Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, concluded her visit to Bordeaux, France, during which she reinforced Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier events capital, and as a key partner in wine trading and tourism.
On May 12 (Bordeaux time), Miss Law met with representatives of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industries to learn about the latest developments of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, an exclusive alliance of 11 renowned international cities and wine regions. The two sides exchanged views on best practices for organising international events and wine tourism in the new era. Miss Law reiterated that Hong Kong remains a unique East-meet-West centre, enabling the city to be the hub and the bridge for winemakers to reach the burgeoning markets of the Chinese Mainland and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Miss Law also visited the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MADD) in Bordeaux’s historic district. Much like Tai Kwun in Hong Kong, MADD is housed in two historic monuments, an 18th-century mansion and a 19th-century former municipal prison, providing visitors with a unique experience. MADD is one of the few French museums to devote its entire programme to decorative arts, crafts, and design.
Miss Law will depart for Hong Kong on the morning of May 13 (Bordeaux time).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Inter-departmental Task Force on Monitoring Fuel Supply today (May 13) announced that the Government will waive 50 per cent of the toll for all commercial vehicles (including buses, goods vehicles, light buses and taxis as registered under records of the Transport Department (TD)) using all government tolled tunnels and the Tsing Sha Control Area from 0.00am on May 17 (Sunday), excluding private cars and motor cycles/motor tricycles. The temporary measure will last for two months until 11.59pm on July 16 (Thursday). The Government will publish relevant notices in the Gazette on May 15.
The Task Force said that the targeted temporary measure aims to alleviate the operating costs of various types of commercial vehicles, and assist drivers and operators in coping with the pressure arising from rising fuel prices.
The TD has steered the toll service provider to adjust the HKeToll system to ensure smooth implementation. Commercial vehicle owners are not required to submit any application; they only need to pay the reduced amount as displayed in the system. The payment methods and time limits designated by existing legislation remain unchanged. In addition, taxi passengers are reminded that they must continue to pay the statutory tolls in full during the waiver period.
Commercial vehicle drivers can obtain the waiver details via the HKeToll and HKeMobility mobile apps, toll information displays, variable message signs on major trunk roads, tunnel radio break-in messages and letters issued by the TD to the trades concerned. During this period, placards will be displayed in taxi compartments to remind passengers to pay tolls in full.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Lothair Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ11: Strengthening regulatory oversight of employment agencies for foreign domestic helpers Question:
It is reported that according to the latest announcement by the Consumer Council (the Council), the Council has received a total of 391 complaints against employment agencies (EAs) for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) since 2023, including cases where FDHs failed to report for duty as scheduled and instances where their competence did not meet expectations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the following information regarding EAs in each of the past three years (set out in a table):
(i) the number of complaints received against EAs and the year-on-year rates of change (broken down by nature of complaint); and President,
The Labour Department (LD) enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance (EO), the Employment Agency Regulations and the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (CoP), and regulates employment agencies (EAs) in Hong Kong through license administration, inspections, complaint investigation and prosecution, so as to protect the rights of job seekers and employers.
The reply to the Member’s question is set out below:
(+175%)(-54.5%) (2) and (3) EAs are required to operate in accordance with the law and abide by the CoP issued by the LD. The CoP sets out the legislative requirements that EAs must observe and the standards which the Commissioner for Labour expects EAs to meet, such as maintaining transparency in business operations, drawing up written service agreements with job seekers and employers, providing payment receipts, and avoiding involvement in the financial affairs of job seekers, etc. If the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee fails to comply with the CoP, the LD may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke the licence of the EA under EO.
To further enhance the professionalism and service quality of EAs, the LD promulgated the revised CoP in May 2024, introducing additional requirements expected of EAs by the Commissioner for Labour, which include that EAs must specify in the written service agreements drawn up with job seekers and employers the scope of services, the fees charged on each service item, payment arrangements, etc, and clearly state whether the EAs will provide a refund or arrangements for replacement of foreign domestic helpers (FDH) in case the EAs’ services are not delivered in full or if the FDHs prematurely terminate the employment contracts. These revisions enhance the transparency of service fees charged by EAs and strengthen the protection of the rights of employers as customers. In the course of revising the CoP, relevant organisations (including the Consumer Council) had been consulted.
The CoP requires EAs, when providing services to job seekers and employers, to exercise due diligence in verifying the information provided by both parties, and ensure that any information provided to both sides is consistent with the facts known to the EAs. When charging service fees to employers, EAs must make sure that the job applicants referred to employers meet the qualifications and other requirements listed by the employers. In addition, EAs should exercise professional judgment in selecting any business partners within and outside Hong Kong, and consider the reliability of information on job seekers provided by their business partner(s) located outside Hong Kong, including but not limited to the job seekers’ academic qualifications, skills, training received, etc.
Job seekers and employers should compare the services and fees offered by different EAs and choose the EAs that suit their needs. They should carefully read and understand relevant terms before signing the service agreements. If unreasonable terms are spotted in the service agreements, they should refuse to sign and, where necessary, seek assistance from the Customs and Excise Department, the Consumer Council or the LD.
(4) To enhance transparency of the past records of EAs, the LD’s Employment Agencies Portal not only uploads information on EAs with valid licences, but also publishes records of EAs that have been convicted of overcharging commissions or unlicensed operation, have had their licences revoked or renewal refused, and have been issued written warnings. This facilitates the public in making informed decisions when engaging EA services, avoiding impairment of their rights.
The LD has also established regular liaison mechanism with the consulates-general of major FDH-sending countries in Hong Kong to strengthen collaboration and exchange of information on unscrupulous EAs with a view to ensuring the rights of employers and FDHs are fully protected. If malpractices by organisations outside Hong Kong in arranging FDHs to take up employment in Hong Kong are identified, the LD will reflect the matter to relevant governments concerned through the liaison mechanism and request appropriate follow-up actions.Issued at HKT 11:35
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Leung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question:
Under the existing policy, residents of public rental housing (PRH) are not permitted to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) outside their flats or in public corridors. Offenders are liable to a warning or point allotment under the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement. However, it is learnt that quite a number of residents have installed recording devices outside their flats or in public corridors without authorization in order to ensure security or prevent nuisance caused by neighbours. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: Reply:
President,
Public rental housing (PRH) residents are required to comply with the terms of the tenancy agreement as well as the policies set by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA). Otherwise, their tenancy may be terminated. According to the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement, tenants are prohibited from causing any disturbance or nuisance inside or outside the rented flat to other residents. Should a PRH tenant breach the tenancy agreement by causing nuisance to others, the Housing Department (HD) will take tenancy control actions against the offending tenant in accordance with the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement or the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates (the Marking Scheme). Serious cases will result in termination of the tenancy and recovery of the flat.
In response to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong, our reply is as follows:
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Dominic Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question:
It is learnt that in recent years, many Hong Kong people travel to and from the Mainland with their pets. There are views suggesting that although the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has shortened the quarantine period for cats and dogs upon their arrival in Hong Kong from the previous 120 days to 30 days since June 3 last year, the procedures remain cumbersome with a relatively long waiting time. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will further enhance the current procedures for applying for a Special/Import Permit for animals, for example, by streamlining the application process and introducing an electronic payment function, so as to shorten the time for vetting and approval; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it has compiled any statistics on the respective numbers of applications and approvals for Import Permits required for Hong Kong people to bring cats and dogs back to Hong Kong after travelling to the Mainland with them in each of the past five years and the average number of days taken for vetting and approval; and
(3) whether AFCD has any plans to introduce targeted measures, such as setting up a “fast-track quarantine channel for the entry of pets brought by Hong Kong people” at designated boundary control points, so as to facilitate the quarantine procedures for pets brought back to Hong Kong by Hong Kong people after travelling to the Mainland with them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Rabies is a contagious disease that causes fatality to mammals (including humans) and no specific treatment is available at present, patients generally die once clinical signs appear, and nearly 60 000 people die of rabies globally every year. To protect public health, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) regulates the import of live animals under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Regulations (Cap. 139A) and the Rabies Regulation (Cap. 421A). Under effective control measures, Hong Kong has long been widely recognised as a rabies-free place by other places.
