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LCQ6: Improve the accessibility of West Kowloon Cultural District

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (June 25):
 
Question:

There are views that the road ancillary facilities and experience of walking to the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) are not satisfactory at present, and during festivals, holidays and large-scale activities, congestion often occurs on the roads in the vicinity. On improving the accessibility of the WKCD, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as it has been reported that the southern landing facility of the WKCD is expected to come into operation in the fourth quarter of this year, of the specific timetable; of the specific measures in place to expedite the development of waterborne transport there, and whether it has studied developing the area into one of the distribution points for marine tours;

(2) as some members of the public and tourists have reflected that the current experience of walking from the Xiqu Centre along Austin Road West to the area around the M+ is not satisfactory, whether the authorities will consider prioritising the creation of a pleasant harbourfront promenade from the Xiqu Centre to the WKCD to facilitate access of members of the public and tourists to the area; and

(3) as there are views that the existing road design of Museum Drive outside the Hong Kong Palace Museum is unsatisfactory and prone to causing traffic congestion, and the authorities are conducting a road network study in the vicinity of Museum Drive, including a study on the construction of additional slip road exits to the West Kowloon Expressway, of the details of the study and whether the relevant works can commence as soon as possible?

Reply:
 
President,
 
The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD or the District) is an important strategic cultural infrastructure investment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The WKCD is not only a popular choice for local residents to participate in cultural activities, but also one of the must-visit cultural and creative attractions welcomed by tourists.
 
The Government and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) have always attached great importance to the accessibility of West Kowloon. Currently, there are many public transport services and routes to the WKCD, including the MTR, seven franchised bus routes, five green minibus (GMB) routes as well as Water Taxis.
 
When large-scale activities such as fireworks displays are held at the WKCD or in its vicinity, the WKCDA will closely liaise with the Police and Transport Department (TD). The Police will implement temporary traffic management measures, including road closures, as needed within the WKCD and its vicinity whereas the TD will co-ordinate with public transport services providers to increase their services. Visitors can walk to the two MTR stations (i.e. Kowloon Station and Austin Station) or nearby places to access public transports when roads in the vicinity are still closed after the activities. During major festivals in the past two years, the said arrangements have been working smoothly.
 
Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the WKCDA, my reply to the question raised by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung is set out below:
 
(1) The Southern Landing Facility (SLF) located opposite to M+ is expected to complete and open in quarter four of this year (2025). By then, the existing berthing point of Water Taxi at the New Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter will be relocated to this new landing facility. The WKCDA is also liaisng with the TD in actively exploring the introduction of a new ferry route between the WKCD and Central, so as to fully utilise the new landing facility for further improving waterborne transport to and from the WKCD.
 
The SLF is a public landing facility. The WKCDA is currently formulating the future arrangements for the use of the SLF, including reservation arrangements for berthing public vessels other than Water Taxi, and will maintain close communication with the tourism industry and relevant Government departments to explore ways to maximise the utilisation of the SLF.
 
(2) The WKCD is situated on a 40-hectare site next to the High Speed Rail Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, the MTR Tuen Ma Line Austin Station as well as the Tung Chung Line Kowloon Station. Citizens and visitors can choose to use the nearest MTR station according to the different arts and cultural facilities in the District they want to visit.
 
Taking M+ as an example, visitors can use the MTR Kowloon Station and walk about 10 minutes via Elements Shopping Mall and the Art Square Bridge to reach it. As for the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), visitors can go for Exit E of the MTR Kowloon Station, walk via Nga Cheung Road and the pedestrian footbridge of the former toll plaza of the Western Harbour Crossing to enter the WKCD West Gate, and then walk along the District’s roads to reach the HKPM in 15 minutes. Visitors going to the Xiqu Centre can use the Austin Road Pedestrian Linkage System at Exit E of the MTR Austin Station to reach the destination within 5 minutes on foot.
 
