Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Dennis Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

Question:

The Government has been implementing the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector and the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) one after the other since 2023, and has introduced lift/escalator technicians into the Technical Professionals List (TP List) under the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) with effect from June 30, 2025. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of workers in the following trades in the lift and escalator industry who were imported under the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector from 2025 to March 2026: (i) lift and escalator mechanics (master), (ii) lift mechanics, (iii) escalator mechanics, and (iv) lift/escalator technicians (set out in Table 1);

Table 1

Numbers of quotas approved in the lift and escalator industry under the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector
Year	(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(iv)	Total
2025
January to March 2026
Total

(2) given that ESLS allows employers in specified industries, including the electrical and electronics industries, to apply to import workers at technician level or below, subject to relevant requirements, of the respective numbers of the following skilled workers in the electrical and electronics industries who were imported annually under ESLS from 2023 to March 2026: (i) electricians (electrical industry), (ii) mechanical fitters (electrical industry), (iii) refrigeration/air-conditioning/ventilation technicians (electrical industry), (iv) mechanical engineering technicians (electrical industry), (v) building services mechanics (electrical industry), (vi) electrical fitters (electrical industry), (vii) electronics technicians (electrical industry), and (viii) electricians (electronics industry) (set out in Table 2);

Table 2

Numbers of skilled workers in the electrical and electronics industries who were admitted under ESLS (certain posts)
Common posts (industrial category)	2023	2024	2025	January to March 2026	Total
(i)
…
(viii)
Total

(3) given that while ESLS currently does not accept applications for importation of labour of industries and job categories covered by the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector, some members of the sector have relayed that some of the skilled workers in the electrical and electronics industries who were imported under ESLS have taken up posts in the lift and escalator industry, of the respective numbers of the following skilled workers who were imported annually under ESLS but were actually employed by registered lift and escalator contractors from 2023 to March 2026: (i) electricians (electrical industry), (ii) mechanical fitters (electrical industry), (iii) refrigeration/air-conditioning/ventilation technicians (electrical industry), (iv) mechanical engineering technicians (electrical industry), (v) building services mechanics (electrical industry), (vi) electrical fitters (electrical industry), (vii) electronics technicians (electrical industry), and (viii) electricians (electronics industry) (set out in Table 3); 

Table 3

Numbers of skilled workers employed by 42 registered lift and escalator contractors under ESLS
Common posts (industrial category)	2023	2024	2025	January to March 2026	Total
(i)
…
(viii)
Total

(4) whether any cases of non-compliance have been identified among applicants and imported workers since 2023 (i.e. cases in which skilled workers in the electrical and electronics industries who were imported under ESLS have taken up posts in the lift and escalator industry); if so, of the penalties imposed in respect of such cases; and

(5) of the respective numbers of workers in the following trades in the lift and escalator industry who were imported via the TP List under GEP and ASMTP from 2025 to March 2026: (i) lift technicians, (ii) escalator technicians, and (iii) lift/escalator technicians (set out in Table 4)?

Table 4

Numbers of approvals in the lift and escalator industry under GEP and ASMTP (Technical Professionals Stream)
Year	(i)	(ii)	(iii)	Total
2025
January to March 2026
Total

Reply:

President,

To cope with the challenges brought by manpower shortage and foster Hong Kong’s economic development, the Government, on the principle of ensuring employment priority for local workers, suitably allows employers with genuine difficulty in recruiting suitable local workers to apply for importation of workers. Apart from launching sector-specific labour importation schemes for the transport sector and residential care homes for the elderly and residential care homes for persons with disabilities, the Development Bureau (DEVB) has implemented the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector (Construction Sector Scheme) since July 17, 2023. The Labour Department (LD) has also implemented the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) since September 4, 2023, to allow employers with genuine needs to apply for importation of workers for posts that were generally excluded under the previous Supplementary Labour Scheme.

The Government has all along adopted a multi-pronged approach to address manpower demands in the construction sector, enhancing training and promoting the use of technology to uplift productivity and mitigate labour shortage. The Construction Sector Scheme is a complementary measure whereby main contractors and subcontractor employers must conduct local recruitment as required and demonstrate that they are unable to employ sufficient local workers before their applications are considered. All imported workers must also comply with the same qualification and job requirements, median wages, etc, as local workers in similar positions. These measures safeguard the employment priority of local workers. When processing each application under the Construction Sector Scheme, the DEVB scrutinises whether the applicant has conducted local recruitment as per the requirements promulgated by the Government and failed to employ the required skilled workers, whether there is genuine need for importing skilled workers for the project taking into consideration factors including project progress, the demand for each relevant trade and its manpower situation, as well as the overall labour market situation before determining whether to approve quotas.

On the other hand, in the face of an ageing workforce and a lack of new entrants, some skilled trades that are critical to sustaining Hong Kong’s city operation are facing acute talent succession gaps. To improve the demographic structure in these skilled trades, in addition to continuing to strengthen the training for local technical professionals, the Government has introduced a new channel under the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) from June 30, 2025, to allow young and non-degree mid-level professionals with qualifications and experience as specified in the Technical Professional List to apply to come to Hong Kong, and attract them to settle in Hong Kong in the long run. The new channel covers eight specified skilled trades, including lift/escalator technicians.

In consultation with the DEVB and the Immigration Department, the reply to the Member’s question is as follows:

(1) Under the Construction Sector Scheme, for the three skilled worker trades related to the lift and escalator industry (namely (i) lift and escalator mechanic (master), (ii) lift mechanic, (iii) escalator mechanic) and one technician trade (namely (iv) lift/escalator technician), the number of skilled workers/technicians imported through the scheme from 2025 to March 2026 is set out at Annex 1.

(2) From 2023 to March 2026, a breakdown of the number of imported workers approved under the ESLS each year for the electrical and electronics sectors by job category is set out at Annex 2. 

(3) and (4) As required by the ESLS, imported workers (including those from the electrical and electronics sectors), upon arrival to work in Hong Kong under the ESLS, must be directly employed by the same employers for taking up the specified posts and performing specified duties at the designated workplace(s) in accordance with the requirements set out in the approvals-in-principle issued by the LD and the Standard Employment Contract. The LD does not maintain statistics on the number of imported workers employed by the registered lift and escalator contractors.

If employers are found to have breached the above requirements, other requirements of the ESLS or relevant labour and immigration laws, the LD will impose administrative sanctions on the employers concerned. Depending on the nature of the breaches, the LD will withdraw the approvals for importation of labour previously granted to employers, and refuse to process any subsequent applications for labour importation submitted by employers (with a debarment period of up to two years). Since the implementation of the ESLS and up to March 2026, the LD has imposed administrative sanctions on 35 employers for breaching the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, occupational safety and health legislation, Immigration Ordinance or requirements of the ESLS; none of these cases involve the electrical and electronics sectors.

(5) From June 30, 2025, to March 31, 2026, the numbers of applications approved under the Technical Professionals Stream of the GEP and the ASMTP to work under the skilled trade lift/escalator technician in Hong Kong are set out at Annex 3.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Chong Ho-fung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

Question:

It has been reported that at the end of April this year, the Coroner’s Court delivered its verdict on a traffic accident which occurred in December 2018. In that case, the driver concerned failed to engage the handbrake properly when parking the vehicle, causing the vehicle to lurch forward and resulting in the death of five people. As the driver was not driving the vehicle at the time of the incident, he was charged with the offence of “leaving a vehicle without a fixed parking brake”, and was eventually fined $2,000 and had his driving licence suspended for six months, without being charged with a more serious offence. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of traffic accidents caused by drivers failing to engage the handbrake properly (regardless of whether the drivers concerned were driving the vehicles at the time of the incidents) in the past five years; if the drivers concerned were convicted, of the offences involved and the penalties handed down respectively; and

(2) as that there are views that the penalties for the offence of “leaving a vehicle without a fixed parking brake” which causes casualties cannot reflect the seriousness of such incidents, and it has been reported that the Coroner, when adjudicating the aforesaid 2018 case, pointed out legislative loopholes and recommended that the authorities should discuss legislative amendments with the relevant departments expeditiously, whether the authorities will, in response to this recommendation, study amending the legislation to ensure that the penalties can reflect the seriousness of the offence, thereby increasing the deterrent effect; if so, of the details and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government attaches great importance to road safety and continues to enhance it through legislation, law enforcement, publicity and public education. Regarding the question raised by the Hon Chong Ho-fung, having consulted the Hong Kong Police Force, our reply is as follows:

(1) Statistics on traffic accidents caused by drivers failing to properly engage the handbrake over the past five years are listed in the Annex. The Police do not maintain categorised statistics on prosecution results and penalties of relevant cases.

(2) In cases where traffic accidents are caused by failure to properly engage the handbrake, law enforcement agencies will consider the most appropriate offence for prosecution, depending on the specific circumstances, relevant evidence, and legal advice of each case.

In fact, on March 6 this year, the District Court sentenced a driver in connection with a serious traffic accident that occurred in the Soho district of Central in December 2021. In the case, a private car driver, while parking her vehicle on a slope, failed to properly engage the brakes and use the correct gear before leaving the vehicle, causing it to roll backwards, fatally crushing a pedestrian and injuring several others. The court ultimately convicted the driver of “causing death by dangerous driving” and “causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving”, sentencing her to 27 months’ imprisonment and imposing a five-year driving disqualification. The District Court held that a person can be convicted of dangerous driving if it can be proved beyond reasonable doubt that the way he or she drives falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and it would be obvious to a careful and competent driver that driving in that way would be dangerous. This case illustrates that even if a driver has left the vehicle, failure to properly control it during the course of driving (including the parking process) still falls within the scope of current legislation on “dangerous driving”.

Current legislation already prescribes deterrent penalties for the aforementioned offences. The maximum penalty for “dangerous driving” is a fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for three years. If dangerous driving causes grievous bodily harm to another person, the maximum penalty is a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for seven years; and if dangerous driving causes death to another person, the maximum penalty is a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for 10 years.

The Transport Department will continue to work with the Police and the Road Safety Council to strengthen publicity and public education through various channels, especially reminding drivers of the precautions required when driving and parking on slopes. These include engaging the handbrake when parking on slopes, using the correct gear, and turning the steering wheel in the correct direction to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards or forwards, thereby ensuring road safety.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Elaine Chik and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

Question:

     The Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230) (the Regulations) regulate the conduct of bus drivers and passengers. It has been reported that in recent years, a number of incidents involving disputes among bus enthusiasts, between passengers and bus enthusiasts, and between bus enthusiasts and bus captains have occurred in succession and adversely affected the traffic safety of buses and the order inside bus compartments. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of bus drivers and passengers prosecuted for contravening the Regulations in each of the past five years; and in such prosecution cases, of the irregularities committed respectively by the bus drivers and passengers involved, and the provisions of the Regulations contravened;

(2) whether the authorities have assessed the trend of those incidents that compromise traffic safety, and whether the penalties prescribed in the Regulations are effective in dealing with common conduct that compromises traffic safety; whether the authorities will consider amending the legislation to enhance protection for bus captains and maintain order inside bus compartments; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) given that at present, the Regulations also regulate the general conduct of passengers and intending passengers in addition to the general conduct of driver, but they do not cover other persons such as those who take photographs or videos on roads and thereby obstruct or interfere with the workings of buses, whether the authorities will review the legislation to enhance the regulation of conduct that obstructs or interferes with the workings of buses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(4) apart from taking enforcement action, what specific measures (such as publicity and education, or strengthening collaboration with bus companies) have been put in place by the authorities to prevent the recurrence of those incidents that compromise traffic safety, in particular to reduce conduct that obstructs or interferes with the workings of a bus while it is in motion, so as to ensure the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users?
  
Reply:

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has always attached great importance to the operational safety of franchised buses as well as the safety of passengers and other road users. Also, it has been working with franchised bus operators (FBOs) through various measures to enhance the safety awareness of bus captains and passengers. Having consulted the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), our response to the questions raised by the Hon Chik is as follows:
 
(1) to (3) At present, the Public Bus Services Regulations (Hong Kong Legislation Cap. 230A) (the Regulations) prescribe the requirements in respect of behaviours that obstruct buses or bus captains, so as to ensure driving safety and smooth operation of franchised bus services. Regulation 13A stipulates that no passenger or intending passenger shall wilfully obstruct, impede or distract the bus captain, or improperly interfere with the bus body and its workings. Any person, who contravenes the relevant provisions without reasonable excuse, commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $3,000 and imprisonment for six months. Regulation 13 also authorises a bus captain to remove from a bus any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe has contravened the relevant regulations, to require that person to give his name and address and produce proof of identity, and where necessary, to detain such person until he can be handed over to a police officer.

     Regarding persons who take photographs or videos on roads and thereby obstruct or interfere with the operations of buses, the existing legislation also covers the misbehaviour of pedestrians on roads that endangers their own safety or that of any other person. According to section 48 of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), a pedestrian, who in using any road negligently endangers his own safety or that of any other person, commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $2,000. The HKPF does not keep the numbers of bus captains, passengers and pedestrians prosecuted for contravening the Regulations or the relevant requirements under the Road Traffic Ordinance mentioned above.

(4) The Transport Department (TD) is much concerned about the disturbance faced by franchised bus captains while on duty. The TD has all along been maintaining close communication with FBOs and provided them with training video materials for bus captains’ reference. The materials mainly cover how bus captains should respond to various possible situations on buses, including skills for handling emergencies or dealing with passenger behaviours that may endanger driving safety, as well as emotional and psychological well-being of bus captains themselves. In addition, the TD convenes regular meetings with FBOs to remind them to monitor whether frontline bus captains encounter disturbance when carrying out driving duties and, where necessary, report to the police for assistance in a timely manner. The Government also collaborates with the Road Safety Council on publicity initiatives from time to time to remind the public of road safety.

     In parallel, FBOs have adopted various measures to assist their bus captains and frontline staff (including regulators and inspectors) in enhancing their skills and capabilities to handle various situations. For instance, their training courses have placed greater emphasis on customer service and communication skills, as well as ways to handle passenger complaints. Furthermore, FBOs have stepped up public education efforts regarding passenger conduct and guidelines, including by displaying notices inside bus compartments to remind passengers not to wilfully impede captains. CCTV systems have been installed at bus termini and inside bus compartments to monitor service operations and compartment situations. When necessary, FBOs will provide the footage of the relevant CCTV systems to law enforcement departments to assist in their investigations.

     The TD will continue to maintain close communication with FBOs and relevant government departments, and to take appropriate measures to ensure safe operation of the franchised buses.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Following is a question by the Hon Jimmy Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

Question:
 
     To enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s logistics industry and support the logistics industry in nurturing more professional talents, the Government launched the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (the Pilot Scheme) in 2020 and the Professional Training on Smart and Green Logistics Scheme (the Training Scheme) in 2024, and enhanced the aforesaid two schemes in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Some members of the industry have relayed that the Government should consider further enhancing the two schemes in due course. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: 
(2) whether it will inject further funds into the Pilot Scheme and regularise the scheme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it will further raise the funding ceiling for the Pilot Scheme following the enhancement measures in 2024, and extend the eligibility criteria for service providers from local suppliers to international suppliers; if so, the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) of the total number of logistics practitioners who have received funding to undertake courses since the launch of the Training Scheme, and the average amount of funding per approved application; whether the funding ceiling for the Training Scheme and the funding ratios for course fees will be raised; if so, the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(4) whether the authorities will collaborate with universities and vocational training organisations to design more specialised logistics-related training courses, so as to cover emerging technologies such as transport management and warehouse management systems, Robotic Process Automation, automated storage and retrieval system, and Internet of Things sensors; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government attaches great importance to the development of Hong Kong’s logistics industry and has all along been supporting and enhancing Hong Kong’s position as an international logistics hub. To this end, the Government promulgated the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development in 2023, which sets out eight strategies and 24 action measures following five development directions, namely smart development, modernisation, green and sustainability, internationalisation and facilitation, to address the short, medium and long-term needs of the logistics industry, thereby achieving the goal of developing Hong Kong into a sustainable international smart logistics hub focusing on high-value goods and the e-commerce market. 
     The reply in response to Hon Jimmy Ng’s question is as follows: 
 
(1) and (2) The Government has all along been committed to facilitating application of subsidies by the industry while ensuring prudent use of public funds. The current application procedures and required documents are mainly used to verify the eligibility of applicant enterprises and ensure the projects under application fall within the scope of the scheme. As the Secretariat of the Pilot Scheme, the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) has been providing one-on-one advisory services and organising webinars to explain the scheme’s details and successful cases, as well as operating a dedicated enquiry hotline and email, so as to help applicants understand the application process of the Pilot Scheme and hence to expedite the application handling process. The Government and the HKPC will review the operational arrangements of the Pilot Scheme continually.
 
     As regards the eligibility of service providers, the Pilot Scheme currently requires that service providers must be companies registered in Hong Kong, so as to ensure that logistics enterprises can receive timely and appropriate local installation and technical support services during project implementation. The Pilot Scheme does not impose any specific requirements on the place of origin of the solutions. 
     The Government will continue to review the implementation and effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme, and will explore the feasibility of additional capital injection into and regularisation of the Pilot Scheme at a suitable juncture.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Augustine Wong and a reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

Questions:

In order to plan for the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT), a delegation of the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town (Working Group) recently visited the Xiasha Higher Education Park in Hangzhou, the Sejong Common Campus in Korea, the Bildungscampus Heilbronn in Germany, as well as the University of Basel and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in Switzerland, to study these successful models of higher education development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the specific outcomes of the Working Group’s study visits; whether it has concluded any models applicable to NMUT; if so, of the details;

(2) whether the planned student mix for NMUT will primarily consist of postgraduates, so as to maximise the benefits of synergistic development between education and industries; if so, whether the Government will consider dismantling the current model of independent operations and campus segregation among universities, and encouraging the universities to strengthen collaboration, exchanges and the sharing of support facilities such as libraries and sports facilities; if the student mix for NMUT will not primarily consist of postgraduates, how support facilities will be planned; and

(3) apart from the planning of teaching facilities, whether the Government will draw reference from the planning of university towns in places such as Boston in the United States, Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and Grenoble in France to promote NMUT’s integration with the community and make full use of support facilities in the market; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

​Reply:

President,

The development of the Northern Metropolis (NM) is a core component of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in formulating the first Five-Year Plan to align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT) is one of the key projects and is at the heart of the strategic plan for developing Hong Kong into an international education hub and a cradle for future talent. The NM not only creates the conditions for Hong Kong’s post-secondary education sector to expand the capacity and enhance the quality, but also plays a significant role in promoting Hong Kong’s integration into and service for the overall national development.

To expedite the development of NM, the Government established the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town (WG) last year, which is led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to study the development mode for NMUT, conduct field trips on the successful models of university towns elsewhere and seek views widely. The WG also explores the possible way forward to deeply integrate industry development with the academic sectors where Hong Kong has an edge, as well as the strategies for attracting leading universities and research institutes in the Chinese Mainland and overseas to establish a base in Hong Kong.

Our reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Augustine Wong is as follows: 

(1) Between March and May this year, the WG visited various university town areas as well as science and technology parks in the Chinese Mainland (Zhejiang, Beijing and Hebei), Korea, Germany and Switzerland, where they observed and learnt from the development experiences and innovative models of the Chinese Mainland and international university towns. 

From the findings of the field trips, the planning and operational modes of different university towns have their own distinctive features and advantages, especially on the fronts of campus-city integration, internationalised and smart operation, strategic industry-academia collaboration, and deep integration of the industry, academia and research sectors, etc, which have provided valuable guidance for the WG in devising a suitable development mode and direction for NMUT. Nevertheless, we have noted at the same time that university town areas and science and technology parks in different places have their own unique developmental background, conditions, environment and challenges to face; the overall policy directions, land systems and industrial ecosystems, etc. of various governments vary from place to place as well. Therefore, when referencing experiences from other places, we must take into account Hong Kong’s own strengths and unique characteristics. We will adapt the lessons learnt flexibly to suit the local conditions, then prudently and pragmatically integrate the insights gained from the field trips with Hong Kong’s actual circumstances into the planning of NMUT, so as to develop a modern university town that possesses distinctive Hong Kong characteristics while integrating into and serving the nation.

(2) To optimise the use of precious land resources, the planning of NMUT must maintain a certain degree of flexibility, and even incorporate appropriate strategic vacancy, so as to respond effectively to the rapid changes brought about by social and technological developments. At present, the Government has respectively reserved development sites in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (HSK), Ngau Tam Mei New Development Area (NTM) and the New Territories North (NTN) New Town for NMUT. In line with the development strategy of “infrastructure-driven, step by step”, we will plan and construct different town areas in phases. Amongst others, sites for post-secondary education use will be launched in 2026, 2028 and 2030 respectively.

To better align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, contribute to the development of building a leading country in education, provide strong talent support for both Hong Kong and the nation, and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international post-secondary education hub, each of the three university town areas has its own different development positioning and objectives. The HSK University Town Area is positioned as a cultivation centre for applied higher education and internationalised talent, and will integrate with nearby high-end professional services and training of talent for joint development. The NTM University Town Area is situated adjacent to the San Tin Technopole and the Loop with the construction of the third medical school, hence it will provide a vital platform for the innovative development of advanced industries such as life sciences and health technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and microelectronics. As regards the NTN University Town Area, it will support the construction of the second campus of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and serve as an integrated arts cum industry campus area.

At present, universities in Hong Kong largely adopt the mode of scattered independent campuses and manage their respective resources, whereas university towns from other places mostly adopt the shared use of facilities and spaces among multiple institutions, including academic buildings, laboratories, libraries, sports grounds, hostels and ancillary facilities, to form a closely-knit university ecosystem. Having considered that land is a valuable resource in Hong Kong, the concept of sharing facilities is set to become a dominant trend. In planning for NMUT, the WG will explore more deeply on how these ideas can be integrated into the framework and design of the project.

In short, the planning of NMUT is a highly dynamic and interactive process. By maintaining close communication with institutions and relevant stakeholders, we are committed to developing NMUT into an internationally competitive platform for teaching, research and innovation, one that integrates industrial development and serves the overall objectives of Hong Kong and the nation. We aim to establish a joining framework that offers maximum flexibility, enabling institutions to devise innovative proposals that break with tradition and adapt to changing circumstances.

(3) Looking at university town areas across the Chinese Mainland and overseas, campus-city integration has become a common development mode. We will conduct in-depth studies on various campus-city integration modes around the world, and in the development blueprint of NMUT, adopt a similar holistic planning approach, combining government leadership with market forces to enhance resource efficiency and create an open, shared and campus-city integrated innovative community.

According to the latest planning, the three university town areas of HSK, NTM and NTN will all provide community living and residential supporting facilities, as well as different industrial positioning. The core teaching and research facilities of the university town areas can be integrated with the adjacent industry sites and residential communities to promote the integration and co-ordinated development of education, technology, talent, industries and urban functions, thereby creating a pattern of campus-city integration.

Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) and the Bruce Lee Foundation (the Foundation) will work together again to present Camp Bruce Lee Hong Kong 2026. A rich variety of activities will be arranged for 100 primary school students, including martial arts practice, an exhibition tour, a puppet theatre, and an art workshop to learn about the martial arts philosophy of the legendary martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. The camp, free of charge, will be held from July 21 to 23. Students aged 9 to 12, studying in Primary Four to Primary Six in Hong Kong are welcome to apply. The application period will end on June 26.
 
​     As the only venue in Asia exclusively authorised by the Foundation, the HKHM is organising Camp Bruce Lee for the fourth consecutive year since 2023. The theme of the Camp this year adopts a core focus on Bruce Lee’s most famous philosophy of “water”. Through four water forms – wave, river, rain and pond, the Camp leads students to grow with confidence, resilience, kindness and gratitude, and incorporate the wisdom of martial arts philosophy into daily life.
 
     The Camp offers students a wide range of exciting activities, including a Wing Chun class at the HKHM to build physical and mental strength; an interactive and story-driven tour of the “A Man Beyond the Ordinary: Bruce Lee” exhibition to discover the legendary life of Bruce Lee; an ink painting workshop to explore the fluidity of water and embark on an unexpected journey of artistic discovery; and a puppet performance that brings the story of Bruce Lee to life to celebrate compassion and community care. Moreover, Ms Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee and the Chairperson of the Foundation, will make a special video appearance to share how her father’s martial arts journey can inspire personal growth.
 
     For details of the activities and application, please visit the website at hk.heritage.museum/en/activities/camp_brucelee.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Lau and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):

     The Government launched the Driving on Lantau Island Scheme in 2016 to allow members of the public to drive private cars via the closed roads on Lantau Island to recreational spots such as Ngong Ping, Tai O, Cheung Sha and Mui Wo on weekdays. The second phase of the Scheme was launched in 2022, with the daily quota increased from 25 to 50. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Adrian Ho and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):
 
Question:
 
In the 2025 Policy Address, the Chief Executive proposed raising public awareness of weight management, and an interdepartmental Weight Management Working Group was established in October last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the Department of Health (DH) published the “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong” in 2018 and proposed nine “TARGETS BY 2025”, including halting the rise in obesity and reducing the prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adolescents and adults, to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases in Hong Kong, of the progress made by the Government in achieving these nine targets;
 
(2) “Raise Awareness” is one of the themes of the Action Plan on Weight Management launched by the Government in March this year, there are views pointing out that, while the body mass index (BMI) is used in the “Weight Management Compass” of DH for assessing whether body weight is normal, BMI cannot tell the problems of excessive body fat and insufficient muscle mass, whether the Government will consider encouraging adoption of additional indicators for assessment, such as the Body Roundness Index for assessing the accumulation of visceral fat, the Basal Metabolic Rate indicating the energy required to maintain basic physiological functions, etc, with a view to enhancing public understanding of weight-related issues;
 
(3) given that calorie management is also considered a key approach to addressing the problem of obesity, whether the Government will plan to educate the public in performing scientific calculations based on their lifestyles and everyday needs, so that they are enabled to learn to make use of data, such as macronutrients (i.e. substances which maintain body functions and serve as the primary source of energy for the body), to formulate personalised plans for calorie intake and exercises, thereby reducing the reliance of people seeking to lose weight on weight-loss drugs;
 
(4) given that excessive intake of saturated fats and trans fats will increase the risk of coronary heart disease, whether the Government will implement other measures, apart from organising health talks and roving exhibitions, to enhance public understanding of the nutrition information on food labels and enable them to make better use of such information, so as to facilitate them in making the most appropriate dietary choices; and
 
(5) given that saturated fats and trans fats are commonly found in food products, and that the effective interventions recommended by the World Health Organization include, among others, eliminating industrial trans fats through the development of legislation to ban their use in the food chain and reducing sugar consumption through effective taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages, whether the Government will consider encouraging manufacturers to develop food products with low fat and low sugar contents by way of enacting legislation or taxation, apart from providing relevant guidelines to the industry and implementing incentive measures, with a view to achieving a fully healthy local food retail market?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The Government has been highly concerned about the toll of obesity on personal health and the whole society, and prioritised its control under the “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong” (2018 SAP) published in 2018. The 2025 Policy Address further announced that the HKSAR Government would draw on national and World Health Organization (WHO) strategic frameworks to strengthen public awareness and action on weight management. In accordance with the relevant policy directions, the Department of Health (DH) established an interdepartmental Weight Management Working Group in October 2025 and formulated Hong Kong’s inaugural Action Plan on Weight Management.

