Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (December 29) the establishment of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited (the Park Company), which will be responsible for the development and operation of the around 23-hectare industry park located in Hung Shui Kiu in the Northern Metropolis (the Industry Park). The DEVB is moving full steam ahead to complete the company registration, land grant, capital injection and appointment matters as soon as possible, with a view to enabling the Park Company to commence operation by mid-2026.

     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, “The development of the Northern Metropolis is industry driven. Apart from using traditional land sales, in-situ land exchanges and large-scale land disposal approaches to bring in industries, establishing an industry park company wholly owned by the Government is another tool which allows the Government to participate in the development and operation of industries through the Park Company, and take the lead in leveraging market forces and adopting public-private partnership approaches to accelerate the development of industries in the Northern Metropolis.”
 
     The DEVB has completed a policy study on setting up the Park Company in accordance with this year’s Policy Address, and the Working Group on Devising Development and Operation Models led by the Financial Secretary has endorsed the recommendation. The DEVB has obtained the approval of the Financial Secretary to incorporate a non-statutory, limited company wholly owned by the Financial Secretary Incorporated, named as the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited.
 
     The Park Company will achieve four major objectives:

(i) capitalise on the locational advantage of Hung Shui Kiu to drive the development of industries with a competitive edge and supported by the Government;

(ii) masterplan the overall development of the Industry Park, build the park infrastructure and provide value-added services to support the growth of enterprises and develop a vibrant industry ecosystem;

(iii) adopt diversified public-private partnership models and make use of the Government’s preferential policy packages as necessary to attract investments and enterprises to establish footholds in the Industry Park; and

(iv) provide support to brownfield operators affected by government development to move up the value chain.

     In terms of corporate structure, the Board of Directors (BoD) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Park Company shall be appointed on the approval of the Chief Executive. The BoD comprises five official directors and around 10 non-official directors, including a chairperson to be appointed from the non-official directors. The five official directors include the directors of policy bureaux relevant to the development of the Park Company, including the Secretary for Development; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; and the Secretary for Transport and Logistics. The Government will participate directly in the major decisions of the Park Company through the official directors. The non-official directors will come from diverse backgrounds and sectors, allowing the Park Company to draw on the expertise from outside the Government.
 
     The DEVB will seek the approval of the Chief Executive in Council later for granting the around 23 hectares of industry sites in Hung Shui Kiu at nil premium to the Park Company. As the sites within the Industry Park are currently zoned as “Port Back-up, Storage and Workshop”, the DEVB will shortly seek the approval of the Town Planning Board for rezoning these sites to designate a park-specific zoning tailored for the Industry Park, as well as increase the land-use flexibility by widening the permitted uses to cover various suitable industries (such as advanced construction, high-value added or smart production) and supporting facilities (including convention or exhibition facilities, research, testing and certification, talent accommodation, food and beverage facilities, etc). Upon approval by the Legislative Council, the Government will inject initial capital into the Park Company in order to support its initial operational and development needs. The specific amount of capital injection will be announced in the 2026-27 Budget. The Park Company has to operate and manage the Industry Park in a financially sustainable manner and expand its business revenue, with a view to achieving financial self-sustainability in the long term.
 
     The Park Company will develop the around 23 hectares of industry land by phases through different development models, and may further be granted more industry land in Hung Shui Kiu (such as some of the logistics sites in the area) for development in the future. Apart from self-developing part of the land for building and leasing industry facilities, the Park Company may dispose of some of the industry land of the Industry Park by way of tender for enterprises to undertake the construction of topside industry facilities on their own; and other approaches such as forming joint ventures with enterprises through provision of land as a form of capital participation to co-develop and co-invest in individual projects. Among the around 23 hectares of industry land of the Industry Park, around eight hectares are “spade-ready sites”. For the remaining around 15 hectares, site formation is expected to be completed by the Government for the majority of the sites by end-2027.
 
