Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur commences operation

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Economic and Trade Office (ETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in Kuala Lumpur was established today (December 10) and has gradually come into operation.
 
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “As announced in the 2025 Policy Address, the HKSAR Government would establish the Kuala Lumpur ETO this year. The Kuala Lumpur ETO is the fourth ETO established by the HKSAR Government in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, following the ETOs in Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok. This will help strengthen Hong Kong’s economic and trade ties with ASEAN.”
 
     He added, “With the establishment of the new ETO, we will enhance the economic, trade and investment promotion work in the countries currently covered by the four ETOs and gradually expand coverage to neighbouring Asian countries with a view to further deepening Hong Kong’s economic and trade connections with ASEAN and relevant countries, thereby consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre.”
 
     Hong Kong-based officers are being posted in batches to the temporary office of the Kuala Lumpur ETO, focusing primarily on preparatory work such as establishing local connections and setting up a long-term office.
 
     The address and contact information of the temporary office of the Kuala Lumpur ETO are as follows:
 

Address: Room 771, Level 7, Tribeca Bukit Bintang,
No. 215, Jalan Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website: www.hketokl.gov.hk
Email: enquiry@hketokl.gov.hk
Telephone: +60 3 2724 7836

Intangible Cultural Heritage Funding Scheme 2025 opens for application

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Intangible Cultural Heritage Funding Scheme 2025 opens for application     
     The funding scheme consists of the Community-driven Projects 2025 and the Partnership Projects 2025, and is inviting applications from local organisations and individuals with relevant experience. The objectives of the ICH Funding Scheme are to strengthen the safeguarding, research, education, promotion and transmission of local ICH items; to engage the participation of the community in safeguarding local ICH; and to enhance public awareness, understanding and respect with regard to local ICH.
     
     The scope of support of the Community-driven Projects 2025 covers projects related to the items in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong. For the Partnership Projects 2025, applications are invited for three projects, namely ICH Event Calendar on Traditional Festivals and Rituals; ICH Creation; and Survey and Research for Enriching the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of Hong Kong.
     
     The Guide to Application and application forms for the ICH Funding Scheme are available on the website of the ICH Office (www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/ich_funding_scheme_application.html     
     A briefing session will be held at 3pm on December 22 (Monday) at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Museum of History (G/F, 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon) to brief interested organisations and individuals on the content and application details of the Funding Scheme. For registration for the briefing session, please visit the website of the ICH Office.
Issued at HKT 12:00

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EPD investigates oil spill incident in Tin Shui Wai Nullah

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said today (December 10) that it is investigating the oil spill incident in the Tin Shui Wai Nullah. It is preliminarily suspected that the incident involved an illegal fuelling station. The EPD is conducting follow-up and enforcement actions in collaboration with the relevant departments.

     Upon receiving reports from members of the public and the Drainage Services Department (DSD) on December 8, the EPD immediately initiated investigations and follow-up actions. The EPD and the DSD quickly placed oil absorption materials at multiple locations along the nullah to contain the spread of oil, and conducted clean-up operations to mitigate environmental impact and safeguard the surrounding ecosystem. In-situ water quality monitoring was carried out, and the results confirmed that the water quality parameters remained within the normal range, with no fish deaths detected.

     Based on the EPD’s further investigation, the oil spill incident was suspected to be related to an illegal fuelling station on Tin Ha Road, Yuen Long. The department is currently collecting evidence with a view to instituting prosecutions against those responsible parties for the illegal discharge. The case relating to the illegal fuelling station has also been referred to relevant departments for follow-up action.

     An EPD spokesman said that the department will not tolerate any acts of environmental pollution and will take stringent enforcement actions against those who violate environmental legislation. The EPD will continue to closely monitor the water quality of the Tin Shui Wai Nullah and, in collaboration with the DSD, carry on with clean-up operations in the nullah.

Extending Closed Road Permit validity period and adjusting fees from January 1, 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Transport Department (TD) announced today (December 10) that, starting from January 1, 2026, all submitted applications for a Closed Road Permit (CRP) for cross-boundary vehicles will be issued with a longer validity period to better align with the validity period of respective cross-boundary quotas or up to 60 months at most, whichever is shorter, providing additional convenience and efficiency for cross-boundary travel as quota holders need not apply for annual renewals.

