Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced that a Mainland Lanzhou beef noodle brand, Ma Ji Yong, officially opened its first store outside the Mainland in Hong Kong today (October 22), marking a significant milestone in the brand’s global expansion.

Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We welcome Ma Ji Yong to choose Hong Kong as the first stop for its global expansion. As a bridge connecting the Chinese Mainland and the international market, Hong Kong is the best springboard for Mainland enterprises to go global. We believe that Ma Ji Yong will bring new vitality to Hong Kong’s catering industry and use Hong Kong as a stepping stone to the international market.”

Deputy General Manager of Hong Kong Market and Development Director for Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia of Shanghai Huaqiao Catering Management Co Ltd, Ms Zenna Huang, said, “Hong Kong’s diverse food culture, highly sophisticated consumers, and status as an international financial centre provide an excellent platform for Ma Ji Yong to build its brand image and enter overseas markets. It is an ideal gateway for us to promote Lanzhou beef noodles globally.”

She explained, “Hong Kong has robust intellectual property protection, a business-friendly environment, and an international consumer base and is a hub for culinary innovation in Asia. The city is an important platform for the combination of global food cultures. We will leverage its diverse consumer base to widely promote Lanzhou beef noodles to the world, bringing the fusion and innovation of its flavours with various regional cuisines for our customers.”

She added that the Hong Kong office is part of the Hong Kong, Macao, and Overseas Business Unit of the headquarters of Shanghai Huaqiao Catering Management Co Ltd, responsible for co-ordinating and managing Ma Ji Yong’s business expansion, store operations, and strategic partnerships in Hong Kong, Macao, and Southeast Asia. The brand will use Hong Kong as a launchpad to expand into other markets in the region and introduce digital ordering systems and membership platforms tailored to international customers.

Established in 2019, Ma Ji Yong, under Shanghai Huaqiao Catering Management Co Ltd, is a modern Chinese noodle chain brand that inherits the tradition of Lanzhou beef noodles. The brand insists on using high-quality ingredients, handmade noodles, standardised operations, and a modern dining environment. Currently, it has over 360 directly operated stores on the Chinese Mainland, making it the Lanzhou beef noodle brand with the most directly operated stores in the country.

For more information about Ma Ji Yong, please visit www.majiyong.net.

To download photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720329779262.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Frankie Yick and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

Some members of the transport industry anticipate that the problem of shortage of taxi drivers will aggravate as elderly taxi drivers retire and some drivers switch to driving ride-hailing vehicles following the legislation regulating ride-hailing vehicles comes into effect. Moreover, it has been reported that five taxi fleets are struggling to achieve scaled operation due to difficulties in recruiting drivers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as it is learnt that there are about 210 000 holders of valid taxi driving licences in Hong Kong, but only 20 per cent of them are active taxi drivers, whether the Government has investigated the reasons why holders of taxi driving licences do not join the taxi industry, and whether it has estimated the number of taxi drivers in shortfall in the market;

(2) of the specific measures in place to assist taxi fleets in recruiting drivers, so that they can achieve the target of having 3 500 taxis in service four months after obtaining their licenses (i.e. by the end of November this year); and

(3) whether it will consider introducing measures after the upcoming enhancement of the Taxi Written Test in November this year, to allow imported drivers to drive taxis in Hong Kong after meeting certain qualifications and examination requirements, and implement this on a trial basis in taxi fleets with a view to helping the trade achieve its targeted fleet size as early as possible; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and the other measures in place to increase the supply of taxi drivers?

Reply:

President,

The Government has all along been keeping in view the manpower situation of the taxi industry, and has introduced various measures to enhance the service quality of taxis and support the trade in improving the operating environment, with a view to promoting the healthy development of the industry in the long run and attracting more new blood to join the taxi industry.

Regarding the Hon Frankie Yick’s questions, my reply is as follows:

(1) In light of the continuously ageing population, all trades are compelled to cope with manpower-related challenges. In terms of the taxi industry, the Government has been taking a multi-pronged approach to expand the overall driver supply, including the enhancement of Taxi Written Test in 2020 by updating the test content and adjusting the number of questions, with a view to focusing more on the assessment of core knowledge regarding taxi services. Upon implementation of the measure, the number of candidates sitting the Test has increased significantly by 40 per cent in the past five years to around 14 000 candidates in 2024. To keep up with the times and better align the Taxi Written Test with the operational needs of the trade, the Transport Department (TD) will start from the next month, which is in November, further enhance the Test by substantially reducing and simplifying the questions on locations and routes, and adding new questions related to enhancement of taxi service quality, with the aim of maintaining assessment standards while attracting more aspiring individuals to join the taxi industry.

Apart from enhancing the Taxi Written Test, the Government has also relaxed the eligibility requirements for taxi driving licences in 2020. The period required for an applicant to hold a private car or light goods vehicle full driving licence has been shortened from a minimum of three years to at least one year. Besides, the Government has implemented a number of measures in recent years to enhance the service quality and overall image of the taxi industry, thereby bringing a positive impact on attracting new blood to join the industry. Such measures include introducing taxi fleets with systematic management, organising the Taxi Service Commendation Scheme, increasing the maximum passenger seating capacity of taxis, introducing a Taxi-Driver-Offence Points system, and relaxing no-stopping restrictions for taxis at designated restricted zones.