     The DEVB will strive to commence an open recruitment exercise for the CEO in January 2026, as well as complete a series of preparatory work in the first half of next year, including rezoning and granting of the land, seeking funding approval for the capital injection to the Park Company, appointing the BoD and the CEO, and recruiting other key staff for the Park Company, etc. The target is for the Park Company to commence operation by mid-2026.
 
     Details of the proposal of the Park Company have been uploaded to the DEVB’s website (www.devb.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_2464/HSK%20Industry%20Park%20Company%20-%20PPT%20for%20announcement.pdf).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 29) that the HA is fully prepared to implement the public healthcare fees and charges reform starting January 1, 2026. The HA is confident that the full implementation of these measures will enhance patient protection, rationalise public healthcare services, and promote sustainable development of the public healthcare system.
 
     The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, said, “We believe that once the measures of fees and charges reform are fully implemented, the current service imbalances in public hospitals can be gradually straightened out and the protection for patients, especially those who are poor, acute, serious or critical, can be enhanced. This will enable sustainable development of public healthcare services to cope with the various challenges posed by Hong Kong’s ageing population.”
 
     The HA will remain committed to the original intention of the reform when implementing the new measures, which are:
 
(i) Commitment will not be lessened: the Government’s commitment to public health will remain unchanged. All gains from the reform will be wholly utilised for public healthcare services;
(ii) Co-payment for those who can afford it and for those with mild conditions: the Government will reasonably expand and enhance the co-payment mechanism;
(iii) Enhancement and reduction: protection for poor, acute, serious or critical patients will be enhanced, and wastage will be reduced;
(iv) High subsidisation: the high level of subsidy will be maintained after the reform, with the target of maintaining the 90 per cent overall public subsidisation rate; and
(v) Gradual and orderly progress: the objective will be achieved in a progressive and orderly manner in five years.
 
     The HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee, said: “All HA systems, including patient registration, payment, clinical services, the mobile application “HA Go”, and other internal systems have been thoroughly tested. All systems will officially switch to the new fees and charges mode at midnight on January 1. The HA will closely monitor operations across all public hospitals to ensure smooth implementation of the reform.”
 
     The HA Head Office and clusters have previously conducted training sessions and drills for healthcare professionals, simulating various contingency scenarios to ensure staff members are familiar with the arrangements and can respond effectively to different situations. The HA Major Incident Control Centre will also be activated to closely monitor operations at all public hospitals during the initial implementation phase of the reform, enabling immediate co-ordination and responses when necessary.
 
     Public hospitals have deployed additional manpower, including service ambassadors, dedicated teams, and volunteers to station at outpatient clinics, shroffs and pharmacies for answering patient inquiries, assisting with payments, appointments, and applications for medical fee waivers. The HA has set up hotlines in each cluster (see Annex I) for patients to inquire about the fees and charges reform arrangements. The HA has been notifying patients of the new arrangements through the mobile application “HA Go” and SMS messages. Patients can also visit the HA website to learn about the new arrangements (see Attachement).
 
     Over the past several months, the HA has continuously engaged community stakeholders through different platforms to explain the reform details and gather their feedback. HA representatives have met with current Legislative Council Members and Members-elect of Legislative Council to explain and address various perspectives on the new fees and charges arrangements. District briefing sessions have also been held, utilising the extensive community network of District Council Members to help citizens understand the information and supportive measures of the reform.
 
     The HA also places great emphasis on patient group feedback. The HA has organised various activities in recent months, including patient forums, focus groups, and hospital workshops to enhance patients’ understanding of the reform details and arrangements, aiming for a smoother implementation. The patient engagement activities have involved in-depth and targeted discussions on different aspects of the reform. Valuable opinions and feedback collected through focus groups will serve as reference for the HA’s continuous service improvement and optimisation of fees and charges reform. Patient representatives have also participated in hospital workshops to gain firsthand experience of consultation procedures, appointment and payment arrangements for non-urgent radiology and pathology services, further deepening patients’ understanding.
 