The development of the WKCD has always adopted the “City Park” design concept. The planning fundamental of the WKCD is pedestrian-oriented with emphasis on its connectivity, encouraging visitors to walk to and from different arts and cultural facilities within the District. For instance, from M+ to the HKPM, visitors can walk for about 10 minutes through the Art Park or along the WKCD Promenade, both of which are places where citizens and tourists love to linger. As for going from Xiqu Centre to M+, since there are still works in progress in the relevant waterfront and Austin Road West section, we recommend citizens to take about 15 to 20 minutes to walk via Austin Station, High Speed Rail Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, Elements, and the Artist Square Bridge at this stage.
 
If visitors choose to travel between the WKCD and the High Speed Rail Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and MTR Austin Station by public transport, they can take the GMB Route CX1, or take the Kowloon Motor Bus Route W4 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
 
(3) The Government and the WKCDA have been exploring various options for improving the road network of the WKCD, including the addition of an exit from Museum Drive to the West Kowloon Highway to improve vehicular accessibility of the northern part of the WKCD. The Government will continue to study with the WKCDA in this regard to meet the development needs of the WKCD.

Thank you, President.

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Extension of e-Channel service to holders of People’s Republic of China electronic passport

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Extension of e-Channel service to holders of People’s Republic of China electronic passport ​     Eligible PRC passport holders can use the e-Channel service when entering Hong Kong without prior enrolment for e-Channel service via face recognition technology. The new arrangement does not apply to PRC passport holders entering Hong Kong on the strength of ‘Entry Permit for Hong Kong’ issued by the overseas Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions. They will continue to complete arrival clearance at immigration counters.

​     The ImmD has always been committed to serving the public and striving for innovation by enhancing the clearance efficiency of the e-Channels and expanding the service target group so that more visitors can use the e-Channels for self-service immigration clearance, thereby providing them with a more convenient and efficient immigration experience.Issued at HKT 12:58

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LCQ14: Public toilet projects in Hong Kong

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ14: Public toilet projects in Hong Kong 
Question:
 
     It has been learnt that, in recent years, the Government has been actively promoting construction of public toilets (including refurbishment or facelifting) projects in Hong Kong, with the aim of improving the quality of public sanitary facilities. According to the information provided by the Government in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2025-2026, the Enhanced Public Toilet Refurbishment Programme for that financial year covers 110 public toilets and involves a total project estimate of about $460 million. According to the Government’s paper submitted to the Panel on Development of this Council regarding funding for the Capital Works Reserve Fund for 2025-2026, the total budget for the four public toilet projects in Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam Sun Tsuen) in Kwun Tong, Ha Ma Tseuk Leng in North District, Ha Tsuen Shi Vegetable Market Office in Yuen Long, and Fraser Village in Yuen Long, is as high as about $87 million. In particular, the reprovisioning of Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam San Tsuen) public toilet in Kwun Tong has been budgeted at about $38 million. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the reasons why the project estimates of the above four public toilets are higher than those of public toilets in general;
 
(2) of the overall planning for public toilet projects in Hong Kong; the factors considered by the authorities when deciding to commence the public toilet projects (including the requirements for male-to-female toilet compartment ratio, site selection criteria, pedestrian flow density and district distribution ratios);
 
(3) it has been learnt that at the end of 2023, the proportion of female population in Hong Kong is about 54.5 per cent, which is nine per cent higher than the male population, but the existing supply of female toilets often falls short of demand, resulting in females often having to wait for a long time for their turn to use them, whether the authorities will consider adjusting the male-to-female toilet compartment ratio and increasing the number of female toilet compartments in planning for public toilet projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether the authorities have compiled statistics and assessed the demand for the use of public toilets, the actual utilisation rates and the public satisfaction levels, etc, at various tourist attractions and border control points; if it has compiled such statistics, of the details;
 
(5) of the distribution of the proportions of the various expenditures (e.g. design, salaries of works personnel and construction costs) in the project estimates for all public toilet projects in Hong Kong at present; and
 
(6) whether the authorities have a dedicated department responsible for monitoring and managing the progress of public toilet projects, as well as providing temporary public toilet services while the works are in progress; if so, whether they will announce the details of the progress of the relevant works in a timely manner?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Government departments including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Home Affairs Department, respectively plan and manage toilets facilities provided for public use (public toilet) under their purview. The Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) carries out the design, construction and refurbishment of public toilets in accordance with the public service standards for public toilets as specified by the client departments.
 
