Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government reappoints Executive Director of Urban Renewal Authority The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, “Mr Wilfred Au possesses rich professional expertise and experience and is well versed in the URA’s overall operation. In the past three years, Mr Au has played a pivotal role in formulating the framework and implementation details of the URA’s policies, especially in pushing forward urban redevelopment projects, as well as the ongoing review of the URA’s financing and operating model. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with Mr Au to tackle the challenges of urban renewal.”
Mr Au is an architect by profession. He was appointed Executive Director of the URA and took up the post of Executive Director (Commercial) in July 2023. Mr Au supports the URA’s Managing Director in formulating and implementing policies and initiatives on matters relating to planning and design, property and land, and business strategy. Issued at HKT 14:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
EMSD announces latest sampling results for legionella at fresh water cooling towers The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella. Issued at HKT 12:30
Regarding the continued concerns over the transparency and accountability of charitable organisations in society, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of tax-exempt charitable organisations, as well as institutions newly exempted and those whose exemption status had been withdrawn under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) in each of the past five financial years; among cases whose exemption status was withdrawn, of the major reasons involved (e.g. incompatible with the charitable purpose, cessation of operation, accounting issues) and, among which, the number of institutions whose exemption status has been withdrawn due to failure to pass the regular reviews;
(2) other than the Tax Guide for Charitable Institutions and Trusts of a Public Character currently published on the website of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), whether the IRD has compiled a separate and more detailed internal reference document and consolidated the principles for determining “charitable nature” and “public interests” as illustrated in the relevant case laws; if it has, whether it will consider further consolidating the relevant principles into more detailed administrative guidelines or practical explanations and make them available to the public, so that applicant institutions and members of the public may have a clearer understanding of the relevant criteria;
(3) given that the Law Reform Commission (LRC) pointed out in its Report on Charities published in December 2013 that solely relying on case law rather than a clear statutory definition of what constitutes “charitable purpose” might affect the clarity of the law, has the IRD encountered any questions of interpretation arising from different case laws during its regular reviews of exempted institutions; if it has, how it will follow up and address the issues;
(4) given that it has been more than 12 years since the LRC Report on Charities was published, and upon gaining experience from the implementation of the existing administrative measures, has the Government conducted any internal discussion or preliminary studies regarding the “charity commission” proposed by the said Report; whether it will consider consulting stakeholders on the pros and cons of different modes of regulation for charitable organisations in due course, with a view to exploring the feasibility of improving the frameworks of the relevant legislation in the long run;
(5) given that the Audit Commission pointed out in paragraph 1.4 of its Report No. 68 published in April 2017 that the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) have respectively regulated different types of charitable fundraising activities held in public places, and that paragraph 5.7 of the said Report pointed out that the SWD and the HAD have imposed audit and submission conditions on the accounts of fundraising activities, while the FEHD has merely imposed similar requirements on institutions which are granted a relatively large number of licences each year, whether the authorities will study and gradually standardise the relevant regulatory standards, including requiring all charitable fundraising activities involving public places to submit audited accounts, and formulating clearer disclosure requirements regarding the use of donations and fundraising expenses; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(6) to further enhance transparency and public monitoring, whether the authorities will establish an inter-departmental central information platform for charitable organisations and consolidate information such as basic data, exemption status, licences and audited accounts of such organisations which are currently scattered across various departments, so as to facilitate public access; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply: In consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, and the Labour and Welfare Bureau, I, on behalf of the Government, now give a reply to the various parts of the question raised by Professor the Hon Alex Fan as follows:
(1) Charities are exempted from tax if they meet the conditions stipulated in section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) (IRO), i.e. (i) the profits are applied solely for charitable purposes; (ii) the profits are not expended substantially outside Hong Kong; and (iii) either the trade or business is exercised in the course of the actual carrying out of the expressed objects of the charity, or the work in connection with the trade or business is mainly carried on by persons for whose benefit the charity is established.
In the past five financial years, the total number of tax-exempt charities, as well as charities newly exempted from paying tax and those with tax exemption status withdrawn by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) are set out below:
Financial year (as at March 31) In the past five financial years, the number of charities with tax exemption status withdrawn by the IRD and the reasons for withdrawals are as follows:
Financial year (as at March 31)Dissolved or wound upCeased operation or became dormantNo response to the IRD’s enquiries or untraceableNo longer qualified for the status of a charitable institution or trust of a public character The IRD does not maintain breakdown on the number of charities with tax exemption status withdrawn for failing regular reviews.