     The HA expresses gratitude to all sectors of society for their active discussions and valuable input since the announcement of the public healthcare fees and charges reform in March, contributing to the continuous refinement of the reform details. The HA would also like to remind the public that some information circulating in the public discourse may not be accurate and could lead to misunderstandings about the reform. We encourage the public to refer to the official information released by the HA to avoid any misconceptions.

     Following the implementation of the reform, the HA will comprehensively strengthen protection for patients in need through various initiatives: enhancing the medical fee waiving mechanism, relaxing eligibility criteria of means tests for Samaritan Fund safety net applications, and introducing a cap on annual spending of $10,000 for public medical fees and charges (excluding self-financed items). These measures will extend assistance to more patients in need, ensuring no one will be denied adequate medical care due to a lack of means. The enhanced protection is not only taking care of the underprivileged groups, but also preventing middle income people from impoverishment due to illness. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase significantly from the current 300 000 to approximately 1.4 million people. Additionally, about 600,000 individuals eligible for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients, Old Age Living Allowance recipients aged 75 or above, and Residential Care Service Voucher holders at co-payment Level 0 will continue to receive full medical fee waivers. In total, an estimated 2 million people will benefit from these enhanced patient protection measures.
 
     The HA reminds patients that the fees and charges reform will officially commence on January 1, 2026. Patients are advised to familiarise themselves with the new fees and charges arrangements (see Annex II) before visiting public hospitals or outpatient clinics. Some medical service procedures may also be modified. Patients are welcome to inquire about the service arrangements, and all staff members are ready to provide assistance.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, at a media session today (December 29) on the land sale programme for January to March 2026, the tender arrangements for Hung Shui Kiu pilot area under large-scale land disposal and the establishment of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company:
 
Reporter: Some questions on the land parcel tender tomorrow. What are the latest requirements that are different from the original proposal of the land parcel scheme? How would the Government attract developers to bid the land parcels, and is the Government confident in securing a tender, and will similar arrangements be made in the future regarding other large-scale land disposal projects as well? Thank you.
 
Secretary for Development: Your question is about the first large-scale development pilot area in Hung Shui Kiu. Because for this past year, we have been engaging potential bidders in various discussion forums. We have also conducted a formal expression of interest exercise with written submissions received. So, it is with regard to comments received that we have adjusted some of the parameters for this tender exercise, including, for example, the addition of one additional residential site to improve the viability of the whole land parcel. In all, previously, we have offered two residential sites, but right now, we are offering three residential sites in the entire parcel. And also, we have introduced premium by phases arrangement, and also what I would describe as surrender and offset arrangement to minimise the cash flow burden on the potential bidders. We have also allowed a longer tender period, which is also in response to a particular comment raised by the potential bidders. So, we believe that having made all these adjustments, which are in response to comments made, we are optimistic that we will have good tender bids. And we will assess our tender based on a two-envelope approach, with as high as 70 per cent of the marks going to technical proposals, which is the non-premium part of the tender. And this demonstrates that the importance we attach to the quality of the business enterprises to go into the enterprise land parcels within this large-scale development area.
 
Reporter: In terms of land sales, how many units are the Government providing in the whole fiscal year? And with the Government providing more than it intended, what does it say about the market outlook? Secondly, regarding the industrial park at Hung Shui Kiu, is there a rough ballpark figure on how much money will the Park Company be granted to operate at the initial phase? And are there any requirements or qualities that the Government is seeking for when appointing board members and the Chief Executive Officer?
 
Secretary for Development: On your first question, which is about the overall land supply for private housing in the current financial year. As I have tried to set out just now, if all things go smoothly, the overall outturn in terms of land supply for private housing for the current financial year will be able to support 15 750 residential units, which is around 20 per cent above the initial target of 13 200 we have set for this financial year. We are encouraged to see this overshooting because it reflects that the private market is gaining momentum and picking up again. And we are glad to facilitate through our land sales as well, and this is why we are rolling out two sites this quarter, even though we know that we will possibly exceed the target. Because actually, for private housing projects, apart from helping to fulfil the target demand a few years down the road when the projects are completed, the very movement of the projects in terms of kick-starting the planning and the construction works are a kind of economic activity, it helps sustain the employment in the entire development sector from the professionals to frontline workers. And as some of you may have known, actually the unemployment rate for the construction sector is relatively high for the past year compared to other sectors, largely because of the slowing down of the new private housing supply projects. And that’s why we are glad to see the market picking up momentum again, and we are willing to facilitate this trend.
 
