Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Findings of 2026 Pay Trend Survey The Pay Trend Survey Committee (PTSC) met today (June 3) to examine the findings of the 2026 Pay Trend Survey (PTS).
The validated survey findings indicate that the following average pay adjustments were awarded by the surveyed companies over the 12-month period from April 2, 2025, to April 1, 2026:
Salary bands in which surveyed employees are grouped(below $26,590 per month)($26,590 – $81,510 per month)($81,511 – $163,905 per month) The 2026 PTS was conducted by the Pay Survey and Research Unit of the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service in accordance with the methodology approved by the Chief Executive in Council in March 2007.
The survey findings reflect the pay trend in 104 surveyed companies covering 154 887 employees over the 12-month period from April 2, 2025, to April 1, 2026. The survey takes into account adjustments to the basic salaries and additional payments awarded to employees of the surveyed companies attributable to factors in relation to the cost of living, general prosperity and company performance, general changes in market rates, merit and inscale increments, in accordance with the approved survey methodology.
(employing 100 or more staff members)(employing between 50 and 99 staff members) The distribution of the 154 887 employees by the three salary bands is as follows:
Salary bands in which surveyed employees are grouped(below $26,590 per month)($26,590 – $81,510 per month)($81,511 – $163,905 per month) The PTSC met today to examine and consider the 2026 PTS Report. Members present unanimously confirmed the survey findings. The PTSC will submit the 2026 PTS Committee Report to the Government after the meeting.
The PTSC is chaired by Mr Laurence Li, SC. The PTSC expressed its sincere appreciation to the companies for the full assistance that they rendered to the Pay Survey and Research Unit. Issued at HKT 15:25
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by Professor the Hon William Wong and a reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question:
The Government has announced that the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy will be established to formulate strategies for AI to empower the transformation and development of industries, with an initial focus on embodied AI and other technologies. However, it has been reported that a recent incident occurred in Macao, in which some members of the public called the police after being frightened by robots, has aroused public concern about the safety of embodied intelligence technologies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will draw reference from the mode of regulation under the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order to require developers of embodied intelligence systems to maintain records concerning algorithm decision-making, their operations and incidents of failures for at least six months, and to ensure that such information is accessible in Hong Kong, so as to facilitate investigations and pursuit of responsibility in the event of the occurrence of incidents; and
(2) given the rapid development of embodied intelligence technologies, whether the working group established by the Government to review legislation to support the application of AI will first focus on studying the tiered management system for embodied AI and the related mandatory professional qualification recognition?
Reply:
President,
The National 15th Five-Year Plan underscores a forward-looking layout for future industries by stating expressly the need to advance the building of Digital China, deepen and expand the Artificial Intelligence (AI)+ Initiative, and support the development of embodied intelligence as a new driver of economic growth. As an important technological strength for the country, Hong Kong must proactively align with national strategies and actively develop embodied intelligence-related industries to ensure that people from different walks of life can share the dividends of development.
As an important form of interaction between AI and the physical world, embodied intelligence has already become the key area for fostering new quality productive forces and driving industrial upgrading. It was proposed in last year’s Policy Address that the Government would step up the promotion of AI as a core industry for Hong Kong’s development by adopting the strategy of “strengthening infrastructure and promoting the application-oriented approach”, with a view to achieving “industries for AI” and “AI for industries”, while under the premise of placing strong emphasis on safety risk prevention. Furthermore, it was announced in this year’s Budget that the Government would establish the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy to formulate strategies and create favourable conditions for AI to empower the transformation and development of industries. The committee will comprise experts, academics, enterprises and industry park companies with embodied intelligence as one of its initial focuses.
In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Department of Justice, the consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon William Wong is as follows:
The Government has been closely monitoring the overall development of embodied intelligence in Hong Kong. In view of the different scenarios and forms of embodied intelligence, corresponding regulatory measures have been put in place to address their specific characteristics. These include the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (Cap. 448G), which regulates the operation of small unmanned aircraft based on a risk-based approach; and the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA), which oversees the testing and pilot use of autonomous vehicles in Hong Kong.
In terms of information security, the Digital Policy Office has formulated a comprehensive set of Government Information Technology Security Policy and Guidelines, which includes application scenarios involving AI tools. The relevant guidelines have been uploaded to the Government website. Policy bureaux, departments and relevant organisations may adopt appropriate information technology security risk management measures according to their circumstances to enhance information security awareness and capabilities across the community and to strengthen the ability to guard against AI-related risks.
There is currently no specific legislation in Hong Kong governing the development or application of embodied intelligence. However, all organisations and persons must comply with the existing rules and regulations applicable to the sectors or scenarios concerned. Any person, whether using embodied intelligence or not, must strictly abide by the law. Many of the existing laws in Hong Kong are formulated under a technology-neutral principle, providing a legal basis for addressing the risks and illegal acts related to applications of technology. Although there are currently no specific rules and regulations targeting embodied intelligence, in the field of AI and robotics which embodied intelligence mainly relies on, the Government has been closely monitoring the development and application of such technologies, and will take decisive and appropriate action as necessary, including considering the enactment of bespoke legislation or implementation of administrative measures.