(2) and (3) In processing applications for tax exemption under section 88 of the IRO, the IRD has been making reference to the relevant common law cases to determine whether the applicant is a charity at law, and whether the organisation is established for public benefit. The IRD regularly reviews the tax-exempt charities to ascertain whether their objects are still of charitable nature and whether the activities are compatible with their stated objects. Each case is considered on its own merits, having regard to the facts and circumstance of the particular case. The IRD will also update the Tax Guide for Charitable Institutions and Trusts of a Public Character from time to time to provide clear guidance to the applicants and the public.
The IRD has not encountered interpretation issues arising from applying the relevant common law cases when conducting regular reviews of tax-exempt charities. As regards the suggestion to establish a charity commission, the LRC stated in its final report that the public consultation conducted in 2011 reflected that there was clearly no broad consensus across the community on whether such a commission should be established in future. Taking into account the polarised views and concerns expressed by the public and stakeholders during the consultation period, the LRC ultimately recommended that a charity commission should not be established at that time. On the other hand, since the legislation and monitoring in relation to charitable organisations involve different bureaux and departments, and that the establishment of a dedicated department or organisation as the regulator of charitable organisations would have significant implications on the definition and operation of charitable organisations in Hong Kong, the Government needs to examine the recommendation thoroughly and carefully, and will continue to keep under review its suitability and implementation timing. (6) To enhance the transparency of information provided by the charitable organisations and to facilitate public access, the Government has, since 2018, strengthened the consolidation of information held by various departments in relation to charitable fund-raising activities and uploaded it onto the dedicated fund-raising activities page on GovHK. Apart from enabling the public to inspect the audited accounts submitted by organisations which obtained approval to organise charitable fund-raising activities, the webpage also allows public access to information on different types of approved fund-raising activities. It also contains the Good Practice Guide and practical information provided by various departments for organisations intending to conduct charitable activities to draw reference. Issued at HKT 14:22
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ17: Promoting energy saving and carbon reduction in government departments and public organisations Question:
The National 15th Five-Year Plan proposes to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and establishes the “dual carbon” targets of achieving carbon peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. The HKSAR Government has likewise taken forward four major decarbonisation strategies under Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050, namely “net-zero electricity generation”, “energy saving and green buildings”, “green transport” and “waste reduction”, to align with the national direction. Furthermore, the Government has amended the Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance to include public facilities under the mandatory energy audits conducted once every five years, and has promulgated the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong to launch local trial projects on hydrogen as fuel. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: President,
To align with the national “dual carbon” targets, the Government strives to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and reduce the total carbon emissions from the 2005 level by half before 2035. In addition to formulating territory-wide policies, the Government has adopted a “whole-government” approach to managing the operation of government departments and has taken forward various measures in our bid to achieve decarbonisation.
In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), our reply to the question raised by the Hon Hung Kam-in is as follows: Besides, in response to the long-term goal of carbon neutrality set out by the Government under the Hong Kong Climate Action Plan 2050, a number of public organisations (such as the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Authority), tertiary institutes, and secondary and primary schools have also increased the use of RE at their respective premises.
(2) To assist government bureaux and departments (B&Ds) in setting emission reduction targets and implementing emission reduction measures in a more scientific way, the Government promulgated in 2017 the “Carbon Management in Government Buildings” circular which requires all major government buildings to undergo regular carbon audits, the results of which should be disclosed to the public through the publication of annual environmental performance reports or other means. B&Ds will follow up on the implementation of practicable carbon reduction measures based on the recommendations in the carbon audit reports. Owing to the differences in the nature and operating conditions of various B&Ds, it would be difficult to formulate a one-size-fits-all decarbonisation solution and target that are applicable to all departments. We will actively explore the application of hydrogen gensets at government construction sites. As for the its application as backup power supplies in suitable government buildings and hospitals, the feasibility will be further studied subject to the results of further safety assessments and actual operational needs. The Government will continue to uphold the principle of advancing with prudence, and review the effectiveness of the trial projects through the Inter-departmental Working Group. Taking into account technological maturity and economic viability, we will formulate the next development blueprint in due course, and make good use of existing resources and relevant funds to support suitable applications as well as research and development projects, thereby promoting the development of hydrogen energy in Hong Kong.
