Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ15: Attracting students from Belt and Road countries to study and work in Hong Kong
Sub-types of B&R Scholarship
DisciplineB&R Scholarship (Other Countries)
DisciplineB&R Scholarship (Research Postgraduate)
Discipline(2) and (3) Hong Kong’s post-secondary institutions have been, through different channels, assisting students in planning their future development according to their abilities, strengths and aspirations, and encouraging non-local students (including the B&R Scholarship awardees) to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation. For instance, the faculties and student affairs offices of the institutions have been providing information related to further studies and employment, as well as diversified support services such as employment and internship opportunities, recruitment seminars, and career counselling and consultation services. Meanwhile, the Government and the institutions have introduced the following measures to encourage non-local students (including the B&R Scholarship awardees) to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation:
(i) The Government introduced the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates in 2008 and further relaxed the limit of stay under the arrangements from 12 months to 24 months in 2022, so that non-local students can apply to stay in Hong Kong to seek development opportunities upon graduation. Moreover, the Government has temporarily exempted full-time non-local postgraduate students from the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs starting from November 2023, and has extended the exemption to cover non-local undergraduate students starting from November 2024, with a view to enhancing their experience and understanding of working in Hong Kong, and providing them with a stronger incentive to stay in Hong Kong after graduation. Currently, the Government and the institutions have put in place various measures to address students’ needs and encourage non-local students (including the B&R Scholarship awardees) to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation. The effectiveness of these measures will be kept under review. The Government has no plan to introduce dedicated job-matching arrangements for student groups from particular places of origin. Issued at HKT 12:20
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Erik Yim and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):
Question:
The Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles, announced by the SAR Government in February 2026, proposed the establishment of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network underpinned by fast chargers. Moreover, given that the Northern Metropolis (NM) will be planned and developed to include a modern logistics cluster and a smart cross-boundary transport and logistics hub, it is learnt that the industry is highly concerned about the planning of charging-enabling infrastructure for electric commercial vehicles (ECVs). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the Government’s specific planning and development plans regarding the various measures for developing fast charging facilities for ECVs mentioned in the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles, including whether it will announce the implementation details and timetable;
(2) whether efforts to popularise EVs in Hong Kong have already begun to cover the light, medium and heavy goods vehicles commonly used by logistics enterprises; how the development of fast charging facilities for ECVs will be integrated with NM’s modern logistics cluster and smart cross-boundary transport and logistics hub, so as to align with NM’s overall smart city and infrastructure planning; and
(3) of the model to be adopted by the Government to develop public charging facilities for new energy commercial vehicles, including whether it will consider attracting enterprises’ investment in the development of relevant facilities through public-private partnership?
Reply:
President,
In order to achieve zero vehicular emissions before 2050, in line with Hong Kong’s commitment to strive for carbon neutrality in the same timeframe, the Government has actively promoted the popularisation of electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years, with remarkable results. There are currently over 170 000 EVs in Hong Kong, approximately six times the number in 2021. Of these, more than seven out of every 10 first registered private cars are EVs, the growth rate of which ranks among the top in the world. In terms of charging infrastructure, the number of parking spaces with charging-enabling infrastructure has increased from around 28 000 in 2021 to over 160 000 at present, representing a growth of more than 4.9 times; the number of public chargers has risen from around 4 700 to approximately 16 900, an increase of more than 2.5 times. The overall charging infrastructure is sufficient to support over 240 000 EVs.
In February this year, the Government announced the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (the Updated Roadmap), setting out a number of schemes and initiatives to continue promoting the development of EVs. Going forward, we will adopt fast chargers (FCs) as the backbone of our public charging network, with the aim of increasing the number of FCs to 4 000 by 2030 and expecting to reach approximately 10 000 by 2035, capable of supporting around 500 000 EVs, providing greater convenience for private car owners whilst also supporting the popularisation of electric commercial vehicles (e-CVs).
Having consulted the Development Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, my response to the question raised by the Hon Erik Yim is as follows: As mentioned above, we are developing a public charging network with FCs as the backbone. The Government has established a high-level inter-bureaux/departmental working group to co-ordinate the effort of various bureaux and departments on the development of the charging network, and to provide guidance on the planning of the charging network, difficulties encountered in project implementation, and the piloting of new initiatives, thereby accelerating the electrification of vehicles and the establishment of a comprehensive charging network. In addition to traditional charging methods, we noted that charging service providers in the market also offer diverse charging solutions such as “Megawatt Flash Charge”, battery swapping and battery energy storage systems. These solutions are particularly helpful for the rapid charging of e-CVs. We are actively promoting the adoption of these diverse charging solutions in Hong Kong, and are providing policy support and co-ordination for charging service providers wishing to establish a presence here.