     In addition, from the same day, the CRP fees will also be adjusted based on the cost-recovery principle:
 

Vehicle type Fee per month for CRP valid for less than 12 months
($) (Note)
Flat rate fees for CRP valid for 12 to 60 months
($)
Private car 62 744
Goods vehicle or bus 49 588

Note: Any part of a month counting as one month

     For applications received on or before December 31, 2025, the validity period of the CRP issued will remain no more than 12 months, and the CRP fees will be kept at the existing levels.

     To streamline processes, from January 1, 2026, cross-boundary private cars permitted to use more than one land-based boundary control point (BCP) will be issued with a single CRP covering all BCPs concerned.

     A spokesman for the TD said that the Government is committed to enhancing the CRP arrangements to bring greater convenience to cross-boundary travellers. Under the new arrangements, most CRP holders will benefit from less frequent renewals and a lower aggregated amount of CRP fee payable. Of note, vehicles approved to participate in the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles, the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles or other designated cross-boundary driving schemes have been exempted from applying for CRPs and will not be affected by the fee adjustment.

     For enquiries, members of the public may call the TD’s hotline at 2804 2600 for details.

Result of tenders of RMB Sovereign Bonds held on December 10, 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
Result of the tenders of RMB Sovereign Bonds held on December 10, 2025: 
 

Tender Result
*********
Tender Date : December 10, 2025
Bonds available for Tender : 2-year RMB Bonds
Issuer : The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number : BCMKFB25004 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date : December 12, 2025
Maturity Date : February 21, 2027 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate : 1.75 per cent
Application Amount : RMB 11,571 million
Issue Amount : RMB 2,000 million
Average Accepted Price : 100.39
Lowest Accepted Price : 100.38
Highest Accepted Price : 100.47
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price) : Approximately 82.50 per cent

 

*********
Tender Date : December 10, 2025
Bonds available for Tender : 3-year RMB Bonds
Issuer : The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number : BCMKFB25005 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date : December 12, 2025
Maturity Date : February 21, 2028 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate : 1.80 per cent
Application Amount : RMB 11,640 million
Issue Amount : RMB 3,000 million
Average Accepted Price : 100.79
Lowest Accepted Price : 100.75
Highest Accepted Price : 100.96
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price) : Approximately 42.78 per cent

 

*********
Tender Date : December 10, 2025
Bonds available for Tender : 5-year RMB Bonds
Issuer : The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number : BCMKFB25006 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date : December 12, 2025
Maturity Date : February 21, 2030 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate : 1.88 per cent
Application Amount : RMB 13,306 million
Issue Amount : RMB 2,000 million
Average Accepted Price : 101.03
Lowest Accepted Price : 100.92
Highest Accepted Price : 101.53
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price) : Approximately 33.33 per cent

DSJ leads cross-professional delegation to Shenzhen for first exchange event with Mainland enterprises going global

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

DSJ leads cross-professional delegation to Shenzhen for first exchange event with Mainland enterprises going global      
     Dr Cheung mentioned that it is clearly stated in the 2025 Policy Address that Hong Kong should capitalise on its role as a platform for “going global” in which he is tasked to promote Hong Kong’s legal services and to collaborate with other professional service sectors, such as accounting and finance, to support Mainland enterprises wishing to expand overseas.
      
     Members of the DoJ’s Advisory Group of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers and representatives from Hong Kong’s accounting sector gave thematic presentations on the framework enhancement for Mainland enterprises in going global and cross-cultural compliance, as well as on leveraging Hong Kong’s professional services such as accounting and taxation services for better planning and risk management. After that, delegation members held roundtable discussions on common legal issues faced by enterprises expanding overseas – such as investment planning, trade barriers, intellectual property protection, corporate compliance, and cross-border dispute resolution – and engaged in free exchanges on different topics with Mainland enterprise representatives from various industries.
      
