Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Remarks by SFST at Bloomberg Family Office Summit 2026 (English Only)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Remarks by SFST at Bloomberg Family Office Summit 2026 (English Only) (with photo) 
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. First of all, a big welcome to this summit even though it is not hosted by us. But I think we share a lot of commonalities between Bloomberg and the FSTB (Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau) in terms of collaboration on financial services, in particular family offices. Just now most of the speech by Bing (Head of Asia Pacific at Bloomberg, Mr Bing Li) covered financial services or family offices but I must say, as we see things now, it’s worthwhile to go a little bit further, in terms of how this whole journey has started, and in terms of Hong Kong building a family office ecosystem.
 
     Without boring all of you, if you recall the year 2023, this Government issued a policy statement on how we want to develop Hong Kong into a family office ecosystem. It was a time when we had COVID and also there was a lot of uncertainty about how the world may unfold. But against that backdrop, we have eight measures being introduced, including tax concessions for family offices, New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, the decision to set up an Academy for Wealth Legacy (Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy) and ways to streamline our approval process for charities in Hong Kong. In that year of 2023, it was also the very first year we hosted the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit. It was a time when nobody knew exactly what it is because people thought most wealthy individuals or families want to stay low-profile, that they don’t want to be seen. I was warned by many people around me that the summit is going to be a failure because those people don’t want to be seen, don’t want to be heard, and that’s why no one will come. That said, we had a very successful inaugural event in 2023. Time goes on and now it comes to the fourth edition.
 
     As I highlighted, it’s really a journey. After 2023, you may wonder what happened? Just now Bing mentioned our collaboration, and it’s exactly in the year 2024 that we have a Family Office Nexus with Bloomberg in terms of articulating what Hong Kong’s proposition is for family offices, in particular what we can offer to each other in terms of growing this ecosystem. Before that Nexus collaboration, I had the opportunity to meet Michael (Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Mr Michael Bloomberg) and also Kevin (Global Head of External Relations of Bloomberg LP, Mr Kevin Sheekey) back then in New York, thanks to Bing’s arrangement. What I was impressed most are two things.
 
     First of all, Michael is really a person that’s very approachable. I recall that when I went to his office, it was just like a normal desk for a clerk. I thought I was in the waiting room but actually it’s not a waiting room; that is his office and he served me tea and fruits. Number two is the fact that he has a lot of insights, in particular how he can put his personal wealth and energy to good causes, in particular his foundation. It actually inspires me a lot in terms of what family offices can do, not just for wealth preservation or creation, but more on what you can do for the community. Thereafter, we had this arrangement where we have this Nexus (Hong Kong Family Office Nexus) and soon after that we have this rulebook (Digital Knowledge Hub) issued by Bloomberg, basically a one-stop shop on the Bloomberg terminal, allowing everybody who would like to learn about Hong Kong’s licensing and requirements for family offices, the investment landscape in Hong Kong and other information to get access to it. I was told that there are a lot of entries and also a lot of usages in that rulebook, which is promising and enlightening.
 
     Soon after and during that year, we had a number of good news. Number one is that we announced that there are 2 700 single family offices in Hong Kong. What I want to clarify is that even though we fixated on that number, it’s not just the number that we get from our Invest Hong Kong. It actually includes the number that Deloitte, which is the independent consultant that we asked to do this research, provides us with in terms of single family offices in Hong Kong, and it hasn’t included the multiple family offices in Hong Kong. So that’s why the ecosystem in terms of number is actually bigger than 2 700. Number two, if you look at how we have come about, as I said, the journey through 2024 and 2025, just very recently, in the early part of this year, we announced another figure, which is 3 380, representing an increase of 680 on the number of family offices, as well as almost a 25 per cent growth.
 
     That number again is just a number that was given by an independent survey. We expect the number to be more because the reason that we have this number is that we didn’t really count other family offices which just come by without government support. Many of them just come here, get their company listed and form a family office and we don’t really know. But that said, I think the 3 380, which is quite an auspicious number, is like a good indication in terms of how vibrant and also how robust we are as an ecosystem for family offices. At the same time, I think one thing that we all try to do throughout these years is apart from the number we want to grow; we also want to make sure that the family office system, as it grows, is benefitting the overall community. That’s why in a latest survey apart from indicating this number of 3 380 single family offices, we also have a few figures.
      
     First of all, we estimated there are around 10 000 individuals or professionals working in this sector in Hong Kong. I suppose most of them are here.
      
     Another figure that we produced is that, annually we expect the family office ecosystem is benefitting Hong Kong in terms of GDP by around HK$13 billion. We want to illustrate that family offices are not just an elite group in Hong Kong; rather they are penetrating and benefitting the overall community.
      
