organisations, including the three water sports training centres (Note) at waterfront sites around the KTTS, can also apply for installing facilities according to their needs. For example, a floating platform has been installed by the Hong Kong Water Sports Council located at the Kai Tak Promenade after approval. The other two training centres also propose to install floating platforms for daily training purpose. The relevant departments are communicating with the groups on construction of additional facilities and providing facilitation.
(2) According to the TLB and the MD, the KTTS continues to perform its function by providing mooring facilities for local vessels, particularly as a safe refuge during inclement weather conditions. A large number of vessels are berthing in the KTTS both daily and during typhoon periods. To promote safe water body co-use between vessels and water recreational activities in the KTTS during non-typhoon days, the MD and the Energizing Kowloon East Office (EKEO) have promulgated the Guidelines for Co-using Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter which outlines some important points that vessels should observe when using the typhoon shelter. The MD has widened the passageway along the north shore of the KTTS from 50 metres to 100 m in 2018 to release more space to facilitate water recreational activities. With the increasing number of water activities in the KTTS and proposed major sports events to be staged in the KTTS in future, the MD and the EKEO are currently exploring an enhanced water body co-use proposal and are gathering views from the stakeholders. We strive to conduct consultation with the Kwun Tong District Council and other relevant groups tentatively in the fourth quarter of this year.
As for Yau Tong Bay, the land adjacent to its water body is mostly under private ownership and planned as comprehensive development zone to facilitate redevelopment for residential and/or commercial uses. The planned land use include waterfront promenade but the provision of yacht berthing facility is not specified. However, the Government is open to proposals of yacht club development in Yau Tong Bay area, and landowners can develop yacht berthing-related landside facilities at specific locations within the relevant area through planning application. Currently, the Government plans to promote yacht tourism at three locations, namely the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter expansion area, the ex-Lamma Quarry area and the Hung Hom station waterfront area and will dispose the lands, together with the adjacent water bodies, through open tender to allow private enterprises to construct and operate the yacht berthing facilities under commercial mechanism. Additionally, the development of the yacht bay at the Airport City will provide additional berths, for which the Hong Kong Airport Authority is currently inviting expressions of interest.
(3) The Government is studying the construction of a bridge across the KTTS to provide a direct linkage between the former Kai Tak runway area and Kwun Tong, thereby improving the external transportation connectivity of the former runway area. Originally, the Government proposed to construct a pedestrian and cyclist bridge across the KTTS. In view of the public comments received, the study will include the option of adding vehicular lanes. The relevant study is assessing the feasibility of different options and conducting technical assessments. Amongst others, the study will take into consideration the latest planning situation and transportation infrastructure of the Kai Tak Development Area and examine whether the scale of the expanded bridge accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, and general vehicular traffic at the same time would have any impact on water-based recreational activities in the KTTS. We will consult relevant stakeholders at an appropriate time once the proposals are formulated.
Note: With the policy support of the then Home Affairs Bureau, the Hong Kong China Canoe Union, the Hong Kong Water Sports Council and the Kwun Tong Sports Promotion Association established water sports training centres at the Kai Tak and Kwun Tong waterfront. Issued at HKT 17:40
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Speech by SCED at Uzbekistan-China (Hong Kong) Economic Forum (English only) Your Excellency Mr Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov (Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov), Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. It is my honour to join you today at the Uzbekistan-China Economic Forum. I look forward to exploring how Hong Kong and Uzbekistan can forge even bolder paths toward mutual growth under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Uzbekistan: a hub in Central Asia
Uzbekistan is strategically located at the heart of Central Asia, bordering all other Central Asian countries. For thousands of years, it served as a crucial hub on the ancient Silk Road, where trade, culture, and ideas flourished. Today, under the Belt and Road Initiative, Uzbekistan continues to play a vital role as a bridge connecting Asia and Europe.
With a population of approximately 38 million, nearly 45 per cent of Central Asia’s total, Uzbekistan is the region’s most populous country. It is rich in natural resources and offers tremendous opportunities for companies looking to enter Central Asia. In 2025, Uzbekistan recorded impressive real gross domestic product growth of 7.7 per cent, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.
The Belt and Road Initiative
Since it was proposed in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative has become the largest international co-operation platform. It represents a pathway of shared prosperity, mutual benefits, and boundless opportunity. In a world full of uncertainties, the Belt and Road Initiative continues to provide stability and positive momentum for global development.
Uzbekistan was among the first countries to support and actively participate in this Initiative. Today, the Chinese Mainland is Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner and a major source of investment. The strong economic complementarity between our two sides points to enormous potential for deeper collaboration in the years ahead.