In terms of application, in addition to the Ethical AI Framework already formulated by the Government, the Government is also actively reviewing whether current legislation is sufficient to cope with the development of AI. To evaluate whether the laws under different policy areas can keep pace with technological developments, the Secretary for Justice convened a Steering Committee meeting in March this year on the establishment of the Inter-Departmental Working Group to Review Legislation to Support Wider Application of AI. The objective is to explore targeted and practicable solutions (including considering the need for and feasibility of enacting bespoke legislation and implementing administrative measures) in light of the technology development and Hong Kong’s actual circumstances, upon conducting a comprehensive and in-depth review of the existing laws by respective bureaux and departments. The Working Group is working in close collaboration with various policy bureaux and relevant departments and striving to complete the preliminary review as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, education on the development and application of relevant technologies as well as the associated risks is equally important. Legislation alone is inadequate to address all the challenges brought by new technologies. It is also crucial to enhance the overall level of understanding in society and foster a culture of responsible development and use. The society must take a candid and proactive approach with respect to the possible risks and necessary regulatory requirements that may arise from the development and application of relevant technologies. It is essential to strike a balance between promoting development and mitigating risks, so that the potential benefits of technologies will be fully harnessed in society while the legitimate rights and interests of all stakeholders will be safeguarded. To promote AI Training for All, this year’s Budget has earmarked $50 million for inviting difference public organisations, in collaboration with technology enterprises and tertiary institutions, to organise AI application learning courses, seminars and competitions, with a view to enhancing the awareness of AI and relevant technologies and application capabilities of students, young people and the public, fostering AI literacy, and promoting a culture of responsible AI use. The relevant activities are expected to be rolled out progressively this summer.
Looking forward, the Government will continue to listen to the views of different sectors of the community and keep a close eye on the overall development of embodied intelligence in Hong Kong while continuously promote the development of relevant technologies in a responsible manner.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 3) that as the air conditioning system of the Exhibition Hall in the Hong Kong Science Museum ran out of order and urgent repair is being arranged, the museum is temporarily closed until further notice.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hok-fung and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Questions:
Quite a number of Tung Chung residents have relayed to me that, following the extension of operating hours of the South Runway to 2 am implemented by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) in August last year, the problem of late-night aircraft noise has been aggravated significantly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given the AA’s proposal to put the South Runway on standby at night, where possible, so as to avoid impact of aircraft noise on Tung Chung residents, whether the authorities know the utilisation rate of the South Runway between 12 midnight and 2 am over the past two years;
(2) given that the AA has undertaken to continuously monitor the impact of aircraft noise on nearby residents and to collaborate with the Civil Aviation Department to implement various noise mitigation measures, of the specific follow-up actions taken by both parties, such as whether additional long-term noise monitoring terminals will be set up in residential areas in the light of the development of Tung Chung New Town; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as there are views pointing out that, given the AA’s measure to shift cargo flights to the South Runway during the early hours to mitigate the impact on residents in the vicinity of Siu Lam and So Kwun Wat, there is a significant increase in the number of flights using the South Runway during such hours, bringing direct impact on the sleep quality of Tung Chung residents, whether the authorities have checked if the noise levels in the aforementioned locations during the early hours have exceeded the standards of excessive noise causing sleep disturbance recommended by the World Health Organization?
Reply:
President,
The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is one of the busiest international airports in the world. To consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) has been committed to enhancing the handling capacity and efficiency of the HKIA while taking into account environmental impacts, and will flexibly deploy the use of the three runways in light of the operational needs of the airport and flights.
With regard to the Three-Runway System (3RS) Project, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has approved the relevant Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report (including the Aircraft Noise Assessment Report) in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499) and issued the Environmental Permit (EP) to the AA. To minimise the impact of aircraft noise on residents living near the flight paths, the AA has always strictly complied with the conditions of the permit and relevant statutory requirements, conducted regular noise assessments to ensure that runway usage arrangements comply with the aircraft noise standards stipulated by the EPD, and maintained communication and provided explanations to relevant stakeholders (including the Islands Community Liaison Group).
My reply to questions raised by the Hon Chan Hok-fung is as follow:
(1) and (3) Under current arrangements, the HKIA operates with dual-runway between 11pm and 2am, where the South Runway is primarily used for departures, while also handling a small number of landings, mainly for freighters. During these hours, the traffic volume handled by the two runways is similar.