     Of course, being journalists and being Bloomberg, you are very critical people. Every time I quote this number, people will ask, okay, a good number to quote. But that’s it. How about the size, the AUM (assets under management) of these family offices? I can also share with you in this report that, as we estimated, among these 3 380 single family offices, more than half are managing assets or AUM beyond US$50 million and the smallest that we get is around US$10 million. So I would say it is really quite an impressive report in terms of how the ecosystem has been faring, at the same time how it has grown about developing this financial service area. This is where we are now in numbers.
      
     But the next question to ask, being journalists, I’m going to put myself into your shoes, is how about going forward? Where should we go from here? And it’s my firm belief that we should really get our family office 2.0 or this ecosystem deeper and more integrated. I think it should be integrated or deeper in three senses. Number one is to get the local or the indigenous family offices in Hong Kong to try being more integrated with the regional and global ones. It’s very illustrative in our Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit that took place yesterday. We had a very good dialogue among the long-established family offices in Hong Kong like Hysan (Hysan Development Company Limited); with the new ones or with the very well-established ones from Germany, for example, we have Leica (Leica Camera AG) and also at the same time those from Europe, the US and Australia. So this is number one in terms of integration that we want to see.
      
     Another type of integration is to see how family offices can get more embedded in different economic or financial activities of Hong Kong, including technology, green, social enterprises, etc. I suppose that’s the reason Kevin and Bing are having this conference – to make sure that these topics will basically penetrate throughout this coming summit.
      
     The final integration that I want to see is that the ecosystem is not just benefitting the so-called Wall Street, but also the Broad Street. That’s why philanthropic activities are so essential. In that regard, right now we have more than 10 000 registered charities in Hong Kong and we’re looking forward to seeing more. In particular, we are very eager to see how this family office ecosystem can really benefit the underprivileged in the community. That’s why the Academy for Wealth Legacy that we set up a few years ago is very eager to see how we have all these kinds of local and regional charity projects coming together to share experiences, learn from each other and also encourage more similar acts by family offices here, also regionally and globally. Right now, they have engaged around 700 family participants. I definitely want to push them to do more. And in that regard, I look forward to further collaborating with Bing and Bloomberg, to getting this ecosystem more integrated, deeper in the three senses I mentioned: East and West, finance and other economic activities, and also finance with broader social and philanthropic endeavours.
      
     I suppose my time is up because I saw the red light flashing. At the same time, I look forward to more insights and also more sharing from the speakers to come. Thank you.
Issued at HKT 18:35

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HKMA 2026 Pay Review

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

HKMA 2026 Pay Review      
     The Financial Secretary has approved that the Fixed Pay of the HKMA staff will be adjusted upward by a general increase of 2.65 per cent, where an allocation of 1.35 per cent of Fixed Pay is set aside for awarding good performers. Variable Pay equivalent to 20.04 per cent of Total Pay will also be paid to staff on the basis of their performance in 2025. Variable Pay is a one-off payment to staff who have attained or exceeded the required level of performance.
      
     The Financial Secretary determines the pay adjustment of HKMA staff each year having regard to the recommendations made to him by the GSC through EFAC, GSC’s assessment of the performance of the HKMA in the preceding year, the pay-survey findings of the financial sector conducted by independent human resources consultants and any other relevant factors.
Issued at HKT 18:32

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Hong Kong Customs detects smuggling case involving river trade vessel with goods worth about $71 million seized

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Customs detects smuggling case involving river trade vessel with goods worth about $71 million seized (with photo)      
     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, the river trade vessel departing from Hong Kong for Macao was selected for inspection on that day. Upon examination, Customs officers aboard the vessel found a large batch of suspected smuggled goods, including suspected pharmaceutical products, cosmetic injection material, cigars, mobile phones and electronic parts.
      
     Investigations are ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
      
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.
      
     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:05

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LCQ3: Assisting property owners in reducing expenditure on repair works of buildings

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Dominic Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (March 25):
        
Question:

     There are views that the current arrangements under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS), which focuses on implementing major maintenance works, may not fully address the actual needs of housing estates where buildings are in good condition. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will revise the building score system for target buildings under MBIS to include factors such as routine maintenance records, whether a maintenance fund of a reasonable scale has been set up and the past performance of property management companies (PMCs) as considerations, so that housing courts where buildings’ structures are in good condition and maintenance records are in order may postpone mandatory building inspections or implement ongoing maintenance plans in replacement of major maintenance works under safe circumstances; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) of the respective numbers of cases received and approved, and for which the works have been completed under the various funding schemes (including the Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme) implemented by the Government to assist property owners in taking forward the major maintenance projects in each of the past five years; and
 