     Having consulted the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Security Bureau, our reply to the question raised by the Hon Maggie Chan is as follows:
 
(1) When the ArchSD designs and constructs new public toilets, as well as reprovisions and refurbishes existing public toilets, it will devise project details by taking into account factors including relevant departments’ requirements, design standards of existing public toilets, conditions of facilities, utilisation rates, legal requirements, sewage facilities and provision of barrier-free facilities; and ensures the project complies with the “no-frills” principle. In compiling the project estimates, the ArchSD will make reference to the costs of projects of similar scale in the past and the prevailing returned tender prices; with provisions for consultants’ fees and contingencies.
 
     Regarding the four public toilet works project mentioned in the question, the ArchSD stated that the construction floor area of the Reprovisioning of Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam Sun Tsuen) Public Toilet is the largest among projects on public toilets in recent years. Besides, given that public toilet is highly utilised and locates at a tourist spot, the design of the reprovisioning works focused on enhancing the quality of the facilities and the user experience of the tourists, including the provision of additional universal toilets, the adoption of a people-oriented design with the provision of more spacious interior than other common public toilets, and the implementation of smart toilet system to enhance hygiene and management. In addition, the congested underground pipelines and high groundwater level in the vicinity have made the construction much more complex and hence increased the costs. The ArchSD has adopted a number of design enhancement and works solutions to minimise construction costs and risks as far as practicable, such as relocating the underground equipment to above ground to reduce the extent of excavation.
 
     As for the proposed Improvement to Ha Ma Tseuk Leng Public Toilet in North District, Improvement to Ha Tsuen Shi Vegetable Market Office Public Toilet in Yuen Long and Improvement to Fraser Village Public Toilet in Yuen Long, given they are located in rural areas with no public drainage system in the proximity and lack of proper roads for delivery of construction materials, the project costs are expected to be higher. The ArchSD is still reviewing the estimates of these three proposed projects, and will evaluate their cost effectiveness, endeavours to seek feasible options to lower construction cost.
 
(2) When planning for the provision of public toilets, the Government will consider various factors, including the number of existing nearby public toilets (including public toilets managed by government departments and public toilet facilities in private premises like shopping arcades), utilisation rates, land requirements, feasibility (for example water and electricity supply, and sewage treatment, etc), as well as the opinions and requests of nearby residents, local community and District Councils.
 
(3) Building (Standards of Sanitary Fitments, Plumbing, Drainage Works and Latrines) Regulations (Cap. 123I) provides for the statutory standard for ratio of male to female (1:1.5) in the provision of sanitary fitments in newly introduced public places (for example sports stadia, shopping arcades and department stores) in private buildings.
 
     As for public toilets managed by government departments, relevant departments will consider actual conditions of individual public toilets, including the location and size of the public toilet, as well as users’ needs and stakeholders’ views, and increases the female ratio of sanitary fitments when needed.
 
(4) Public toilets at tourists attractions and boundary control points (BCPs) are individually or jointly managed by different government departments (including the FEHD, the LCSD, the AFCD, the Government Property Agency, and departments relevant to the BCPs), or delegated third parties (for example the MTR Corporation Limited). Government departments respectively monitors the usage of public toilets under their management, and will suitably follow up as necessary, including adjusting the inspection and cleaning frequencies. Departments have not maintained relevant statistics.
 
(5) The DEVB stated that the scope of works, site location, site constraints and construction methods vary for each public toilet improvement, refurbishment, enhancement or reprovisioning project. The design and construction of each project will be appropriately adjusted to suit its unique characteristics. As such, construction cost and proportion of expenses such as labour, machinery, materials and consultancy fees, vary. The ArchSD generally will reserve approximately 10 per cent of the cost in the budget of each project as contingency, so to address needs for unforeseen adjustments.
 
