Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, highlighted that Hong Kong is acting positively towards the reconfiguration of global value chains amid a world with complex global challenges when he attended the Governors’ Plenary at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on May 5 (Samarkand time).
The Governors’ Plenary has its theme set as “Shifting Global Value Chains, Technology and Inclusive Growth”. Addressing the Plenary, Mr Hui said that Hong Kong has been diversifying its markets and promoting enhanced co-operation between Hong Kong and other global partners. The city’s stellar performance in capital formation attracted various companies to opt for Hong Kong for secondary listings. Currently, Hong Kong is proactively developing new industries to serve as new engines for economic growth while enhancing the competitiveness of traditional industries with better use of technology, with a view to boosting long-term and healthy economic development.
On the sidelines of the Annual Meeting, Mr Hui had a meeting with the Alternate Executive Director representing Hong Kong, China’s constituency in the ADB Board of Directors, Ms Lisa Wright. They had a fruitful discussion on areas where the ADB and member countries can take advantage of Hong Kong’s financial markets and professional services, including issuing catastrophe bonds as Hong Kong is consolidating its position as a global risk management centre. Mr Hui mentioned that two catastrophe bonds issued by the World Bank had already been listed in Hong Kong. While Hong Kong remains one of the world’s largest equity fundraising centres and a leading hub for arranging Asian international bond issuance, the Government is also keen to promote the wider adoption of tokenisation in the bond market, especially in green bonds which the ADB can leverage to raise funds. Separately, Hong Kong is definitely an ideal place for the ADB to pursue quality procurement.
Mr Hui also held a series of meetings with representatives of several member countries. Among them were the Deputy Director-General and Head of Department for Multilateral Development Banks, Sustainability and Climate of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden, Mr Tobias Axerup, and the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Sri Lanka, Mr Anura Hapugala. Mr Hui expressed to them Hong Kong’s determination in fostering closer international economic and trade ties. He also elaborated to them the benefits that would be brought to the business communities of both economies by commencing negotiations on a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (CDTA) with Hong Kong. The parties also touched on Hong Kong’s strong legal and financial professions and the utilisation of the city as a neutral platform for facilitating financial mediation and issuing green bonds.
During his meeting with the Director of the Center for Regional and Bilateral Policy in the Fiscal Policy Agency of the Ministry of Finance, Indonesia, Ms Yogi Rahmayanti, Mr Hui said that Asia accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s annual gold demand, with its investment demand increasing in recent years. Global central banks are also making net gold purchases as a tool for long-term value preservation and investment risk diversification. Amid the increasingly complicated geopolitics, Hong Kong’s security and stability give the city a clear edge as an attractive place for physical gold storage, driving more gold trading, settlement and delivery activities. Riding on an array of initiatives by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to build the city into an international gold trading centre, Indonesia can make use of the opportunity to work together with Hong Kong in establishing a gold ecosystem in Asia.
While meeting with the Head of Division (Regional Development Banks) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, Dr Wolfram Morgenroth-Klein, Mr Hui mentioned that Hong Kong is one of the top three international financial centres and has put forward new moves to expand the financial value chains so as to consolidate the position. Germany is welcome to build closer ties with Hong Kong through financial co-operation, including considering the early commencement of negotiations on a CDTA and exploration of co-operation in the gold industry.
In the evening, Mr Hui returned to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, for meetings with Uzbek financial institutions, as well as the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan on the next day (May 6).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs, FSD and Police mount territory-wide joint operation against illicit fuel activities During the operation, Customs strengthened enforcement against the sources of illicit fuel. Customs officers detected four cases of land smuggling of illicit fuel at the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port. They seized about 1 200 litres of illicit motor spirit and four vehicles with fuel tanks suspected to be altered for smuggling, and arrested four male drivers. Customs also detected three cases of sea smuggling of illicit fuel near Ninepin Group, Castle Peak Bay and Cheung Chau, seized about 4 000 litres of illicit motor spirit and arrested five male crew members.