Ties between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan
Hong Kong, as an international financial, shipping, and trade centre, values Uzbekistan as a key partner in Central Asia. Our relations have grown steadily in recent years. In 2025, our bilateral trade accounted for over 13 per cent of Hong Kong’s total trade with the region.
High-level engagements further underscore our deepening ties. Last August, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Mr Jamshid Khodjaev who led a delegation to Hong Kong. Last September, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Mr Umid Abidkhadjaev visited Hong Kong to attend the 10th Belt and Road Summit. During the policy dialogue I chaired, we had very productive discussions on new opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative. During the Summit, Airport Authority Hong Kong signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uzbek partner to enhance air connectivity between us.
Hong Kong’s advantages
Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. As the only common law jurisdiction within China, we offer a highly open, transparent, and international business environment, supported by world-class professional services and talent. Our simple tax system, free flow of capital, goods, information and talent, together with robust intellectual property protection, make Hong Kong an ideal platform for business.
In 2025, the number of companies with overseas and Mainland parent companies registered in Hong Kong reached a record high of over 11 000. We remain the world’s freest economy, the world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade, and rank third globally in attracting foreign direct investment.
To support more Mainland enterprises in expanding overseas, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government established the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global last year. It brings together cross-bureau, cross-departmental, cross-organisation, and cross-sectoral resources to build a one-stop, responsive and unprecedented going-global support platform. In line with the national policy and direction of encouraging Mainland enterprises to go global, it will assist these enterprises to systematically expand globally, transform it into a new driving force for Hong Kong’s economy, and further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international business and trade hub.
With our global outlook and strategic location, Hong Kong is the premier hub for mega events. Every year, we host numerous influential international events across various fields. In addition to the annual Belt and Road Summit, a flagship event for the business community, we have the Asian Financial Forum, which gathers global financial leaders; the Asia Summit on Global Health, which explores cutting-edge medical innovations; and InnoEX, which showcases our strengths in innovation and technology. These high-profile events attract political and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and top experts from around the world to Hong Kong. They spark vibrant exchanges of ideas and further deepen Hong Kong’s connections and co-operation with the global community.
As an international aviation hub at the heart of Asia, Hong Kong is well connected to the rest of the world. From here, half of the global population is reachable within a five-hour flight. Since 2010, Hong Kong International Airport has been named the world’s busiest cargo airport 15 times. With our excellent transport network, advanced communications systems, and world-class infrastructure, our airport continues to be recognised as one of the best airports in the world.
Hong Kong also possesses an outstanding talent pool. We are vigorously building a global hub for high-end professionals. Home to five of the world’s top 100 universities, Hong Kong is ranked second globally for education competitiveness. Each year, the HKSAR Government offers 150 Belt and Road Scholarships to attract outstanding students from Belt and Road countries. To date, over 830 students from 57 Belt and Road countries have benefited. I warmly welcome more young people from Uzbekistan to study, innovate, and build their futures in Hong Kong. The international talent hub we are creating will support not only Hong Kong’s future, but also long-term regional co-operation.
In urban planning and sustainable development, we are also happy to share Hong Kong’s experience with Uzbekistan. Even in our highly dense city, about 40 per cent of our land mass has been designated as country parks and special areas. Hong Kong offers a spectacular range of natural scenery within easy reach of urban areas, demonstrating our strong commitment to ecological balance amid urban development. As Uzbekistan advances its infrastructure rapidly, Hong Kong enterprises and professionals can offer rich international expertise, including advanced construction technologies, innovative designs, and flexible financing solutions, to support your development goals.
Uzbekistan is a key regional hub in Central Asia, while Hong Kong serves as Asia’s premier connectivity hub. Our strengths are highly complementary. Looking ahead, we can become ideal partners in green development, digital economy, healthcare, and many other innovative fields. Together, we are perfectly positioned for mutually beneficial co-operation.
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen, today’s forum is more than an exchange of ideas, it is a valuable opportunity to build real partnerships between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan. I warmly invite more Uzbek companies to come to Hong Kong, to invest, and to use our international platform to access the vast Chinese Mainland market and opportunities worldwide. At the same time, I encourage all of you to fully utilise Hong Kong’s role as the functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, to expand your business globally.
