Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):

Question:

In September last year, the State President delivered an important speech at the National Conference on Education, following which the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education (the master plan) was issued, setting out a roadmap for the national education development in the next 10 years. The master plan clearly proposed to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent by leveraging the support of education to technology and talent. The master plan also set out the close collaboration with the development of the innovation and technology (I&T) hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the building of a high-calibre talent hub and platforms for talent attraction and retention, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the innovation system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) against the background of the master plan’s proposals to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent as well as to closely collaborate with the development of I&T hub in the GBA, how the Government will further deepen the collaboration among the “government, industry, academic and research” sectors to promote the transformation of research and development outcomes of tertiary institutions into a driving force for innovation in the industry, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the GBA’s I&T ecosystem;

(2) as there are views that universities of applied sciences (UAS) play an important role in Hong Kong in complementing the master plan’s proposal to leverage the support of education to technology and talent, how the Government will further define the self-positioning of UAS and assist UAS in leveraging their unique advantages, so as to nurture more applied technology talents who suit the needs of the industries in the GBA;

(3) how the Government plans to assist tertiary institutions and scientific research institutions in increasing their expenditure on research and development (R&D) and intensifying the efforts in nurturing talents in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), so that Hong Kong can contribute to the development of the I&T hub in the GBA in the aspect of AI technology’s R&D and application; and

(4) whether it has studied how the Government should further strengthen STEAM (i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools (particularly focusing on AI), including teaching basic AI knowledge, methods of data processing and interdisciplinary knowledge, so as to enhance students’ skills in AI, critical thinking and capacity for innovation, thereby meeting the demand for education, technology and talent arising from the GBA development?

Reply:

President,

Solid promotion of education and technological development can provide and replenish talents and manpower for various trades and industries, boost socio-economic development, and render firm support for building an international hub for high-calibre talents. The 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education, issued earlier by the nation, clearly proposes establishing an integrated co-ordinating mechanism for education, technology and talents, and strengthen the supporting role of education for science and talents. To this end, the Government has set up the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents, which is led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talents, expand connections, formulate policies to attract and cultivate talents, foster the development of technologies, and also promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talents.

The replies of the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau to the Hon Rock Chen’s questions are as follows:

(1) With an aim to enhance the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem and Hong Kong’s competitiveness on the I&T front in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Government has been promoting collaboration among the Government, industry, academic and research sectors through various measures, and adopting a multi-pronged approach to support commercialisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes of tertiary institutions. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) funds, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D outcomes, while industry sponsorship is a mandatory requirement. Furthermore, the ITF will continue to provide annual funding to the Technology Transfer Office of each of the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities, thereby supporting the development of innovative ideas and R&D outcomes into new products or services. The R&D centres set up by the Government have also been taking forward industry-driven applied R&D work that suits market needs and transferring technologies to the industries through contract researches, licensing arrangements, etc to commercialise their R&D outcomes. Meanwhile, the Government has facilitated the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. The Alliance serves as a platform for collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors, with a view to promoting new industrialisation and co-operation among enterprises and organisations.

(2) To provide an alternative pathway to success for young people who aspire to pursue careers in professional skills sectors, the Government has been promoting the establishment of universities of applied sciences (UAS), and, in February 2024, promulgated the criteria for qualifying as UAS along with the relevant mechanisms. UAS provide vocational and professional education and training (VPET) programmes with an applied focus blending theory and practice, including applied degree programmes, and closely collaborate with professional skills sectors, incorporating substantial internship and work-based learning opportunities in other degree programmes to nurture students’ applied skills, demonstrating a clear division of labour with traditional academic research universities. The EDB announced in March and November 2024 respectively that Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Saint Francis University had been confirmed as the first two UAS in Hong Kong after undergoing stringent procedures and reviews.

The Government proactively supports UAS to collaborate with industries and other stakeholders in accordance with the VPET development strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development to respond to the keen manpower needs of different sectors and nurture more professional talent with applied skills. In this connection, the Government has allocated $100 million to support UAS and VPET institutions to establish the Alliance of UAS (the Alliance) in November 2024. The Alliance has been actively engaging supporting organisations and stakeholders and has drawn up the future work plan and strategic direction, which include fostering collaboration and joint promotion efforts among member institutions and over 80 supporting organisations from different sectors, organising international conferences, and strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Mainland and overseas UAS. Amongst others, the Alliance has planned to visit VPET institutions in the GBA within the year to strengthen exchanges and co-operation. The EDB will continue to work closely with the Alliance to support its work.