Besides, hydrogen vehicles offer the advantages of electric vehicles, such as zero emission and minimal noise pollution, while also providing higher energy capacity and longer driving range. However, relevant technologies are still under trials or at an early stage of development, hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) vehicles have no competitive edge for small-and-medium sized and short-to-medium ranged vehicles at this moment. Therefore, the Government is currently focusing on promoting electric vehicles, which have more mature technologies and supporting infrastructure, to drive the green transformation of vehicles in Hong Kong. At the same time, the Government will also support trials of hydrogen vehicles. As Hong Kong is a compact city, the daily travel distance of most of the vehicles is relatively short. It would be more appropriate for Hong Kong to focus on exploring the development of hydrogen heavy vehicles and hydrogen cross-boundary vehicles.
At present, three HFC street washing vehicles operated by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department under the Government fleet are undergoing operational trials. The Government will collect data and gather experience of the three HFC street washing vehicles and review the operation of other HFC vehicle trial projects to further assess the future plan for the promotion of hydrogen vehicles and the arrangement for resource allocation.
In addition, the Marine Department (MD) has launched the first pilot project for methanol-powered vessels under the Government fleet, involving the building of two methanol-powered vessels for the MD. The vessels are expected to enter into service in 2029.
(5) To promote the trials of HFC heavy vehicles, the Government launched a funding scheme under the New Energy Transport Fund (the NET Fund) in December 2024 and earmarked HK$100 million in the first phase to provide funding support for local companies for the procurement of HFC heavy vehicles, establishment of hydrogen refilling facilities and hydrogen fuel expenses during the trial period.Issued at HKT 12:45
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (July 8) welcomed the signing of the first works contract and a second-phase Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and a consortium of French companies, marking a progressive step that translates the low-carbon retrofit partnership commenced in September 2025 into concrete action.
Signed by HKUST, Schneider Electric and Veolia, the works contract sets a retrofit pilot in motion at the Lee Shau Kee Business Building on the HKUST campus. It adopts a groundbreaking Energy Performance Contract (EPC) model, under which both French companies finance the upfront investment, to be recovered over a 15-year term through verified energy savings, while HKUST bears no construction or equipment costs. At its heart is an AI-powered system that senses real-time classroom occupancy and adjusts the cooling mechanism automatically, keeping users comfortable while cutting wasted energy. The project is expected to be completed within 24 months.
As well, HKUST, Bouygues-Dragages and Veolia signed the second-phase MOU that aims to extend the collaboration beyond the initial building to student residences and other campus blocks. It will also explore innovative financing mechanisms to support the broader retrofitting across Hong Kong. Together, these two agreements move the partnership toward a scalable, data-oriented, and market-driven model for decarbonising the city’s built environment.
These latest initiatives build upon the publication of the Team France Green Paper by a coalition of French diplomatic, trade, and commercial entities in Hong Kong back in April 2024 – collectively known as Team France – dedicated to accelerating the city’s path to carbon neutrality by 2050. Supported by the strategic advisory of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau and the facilitation of InvestHK, this groundwork led to a pilot retrofit partnership with HKUST in 2025.
Officiating the signings, the Consul-General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Ms Christile Drulhe, said, “After the signing of the first-phase MOU last year, I am delighted to see HKUST and our partners in Team France press ahead and turn ambition into action through this pioneering project. By leveraging the HKUST campus as a pilot to drastically reduce energy consumption and French investment as a test case of public-private partnership, this initiative powerfully demonstrates how French innovation and Hong Kong excellence can accelerate the low-carbon transformation of our built environment.”
The Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “Carbon neutrality is crucial to communities and businesses alike, while offers immense business opportunities. This collaboration highlights how world-class European green technology aligns with Hong Kong’s targeted green ambitions. In this groundbreaking pilot, we do not just facilitate investment but also help build an addressable sustainability market that connects government, industry, academia, research and investment.”