(3) as there are views that given the increasingly important roles of PMCs in providing assistance in supervising building maintenance works, apart from continuously applying the codes of conduct issued by the Property Management Services Authority, whether the Government will enact legislation to specify the statutory responsibilities of the management companies in relation to mandatory building inspections and major maintenance works, including assisting in administration and monitoring of the tendering procedures and enhancing the transparency of project information, with a view to avoiding problems of unreasonable costs or unclear accounts; if so, of the details and the specific directions; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     It is the fundamental responsibility of property owners to maintain their properties. Under a two-pronged strategy, the Government, on the one hand, encourages and supports property owners to maintain and repair their properties. This includes the Government partnering with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) to provide financial and technical support to property owners in need, assisting them with inspection and repair works. On the other hand, the Government takes proactive intervention where dilapidated buildings pose a public safety hazard. 
(1) Under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS), when a private building reaches 30 years of age or above, the Buildings Department (BD) may, in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), issue a MBIS notice to the buildings in need, requiring the owner to appoint a registered inspector to carry out prescribed inspections and, where necessary, prescribed repair works in accordance with the result of the inspections.
 
     I would like to emphasise that the legislation does not require all private buildings that have reached 30 years of age to undergo mandatory prescribed inspections. Since the MBIS was implemented in 2012, the BD has successively issued MBIS notices to approximately 9 000 buildings. About 70 per cent of these buildings were already of age 50 years or more at the time the notices were issued. In fact, the BD adopts a risk-based approach in accordance with the building score system to identify buildings for issuing MBIS notices. The current scoring system, which was formulated after consultation with professional bodies and the District Councils, has a maximum score of 100 points. The higher the score, the greater the chance a building will be selected. Currently, under the system, around 70 per cent of the score covers “building condition”, such as emergency report of building defects, outstanding investigation or repair orders, or ranked to be in “poor” condition in the URA’s building condition survey. 10 per cent of the score depends on “building management”, such as whether the building is classified as a “three-nil building”; 10 per cent depends on building age; while the remaining 10 per cent depends on whether the building has cantilevered structures to prevent structural failure and collapse due to compromised load-bearing capacity. 
(2) The Government has since 2018 introduced a number of subsidy schemes in partnership with the URA with a total financial commitment of $19 billion, including the Operation Building Bright 2.0, the Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme, the Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme, the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners and the Building Drainage System Repair Subsidy Scheme. Figures on applications received, approved, and works completed relating to these subsidy schemes are set out in the Annex. In addition, it was announced in the Budget that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review of the Operation Building Bright 2.0 and draw on past experience to formulate a new subsidy scheme. The Government has earmarked $3 billion for this purpose. We will complete the review early next year and finalise the details of the new subsidy scheme, at which time we will also consult the Legislative Council.
 
(3) According to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), as a result of the commencement of the new procurement requirements stipulated under the Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344) (BMO) in July last year, the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) has updated the Code of Conduct on Carrying Out Procurement for Clients and Prevention of Bid-rigging and the related Best Practice Guide under the Property Management Services Ordinance (Cap. 626) (PMSO). These updates assist PMCs in handling procurement in a professional and effective manner. If the PMSA has reasonable grounds to suspect that a licensee has failed to comply with the Code, it may initiate an investigation. Upon completion of the investigation and if a disciplinary offence is confirmed, the PMSA may conduct a hearing and impose penalties according to the PMSO, including verbal warnings or written reprimands, fines, imposing or varying a condition of the licence, temporarily suspending the licence, or revoking the licence.
 
     As part of the work in deepening the reform of building management, the HYAB is taking forward the next-phase review and amendment of the BMO. The five preliminary amendment directions include increasing the quorum and voting-in-person thresholds for meetings concerning large-scale maintenance works and high-value procurement; further improving the mechanism of declaration of interests by requiring the works consultants to declare their relationships with the contractors, thereby enhancing the transparency of the procurement process. Following the approach taken in the previous BMO amendment, the PMSA will also update the related Codes of Conduct in tandem with the amendments to the BMO, enabling licensed PMCs to assist owners’ corporations and owners in fulfilling their building management responsibilities more effectively.

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CSTB concludes agreement with Art Basel to deepen collaboration over next five years

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CSTB concludes agreement with Art Basel to deepen collaboration over next five years       
     In line with its policy objective to establish Hong Kong as a global hub for premium arts trading, the CSTB has entered into a five-year collaboration arrangement with Art Basel, reinforcing Hong Kong as the exclusive host city in the region. In addition to the annual art fair held each March, Art Basel Hong Kong will continue to drive public art promotion and education in the city and will support the CSTB in shaping strategies to further develop the local art ecosystem and market.
      