In addition, officers of Customs, the FSD and the Police also shut down five illicit mobile motor spirit fuelling stations in Lok Fu, Kowloon Bay, Wong Tai Sin, Kai Tak and Tsing Yi. They seized about 2 200 litres of illicit motor spirit and nine vehicles involved in supplying or receiving illicit fuel, and arrested four workers of illicit fuelling stations and five persons suspected to have patronised the fuelling stations.
Officers of the three departments also raided an illicit motor spirit fuelling station and an illicit fuel storage site in Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long respectively. About 800 litres of illicit motor spirit, 1 600 litres of illicit diesel and two private cars involved in the cases were seized. Four persons were arrested. In addition, officers of the FSD also raided a total of four illegal diesel fuelling stations in Kowloon Bay and Shau Kei Wan. About 9 400 litres of diesel along with a batch of fuelling equipment were seized. Five persons in connection with the cases were intercepted.
Investigations are ongoing. Customs will continue to collaborate with the FSD and the Police in combating illicit fuel activities. Members of the public are also urged not to patronise illicit fuelling stations. The use of illicit fuel is a criminal offence, and vehicles involved may be liable to confiscation.
According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any vehicle found conveying illicit motor spirit, as well as any tools, equipment, or articles used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of related offences, shall be liable to forfeiture whether or not any person is convicted of any offence. Anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F), it is an offence to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295) also provides that no person shall manufacture, store, convey or use any dangerous goods unless they possess a licence or exemption granted. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for the first offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months. For each subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.
Moreover, Customs reminds cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers not to engage in any smuggling activities. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO), any person who alters the fittings, fabric or structure, or makes use of the altered fittings, fabric or structure, of any vehicle for the purpose of smuggling commits an offence. The vehicle may also be subject to forfeiture.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the IEO, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public are urged to report suspected illicit fuel activities via the Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or the FSD’s 24-hour hotline 5577 9666. The public may also report through the Illicit Fuelling Activities on the Fire Hazard Electronic Complaint Portal of the FSD (fhcp.hkfsd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:06
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Mr Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, at Government House today (May 6) to exchange views on further strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan. The Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip, also attended the meeting.
Mr Lee welcomed Mr Aripov and his delegation to Hong Kong to attend economic and trade events. He said that Hong Kong is a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, and Uzbekistan is a major country in Central Asia with abundant natural resources and a strong labour force, and has experienced rapid economic growth. Hong Kong and Uzbekistan are both active participants in the B&R Initiative, and there is broad scope for co-operation. Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantage of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, proactively explore B&R markets, and further strengthen collaboration with Uzbekistan in different areas, to jointly seize the opportunities brought by the B&R Initiative.
Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is an international financial, shipping and trading centre, is the world’s fifth-largest trading entity in merchandise trade economy and ranks No. 1 in the world in economic freedom, with a highly internationalised and market-driven business environment. Hong Kong is making every effort to develop into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent. Uzbekistan’s economy is growing rapidly and is vigorously promoting infrastructure development. There is vast potential for co-operation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan. He encouraged Uzbek enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong and leverage Hong Kong’s advantage in connecting with both the Mainland and the world to explore the Mainland and overseas markets. Hong Kong will continue to play its roles as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”, to work with Uzbekistan to explore more business opportunities for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is pressing ahead to develop into an international post-secondary education hub and is the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the world’s top 100. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has set up a Task Force on Study in Hong Kong, and has launched the B&R Scholarship to attract outstanding students around the world. Mr Lee welcomed more young people from Uzbekistan to come to Hong Kong for further studies and career development, to further promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two places.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Film Archive’s Discovering ICH Through Cinema to present free screenings of Cantonese opera-themed classic films In “The Dutiful Daughter Chu-chu”, Chan plays the lead role of Chu-chu, who earns money to support her mentally ill mother by pretending to be a Japanese acrobat. After meeting a Cantonese opera master and his apprentice, played by Lan Chi Pak and Lam Kar-sing respectively, Chu-chu decides to lead an honest life and learn Cantonese opera from them both. Much of the film focuses on Chu-chu’s Cantonese opera training sessions. The performance of Lan Chi Pak in the film demonstrates the strict adherence and fervent upholding of the artistic traditions by Cantonese opera maestros in teaching and on stage. The audience can learn about how the traditional art form is preserved and passed on through generations with these realistic and compelling portrayals. Lam’s skilled and artful performances of Cantonese opera excerpts in the film also exude the awe-inspiring charisma and essence of the art.