Development of green transport in Northern Metropolis
The Northern Metropolis (NM) is a strategic development area for Hong Kong, offering immense economic value and development potential. The NM’s infrastructure, various new development areas, and large-scale projects such as the smart green mass transit system and the cross-boundary green logistics hub all provide excellent testing and application scenarios for new energy transport. In line with the development of the NM, the Government is committed to promoting zero-carbon, smart and sustainable mobility through appropriate land-use planning and the provision of corresponding infrastructure and facilities. This includes setting aside land for FCSs and providing EV charging facilities in car parks. The Government is also formulating the Generalised Green Framework for the Planning of New Development Areas to serve as guidance and a reference for various bureaux and departments when planning new development areas, including the NM.
With regard to the development of logistics clusters, during the planning study for the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen Modern Logistics Cluster, the trade highlighted that the construction of commercial vehicle charging facilities would help drive the long-term green transition of the logistics sector and create synergies with the long-term development of the logistics cluster. The Government will invite the industry to submit expressions of interest for the first plot of land within the Hung Shui Kiu Modern Logistics Hub later this year. At the same time, it will invite the industry to provide feedback on the infrastructure required to support future logistics operations within the hub, including green logistics facilities such as charging facilities for commercial vehicles, in order to understand the industry’s practical needs and development direction. After considering the trade’s feedback, the Government will formulate the terms and development model for the relevant plots to meet the industry’s development needs.
The Government will continue to closely monitor technological developments in the field of green transport, fully capitalise on the development opportunities presented by the NM, promote new energy transport, and achieve a green and low-carbon transition.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hospital Authority fully supports clinical research and scientific innovation As the major healthcare service provider in Hong Kong, the HA possesses extensive healthcare data spanning more than 30 years. To promote medical research and innovation and technology development in Hong Kong, the HA established the HADCL in 2018, which contains over 5.5 billion data records covering demographic characteristics, attendance records at hospitals or clinics, clinical diagnoses, procedures, medication and examination results, etc. To date, the HADCL has supported more than 450 researchers in conducting over 70 research projects, and more than 48 research papers have been published in international academic journals or presented at conferences.
The Government is promoting the standardisation of clinical data across the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The HA’s vast and standardised medical database can provide relevant and appropriate data to establish a crucial data foundation for the Real-World Study and Application Centre (RWSAC) under the Government’s Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute. The RWSAC will connect medical institutions within the region and integrate data from the measure of using Hong Kong registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in GBA to construct a real world data platform within the GBA. It aims to enhance data quality, usability, and interoperability, thereby building a comprehensive evidence base for regulatory submissions to expedite the approval for registration of new drugs in Hong Kong, the Mainland, and overseas.
The HA is pleased to note that an increasing number of local university research teams have completed various forward-looking studies through the HADCL, covering various diseases and topics such as hepatitis B, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, dementia and the risk of falls among the elderly. These studies play a significant role in advancing disease risk assessment, refining treatment plans, drug development and therapeutic innovation. Some projects supported by the HADCL, such as the use of AI systems to assist in identifying hip fractures, have already been implemented in public hospital services, bringing benefits to patients.
The spokesman said, “The HA will continue to align with the Government’s policy direction to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. By promoting the opening up of healthcare data, expanding the scope of data services, enhancing data platforms and streamlining processes, we aim to provide researchers with valuable research data and more convenient services. This will support Hong Kong’s scientific research development and help elevate the overall healthcare standard in Hong Kong to benefit more patients.”
Meanwhile, the HA has earlier established Central Clinical Research and Innovation Office and Cluster Clinical Research Support Offices to actively encourage and support healthcare professionals in public hospitals to participate in clinical research. The HA has also streamlined the research ethics approval process and centralised the vetting of cross-cluster ethical research applications.