In addition, the Employees Retraining Board also offers taxi-driver-related training courses to assist participants to join the taxi driver industry. Eligible persons may even receive tuition reductions.

All these measures help attract more young new blood to apply for taxi driving licence. As of August this year, there were approximately 18 200 taxi driving licence holders aged 40 or below, representing an increase of over 50 per cent compared to 2019 (with around 11 800 taxi driving licence holders aged 40 or below).

The current number of active taxi drivers is about 46 000. Whether a taxi driving licence holder opt to become an active taxi driver depends on multiple factors and could not be generalised. These factors include individual career preferences, the overall economic situation as well as the operating environment, income and costs (e.g. taxi rental levels) of the industry. The Government will continue to implement various measures to promote the healthy development of the taxi industry, so as to attract new blood to join the industry and expand the overall driver supply.

(2) As for the taxi fleets, the Government has been actively co-ordinating and providing support to the fleets as needed, including facilitating each fleet to co-operate with third-party platform to provide centralised taxi-hailing service, facilitating vehicle examination arrangements for fleet taxis, co-ordinating fleet operators’ applications for Dedicated 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme for Battery Electric Taxis, and promoting fleet services to citizens and tourists. In addition, to facilitate fleet taxis’ picking up of passengers with pre-booked service, the TD has set up about 80 designated fleet taxi stopping places across 13 locations, such as the airport, certain boundary control points and the Express Rail Link Station.

With regard to driver recruitment, the Government has been arranging for fleet operators to participate in district and thematic job fairs organised by the Labour Department, enabling fleet operators to explain to job seekers the management, training and support provided to drivers, so as to attract existing drivers and new blood to join. In addition, the fleets have also put in place different measures to recruit taxi drivers, including placing advertisements on radio and social media platforms, offering new driver referral bonus and safe driving bonus, as well as flexible working hour arrangements.

We understand that the job fairs and various measures have attracted enquiries from job seekers outside the taxi industry, and have successfully recruited more than 100 newcomers to switch careers and join the fleets. The Government will continue to support the fleets in recruiting drivers, and urge the fleet operators to proactively enhance their services and expedite the recruitment of drivers and taxi owners, with a view to driving the fleets towards their committed scale and providing passengers with quality taxi services.

(3) With regard to the suggestion on labour importation, considering that taxi is a type of personalised point-to-point transport service, drivers should be familiar with the local road network and transport system, and should be able to select the most direct and practical routes to destinations having regard to real-time traffic conditions. Drivers also need to maintain communication with passengers, and adjust routes and drop-off points in accordance with their requests. In this connection, the nature of taxi services is different from that of public light buses or non-franchised buses which have fixed stopping points and routes. At present, the Government has no plan to import labour for the taxi industry.

As mentioned earlier, we will continue to closely monitor the latest manpower situation in the taxi industry, implement various measures to attract new blood to join the industry, and maintain communication with the trade, with a view to ensuring the stability of taxi services and the healthy development of the industry in the long run.

Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Ma Chai Hang Sports Centre, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will open for public use on October 31 (Friday), providing a variety of leisure and sports facilities.
 
     The new sports centre is located at 30 Ma Chai Hang Road and has a total area of about 6 570 square metres. Facilities include a multipurpose arena (which can serve as one basketball court, one volleyball court or four badminton courts), two multipurpose activity rooms, a fitness room, and a children’s play room. Separately, two rooftop tennis courts and a single-storey multipurpose activity room are planned to commence services within this year. The sports centre will be open from 7am to 11pm daily, closing on the first and third Mondays (from 9am to 3pm) of each month for regular maintenance.
 
     In addition to the above sports centre, Ma Chai Hang Recreation Ground is also expected to open for public use within this year, providing an 11-a-side artificial turf soccer pitch, a jogging trail, and a natural turf open space. 
 
     Members of the public visiting Ma Chai Hang Sports Centre or Recreation Ground can walk from Exit B1 of Wong Tai Sin MTR Station, or take various bus and minibus routes.     
 
     Booking of the fee-charging facilities of Ma Chai Hang Sports Centre can be made from October 25 (Saturday) via the Internet Booking Service of SmartPLAY. For enquiries, please call the venue staff at 2321 0126, or visit the LCSD website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/index.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Adrian Ho and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

     Regarding the data that reflects Hong Kong’s economic situation, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the median monthly employment earnings of employed persons and the median monthly household income in Hong Kong, as well as the three industry sectors that recorded the highest growth rates in median monthly employment earnings, for the past four quarters (up to the last month); the number of those industry sectors in which the median monthly employment earnings of employed persons recorded an increase;

(2) given that the Government has raised the maximum value of properties chargeable to the $100 stamp duty to $4 million with effect from ‍February 26 this year, of the respective amounts of stamp duty revenue collected in respect of (i) property leases, (ii) agreements for sale and purchase, or (iii) transfers of residential and non-residential properties in the current financial year to date; the changes in such stamp duty revenues as compared with those of the same period last year;

(3) of the proportion of the financial services sector in the Gross Domestic Product and the stamp duty revenue related to stock transfers collected in the past two years; the change in such stamp duty revenue as compared with that of the same period last year;

(4) given that the Government has resumed the collection of hotel accommodation tax at a rate of 3 per cent on the accommodation charges with effect from January 1 this year, of the respective amounts of hotel accommodation tax collected by the Government each month up to the third quarter of this year; and

(5) of the amount of revenue received by the Government from business registration fees, and the number of applications for exemption from payment of business registration fee received since January this year?

Reply:

President,

     In response to the questions raised by the Hon Adrian Ho, after consulting the relevant government departments, my reply is as follows:

(1) The statistics on the median monthly employment earnings of employed persons and median monthly household income from Q3 2024 to Q2 2025 (excluding foreign domestic helpers) compiled based on the survey results of the General Household Survey of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) are provided in Table 1. The statistics for Q3 2025 are still being compiled.

     The median monthly employment earnings of employed persons by industry of main employment (excluding foreign domestic helpers) during the same period are provided in Table 2. The three industries with the largest year-on-year increases in Q2 2025 were manufacturing sector (12.5 per cent); transportation, storage, postal and courier services, information and communications sector (7.3 per cent); as well as financing and insurance sector (5.3 per cent). The industries which recorded a year-on-year growth in median monthly employment earnings include the construction sector; import/export trade and wholesale sector; real estate and professional and business services sector; accommodation and food services sector; and public administration, social and personal services sector.

(2) From April to September 2025, the stamp duty collection from (i) lease, (ii) sale and purchase of properties and (iii) transfer of properties other than by way of sale and purchase and their comparison with the same period of last year is presented in the table below.
 

Stamp duty	Amount ($)	Comparison with the same period in 2024
Lease	350 million	-30%
Sale and purchase of properties	9.2 billion	+7%
Transfer of properties other than by way of sale and purchase	54 million	-13%

(3) According to the statistics of the C&SD, the financial services sector took up about 22 per cent and 25 per cent of GDP in 2022 and 2023 respectively. The statistics for 2024 are still being compiled.

     The stamp duty collection from stock transactions in 2024-25 was $52 billion, representing an increase of about 43 per cent compared to last year. The stamp duty collection from stock transactions in the first two quarters of 2025-26 was about $44 billion, representing an increase of about 143 per cent comparing to the same period of last year.

(4) Under the Hotel Accommodation Tax Ordinance (Cap. 348), the hotel accommodation tax (HAT) is levied quarterly and hotel and guesthouse proprietors are required to pay the HAT to the Government within 14 days after quarter-end. The HAT collected by the Government for the first and second quarters of 2025 amounted to about $190 million and $170 million respectively. The statistics for Q3 2025 are still being compiled.

(5) From January to September 2025, the business registration fee collected was about $2.6 billion, while the number of applications for exemption from payment of business registration fee and levy received was around 21 000 in the same period.

Table 1: Median monthly employment earnings of employed persons and median monthly household income (excluding foreign domestic helpers)
 

	Q3 2024	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025
Median monthly employment earnings of employed persons (excluding foreign domestic helpers) (1) (2) (HK$)	22,000	22,000	22,500	22,300
Median monthly household income (excluding foreign domestic helpers) (3) (4) (HK$)	30,000	29,400	30,000	30,000

Notes:
Both median monthly employment earnings and median monthly household incomes are rounded to the nearest hundred.

(1) Monthly employment earnings refer to earnings (before deduction of Mandatory Provident Fund contributions) from all jobs during the month before enumeration. For employees, they include wage and salary, bonus, commission, tips, housing allowance, overtime allowance, attendance allowance and other cash allowances. However, back pays are excluded. For employers and self-employed, they refer to amounts drawn from the self-owned enterprise for personal and household use. If information on the amounts drawn for personal and household use is not available, data on net earnings from business would be collected instead.

(2) Employed persons refer to those persons aged 15 and over who have been engaged in performing work for pay or profit during the seven days before enumeration or who have had formal job attachment. Unpaid family workers and employed persons who were on leave/holiday during the seven days before enumeration are included.

(3) Monthly household income refers to the total cash income, including earnings (before deduction of Mandatory Provident Fund contributions) from all jobs and other cash income received in the month before enumeration by all members of the household. Other cash income includes income generated from rent income, interest, dividends, regular/monthly pensions and insurance annuity benefits, regular contribution from persons outside the household, regular contribution from charities and all government subsidies.

(4) Domestic household consists of persons who live together and make common provision for essentials for living. These persons need not be related. If a person makes provision for essentials for living without sharing with other persons, he/she is also regarded as a household. In this case, the household is a one-person household. A domestic household must have at least one member who is a Usual Resident. Households comprising Mobile Residents only are not classified as domestic households.

Table 2: Median monthly employment earnings of employed persons by industry of main employment (excluding foreign domestic helpers)
 

Industry of main employment (3) (4)	Median monthly employment earnings of employed persons (excluding foreign domestic helpers) (1) (2)
	Q3 2024	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025
	(HK$)	(HK$)	(HK$)	(HK$)	Year-on-year % change
Manufacturing	20,000	20,000	21,500	22,500	+12.5%
Construction	22,700	23,000	23,500	23,000	+4.5%
Import/export trade and wholesale	23,900	24,500	25,000	25,000	+4.2%
Retail, accommodation and food services	16,000	16,000	16,600	16,000	–
Retail	15,700	15,500	16,000	15,000	–
Accommodation and food services	16,800	17,000	17,000	17,000	+1.8%
Transportation, storage, postal and courier services, information and communications	21,100	21,100	22,000	22,000	+7.3%
Financing, insurance, real estate, professional and business services	25,000	24,200	25,500	25,200	+0.8%
Financing and insurance	40,000	37,500	40,000	40,000	+5.3%
Real estate and professional and       business services	20,000	20,000	20,700	20,700	+3.5%
Public administration, social and personal services	26,500	26,000	26,000	26,000	+0.8%
Other industries	25,000	23,000	23,600	26,200	+0.8%
Overall	22,000	22,000	22,500	22,300	+5.2%

Notes:
Median monthly employment earnings are rounded to the nearest hundred.

(1) and (2) Please refer to Notes (1) and (2) under Table 1.

(3) Industry refers to the activity of the establishment in which the respondent worked during the seven days before enumeration. The General Household Survey currently follows the major industry groups of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0 to classify the industry of an employed person and the previous industry of an unemployed person.

(4) Main employment refers to the job on which a person spent most of his/her time if he/she had more than one job at the time of enumeration. All other jobs were regarded as secondary employment.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, at the Opening Ceremony of the Green Tech Summit 2025 today (October 22):
 
Helene (CEO & Co-Founder, GoImpact, Ms Helene Li), Clarence (Co-Founder, GoImpact, Mr Clarence T’ao), Andy (Co-Founder, GoImpact, Mr Andy Ann), Kevin (Chif Executive and Founder, Templaria and Advisory Board Member, GoImpact, Mr Kevin Angelini), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good morning. It is my pleasure to address you at the Opening Ceremony of the Green Tech Summit 2025. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organiser GoImpact and all participants, including esteemed partners such as the World Bank and the Climate Bonds Initiative, for your unwavering support in advancing green technology and sustainability. Your collective efforts are instrumental in driving our shared green finance and ESG (environmental, social and governance) ambitions, paving the way for a transformative journey towards a greener future.
 
     Hong Kong is steadfast in our commitment to sustainability, guided by the Central People’s Government’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which sets goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Aligned with this vision, Hong Kong has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. These targets are not mere aspirations but a call to action, compelling us to leverage our position as a global financial centre to pioneer and drive innovative financing solutions that bridge environmental goals with financial expertise.
 
     Based on market research it is estimated that annual climate investments would have to reach US$9 trillion by 2030 and US$10 trillion by 2050. This demonstrates the immense demand for green and sustainable finance. As the leading international financial centre in Asia, Hong Kong is also rising as an international green and sustainable finance centre, playing our part in mobilising capital for green investments. In 2024, the total green and sustainable debt, including both bonds and loans, issued in Hong Kong exceeded US$84 billion, among which the volume of green and sustainable bonds arranged in Hong Kong amounted to around US$43 billion, capturing around 45 per cent of the regional total and ranking first in the Asian market for seven consecutive years since 2018. Our financial prowess enables us to fund transformative projects that align with our carbon neutrality objectives.
 
     The Government is also leading by example in the development of the green bond market. Under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme, we have issued green bonds totalling about HK$240 billion equivalent since May 2019. Notable milestones include the world’s largest retail green bond in 2022 and the largest ESG bond issuance in Asia in 2023. To further advance innovation, we introduced the world’s first tokenised government green bond of its kind in February 2023 and the world’s first multi-tranche digitally native green bonds in 2024. Using the capital raised from the issuances, so far we have supported 116 local green projects across six eligible categories to deliver transparent and measurable environmental benefits.
 
     Financing aside, Hong Kong is actively promoting green finance by developing policies and frameworks to support sustainable investments, including ESG-focused financial products. The Government and the financial sector are collaborating to position the city as a leading global hub for green finance, attracting international capital to fund environmentally friendly projects. Hong Kong’s status as a strategic nexus for green finance in Asia is central to advancing global sustainability objectives. As of June this year, there are more than 204 ESG funds in Hong Kong authorised by the SFC (Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong), with assets under management of around US$150 billion. This sizable market of ESG funds demonstrates Hong Kong’s role as the gateway to sustainable finance in Asia, gathering capital to empower green transformation.
 
     Complementing these efforts and achievements, the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme, extended to 2027, has disbursed around HK$380 million to over 600 green and sustainable debt instruments issued in Hong Kong, with a total underlying debt issuance exceeding HK$1.3 trillion as of September this year. This scheme provides subsidy for eligible bond issuers and loan borrowers to cover part of their expenses on bond issuance and external review services, driving decarbonisation and reinforcing Hong Kong’s leadership in transition financing.
 
     Technology application is another driving force for development, and Hong Kong is at the forefront of integrating financial technology with green finance. To accelerate the green transformation of our economy, we are expanding our green fintech ecosystem. In March 2024 and June 2025, the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group launched the Prototype Hong Kong Green Fintech Map and the Hong Kong Green Fintech Map 2025, respectively. Developed in collaboration with stakeholders, these platforms provide comprehensive information on green fintech companies and services in Hong Kong, elevating their visibility and impact and promoting business collaboration.
 
     To further support green fintech development, we launched the Green and Sustainable Fintech Proof-of-Concept Funding Support Scheme in June last year. This scheme provides early-stage funding to technology companies and research institutes collaborating with local enterprises to develop innovative green fintech solutions. A total of 39 applicants, involving 60 projects, were approved, each receiving a grant of HK$150,000 to facilitate commercialisation and proof-of-concept completion.
 
     On the journey towards green transformation, it is also important to empower our small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, our Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group launched the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculation and estimation tools in February last year. These tools, freely accessible on the Steering Group’s website, empower small and medium enterprises and financial institutions to manage their environmental footprint and enhance sustainability reporting. The Steering Group will continue to enhance these public utility tools, including the GHG emissions tools and the Climate and Environmental Risk Questionnaire for non-listed companies and SMEs, to improve data availability throughout this year.
 
     Furthermore, we are also exploring real-world asset tokenisation for green finance development. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), is studying the application of tokenisation technology in carbon trading. The HKEX is also deepening pilot co-operation with the Greater Bay Area carbon market to test cross-border trade settlement mechanisms and build a regional carbon market ecosystem. In collaboration with Mainland regulatory authorities, we are also studying issues surrounding the country’s participation in the international carbon market, including the formulation of voluntary carbon credit standards and methods, as well as the registration, trading and settlement of carbon emission reduction.
 
     Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong’s leadership in green finance reflects our ability to unite vision, innovation, and collaboration. The Green Tech Summit 2025’s focus on green technology mirrors our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge solutions for a sustainable future. From our ambitious carbon neutrality targets to our pioneering green financing and fintech innovations, every step we take builds a resilient and inclusive ecosystem. I urge you to join us in harnessing innovation to create a greener, more sustainable Hong Kong and beyond. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Lee Chun-keung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

     It has been reported that as at late September this year, the Police have conducted 95 enforcement actions against vehicles without a valid hire car permit being used for illegal carriage of passengers for reward (commonly known as white licence cars). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) among the aforesaid 95 enforcement actions, (i) of the number of persons convicted by the court and the respective penalties (including fine amounts and whether the drivers involved were suspended from driving), and (ii) the number of subject vehicles which were detained and their respective detention periods;

(2) whether the Department of Justice has lodged appeals against any of the aforesaid cases in which the penalties were considered relatively low; if so, of the number of such appeal cases and their outcomes; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether, following the increase in penalties for offences relating to white licence cars under the Road Traffic Legislation (Enhancing Personalized Point-to-point Transport Services) (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, which came into operation in December 2023, the Government has compiled statistics on and compared the penalties imposed by the court for such offences before and after the commencement of the Ordinance (set out in a table); and

(4) as the Government expects that, after the passage of the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Ride-hailing Service) Bill 2025, the first batch of licensed ride-hailing platforms will only commence operation in the fourth quarter of 2026 at the earliest, of the plans of the law enforcement agencies to step up efforts to combat white licence cars in the coming year when licensed ride-hailing platforms are not yet available?

Reply:
 
President,

     In consultation with the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Transport Department (TD), a consolidated reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Lee Chun-keung is provided as follows:

(1) and (2) The Government is determined to combat illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward with a view to safeguarding the safety and interests of the public. To this end, enforcement efforts have been strengthened in recent years. The HKPF has continued to take enforcement actions in various districts, where 97 cases were detected in 2025 (by September), involving the provision of illegal services of carriage of passengers for reward by vehicles through different platforms, representing a doubling of the 47 cases detected in the whole year of 2024. Of the abovementioned cases, 39 cases involving 39 drivers have been convicted by the court. Seven cases have entered judicial proceedings, while the remaining 51 cases are under investigation.

     Of the convicted cases, fines ranging from $1,200 to $6,000 were imposed on the drivers involved. Individual drivers involved in breach of condition of stay were, in addition to fines, sentenced to imprisonment ranging from two weeks to two months. Moreover, 24 drivers have been disqualified from driving for 12 to 15 months.

     According to the Prosecution Code, the DoJ may apply to the court for the review of a sentence on the basis that it has proceeded on an error of law or of principle or that it is manifestly inadequate. Whether an application for the review of a sentence will be made is based upon the facts and circumstances of each and every case. The DoJ has not made any application to the court for a review of sentences in relation to the offences of illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward.

     Under the existing Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (the Ordinance), if a person is convicted of the offence under section 52(3) of the Ordinance (i.e. illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward), the Commissioner for Transport will, in accordance with the Ordinance, suspend the vehicle licence of the vehicle involved and instruct the vehicle owner to deliver the vehicle to the Commissioner’s custody (i.e. detention as referred to in the question). The suspension period is either six months (for first conviction) or 12 months (for subsequent conviction). Of the convicted cases in 2025, 20 vehicles have been impounded or scheduled for impoundment for six months, while the remaining cases are under process.

(3) To enhance the deterrent effect of the penalties for the offences of illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, the Government in December 2023 increased the penalties for offences relating to illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward by motor vehicles through the enactment of the Road Traffic Legislation (Enhancing Personalized Point-to-point Transport Services) (Amendment) Ordinance 2023. These included increasing the maximum fine and term of imprisonment, as well as lengthening the period of suspension of vehicle licences and impoundment of vehicles, with details as follows:

Table 1: Details of the legislative amendments made in December 2023

Penalty	Maximum penalty prior to the 2023 legislative amendments		Existing maximum penalty following the legislative amendments
	First conviction	Subsequent conviction	First conviction	Subsequent conviction
Maximum fine	$5,000 (Level 2)	$10,000 (Level 3)	$10,000 (Level 3)	$25,000 (Level 4)
Maximum term of imprisonment	Three months	Six months	Six months	12 months
Suspension of vehicle licences and impoundment of vehicles	Three months	Six months	Six months	12 months

Since the commencement of the legislative amendments on December 22, 2023, the average amount of fines imposed and the number of cases on which imprisonment was imposed for offences relating to illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward by motor vehicles have increased, with details as follows:

Table 2: Comparison of penalties imposed before and after the legislative amendments in December 2023

Penalty	Before the legislative amendments (during 2023)	After the legislative amendments (by September 2025)
Fine	Ranging from $1,000 to $5,000	Ranging from $500 to $7,500
Imprisonment	No cases on which imprisonment was imposed	Imprisonment was imposed on five cases, the average of which was six weeks*
Suspension of vehicle licences and impoundment of vehicles	Impoundment of vehicle for three months was imposed on 29 cases	Impoundment of vehicle for six months was imposed on 58 cases

* In addition to the contravention of section 52(3) of the Ordinance, the cases also involved a contravention of section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Cap. 272) and section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115).

(4) The Government will further strengthen the penalties against illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward through the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Ride-hailing Service) Bill 2025 (the Bill), which was just passed by the Legislative Council on October 15. The Bill specifies that convicted drivers should be disqualified from driving for not less than 12 months and not more than three years; and strengthens the arrangement for the suspension of vehicle licences and impoundment of vehicles, allowing a mechanism under which the Government may impound the vehicles involved even if the driver involved cannot be identified for the purpose of instituting criminal proceedings, thereby enhancing the deterrent effect.

     The aforementioned new provisions on enforcement will dovetail with the commencement date of other parts of the Bill and take effect when licensed ride-hailing vehicles commence service, so as to provide comprehensive protection for legally compliant point-to-point transport services and passengers.

     Meanwhile, the Government will continue to strengthen law enforcement across all districts to combat illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward. The TD will also step up its publicity efforts in reminding drivers of the relevant penalties and the need to abide by the law, while alerting passengers to the potential risks of using illegal hire car services as the third party liability insurance for the vehicle providing illegal services may become invalid in the event of a traffic accident.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Chun-ying and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):
 
Question:
 
     There are views that although Hong Kong has leapt to the fourth place globally in the latest World Talent Ranking 2025 published by the International Institute for Management Development, it still has structural shortcomings in encouraging talent to stay and develop in Hong Kong. In particular, Hong Kong’s high cost of living has resulted in poor performance in the “cost of living” indicator, with the city ranking 66th globally. Therefore, the Government should introduce corresponding long-term measures to attract and retain talent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) in order to alleviate housing cost pressures, whether the Government will consider reserving land in new development areas such as the Northern Metropolis and, by drawing on overseas experience, constructing residential apartments for talent under the “build-‍to-‍rent” model (i.e. a model where housing is specifically constructed for rental purposes) to provide stable and affordable housing options for incoming talent, so as to increase the incentive for their long-term settlement in Hong Kong, thereby promoting local economic development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(2) as there are views pointing out that cultivating multilingual abilities is crucial to enhancing the international competitiveness of local talent, whether the Government will consider establishing a Foreign Language Scholarship Scheme to subsidise local students or young people planning for long-term development in Hong Kong to attend language courses overseas, so as to nurture local talent with cross-cultural literacy and professional foreign language proficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:
 
President,
 
     Our reply to the Member’s questions, in consultation with the Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Education Bureau, is as follows:

(1) The Northern Metropolis (NM) is a strategic development area in Hong Kong. With an area and planned population accounting for around one-third of Hong Kong’s totals, the land for different industries in the NM would drive the development of innovation and technology and other industries. With the support of relevant policy bureaux, the DEVB has allowed planning flexibility for the construction of talent accommodation on industry land in some New Development Areas (such as San Tin Technopole and the Lau Fau Shan area) in the NM, with a view to supporting the relevant industry development. 

(2) The Government has been making significant investment in education to provide diversified learning opportunities for students. Learning foreign languages can help students understand multiculturalism and strengthen their connections with different parts of the world, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in pursuing employment or further studies, or starting their own businesses in the future. The Government has consistently encouraged schools and institutions to provide students with opportunities to learn foreign languages, and enable students, through various avenues such as student exchange programmes and experiential learning activities, to gain exposure to the cultures of more places, broaden their horizons, seize Hong Kong’s unique advantages, and be better prepared for their future development. Over the years, the Government has been collaborating with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, other advisory bodies and stakeholders to enable Hong Kong people, particularly students and working adults, to become biliterate and trilingual, through sponsoring and implementing various measures using the Language Fund. The Government will continue to strive to nurture talents who are biliterate and trilingual, and proficient in other languages. However, there is currently no plan to introduce the Foreign Language Scholarship Scheme as proposed in the question.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

     There are views that with its convenient transport links and scenic view, Hung Hom Ferry Pier (the Pier) has the potential to develop into a waterfront hub integrating transport, leisure, culture and creativity. However, the Pier as a whole is not being used to its full functionality, as evidenced by its upper deck area still being closed to public use, which results in the idling of some facilities and wasting of land resources. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will examine the utilisation of land and facilities at the Pier and explore introducing more commercial and leisure elements to tie in with the development of the surrounding areas, thereby promoting waterfront economy and community integration;

(2) whether it will consider enhancing the planning interface between the Pier and adjacent waterfront areas, such as through synergistic development with Whampoa, Kowloon City District and Tsim Sha Tsui East, to create a waterfront promenade and commercial circulation route with greater coherence;

(3) regarding the uplift of maritime tourism, whether it will explore how to strengthen the external transport facilities for the Pier, thereby simultaneously enhancing tourism and transport linkages between Hung Hom and Hong Kong Island; and

(4) whether it will consider opening up the upper deck of the Pier for public use and introducing activities of educational and cultural value, such as photo exhibitions showcasing the national achievements in construction, or organisation of youth cultural and creative workshops and music galas, to offer the public a more diverse waterfront experience characterized by a sense of community and a cultural vibe?