     Speaking at the opening reception of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 today, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, said this long-term partnership underscores the Government’s strong commitment to cementing Hong Kong’s status as a global hub for premium arts trading, as well as Hong Kong’s role as a premier East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Over the next five years, the Government and Art Basel will work hand in hand to elevate Hong Kong’s world-class high-end arts trading platform and showcase the brilliance of local and Asian talent to a global audience. She is also confident that this partnership will extend beyond the walls of the exhibition hall. Art Basel Hong Kong has always been a powerful engine for the city’s mega-event economy, drawing art lovers, collectors, and industry leaders from around the world to experience the unique energy of Hong Kong, she added.  
      
     Since its debut in Hong Kong in 2013, Art Basel Hong Kong has become one of the most prominent flagship art events and a key fixture on the city’s international calendar, bringing together hundreds of international galleries and tens of thousands of collectors and industry professionals each year.  Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 was a prime example of success. The five-day fair featured 240 galleries from 42 countries and regions, attracting some 86 500 visitors, more than half of whom travelled to Hong Kong for the event. Looking ahead, the CSTB’s close collaboration with Art Basel Hong Kong will certainly foster the development of the cultural and arts industries, thereby delivering further economic and social benefits for Hong Kong.
Issued at HKT 16:36

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Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Automatic Exchange of Information) Bill 2026 to be gazetted

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Automatic Exchange of Information) Bill 2026 to be gazetted      
     As an international financial and trade centre, Hong Kong has been supporting international efforts in enhancing tax transparency and combating cross-border tax evasion. Since 2018, Hong Kong has been conducting automatic exchange of financial account information with partner jurisdictions on an annual basis, in accordance with the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and on the premise of data confidentiality and security. This enables the relevant tax authorities to conduct assessment on their tax residents, as well as detect and combat tax evasion.
      
     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “Since 2024, the OECD has been conducting the second round of peer review on Hong Kong’s implementation of the AEOI regime. Having taken into consideration the OECD’s views, we propose amending the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) to enhance the relevant administrative framework, including requiring reporting financial institutions to register with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for strengthening identification, enhancing the requirements on keeping due diligence records, and raising the penalties to increase deterrence. The relevant amendments will take effect from January 1, 2027. Addressing the OECD’s comments in a timely manner will help Hong Kong maintain a favourable rating in the peer review and safeguard Hong Kong’s reputation as an international financial centre.
      
     “The Government conducted a public consultation between December last year and February this year. We are pleased that stakeholders, including professional bodies and the financial sector, generally support the above legislative proposals. We have duly taken into account their views on the implementation details when drafting the Bill.”
      
     To assist the industry in adapting to the new requirements and enhance tax certainty, the IRD will issue relevant guidance in due course and provide technical support to the industry and answer enquiries.
      
     The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first reading on April 1.
Issued at HKT 15:36

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EMSD urges public to stop using two models of Super and JHE adaptors

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

EMSD urges public to stop using two models of Super and JHE adaptors  
     The two models of adaptors concerned are as follows:
 

Brand     The EMSD’s tests found that the above two models of adaptors do not comply with the relevant safety standard. The internal components of the adaptors may experience displacement after prolonged use, thus posing potential electrical shock hazards. The EMSD has liaised with the relevant suppliers regarding the test results for follow-up actions. According to the suppliers, manufacturing defects were found on the adaptors. The suppliers have therefore decided to arrange a recall with refunds for these products.
 
     For details of the products recalls, please visit the website of Golden Edge Group Limited at www.yusco.com.hk     
     For enquiries, please call Golden Edge Group Limited’s customer service hotline at 2558 0163 and Japan Home Centre (H.K.) Limited’s hotline at 2695 9082.
Issued at HKT 15:25

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LC: Speech by CS for proposed resolutions moved under Legal Aid Ordinance

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LC: Speech by CS for proposed resolutions moved under Legal Aid Ordinance 
Madam President,
 
     I move that my first motion, as printed on the Agenda, be passed to adjust the financial eligibility limits (FELs) for legal aid applicants. Later, I will sequentially move another legal aid-related motion as printed on the Agenda be passed, seeking to adjust the Director of Legal Aid (DLA)’s First Charge.
 
     First, I introduce the first Resolution.
 
     Legal aid services form a cornerstone of the legal system in Hong Kong and are essential to upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong. The policy objective of legal aid is to ensure that all those who comply with the regulations of the LAO (Cap. 91) and have reasonable grounds for pursuing or defending a legal action in the courts of Hong Kong will not be denied access to justice due to a lack of means.
 
     The Legal Aid Department (LAD) has two legal aid schemes, namely the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme (OLAS) and the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (SLAS) which provides assistance to the “sandwich” class. While the beneficiaries and scope of the two schemes differ, both require applicants to pass both the means test and merits test as stipulated under the LAO at the same time to be eligible for legal aid, so as to ensure the prudent use of legal aid resources.
 
