Category: MIL-OSI

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Sport For All Day to be held on Aug 2

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that it will hold this year’s Sport For All Day on August 2.

With the 20th Asian Games to be held in September, the theme of this year’s Sport For All Day will be “Asian Games in Motion, City in Action”. The aim is to bring the community together to celebrate the Games and cheer on Hong Kong athletes.

A series of free events showcasing Asian Games sports such as wushu, handball, football, rowing, equestrian events and skateboarding, will be hosted at designated sports centres across the 18 districts on August 2. 

There will also be sports demonstrations and fun activities for families, children, youngsters, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

This year, the LCSD will for the first time open a number of leisure facilities for free public use over two consecutive days on August 1 and 2.

Such facilities include indoor and outdoor leisure facilities, public swimming pools and water sports centres with craft for hire. Booking arrangements will be announced in mid-July.

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Over 34k PRH flats set for allocation

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

About 34,500 public rental housing (PRH) flats will be available for allocation in 2026-27, the Housing Authority announced after its subsidised housing committee approved the estimated PRH allocation for 2026-27 today.

Of this number, 14,600 will be new flats and about 19,900 will be recovered flats. The number of new flats is 66% higher compared to the previous year.

The authority said PRH production forecasts in 2026-27 will be 44% higher compared with the previous year, taking the estimated number of PRH flats available for allocation to approximately 34,500, which is 15% higher than the previous year.

It added that 26,750 flats available for allocation in 2026-27 will be allocated to PRH applicants, reaching a 10-year high.

For other categories of applicants, the authority will reserve 1,300 flats to rehouse residents affected by clearance projects, including squatter clearances, emergency clearances and unauthorised rooftop structure clearances. Three hundred of these flats will be set aside to rehouse residents affected by the Urban Renewal Authority’s redevelopment projects scheduled for 2026-27.

To facilitate clearance programmes at Wah Fu Estate, Choi Hung Estate, Sai Wan Estate and Ma Tau Wai Estate, the authority will reserve 1,150 flats under its Estate Clearance & Major Repairs category.

In addition, 300 flats will be reserved for compassionate rehousing cases as recommended by the Social Welfare Department.  

Meanwhile, 4,000 flats will be reserved for various transfer purposes in 2026-27. This includes under-occupied households, the Transfer Scheme for Improving the Living Environment, Special Transfers, the Harmonious Families Transfer Scheme and transfers under the Full Rent Exemption Scheme for Elderly Households.

The authority will also reserve 1,000 flats for junior civil servants.

Separately, for 2025-26, the authority reported that the actual allocation was 28,280 flats.

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CSD holds second Rehabilitation Partners Award Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony to commend organisations and individuals for supporting rehabilitation

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CSD holds second Rehabilitation Partners Award Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony to commend organisations and individuals for supporting rehabilitation       
     Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheuk said that the Rehabilitation Partners Award Scheme has been consolidating resources from various sectors of society and working with its partners to support rehabilitated persons to start anew, with a view to helping them transform their lives and contribute to building a better society. This scheme deserves high recognition and commendation.
      
     He expressed appreciation for the awardees’ full and long-standing support for the CSD’s rehabilitation services, and their collaboration with the department in providing persons in custody with holistic rehabilitation services. These services include thematic group counselling sessions, interest classes, religious services, visits by different visitors, and following up on housing, employment, education and family issues of some rehabilitated persons. These acts of support and encouragement are vital for rehabilitated persons’ reintegration into society.
      
     Mr Cheuk expressed the hope that different sectors of society will continue to work closely and unite with the CSD, with a view to serving as a beacon for these rehabilitated persons and building a more stable, harmonious and better society together.
      
     The Rehabilitation Partners Award Scheme gives recognition to organisations and individuals who have been supporting rehabilitation services as well as promoting community engagement in rehabilitation services. The scheme comprises three categories, namely employment, rehabilitation service and donation. It was announced that a total of 36 awardees and 151 awardees were presented with Outstanding Rehabilitation Partners and Rehabilitation Partners respectively today in recognition of their contributions in their respective categories over the past two years.
      