Regarding the potential health impacts that may be caused by aircraft noise, the AA has made reference to relevant guidelines, including those issued by the World Health Organization, when conducting the health impact assessment in the EIA study. The assessment indicates that both short-term and long-term potential health risks resulting from the operation of the 3RS are within acceptable levels. The AA will closely monitor the relevant latest international developments and adopt appropriate measures as and when necessary.
(2) The AA and the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) have all along attached great importance to the potential impact of aircraft movements on the community. On the premise of ensuring aviation safety, a number of aircraft noise mitigation measures have been implemented in accordance with international guidelines and practices, with a view to reducing the impact on neighbouring communities (including Tung Chung). Relevant measures include control at source by prohibiting/restricting aircrafts with higher noise levels from operating in Hong Kong, and reducing the number of flights overflying densely populated areas at night when weather and safety conditions permit, such as arranging arrival aircrafts to land from the southwest over the water, thereby mitigating the noise impact on residents living in the vicinity of the airport.
In respect of aircraft noise monitoring, the AA has, in accordance with the EP requirements, submitted and obtained approval from the EPD for the aircraft noise monitoring plan prior to the commissioning of the 3RS. The AA will continue carrying out relevant noise monitoring work in compliance with the EP requirements to confirm that runway usage arrangements comply with the aircraft noise standards stipulated by the EPD. In addition, the CAD has been utilising a computerised Aircraft Noise and Flight Track Monitoring System to collect noise data through multiple outdoor noise monitoring terminals set up along or close to the flight paths operating into and out of the HKIA. This reflects the aircraft noise situation in various districts, and the distribution of noise levels across districts is regularly published on the CAD website.
With advancement of aviation technology, aircrafts’ engines are quieter than before, and the improved design of airframe has also helped reduce the sound level generated by aircrafts. To encourage airlines to continuously upgrade their fleets and introduce aircrafts equipped with new navigation technologies for route operating to and from the HKIA, the CAD will grant priority use of relevant airport and runway facilities to aircrafts equipped with new navigation technologies, subject to weather and operational considerations. This aims to incentivise airlines to deploy such aircrafts on routes operating to and from the HKIA, thereby achieving more precise flight paths, optimising fleets and reducing the impact of aircraft noise on areas near flight paths. Meanwhile, the AA continues to encourage airlines to switch to and utilise a greater number of quieter new aircraft models through the “Noise Quota Count Scheme”, so as to manage night-time flights’ noise levels. Airlines are proactively and progressively upgrading their aircrafts, with the proportion of new-model aircraft in their fleets steadily rising, which will help reduce aircraft noise in the long run.
While consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub, the Government will continue to balance community well-being and environmental benefits, proactively promoting the synergistic development of the aviation industry and the environment to achieve high-quality and sustainable growth.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ7: Pilot Study on Newborn Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism Question:
It is learnt that the Hospital Authority (HA) launched the Pilot Study on Newborn Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism (screening programme) in 2015 to test newborns for congenital hereditary diseases with a view to early identification and treatment. Subsequently, the HA regularised the screening programme in eight public hospitals, and extended it to two private hospitals from the middle of last year. the HA indicated that the screening programme would be extended to more private hospitals as early as this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows: (i) the additional resources (including manpower, equipment and consumables, such as reagents) used since the screening programme was extended to two private hospitals last year; (ii) the timetable for further extending the screening programme to other private hospitals and the estimated additional resources required;
(2) whether it knows: (i) the number and proportion of congenital hereditary diseases detected under the screening programme in each of the past five years, as well as the number and proportion of cases among newborns screened where developmental defects or delays were prevented or improved through early treatment; (ii) the estimated number of additional cases that can be screened out annually following the extension of the screening programme to private hospitals;
(3) whether the authorities or the HA has put in place countermeasures or prepared additional resources and manpower to avoid a backlog of cases arising from the expansion of the service coverage of the screening programme; and
(4) whether the authorities or the HA has established key performance indicators for the screening programme to assess the effectiveness of the professional support (such as timely counselling and treatment) provided to parents and affected infants; if so, of the details?
Reply:
President,
Newborn screening is a core public health prevention measure designed to assist in the early identification of high-risk cases of certain hereditary and rare diseases through advanced medical testing. This allows newborns to receive timely and appropriate treatment, thereby reducing the long-term burden on families and the overall public healthcare system.
Since 2015, the Department of Health, through the Hospital Authority (HA), has conducted the Pilot Study on Newborn Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) in public hospitals. The Newborn Screening Programme for Inborn Errors of Metabolism (Screening Programme) was regularised on October 1, 2020, and further extended to all public hospitals with obstetric departments under the HA. Currently, over 99 per cent of babies born in public hospitals receive this screening. Under the Screening Programme, in addition to basic check-ups provided for babies born in public hospitals, the HA also provides screening for 30 types of IEM, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The HA also has a mechanism in place to regularly review whether additional diseases should be included in the screening. The Screening Programme has been implemented in public hospitals for years. From its regularisation on October 1, 2020, to the end of December 2025, over 100 000 babies born in public hospitals have been screened, and more than 40 rare disease cases have been successfully identified. This demonstrates that screening is effective in identifying patients and arranging for their treatment early.