(3) Strengthening the nurturing of local I&T talents and fostering the deep integration of technology and industry are key factors in advancing the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Taking the opportunity of the triennial planning exercise for the UGC-funded universities, the Government set out strategic directions to guide the universities to align their planning with our nation’s and Hong Kong’s strategic development and policy priorities, including nurturing talents for growth, transformation and future challenges.

With the advent of AI, innovative and breakthrough technology in the new era, the universities are encouraged to introduce appropriate teaching frameworks and new programmes to meet ever-changing societal needs and enhance support for academic staff and students. A number of UGC-funded universities have offered AI-related undergraduate programmes in the 2025-28 triennium in response to the strategic directions, for example, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence and Educational Technology and Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Primary) – Mathematics of the Education University of Hong Kong, Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science of the University of Hong Kong.

In addition, the Government has been developing the AI ecosystem on different fronts through various measures such as provision of infrastructure and computing power, promoting R&D and talent cultivation. The first-phase facility of Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC) commenced operation to meet the strong local demand and enhance Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities in various technological research and application fields. With a view to encouraging the industry to optimise the AISC’s computing resources, the Government launched the Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme to subsidise local institutions, R&D centres and enterprises, etc to leverage the AISC’s computing power to achieve scientific breakthroughs and launch promotional and educational activities. As of April 2025, Cyberport has organised 35 promotional activities (including information seminars at local institutions), attracting over 6 500 participants. The Government is also nurturing local talents and gathering top-notch researchers from all around the world, through the AIR@InnoHK research cluster and its R&D laboratories focusing on AI and robotic technologies. To further promote the R&D and applications of AI in Hong Kong, the 2025-26 Budget announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (AIRDI), which will spearhead and support Hong Kong’s innovative R&D and industry applications of AI, facilitating upstream R&D, midstream and downstream transformation of R&D outcomes, and expanding application scenarios. We expect the AIRDI will help pool talents in AI-related fields, promote R&D and extensive application of AI, and facilitate exchanges on AI between Hong Kong and the Mainland (including the GBA) as well as overseas countries and regions.

The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved on May 9 a funding of $3 billion for the implementation of the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, with a view to attracting international top-notch talents in frontier technology areas such as AI to conduct research in Hong Kong, thereby expanding Hong Kong’s research capacity. The eligible applicant institutions for the Scheme are local universities funded by the UGC, and funding will be provided to the institutions concerned on a matching basis to encourage them to invest in research, promote cross-sector collaboration and enhance manpower training.

(4) To align with the national strategy of building a leading country in education, keeping pace with global development trends, and nurturing talents for the advancement of I&T in Hong Kong, the EDB has been stepping up to promote STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools, further promoting the digitalisation of education. Through a range of diversified strategies, including ongoing curriculum renewal, strengthening teacher training, providing resource support to schools, and enhancing collaboration with stakeholders, the EDB seeks to integrate digital technology into learning and teaching, enhance students’ creativity and problem-solving skills, and lay a solid foundation of talent for the future development of the country and society. Additionally, the EDB established the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education in early 2025, making reference to the latest developments on the Mainland and relevant policies and experiences from other countries, to propose recommendations on the goals, strategies and future directions for the implementation of digital education in Hong Kong.

Regarding curriculum renewal, the EDB launched the “Module on Artificial Intelligence for Junior Secondary Level” in the 2023/24 school year that covers topics such as AI basics and AI ethics. The EDB also launched the “Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level” to enhance computational thinking and creative thinking. At present, almost all publicly-funded primary and secondary schools have implemented enriched coding education and AI education at the upper primary and the junior secondary levels respectively. On the other hand, the newly introduced Primary Science and the updated Junior Secondary Science will be implemented starting from the 2025/26 and 2027/28 school years respectively. Both curricula emphasise inquiry-based learning and cross-disciplinary learning, with a view to cultivating students’ capabilities in innovation.