Acting President of HKUST, Professor Tam Kar-yan, said, “Our partnership with Team France began in 2025 with an MOU to explore opportunities in building decarbonisation and retrofitting. That MOU laid a strong foundation for what we formalise today: a performance-based model defined by measurable outcomes and clear accountability under this EPC. We are moving from intention to implementation, and through a second-phase MOU with Team France, expanding collaboration to the broader retrofit initiative, reflecting HKUST’s enduring commitment to decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and a net-zero future.”
Given that over 90 per cent of Hong Kong’s existing buildings are expected to still be standing in 2050, the retrofit sector offers substantial opportunities for European and international companies to invest, innovate, and grow, while contributing to the high-quality development of the city.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the LEAP East 2026 Opening Ceremony today (July 8):
Your Excellency Minister Alswaha (Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia, Mr Abdullah Alswaha), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning, and welcome to Hong Kong.
I am delighted that this very first LEAP conference held outside Saudi Arabia is in Hong Kong. We are honoured that you have chosen us as your partner for this new chapter. With some 35 000 participants from over 30 countries and territories, this turnout speaks volumes about the global appeal of LEAP East and the strength of our shared vision.
This conference builds on the deepening ties between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong across finance, technology, infrastructure and trade, forged through frequent high-level interaction and visits by senior officials and business delegations. My sincere thanks to Minister Alswaha and his team, both for their leadership and for making the journey to Hong Kong. While you are here, I hope you will find time to enjoy the very best of our hospitality.
Today, I would like to focus my remarks on two questions: why Hong Kong is an ideal base for innovation; and how Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia – and the wider Middle East region – can seize the opportunities before us, together.
Hong Kong’s value proposition
Hong Kong is perhaps the only city in the world that connects seamlessly to both the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world at the same time. Working under the common law system, we have robust protection for intellectual property. As a free port, capital, goods, talent and data freely flow in and out of this city. Simple, low tax is a standing feature of our regime. And we are one of the safest, most stable cities anywhere in the world. These are the foundations on which businesses, talent and creativity thrive.
We have built a burgeoning innovation and technology ecosystem, with a growing pipeline of promising start-ups and future unicorns. With strong support under the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is fast emerging as a leading international innovation hub. The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry will share more shortly, so allow me to set out the bigger picture – how we support innovation, anchored in three key strategies.
First: “Finance+” and vibrant capital markets
Innovation needs capital, and Hong Kong is where capital and ideas meet. This is the heart of our “Finance+” strategy – using finance as a powerful enabler to drive the real economy.
Our capital markets are growing not only in scale, but also in breadth and depth. Hong Kong topped the world in IPO (initial public offering) in 2025, with 119 listings raising some US$35 billion, including many world tech champions. This year, the momentum is even more promising. We are a destination of choice for emerging Chinese and international technology companies to raise funds for global expansion. This is a genuine win-win: Companies can tap our active markets to fuel R&D and scale up at home and abroad, while investors gain direct access to the enormous upside of China’s innovation-led growth.
This is aided by our various “Connect” schemes, where international investors can access high-quality Mainland enterprises, while Mainland investors can invest in companies listed in Hong Kong.
Public markets, of course, are only part of our success story. Our venture capital and private equity ecosystem is managing over US$230 billion, second only to the Chinese Mainland in Asia.
And for frontier technologies that call for patient capital, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation – our Government’s investment flagship – has already invested in more than 200 projects, attracting over eight dollars of co-investment by international long-term capital for every dollar it invests. With an initial capital of around US$8 billion, and further injections planned later this year, it will continue to back companies looking to grow from Hong Kong into the international arena.
Fintech, in particular, is an important part of this strategy. In Hong Kong, we embrace digital assets because we see their potential to make transactions more efficient, more inclusive, and at lower costs. At the same time, we balance pro-innovation policies with regulation, keeping them within proper guardrails – so that the sector can grow with credibility, while investors and the public are protected.
Second: harnessing “AI+”
Parallel to our “Finance+” strategy is our focus on AI, which is a major engine of innovation. We have an AI+ vision: to develop AI as a strategic industry in its own right, while harnessing it as a powerful enabler across different sectors of the economy.
Hong Kong has everything it takes to build AI into a powerful industry – computing power, algorithms, data, application scenarios, talent and capital. Across every sector, from finance and industry to healthcare and education, AI is already being put to work. At the government level, we have established the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy, bringing together leaders from industry and academia to explore how AI can best transform our key sectors.