     The awardees may display the Outstanding Rehabilitation Partner or Rehabilitation Partner logos in their offices, and on their websites, business cards, etc.
      
     The CSD has been working closely with Rehabilitation Partners to provide holistic and appropriate rehabilitation services for persons in custody and rehabilitated persons, so that after their release they will become law-abiding citizens who love the country and Hong Kong. The CSD appeals to various sectors of society to continue to support and participate in rehabilitation services, with a view to building a safer and more inclusive society.
      
     For the list of awardees of the scheme and the assessment criteria for Outstanding Rehabilitation Partners or Rehabilitation Partners, please refer to the following website: www.csd.gov.hk/english/reh/reh_overview/reh_overview_partner_award_scheme/pas.htmIssued at HKT 19:30

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CE meets Governor of Hainan Province

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CE meets Governor of Hainan Province (with photo) 
　　Mr Lee welcomed Mr Liu and his delegation to Hong Kong for a Hainan Free Trade Port tourism and culture promotion event. Mr Lee said he was delighted to meet Mr Liu again following the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan this March. Hong Kong has long been the major source of external investment in Hainan and an important trading partner. The Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the two sides last year covers five areas, namely trade and investment, finance, safe and orderly flow of data, tourism and talent exchanges, which have taken co-operation between the two places to a new level. Mr Lee noted that with the full implementation of the island-wide special customs operations at the end of last year, the Hainan Free Trade Port has rolled out free and facilitative measures for cross-border flows. As both Hong Kong and Hainan are free trade ports, he said he looks forward to further leveraging their complementary advantages and promoting synergistic development, thereby contributing to the country’s high-level opening up.
 
　　Mr Lee said that Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantages of having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle, ranking No. 1 globally in economic freedom. Hong Kong has risen to become the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre, and is also the world’s largest offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub. The Hainan Provincial People’s Government has issued offshore RMB bonds in Hong Kong multiple times since 2022, and a Hainan enterprise was listed in Hong Kong last year. These fully demonstrate Hong Kong’s advantages in fundraising and financing as an international financial centre. Mr Lee welcomed more Hainan companies to make good use of Hong Kong’s capital market, and professional and high value-added services for fundraising and business expansion. Hong Kong plays its roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, and is proactively supporting Mainland enterprises, including those in Hainan, in going global and attracting overseas capital through the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global, to jointly contribute to regional economic prosperity and better integrate into and serve the overall national development.
 
　　Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is committed to developing itself into an international tourism hub and a core demonstration zone for multi-destination tourism, capitalising on its position as an East-meets-West centre for international arts and cultural exchanges to build a city offering high-quality tourism experiences. With rich tourism resources in both places, Hong Kong and Hainan can jointly develop a wider array of tourism products. Mr Lee said he looks forward to attracting more high-value-added international visitors to travel to both places through multi-destination itineraries, and joining hands to contribute to the country’s goal of building a tourism powerhouse.
Issued at HKT 19:47

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Northern Metropolis Financial Advisory Taskforce holds inaugural meeting

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Northern Metropolis Financial Advisory Taskforce holds inaugural meeting  
     The Northern Metropolis Financial Advisory Taskforce, jointly established by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB), held its inaugural meeting today (June 17). The meeting was attended by representatives of the HKMA, the HKAB, the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited and 21 participating banks in the Taskforce (see Annex).
      
     The meeting discussed the latest developments of the Northern Metropolis and the related financial services needs. Highlights of the discussion include:
 
(1) Key near-term Northern Metropolis projects and opportunities: The DEVB and the ITIB presented on the key development projects and financing needs of the Northern Metropolis over the next three years. These include, among others, the four land parcels in Phase 1 of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the first pilot area under large-scale land disposal in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, which are both currently under tender. Such information will enable banks to actively participate in the development of the Northern Metropolis, assisting them in better formulating business plans and allocating resources to support the projects through various means such as syndicated lending, bond underwriting and other ancillary financial services.
 