As we stand at the beginning of our country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will continue to play our role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”. We will actively integrate into the national development strategies, deeply participate in the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and contribute Hong Kong’s strengths to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
In closing, I wish today’s forum every success and fruitful outcomes for all participants. Thank you very much. Issued at HKT 17:38
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Michelle Tang and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
In its direct investigation operation report on the Government’s work on landslide prevention and mitigation and management of government slopes published in January this year, the Office of The Ombudsman put forward a series of recommendations and indicated that in the second stage of the investigation, it would examine the Government’s determination of slope maintenance responsibility and risk management of private slopes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the follow-up work undertaken by the Government in response to the recommendations set out in the aforesaid report; given that in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2026-2027, the Government indicated that it would enhance the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme (LPMitP), whether the measures under the LPMitP will include the application of latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and data management to strengthen slope safety management; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; The CEDD will continue to implement the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme. Starting from 2025, the CEDD has been progressively increasing the annual target output of the programme. Under the risk-based approach, priority is given to the risk management of man-made slopes and natural hillsides located adjacent to sole vehicular access roads, which could have relatively high potential impacts on the daily lives of citizens. The Development Bureau and its subordinate departments provide owners with technical and financial support in several areas. First, they assist owners in identifying man-made slopes that pose safety risks and require follow-up. In this regard, the CEDD selects private slopes annually for safety-screening studies based on a “risk-based” approach. If there are signs of significant damage or potential hazards, the Buildings Department (BD) will issue a Dangerous Hillside Order (DH Order), requiring private owners to conduct investigation and repair works. After a DH Order is issued, the BD will proactively arrange on-site inspections with the owners and their appointed professionals, and explain the compliance requirements and procedures. For cases where no substantial progress has been made for a long time past the deadline, the BD will carry out default works while taking prosecution action. (3) As mentioned above, the risk management of private slopes is divided among different departments. The LandsD is responsible for determining maintenance responsibilities; the CEDD selects private slopes for safety-screening studies; and the BD is responsible for enforcement work regarding DH Orders.
A high-level inter-departmental working group comprising the three departments holds regular meetings at least twice a year to promptly resolve complex cases and responsibility disputes. The departments will also share information and experience. We will continue to strengthen cross-departmental collaboration through this high-level mechanism to ensure effective slope management.
The total value of retail sales in March, provisionally estimated at $33.9 billion, was up 12.8% compared with the same month a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales represents a 9.8% year-on-year increase.
Online sales accounted for 9.7% of the total retail sales value in March. Provisionally estimated at $3.3 billion, the value of this segment rose 35.1% from the same month a year earlier.
The value of sales of consumer goods “not elsewhere classified” increased 18.1% in March 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
There were also increases in the following categories: jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts (up 27.2%); commodities in supermarkets (up 0.6%); electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (up 30.1%); medicines and cosmetics (up 3.1%); clothing (up 8.3%); food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (up 1%); commodities in department stores (up 1.3%); motor vehicles and parts (up 80.8%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (up 3%); furniture and fixtures (up 0.6%); and optical items (up 7.4%).
Meanwhile, the value of sales of fuels was down 14.2% in March compared with the same month in the previous year. This was followed by sales of Chinese drugs and herbs (down 5.4%); and footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories also fell (down 10.2%).
The Government highlighted that retail sales continued to strengthen in March. In particular, motor vehicle sales showed strong growth as purchases spiked ahead of the expiry of the first registration tax concessions for electric private cars at the end of the month.
Looking ahead, it said that the near-term outlook for retail sales remains broadly positive. This is supported by recovering local demand, sustained growth in inbound tourism and a favourable macro-financial environment.
The Government will continue to track downside risks from geopolitical tensions to assess any implications for consumer spending.
Chief Executive John Lee today received Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov and his delegation at Government House as they arrived in Hong Kong for economic and trade events.
The leaders discussed further strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan.
Mr Lee noted that Hong Kong is a functional platform for the Belt & Road (B&R) Initiative, while Uzbekistan is a major country in Central Asia with abundant natural resources, a strong labour force, and experience in rapid economic growth. As the two places are both active participants in the Belt & Road Initiative, there is vast potential for co-operation.
The Chief Executive said Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantage of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, proactively explore B&R markets, and further strengthen collaboration with Uzbekistan in different areas, in order to jointly seize the opportunities brought by the B&R Initiative.
Mr Lee told the prime minister that Hong Kong is making every effort to develop into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent, apart from being an international financial, shipping and trading centre. The city offers a highly internationalised and market-driven business environment, being the world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade economy, and ranking No. 1 in the world in economic freedom.
There is vast potential for co-operation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan, Mr Lee added, as Uzbekistan’s economy is growing rapidly and is vigorously promoting infrastructure development.
Mr Lee encouraged Uzbek enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong and leverage the city’s advantage in connecting with both the Mainland and the world to explore more business opportunities.