At the same time, we spare no efforts in nurturing talent and raising digital literacy through our AI Training for All initiative, because we believe our community must know how to work with AI – using it to create value, while staying alert to its potential risks.
Third: integrating technology, talent, education and industry
Our third strategy is to bring technology, education, talent and industry closely together, fostering a virtuous cycle in which one reinforces another.
The centrepiece here is the Northern Metropolis. Bordering Shenzhen, it will be home to multiple innovation and technology parks, including the Hetao area. Over there, people, goods, capital, data, and even biosamples will move efficiently across the border. It will create a truly unique cross-boundary innovation space, and an ideal base for international AI, biotech and other cutting-edge industries to conduct research, test the outcomes and deploy them at scale, hand in hand with Mainland partners.
In the western part of the Northern Metropolis, we are also developing a 1 000-hectare university town district, where leading universities, research institutes and enterprises will sit side by side, in a vibrant community where research outcomes can move quickly from the laboratory to the real world, and scale up.
Which brings me to the deepening collaboration within the cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). What makes the GBA so special is the way it weaves capital, innovation, higher education, talent and industry development into a single, integrated whole.
The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster ranks first in the world for innovation, and its supply chains are equally impressive. A robotic company in the GBA, for instance, can source almost every component it needs within half an hour’s drive. With Hong Kong’s international financial centre at its core, the GBA indeed offers something no other region can: the combined strengths of a global financial hub, an innovation powerhouse and an advanced manufacturing base – backed by an affluent population of 88 million, and a potential market of 2.1 billion across China and Southeast Asia.
Working with Saudi Arabia and the Middle East
Ladies and gentlemen, there is enormous potential for us – Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia – to do more together. Both of us are gateways to our respective regions, and our capital markets are already linked – through mutual listings of exchange-traded funds, a milestone I was privileged to witness two years ago.
We warmly welcome Saudi and Gulf enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s capital markets – through listings, bond issuance, asset management, or other partnerships. Let Hong Kong be your international fundraising and risk-management platform, connecting you with investors and markets across Asia and beyond.
Your ambitious transformation agenda, Vision 2030, inspires me on every visit. Hong Kong is precisely the gateway and platform where proven frontier technology and advanced manufacturing businesses from the region can settle in Saudi Arabia and expand across Europe and Africa. I plan to lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia again later this year, bringing leading companies in infrastructure, green tech, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, plus professionals in the finance, investment and professional services sector, to explore concrete projects that will advance your goals and deepen our partnership.
Closing
In the end, it all comes down to friendship and connection – between people, between ideas, between capital and opportunity. That is what LEAP is about: building those connections across regions and across cultures, on the basis of trust and friendship.
On that note, I wish this conference every success, and I am particularly delighted to note that this conference will continue to be held in Hong Kong in the coming three years. I am confident that the partnership between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia will be even stronger in the many years to come. Thank you very much.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Julia Lau and a reply by the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, in the Legislative Council today (July 8):
Question:
In early 2013, the Government announced the development of five pilot Community Green Stations in different parts of the territory, which were officially named GREEN@COMMUNITY in mid-2014, to promote environmental/green education and to enhance the collection network of recyclables. Currently, there are 12 Recycling Stations, 82 Recycling Stores and around 600 Recycling Spots, as well as over 100 sets of smart recycling bins, across the territory. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the Government’s annual provision for the GREEN@COMMUNITY project in each of the past three financial years; the actual operating expenditure, and the percentage of rental expenses therein; and
(2) given that in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on April 30 last year, the Government indicated that the Environmental Protection Department was reviewing the tender arrangements and requirements for GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities, for example, by introducing different types of operators for Recycling Stores to reduce costs through enhanced competition; relocating some Recycling Stores to suitable government facilities and making greater use of smart recycling devices to gradually transform the operation of Recycling Stores into self-service recycling facilities, so as to reduce the rental expenses and operating costs, of the relevant progress?
Reply:
President,
Since its establishment, the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY has shouldered the mission of fostering a waste reduction atmosphere, promoting a green lifestyle, and strengthening environmental education. It is dedicated to cultivating public awareness of environmental protection and encouraging sustainable lifestyles to take root within the community.