To provide more comprehensive health protection for babies born in Hong Kong, the Government proposed in the 2024 Policy Address to extend the coverage of the HA’s newborn screening service to babies born in private hospitals. Since 2025, babies born in private hospitals participating in the Screening Programme are eligible for free screening services, provided that at least one of their parents is a Hong Kong resident.
In consultation with the HA, the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam is as follows:
(1) and (3) As at May 2026, the HA has signed co-operation agreements with six private hospitals, namely Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital, St. Teresa’s Hospital, Union Hospital, and Matilda International Hospital, and has launched newborn screening services for these hospitals. The HA will provide screening services covering 30 types of IEM, SCID, and SMA for babies born in the aforementioned private hospitals. The HA will continue to communicate with private hospitals interested in joining the Programme to extend the Screening Programme to more private hospitals.
Participation in the Screening Programme is voluntary. Other private hospitals may decide for themselves whether and when to join, and the actual testing demand also depends on the participation rates of the private hospitals and parents of newborns. For babies born in private hospitals that have not yet joined the Screening Programme, parents can also arrange for them to receive screening services provided by private healthcare institutions. The HA currently does not have statistics on the coverage of screening services for babies born in private hospitals, but will, depending on actual circumstances, collect relevant data for reference in the future.
At present, the HA can provide a service capacity of approximately 25 000 newborn screening tests per year, which is sufficient to meet current and additional testing demand. The HA will flexibly allocate resources according to actual participation rates to meet operational needs. If there is further growth in testing demand in the future, the HA will increase its service capacity accordingly.
(2) and (4) From the regularisation of the Screening Programme on October 1, 2020, to the end of December 2025, over 100 000 newborns have participated in the Programme. The number of confirmed cases and the corresponding confirmation rates are as follows:
Screening category(covering 30 conditions)(covered since October 2021)(covered since October 2023) Since the extension of the Screening Programme to private hospitals, the HA has provided screening for over 1 500 babies born in private hospitals, with no confirmed cases identified as at April 30, 2026.
Once a baby born in a public hospital is diagnosed with rare diseases through screening, the HA will follow up through a specialist team at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (HKCH) to ensure the baby receives necessary treatment as early as possible. The HKCH under the HA also operates a 24-hour designated hotline for private hospitals to make enquiries regarding the Screening Programme and to refer confirmed cases. The HKCH has a specialist team to provide one-stop diagnostic, treatment and follow-up services for babies confirmed with rare diseases as early as possible, as well as offering comprehensive support to their families. Issued at HKT 15:02
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ17: Pension schemes for civil servants and judicial officers Question:
It has been reported that the Government has allocated $51.9 billion for the payment of pensions to eligible retired civil servants and judicial officers in the 2025-2026 financial year, an increase of $1.761 billion over the previous year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the numbers of retired civil servants and judicial officers receiving pensions from the Government under (i) the civil service pension schemes and (ii) the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme or the Civil Service Provident Fund (CSPF) Scheme, as well as the respective pension expenditures, in each of the past five years;
(2) among the civil servants and judicial officers expected to retire this year, of the numbers of those who are under (i) the civil service pension schemes and (ii) the MPF Scheme or the CSPF Scheme, as well as the respective expenditures;
(3) of the respective numbers of retired civil servants and judicial officers receiving pensions from the Government in each year since 2021;
(4) of the number of cases in which the Government ceased the payment of monthly pensions to retired civil servants and judicial officers following their death in each of the past five years; and
(5) whether there is a mechanism in place to ensure the Government’s immediate cessation of the payment of monthly pensions to retired civil servants and judicial officers upon their death; if so, of the details; whether there have been any instances in the past five years where monthly pensions continued to be paid to such personnel after their death; if so, whether the reasons have been investigated, and what follow-up or remedial measures the Government has taken?
Reply:
President,
At present, civil servants appointed on terms which attract pension benefits are confined to those who were appointed before June 1, 2000. For civil servants appointed on or after June 1 ,2000, the Government will make contributions according to their terms of appointment under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Ordinance or Civil Service Provident Fund (CSPF) Scheme during their actual period of service. Our response to the five parts of the question is as follows:
(1) and (3) The number of retired civil servants and judicial officers receiving pensions and the total expenditure on pension payments made to them in the past five financial years are set out below:
Financial year(as at the end of the respective financial year)(including gratuities and pensions) ($ million) The total number of officers appointed on terms under the MPF Scheme or the CSPF Scheme and the total MPF and CSPF contributions made for eligible officers in the past five financial years are set out below:
Financial year(as at the end of the respective financial year)($ million) Under the CSPF Scheme, the Government’s contribution rate increases progressively depending on the years of service of the civil servants. As of now, all the officers who were appointed to the civil service on or after June 1, 2000 have yet to reach the required years of service to be eligible for the maximum Government’s contribution rate. Hence, the total expenditure on MPF and CSPF contributions will increase not only with the increase in the number of civil servants appointed under the Schemes, but also with the increase in the years of service of civil servants.