     For means test, the applicant’s disposable income and capital must not exceed the amounts of financial resources as specified in the LAO. The amounts of financial resources for OLAS and SLAS are respectively specified in sections 5 and 5A of the LAO. Pursuant to section 7(a) of the LAO, the LegCo may by resolution amend the amounts.
 
     Pursuant to the mechanism established in 1999, FELs are subject to review annually by making reference to the Consumer Price Index (C) (CPI(C)). According to the latest round of review, for the reference period from July 2024 to July 2025, the CPI(C) has increased by 0.6 per cent.  Hence, we propose to accordingly adjust the FELs upwards by 0.6 per cent, namely :
 
(a) from $449,620 to $452,320 for OLAS; and
 
(b) from $2,248,110 to $2,261,600 for SLAS.
 
     Madam President, I now introduce the second Resolution.
 
     Pursuant to the LAO, if a legally aided person is successful in recovering or preserving any money or property in the legally aided proceedings, the person has to pay for the costs and other expenses incurred by the LAD for the person pursuant to section 18A(1) of the LAO. The right of the DLA to recoup such sums required under such money or property is called DLA’s First Charge. 
 
     That being the case, the LAO permits, under specified circumstances, the reduction of amounts recouped under the DLA’s First Charge in accordance with the law. First, when the DLA is satisfied that the exercise of the DLA’s First Charge would cause serious hardship to the legally aided person, the DLA may in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice exercise discretion to reduce the amount to be recouped, provided that the sum to be reduced does not exceed the cap as specified in section 19B(1)(a) of the LAO. Separately, section 18A(5) of the LAO also provides that the DLA’s First Charge does not apply to the first $9,730 of each monthly payment of the maintenance payment.
 
     Pursuant to section 22A of the LAO, the LegCo may, by resolution, amend the rate of maintenance payments that is exempted from the DLA’s First Charge, as well as the cap on the amount by which may be reduced in cases of serious hardship.
 
     In response to the increase in CPI(C) by 0.6 per cent for the reference period from July 2024 to July 2025 as mentioned above, we propose to accordingly adjust the two above-mentioned specific amounts upwards by 0.6 per cent, namely:
 
(a) the amount specified in section 18A(5) upwards from $9,730 to $9,790; and
 
(b) the cap on the amount specified in section 19B(1)(a) upwards from $116,420 to $117,120.
 
     We have informed the LegCo Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services of the outcome of the reviews regarding the proposed adjustments via an information paper in February 2026. Members raised no objection to the proposed increase. Subject to the LegCo’s approval of the Resolutions, we will implement the proposals upon gazettal of the Resolution.
 
     I appeal for Members’ support for the above Resolutions. Thank you, Madam President.
Issued at HKT 15:20

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LCQ20: Operation of eMPF Platform

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ20: Operation of eMPF Platform 
Question:
 
     Since the launch of the eMPF Platform (the Platform) in June 2024, 12 Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) trustees and 22 MPF master trust schemes/employer sponsored scheme under their administration have onboarded the Platform in batches. However, it has been reported that a large number of complaints have been received continuously against the Platform since its launch, including unsuccessful registration, incorrect or missing contribution records, difficulties in changing or updating information, system operation interface not user-friendly, and failure to make voluntary contributions via the Platform. It has even been reported recently that there were long queues of people seeking assistance at the eMPF service centers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) since the onboarding of the first MPF trustee, of (i) the total number of complaints received by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) and the eMPF Platform Company Limited (eMPF Company) regarding the Platform’s operation, with a breakdown by type of complaints; (ii) the respective percentages of complaints that have been resolved and the average time required for handling each complaint;
 
(2) whether it knows if MPFA/eMPF Company has established emergency response mechanisms and performance pledges for handling cases concerning unsuccessful user registration and incorrect or missing contribution records, so as to ensure that users can restore account access within a reasonable time;
 
(3) whether it knows if MPFA/eMPF Company has investigated the causes of reported disappearance of contribution records, discrepancies in the amount of contributions, or errors in the allocation of fund units following the migration of relevant data to the Platform; whether MPFA/eMPF Company will establish a specific compensation mechanism to deal with situations where scheme members suffer losses from their MPF investments due to system errors of the Platform or a surcharge is imposed on employers as a result of being wrongly accused of defaulting on contributions, thereby enabling scheme members/employers to pursue responsibility;
 
(4) whether it knows if MPFA/eMPF Company has plans to comprehensively enhance the Platform’s system in the short term so as to address issues such as poor design of the Platform’s operation interface, complicated procedures for handling contributions which have rendered employers or scheme members unable to make voluntary contributions on the Platform, and failure to show scheme members’ contribution records in their accounts; if so, of the specific timetable and enhancement project;
 
(5) in response to a question raised by a Member of this Council on October 22 last year regarding the staffing establishment of the Platform for handling enquiries and complaints, the Administration stated that the contractor of the Platform would increase its headcounts to over 1 100 by the end of 2025; given that the other two MPF industry schemes will be onboarded on March 26 and April 30 this year respectively, whether it knows if the contractor of the Platform has plans to further increase manpower or adopt other measures so as to handle enquiries or complaints more effectively; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(6) whether it knows if MPFA/eMPF Company will review afresh and adjust the onboarding timetable for the remaining two MPF industry schemes, or establish more stringent criteria for system stress tests prior to onboarding so as to ensure smooth onboarding to the Platform?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Launched in June 2024, the eMPF Platform seeks to standardise, streamline, and automate Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) scheme administration work, thereby enhancing operational efficiency, reducing administrative costs, driving fee reduction, and providing greater convenience in managing MPF accounts. In consultation with the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), our reply to the six-part question is as follows.
 
(1) and (5) As at end-February this year, the eMPF Platform received a total of about 11 500 complaint cases with details at Annex. The 12 MPF trustees have already onboarded the eMPF Platform in ascending order of their assets-under-management (AUM) size (save for the two industry schemes dedicated to casual employees of the catering and construction industries). With the phased onboarding of the three trustees with the largest AUM size over the past six months, it is expected to observe an increase in the cumulative number of complaints received by the Platform during the same period. This notwithstanding, we note that the rate of increase in complaints has dropped over the past two months. The eMPF Platform Company Limited (eMPF Company) has handled over 76 per cent of the cases (i.e. about 8 800 cases), with an average handling time of about 18 working days. The Government has instructed that the MPFA and the eMPF Company must take remedial measures immediately to handle complaints in a timely manner and to improve user experience. Specifically, the Platform’s project contractor has implemented a series of enhancement measures, including increasing headcounts dedicated to handling complaints, strengthening managerial oversight of case progress, upgrading internal communication tools to provide better frontline support, implementing a mechanism to assign dedicated case officers to handle each case, strengthening staff training, introducing artificial intelligence to optimise data retrieval and improve communication with customers, etc. The eMPF Company has also implemented a performance tracking system to continuously monitor the Platform’s operation statistics and to introduce alerts on critical processes, reminding the contractor’s staff to complete the processing of instructions made by employers and scheme members within the specified timeframe. The contractor has also conducted a comprehensive review and enhanced the reporting mechanism for exceptional cases, including the establishment of a dedicated Complaint Handling Task Force late last year, led by its management to focus on handling urgent cases. In terms of manpower, as at end-February this year, the total headcount of the Project Team has substantially increased by more than 60 per cent to about 4 200, around 1 300 of which were dedicated to handling enquiries and complaints related to the eMPF Platform, representing an increase in headcount of more than five times in a year. The Government, the MPFA and the eMPF Company will continue to closely monitor the complaint handling mechanism of the eMPF Platform and strive to provide Platform users with customer services of higher quality.
 
(2) to (4) When individual MPF schemes first onboarded the eMPF Platform, we understand that some employers and scheme members encountered difficulties in adapting to and using the Platform, including delays in tagging payments and identifying voluntary contributions resulting in relevant contributions not being timely reflected on the eMPF Platform.
 
     To assist employers in registering with and using the eMPF Platform, the eMPF Company has been providing them with one-on-one, hand-holding on-site support through outreach services. To date, the outreach team has conducted over 16 000 visits to ensure that the relevant employers are familiar with the Platform’s actual operation and succeed in making contributions.
 
     At the same time, the MPFA and the eMPF Company have commenced the third-phase stakeholders engagement exercise starting from April 2025 to assist scheme members in registering with and using the Platform, with a special focus on the less tech-savvy grassroots. Over 600 meetings, talks, exchange sessions, district outreach activities and collaborative events with different stakeholder groups have been arranged so far to introduce the Platform’s functionalities and provide on-site registration service. To ensure that support is available in every district, the MPFA and the eMPF Company have co-organised seminars with the Home Affairs Department and district groups and set up registration counters to provide convenient services for local residents. They have also set up counters at major public events, including the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo and Lunar New Year Fairs. or arranged eMPF fleet to attend, to massively and proactively reach out to the public.
 
     If employers/scheme members encounter any difficulties in registering with or using the eMPF Platform, they may call the eMPF customer service hotline or visit any one of the eMPF service centres and eMPF self-service kiosks located across all 18 districts of Hong Kong. The self-service kiosks are located inside designated sports centres under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and designated stores of the contractor, with on-site eMPF ambassadors providing assistance for those in need. The eMPF Company has made service pledges in respect of services provided by the Platform. The relevant details have been uploaded onto the eMPF Company’s website for public reference.
 