In 2015, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Recycling Stations project, operating fixed community recycling centres to serve as regional hubs, and promote environmental protection through educational activities. Since 2020, the EPD has progressively set up (i) Recycling Stores, operating at fixed locations across 18 districts in Hong Kong; (ii) Recycling Spots, using street booths operating at regular schedules and locations to serve areas without fixed recycling facilities; and (iii) smart recycling bins, which not only facilitate self-service recycling for the public but also enable more efficient planning of recyclable collection services. By reaching into Public Rental Housing (PRH) Estates and clusters of single-block building, we provide convenient and efficient recycling services for the general public. Our service focus has gradually evolved from education and outreach to popularisation. At present, the GREEN@COMMUNITY network has expanded to over 800 collection points, comprising 12 Recycling Stations, 82 Recycling Stores, around 600 Recycling Spots, and over 140 sets of smart recycling bins.
To achieve the goal of “Zero Landfill” by 2035 as planned and to continue promoting waste reduction at source, the Government is taking forward a five-year waste reduction and recycling plan. This plan includes the progressive upgrading and transformation of GREEN@COMMUNITY to ensure that the recycling system, with GREEN@COMMUNITY as its backbone, is more user-friendly and cost-effective.
My reply to the question raised by the Hon Julia Lau is as follows:
(1) Operational expenditure and share of rental expenses in the past three financial years
The operation of GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities is funded by the Government, involving various expenses including the procurement and installation of recycling equipment, maintenance and repair, collection and transport of recyclables, incentives (such as gifts or GREEN$ points) to encourage public participation in recycling, and educational and promotional activities.
The amount of recyclables collected by GREEN@COMMUNITY increased from about 27 000 tonnes in 2023 to about 47 500 tonnes in 2025, an increase of over 75 per cent. This reflects that the expansion of facilities has effectively enhanced the coverage and effectiveness of recycling services.
Furthermore, 50 Recycling Stores in PRH estates have been progressively commencing services since the second quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, to enhance the overall cost-effectiveness of GREEN@COMMUNITY operations, the EPD has been gradually relocating some Recycling Stores to government facilities. These measures have led to a year-on-year decrease in the share of rental expenses for the relevant facilities.
The EPD disburses operating fees to the operators of the GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities based on the services provided, operational performance, and the actual amount of recyclables handled. The operating expenditures of the GREEN@COMMUNITY project were $313 million in 2023-24 and $480 million in 2025-26. Over the same period, the share of rental expenses (only applicable to Recycling Stores) decreased from 21 per cent to 11 per cent. Details are set out in the Annex.
(2) Tendering arrangements, rental costs and enhancement of service models
The EPD has reviewed and finalised the tendering arrangements and requirements for GREEN@COMMUNITY, and has implemented various measures to enhance competition and reduce costs, with a view to using public resources more efficiently while expanding recycling services. The measures mainly focus on three aspects: (i) introducing competition and refining contract models; (ii) relocating to government facilities to reduce rental expenses; and (iii) extending service hours and promoting self-service recycling.
Introducing competition and refining contract models
In terms of contract arrangements, the EPD, for the first time, allowed private enterprises to participate in the bidding for the contracts of 12 Recycling Stores in early 2025. The market response was very enthusiastic, with over 60 bids received. The operating expenditure of these contracts was on average about 20 per cent lower than that of the previous contracts awarded between 2021 and 2022, demonstrating that introducing competition can effectively reduce operating costs.
In November 2025, the EPD consolidated 22 contracts for the 50 PRH estate Recycling Stores into 14 contracts. Through regional synergy and the sharing of backend workshops, the operating expenditure of these new contracts is expected to be on average about 30 per cent lower than that of the previous contracts awarded between 2023 and 2024.
Relocating to government facilities to reduce rental expenses
In terms of reducing rental expenses, the EPD has been actively relocating some Recycling Stores to government facilities with higher patronage. For example, GREEN@ABERDEEN in the Southern District was relocated to Aberdeen Market in May 2023. GREEN@HUNG SHUI KIU in Yuen Long District and GREEN@LUEN WO HUI in the North District were relocated to Hung Shui Kiu Environmental Hygiene Complex and Luen Wo Hui Market for operation in September and December 2025 respectively. GREEN@ON YU locating in On Yu Road Environmental Hygiene Complex in Sai Kung, is expected to commence operation within 2026. It will also provide storage space for Recycling Stores nearby, thereby reducing the need to rent additional workshops.