The HA will continue to support clinical research through strengthening research ethics governance, providing clinical trial sites, and facilitating patient participation in public hospitals. It will also work closely with various research teams to jointly drive scientific research development, benefiting the local healthcare system and patients. Issued at HKT 10:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hongkong Post to issue “Biodiversity II” special stamps Located in a subtropical region, Hong Kong enjoys notable geographical features – mountainous terrain and extensive coastline – and distinct seasons. They together nurture a rich variety of natural habitats, providing homes for a wide range of flora and fauna. Hong Kong’s abundant biodiversity not only stems from its unique natural environment but also relies on relentless conservation efforts from all walks of life. Following the release of the “Biodiversity” special stamps in 2010, Hongkong Post will issue a set of four stamps on the theme of “Biodiversity II” to showcase the city’s distinctive biodiversity, with a view to raising the public’s awareness of ecological conservation and inspiring their collaboration in protecting Hong Kong’s natural treasures.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ16: Creation of a commodity trading ecosystem Question:
The Outline of the National 15th Five-Year Plan clearly states, for the first time, that it supports the creation of a commodity trading ecosystem in Hong Kong. While Hong Kong currently has 15 approved warehouses by the London Metal Exchange (LME), a subsidiary of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), with a total storage capacity of 25 000 tonnes, this is reportedly only one-tenth of the average storage capacity of similar warehouses in other parts of Asia. There are views suggesting that the Government should further expand the commodity market to enhance its competitiveness comprehensively. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of (i) the locations, (ii) the storage capacity and (iii) the types of metals currently stored at each of the 15 LME-approved warehouses;
(2) as it has been reported that LME permits the delivery of seven metals (copper, aluminium, zinc, lead, tin, nickel and aluminium alloys) in Hong Kong, whether the Government has compiled statistics on (i) the respective stockpiles of the aforesaid seven metals in Hong Kong; if it has, set out the relevant figures; (ii) which of these metals is the most actively delivered in Hong Kong, and the relevant details; (iii) whether the Government will co-ordinate further with HKEX and LME to regularly publish commodity storage and trading data to help the industry accurately gauge market demand and developments in the industrial chain;
(3) as it has been reported that LME may approve the establishment of warehouses at any location within Hong Kong, not limited to sites near the port, whether the Government will proactively identify and plan for the use of more non-port land for storing commodities; whether the Government is aware of the specific requirements for warehousing facilities, including security, floor space, and transport and logistics infrastructure; if so, of the details;
(4) given the extremely high demands placed on warehouse loading capacity by commodities (particularly non-ferrous metals), and the current restrictions on land use, whether the Government will remove barriers to the provision of land for commodity warehouses, relax lease conditions, and streamline the approval process;
(5) as it has been reported that the authorities plan to earmark approximately 32 hectares of land south of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park for the development of a modern logistics cluster, and this land may also be considered for use as commodities warehouses, whether the authorities will set phased targets for establishing commodities warehouses in the Northern Metropolis and assisting the industry in expanding other high-value precious metals businesses (such as silver and platinum); and
(6) of the progress of the Government’s efforts to attract relevant leading enterprises engaged in commodities (such as state-owned enterprises and central enterprises, as well as international metal industry giants) to establish their headquarters or offices in Hong Kong; and the specific measures the authorities have put in place to support and assist warehouse operators?
Reply:
President,
The Outline of the National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports Hong Kong in developing a commodity trading ecosystem. As an international financial, trade and shipping centre, Hong Kong will leverage its unique advantages of connecting the Chinese Mainland and the world under “one country, two systems” and proactively align with the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan to develop an efficient and internationally competitive commodity trading ecosystem, seizing the opportunities arising from our country being the largest consumer of industrial metals in the world.
In consultation with the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), the reply to the six parts of the question is as follows:
(1) and (2) Since January 2025, the London Metal Exchange (LME), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKEX, has included Hong Kong as an LME-approved delivery location and begun accepting applications from warehouse operators. As of end-June 2026, a total warehousing area of over 52 000 square metres has commenced operation in Hong Kong, with storage exceeding 24 000 tonnes. The locations, total storage areas, and types of metals permitted for storage across the 18 approved warehouses are set out in Annex.
Among the seven types of metals currently permitted by the LME for delivery in Hong Kong, copper and zinc are the most actively traded in terms of physical delivery. Their inventory levels in Hong Kong stand at 10 700 tonnes and 8 650 tonnes, accounting for 44 per cent and 35 per cent of the total storage respectively.