(6) When the ArchSD constructs, refurbishes or enhances public toilets for government departments, it carries out regular inspections, manages the progress of projects, and also provides temporary toilet facilities for public toilets affected by the construction works having considered relevant departments’ requirements.
Issued at HKT 12:45

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LCQ13: Cross-boundary public transport services

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 25):

Question:
(1) of the respective design flows, including passenger and vehicular flows, and actual flows (set out by weekdays and holidays) of various land boundary control points (BCPs) (excluding rail-based ones) at present (set out in a table);

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HKMCA launches “Panda Mode ON!” public education campaign

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     HKMC Annuity Limited (HKMCA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited, announced today (June 25) the launch of a six-month “Panda Mode ON!” public education campaign, which uses the joyful, worry-free lifestyle of pandas as a metaphor to showcase retirement financial planning concepts and encourage retirees to achieve a stable and prosperous “Panda Mode” retirement through the creation of a lifelong income stream.
 
The HKMCA is launching a series of promotional activities including television commercials, outdoor, online and social media advertising across multi-media channels starting this month. Public education and outreach activities will also be held across Hong Kong, including a booth at the “10th Golden Age Expo and Summit 2025”, five “Well-Planned for Life. Stable for Life” roving exhibitions at the Ocean Park Hong Kong and major shopping malls in various districts, together with a promotional truck and information panels, to help promote the importance of retirement financial planning. For details of the outreach activities, please refer to the annex.
  
To reinforce public understanding of the HKMC Annuity Plan (Plan) and longevity risk management, the HKMCA is also expanding the “Mr. Well-Planned” series. In addition to utilising relatable day-to-day scenarios to highlight the key features of the Plan through television commercials, a new “Answer with One Click” webpage (www.hkmca.hk/eng/QnA) has been launched to provide the public with a convenient way to access answers to frequently asked questions.
 
For more information, please visit the HKMCA website (www.hkmca.hk) or the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HKMCAnnuity). For enquiries, please call the HKMCA customer service hotline at (852) 2512 5000.

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Occupational therapists and physiotherapists participating in primary healthcare programmes must be enlisted in Primary Care Directory and join eHealth from July 2

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau announced today (June 25) that, starting from July 2, occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) participating in government-subsidised primary healthcare programmes (including the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme, and the allied health services of the Chronic Disease Co-care Pilot Scheme and District Health Centres) must first be enlisted in the Primary Care Directory (PCD) and join eHealth. To allow sufficient time for the professions to complete the enrolment process, a two-month grace period until September 1 will be provided. The PHC Commission encourages OTs and PTs to register as early as possible, so that they can continue to provide relevant government-subsidised services to members of the public.

The Primary Healthcare Blueprint recommended expanding the PCD to cover more healthcare professionals and developing sub-directories for allied health professionals, including OTs and PTs, with a view to ensuring their participation in continuing medical education or continuing professional development programmes relevant to their disciplines, thereby enhancing the quality of primary healthcare services. In addition, the Blueprint recommended requiring all primary healthcare service providers to use eHealth to promote continuity of healthcare services and cross-sector collaboration.

To minimise the impact on citizens enjoying the subsidised services concerned, the PHC Commission has maintained close communication with the OT and PT professions through different channels since March to introduce them to the details of the new requirements and assist them in enlisting in the PCD and/or joining eHealth. Those OTs and PTs currently participating in relevant government-subsidised programmes but who are yet to be enlisted in the PCD and join eHealth by the end of the grace period (i.e. from September 2 onwards) will no longer be able to offer those government-subsidised primary healthcare services to their patients.

Members of the public may enquire with their OTs or PTs or visit the PCD website (apps.pcdirectory.gov.hk/Public/EN) to confirm whether they are enlisted in the PCD, to ensure that they can continue receiving the relevant subsidised services from the same OT or PT after the grace period.

The PCD is a web-based database containing practice information and professional qualifications of primary healthcare service providers in the community. It enables members of the public to look for service providers’ information, such as their practice addresses, telephone numbers, consultation hours, and service provisions, as well as their participation in various government-subsidised programmes, and to choose a suitable primary healthcare service provider according to their personal needs. Subsequent to the establishment of sub-directories for OTs and PTs, the Government will continue to develop sub-directories for other healthcare professionals in phases, with a view to promoting multidisciplinary collaboration in providing comprehensive primary healthcare services to members of the public.