Extending service hours and promoting self-service recycling
In terms of service models, the daily service hours of all Recycling Stores have been extended from 10 hours to 13 hours. The extended service hours make it more convenient for working citizens to participate in recycling. In addition, self-service time slots have been introduced to reduce manpower requirements and enhance operational efficiency.
Five-year waste reduction and recycling plan: district-based consolidation and smart transformation
With the continued expansion of recycling facilities and investment of resources, recycling services need to move towards smart and systematic upgrading. To this end, the Government has launched a five-year waste reduction and recycling plan in this financial year. This includes the phased conversion of all 82 Recycling Stores into 24-hour self-service smart recycling facilities. The first 24-hour self-service smart Recycling Store is expected to commence operation in the third quarter of 2026 to test the operation workflow, collect operational data and gain experience. The smart transformation of the remaining Recycling Stores is expected to be progressively completed within 2027.
Meanwhile, the EPD will, based on the situation across 18 districts, consolidate the GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities currently operated by different organisations into district-based community recycling networks, with a single operator responsible for the operation of all recycling points, door-to-door collection services and logistics arrangements within each district. This will create economies of scale, enhancing overall operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. We are currently preparing the relevant tender documents.
In addition, the EPD plans to progressively expand the deployment of smart recycling bins to more PRH and private housing estates, making recycling more convenient for the public. We will also leverage information technology and big data analytics to develop a more efficient smart recycling logistics system, optimising operations and logistics processes, further reducing costs, and establishing a more efficient community recycling network for Hong Kong.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Local man convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Customs officers intercepted a 60-year-old man for inspection at the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok on June 24. Upon inspection, a total of 700 duty-not-paid cigarettes were found on him and in his shoulder bag, with an estimated market value of about $3,500 and a duty potential of about $2,300. He was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offence.
Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 17:25
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 7) arrested a hobby shop sole proprietor on suspicion of engaging in wrongly accepting payments in the course of selling hobby products, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received a number of reports alleging that someone sold hobby products through his/her own online shop, an online marketplace with instant-messaging software, but failed to supply the ordered goods within the specified date or a reasonable period after accepting payments from customers. Also, no refund was offered in a timely manner. As of yesterday, the reports received by Customs involved 13 customers and 276 hobby products, with the total monetary amount involved being about $238,000.
After investigations, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 31-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case. He is the sole proprietor of the hobby shop.
An investigation is ongoing. The arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Meanwhile, consumers should make orders through reputable traders. After purchasing the products, consumers should keep the transaction documents, such as records of communication, receipts of payment, etc, as a basis of a complaint in the future.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The following press release is issued on behalf of the Independent Commission Against Corruption:
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will actively align with the 15th Five-Year Plan of the Country in combating corruption and fully co-operate with the Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan to continue advancing its anti-corruption work, charting new milestones for the Country and Hong Kong, according to its latest annual report.
Tabling the 2025 ICAC Annual Report at the Legislative Council today (July 8), Member of the Legislative Council and Member of the ICAC’s Advisory Committee on Corruption the Hon Chan Yung, noted that last year, the Commission continued to adopt its “three-pronged” strategy in fighting corruption through law enforcement, prevention, and education, bringing fruitful results. The ICAC also actively promoted international co-operation, making significant contributions to the global anti-corruption cause.
Hong Kong’s probity situation remained highly acclaimed by international ranking institutions. In the “Corruption Perceptions Index 2025” released by Transparency International, Hong Kong was ranked 12th out of 182 countries and territories, rose five places from the previous year to the second place in Asia.
In the 2025 ICAC Annual Report, the ICAC Commissioner, Mr Woo Ying-ming, remarked that the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, which provided a top-level design and strategic blueprint for the Country’s development over the next five years, will be of great significance and impact to Hong Kong. The ICAC will actively align with its anti-corruption work to promote a culture of probity and fully co-operate with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s five-year plan to ensure that Hong Kong aligns with national policies with integrity.