(2) Pension schemes and MPF Scheme/CSPF Scheme are two different forms of retirement protection. Under the former, officers will be receiving retirement benefits after retirement, and will not receive pension payment while in service; whereas under the latter, the Government makes contributions to their retirement benefits while the officers are in service. The number of retiring civil servants and judicial officers receiving pensions in 2026-27 is estimated to be 5 330, involving an estimated expenditure of about $16,000 million in 2026-27. The number of retiring civil servants and judicial officers appointed on terms under the MPF Scheme or the CSPF Scheme in the same financial year is estimated to be about 1 000. The number of retiring civil servants and judicial officers appointed under the MPF Scheme or CSPF Scheme is relatively small as most of the officers who were appointed to the civil service on or after June 1, 2000 under the two Schemes have not reached their retirement age. Under the MPF and the CSPF Schemes, the expenditure on Government contributions are made throughout the period of the officers’ service. The monthly contributions made by the Government as employer (including the mandatory and voluntary contributions) are made to the MPF contribution accounts of the officers concerned, who would make investment choices of their own. Therefore, no additional Government expenditure will be incurred when those officers retire.
(4) The number of cases in which monthly pension payments to retired civil servants and judicial officers receiving pensions have been ceased due to their death in the past five financial years is set out below:
Financial Year(5) According to the existing requirement, upon the death of a pensioner, the next of kin of the deceased pensioner should inform the Treasury as early as possible for arrangement of immediate cessation of pension payment. If the next of kin has failed to make a report in a timely manner resulting in overpayment of pensions by the Government, the Treasury will request the bank to directly recover the overpaid amount from the deceased pensioner’s bank account, or request the next of kin to provide details of the estate administrator to recover the overpaid amount. In addition, the Treasury has in place appropriate measures to ensure there is no overpayment of pensions by the Government, which include:
(i) pensioners are generally required to complete and return annually a Declaration of Entitlement to Pension Benefits, either witnessed by a third party or digitally signed via “iAM Smart+”, to substantiate their continued entitlement to pensions. If the declaration is not returned by the specified date, payment of pensions will be temporarily suspended until receipt of the declaration;
(ii) selected pensioners are required to provide valid supporting documents to the Treasury for sampling checks on a regular basis; and Issued at HKT 15:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question:(ii) Displaying signages and broadcasting announcements in the airport arrival area and through airlines to urge passengers who have visited the DRC or Uganda within the past 21 days to proactively declare their travel history to the on-site staff of the DH for further health assessment; (iii) If an inbound traveller exhibits relevant symptoms and is assessed as a suspected case by the Port Health Division officers, arrangements will be made immediately to transfer the individual to the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre (HAIDC) for isolation and treatment; (iv) Strengthening public awareness and health education efforts regarding Ebola disease at all boundary control points, including broadcasting announcements and posting posters to alert travellers; and (v) Providing the Airport Authority Hong Kong and airlines with the latest information on the virus, and urging airlines to remind their flight crews to strictly enforce established prevention and control measures if they identify suspected cases on their flights. The HA will continue to work closely with the CHP to monitor the development of the situation and review the relevant measures in a timely manner.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question: (1) of the Park Company’s specific ways to maintain regular interface with the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality (the Qianhai Authority) and strengthen co-operation in areas such as industrial planning, attracting enterprises and investment, mutual recognition of standards, professional services; In alignment with the overall strategy of the Northern Metropolis (NM) as “industry-driven”, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, in the beginning of this year, established the wholly government-owned Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited (the Park Company), which will be responsible for the development and operation of the around 23-hectare Industry Park located in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, with a view to capitalising on the locational advantage of Hung Shui Kiu for its good transport network and proximity to Qianhai and Nanshan in Shenzhen to drive the development of industries with a competitive edge and supported by the HKSAR Government, including high value-added or smart production (such as pharmaceutical manufacturing and food processing) and advanced construction.
The Industry Park, in conjunction development with the Hung Shui Kiu University Town, will foster deep integration of the industry, academia and research sectors, and attract talent. The Park Company will proactively attract high-quality enterprises to establish a foothold in the Industry Park through tailored packages, and provide support services such as testing and certification, business matching and staff training, etc. The Park Company will support enterprises in expanding their businesses, help Chinese Mainland enterprises to “go global” and “bring in” overseas firms, fully utilising Hong Kong’s advantages as an international city and boosting the economic impetus.
