Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

A total of 25 nomination forms for the 2025 Legislative Council General Election were received today (October 31) by the Returning Officers for the 10 geographical constituencies, the 28 functional constituencies and the Election Committee constituency.

     This brings to 134 the total number of nomination forms received since the start of the nomination period on October 24. The nomination period will continue until November 6.

The number of nomination forms received for each geographical constituency is as follows:
 

The number of nomination forms received for each functional constituency is as follows:
 

     The number of nomination forms received today for the Election Committee constituency is eight and the cumulative total number is 39.

Particulars of the nominated persons received today will be uploaded to the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Hong Kong’s economy in the third quarter increased 3.8% year-on-year, picking up from the 3.1% growth in the preceding quarter.

The Census & Statistics Department announced the figures today as it released its advance estimates on gross domestic product (GDP) for the third quarter.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, real GDP rose further by 0.7%.

Commenting on the figures, the Government said Hong Kong’s economy staged a robust performance in the third quarter, driven by a continued surge in exports and sustained expansion in domestic demand.

Total exports of goods continued to grow markedly in the third quarter, propelled by strong demand for electronic-related products and buoyant regional trade flows.

Exports of services also expanded notably, mainly supported by continued growth in inbound tourism and vibrant cross-boundary financial activities amid rises in global stock markets.

Domestically, private consumption expenditure grew further. Overall investment expenditure saw an accelerated increase alongside the economic expansion and stabilisation in the residential property market.

Looking ahead, the Hong Kong economy should see further solid growth for the rest of 2025. Sustained moderate growth of the global economy in the near term, together with the persistent stellar demand for electronic-related products of late, should provide further support to Hong Kong’s exports of goods.

Continued increase in visitor arrivals and vibrant financial market activities should provide further impetus to exports of services.

On the domestic front, the renewed interest rate cuts in the US since last month are conducive to boosting asset market sentiment.

Coupled with a gradual recovery in consumption confidence and also a visible improvement in business sentiment from earlier this year, these developments should lend support to local consumption and investment activity.

The Government’s various measures to develop the economy and diversify markets will also provide support.

Nevertheless, external uncertainties, especially those arising from the ongoing impacts of trade barriers on the global economy, international trade and financial conditions still warrant close monitoring, the Government added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The men’s handball competition of the 15th National Games (NG) will commence at the Kai Tak Arena of the Kai Tak Sports Park at 2pm tomorrow (November 1) and will run until November 10.
 
　    Hong Kong will stage the men’s handball events, and one gold medal will be awarded. A total of about 180 athletes from 10 teams from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao will participate in the competition. Among them, Hong Kong will send 18 athletes to compete. After the heat and knockout rounds, the final will be held on November 10. The competition schedule is as follows:
 

• Heat: 2pm – 9.30pm, November 1 to 5
• Knockout round: 9am – 9.30pm, November 7; 2pm – 9.30pm, November 8
• Final: 2pm – 9.30pm, November 10
   

      The Hong Kong team will battle against an Anhui team, a Shanghai team and a Macao team respectively from November 1 to 3 at 8pm, as well as compete with a Beijing team on November 4 at 4pm.
 
     Members of the public can purchase e-tickets through the 15th NG official ticketing website (ticket.baygames.cn) or by searching for the “15th NG official ticketing” official mini programme on WeChat, after completing a real-name account registration. Services are also available for physical ticket purchases at the ticket office of the competition area. Real-name registration for ticket sales is adopted. Spectators who purchased tickets for their family members or friends using their own accounts via the 15th NG official ticketing platform should transfer the tickets to their family members or friends 24 hours prior to the start of the relevant session. Each person should carry their own e-tickets to facilitate verification and multiple entries/exits.
 
     An official franchised merchandise store will be set up on-site, selling a variety of franchised products with Hong Kong characteristics incorporated and related to the competition events. Members of the public are welcome to visit and make purchases.
 
     There will also be a competition village with various game booths in Kai Tak Station Square, including digital interactive games and booth games themed around the competition events hosted by Hong Kong, art workshops, handball experience activities, and photo spots. The competition village will be open on November 7, 8 and 10 from 11am to 9pm. Members of the public are welcome to try the games and purchase tickets to watch the competitions and cheer for athletes in person.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

From tomorrow, the Government will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors, enabling more non-local talent to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits.

Specifically, the scheme will cover five new sectors, ie “Environment”, “Occupational Safety & Health”, “Maritime”, “Think Tanks” and “Others”, with the addition of more authorised organisations and specified short-term activities in seven existing sectors.

The Immigration Department explained that the “Others” sector aims to enable policy bureaus/departments to invite non-local talent to come to Hong Kong under the scheme to take part in events or activities they host, co-host and/or support as necessary, thereby helping more non-local talent to visit Hong Kong for exchanges.

Following the expansion, the scheme will cover 17 sectors with a total of some 490 authorised organisations. Other arrangements will remain unchanged after the expansion.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

To align with the Government’s fees and charges reform for public healthcare on January 1, 2026, the Department of Health (DH) today (October 31) announced that the fees for certain public services at DH clinics will be adjusted starting January 1 next year. The new fee schedule was published in the gazette today. Additionally, due to the new measures by the Hospital Authority (HA), the DH clinics will implement new arrangement for drug dispensing service starting January 1 next year as well.

Fee adjustments
——————-

Under the established mechanism, the fees for clinical services provided by the DH are linked to the fees for similar or comparable services provided by the HA (such as consultation services at the Family Medicine Out-patient Services or Specialist Out-patient Services). This ensures consistency in fee levels for similar medical services across the entire public healthcare system.

In response to the previously announced fees and charges reform, which is set to take effect on January 1 next year, the DH will also adjust the fees for certain public services (see annex) at the same time. This primarily involves consultation fees and drug charges, with fee levels based on those for similar HA services.

New arrangement for drug dispensing service
—————————–

The DH will also optimise the arrangement of drug dispensing service starting from January 1 next year, with a view to reducing drug wastage, optimising the use of precious public healthcare resources, and preventing patients from stockpiling drugs which could lead to potential issues on the safe use of drugs. Starting from January 1, 2026, patients will receive a maximum supply of medication for 24 weeks after each consultation at DH clinics. Patients who have been prescribed more than 24 weeks of medication will be given the first 24 weeks’ supply together with a “Refill Slip” when they pick up their medication. They can then collect the remaining medication at the same dispensary on a specified date. Each chargeable unit covers a duration of up to a four-week supply of a drug item.

At the same time, the DH will exercise discretion to provide more than a 24-week supply of medication in one go, taking into account the health conditions and circumstances of individual patients, such as elderly with mobility issues or wheelchair users etc.

When prescribing “as required” medications, doctors of DH clinics will prescribe the actual quantity required according to patients’ clinical needs. If patients confirm that they have a sufficient quantity of the same drug at home, doctors will adjust the prescribed amount accordingly to minimise drug wastage and prevent patients from stockpiling drugs, which may pose potential risks to drug safety.

For more information and Frequently Asked Questions about the new dispensing arrangement at DH clinics, please visit the website of the Drug Office of the DH.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

A fire broke out at a warehouse near Ki Lun Tsuen in Sheung Shui at 1.18pm today (October 31) and was upgraded to No. 3 alarm at 2.03pm. The fire was surrounded at 5.04pm.

Firemen are using three jets and mobilising three breathing apparatus teams to fight the blaze. 33 persons were self-evacuated to places of safety.

No casualties have been reported so far.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (October 31) that Whale TV, a leading smart TV operating system (OS) maker from Singapore, has officially opened its R&D (research and development) office in Hong Kong.

     Whale TV’s Hong Kong office will spearhead the research and development in cloud computing and Web3 technologies, delivering more personalised entertainment experiences for users while boosting monetisation and return on investment for TV brands, advertisers and content providers. The Hong Kong team will work on advanced technology projects such as decentralised identity authentication to strengthen user privacy and engagement.   

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We are thrilled to welcome Whale TV setting up an R&D office in Hong Kong. It is an encouraging endorsement of our world-class I&T (innovation and technology) and entertainment ecosystem. The focus on cutting-edge technologies like AI and Web3 aligns perfectly with Hong Kong’s strategic goals, and we are confident that our city’s unique advantages will provide the ideal base for their global innovation.”

     The Executive Chairman of Whale TV, Dr Jack Gao, said, “Hong Kong’s strategic geographical location, robust intellectual property protection, unwavering government support for Web3, and deep talent pool in fintech provide a solid foundation for Whale TV to build its innovative entertainment solutions for our next generation. Furthermore, the city gathers top technical talents and research institutions from around the world, facilitating partnerships with top-tier R&D teams and integrating seamlessly with the international technology ecosystem.”

     Dr Gao added, “Hong Kong will be one of our company’s international hubs, and we will actively explore market opportunities across Asia and the Middle East. To support the growth of our business in Asia, we may consider expanding our Hong Kong team beyond R&D to include more product, marketing, and sales professionals in the future.”

     Since its establishment in 2011, Whale TV partnered with over 400 global TV brands and has enabled more than 44 million monthly active households worldwide to discover, search and watch their favourite entertainment programmes. As an independent smart TV OS, Whale TV is driving innovation to build a unified smart TV ecosystem that connects consumers, TV brands, content providers and advertisers.