Reply:

President,

     To facilitate the daily operation of ferry services, the Government provides ferry piers for most of the licensed ferry routes.  Hong Hom Ferry Pier comprises Hung Hom (South) and Hung Hom (North) Ferry Piers, serving the “Central – Hung Hom” licensed ferry route operated by the Fortune Ferry Company Limited and the “North Point – Hung Hom” licensed ferry route operated by the Sun Ferry Services Company Limited respectively.

     The Government has been working closely with the Harbourfront Commission to promote various initiatives to enhance the Victoria Harbourfront, including the harbourfront area in proximity to Hung Hom Ferry Pier, with a view to creating a diversified, vibrant, accessible and inclusive harbourfront space for the public.

     In consultation with the Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, my reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Starry Lee is as follows:

(1) To promote harbourfront economy, the Planning Development proposed to the Town Planning Board (TPB) in August 2025 an amendment to the uses within Hung Hom (South) and Hung Hom (North) Ferry Piers on the outline zoning plan concerned by making the uses of “Shop and Services” and “Eating Place” always permitted, so as to streamline the development process and provide flexibility in facilitation of business operations. The Kowloon City District Council and the relevant task force of the Harbourfront Commission have already expressed their support to the proposed amendment.

     The Government has all along encouraged ferry operators to sublet pier premises for purposes such as commercial, retail and event, under the approved land uses to generate non-farebox revenue for cross-subsidising ferry operations and thereby alleviating the pressure on fare increase.

     Regarding Hung Hom Ferry Pier, the Transport Department (TD) has been actively coordinating with various works departments to continuously enhance the pier’s facilities, including renovating the toilets and adding barrier-free facilities, so as to expand the pier’s development potential and further enhance its capacity for non-fare revenue activities. The Government Property Agency also coordinates the processing of applications for commercial activities at the pier submitted by the operators.

(2) The DEVB is committed to taking forward harbourfront enhancements at Victoria Harbour, including connecting the harbourfront sections and providing quality harbourfront open spaces. At present, the harbourfront between Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier and Laguna Verde in Hung Hom has been fully connected. The DEVB will continue to connect other harbourfront sections in Kowloon, with the target of connecting around 85 per cent (i.e. approximately 13 kilometres) of the developable promenade from Tsim Sha Tsui to Kai Tak by the end of 2028.

     Besides, the site that was previously a public transport interchange near Hung Hom Ferry Pier has already been transformed into the Hung Hom Urban Park, which was fully opened in July this year. A site to the north of the park will be operated by a non-profit-making organisation by way of short-term tenancy for the provision of children’s play facilities and opened to the public shortly. The site will provide more leisure facilities and space for hosting different activities, thereby injecting more harmonious and vibrant elements into the harbourfront in Hung Hom.

     At the same time, the DEVB is spearheading the development at the sites around MTR Hung Hom Station and its waterfront areas, and released the preliminary development proposal for the sites in the second quarter of this year. Taking the opportunity of re-planning, the preliminary development proposal includes several measures to strengthen the pedestrian connectivity with a view to driving the co-development of the concerned sites and the nearby areas. These include, for example, building a covered and elevated footbridge spanning to directly connect MTR Hung Hom Station with the harbourfront, constructing a new boardwalk to better connect the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront promenade with the Hung Hom waterfront promenade, as well as enhancing the pedestrian connectivity between the hinterland and waterfront. The DEVB is currently conducting detailed technical assessments for the proposed development so as to finalise the development proposal and detailed development parameters. During the process, the project team will consider the views collected during the public consultation conducted earlier. The aim is to commence the relevant statutory procedures for the project in the second half of 2026. Before commencing the works of the long-term development, the DEVB will make good use of the currently idle former Hung Hom Railway Freight Yard Pier site for short-term use, developing it into a harbourfront space for hosting various activities such that the public may check in and appreciate the 270-degree panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the skyline of Hong Kong Island.

(3) Hung Hom Ferry Pier is situated adjacent to Hung Hom (Hung Luen Road) Public Transport Interchange, and is also only about a 10-minute walk from Whampoa Garden Public Transport Interchange. These interchanges offer franchised bus and green minibus (GMB) services connecting to various districts across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. Regarding transport connectivity between Hung Hom and Hong Kong Island, Hung Hom Ferry Pier offers licensed ferry services of the “North Point – Hung Hom” and “Central – Hung Hom” routes, providing waterborne transport options for the public. In terms of land transport, members of the public may take GMB Route No. 13M (Hung Hom Ferry Pier – Hung Hom Station) from Hung Hom (Hung Luen Road) Public Transport Interchange to MTR Hung Hom Station, and then interchange with the MTR East Rail Line towards Hong Kong Island. Alternatively, passengers may take Cross-Harbour Route No. 115 or 115P (from Laguna Verde to Central (Hong Kong – Macau Ferry Terminal)) at Whampoa Garden Public Transport Interchange to travel to Hong Kong Island. The TD will closely monitor the passenger demand for external public transport services at Hung Hom Ferry Pier and review arrangements with the operators as appropriate.