“The ICAC will continue to combat corruption through robust law enforcement to safeguard Hong Kong’s rule of law. With our anti-corruption mission as our driving force, the ICAC will actively align with the national development strategy and support the Chief Executive and the HKSAR Government in improving the executive-led system. The Commission will stand firm to advance its anti-corruption work, charting new milestones for the Country and Hong Kong,” Mr Woo noted.
In 2025, the ICAC received a total of 1 780 non-election-related corruption complaints, representing a decrease of 14 per cent compared to 2024. Public trust in the Commission remained strong, as approximately 70 per cent of the overall corruption complaints were non-anonymous. The ICAC Annual Survey published last year showed that 98.7 per cent of respondents stated they had not come across corruption personally in the past year, consistent with the findings over the past decade.
In the public sector, the civil servants remained clean and honest. The ICAC completed 67 assignment studies for government departments and public bodies as part of a sustained effort to reduce corruption risks in public administration. The ICAC has been working closely with heads of departments to strengthen internal governance and improve overall effectiveness.
As for the private sector, the industries receiving the most corruption complaints remain a priority focus for the ICAC. Regarding the building management and maintenance subsector, the ICAC took the lead in hosting the first-ever Building Management Summit in Hong Kong in June 2025, aiming to gather all stakeholders, including relevant government departments and organisations, to jointly address these issues of public concern.
Following the Wang Fuk Court Fire in Tai Po, the public concerned more about issues relating to building management and maintenance, leading to an increase in corruption complaints. The ICAC has allocated additional resources to focus on handling these cases. The Commission will continue to co-operate closely with relevant government departments and regulatory bodies to combat corruption, bid-rigging, and other illegal activities in building renovation projects. It will also intervene early to alert flat owners to the risks of bid-rigging when contracts are awarded, thereby intercepting potential illegal activities and safeguarding the benefits of flat owners.
Regarding the finance and insurance subsectors, the ICAC has been advancing the “Banking Industry Integrity Charter” (BIIC). As of the end of 2025, all 165 licensed and restricted licence banks in Hong Kong had joined the BIIC. As for the construction subsector, the ICAC uncovered corruption and fraud in a private residential project in May 2025 and subsequently provided a series of corruption prevention recommendations to the Buildings Department.
On the integrity education and publicity front, the ICAC is committed to continuous innovation, creating an immersive anti-corruption education experience. Following the opening of the Café “1974”, the ICAC Exhibition Hall was fully renovated, extensively incorporating technological elements to attract both the public and tourists.
In promoting international anti-corruption co-operation, the ICAC actively played the role of a “super connector” in recent years. Through a “going global and bringing in” dual strategy, the ICAC shared Hong Kong’s anti-corruption experience with global partners, supporting the Country’s strategy of building a “Clean Belt and Road”. During the year, the ICAC signed Memoranda of Understanding with anti-corruption agencies of various “Belt and Road” countries, further expanding its networks in Europe and the Middle East under the initiative.
Meanwhile, the ICAC continued to promote probity values and an integrity culture through the “Anti-Corruption Tripartite Partnership” forged among the Commission, the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) and the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption (HKIAAC), leveraging Hong Kong’s advantages of “one country, two systems”.
In October 2025, Mr Woo was invited for the first time as President of the IAACA to attend the Group of 20 Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting in South Africa. Mr Woo shared anti-corruption experiences while establishing strategic collaborations with anti-corruption counterparts.
The ICAC successfully transformed the HKIAAC into an international anti-corruption training platform. During the year, the HKIAAC organised 20 international training programmes, attracting about 1 800 participants from anti-corruption and related agencies around the world, effectively telling the good stories of Hong Kong’s rule of law and anti-corruption journey. The HKIAAC also conducted 11 local professional training programmes, which were attended by over 800 senior managers and professionals from various sectors.
To foster international anti-corruption collaboration, the ICAC further deepened its co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). For example, the ICAC is co-developing the Guide on Corruption Risk Management in Prison Systems with the UNODC, the ICAC also supported development of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities under the auspices of the UNODC, and jointly hosted the “Coding4Integrity Asian Youth Anti-Corruption Hackathon” with the UNODC and the IAACA.
Charting a new road ahead, Mr Woo noted that the anti-corruption journey is always marked by a series of tough battles. The ICAC will persistently innovate anti-corruption strategies, enhance professional competence, and embrace innovative technologies to improve work effectiveness and efficiency.