As for teacher training, the EDB focuses on empowering teachers by helping them equipping with AI-related knowledge and teaching strategies. The EDB continuously organises training programmes on the aforementioned AI and coding education modules, covering fundamental AI theories, applied technologies, pedagogical practices, data security, and the use of generative AI in education. These training sessions are conducted in both online and face-to-face modes to broaden participation and coverage among teachers. Furthermore, the EDB promotes the application of AI in learning and teaching through an “AI+Subject” approach and provides relevant teacher training. Examples include the launch of the “AI for Science Education” programme in Junior Secondary Science, the integration of digital technologies (including AI elements) into mathematical modelling activities in Mathematics, and the incorporation of AI into learning and teaching activities in Visual Arts. These efforts aim to enhance teachers’ confidence and competence in utilising AI to assist teaching.

The EDB also provides various resource support to schools. The EDB updated the “Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students” Learning Framework to strengthen data security and AI ethics education, and collaborated with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Journalism Education Foundation to launch teaching resources on cyber security and media and information literacy, to help students to develop critical thinking skills when using I&T. Moreover, the Quality Education Fund has allocated $500 million for the implementation of the e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme, supporting 22 projects related to AI, big data and education technology. These projects cover various subjects and deploy innovative technologies to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness. As at end-March 2025, around 400 schools and 31 000 students have participated in this programme. It is expected that the deliverables of the projects will be successively released starting from mid-2025 for subscriptions and use by all local schools.

The EDB actively promotes collaboration and exchange by deepening partnerships with local, Mainland, and international stakeholders. The EDB works closely with tertiary institutions and I&T-related organisations to conduct various projects and activities, enabling school leaders and teachers to stay abreast of the latest developments in science and I&T. Examples include the “Exchange cum Training Programme for Hong Kong STEAM Education Leaders”, co-organised with the Teacher Education Centre under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the “Professional Development Programme on Innovation and Technology”, co-organised with Cyberport. In collaboration with Hong Kong Education City, the EDB is organising the “Digital Education Week” from June 30 to July 7 this year. Key events include the “Learning & Teaching Expo”, and the International Summit on the Use of AI in Learning and Teaching Languages and Other Subjects & Post-Summit Workshop Series jointly hosted with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The events will invite experts to share insights on I&T education (including the use of AI in teaching) to promote the integration of AI in education.

The EDB will actively align with the competencies and skills required by national and global trends. In close collaboration with stakeholders from various sectors, the EDB aims to strengthen basic education in primary and secondary schools. To dovetail the integrated development of “education, science and technology, and talent” advocated by our country, the EDB is committed to nurturing the next generation of innovators in science and technology.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):

Question:

The Road Traffic Legislation (Enhancing Personalised Point-to-point Transport Services) (Amendment) Bill 2023, which, among others, seeks to introduce a Taxi Fleet Regime, was passed by this Council in December 2023. Subsequently, in July last year, the Government announced that conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence were issued to five applicants, requiring them to complete the gearing-up work and commence services within one year. However, it has been reported that to date no fleets have officially commenced operations and that only two fleets are operating on a trial basis. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the current number of taxis that each of the five fleets can provide for services; the respective difference between such numbers and the minimum number of taxis required under the Taxi Fleet Licence;

(2) whether it has reviewed the reasons why three of the taxi fleets have not yet commenced trial operations and the two fleets currently undergoing trial operations have not officially commenced operations since the issuance of the conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence; of the respective expected dates for the five fleets to officially commence operations; and

(3) whether the authorities have formulated a plan to deal with situations where the aforementioned taxi fleets are unable to officially commence operations by the dates specified in the conditional grants; if so, of the details of the plan; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government has earlier reviewed the overall operation and management of taxis, and introduced a series of measures to enhance the quality of taxi service, including the introduction of a new regulatory regime – the taxi fleet regime. With regard to the question raised by the Hon Andrew Lam, I hereby reply as follows:

(1) Upon open application and assessment by the Transport Department (TD), five operators were issued with conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence in end-July 2024. The selected applicants include three urban fleets and two mixed fleets, with a fleet size of 300 to 1 000 taxis each, providing a total of over 3 500 taxis, which account for over one-sixth of the 18 163 taxis in Hong Kong and include around 300 wheelchair-accessible taxis and 1 000 premium taxis.