     For more information about Whale TV, please visit: www.whaletv.com

     To download photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720329959798/

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, concluded the final day of his visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday (October 30, Riyadh time).

In the morning, Mr Chan met with the Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), H.E. Mr Yasir Al-Rumayyan, to exchange views on deepening collaboration in the areas of investment and innovation and technology development between the two places. Mr Chan noted that over the past few years, Hong Kong and the PIF have built a solid foundation for co-operation across various sectors. He expressed hope that future collaboration can be further strengthened to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative and support the development goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The visit yielded fruitful outcomes, including the signing of five agreements or memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between members of the Hong Kong delegation and local partners. These covered a wide range of areas, particularly innovation and technology and the digital economy. Mr Chan witnessed several of the signing ceremonies. Among them, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Digital Cooperation Organization signed an MoU to promote the use of Hong Kong as a platform by start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the organisation’s member economies to access the Asia-Pacific market, while also supporting their digital transformation efforts.

In addition, three technology companies from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland – specialising respectively in artificial intelligence, smart sensing technologies and robotics — signed strategic co-operation agreements or MoUs with Saudi enterprises. The agreements cover areas such as technology application, business development and scenario implementation, further promoting the deployment and advancement of innovative technologies in the Middle East. Separately, an environmental technology company also signed an MoU with a local construction firm to facilitate the wider application of its technologies in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Chan also led the Hong Kong delegation on a visit to the flagship urban development project in Riyadh, New Murabba. During the visit, Mr Chan met with the Chief Executive Officer of the New Murabba Development Company, Mr Michael Dyke, and attended a business exchange session between the company and the Hong Kong delegation.

Mr Chan remarked that Hong Kong possesses internationally recognised strengths in urban planning, architectural design, engineering consultancy, construction technology innovation, as well as project management and financing. He noted the keen interest of Hong Kong professionals in participating in large-scale urban development projects abroad. He invited the New Murabba Development Company to conduct a roadshow in Hong Kong to identify suitable partners and explore financing opportunities, thereby fostering collaboration in city development and infrastructure between the two sides.

Mr Chan also attended two networking events yesterday: a high-level luncheon hosted by local bank SAB, and the “Hong Kong – Saudi Business Dinner” co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai and Invest Hong Kong. At both events, Mr Chan delivered keynote speeches, in which he outlined Hong Kong’s latest developments and competitive advantages, and engaged in exchanges with attendees.

Mr Chan emphasised that with the unique advantages of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong serves as a two-way platform connecting the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world. It is well positioned to facilitate trade, investment, finance and cultural exchanges between China and the Middle East, as well as the wider region. He added that Hong Kong’s strengths in finance, commerce, logistics, and innovation and technology, together with its integration with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, offer significant potential for broader collaboration with Saudi Arabia. He welcomed members of the Saudi business community to visit Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to explore co-operation opportunities and expand their business.

Mr Chan concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia last night (October 30, Riyadh time) and will return to Hong Kong at around noon time today (October 31, Hong Kong time).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Government announced today (October 31) that the Chief Executive has reappointed the following individuals to the Estate Agents Authority (EAA) for a period of two years with effect from November 1, 2025:
 
Chairman
Professor Simon Siu Chak-yu
 
Vice-Chairman
Ms Jane Curzon Lo
 
Person of Category A (estate agency sector)
Mr Raymond Tsoi Chi-chung
 
Person of Category C (others)
Mr Jonathan Chang Tien-yin, SC
 
     The membership list of the EAA with effect from November 1, 2025, is as follows:
 
Chairman
Professor Simon Siu Chak-yu
 
Vice-Chairman
Ms Jane Curzon Lo
 
Persons of Category A (estate agency sector)
Mr Chiu Kam-kuen
Miss Amber Ng Yan-pui
Mr Jacob Poon Tat-hang
Mr Raymond Tsoi Chi-chung
Mr Yu Chi-wing
 
Persons of Category B (related fields)
Mr Albert Cheng Ting-ning
Mr Francis Ho Ying-foo
Miss Lok Hom-ning
Professor Tang Bo-sin
 
Persons of Category C (others)
Mr Jonathan Chang Tien-yin, SC
Professor Chow Wai-shun
Ms Irene Chu Ngar-yee
Mr Dennis Ho Chiu-ping
Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki
Mr Kevin Wong Ho
Mr Michael Wong Yick-kam
Mr Eric Woo Hing-yip
Permanent Secretary for Housing or her representative
 
     The EAA is a statutory body established on November 1, 1997, under the Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511) with a view to enhancing the standard of estate agents’ service and the protection of buyers and sellers of property.