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Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector to benefit from Mainland’s expedited patent pre-examination service starting June 30

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector to benefit from Mainland’s expedited patent pre-examination service starting June 30 
     Under the enhanced measure, Hong Kong’s I&T sector (including innovative entities such as enterprises, higher education institutions and research institutions) seeking patent protection on the Mainland may submit patent pre-examination requests to the Shenzhen Intellectual Property Protection Center if they meet the relevant criteria (e.g. the inventions in their applications fall within the specified industry sectors). Upon passing the pre-examination, their patent applications can enter the expedited examination channel of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), significantly shortening the period of examination.
 
     The Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, said, “This cross-boundary facilitation measure for patent applications can effectively accelerate the legal protection and commercialisation of research outcomes in the vast Mainland market by Hong Kong’s I&T sector. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government expresses its gratitude to the CNIPA for supporting Hong Kong in the advancement of I&T and IP trading, which enables Hong Kong to seize the opportunities brought by the national development of new quality productive forces and contribute to the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”
 
     For details of the measures, please refer to the Intellectual Property Department’s website 
     The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality jointly promulgated the 16 Co-operation Measures in February 2023, aiming to advance IP development in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, foster cross-boundary IP and innovation, exchange and co-operation, and support Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading centre.
Issued at HKT 17:00

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Tender results of re-opening of 5-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced that a tender of 5-year HKD institutional Government Bonds through the re-opening of existing Government Bond (issue number 05GB3005002) under the Infrastructure Bond Programme was held today (June 25).
 
A total of HK$1.25 billion 5-year Government Bonds were offered today. A total of HK$6.855 billion tender applications were received. The bid-to-cover ratio, i.e. the ratio of bonds applied for to bonds issued, is 5.48. The average price accepted is 101.37, implying an annualised yield of 2.415 per cent.
 

HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Results
 
Tender results of 5-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
 

Tender Date : June 25, 2025
Issue Number : 05GB3005002 (Re-open)
Stock Code : 4293 (HKGB 2.70 3005)
Issue and Settlement Date : June 26, 2025
Tenor : 5 years
Maturity Date : May 15, 2030
Coupon Rate : 2.70 per cent
Amount Applied : HK$6.855 billion
Amount Allotted : HK$1.25 billion
Bid-to-Cover Ratio* : 5.48
Average Price Accepted (Yield) : 101.37 (2.415 per cent)
Lowest Price Accepted (Yield) : 101.21 (2.450 per cent)
Pro-rata Ratio : About 15 per cent
Average Tender Price (Yield) : 100.78 (2.544 per cent)

* Calculated as the amount of bonds applied for over the amount of bonds issued.

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LCQ10: Promoting the development of the popular artistic toy industry

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (June 25):
 
Question:
 
It has been reported that in recent years, the popular artistic toy industry and the “goods economy” (i.e. economic activities relating to intellectual property (IP) peripheral products of animation, comics, games, idols, etc) have expanded rapidly worldwide. Last year, the global market of “blind boxes” (i.e. sealed boxes whose IP peripheral products are not made known to consumers in advance) reached US$14.5 billion (approximately HK$113.1 billion), with some IP merchandise created by Hong Kong designers generating hundreds of millions of dollars in value in the international market. However, there are views that the popular artistic toy industrial chain in Hong Kong is not yet mature and requires precise policy support. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics for the period between 2022 and 2024 on (i) the number of companies registered in Hong Kong that were involved in the design, production or sale of popular artistic toys, (ii) the contribution of the popular artistic toy industry to Gross Domestic Product, (iii) the number of professional practitioners in the popular artistic toy industry, and (iv) among the projects approved under the Government’s funding schemes or funds for driving the development of the cultural and creative industries (e.g. the CreateSmart Initiative), the proportion of projects related to the popular artistic toy industry and the total amount of funding involved; if such data is unavailable, whether the Government will review if this emerging industry is outside the scope of the existing policy;
 
(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of registrations filed with the Intellectual Property Department by local designers for artistic toy character designs from 2022 to 2024, and the number of cases in which Hong Kong enterprises have successfully turned local IP into mass-produced merchandise;
 