On your second question about the Park Company for the Hung Shui Kiu industrial land, right now we have yet to decide the capital injection to be given for this company because it will be decided in the context of the coming Budget. As to the qualifications of the directors and the Chief Executive Officer to be appointed to run this Park Company, I think largely they will have to be people coming from different professions with expertise and experience in the running of different industries. Also, we would very much like our directors and the Chief Executive Officer to have vision and foresight so that they can help Hong Kong lead the way in enterprise development.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (December 29) that it is investigating an imported Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case. The public is reminded to be vigilant and avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox. High-risk target groups are strongly advised to receive the Mpox vaccinations.

     The case involves a male. He developed rash on December 18 while overseas, followed by skin ulcers and a fever. After returning to Hong Kong on December 25, he attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tin Shui Wai Hospital. Due to persistent symptoms, he attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Pok Oi Hospital on December 27, and was arranged to admit to Tuen Mun Hospital for isolation. His sample tested positive for the Mpox virus upon laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the CHP. The patient is currently in stable condition.
 
     According to the patient, he has not received the Mpox vaccination. He stayed overseas throughout the entire incubation period and had a history of high-risk exposure during that period. No epidemiological linkages between this case and other confirmed cases recorded in Hong Kong earlier could be identified so far. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigation into the case and will report it to the World Health Organization.

Hong Kong has put in place the Preparedness and Response Plan for Mpox since June 2022 and activated the alert response level under the Plan after the first confirmed case of Mpox in September of the same year. The CHP has implemented a series of measures (including enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, public education and vaccination), which have been effective in preventing local outbreaks of Mpox in the past three years.

Since 2022, a total of 84 Mpox cases (67 local and 17 imported) have been recorded in Hong Kong, of which 16 cases were recorded this year. All the patients were male. Epidemiological investigations revealed that most cases had history of high-risk sexual behaviour, including having sex with strangers or without wearing condoms when having sex. Hong Kong has not yet detected any new Mpox strain (Clade Ib) cases. 

The CHP reminded high-risk target groups to receive Mpox vaccinations in order to lower the risk of infection or the possibility of having more severe symptoms after infection. In addition, persons who experience Mpox symptoms (including rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches) or suspect themselves of being infected are advised to seek medical attention and receive treatment at once. They should not engage in activities with others that may expose others to their skin rash or body fluids. Members of the public should maintain good personal and hand hygiene to prevent virus transmission or infection through contact. They should also avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected.

The CHP has set up a telephone hotline (2125 2373), which operates from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays. Those who suspect or are concerned that they may have had high-risk contact with confirmed cases, particularly men who have sex with men or those who have sexual practices with strangers, can use the hotline to make enquiries and receive relevant health advice.

Furthermore, the DH provides vaccination services to high-risk groups of Mpox. The following high-risk target groups are eligible for Mpox vaccinations on a voluntary basis:
 

1. individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;
2. healthcare workers responsible for caring for patients with confirmed Mpox;
3. laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and
4. animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in case of Mpox occurrences in animals in Hong Kong.

     High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH’s Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH’s Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre.

Meanwhile, the DH’s Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority’s Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.

For more details, please visit the CHP’s page on Mpox and Mpox Vaccination Programme.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The World Bank Group published the second pilot Business Ready 2025 Report (Report) on December 29. The Report analyses the overall performance of economies under three pillars (Note 1) involving ten topics (Note 2) and assesses their business environment accordingly. The number of economies assessed is expanded from 50 economies last year to over 100 this year. According to the Report, among the three pillars, Hong Kong remains in the top 20 in “Operational Efficiency” and in the second quintile in “Regulatory Framework” and “Public Services”.

     “Some assessment results of the Report, such as those relating to ‘International Trade’, ‘Financial Services’, ‘Dispute Resolution’ etc., differ from the rankings and highly positive evaluations bestowed upon Hong Kong by many other international organisations. We note that the assessment methodology of the Report may result in an outdated and unfair comparison. Taking the pillar of ‘Operational Efficiency’ as an example, some of the data used to assess Hong Kong were collected shortly after the pandemic in 2023, while some of the data used for other economies’ assessment were collected in 2024,” a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spokesman said.

     “This year’s report is still under the pilot phase and may have room for improvement on the assessment methodology and data comparability. The HKSAR Government will maintain communication with the World Bank Group to fully explain Hong Kong’s business environment and relevant policy measures. The HKSAR Government will also raise constructive feedback, striving to optimise the compilation of the Report,” the spokesman said.

Note 1: The three pillars include “Regulatory Framework”, “Public Services” and “Operational Efficiency”

Note 2: The ten topics are “Business Entry”, “Business Location”, “Utility Services”, “Labor”, “Financial Services”, “International Trade”, “Taxation”, “Dispute Resolution”, “Market Competition” and “Business Insolvency”.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Education Bureau (EDB) today (December 30) announced that the 2025/26 round of applications under the Enhancement and Start-up Grant Scheme for Self-financing Post-secondary Education opens for applications from today to April 15, 2026. 
 
     The Scheme aims to provide financial support for eligible self-financing post-secondary education institutions to develop and enhance programmes that meet market needs but require high start-up costs, reducing institutions’ reliance on tuition fees to recover the costs, thus relieving the financial burden on students. It also supports institutions to better develop their own strengths and niche areas, strengthening strategic co-ordination among institutions. 
 
     Eligible institutions are as follows:
 
(a) Hong Kong Metropolitan University;

(b) approved post-secondary colleges under the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320); and 

(c) post-secondary institutions registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279). 

     The Scheme subsidises full-time locally accredited local self-financing sub-degree and undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes, covering both the development of new programmes and the enhancement of existing ones. To enhance teaching and learning in designated academic areas, it supports projects of the following nature:
 
(a) significant development/enhancement of programme curricula and pedagogies; 

(b) recruitment/professional development of faculty members and teaching staff; 

(c) procurement/upgrade of market-standard equipment/facilities to meet academic and professional requirements; 

(d) provision of new/improvement to existing discipline-specific campus facilities/infrastructure; and 

(e) other relevant discipline-specific expenditure areas aligned with the objectives of the scheme. 

     Funding for each proposal will generally be capped at $42 million. The Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education will advise the Secretary for Education regarding the comparative merits of the proposals.
 
     In the 2024/25 round of applications, two out of seven applications were approved with a total grant of about $48 million, which supported the aviation services and surveying sectors in meeting the keen manpower demand of the relevant industries. Details of the projects are as follows:
 

Institution	Project	Approved grant (in million dollars)
Hong Kong Metropolitan University	Establishment of a Flight Simulation Laboratory for the Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Aviation Services Management Programme	22.4
Hong Kong Shue Yan University	Development of an Applied Degree in Surveying and Dispute Resolution	25.1

 
     The EDB will maintain close liaison with relevant institutions to make best use of the resources of the Scheme and launch the relevant programmes as soon as practicable.
 
     Further details of the Scheme and the approved projects are available at the designated website (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/esgs.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (December 30) on the traffic and public transport arrangements during the New Year holidays.