In accordance with international market practice, the LME publishes daily to the global market, through its official channels and designated financial information platforms, detailed inventory reports and trading data, including specific warrant and data categorised by delivery location (including Hong Kong) and metal type, enabling the industry and market participants to monitor physical metal dynamics and supply chain trends in Hong Kong and global markets. The Government and HKEX will continue to maintain close communication with the LME to ensure the transparent flow of relevant market information, thereby assisting the commodity industry in capitalising the development opportunities.
(3) to (5) The Government is leveraging the development of an international gold trading market as an entry point to develop a commodity trading ecosystem. Relevant efforts have yielded phased achievements, including the commencement of the trial operation of the central clearing and settlement system for gold in July this year. The Airport Authority Hong Kong has also launched a thousand-tonne-class warehousing facility project. At the same time, several private institutions (including banks) are actively expanding their storage capacity. Building on the foundation of strengthening our advantages in the gold trading market, we will progressively extend the relevant trading and warehousing infrastructure experience to other precious metals businesses, with a view to establishing a complete a commodity industry chain.
With the continuous development of the commodity trading ecosystem, we anticipate that the demand for relevant warehousing facilities and logistics land will continue to rise. Adopting an industry-led planning approach, the Government has reserved industry land including those for industrial, logistics, and storage uses across various New Development Areas (NDAs) in the Northern Metropolis, which can satisfy the demand for commodity warehousing land. For example, to meet the logistics sector’s demand for land, the Government has reserved 32 hectares of land in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen NDA within the Northern Metropolis for the development of a modern logistics cluster. The Government plans to invite expressions of interest within this year from the logistics industry (including operators interested in developing commodity warehousing facilities in Hong Kong) for the first parcel of land within the cluster, thereby enabling the Government to formulate a development model that meets with industry needs.
As another example, the permissible land uses of the 23-hectare Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park have been widened to encompass various industries, and can accommodate the development of commodity warehouses or ancillary facilities, and the statutory plot ratio restrictions have been removed to afford greater development flexibility. The Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited has commenced operations and is formulating concrete development plans and approaching enterprises that might be keen to establish their operations in the Industry Park with a view to accelerating industry introduction. In addition, the Northern Metropolis Development Bill, which was introduced into the Legislative Council for First Reading on July 8 this year, will facilitate the planning and construction of commodity warehouses or ancillary facilities. This includes facilitating the adoption of innovative designs, materials, and construction techniques in relevant projects, or enhancing the quality, functionality, or sustainability of their design and construction. Should rezoning be required to accommodate commodity trading, streamlined town planning procedures can be applied, effectively shortening the processing time from at least nine months to two months. The DEVB has also introduced administrative measures to facilitate industry development, setting time limits for critical approval processes and strengthening internal monitoring and co-ordination. These measures will accelerate the approval and construction of industry structures.
(6) The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB), in collaboration with the OASES and InvestHK, has been promoting Hong Kong’s strategic direction and specific measures for developing a commodity trading ecosystem through various meetings, visits and major events (such as industry conferences, exhibitions, and seminars) to attract relevant leading enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong. With the support of InvestHK, a number of commodity warehousing and logistics companies have established delivery warehouses for the LME and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in Hong Kong, actively integrating into the city’s commodity ecosystem.
In selecting suitable sites for the warehouses, the operators have to hold in-depth discussions with the relevant warehousing industry players and landowners, which mainly involve the circumstances of individual facilities (such as loading capacity and infrastructure requirements) and other business considerations. In the course of discussion, technical issues involving planning permissions, lease conditions, etc, may also arise. The FSTB, in collaboration with relevant bureaux and departments, has been maintaining communication with relevant industry players, and held meetings to provide relevant information and guidance. Issued at HKT 12:30
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The results of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination were released today (July 15). Young persons in custody (PICs) obtained satisfactory results in the examination this year.
A total of 14 young PICs from Sha Tsui Correctional Institution (STCI), Pik Uk Correctional Institution and Lai King Correctional Institution enrolled in the HKDSE Examination this year. They took a total of 83 examination papers and obtained level 2/”Attained” or above in 66 papers, or 79.5 per cent of all papers taken. Four of them met the general entrance requirements for local universities, among whom one candidate at STCI scored the highest 22 marks in the best five subjects and obtained an “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development, with level 5* in Chinese Language and Tourism and Hospitality Studies.