(2) Financing for diverse development models: Given that the Northern Metropolis projects will adopt a diverse range of development models (e.g. large-scale land disposal and the establishment of industry park companies to adopt more public-private partnership approaches), the scales, financing tenors, scopes, operating models and durations of these projects may differ from those of conventional development projects. The participating banks in the Taskforce undertook to offer financing solutions that are tailored to individual projects, and with the aim of helping to accelerate the development of industries in the Northern Metropolis and attracting upstream and downstream enterprises to establish footholds. 
 
(3) Supporting sustainable development in the Northern Metropolis: The participating banks in the Taskforce committed to referencing the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines (Note 1) as well as the HKMA’s Sustainable Finance Action Agenda (Note 2) to offer sustainable finance solutions for Northern Metropolis projects that meet the Guidelines and international green and sustainable finance standards. This aims to support the co-existence of development and conservation in the Northern Metropolis while strengthening the climate resilience of the banking sector. 

     As the development of the Northern Metropolis progresses across multiple fronts, the Taskforce will continue to explore more practical financing solutions in the future. The Taskforce will collaborate closely with the Government and relevant stakeholders to expedite the implementation of projects in the Northern Metropolis, providing solid support for economic development.
 
Background
 
Northern Metropolis Financial Advisory Taskforce
 
     The Northern Metropolis Financial Advisory Taskforce was jointly established by the HKMA and the HKAB in April 2026 to strengthen the banking sector’s communication and collaboration with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and other stakeholders and exploring ways to actively support the Northern Metropolis development through financing. The Taskforce comprises representatives from the HKMA, the HKAB and 21 banks that possess experience in large-scale project financing. The Chinese Banking Association of Hong Kong and the Infrastructure Financing and Securitisation Unit of the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited participate as observers.Issued at HKT 20:18

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London ETO and InvestHK support Walpole APAC Forum to promote Hong Kong’s business advantages

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

London ETO and InvestHK support Walpole APAC Forum to promote Hong Kong’s business advantages       
     Organised by Walpole, an organisation representing British luxury brands, the Forum brought together senior executives and industry leaders from the retail, travel, marketing and professional services sectors. The programme covered market trends, consumer insights and branding strategies across the Asia-Pacific region, with particular focus on opportunities in Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The Forum was attended by about 60 participants from the relevant sectors.

     In her welcome remarks, the Director-General of the London ETO, Miss Fiona Chau, highlighted Hong Kong’s distinctive role as a natural starting point for brands seeking to enter and scale in Asia. She said Hong Kong thrives on a robust common law system, strong intellectual property protection, free flow of capital, a simple and competitive tax regime, world-class logistics, and a diverse talent pool. She also promoted the launch of The Festival of Connoisseurs in Hong Kong later this year. 
      
     The Head of Consumer and Hospitality of InvestHK, Ms Sindy Wong, spoke at the discussion panel, she said, “Hong Kong remains a competitive and resilient luxury market, underpinned by steady wealth growth, a growing ultra-high-net-worth population and a gradual recovery in retail performance. As an international gateway between Chinese Mainland and the international market, Hong Kong brings together a diverse and discerning consumer base. Coupled with its proximity to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the city provides an ideal platform for UK luxury brands to enter, test and scale their presence across Asia, supported by strong market fundamentals and excellent regional connectivity.”
      
     During the Forum, the London ETO and InvestHK exchanged views with representatives of British luxury brands and other industry stakeholders, introducing Hong Kong’s latest business environment and development opportunities, and encouraging companies to leverage Hong Kong as an important base for expanding into Asian markets and further developing their business in the region.
Issued at HKT 23:43

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Xia Baolong concludes HK inspection

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong today concluded his two-day inspection visit to Hong Kong.

Accompanied by Chief Executive John Lee, Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Mr Xia visited the new Huanggang Port this morning to review its development progress.