In response to the Hon Adrian Ho’s question, the reply after consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the DH is as follows:

(1) The 2018 SAP focuses on major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (i.e. cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus) and common behavioural risk factors (i.e. unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, smoking and alcohol harm). It recommends taking forward relevant work with reference to nine targets (Note 1). The Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases examined in October 2025 the progress of the nine targets. The Steering Committee considered that through the collaborative efforts of various parties, the risk of premature mortality from four major NCDs in Hong Kong has declined continuously, with a reduction of over 25 per cent when compared to 15 years ago, achieving the target as set. The smoking prevalence rate in Hong Kong has reduced significantly from 23.3 per cent in 1982 to a historical low of 8.5 per cent in 2025.
 
However, obesity is a global issue. According to the WHO, over the past three decades the global adult obesity rate has more than doubled. Hong Kong is no exception. Other risk factors for developing NCDs like obesity and insufficient physical activity are still common in Hong Kong. As such, the Chief Executive announced in his 2024 and 2025 Policy Addresses respectively that the Government would devise health promotion strategies by adopting a life-course framework and formulate the Action Plan on Weight Management, with a view to raising public health awareness and practices through strengthening health education and promotion, cultivating a supportive environment in the community and strengthening health service delivery, etc.

The latest data on the specific quantitative indicators of the nine targets are tabulated as follows:
 

Target	Indicator	Baseline and latest data
(1) A 25 per cent relative reduction in risk of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory diseases	Unconditional probability of dying between ages of 30 and 70 from four NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases)	Baseline (2010): 0.099 Latest (2024): 0.073
(2) At least a 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of binge drinking and harmful use of alcohol (harmful drinking/alcohol dependence) among adults and in the prevalence of drinking among youth	Age-standardised prevalence of binge drinking at least monthly among adults (aged 18+ years)	Baseline (Population Health Survey (PHS) 2014/15): 2.4 per cent Latest (Health Behaviour Survey (HBS) 2023): 2.9 per cent
	Prevalence of ever drinking, 12-month drinking and 30-day drinking among young people	Baseline (2011/12): 56.0 per cent (Ever), 41.0 per cent (12-month), 18.4 per cent (30-day) Latest (2023/24): 40.4 per cent (Ever), 27.9 per cent (12-month), 14.3 per cent (30-day)
(3) A 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adolescents and adults	Prevalence of insufficiently physically active adolescents	Baseline (2015/16): 93.5 per cent (Overall) Latest (2024/25): 93.6 per cent (Overall)
	Age-standardised prevalence of insufficiently physically active persons aged 18+ years	Baseline (PHS 2014/15): 12.4 per cent Latest (HBS 2023): 13.8 per cent
(4) A 30 per cent relative reduction in mean population daily intake of salt/sodium	Age-standardised mean intake of salt (sodium chloride) per day among persons aged 18-84 years	Baseline (PHS 2014/15): 8.8g Latest (PHS 2020-22): 8.5g
(5) A 30 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of current tobacco use in persons aged 15+ years	Crude prevalence of daily cigarette smoking among persons aged 15+ years	Baseline (2010): 11.1 per cent Latest (2025): 8.5 per cent
(6) Contain the prevalence of raised blood pressure	Age-standardised (and crude) prevalence of raised blood pressure among persons aged 18-84 years	Baseline (PHS 2014/15): 17.8 per cent Latest (PHS 2020-22): 15.0 per cent
(7) Halt the rise in diabetes and obesity	Age-standardised (and crude) prevalence of raised blood glucose/diabetes among persons aged 18-84 years	Baseline (PHS 2014/15): 3.9 per cent Latest (PHS 2020-22): 4.6 per cent
	Detection rate of overweight and obesity in primary and secondary students (based on local definition)	Baseline (2010/11): 20.3 per cent (Overall) Latest (2024/25): 17.5 per cent (Overall)
	Age-standardised (and crude) prevalence of overweight and obesity in persons aged 18-84 years (based on local classification)	Baseline (PHS 2014/15): 47.0 per cent Latest (PHS 2020-22): 51.3 per cent
(8) Prevent heart attacks and strokes through drug therapy and counselling	No quantifiable indicators	Not applicable
(9) Improve availability of affordable basic technologies and essential medicines to treat major NCDs	No quantifiable indicators	Not applicable

 
The DH is currently conducting the PHS 2025/26. Upon completion of the survey by the end of 2026, the DH will then make use of the data to review the targets and effectiveness of the 2018 SAP.

(2) & (3) The DH announced the Action Plan in March this year. The Action Plan will be implemented progressively, with each year focusing on a distinct theme, including “Raise Awareness”, “Positive Changes” and “Maintenance”, comprehensively driving weight management. The first year focuses on “Raise Awareness”. As such, the DH launched the Weight Management Compass, using Body Mass Index (BMI) (Note 2) as a screening indicator and reminds members of the public to measure their waist circumference to identify central obesity.
 
Commonly used indicators for the assessment of obesity and central obesity include BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, along with other assessment means including Body Roundness Index (BRI) (Note 3). Among these, BMI is the most widely used and it requires only height and weight for calculation. Statistics show that an increase in BMI is significantly associated with the risk of non-communicable diseases; the higher the value, the greater the risk. For example, the WHO and international expert organisations have established reference values for Asian adults for BMI and waist circumference respectively. Adults with a BMI between 23 and less than 25 are considered overweight, while those with a BMI of 25 or above are considered obese. For waist circumference, central obesity is defined as 90cm or above for male and 80cm or above for female. As for the relatively new BRI, the WHO has not yet established BRI-based reference values for Asians. Moreover, its calculation is relatively complex, which may make it difficult for the general public to easily understand or employ it.

Given their practicality, ease of use and effectiveness in empowering citizens to manage their weight independently, and that the WHO has established clear cut-off reference values, the DH will use BMI together with waist circumference as the main entry points to support citizens in understanding their weight condition and raising their awareness of weight management. Members of the public and healthcare personnel only need a weight measuring equipment and a measuring tape, followed by relatively easy calculations, to make a preliminary and scientific assessment on the risk of obesity and take appropriate actions. 

In addition, the DH all along promotes healthy eating principles. For healthy individuals in general, daily energy requirements vary from person to person, primarily depending on age, gender and activity level. When energy intake exceeds expenditure, the excess calories are stored as fat, leading to weight gain. To effectively control weight over the long term, the keys are a balanced diet, increased physical activity, reduced sedentary time, maintaining a balance between food intake and physical activity, as well as regular weight monitoring. In view of the importance of a balanced diet, the DH recommends preventing overweight/obesity by maintaining a balance between calorie intake and expenditure. Measures include reducing the consumption of high-fat and high-sugar foods; increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains; choosing lean meats and low-fat dairy products; adopting low-fat cooking methods; and limiting high-fat sauces and sugary beverages, together with regular physical activity, to control weight.

In accordance with the Action Plan, the DH will continue to build a supportive environment through cross-sectoral and whole-of-society collaboration, actively promoting to citizens on and helping them make healthy dietary choices. The Action Plan is widely publicised via multimedia channels including TV, radio, newspapers, social media, NCD publications, as well as through local professional bodies, collaborating partners and Working Group member platforms, with a view to enhances citizens’ awareness of weight management and healthy eating.

(4) The Nutrition Labelling Scheme in Hong Kong aims at assisting consumers to make informed food choices, encouraging food manufacturers to supply food in compliance with nutrition standard and regulating misleading or deceptive labels and claims.
 
The Centre for Food Safety has been promoting nutrition labels through a variety of channels, including websites, publications, pamphlets, posters and social media, with a view to enhancing public understanding from various perspectives, such that consumers could make good use of the information on the nutrition labels to make informed food choices.

(5) The Government amended the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations (Cap. 132AF) in 2021. The amendments include strengthening the regulation of industrially-produced trans fats. Specifically, partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) (the primary source of industrially produced trans fatty acids) are designated as prohibited substances in food.The import of any edible oils and fats containing PHO is banned, and the sale of any food containing PHO is also prohibited. The above requirements have been in effect since December 1, 2023. In addition, the Government has all along been making reference to the measures taken by different regions in promoting healthy eating, and has noted that different local and overseas stakeholders have different views on the effectiveness of introducing tax measures to achieve the goal of reducing public’s sugar intake from food.
 
Note 1: Nine targets to be achieved by 2025 include (1) A 25 per cent relative reduction in risk of premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory diseases; (2) At least a 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of binge drinking and harmful use of alcohol (harmful drinking/alcohol dependence) among adults and in the prevalence of drinking among youth; (3) A 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adolescents and adults; (4) A 30 per cent relative reduction in mean population daily intake of salt/sodium; (5) A 30 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of current tobacco use in persons aged 15+ years; (6) Contain the prevalence of raised blood pressure; (7) Halt the rise in diabetes and obesity; (8) Prevent heart attacks and strokes through drug therapy and counselling; and (9) Improve availability of affordable basic technologies and essential medicines to treat major NCDs.
 
Note 2: The formula for calculating BMI is: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ [height (m) × height (m)]
 
Note 3: The BRI assesses body roundness through waist circumference and height, thereby predicting visceral fat accumulation and the associated cardiovascular and metabolic health risks. The standard formula for calculating BRI is: BRI = 364.2 − 365.5 × √[1 − (waist circumference (cm) / 2π)² / (0.5 × height (cm))²]

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region