He emphasised that Hong Kong will continue to play its roles as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”, to work with Uzbekistan to explore more business opportunities for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Mr Lee also welcomed more young people from Uzbekistan to come to Hong Kong for further studies and career development, to further promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two places.
He noted that the city is pressing ahead to develop into an international post-secondary education hub and is the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the world’s top 100.
Furthermore, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has set up a Task Force on Study in Hong Kong, and has launched the B&R Scholarship to attract outstanding students around the world.
Also in attendance at today’s meeting were Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau, and Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip.
On the afternoon of May 5, President Lai Ching-te met with a cross-party delegation from the Israeli Knesset (parliament). In remarks, President Lai thanked the Knesset for its firm support for Taiwan’s international participation and noted that while Taiwan and Israel are geographically far apart, they share such values as freedom and democracy. The president expressed hope that through more frequent bilateral exchanges and cooperation in a more diverse range of areas, Taiwan and Israel can continue to deepen the partnership, jointly safeguard democratic values, and make greater contributions to the world and their respective regions.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I want to thank former Speaker of the Knesset Mickey Levy and Israel-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky for their long-time support of Taiwan. Last July, Chair Toporovsky initiated a joint cross-party statement by members of the Knesset backing Taiwan’s international participation. Former Speaker Levy was the first to echo that statement. I thank both of you for your continued attention, support, and friendship toward Taiwan.
Taiwan and Israel are geographically far apart, yet we share such universal values as freedom and democracy. We also face complicated circumstances in our respective regions. Thus, as we witness the continued expansion of authoritarianism, we keenly understand that only by constantly enhancing our self-defense capabilities and societal resilience can we ensure peace and protect peoples’ daily lives and democratic institutions.
As part of this process, we greatly value opportunities to learn from like-minded countries. Israel has accumulated abundant experience in such fields as civil mobilization, emergency response, and combat casualty care. And Israeli society has exhibited a spirit of solidarity and resilience. These are all things Taiwan should learn from. At the same time, we look forward to working with Israel and other friends and allies through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on such issues as digital development, countering cross-border crime, sustainable development, and medical resilience. Together, we can make even greater contributions to the global democratic community.
In addition, last year, Taiwan and Israel signed MOUs on intellectual property cooperation and the Patent Prosecution Highway. These will help strengthen the patent portfolios of businesses in both countries and integrate our respective technological advantages, advancing industrial development.
Israel is globally renowned as the “startup nation” thanks to its strengths in AI R&D and software, and Taiwan is actively promoting its 10 new AI infrastructure initiatives to gradually transform Taiwan into an AI island. I am confident that moving forward, Taiwan and Israel can work together to address the challenges of the AI era, jointly strengthen supply chain and economic resilience, and promote global prosperity and stability.
In closing, I once again thank the Israeli Knesset for its long-time support of Taiwan. I anticipate that through more frequent bilateral exchanges and cooperation in a more diverse range of areas, Taiwan and Israel can continue to deepen the partnership, jointly safeguard democratic values, and make greater contributions to the world and our regions.
Former Speaker Levy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking the time to receive the delegation and for the warm welcome and saying that it is an honor for them to be here. He noted that despite the ongoing war with Iran and Hezbollah, the delegation members felt it was very important to visit Taiwan. He also expressed hope that the ceasefire agreement would remain in effect until the delegation’s return home.
Former Speaker Levy pointed out that this visit to Taiwan is intended to demonstrate the strong bond between the two nations. He mentioned that following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel, Taiwan was among the first countries to stand behind and support Israel. Calling Taiwan a true friend of Israel, he expressed his gratitude for Taiwan’s friendship and kindness over the years.
Former Speaker Levy noted that Taiwan and Israel are very similar, both being democratic, liberal countries. He said he looks forward to Taiwan and Israel working together to further deepen cooperation in fields such as the economy, technology – especially AI, and security. Delivering a message in his capacity as former speaker of the Knesset, he stated that Israel stands with Taiwan and expressed his hope that our friendship will only grow stronger.
Former Speaker Levy stated that while Israel needs peace, it must first ensure its security. Recalling that 15 years ago many Arab nations sought to push Israel out, he noted that in recent years Israel has signed the Abraham Accords with several Arab countries and expressed hope that more nations would join. Reflecting on the history of Israel’s development, he emphasized the importance of their establishing a state and protecting their homeland. In closing, he once again expressed his hope that the relationship between Israel and Taiwan will deepen, growing ever stronger and more robust.
The delegation also included members of the Knesset Yonatan Mishraki and Ron Katz, and was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Representative of the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei Maya Yaron.