He then proceeded to Kwai Chung Container Terminal 8 to learn about Hong Kong’s latest shipping industry developments. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Ms Mable Chan briefed Mr Xia on port operations, and Mr Xia exchanged views with industry practitioners.

The National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline explicitly supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its status as an international shipping hub.

Mr Xia later met with Mr Lee and principal officials at Government House, where he also held discussions with community representatives.

Mr Xia completed his itinerary and departed Hong Kong this afternoon.

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CE welcomes Hainan Governor

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee met Governor of Hainan Province Liu Xiaoming at Government House today to discuss deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and Hainan.

Mr Lee welcomed Mr Liu and his delegation, who are visiting Hong Kong for a Hainan Free Trade Port tourism and culture promotion event.

He noted that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantages of strong national support and global connectivity, ranking first globally in economic freedom.

He highlighted that Hong Kong has become the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre, and the largest offshore renminbi (RMB) business hub.

Pointing out that the Hainan Provincial People’s Government has issued offshore RMB bonds in Hong Kong multiple times since 2022, and a Hainan enterprise was listed in Hong Kong last year, Mr Lee said these moves demonstrate the city’s fundraising advantages as an international financial centre.

The Chief Executive welcomed more Hainan companies to leverage Hong Kong’s capital market, alongside its professional and high value-added services, for fundraising and business expansion.

On tourism, Mr Lee stated that Hong Kong is committed to developing into an international tourism hub and a core demonstration zone for multi-destination tourism. The city is capitalising on its role as an East-meets-West centre for international arts and cultural exchanges to offer high-quality travel experiences.

Given the rich tourism resources in both places, Mr Lee said Hong Kong and Hainan can jointly develop a wider array of travel products.

He added that he looks forward to attracting more high-value-added international visitors to travel to both destinations through multi-destination itineraries, contributing to the country’s goal of building a tourism powerhouse.

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau, Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Janice Tse and Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip also attended the meeting.

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FS begins Shanghai, Nanjing visits

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan today began his visit to Shanghai and Nanjing, highlighting the broad room for synergistic development between Hong Kong and Shanghai over the next five years.

Arriving in Shanghai this afternoon, Mr Chan attended the Lujiazui Forum Plenary Session in the evening and spoke on the theme of “Empowering High-standard Financial Opening-up through Shanghai-Hong Kong Financial Synergy”.

He noted that the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan sets out the acceleration of efforts to build a strong financial nation, which provides both cities with a shared mission.

As international investors demand more diversified asset allocation amid a complex geopolitical environment and a new technological revolution, Mr Chan said both cities should leverage their complementary strengths to serve the country’s high-level two-way opening-up.

​He pointed out that Hong Kong and Shanghai connect the Mainland’s market with global capital and international rules, acting as vital channels for international capital allocation into Chinese assets.

Mr Chan welcomed the announcement today by Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission Wu Qing supporting the near-term launch of five-year renminbi government bond futures trading in Hong Kong. He said the move will enhance risk management tools and attract more international investors to the Mainland government bond market.

​Capital market co-operation between the two cities continues to deepen. As of May, 212 Shanghai enterprises were listed in Hong Kong, with a total market capitalisation exceeding HK$4.3 trillion.

​Looking ahead, the financial chief proposed two main directions for co-operation.

First, both places should open up full-chain fundraising and financing channels, help innovation and technology enterprises pursue two-way financing and jointly develop exchange-traded funds and index products. They should also foster co-operation in patient and long-term capital to support emerging and future industries.

Second, the two cities should boost the international functions of the renminbi by enriching investment products and promoting “China price” products denominated and settled in renminbi. They can also accelerate the synergistic combination of “industries in Shanghai and offshore treasury in Hong Kong” to support enterprises going global.

​Mr Chan added that Hong Kong is actively formulating its first five-year plan to align with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. He expressed hope that both cities would use the power of finance to create tangible value for enterprises and the public.

​Mr Chan will continue his Shanghai itinerary tomorrow morning before proceeding to Nanjing in the afternoon.