     Regarding ancillary tourism facilities, Victoria Harbour is one of the most iconic attractions in Hong Kong. Currently, there are some commercially operated aquatic tourism offerings, with sightseeing vessels embarking and disembarking at various landing facilities along both sides of Victoria Harbour for visitors to tour around Victoria Harbour. Some sightseeing vessels even provide dining services, allowing visitors to savour delicacies while enjoying the stunning view of Victoria Harbour and experiencing the unique attractiveness of Hong Kong.

     The Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to leverage the waterfront promenades and water bodies to develop more mega events and travel experiences, and spare no effort in promoting and facilitating the staging of various tourism mega events and activities along both sides of Victoria Harbour.

(4) Currently, the land uses of the upper deck of Hung Hom Ferry Pier allow the purposes of shops and services. The TD is in active discussions with ferry operators to assist them in opening the upper deck of Hung Hom Ferry Pier for purposes such as commercial, retail or event, etc.

     For the upper deck of Hung Hom (South) Ferry Pier, the ferry operator has identified potential tenants interested in subletting the area for retail and services purposes and is anticipated to submit an application to the Government shortly.

     For the upper deck of Hung Hom (North) Ferry Pier, the ferry operator plans to convert the area for exhibition hall, retail and services purposes, and has obtained conditional approval from the TPB. In this regard, the TD is actively co-ordinating with relevant Government departments and the ferry operator to study the installation of appropriate fire service systems at the pier. The technical study and design are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, followed with an evaluation of matters such as the details and feasibility of the plan, etc.

     The TD will continue to maintain close communication with the ferry operators regarding the operation and development of Hung Hom Ferry Pier, including encouraging operators to continue utilise the pier to expand non-farebox revenue and consider introducing activities with educational and cultural value where appropriate.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Hongkong Post announced today (October 22) that a set of special stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of “The 15th National Games” will be released for sale on November 9 (Sunday), the opening day of the National Games.

     Held once every four years, the National Games of the People’s Republic of China (National Games) are the largest and highest-level national multisports event in the country. The 15th National Games, scheduled from November 9 to 21, 2025, will be cohosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. It also marks the first time that Hong Kong cohosts the National Games. Hong Kong will stage eight competition events, including basketball (men’s U22), track cycling, fencing, golf, handball (men), rugby sevens, triathlon, and beach volleyball, as well as one mass participation event, namely bowling. Hongkong Post will issue “The 15th National Games” special stamps and associated philatelic products to celebrate this national mega event with members of the public.

     In addition, to mark the cohosting of the 15th National Games by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post and Telecommunications will jointly present a joint souvenir pack on the same day.

     Official first day covers for “The 15th National Games” will be on sale at all post offices and Hongkong Post’s online shopping platform ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (October 23). This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at the five philatelic offices including the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office as well as ShopThruPost from November 9, they will also be available at all post offices from November 10. Serviced first day covers affixed with the special stamps and the joint souvenir packs will be available at philatelic offices only.

     Special sales arrangements will be made on the stamp issue date, November 9. The five philatelic offices including the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office will be open from 9.30am to 5pm on that day, and also a hand-back date-stamping service will be provided for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.

     Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Land Registry (LR) today (October 22) released the Land Registry Trading Fund (LRTF) Annual Report 2024/25.
 
The Land Registrar, Ms Joyce Tam, said, “Due to an overall decrease in revenue from the registration of documents, reports on titles and e-Alert services, our revenue and profit (including interest income) registered a decrease of 4 per cent to $399.4 million and 42.7 per cent to $10.5 million respectively. The LRTF recorded a negative overall financial return on fixed assets of -12.3 per cent. While the revenue income of the LRTF is susceptible to property market conditions, we responded swiftly to tighten control over the operating expenses and enhance operational effectiveness through reprioritisation, internal redeployment and streamlining of work processes.”
 
Ms Tam said that a significant milestone has been reached in preparing the title registration system (TRS) on the new land first (“New Land First” proposal). The Registration of Titles and Land (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 was passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) in September 2025. The Government plans to submit the relevant subsidiary legislation to the LegCo in 2026, with a view to implementing the TRS for new land in the first half of 2027.
 
The “New Land First” proposal adopts a pragmatic strategy of resolving simple matters first before tackling the difficult ones, allowing for early benefits from the TRS in terms of better assurance and greater certainty of property titles and simplified conveyancing procedures. The LR anticipates that the experience gained from implementing the system for new land will help stakeholders reach a consensus on its progressive extension to existing land.
 
The LR has launched Tindy, an AI-driven chatbot on the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services website to provide interactive support for land search enquiries. The LR has also collaborated with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Digital Policy Office to develop application programming interface services for financial institutions, enabling timely access to land records and e-Alert notifications for mortgage documents. These initiatives demonstrate the LR’s commitment to driving innovative services, enhancing the property market and supporting digital governance.
 
The report was tabled in the LegCo today. It can also be viewed or downloaded from the LR’s website (www.landreg.gov.hk).