According to the conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence, the five selected operators are required to complete the gearing-up work and commence service by end-July this year. At the time of service commencement, the size of each fleet shall reach at least 60 per cent of the total number of taxis committed to be deployed by such fleet.

Among the five taxi fleets, two fleets (SynCab and Joie Taxi) have been operating on a trial basis, with a view to gaining operation experiences, collecting passenger feedback, and allowing passengers to experience their services first-hand. It is understood that SynCab and Joie have deployed around 300 taxis altogether for trial operation. The remaining three taxi fleets are fully engaged in the gearing-up work, and drivers and taxi owners are joining the fleets one after another.

(2) and (3) Since July last year, the five selected operators have been conducting gearing-up work with great endeavour, including purchasing new vehicles and carrying out modifications, installing in-vehicle technological devices for enhancement of driving safety, setting up electronic payment systems, developing and testing online hailing applications, recruiting drivers, providing training to drivers, etc.

The TD has been holding regular meetings with the fleets to actively promote and assist their gearing-up work, while coordinating and providing support based on their needs during the preparatory stage. For example, in response to the need of various operators to acquire new models of vehicles for use as fleet taxis, the TD has, on the premise of ensuring road safety, streamlined the procedures by introducing batch applications and vehicle examinations and providing facilitating measures in respect of the vehicle examination arrangements.

We understand that taxi fleet is a new type of service, and some taxi owners and drivers may not understand the operation of the fleets and therefore are hesitant to join the fleets. This has led to various challenges for the fleet operators in conducting the gearing-up work, for example regarding driver recruitment and engagement of taxi owners. At present, two of the fleet operators have started trial operations. Such operations not only allow these fleets to collect passenger feedback but also provide a valuable opportunity for trade members to understand the operation of fleets, which is beneficial to attracting more taxi owners and drivers to join the fleet. Additionally, it is understood that the fleet operators have implemented different measures to recruit taxi owners and drivers, such as hosting fleet introduction sessions and recruitment events, organising activities to showcase the new taxi models and new fleet management approach to taxi owners, offering referral bonuses and driving safety bonuses to drivers, and implementing flexible work schedules. We hope that the fleet operators will continue to adopt various strategies to recruit taxi owners and drivers. The TD will also maintain close communication with the fleets, and actively facilitate their completion of the gearing-up work for the commissioning of taxi fleet services by end-July this year. Furthermore, apart from the launching of the respective online booking channels by the fleets, we understand that a third-party technology provider is discussing with the fleets the launching of a centralised online hailing platform to make it more convenient for the public to book fleet taxis. The Government will continue to encourage the fleets to take forward the relevant work.

We aim to introduce systematic management and technology-driven fleets through the taxi fleet regime, and thereby motivating the taxi trade to innovate and transform. At the same time, the Government will continue to implement other measures through a multi-pronged approach, and be determined to enhance the quality of taxi services and to promote the industry’s long-term healthy development, thereby providing passengers with taxi services of better quality. These measures include the already effective Taxi-Driver-Offence Points system and the two-tier penalty system which aim to enhance the deterrent effects against the black sheep of the industry, and the legislative proposals to mandate taxis to install in-vehicle cameras, dash cameras and global navigation satellite systems in their compartments and to provide e-payment means.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Department of Health (DH) today (May 14) signed service agreements with 12 Mainland medical institutions newly included in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme. It serves as a curtain raiser for the commencement of services at these medical institutions within this year, as announced in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address on the extension of the Pilot Scheme to cover nine Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The signing ceremony was held at the Central Government Offices. Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, said, “On behalf of the HKSAR Government, I would like to express my gratitude to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province and the health authorities of relevant cities for their continuous support and assistance to the HKSAR Government in further extending the Pilot Scheme to cover all nine Mainland cities in the GBA. It will not only provide greater convenience and flexibility to the eligible Hong Kong elderly persons to safeguard and address their medical needs for a happy and healthy ageing life, but also further promote medical co-operation in the GBA to jointly build a ‘Healthy Bay Area’.”

​The 12 medical institutions newly included in the Pilot Scheme are:
 

 
With the expansion of the number of pilot medical institutions from the current seven to 19 in total, together with the two existing service points operated by the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, eligible Hong Kong elderly persons will be able to use the Elderly Health Care Voucher (EHCV) for outpatient healthcare services at a total of 21 service points in the GBA.

“The DH will continue to actively collaborate with the newly included pilot medical institutions to finalise the follow-up arrangements in accordance with the service agreements, such as personnel training, financial arrangements and system configuration. We will strive for the newly included pilot medical institutions to launch the relevant arrangements gradually by the fourth quarter of this year, so as to enable eligible Hong Kong elderly persons to use EHCVs at more service points as soon as possible, and to make better use of the primary healthcare services to improve their health and gain a greater sense of happiness. Co-operation on medical and health issues is an important component of the development of the GBA and is vital to promoting the well-being of the people in the region,” said Dr Lam.

Launched by the Government in 2009, the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (EHVS) currently subsidises eligible Hong Kong elderly persons aged 65 and above with an annual voucher amount of $2,000 (with the accumulation limit set at $8,000) for them to choose in their own community private primary healthcare services that best suit their health needs. The Government launched the Pilot Scheme last year to extend the coverage of EHCVs to suitable medical institutions in the GBA. As of September of the same year, the coverage of EHCVs has been extended to seven integrated medical/dental institutions located in Guangzhou, Zhongshan, Dongguan and Shenzhen.
 
Upon the launch of the Pilot Scheme last year, as of end-March 2025, about 13 350 eligible elderly persons have used EHCVs to pay for the fees of outpatient healthcare services received at medical institutions under the Pilot Scheme, involving 24 645 voucher claim transactions and a total claimed amount at approximately $32.16 million. 
 
In addition, the “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” functions of the eHealth mobile application will also be applicable to the medical institutions under the Pilot Scheme, with a view to offering convenience for Hong Kong citizens to self-carry their electronic health records for cross-boundary uses.

Members of the public may refer to the EHVS website (www.hcv.gov.hk) or call the hotline (2838 2311) for more information on the EHVS.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):

Question:

In recent years, the Government has been vigorously promoting the work on attracting enterprises and investments. It is learnt that Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) assisted a total of 539 overseas and Mainland enterprises in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of overseas and Mainland enterprises which InvestHK has assisted in establishing a presence in Hong Kong or setting up regional headquarters in Hong Kong since January this year; the home countries of such enterprises, as well as the industries to which they belong;

(2) of the policies and measures currently put in place by the Government in respect of land, taxation, etc. to support overseas and Mainland enterprises in establishing a presence in Hong Kong; and

(3) given that the Secretary for Labour and Welfare has pointed out at a special meeting of the Finance Committee of this Council held to discuss the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026 that Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) would provide comprehensive one-stop support to incoming talents, of the total number of applications received by HKTE since January this year; among such applications, of the areas in which support has been provided?

Reply:

President,

After consulting the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, as well as the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), my consolidated response to the Hon Jeffrey Lam’s question is as follows:

InvestHK Hong Kong (InvestHK) is responsible for promoting inward direct investment to Hong Kong by attracting Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up or expand in the city. In 2024, InvestHK assisted 539 Mainland and overseas enterprises in establishing and expanding their businesses in Hong Kong, representing an increase of over 40 per cent year on year. On a pro-rata basis, the figure well exceeded the performance indicator as set out in the 2022 Policy Address by the Chief Executive. On the other hand, the number of companies in Hong Kong with overseas or Mainland parent companies in 2024 reached a record high of 9 960. It included 1 410 regional headquarters, an increase of over 5 per cent year on year.

From January to April this year, InvestHK assisted 223 Mainland and overseas enterprises, representing an increase of 13 per cent as compared with the same period last year. These enterprises are expected to bring in direct investment of over $22.3 billion and create over 4 900 jobs within their first year of operations or expansion. Over one-fourth of these enterprises indicated their setup of international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong. The top five places of origin of those enterprises are the Mainland, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and Singapore; and the top five sectors are the financial services and fintech sector, family office, innovation and technology sector, tourism and hospitality sector, and consumer products sector.

Separately, the current-term Government established OASES, which is directly under the Financial Secretary, to attract high-potential and representative strategic innovation and technology enterprises from around the globe. So far, OASES successfully attracted 84 strategic enterprises, many of which plan to establish their international or regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

InvestHK and OASES provide Mainland and overseas enterprises with one-stop customised support services, including introducing tax regime and tax concessions of Hong Kong, assisting enterprises in identifying premises for operations, and assisting them in following up on matters relating to talent admission.