The other film, “The Story of Heroine Fan Lei-fa”, stars Chan, Shum Chi-wah, Yu Kai and Tam Lan-hing. Chan portrays the legendary female warrior Fan Lei-fa in the film. At times, she expresses tender and poignant love towards her husband in the film with melodic songs in the style of huangmei diao. She also displays adept martial arts skills in fighting scenes, exuding a commanding presence and valour. Fan’s adopted son Sit Ying-lung, a reformed young swordsman, is played by the cross-cast Shum. Meanwhile, Yu Kai, who is well trained in Northern-style martial arts, puts his impressive skills on full display in the film, while Tam is cross-cast in the role of Ching Ao-kam, adding humour with her witty and comedic performance.
The films will be screened on June 13 at the following times:
The Dutiful Daughter Chu-chu Each screening session will be accompanied by a pre-screening talk by film critic Grace Ng. Admission is free with tickets to be distributed starting from May 9 (Saturday) at the HKFA box office. Each person can receive up to two tickets on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last. Limited walk-in seats will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and members of the public are welcome to queue up at the G/F lobby of the HKFA 45 minutes before the screening begins. Each person can register for one ticket while stocks last.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appeal for information on missing girl in Aberdeen (with photo) She is about 1.7 metres tall, around 60 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a sharp face with yellow complexion and long black hair. She was last seen wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, dark blue trousers, white sneakers, carrying a white crossbody bag, a black jacket and a white umbrella. Issued at HKT 18:56
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ7: 999 Emergency Hotline Question:
The Operations Wing of the Police Force provides a prompt and efficient 24-hour service to 999 callers, striving to answer all 999 calls within nine seconds and to respond to all genuine emergency calls within the established time limit. The average response time is nine minutes for Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon area, and 15 minutes for the New Territories. Response time is measured from the moment the Regional Command and Control Centre’s 999 console receives the call to the arrival of police officers at the scene. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in the past three years, (i) of the respective annual numbers of calls received by the 999 hotline, the number of those calls which were genuine emergency calls, and the average waiting time for calls to be answered; (ii) of the percentage of calls which met the service standard of being answered within nine seconds; (iii) of the respective average response times for the New Territories, Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon area, and whether these met the service standards for those areas;
(2) (i) whether the 999 hotline has compiled statistics categorising the languages used by callers (including Cantonese, Putonghua, English and other languages); if so, of the relevant figures for the past three years; (ii) of the current mechanism for handling calls made in languages other than Cantonese, Putonghua and English; (iii) whether the Government will study the introduction of AI technologies, such as voice recognition and real-time translation systems, to the 999 hotline to enhance the efficiency of handling requests for assistance made in different languages; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) (i) of the current staffing establishment of Police Communications Officers and the average daily number on duty; (ii) of the types of training provided to Police Communications Officers to ensure that they have sufficient judgement to determine whether a call for assistance is urgent and the nature of the case, so that each case is handled properly; (iii) whether the authorities have plans to continuously improve the quality and efficiency of handling requests for assistance; if so, the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
There are three Police Regional Command and Control Centres (RCCC) in Hong Kong, namely Hong Kong Island RCCC, Kowloon RCCC and New Territories RCCC. A 999 Emergency Call Centre is set up in each RCCC to answer the public’s calls for assistance on a 24-hour basis. Police officers are also deployed from District/Divisional Consoles to handle cases of various nature, with a view to providing efficient and effective services to persons seeking assistance.