     From January 1 to 4, in anticipation of a large number of members of the public, visitors and cross-boundary vehicles visiting various land-based boundary control points (BCPs), the Transport Department (TD) urged cross-boundary travellers to use public transport services between Hong Kong and the Mainland or Macao, plan their trips early and allow sufficient travelling time. The TD has been steering local and cross-boundary public transport operators (PTOs) to strengthen their services during the New Year holidays to meet passenger demand, including:

Early morning of New Year’s Day

(1) Lo Wu Control Point (passenger clearance services to be extended to 2am on New Year’s Day)

• The operating hours of the MTR East Rail Line will be extended correspondingly, with the last departure from Admiralty to Lo Wu extended to 0.56am;

(2) Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port (LMC/HG Port) (24-hour operations as usual)

• Travellers may take the MTR East Rail Line or other public transport services to Sheung Shui, interchange with franchised bus route No. N73 to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange, and then transfer to the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) to the Mainland;
• PTOs will also strengthen the LMC/HG Port short-haul cross-boundary coach and the Yellow Bus services to cater for the peak passenger demand;

(3) Shenzhen Bay Port (SBP) (passenger and passenger vehicle clearance services to provide 24-hour operations)

• Franchised bus operators will operate two special overnight bus routes, Nos. NB2 and NB3, to provide services to and from Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun respectively during the overnight period. Travellers may also take the MTR Tuen Ma Line to Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun Stations, and interchange with route Nos. NB2 and NB3 to SBP respectively;
• The governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong have also allocated special cross-boundary coach quotas for the operation of overnight services; and

(4) Hong Kong Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) (24-hour operations as usual)

• The frequency of the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus) will be increased, if needed.

New Year’s Day daytime and long weekend of Mainland (January 1 to 4)
 

• BCP shuttle bus services will be strengthened, including increasing the frequencies of the Gold Bus and the Yellow Bus to cater for passenger demand;
• Cross-boundary coach services will be strengthened, including allocating additional cross-boundary coach quotas and enhancing the LMC/HG Port short-haul cross-boundary coach services;
• The frequency of local franchised bus B routes connecting various land-based BCPs will also be increased to a level higher than that of normal weekends, and the operators will reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet passenger demand; and
• The train services of the MTR East Rail Line between Admiralty and Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau will be enhanced at different times during the above period to provide convenience for the travelling public and visitors.

Travel outside peak periods

     The TD anticipates that the waiting time for public transport services, including the Gold Bus and the local franchised bus B routes, may be longer during peak periods of cross-boundary travel. Passengers should avoid travelling during peak hours, observe order while queuing and heed advice from on-site police and PTO staff. Passengers planning to take cross-boundary coaches are also advised to reserve their coach tickets in advance.

     Of note, motorists of cross-boundary private cars crossing the border are advised that, subject to actual traffic conditions, special traffic arrangements may be implemented at the Lok Ma Chau and the Shenzhen Bay Port during New Year holidays to secure smooth access for public transport vehicles to the above BCPs. Cross-boundary private cars may experience longer waiting times when crossing the BCPs during the peak periods. Motorists should pay extra attention to variable message signs and traffic signs along the roads. In case of traffic congestion, they should remain patient and follow the instructions of on-site police.

Information dissemination

     For the HZMB, to plan their journeys ahead, members of the public can make use of the TD’s HKeMobility mobile app or website (hkemobility.gov.hk/en/traffic-information/live/cctv) to access snapshots of traffic conditions at inbound and outbound vehicle plazas of the HZMB Hong Kong Port. They can also check real-time situations of the vehicle clearance plaza of the Zhuhai Port through the WeChat official accounts “hzmbzhport” or “zhuhaifabu” (traffic-info.gzazhka.com:5015/#/) (Chinese only). Moreover, motorists are reminded to always comply with the traffic control measures implemented by the Zhuhai authority when driving on the HZMB Main Bridge. Vehicles must not occupy the emergency lane unless instructed by the Zhuhai authority.

     Residents and visitors may visit “Easy Boundary” (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/bwt/status.html?type=outbound), a one-stop information platform on immigration clearance launched by the Security Bureau, or the HKeMobility to obtain useful information, including the respective average waiting time for passengers and private cars at land-based BCPs, as well as for the Gold Bus and Yellow Bus to plan their trips and save waiting time. Members of the public are advised to check the latest traffic news through radio and television broadcasts, the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) and the HKeMobility.

     The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre operates round the clock to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of various districts, the BCPs and major stations, and to implement contingency measures when necessary to meet service demands.