In respect of the various parts of the question, having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), the reply is as follows:
(1) The Qianhai Co-operation Zone, with its high-standard opening up, promotes the innovative development of modern service industry, gathering the finance, technology, legal, and cultural and creative sectors, while the Nanshan District is a gathering place of high-tech innovation. Hung Shui Kiu is just a bay away from the Qianhai Co-operation Zone and the Nanshan District, offering great prospects for co-operation.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Chun-ying and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question:
The Chief Executive stated in the 2025 Policy Address the promotion of intellectual property (IP) trading and the bolstering of IP financing. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority collaborated with the Government to launch an IP financing sandbox at the end of last year to assist pilot sectors in leveraging IPs for financing, of the status of the sandbox experiments to date; whether it has considered further expanding the participating banks and pilot sectors;
(2) as it is learnt that many Mainland enterprises hold substantial IP assets in the biotechnology, electronics and innovation and technology sectors, whether the Government will consider gradually including some Mainland enterprises in the sandbox to lay the foundation for future cross-boundary IP financing; and
(3) as the Government has earmarked $28 million to provide qualitative patent evaluation for innovation and technology enterprises and implement a two-year Pilot Patent Valuation Support Scheme, there are views that banks’ frontline approving officers are most concerned about the liquidity and valuation stability of intangible assets, whether, while assisting innovation and technology enterprises with patent valuation, the Government will formulate a clear recognition framework or guidelines for the above Scheme, so that banks can directly incorporate the relevant evaluation results into the valuation basis for loan collateral?
Reply:
President,
As the global economy rapidly shifts towards a development model centred on creativity, technology and innovation, intellectual property (IP), as an intangible asset protecting creative and innovative ideas, has become a key driver of business competitiveness and economic growth. The National 14th Five Year Plan expressed support for Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading centre. This positioning of Hong Kong has been reaffirmed by the National 15th Five Year Plan.
The Government has been taking forward a series of targeted new policies and measures in a multi-pronged manner to further improve the local IP trading ecosystem, enhance Hong Kong’s capabilities in IP trading and financing, and consolidate Hong Kong’s position and competitive advantages as a regional IP trading centre.
Having consulted the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Chun-ying is as follows:
To help innovation driven enterprises leverage their IP assets to obtain financing so that they can devote more resources to research and development (R&D) and commercialisation, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) and the Intellectual Property Department (IPD), in collaboration with the HKMA, launched the IP Financing Sandbox (Sandbox) in end-December 2025 to assist pilot sectors, particularly the technology sector, in leveraging IPs for financing. Three major banks in Hong Kong and their clients from different sectors, as well as professional services organisations, are participating in the Sandbox. The aim of the Sandbox is to, through small scale pilot projects, provide a collaborative and risk controlled environment for key stakeholders, including banks, enterprises, valuation and legal professionals and other professional bodies, to participate in suitable IP financing projects on a “pioneer and pilot” approach as reference cases for the future. The Sandbox will help unlock a new financing channel, thereby supporting the commercialisation of outcomes of R&D as well as creativity, and promoting innovation and technology (I&T) as a key driver of economic growth. These pilot projects will provide valuable practical experience, enabling the aforesaid key stakeholders to collectively test out the full lifecycle of financing arrangements based on IP assets, build cross sector trust, capacity building and long term partnerships, and provide guidance and basis for follow up arrangements.
We are pleased to note that there has recently been successful completion of financing approval under the Sandbox, and other pilot cases are also undergoing the approval process. The CEDB and the IPD will, together with the HKMA, collect stakeholders’ views, consolidate market feedback and experience on the Sandbox, and make follow up arrangements (such as increasing the number of participating banks and pilot projects). Banks will conduct approval in accordance with their established procedures after taking into account risk and other relevant factors. It is therefore necessary for banks to have a good understanding of enterprises participating in pilot projects, so that they can conduct due diligence in accordance with regulatory requirements.
At this stage, we will focus on leveraging the Sandbox to accumulate practical financing experience for local enterprises, and will closely monitor the latest developments in IP financing in both Hong Kong and the Mainland, so as to make the most appropriate arrangement for the next stage of work.
In addition, to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) address the challenges of IP valuation, the Government will launch a two-year Pilot Patent Valuation Support Scheme (Pilot Scheme) through the Hong Kong Technology and Innovation Support Centre (HKTISC) to support eligible local SMEs to conduct valuation of their patents and other IP assets, which will provide concrete information on the enterprises’ assets to serve as a reference for credit financing.
The Pilot Scheme, which is expected to be launched in the third quarter of this year, will adopt a matching grant model of one-to-one between the Government and eligible local SMEs and provide each enterprise of an approved application (approved enterprise) with a one off funding capped at $80,000 to support them in commissioning qualified valuation service providers to conduct quantitative valuation of their patents and other IP assets. If the IP assets of the approved enterprise include at least one Hong Kong patent granted under the Patents Ordinance (Cap. 514) that has also undergone substantive examination, the IPD’s patent examiners will, through the HKTISC, provide free qualitative patent evaluation service based on the national standard for one Hong Kong patent designated by the approved enterprise concerned. Valuation service providers may, where appropriate, refer to the results of such qualitative patent evaluation in conducting quantitative valuation. The Government has earmarked $28 million to support the HKTISC in providing patent evaluation for I&T enterprises and implementing the two-year Pilot Scheme.
The Pilot Scheme will provide high quality qualitative patent evaluation and reliable quantitative valuation for IP assets held by approved enterprises. This not only assists relevant SMEs in demonstrating the economic value of their IP assets, but also enhances understanding of the value of intangible assets by financial institutions and investors, enabling them to consider the market potential of SMEs’ IP assets in a more comprehensive manner and increasing their confidence in investing in SMEs or establishing strategic partnerships with them. Relevant evaluation and valuation reports could also serve as references to banks and other financial institutions when they assess enterprises’ applications for financing, loans, etc. The IPD had briefed a number of local banks, through the HKMA, on the active supporting functions of the Pilot Scheme in their assessment of enterprises’ applications for financing, and the Pilot Scheme was positively received by the banks. The IPD is working with the HKTISC to actively prepare the concrete implementation arrangements and detailed execution plan for the Pilot Scheme. The IPD is also preparing a guidance document setting out the minimum information requirements for valuation reports provided by valuation service providers under the Pilot Scheme, so as to ensure consistency in the contents of such reports and assist banks in using them for credit assessment in compliance with prudent risk management principles. The Government will regularly review the overall progress of the operation of the Pilot Scheme, with a view to enhancing banks’ acceptance of valuation reports.
The Government will continue to capitalise on Hong Kong’s advantages in legal and professional services, seize the opportunity brought by our country’s support for deepening Hong Kong’s development as a regional IP trading centre, and actively promote more IP trading and financing activities, with a view to further consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a regional IP trading centre.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Jonathan Stuart Lamport and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question:
There are views that, as crucial hubs of the Belt and Road Initiative, Central Asian regions possess enormous potential for development and resources. The Chief Executive has also indicated that he will lead a delegation to visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in early June of this year. However, Hong Kong’s industrial and commercial sectors have generally relayed that they lack a deep understanding of the business environments, statutory regulations, and cultures of Central Asian markets, and that the transport and logistics links between Hong Kong and the regions have yet to be improved. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that it currently has no economic and trade offices in Central Asian regions, whether there are any specific short to medium-term plans for transitional support to assist Hong Kong’s small and medium enterprises in deepening their understanding of Central Asian markets and developing business opportunities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as there are views pointing out insufficient destinations and frequencies of direct passenger and cargo flights between Hong Kong and various Central Asian countries, as well as the absence of direct flights between Hong Kong and either Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, of the specific measures (such as co-ordinating the increase of direct flight destinations and facilitating logistical alignment between the Greater Bay Area and Central Asia) to leverage our country’s support of the “Air Silk Road” in a bid to boost Hong Kong’s appeal as a re-export hub for Central Asian goods; and
(3) whether there are specific measures to secure more favourable market conditions in Central Asian regions for Hong Kong’s goods and services industries, and to provide all round support to Hong Kong’s high-value-added professional services sectors in making inroads into Central Asian markets, thereby helping them promptly seize the vast business opportunities there?
Reply:
President,
The Government is committed to assisting the local business community to explore diversified markets, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international commercial hub. The Central Asian region is actively promoting diversification of its economic development. The region has seen rapid development in several key areas, including financial services, international trade, infrastructure, innovation and technology, tourism, and green sustainable development, with huge potential for market growth.
Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), the reply to the question raised by the Hon Jonathan Stuart Lamport is as follows:
(1) and (3) The Government has been adopting a multi-pronged approach to assist Hong Kong small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in better understanding the Central Asian market and exploring business opportunities through the different channels below.
Regarding overseas network, the Government has established 15 overseas Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs), and is committed to expanding the reach of the ETOs. In addition to strengthening economic and trade ties with traditional markets, as announced by the Chief Executive (CE) in the 2025 Policy Address, the Government will expand the coverage of the ETOs to emerging markets with good potential, including Central Asia. To attract high-potential enterprises from emerging countries to establish a presence in Hong Kong, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) have set up consultant offices in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to jointly advance Hong Kong’s investment and trade promotion in Central Asia. The Government will make good use of the existing network of the ETOs, InvestHK and the HKTDC to strengthen economic, trade as well as investment promotion in key Central Asian countries.
The CE is leading a business delegation to visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in early June this year in order to further promote economic and trade co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region, establish business networks and connections, and explore emerging markets. It is the largest scale of outbound mission to overseas countries with the largest number of delegates covering the broadest areas of enterprises in this term of Government. The delegation includes 40 representatives from Hong Kong’s enterprises/business sector, covering areas such as industry and commerce, finance, legal, construction and engineering, logistics, and innovation and technology. During the visit, there will be visits to local enterprises and facilities, helping Hong Kong enterprises/business representatives understand Central Asia’s latest developments in different areas, explore co-operation opportunities, and lay the foundation for long term exchanges.
Apart from the CE-led delegation, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) has been enhancing ties with the Central Asian market through various outbound missions and exchanges. Among others, the Belt and Road Office, together with the Ministry of Commerce, led a delegation comprising business representatives from Hong Kong and the Mainland to visit Kazakhstan in May 2024, fostering Hong Kong and the Mainland enterprises to jointly explore new business opportunities in the Belt and Road markets including Central Asia. The delegation included about 30 representatives from local chambers of commerce, professional services, enterprises (including SMEs and startups), covering sectors including finance, construction and engineering, new energy and environmental services, legal, accounting, transport and logistics, and innovation and technology. The Astana International Financial Centre of Kazakhstan also organised a business exchange event in Hong Kong in May 2025, bringing together stakeholders from Kazakhstan and the international financial community to exchange in-depth views on the future of the Central Asian capital markets and regional financial connectivity, and explore co-operation opportunities.
Regarding enterprises going global, the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (GoGlobal Task Force), steered by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, officially launched the cross-sectoral professional services platform GoGlobal Connect in April this year to assist Mainland enterprises already established a foothold in Hong Kong to expand their international businesses in overseas markets (including Central Asia) via Hong Kong. The platform brings together eight groups of Hong Kong professional service providers, including legal, accounting, finance, and testing and certification, and offers professional, customised consultancy services to Mainland enterprises seeking overseas expansion, helping them better understand business opportunities in the Central Asian market while enriching the ecosystem of the professional services sector in Hong Kong. The aforesaid delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is the first outbound mission led by the CE since the establishment of the GoGlobal Task Force.
At the same time, the CEDB has set up the functional platform of Economic and Trade Express to strengthen trio-coordination among the ETOs, InvestHK and the HKTDC in proactively organising overseas business missions for local SMEs and start-ups to assist Hong Kong enterprises in exploring business opportunities, while facilitating more enterprises to invest and establish operations in Hong Kong.
To further expand Hong Kong’s “circle of friends” in trade and economy and promote the long-term economic development of Hong Kong, the Government have been actively seeking to co-operate with trading partners, including economies with strong economic and trade connections with Hong Kong as well as those with development potential or at strategic locations. The Government will expand Hong Kong’s international economic and trade networks through forging free trade agreements (FTAs) as well as investment promotion and protection agreements (IPPAs) with these economies. Hong Kong has so far signed nine FTAs with 21 economies, covering most of Hong Kong’s major trading partners. In addition, Hong Kong has signed 24 IPPAs with 33 overseas economies. The Government will continue to proactively explore FTAs and IPPAs with other economies including Central Asian countries.
On SME support, the Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs under the Trade and Industry Department, the SME Centre under the HKTDC, the SME One under Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the TecONE under Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation will also continue to provide “four-in-one” integrated services and co-organise “four-in-one” seminar series on themes such as exploration of emerging markets in order to assist SMEs in exploring emerging markets. Moreover, the SME ReachOut, established by the Government and operated by the HKPC, will continue to help SMEs identify suitable government funding schemes and provide SMEs with capacity building service. The Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) provides funding support to encourage Hong Kong enterprises through branding, upgrading and restructuring, and develop diversified markets. The geographical scope of the BUD Fund will be expanded to cover 48 economies in June 2026 with Kazakhstan as the newly added one.
Looking ahead, the Government will continue to proactively deepen cooperation with the Belt and Road region, including countries in Central Asia, to assist the Hong Kong business community in seizing the immense business opportunities in the Central Asian region as early as possible.
(2) The Government has been working with the Airport Authority Hong Kong to strategically attract local and non-local airlines to add new destinations and increase flight frequencies through outreach teams, incentive schemes and policy facilitation measures, etc. Meanwhile, the TLB has been actively participating in international civil aviation conferences and taking the initiative to visit aviation partners in Central Asia to discuss the establishment of new air services agreements or the expansion of traffic rights, thereby providing greater flexibility for flight operations and enhancing commercial viability to encourage airlines to launch direct flight services.
The Government is also creating new business opportunities for the logistics industry by developing new markets, including countries along the Belt and Road. The Government note that the logistics industry has been actively developing the Central Asian markets in recent years, and the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazlogistics, a local logistics trade association. The TLB will continue to join hands with the industry to explore business opportunities in the Central Asian markets, and further promote the development of freight and logistics between Hong Kong and Central Asian markets.