The reply to the Member’s question is as follows:
(1) The figures relevant to 999 emergency call services in the past three years are as follows:
(number of emergency calls)(81 659)(82 382)(80 568) To ensure appropriate allocation of resources for each call for assistance, the Police classify incoming calls based on the content of the cases. In general, incoming calls classified as “emergency calls” involve incidents such as “assault”, “arson”, “burglary”, “robbery”, “fire”, “person drowning” and “bomb discovery”, etc.
The Police strive to respond to incoming emergency calls within the specified time limit under the performance pledge, which is nine minutes for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and 15 minutes for the New Territories. Response time is calculated from the moment the RCCC’s 999 console receives the call to the arrival of police officers at the scene. The percentages of response time meeting the performance pledge over the past three years are as follows:
Region (Performance pledge on response time)(nine minutes)(15 minutes) The Police do not maintain data regarding the average response time within the past three years.
(2) The Police do not maintain a statistical breakdown by language used by callers.
Currently, 999 Emergency Call Centres provide response services in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. The Police has been closely monitoring the needs of different individuals in society and formulate various measures to ensure that callers who cannot communicate in Cantonese, Putonghua or English can receive appropriate assistance.
The project TRANSLINK was launched by the Police in 2016. Under the project, designated telephones in the report rooms of police stations are connected to interpreters of subvented organisations. By way of three-way conference calls, the interpreters will provide immediate interpretation service in nine common non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) languages for NEC reporting incidents in person or by telephone. Starting from April 2025, the project has been upgraded to TRANSLINK 2.0, allowing uniformed frontline police officers to engage the interpretation service through the Police’s smart devices.
The Police have also been actively adopting new technologies. The Advanced Mobile Location (AML) service was introduced in 2023. When a call for assistance is made using a smartphone, the 999 Emergency Call Centre will simultaneously receive information about the caller’s location. The AML service effectively facilitates the handling of situations where communication with the caller may be hindered due to language barriers or critical circumstances and can greatly enhance the operational efficiency in responding to emergency calls.
In addition, the Police launched the HKSOS mobile application in 2024. This application, specially designed for people engaging in outdoor activities, also features geolocation sharing functions. To facilitate transmission of SOS messages to the 999 Emergency Call Centres in case of emergencies, the HKSOS presents messages in graphics for nine common categories of circumstances, such as fractures, severe bleeding and breathing difficulties, etc for users to choose. With a single click, the user can directly connect to the 999 Emergency Call Centre, which will immediately receive the caller’s location. (3) The RCCCs of the Police are manned by police officers (at the ranks of Superintendent, Inspector and Sergeant) and Police Communications Officers (PCO) (Senior PCOs and PCOs), who provide 24-hour service on a shift basis. All calls made to the 999 Emergency Response Centres of the RCCCs are answered by PCOs around the clock on a shift basis. Currently, there are a total of approximately 80 PCOs assigned to answer incoming 999 calls every day.