The examinations sat included the four core subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development, as well as two electives of Economics and Tourism and Hospitality Studies.
The Superintendent of STCI, Mr Poon Ho-lam, said, “The Correctional Services Department (CSD) has been committed to providing up-to-date and diversified rehabilitation programmes, supporting PICs to turn over a new leaf. The Department assists young PICs to pursue educational courses and sit for public examinations, enabling them to achieve self-enhancement and make contributions to the society in the future.”
Mr Poon added that taking the HKDSE Examination not only enabled young PICs to regain their self-confidence, but also helped them to find a clear direction in life. He encouraged PICs to maintain a proactive and earnest attitude to determinedly meet various challenges ahead. He called on the public to give rehabilitated persons fair opportunities and accept and support their reintegration into society.
The CSD has provided education to help young PICs below 21 years of age to gain accredited qualifications and develop positive values, hoping that they can further their studies, take up employment and reintegrate into society after release.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Primary Healthcare Committee announced————— Commissioner for Primary Healthcare
Non-official members —————– Professor Helen Chan Yue-lai Dr David Chao Vai-kiong Dr Kam Pok-man Dr Lam Ching-choi Dr Lam Wing-wo Mr Lawrence Lee Kam-hung Dr Benjamin Lee Shing-cheung Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung Dr Sigmund Leung Sai-man Ms Ellen Li Ka-yan Dr Donald Li Kwok-tung Dr Alexander Ng Man-tat Professor Marco Pang Yiu-chung Dr Tse Sut-yee Professor Samuel Wong Yeung-shan Ms Cynthia Wu Sum-yi Ms Yvonne Yeung Kin-ha————————– Deputy Secretary for Health (or representative) Deputy Director of Health (or representative) Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare/Deputy Director of Social Welfare (or representative) Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (or representative) Deputy Director of Home Affairs (or representative) Director (Strategy and Planning), Hospital Authority (or representative) Chief Manager (Nursing), Hospital Authority (or representative) Issued at HKT 11:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKPL introduces e-resources at book fair The booth is located at B28 in Hall 1C on 1/F. Touchscreen displays and tablets are available for visitors to experience the online services and e-resources of the HKPL, including listening to e-audiobooks, the HKPL podcast channel “24/7 Story Pavilion”, and selected narrated articles from the “Total Wellness” e-book collection. The narrated articles form part of the online reading activity titled “Happiness with Words”, which is a collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 5. The booth also features a designated “photo spot” where visitors can take pictures. After uploading the photos to social media and following the HKPL’s “Reading in Joyful” social media page, they can redeem souvenirs on-site, while stocks last.
Diverse e-resources are provided by the HKPL for the public to enjoy the happiness of reading and listening to books anytime, including “Jin Yong Martial Arts Novels Audio Collection”, which immerses patrons in the world of martial arts, as well as “Naxos Spoken Word Library”, which provides e-audiobooks of literature, drama, philosophy, history and more.
Readers of different ages can also read various kinds of Chinese e-books through the SUEP e-Book platform, including the novels, comics, children e-books and others in the SUEP “Hong Kong Renowned Writers” series, and the trending works recommended in the “Popular Good Reads@SUEP”. Other locally published e-book collections include “JoyReadClub”, which features works of popular authors, “Total Wellness”, which includes titles on lifestyle and health, and “Scholar World”, which provides scholarly e-books.
In addition, there are a trove of English e-books on information technology and business-related subjects in the e-book collection “O’Reilly for Public Libraries”. Readers can also search through extensive collections of journals and scholarly dissertations on business and economics in the e-database “ProQuest Business Collection”, or read e-magazines or e-books of wide-ranging subjects through “Kono Libraries”, “Flipster” and “OverDrive”. Specifically for children, the Chinese e-book collection “FunPark” enables parents to enjoy fun-filled reading time with them through its interactive interfaces and games, nurturing their reading interest and language skills.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Lam Wai-kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):
Question:
Hong Kong has experienced several adverse weather events in recent years, which seriously affected the safety of employees working outdoors and commuting to and from work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the respective numbers of cases in which employees sustained an injury or died while at work and commuting to and from work due to adverse weather and extreme conditions in each year since 2024, as well as the number of labour disputes resulting from such cases; if not, whether the Government will collect the aforesaid statistics in the future;
(2) whether the Labour Department (LD) will consider incorporating guidelines into the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” (Code of Practice) to recommend employers to conduct safety risk assessments in advance for employees who need to work in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions; if so, when it plans to revise the relevant Code of Practice; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether the LD will consider recommending in the Code of Practice that employers, after assigning “designated staff” on duty in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions, should provide the “designated staff” concerned with travel allowance covering the direct route from his place of work to his place of residence; if so, when it plans to amend the relevant Code of Practice; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) given that some employers may abuse the “designated staff” arrangement under the Code of Practice to shift risks to insurance companies through the employees’ compensation insurance policies, resulting in insurance companies raising employees’ insurance premiums for the entire industry with the costs eventually borne by all employers in the industry, will the Government consider requiring the employers to take out additional insurance for “designated staff” working under adverse weather and extreme conditions, thereby preventing insurance companies from raising employees’ compensation premiums across the entire industry and alleviating the overall premium burden on employers?