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically co-ordinating and steering the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the New Year’s Eve and New Year holidays, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government announced today (December 30) the handover of a residential site in Tung Chung, i.e. Tung Chung Area 122 (TC122), to the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) for development of subsidised sale flats (SSFs).
 
     TC122 was originally one of the government sites identified for tender under the Private Subsidised Sale Flat – Pilot Scheme (the Pilot Scheme). The site is now handed over to the HKHS for development as one of its SSF projects, with around 1 600 SSFs estimated to be completed in 2031-32 preliminarily.
 
     “The Government has all along been pragmatically adjusting the development arrangements of different sites based on social demands and actual circumstances. The HKHS is a close partner of the Government on housing policies with profound experience in the development of SSFs. Having reviewed the latest situation, the Government believes that the handover of TC122 to the HKHS could expedite the development of the SSFs,” said a spokesman for the Housing Bureau.
 
     The Government announced in June 2023 the policy framework of the Pilot Scheme, with an aim to tap into market forces and boost overall development capacity. The Government is now closely keeping in view market developments, so as to review if there is a need to suitably adjust some of the key parameters of the Pilot Scheme as well as future tender arrangements for sites under the Pilot Scheme having regard to market conditions. Further announcements will be made in due course.

     “The handover of TC122 to the HKHS for development of SSFs is in line with the Government’s policy objectives of boosting SSF supply, helping the grassroots achieve home ownership and encouraging upward mobility. The Government believes this would be well received by the public. It will also continue to take forward other measures in respect of enhancing the housing ladder, so as to help citizens achieve home ownership,” the spokesman added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Government announced today (December 29) the quarterly land sale programme for the fourth quarter of 2025-26, i.e. January to March 2026.
 
     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said in the fourth quarter of 2025-26, the Government will put up for tender two residential sites of small-to-medium scale. The first site is situated at Choi Ha Road, Ngau Tau Kok, Kowloon, which can provide around 470 flats. The second site is situated at Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Hong Kong, which can provide around 200 flats. Both sites are selected from the Annual Land Sale List announced in February this year. Originally zoned as ​”Government, Institution or Community​”, both sites have been rezoned for residential use. The two sites are situated in a relatively mature neighbourhood near MTR stations with comprehensive surrounding facilities and traffic networks, and are expected to be welcomed by the market. 
 
     Apart from the government land sale, the residential land supply this quarter also includes the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL)’s Kam Sheung Road Station Phase 2 property development project, capable of providing around 1 290 flats. Separately, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) plans to execute the land lease for the Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road development project in the next quarter, and will take forward at this stage a series of advance works (including project foundation and excavation works for the basement), while concurrently planning for other works to expedite the provision of around 810 flats. As for private development and redevelopment projects, two projects are expected to complete the lease modification procedures in the fourth quarter, providing a total supply of around 190 flats. 
 
     â€‹”Taking all sources of land supply into account, the total private housing land supply in the fourth quarter of this financial year would support the development of around 2 960 units. Together with the supply from the first three quarters, the total private housing land supply of this financial year is expected to support some 15 750 units, exceeding the annual supply target (13 200 flats) by close to 20 per cent. This figure has not yet reflected private redevelopment projects not requiring lease modification from the fourth quarter, as such figures are only available at a later stage. To overview the residential land supply in this financial year, around 60 per cent was from private development projects, while the remaining 40 per cent was from government land sale and projects of the MTRCL and URA. The higher-than-expected private housing land supply reflects developers’ optimism towards the market outlook. It is also the Government’s aspiration for the launch of more new private housing projects to bring about economic activities and employment opportunities​”, Ms Linn said.
 
The Government will continue to sustain its effort in rolling out land in a prudent and pragmatic manner, and flexibly adjust the land disposal strategy according to market situation, in order to meet the development needs of society.
 
The list of sites to be tendered in January to March 2026 is in the Annex. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of the necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will announce the detailed land sale arrangements before individual sites are put up for tender.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region