As regards training, newly recruited PCOs are required to undergo a four-week training programme, which covers subjects such as the structures of the Police Force and various grades, the operation of the Command and Control Centres and the operation of the computer and communication systems. Additionally, training on case classification will be provided for PCOs to ensure that they possess the ability to swiftly and accurately assess the nature of each case of request for assistance. Upon completion of the training, the PCOs will be deployed to the RCCCs to assist with the operation of the Divisional Consoles. Those who have accumulated practical experience of approximately nine months to one year and have met the performance standards will further receive a five-day training course on 999 emergency calls. They will be assigned to the duties of answering 999 emergency calls only after they have completed the course and met the required standards.Issued at HKT 11:19
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
It has been reported that there have been a number of traffic accidents involving animals being hit in recent months. In particular, incidents involving cattle being hit by vehicles occurred successively in Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan within a single week, arousing public concern about the issues of animal safety and road safety. Under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (the Ordinance), the driver of a vehicle shall stop if an accident involving that vehicle occurs whereby damage is caused to specified animals (i.e. horse, cow, donkey, mule, sheep, pig, goat, cat and dog) not in the vehicle. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of traffic accidents involving vehicles hitting animals in each of the past five years, and among them, the number of such accidents involving animals specified under the Ordinance, with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory;
(2) of the number of animals being hit in the traffic accidents mentioned in (1) that (i) died at the scene, (ii) were humanely dispatched and (iii) received treatment, with a breakdown by animal type;
(3) given that in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on May 28, 2025, the Government indicated that the authorities would closely monitor the implementation of the Ordinance and timely review whether to include more wild animals as specified animals under the Ordinance, of the current progress of the review; whether more animals will be included as specified animals under the Ordinance to ensure that these animals are provided with the necessary protection; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) whether the Government will implement road improvement measures, such as installing railings and signs, on road sections where accidents involving animals being hit by vehicles frequently occur, so as to prevent animals from straying onto the road and being hit by vehicles, as well as to remind drivers to exercise caution on those sections; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (the Ordinance), the driver of a vehicle shall stop if they hit a specified animal, with the intent of allowing injured animals to receive medical assistance, and facilitating animal owners to seek compensation from the drivers concerned. Drivers are required to provide personal particulars, including name and address, to any police officer or any person having reasonable grounds for requiring the information. If the drivers are not able to provide the information for any reason, they are required to report the accident to the Police as soon as possible and in any case no later than 24 hours after the accident.
Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply to the question from the Hon Kenneth Lau is as follows:
(1) The number of traffic accident reports involving animals received by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) between 2021 and 2025 is tabulated as follows:
Year
Number of traffic accidents reports involving animals
(those involving specified animals)
2021
36 (35)
2022
155 (144)
2023
369 (319)
2024
372 (314)
2025
416 (346)
The HKPF does not maintain breakdown of statistics by 18 districts.
(2) In general, upon receipt of reports of dogs and cats injured in traffic accidents, the Police will first contact the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The SPCA will inspect the animals at the scene and send the injured dogs and cats without keepers at the scene to the SPCA’s clinics for further treatment. If the dog has been implanted with a microchip, the SPCA will inform the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), so that the department can contact the dog owner. As regards other animals, the Police will contact the AFCD to provide rescue services at the scene. The AFCD will send the injured animal to its Animal Management Centres for further examination and observation as necessary.
As regards deceased animals due to traffic accident, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will arrange for contractors to collect animal carcasses at the scene upon receipt of referrals from departments or reports from the public, and deliver them to the facilities of the Environmental Protection Department for handling.
The HKPF, AFCD and FEHD do not maintain the breakdown of figures requested at the question.
(3) The Government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the Ordinance, and data shows that the majority of animals involved in traffic accidents are animals specified in the Ordinance. Even where the injured animal is not specified in the Ordinance, the AFCD will assist with rescue as needed upon receipt of report. At this stage, the Government has no plans to add further types of specified animals, and will timely review the operation of the Ordinance, striving to strike an appropriate balance between safeguarding animals and the safety of road users.