     Dr Cheung said that the visit marked an important step for Hong Kong’s professional services sectors to work together with Mainland enterprises to go global together. He highlighted four key features of this event. The first feature is the diverse professional backgrounds of participants, including accountants, barristers, lawyers from Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and international law firms, as well as Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) practising lawyers. The second feature is the broad expertise of delegation members, covering professional fields such as corporate investment, financing, compliance, intellectual property protection, and cross-border dispute resolution, showcasing Hong Kong’s comprehensive capabilities in supporting Mainland enterprises’ overseas development. The third features is the large participation of Mainland enterprises covering various potential industries, including finance, information technology, manufacturing, retail, and cultural and sports entertainment that have participated in this activity. The fourth feature is that this marked the first time for Shenzhen and Hong Kong to jointly organise such a collaborative event aiming to explore more effective modes for connecting Mainland enterprises with Hong Kong’s professional services.
      
     To deepen the understanding of the latest developments in the judicial system and the handling of foreign-related civil and commercial cases on the Mainland, the delegation also visited the First Circuit Court of the Supreme People’s Court and the Shenzhen Centre for Foreign Law Ascertainment which serves as a comprehensive legal service platform designed to assist Mainland enterprises in going global.Issued at HKT 18:52

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Recruitment under Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth Phase 9 starts today

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Recruitment under Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth Phase 9 starts today      
     A spokesman for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) said, “The MSSY is one of the key initiatives for youth development as set out in the Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address and the Youth Development Blueprint. To engage more young people in public affairs and enhance their interaction with and trust in the Government, action has been taken to expand the MSSY, with a view to increasing the number of participating advisory committees from around 60 in 2022 to no less than 180 within the current term of the Government. At present, about 650 posts are held by young people who have been appointed to various advisory and statutory bodies of the Government, directly or indirectly, through the MSSY. The overall ratio of youth members in these bodies has increased from 7.8 per cent in end-2017 to 15.5 per cent in end-2024.”
      
     The MSSY has received an enthusiastic response since its launch. From the Pilot Scheme to Phase 8 of the MSSY, a total of about 14 000 applications have been received so far. The list of appointees has been uploaded to the website 
     The MSSY Phase 9 is now open for application. The participating committees for the MSSY Phase 9 are as follows:
      “There are 28 participating committees in Phase 9, covering a wider spectrum of policy areas. We encourage young people aged between 18 and 35 on January 8, 2026, i.e. the date of the application deadline, and with a commitment to serving the community to apply for the MSSY Phase 9,” the spokesman continued.

     The HYAB is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the MSSY. Assessment Panels (APs) will be formed under the 28 participating committees to handle the applications and conduct interviews. Each AP will comprise the respective official and/or non-official member(s) and representative(s) from the responsible bureaux/departments.
      
     The APs will consider whether the applicant has a strong commitment to serving the community, a good understanding of the policy area concerned, and good analytical and communication skills. Following the principle of meritocracy, the Government aims to, through the MSSY, recruit young people who have the commitment to serving the community and the ability to contribute to the committees concerned, for recommending to the relevant B/Ds for consideration of appointment. In general, each participating committee will offer two seats for appointment. Subject to the actual number of applications received and assessment progress, assessment is expected to be completed around the third quarter of 2026.
      
     The application form and other details of the MSSY Phase 9 are available on the website of the HYAB (
www.hyab.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:00

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Speech by SITI at PolyU Academy of Artificial Intelligence Inauguration (English only)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the PolyU Academy of Artificial Intelligence (PAAI) Inauguration today (December 10):
 
Professor Teng (President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Professor Teng Jin-guang), Professor Yang (Director of PAAI of PolyU, Professor Yang Qiang), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     On this day of the opening of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academy for Artificial Intelligence, I am pleased to witness another accomplishment of the PolyU, one of the city’s leading tertiary institutions, in promoting global collaboration and innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). 
 
     The country’s Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan reaffirm Hong Kong’s strategic position as the international innovation and technology centre. Our vision to become a global hub for AI development was underscored in the 2025 Policy Address delivered by our Chief Executive, with promotion of AI being top of our agenda, taken forward through multi-pronged measures on key enablers, including talent, data, industry applications, and more.
 