In terms of tax policy, Hong Kong has been practicing a simple, territorial-based and low-tax regime. Hong Kong’s profits tax rates are very competitive internationally, with the first $2 million of profits of corporations taxed at the rate of 8.25 per cent, and the profits above that amount taxed at 16.5 per cent. Besides, tax types in Hong Kong are simple in that there is not any kind of capital gains tax, withholding tax on dividends or interest, estate duty, value-added tax, goods and services tax, nor digital services tax. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has also been strategically utilising tax measures to facilitate the development of different industries. Tax concessions introduced over recent years have benefitted multiple industries or taxpayers, including the asset and wealth management industry, maritime industry, insurance industry, and taxpayers with intellectual property income.

In terms of assisting enterprises in identifying suitable premises, given the diverse backgrounds of enterprises, InvestHK and OASES focus on understanding and catering to the different needs of individual enterprises. In respect of land supply, the DEVB has been collaborating with InvestHK and OASES to introduce to Mainland and overseas enterprises interested in setting up in Hong Kong the distribution of existing and future economic land in the territory, including how the Government will adopt an “industry-led” approach in planning strategic projects such as the Northern Metropolis (NM). In particular, as each New Development Area in the NM has its own industry positioning, the next few years will see considerable output in development land and floor space for innovation and technology and other emerging industries, as well as industries with traditional strengths, to move in. As for enterprises interested in setting up in Hong Kong and participating in the construction of buildings for industries, the DEVB will recommend development land for their consideration. It will also support relevant policy bureaux in exploring and adopting various modes of land disposal and land premium arrangements by giving consideration to restricted tender or direct land grant in addition to the traditional practice of open tender. When a project enters the design and construction stages, the DEVB will also provide one-stop services by co-ordinating with relevant departments to expedite approvals.

Apart from focusing on attracting enterprises and investment, the current-term Government is also dedicated to attracting talents from overseas and the Mainland. Since its establishment on October 30, 2023, the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) strives to provide comprehensive one-stop support to talents. From January to April 2025, over 45 000 new applications under various talent admission schemes were received, of which over 35 000 applications were approved. The support services provided by the HKTE to incoming talents and their families include the following:

(a) Themed seminars: To cater for the needs of incoming talents, leaders from various industries and admitted talents were invited to share career information and tips on starting a business. Since its establishment and up to end-April 2025, the HKTE has organised 33 online and offline themed seminars;

(b) Job fairs: Job fairs help job-seeking talents to match with employers direct, so as to help incoming talents to look for jobs based on their skills, making better use of their professional competencies. As at end-April 2025, the HKTE has organised, co-organised and participated in 17 job fairs in total;

(c) Enquiry and support matching services: The HKTE’s online platform currently connects with about 90 designated working partners to provide talents with advice and services in respect of job matching, accommodation, education, banking and insurance services, business and corporate services, integrated settlement services as well as networking and community through online matching services. The online platform has processed over 41 000 enquiries, mainly involving matters such as talent schemes, visa and job seeking, and made around 12 000 referrals of support service requests so far;

(d) Integration activities: Participation in volunteer services allows incoming talents to strengthen their connections with the local community, thereby facilitating their better integration into local society. As at end-April 2025, the HKTE has organised, in collaboration with volunteer groups, three integration activities; and

(e) Cantonese learning classes: The classes help enhance the Cantonese speaking and listening skills of incoming talents, and assist them in understanding the local culture and customs, thereby expediting their integration into local society. As at end-April 2025, the HKTE has organised 28 Cantonese learning classes.

The HKSAR Government will continue to make every effort to attract more enterprises and talents from the Mainland and overseas.

Source:

The Government is conducting an official assessment to better understand the energy crisis’s impacts on households, businesses, and institutions. Only residents and businesses in designated areas of Upolu are required to complete the form by 25 April 2025.

The form will collect information on electrical equipment damage, disruptions to operations or services and financial losses. All Applicants are required to provide their EPC meter number, supporting documentation (e.g., photos, receipts, or certified assessments) for verification.

Download Assessment Form Here

April 14, 2025