(4) The Government attaches great importance to road safety. Currently, the Road Users’ Code issued under the Ordinance clearly reminds drivers that when animals are sighted on the road or roadside ahead, they should drive slowly, allow sufficient space for the animals to move, and be prepared to stop if necessary. In addition, the Transport Department (TD) will proactively consider installing warning signs at road sections frequented by animals to enhance drivers’ awareness. The TD will continue to closely monitor the road situations and provide appropriate measures according to actual needs.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Ken Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
There are views that our country’s development in aerospace industry has advanced at an unprecedented pace in recent years, with the achievements of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft, the Tiangong Space Station and the Chang’e lunar exploration programme garnering global attention. For the first time, the country has also selected payload experts in Hong Kong, illustrating the importance it has attached to the innovation and technology (I&T) development in Hong Kong, as well as recognising of the capability of our I&T talent. Moreover, the authorities’ further promotion of aerospace science and technology education will also help cultivate students’ scientific literacy and patriotism. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Ray Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
High oil prices in Hong Kong, caused by international geopolitical instability, have added to the economic burden on private car owners. Meanwhile, the Government’s “One-for-One Replacement” Scheme for electric vehicles (EV) (the Scheme) expired on 31 March 2026. There are views that amid the prevailing high oil prices and the climate crisis, the Government needs to review its green transport policies to alleviate the burden on the public and maintain the momentum of carbon reduction. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether, from the perspectives of “energy security” and “relieving public hardship”, the Government will consider extending the Scheme to ensure that the target of ceasing new registration of fuel-propelled private cars (including hybrid vehicles) in 2035 or earlier can be achieved as scheduled; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether, with a view to reducing the difficulties in installing EV chargers in aged buildings and private housing estates, the Government will consider: (i) relaunching the EV-charging at Home Subsidy Scheme or setting up a dedicated fund to subsidize owners of aged buildings to upgrade their electrical equipment; and (ii) reviewing and relaxing the restrictions on the provision of charging facilities in indoor/covered car parks and outdoor/open-air car parks, so as to enhance the willingness of property management companies and owners’ corporations to install EV chargers; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) as the industry has relayed that the progress of installing quick chargers in old districts is often constrained by factors such as insufficient grid capacity or limited space in transformer rooms, whether the Government will review the approval criteria for electricity investment under the Scheme of Control Agreements, so as to require power companies to upgrade cables and substations in advance in areas with high growth in electricity demand; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) in view of the longer time required for power grid upgrades, whether the Government will draw on Mainland and overseas experience and proactively introduce “mobile EV charger” technology as a flexible means to bridge infrastructure gaps and alleviate the “range anxiety” of vehicle owners; if so, of the specific implementation plan; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My response to the question raised by the Hon Ray Wong is as follows:
(1) The Budget announced that the first registration tax (FRT) for electric commercial vehicles, electric motor cycles and electric motor tricycles would continue to be waived in full until end-March 2028. The FRT concession arrangement for electric private cars (e-PCs), including the “One-for-One Replacement” Scheme (the Scheme), ceased to operate upon its expiry at the end of March this year. In his concluding remarks during the resumption of the Second Reading debate on the Appropriation Bill 2026 at the Legislative Council meeting on April 29, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, stated that the Government fully exempted the FRT for all electric vehicles (EVs) for a total of 23 years, from 1994 to March 31, 2017. During the period from April 1, 2017 to the end of March 2018, the FRT concession cap for EVs was set at $97,500. The arrangement was further adjusted in 2021. The Government extended the arrangement which was due to expire last year to the end of March this year after considering Members’ views. After taking various factors into account, the Government is of the view that sufficient time has already been given for the market to adapt to the shifts. At the same time, as presented in the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles, the penetration rate of new e-PCs in Hong Kong has continued to climb in recent years, with significant improvements in vehicle prices, model selection, vehicle performance and charging infrastructure. At present, e-PCs have clear advantages over fuel-propelled private cars (PCs) in terms of both vehicle price and operating costs. Additionally, e-PC technology has matured, making the trend towards popularisation of e-PCs irreversible. Private market forces have already dominated the green transition of PCs. Against this backdrop, the Government discontinues the Scheme according to the original timetable. Moving forward, the Government will focus on improving the supporting infrastructure for the charging network to bring convenience to e-PC owners.
(2) The EV-charging at Home Subsidy Scheme (EHSS) was launched in October 2020, with a total funding of $3.5 billion allocated in 2 phases. The EHSS ceased accepting applications on December 31, 2023. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) completed processing all applications in early 2024. The EHSS is expected to cover about 140 000 parking spaces in about 700 car parks of existing private residential buildings and housing estates, accounting for about half of the eligible parking spaces in Hong Kong. As at end-March 2026, 488 car parks (covering about 87 010 parking spaces) have completed the installation works. The number of parking spaces installed with EV charging-enabling infrastructure (EVCEI) is expected to be further increased to 117 000 by end-2026, and to achieve the anticipated target as scheduled by 2027. The EPD will continue to provide technical support to EHSS applicants (including property management companies and incorporated owners) to expedite the installation of EVCEI.