     Talents are vital in driving the growth of AI. Supported by landmark programmes such as the AIR@InnoHK research cluster, Hong Kong has gathered over a thousand AI and robotic experts worldwide. New initiatives like the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme fortify our talent pool by attracting world-class scholars and scientists to Hong Kong and provide a nurturing and thought-provoking environment to foster technological breakthroughs in frontier fields, including AI and quantum information.
 
     Data is indispensable to AI training and innovation. Secure and trusted flow of data is key. With Hong Kong’s unique position under “One Country, Two Systems”, we are privileged to leverage our distinct advantages in being a meeting point of voluminous amount of data from different places and use cases. 
 
     On this front, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding two years ago in June 2023 with the Cyberspace Administration of China on cross-boundary data flow within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Specific measures were launched to promote the secure and orderly transfer of personal data within the GBA, facilitating more transparent cross-border flow and use of data.
 
     Besides, the Government is exploring with relevant Mainland authorities to establish a mechanism to allow cross-boundary flow of research data from the Mainland to the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, thereby supporting, among others, the development of AI and application of big data.
 
     In parallel, we endeavour to broaden the impact of AI across industries by realising potentials through practical AI applications. Closely following the national strategy of “AI+” unveiled last year, the Government’s pursuit of the dual objectives of “industries for AI” and “AI for industries” seeks to embed AI application in both public and private sectors.  
 
     Taking on the leading role to implement AI in public services, the Digital Policy Office of the Government is introducing AI solutions in areas such as data analytics, customer service and document processing, ensuring that applications are both extensive and secure. Where strong business cases exist, government departments are also encouraged to develop their own tailored AI solutions.  
 
     On infrastructure, we are also forging ahead to set up the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute (AIRDI) next year. With the mission to link up the academia, industry and government on AI innovation and skill development, the AIRDI will encourage research and breakthroughs in the field of AI, take forward the transformation of research and development outcomes, and enrich application scenarios. I am also happy to share with all of you that a site at Sandy Ridge of Northern Metropolis has also been put to tender in the market for the development of a data facility cluster. We hope this will further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a regional digital infrastructure hub, and advance the development of a digital economy and smart city initiatives. 
 
     With AI influencing every segment of our society, the inauguration of the PolyU Academy for AI marks not just a milestone, but a new chapter in our city’s united efforts to expedite the AI development. I am confident that this Academy could inspire ideas, foster collaboration and fuel Hong Kong’s AI ecosystem. Thank you.

EMSD announces test results of LPG quality during November 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (December 10) announced that the department collected seven liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) samples from auto-LPG filling stations and LPG terminals on a random basis during November 2025 for laboratory tests. The results show that the LPG quality of all these samples complied with auto-LPG specifications.
 
     The detailed test results are available on the EMSD website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/gas_safety/lpg_vehicle_scheme/publications/general/results_of_lpg_sample_analysis/index.html). Enquiries can also be made to the EMSD’s hotline on 2333 3762.
 
     In addition, the EMSD has been vetting independent third-party test reports submitted by LPG supply companies for each shipment to ensure that the quality of imported LPG complies with the specified requirements.

Monthly gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in November remains at low level

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (December 10) announced that the monthly gravidtrap index (MGI) for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in November was 0.9 per cent, lower than the 2.2 per cent recorded in October. This reflects the continued efforts by relevant government departments to intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations, resulting in the improvement of the overall mosquito infestation situation this month. In addition, the FEHD has strengthened the dissemination of information on the gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes so that more citizens can quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation. The department will continue its mosquito control work to further reduce the risk of transmission of chikungunya fever (CF) and dengue fever (DF).

     In November, all 64 survey areas recorded an area gravidtrap index (AGI) lower than the alert level of 20 per cent. The decreases in the MGI and the AGI are attributable to the continuous and intensified mosquito prevention and elimination operations by various government departments and stakeholders, and may also have been affected by factors such as weather. The monthly rainfall was 7.0 millimetres in November, showing a substantial decrease from the 31.2mm in October and 528.7mm in September. Overall, the MGI for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in November was 0.9 per cent, at Level 1 (indicating the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the survey areas was not extensive). Relevant departments and stakeholders will persistently intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations.