Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
“Shoreline Management Guideline for Coastal Development” to mitigate impacts of storm surges and overtopping waves
The CEDD completed the Study on Shoreline Management Plan in 2024. The study provides guidance on planning and implementing urban coastal development and protection, as well as the formulation of long-term strategies and preventive measures to enhance the resilience of the Government and stakeholders against climate change. Based on the study’s findings and recommendations, the CEDD developed the Guideline, which outlines an integrated strategy of adaptation, resilience, and management to establish multilayered protection:
The Guideline covers risk-based planning and design principles and procedures, as well as options and examples of protective measures. It serves as a practical guide for stakeholders with businesses operations in coastal or waterfront areas, assisting them in implementing relevant protective measures.
The CEDD has also produced a brochure titled “Let’s Build a Resilient Coast”, which introduces the integrated strategy of adaptation, resilience, and management, as well as multilayered protection measures, while providing recommendations on architectural design and pre-typhoon preparations.
Relevant information has been uploaded to the following webpages:Issued at HKT 17:00
NNNN
Over 2 700 quality job vacancies to be offered at “Embarking on a New Journey” Industry-based Job Fair
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Labour Department (LD) will hold the “Embarking on a New Journey” Industry-based Job Fair at MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on May 12 and 13, providing a large number of vacancies from catering, retail, construction, hotel and other industries for job seekers.
Over 60 organisations will participate in the two-day job fair, offering over 2 700 quality job vacancies from various industries, among which more than 2 500 are from the catering, retail, construction and hotel industries. Around 30 organisations will set up booths and conduct recruitment on the spot each day. A wide variety of positions will be offered at the job fair, including duty engineer, marketing development assistant, electrician, safety supervisor, assistant maintenance officer, assistant administration officer, quality assurance inspector, shop supervisor, cook, warehouse keeper, bartender, room attendant, guest services officer, security guard, cleaner and cashier. Job seekers can visit the LD’s Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk) for details of the vacancies.
Around 79 per cent of the vacancies offered at the job fair are full-time jobs. Most vacancies offer monthly salaries ranging from $13,000 to $24,000. About 95 per cent of the vacancies require a Secondary Seven education level or below. Around 54 per cent are open to job seekers without relevant work experience.
Job seekers can submit job applications during the event and may be selected for on-the-spot interviews. They can also make enquiries about the employment services provided by the LD at its counter inside the venue.
The job fair will be held on May 12 and 13 from 11am to 5.30pm at 1/F, MacPherson Stadium, 38 Nelson Street, Mong Kok (near Mong Kok MTR Station Exit E2). Admission is free, with final admissions at 5pm each day.
LegCo to consider Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LegCo to consider Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (May 13) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
On Government motion, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a proposed resolution under the Loans Ordinance. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 1.
On Members’ motions, Mr Andrew Yao will move a motion on “Comprehensively enhancing the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international shipping centre”. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Ms Julia Lau will move an amendment to Mr Yao’s motion.
Mr Hung Kam-in will move a motion on “Promoting the development of Hong Kong’s silver economy to align with national strategies”. The motion is set out in Appendix 3. Ms Julia Lau will move an amendment to Mr Hung’s motion.
Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting is available on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hkIssued at HKT 17:32
NNNN
Government invites public views on outline of its combined fourth and fifth UNCRPD reports
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government invites public views on outline of its combined fourth and fifth UNCRPD reports
The UNCRPD entered into force for the PRC, including the HKSAR, on August 31, 2008. The purpose of the UNCRPD is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
In accordance with Article 35 of the UNCRPD, each State Party shall periodically submit reports on the measures taken to discharge its obligations under the UNCRPD for consideration by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Committee). The HKSAR Government submitted its combined second and third reports on the implementation of the UNCRPD in 2018, which were subsequently incorporated into the combined second and third reports submitted by the country to the United Nations, and the reports were considered by the Committee in 2022.
A spokesman for the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) said, “We will report the specific situations on the implementation of the UNCRPD in the HKSAR since the previous reports. We will also respond in the reports to the concerns raised and recommendations made by the Committee in its Concluding Observations published after the hearings held in 2022.”
The public consultation period commences today and will end on June 30. The LWB and the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee will cohost public consultation sessions during the consultation period for all members of the public to express their views. Details of the public consultation sessions and the registration arrangements have been published on the LWB’s website (https://www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/UNCRPD/index.html
“We shall summarise comments received during the consultation period and relay them to the relevant Government bureaux and departments for consideration in preparing the combined fourth and fifth UNCRPD reports,” the spokesman said.
The proposed outline of the combined fourth and fifth reports under the UNCRPD is available on the LWB’s website (https://www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/UNCRPD/Publications/Public%20consultation%20paper_Eng.pdf
For enquiries, please contact the LWB by fax (2543 0486) or email (uncrpd_consultation@lwb.gov.hkIssued at HKT 17:34
NNNN
Chai Wan Maternal and Child Health Centre suspends service due to burst water pipe
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Chai Wan Maternal and Child Health Centre suspends service due to burst water pipe
The Chai Wan MCHC, located on Level 2 of the Government Office at Block 6, New Jade Garden, Chai Wan, normally operates on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The DH will work closely with relevant departments to ensure that repairs are completed and that the Chai Wan MCHC reopens as soon as possible.
Issued at HKT 18:30
NNNN
Labour Department to hold webinar on Minimum Wage Ordinance
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Labour Department will hold a webinar on the Minimum Wage Ordinance on June 12 (Friday) at 3pm. Enrolment is now open.
The main provisions of the Minimum Wage Ordinance, including the new Statutory Minimum Wage rate of $43.1 per hour effective from May 1, and the annual review mechanism of the Statutory Minimum Wage will be introduced in the webinar. Employers, employees and human resource practitioners are welcome to attend.
The webinar will be conducted in Cantonese, and participation is free. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and the enrolment deadline is May 28 (Thursday). The enrolment form can be downloaded from the Labour Department’s website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/MWOwebinar2026.htm). For enquiries, please call 2852 3861.
CS congratulates exchange youths
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki and Under Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Clarence Leung were in Ruijin, Jiangxi today to attend a launch ceremony for the Long March exchange, which involves youths from Hong Kong and Macau.
Mr Chan stated that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has always attached great importance to patriotic education.
He said: “In particular, we actively encourage young people to participate in exchange activities on the Mainland to fully understand the country’s history, culture and latest achievements.
“The Long March holds great significance in the nation’s development history. We hope that young people can gain an in-depth understanding of its history, learn from its spirit of perseverance and solidarity, and grow into a new generation with an affection for the country and for Hong Kong that is equipped with global perspectives. They should seize the immense opportunities arising from our country’s new journey and proactively integrate into and contribute to the overall national development.”
In Ruijin, Mr Chan and Mr Leung also visited the Yeping Revolutionary Sites and the Central Revolutionary Base Area History Museum. These landmarks bear witness to the dedication and sacrifices of the country’s revolutionary forebears.
Mr Chan expressed a wish to strengthen co-operation with Jiangxi in the area of patriotic education and to arrange further exchange activities that allow young people from Hong Kong to visit historical sites, thereby strengthening their identification with Chinese culture and cultivating their sense of national identity.
About 120 youths from Hong Kong and Macau, along with Mainland youths, visited Ganzhou, Jiangxi, from May 8 to 11. They toured memorial museums and historical sites related to the Long March, and visited local research institutes, enterprises and heritage sites.
Mr Chan was due to depart for Hong Kong this afternoon.
President Lai and President Peña of Paraguay visit Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau and NCHC Cloud Compute Center
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
President Lai and President Peña of Paraguay visit Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau and NCHC Cloud Compute Center
On the morning of May 9, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by President Santiago Peña Palacios of the Republic of Paraguay, visited the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) Bureau of the National Science and Technology Council and National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) Cloud Compute Center in Tainan. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan will share its experience in technological development, park governance, and industrial upgrading with Paraguay, making the deep friendship between the two countries an important force in driving prosperity in the lives of both peoples.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Yesterday, I met with President Peña at the Presidential Office and mentioned that Taiwan would work hand in hand with Paraguay to engage with the world together. With today’s visit to the STSP, we are putting that promise into practice.
The STSP is an important base for Taiwan’s technology industry and a key hub for the development of the semiconductor and AI industries. Taiwan will share its experience in technological development, park governance, and industrial upgrading with Paraguay, making the deep friendship between the two countries an important force in driving prosperity in the lives of our peoples.
As a former mayor of Tainan, I warmly welcome President Peña, government officials, and all distinguished guests to Tainan and wish them a fruitful and successful visit.
President Peña then delivered remarks, saying he is deeply honored to represent the Paraguayan delegation. He thanked the Taiwanese government for arranging the visit, providing the delegation with the opportunity to witness firsthand Taiwan’s achievements in high-tech and semiconductors. He said that forty years ago Taiwan sowed the seeds of technological development, which have now blossomed, making Taiwan a leading nation in the global high-tech and semiconductor industries.
President Peña stated that even though Taiwan and Paraguay are 19,000 kilometers apart and have different languages and cultures, the two countries share a common vision for development. He noted that Paraguay possesses abundant natural resources and significant capacity for production of raw materials. At the same time, he said, Paraguay understands that to achieve its goal of long-term national prosperity and development, it must establish a strong presence in academia, innovation, and the high-tech industry. Thus, he stated, Paraguay is actively promoting the development of its high-tech industries and aiming to become an important strategic partner for Taiwan.
President Peña said that the visit is very inspiring and that it provides a deeper understanding of how Taiwan integrates the efforts of government, industry, and academia to jointly promote the development of high-tech industries. He further added that these experiences will be an important reference for Paraguay in formulating its own science and technology policies.
After remarks, President Lai and President Peña heard a briefing from the STSP Bureau. Accompanied by Tsai Hung-yin (蔡宏營), president of the National Institutes of Applied Research, they also heard a briefing by Chang Chau-lyan (張朝亮), director general of the NCHC, on Taiwan’s vision for the development of computing power. The visit also included a trip to the NCHC Cloud Compute Center.
Also in attendance were Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, Minister of Industry and Commerce Marco Riquelme, Chief of Staff of the Presidency Francisco Javier Giménez, and Ambassador Darío Filártiga Ruiz Díaz.
Carbon Tax-Liable Companies Can Carry Forward Unutilised Carbon Credits Offset Quota For Emissions Year 2025
Source: Government of Singapore
JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN NEA AND MSE
11 May 2026 – Companies liable to pay carbon tax will be allowed to roll over any unutilised International Carbon Credit (ICC) offset quota from emissions year 2025 to emissions year 2026.
2 Under Singapore’s ICC Framework, companies can use eligible, high-quality ICCs to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions each year. This provides carbon tax-liable companies with an alternative way to meet part of their carbon tax obligations, while supporting the development of high-integrity international carbon markets.
3 To date, the Government has signed 11 Implementation Agreements and launched application calls for carbon credit projects in Bhutan, Ghana, Peru, Rwanda, and Thailand. The calls were launched from late 2025 to early 2026. As carbon credit projects typically take a few years to generate credits, supply will take time to build up. Recent global developments — including a stronger industry focus on carbon credit integrity and evolving international carbon market rules — have also delayed the overall supply of eligible credits.
4 To address the lack of eligible ICCs available today, the Government will allow companies to carry forward their unutilised 5% offset quota from emissions year 2025 to emissions year 2026. This one-year rollover is intended as a transitional measure to give more time for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to mature, and for more ICCs to become available.
5 As the carbon tax rate will be raised to $45 per tonne in emissions year 2026, a credit conversion formula will be applied to adjust the 2025 offset amount to be carried over to 2026. Companies should note that ICC offset quota carried over from emissions year 2024 to emissions year 2025 will expire and cannot be carried forward further. Please refer to the Annex for more details on the emissions year 2025 roll over.
6 The Government remains committed to supporting the development of a high-quality international carbon market and will continue working with its Implementation Agreement partners to expand the pipeline of eligible credits.
Annex_Roll over of Unutilised ICC Offset Quota for Emissions Year 2025
~~ End ~~
For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.
HK to be health innovation hub: CE
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Chief Executive John Lee
Good morning. It is a pleasure to join you, once again, for the opening of the Asia Summit on Global Health, the sixth edition.
You represent the full spectrum of the global health community. That includes medical professionals and government officials, also representatives of multinational pharmaceutical and health-tech enterprises, investors and entrepreneurs.
Your presence here in Hong Kong underscores a simple but powerful truth: in an age of complex health challenges, progress is powered by collaboration.
This summit makes collaboration easy, with more than 90 high-profile speakers from 15 countries and regions. They include Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry Prof Michael Levitt, who will speak at the Dialogue with Global Pioneer in Health session. And count on the latest medical developments and research, together with wide-ranging opportunities for networking and creative partnerships that make all the difference.
Your expertise and contributions are desperately needed. Today’s world grapples with profound health challenges, with new threats continually emerging. We also face the pressing realities of ageing populations. There is the silent crisis of antimicrobial resistance. And there are persistent inequities in healthcare access – both regional and global.
That makes the theme of this year’s summit, “Fuelling Healthcare Breakthroughs”, particularly relevant. The two-day programme highlights three key areas:
First, China opportunities in aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan’s health priorities. This includes innovative drug access, modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine, silver health, and the outbound expansion of Chinese pharmaceutical companies.
Second, frontier technologies. The programme covers global healthcare trends, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health, medical robotics and devices, and gene and cell therapies.
Third, health innovation and investment trends. You will see pitching sessions for startups. You will also find deal-making sessions that connect projects with capital.
Clinical collaboration with the Mainland
Let me now outline how Hong Kong, under the “one country, two systems” principle, is investing in healthcare and, in doing so, investing in the future of our people and our economy.
Our status as a leading hub for scientific innovation is unrivalled in Asia. And our strengths are magnified by our core position in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. That is the cluster city development integrating 11 dynamic cities in southern China. It boasts a collective economy that rivals that of the world’s 10th-largest nation.
In pursuit of medical innovation, Hong Kong complements the strategies set out in the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The plan optimises an evaluation and approval mechanism for innovative drugs and supports their clinical application. The goal is to develop Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub.
Central to this ambition is the rapid expansion of our clinical trial capabilities, the vital engine that drives biomedical research and development (R&D) from the laboratory to the bedside.
That is anchored by the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute. It is wholly government-owned and operated by the University of Hong Kong’s medical faculty. It is located in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.
The institute operates alongside its Shenzhen counterpart under an integrated “one institute, one centre” model. Together, they draw on the Greater Bay Area’s combined population of more than 87 million, co-ordinating multi-centre, cross-boundary clinical trials. These trials meet both national and international standards.
By streamlining cross-boundary trials, the institute serves as a one-stop agency for medical R&D institutions worldwide. It accelerates the delivery of life-changing medical technologies to patients.
Last December, we launched the Greater Bay Area Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform. We also set up the Real-World Study & Application Centre. Both deepen our co-operation with Mainland partners.
The collaboration platform offers expert consultation on medicine, statistics, regulatory affairs and ethics. The application centre uses Hong Kong’s medical data advantages to generate real-world evidence. This supports drug and device registration in Hong Kong and on the Mainland.
Drug and medical device regulation
We are also enhancing our drug and medical device regulatory regime. Our “1+” mechanism for new drugs’ registration expedites patient access to life-saving therapies.
It allows new drugs to be registered in Hong Kong after approval from just one recognised reference authority – instead of the traditional two. Supporting local clinical data is required, of course.
This year is transformative for our regulatory landscape. In March, we began the phased implementation of “primary evaluation” for new drugs registration. That marks a milestone in our transition to a fully independent drug evaluation framework. We aim for full implementation by 2030.
I am also pleased to announce that the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation will be established by year’s end. That will put Hong Kong on the map as a trusted hub for regulatory excellence.
Innovation research
InnoHK, our flagship innovation and technology initiative, was launched to develop Hong Kong into a global research collaboration hub. And to date, two InnoHK research clusters have collaborated with more than 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes from 12 economies.
They pool more than 3,000 researchers worldwide. Sixteen of the research centres focus on healthcare-related technologies – biomedicine, chemistry, engineering and AI.
We are also establishing the Life & Health Technology Research Institute. It will be located at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, with three branches to be established by local universities. We expect to complete the preparatory work this year.
We are strengthening the bridge between laboratories and the market through the Research, Academic & Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, with funding of HK$10 billion, which is US$1.3 billion, allowing money to channel more support to local university research teams. We are focused on those with good potential to become successful startups, commercialising their R&D outcomes.
Health tech downstream industry
Downstream industry is central to supporting a thriving life and health technology sector. That is why we have launched the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme, also with funding of HK$10 billion; that is US$1.3 billion.
It helps companies in life and health technology and other strategic fields to establish high-end smart production facilities in Hong Kong. To date, we have supported two enterprises focusing on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, with a total project cost of over US$120 million.
Another HK$10 billion, or US$1.3 billion, the Innovation & Technology Industry-Oriented Fund, will also be launched this year. It will encourage market capital to invest in five thematic areas, life and health technology among them.
We have long supported the University Grants Committee’s eight funded universities. They carry out academic research in wide-ranging disciplines, including health and medicine. In the 2025-26 academic year, more than 200 research projects in medicine and biology received government support. Total funding exceeded US$32 million.
We are also nurturing PhD and postdoctoral talent. Publicly funded research postgraduate places grew from about 5,600 to 7,200 in two years, up to 2024-25; the increase is 28%. Places under the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme also rose by a third.
Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong is committed to medical innovation. We have established vital infrastructure and productive policies. We have also created a dynamic network that turns research into tangible solutions.
True innovation requires deep collaboration and strategic partnerships that span the world and every sector of our industry. Through your interactions over the next two days, we may begin to unlock the next great breakthroughs in medicine and biotechnology.
Chief Executive John Lee gave these remarks at the Asia Summit on Global Health on May 11.