In order to be eligible for the EHSS, the number of parking spaces in open area in the car park must be less than 60 per cent of the total number of eligible parking spaces. This is to avoid spending most of the subsidy on road excavation works and additional cable support facilities needed for supplying electricity to those parking spaces, thereby maximising the use of limited resources to benefit more estate car parks. In fact, the vast majority of applications under the EHSS are for indoor or covered car parks. Only five applications (0.6 per cent of all applications) were disqualified because parking spaces in open area accounted for more than 60 per cent of the total. The Government has no intention to relax this eligibility criterion.
In terms of upgrading the electrical equipment, we note that the EHSS has successfully encouraged the installation of EVCEI at parking spaces of many private residential buildings and housing estates, driving the market demand for charging facilities for e-PCs. At present, there are multiple charging service operators in the market offering various charging facility installation solutions for housing estates and vehicle owners to choose from. The two power companies have been supporting the Government in promoting the installation of EV charging facilities in private residential buildings and housing estates, including the provision of free assessments and technical support on matters such as the power supply capacity of buildings and the installation of charging facilities. At present, the Government has no plan to relaunch or introduce any new scheme to subsidise private housing estates in upgrading their electrical installations for the installation of chargers.
(3) According to the Scheme of Control Agreements signed between the Government and the two power companies, the two power companies shall pledge to provide adequate power generation and transmission facilities to meet the demand for electricity, which include assisting the development and installation of EV chargers, and provide, operate and maintain adequate electricity facilities for new development areas.
The two power companies have earlier published Power Availability Maps for all districts in Hong Kong to facilitate charge point operators (CPOs) in planning and installing charging facilities in different districts. The Government will maintain communication with CPOs to understand potential issues they may encounter in expanding charging facilities, and relay them to the two power companies for coordination and follow-up. Additionally, through the working group established with the two power companies earlier this year, the Government will also review the electricity demand arising from charging facilities and the grid capacity of the relevant areas, so as to help identify potential constraints early and, where necessary, study appropriate grid and related facility arrangements to meet the growing demand for EV charging.
(4) The Government adopts a technology-neutral principle towards all forms of charging technologies, and welcomes the trade to introduce various types of charging technologies to Hong Kong to accelerate the development of EVs. The Government has noticed the development of Mobile Charger technology or energy storage systems and their benefits in saving costs and time required for constructing power infrastructure as well as enhancing the operational flexibility of charging services. Therefore, fast chargers utilizing new technologies such as battery energy storage systems and Mobile Chargers will be eligible for applying for the $300 million Fast Charger Incentive Scheme launched in July 2025. We have approached some enterprises who are interested in promoting Mobile Charger technology and energy storage systems in Hong Kong, explaining the Government’s measures and support available to promote the popularisation of EVs.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):
Question:
The Government regularly publishes government notices in newspapers, which mainly include statutory notices and tender notices, for dissemination of information. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the government expenditure on publishing notices in newspapers in each of the past five years; and
(2) whether the Government has assessed the cost-effectiveness of publishing notices in newspapers (such as whether it has compiled statistics on the number of readers of government notices and the trend concerned); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Upon consulting bureaux and their departments, the expenditure on posting statutory notices and tender notices in newspapers in the past five years are tabulated below:
Year
Expenditure (HK$ million)
2021
33.24
2022
28.95
2023
18.25
2024
22.29
2025
18.94
In general, statutory notices are published by bureaux and departments in accordance with legal requirements and shall be published on newspapers as stipulated by relevant ordinances. As for tender notices, bureaux and departments may, depending on the circumstances such as the intended readership or the fee level, choose the newspapers in which to place the notice, so as to achieve cost-effectiveness.
Apart from publishing notices in newspapers, bureaux and departments also release information through the relevant websites with a view to broadening coverage and conveying messages more effectively to the public.