     In addition, the MPFA has been gathering views from stakeholders and users through a three-tiered testing framework since early 2025, so as to optimise the user interface and operational processes of the eMPF Platform and bring in comprehensive elevation of user experience. Such framework comprises (a) engaging a professional service company to conduct testing of major system functionalities, with a view to improving user experience; (b) setting up an Expert Group comprising information technology (IT) experts, managerial staff from large technology firms or digital platform companies, representatives from IT federations and university scholars, to advise on the Platform’s operations and development; and (c) establishing a Standing User Group comprising existing eMPF users from various sectors to tap their views on the Platform and to brief them on the Platform’s latest functionalities and improvement measures. In response to the feedback received, the eMPF Company will from time to time conduct technical upgrades on the eMPF Platform’s website and mobile application and fix such system features as the user interface.
 
     If a scheme member suffers direct financial loss attributable to the eMPF Company’s fault (such as a delay in transferring MPF accrued benefits), he/she may file a claim against the eMPF Company. In accordance with the general principle, the eMPF Company will credit the shortfall in fund units to the affected scheme member’s MPF account to restore his/her account to the position had the error not occurred. The aforementioned compensation mechanism is consistent with the standard practice adopted by all trustees in handling compensation claims prior to the launch of the eMPF Platform. Scheme members may also consider participating in the Pilot Scheme for Mediation for the eMPF Platform administered by the Financial Dispute Resolution Centre, which provides an independent, impartial, and efficient channel to resolve monetary disputes with the eMPF Company through mediation.
 
     If an employer receives a “Payment Notice for MPF Contributions and Surcharge” (PN) from the MPFA despite having made MPF mandatory contributions on time, he/she may file an objection to the eMPF Company and submit the relevant supporting documents within 14 days after the PN issue date. After ascertaining that the employer has made MPF mandatory contributions on time, the eMPF Company will notify the MPFA immediately and the employer concerned will not be required to pay any surcharge.
 
(6) Prior to commencing operation, the eMPF Platform has passed a series of rigorous and comprehensive testing on various fronts, including security, load and privacy. A security risk assessment and audit, as well as a privacy impact assessment have been conducted by an independent third-party consultant. During the process, the eMPF Company has been maintaining close communication and exchanging views with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Digital Policy Office to ensure that the Platform complies with statutory requirements and the latest Government guidelines in different areas, including security, load and privacy. To provide additional safeguards, the eMPF Company has also engaged an independent third-party consultant to conduct an external assessment of the Platform and confirm system readiness prior to launching the Platform. Since the commencement of operation of the Platform, the eMPF Company has been monitoring the network system round-the-clock to detect and intercept cyberattacks. Regular cyberattack drills and annual security audits are also conducted to assess risks and vulnerabilities, so as to ensure the robustness, reliability, security and user-friendliness of the Platform.
 
     Before migrating their MPF scheme data to the eMPF Platform, all 12 trustees were required to prepare and submit their data in accordance with specified and standardised data formats and complete a rigorous, multi-stage data migration process to ensure data integrity and system readiness. The relevant process involved data cleansing, format validation and multiple rounds of testing. Regarding the 22 onboarded MPF schemes, the data migration process was largely smooth, with no systemic issue arisen before. Trustees operating the two industry schemes (i.e. BCT (MPF) Industry Choice and BEA (MPF) Industry Scheme) are also operating other MPF schemes which already onboarded the eMPF Platform last year. The relevant experience helps reduce the risk of migrating data of industry schemes to the eMPF Platform. With smooth progress in all preparatory and testing work, it is expected that the two industry schemes could onboard the eMPF Platform on March 26 and April 30 this year respectively as planned.
Issued at HKT 15:20

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Posted on

LCQ5: Energy supply in Hong Kong

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ5: Energy supply in Hong Kong 
Question:
 
     It is reported that ongoing tensions in the Middle East have led to a rise in international oil prices, bringing heavy operational pressure on Hong Kong’s sea, land and air transport, passenger services and logistics trades. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the current respective sources of supply for liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas in Hong Kong; if so, of the details, and whether the supplies are stable;
 
(2) whether there are measures in place in Hong Kong to safeguard its energy supply; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) of the measures in place to assist the local sea, land and air transport, passenger services and logistics trades in coping with the impact of the recent rise in international oil prices and to ensure an adequate long-term supply of critical commodities such as energy?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Stable energy supply is critical to Hong Kong’s economic and social operations. Public transportation, air passenger and cargo services, and electricity supply, etc, are directly related to energy supply. The situation in the Middle East is affecting global oil supply, with the impact on Asia being particularly pronounced. The top priority of the Government is to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply.
      