(3) of the number of pop-up stores or exhibitions relating to the theme of popular artistic toys that were approved to be held in public venues (e.g. the West Kowloon Cultural District and galleries of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department) in the past year, and the average duration of such exhibitions;
 
(4) among the events supported by the Mega Events Coordination Group last year, of the proportion of mega events that had the theme of popular artistic toys (e.g. designers’ autograph and sale sessions and blind box bazaars), as well as the data on the number of people who attended such events; and
 
(5) as the Financial Secretary pointed out earlier on in a blog post that some IP with Hong Kong elements created by Hong Kong designers has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in value, and there are views that this reflects that the calibre of the local creative industry is of an international standard, whether the Government has formulated specific measures to assist in the development of the industrialisation of Hong Kong’s IP and to promote the maximisation of the value of local IP; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:
 
President,
 
Art toy refers to toys designed by designers and artists, and infused with rich cultural connotations and fashionable creativity. It can be traced back to figures in the 1960s of the 20th century which were mostly derivative models of anime characters for the purposes of appreciation and collection. Noting the emergence and development of art toy in recent years which bring in opportunities for the creative industries in Hong Kong, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) has been actively supporting projects related to Hong Kong’s art toy industry, including setting up Hong Kong pavilions at exhibitions in the Mainland and overseas to support the industry in the promotion of art toys originated in Hong Kong.

My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Jeffrey Lam’s question, in consultation with the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) and the Intellectual Property Department (IPD), is as follows:
 
(1) The cultural and creative industries (CCI) form an integral part of creating a diversified economy in Hong Kong. CCI covers the design sector whereas art toy design is grouped under this sector. According to the C&SD’s latest statistics, the value added by the design sector reached over $4.2 billion in 2023, accounting for over 0.1% of Gross Domestic Product in Hong Kong, and 3.1% of that of CCI. The number of establishments and practitioners engaged in the design sector were around 7 490 and 18 650 respectively.
 
From 2022 till now, the CCIDA funded and fostered eight Hong Kong art toy-related projects through the CreateSmart Initiative (CSI). Overseas projects included driving the industry to participate in “Promote Hong Kong Designer Toys through Thailand Exhibitions”, “Promote Hong Kong Designer Toys through Thailand Toy Expo 2024”, “Promote Hong Kong Art Toys through Indonesia Exhibition 2024” and “Promote Hong Kong Art Toys through Thailand Toy Expo 2025”. These four projects facilitated over 20 business deals and more than 370 business enquiries and contacts, and ideal selling records were made for individual participating designers. For example, a Hong Kong art toy designer sold art toys of over $0.5 million and successfully reached out an Indonesian toy agent to expand his retail business in Indonesia. In the Mainland, the CSI funded the industry to participate in “Hong Kong Creative Pavilion@China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Expo and Trade Fair plus Hong Kong@Shenzhen Cultural Industry Expo”, “Hong Kong Creative Pavilion@2024 Hangzhou Cultural & Creative Industry Expo”, “China International Cartoon & Animation Festival (Hangzhou)” and “China International Animation Copyright Fair (Dongguan)”. The CCIDA set up Hong Kong pavilions in these exhibitions to promote Hong Kong’s art toy, animation, game and related industries. These four Hong Kong pavilions attracted a total of over 160 000 participants, reaching out over 1 300 business deals and more than 120 business enquiries and contacts. The eight projects obtained about $38 million of the CSI funding.

In fact, Hong Kong creators made great achievements in the global art toy industries in recent years. Their art toy characters designed and the products generated by their intellectual properties (IPs) successfully occupy a remarkable market share in markets of Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas. Among them, Hong Kong renowned designers Lung Ka-sing and Kenny Wong created iconic art toy products, making great profits for the art toy industries. Lung also won an illustration award in Belgium, being the first Chinese designer to win this prize. Besides, Wong’s designs have collaborations with various international trendy brands for rolling out IP products.
 