Reply:
President,
The Labour Department (LD) published the revised “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” (CoP) in May this year, reinforcing the reminder to employers on three major principles of formulating work arrangements under adverse weather or extreme conditions, which include formulating work arrangements in advance, giving prime consideration to employees’ safety and complying with requirements of labour legislation. The current CoP also includes corporate examples for employers’ reference.
The reply to the Member’s question is as follows:
(1) Under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (ECO), employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths occurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residences to their workplaces, or from their workplaces back to their residences after work, within a period of four hours before or after the working hours on a day when the adverse weather (including Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal) or extreme conditions are in force.
During 2024 to June 2026, the numbers of reported employees’ compensation cases relating to the aforementioned adverse weather and extreme conditions received by the Employees’ Compensation Division of the LD are set out below:
2024
2025
January to June 2026
Non-fatal cases
25
121
5
Fatal cases
0
1
0
In general, the number of reported employees’ compensation cases relating to the adverse weather and extreme conditions received each year is inevitably affected by the weather conditions during the year, resulting in occasional greater fluctuations.
On the other hand, the Labour Relations Division of the LD has started to capture the number of employment claims arising from adverse weather or extreme conditions since September 2025. As at June this year, no related claim was recorded.
(2) The CoP has stipulated that employers should make prior work arrangements and contingency measures in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions with employees and give prime consideration to the safety of employees. Wherever possible, employers should avoid assigning employees to work in times of adverse weather (such as tropical cyclones and rainstorms) or extreme conditions. If it is unavoidable that employees have to work under the above conditions, the employers should conduct risk assessment and take suitable safety measures in advance to minimise the work-related risks as far as reasonably practicable, so as to ensure the safety and health of the employees at work with a view to fulfilling the employers’ general duty provisions under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.
(3) The CoP has emphasised that if employees are required to report for duty at workplaces when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force (i.e. “designated staff”) without provision of transport service to and from their workplaces by employers, the employers should grant these employees a travelling allowance. The CoP has included corporate examples to illustrate such arrangements for reference of employers and employees.
(4) The ECO stipulates that all employers shall have in force a policy of insurance to cover their liabilities under the law (including the common law), encompassing liabilities to pay compensation if an employee (including a “designated staff”) sustains an injury or dies as a result of an accident while commuting between his residence and workplace within the period of adverse weather or during which extreme conditions are in force. Insurance companies in general will take into account the underwriting risks of different industries/occupations, the earnings of employees, the claims history of and the risk prevention measures taken by the employers concerned, etc. in drawing up insurance premium quotations.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Members of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards visit GCMTI, endorse reference standards for 16 types of commonly used Chinese Materia Medica Equipped with advanced technologies and state-of-the-art equipment, the permanent GCMTI building will further enhance capabilities in developing CMs testing methods and standards, fostering comprehensive, high-quality, and high-level development of CM in Hong Kong. The GCMTI will leverage frontier testing technology and indicators, explore the feasibility of further developing HKCMMS into an international quality evaluation standard for Chinese materia medica (CMM), thereby fostering cross-regional and international trade development for CMM, bringing benefits to related CMs enterprises and the testing and certification industry.
The IAB members commended the GCMTI for conducting numerous rigorous research projects on CM based on the technical foundation of the HKCMMS project. These efforts have made a significant contribution to the scientific identification of CM, and have led to the development of several innovative testing methods. Furthermore, through technology transfer, the GCMTI has strengthened the capabilities of CM and testing industries in quality control and identification.