     Hong Kong has no local energy resources. Apart from a small amount of renewable energy, Hong Kong must rely on imported fuels. These include direct import (such as oil products), and those processed in Hong Kong after importation (such as electricity and town gas). Currently, around 80 per cent of Hong Kong’s oil products came from the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong has weathered several global energy crises in the past, including those triggered by the Gulf War and the Ukrainian conflict, which remain fresh in the minds of many. With the advantage of enjoying strong support from the motherland, Hong Kong has been able to maintain a stable energy supply amid the emergence of energy shortages in many regions and cities around the world.
      
     In view of the latest situation in the Middle East, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) met with local major auto-fuel suppliers last week to reiterate the importance of energy for Hong Kong’s economic and social operations. It has urged the suppliers to ensure a stable supply of local auto-fuel. All the suppliers have indicated that the supply of local auto-fuel is normal, and that they will continue to strive to maintain a stable supply.
      
     The EEB also confirmed with the two power companies and The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (the Towngas Company) that fuel supplies for electricity and town gas production remain normal. Given the challenges posed to global energy supplies by the current tensions in the Middle East, which are affecting every corner of the world and every sector of the economy, we must all remain vigilant and work together to address this situation. The Government will continue to closely monitor the geopolitical developments and the local fuel supply situation to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply.
      
     In response to the question raised by the Hon Lee Chun-keung, in consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), our reply is as follows:
 
(1) and (2) As mentioned above, Hong Kong mainly relies on imported fuel, with around 80 per cent of the oil products coming from the Chinese Mainland. Leveraging the advantage of having the motherland’s staunch support, the Government has confirmed with all major energy companies that Hong Kong’s energy supply remains stable at present.
 
     Natural gas is primarily used for electricity generation and town gas production in Hong Kong. There are six subsea natural gas pipelines in Hong Kong, including those connecting the Chinese Mainland to the two power companies and the Towngas Company, as well as those connecting the Hong Kong Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal (the Terminal) to the power stations of the two power companies. The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) vessel berthed at the Terminal is currently the largest facility of its kind in the world.
      
     Currently, the natural gas supply in Hong Kong remains stable. In the event that the supply of LNG by sea is disrupted by the situation in the Middle East, the two power companies have already formulated contingency plans to adjust their fuel mix (including pipeline natural gas, nuclear power, and coal) as necessary to maintain stable electricity generation. As for town gas supply, the Towngas Company also indicated that if the supply of natural gas is disrupted, they can maintain supply by adjusting the fuel blend ratio to use more naphtha for town gas production.
      
     In terms of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the majority of Hong Kong’s LPG is used as transport fuel, mainly for taxis and minibuses. Currently, LPG supplies are mainly sourced from neighbouring cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including Zhuhai, Dongguan and Shenzhen, with suppliers arranging for LPG tankers to transport the fuel from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong. The LPG suppliers have also indicated that supplies remain normal at present.
 
(3)  The Government is very concerned about the impact of rising international oil prices on Hong Kong’s transport and freight industries. In respect of public transport services, the Transport Department (TD) has been maintaining close communication with different public transport operators in view of the recent hike of international oil prices, including franchised buses, public light buses, taxis and ferries, to understand how their operations are impacted. Given the uncertainty of the future trend of oil prices, the TLB and the TD will continue to closely monitor the development to ensure that the operation of public transport services remain normal. The Government will also maintain close contact with the land freight transport sector.
 
     On the aviation side, several local and non-local airlines have at different times adjusted airfares or raised their fuel surcharges in response to the elevated aviation fuel prices. The TLB is paying close attention to the development, and has already met with local airlines to express its concerns regarding the magnitude of cargo fuel surcharge increases, and emphasise the importance of maintaining the competitiveness of the Hong Kong International Airport. We have also requested the airlines to strengthen communication with the freight industries, and arranged relevant stakeholders to meet to allow airlines to explain to the trade the basis and rationale for setting cargo fuel surcharge levels, with a view to enhancing transparency. The Government will closely monitor airlines’ adjustments to cargo fuel surcharges to ensure that the process is reasonable and transparent.
      
     On the maritime front, sustained elevation of global oil prices will put pressure on the operating costs of the maritime industry. Hong Kong Port (HKP), as a free port, has long enjoyed advantages including swift customs clearance, high efficiency, and strong international connectivity. With congestion at other ports, HKP can play an active role in cargo diversion. The Government will maintain communication with the industry to ensure the smooth operation of HKP and maintain its international competitiveness.
      
     The energy supply in Hong Kong remains to be stable. The Government will remain vigilant and closely monitor the geopolitical developments, international energy price trends and the local fuel supply situation to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply. Around 80 per cent of oil products in Hong Kong came from the Chinese Mainland, the EEB will continue to liaise with the relevant Chinese Mainland authorities to support the stable supply of major fuel products to Hong Kong.
Issued at HKT 15:02

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