(2) According to the IPD, the Locarno classification published by the World Intellectual Property Organization is the system adopted for classifying articles under the local registered designs system. There is no specific class for “artistic toy characters”, which are instead classified under Class 21 (sub-class 01) – “games and toys”. The numbers of applications and registrations under this sub-class from 2022 to 2024 are as follows:
 

  2022 2023 2024
Number of applications
(Number of designs involved (Note 1))		 31
(66)		 39
(79)		 59
(82)
Number of registrations (Note 2) 78 76 41

Note 1: Each design application may contain one or more designs.
Note 2: Since it takes time to process applications, the number of registrations shown may not equal to the number of applications received in a particular year.
 
Other than obtaining protection for the design of an article under the registered designs system, the same may also be considered as a sign for registration under the trade marks system, or as an original artistic work protected by the copyright system (registration not required). Rights holders need to consider their overall IP protection and utilisation strategy, as well as the relevant legal requirements.

Over the years, there have been numerous examples of Hong Kong businesses transforming local cultural and creative IPs into mass-produced products. This may be done by various ways such as sales and licensing, and it also depends on the types of IPs being utilised. The Government does not have statistics in this regard.
 
(3) and (4) Different types of mega events in Hong Kong cover various areas, among which many of the events with profound IP elements are well received by the public. Events in 2024 include “100% DORAEMON & FRIENDS” Tour, Pokémon GO City Safari, PANDA GO! FEST HK, ComplexCon Hong Kong, Hypefest Hong Kong, and the annual Ani-com & Games Hong Kong that gathers animation, comics and figurines, etc. The CSTB supported these activities in different ways. As an estimate, these events attracted over five millions of participants.
 
In 2024, there were nine art toy-related projects exhibited in venues of the West Kowloon Cultural District and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Their average exhibition period was about 17 days. In addition, there were lots of activities relating to the theme of art toy held in different government and private venues (such as shopping malls).
 
(5) The Government has been promoting the development of the trading and commercialisation of local IPs, including various measures related to CCI.
 
In strengthening IP protection, the copyright system is an essential component of the IP regime, offering protection for original works including those in the literary and artistic fields, and is crucial to the development of the local creative industries and a knowledge-based economy. The Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 2022 came into effect in May 2023 to enhance copyright protection in the digital environment. The IPD is also conducting a comprehensive review of the local registered design system and plans to launch a public consultation within this year to ensure that the system remains up-to-date, aligns with current international standards, and meets the needs of Hong Kong’s future economic development. Besides, the CCIDA is actively supporting cultural IP projects (including those related to art toy mentioned above) through the CSI, and driving applicants to make applications for IP protection for their cultural and creative products, formulate IP agreements and manage IP portfolios, etc. so as to assist creators in exploring business opportunities.

In enhancing capacity building, the IPD has in recent years provided more comprehensive and in-depth IP training courses and practical workshops for practitioners across various sectors, including those in the cultural and creative industries, with a target to benefit 5 000 practitioners across different industries within the current term of the Government. Besides, in collaboration with the Law Society of Hong Kong, the IPD has been providing free IP consultation services for small and medium enterprises through practising lawyers on a pro bono basis.

On promotion effort, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) continues to enrich large-scale activities such as the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market, the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and the Hong Kong Book Fair in order to support local original works to exploit the Mainland and international markets. The CCIDA has also funded the HKTDC to enhance the Asia IP Exchange portal, adding a database for arts, cultural and creative IPs to facilitate potential buyers in searching for relevant information, and introducing more elements of market transaction, such as business matching events, market information and professional service packages on IP trading to foster cross-sectoral collaboration. The CCIDA will facilitate more registration of local and non-local cultural and creative products on the Asia IP Exchange portal to promote the transactions of cultural IPs. 

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LCQ8: White Form Secondary Market Scheme

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Gary Zhang and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Housing, Mr Victor Tai, in the Legislative Council today (June 25):

Question: (2) of the percentage of completed transactions under WSM in the total number of flats with premium unpaid in the HOS Secondary Market in each of the past 10 years (set out in a table);

(3) of the number of Certificate of Availability for Sale issued by the HA, and the actual transaction volume of Green Form and White Form flats in the HOS Secondary Market in each of the past 10 years (set out in a table);