The reply to the question from the Hon Dominic Lee is as follows:
(1) To import dogs and cats from the Mainland into Hong Kong, an Import Permit must be applied from the AFCD, and the animals must undergo quarantine upon arrival. Applicants may submit their permit applications online, by email, by post or in person, and may choose to apply to either the AFCD or the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for the use of quarantine facilities. From June 2025, the AFCD has enhanced quarantine arrangements for dogs and cats imported from the Mainland, significantly reducing the quarantine period from 120 days to 30 days. The AFCD and the SPCA have also increased the number of quarantine facilities for dogs and cats to reduce waiting times.
Once the AFCD has verified the required application documents and confirmed the applicant has reserved quarantine facilities, an Import Permit will be issued within five working days free of charge. Quarantine fees are payable only after the dogs and cats have arrived in Hong Kong from the Mainland, and can be settled via Faster Payment System (FPS) and other electronic payment methods, by cheque or in cash.
(2) The number of Import Permits issued for dogs and cats imported into Hong Kong from the Mainland over the past five years is set out at Annex. The AFCD does not maintain the breakdown of Hong Kong residents who applied for Import Permit to Hong Kong after bringing dogs and cats to the Mainland.
(3) As dogs and cats may come into contact with animals infected with rabies whilst staying in the Mainland or overseas places, they must be imported in accordance with the quarantine requirements specified for the risk level of that region upon return to Hong Kong. As the incubation period for rabies can last up to several months, to ensure public health and safety, it is not appropriate to replace quarantine with “fast-track quarantine”. The AFCD will continue to liaise with the Mainland authorities and, taking into account actual operational situations, risk assessment and stakeholder opinion, timely review whether the quarantine arrangements for imported cats and dogs could be further optimised.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 13) announced the results of the HA Outstanding Staff and Teams Award for 2026. This year, seven outstanding staff, eight outstanding teams and 12 young achievers have been awarded. Five new awards were introduced this year, including Outstanding Award in Patient Service, Outstanding Award in Safety Enhancement, Outstanding Award in Creativity, Outstanding Award in Research, and Outstanding Award in Operation Support, each recognising one group/individual staff member who has demonstrated an exceptional performance in the respective area (the list of awardees is appended).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question: (2) and (3) Through the triennial Planning Exercise, the eight University Grants Committee-funded universities will review and launch new programmes. In the 2025-28 triennium, in response to the government’s policy steer, as well as market demand and industry trends, the universities will introduce 30 new programmes to meet Hong Kong’s developmental needs. These programmes cover emerging sectors which have developed rapidly in recent years and are widely popular among young people, such as AI, cybersecurity, creative industries, sustainable development and data science. This can bolster Hong Kong’s development in innovation and technology as well as the “eight centres”, while creating opportunities for young people to develop their strengths.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pok-chi and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question:
Given that some local fishermen have relayed that some people have been engaging in illegal fishing within Hong Kong waters from time to time by using means forbidden by the law, and there have been repeated incidents of near-collisions involving fishing vessels. Such activities not only affect maritime safety, but also damage Hong Kong’s fisheries resources and marine ecosystem, and affect the livelihood of local fishermen in the long run. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
Question:
The Kai Tak Development Area has all along adhered to the concept of sustainable development. The Kai Tak Sports Park therein has received a green building award, while the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak will soon commence construction. However, there are views that the pace of taking forward the construction of onshore power facilities at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) has lagged behind. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as some members of the industry have pointed out that with the persistent tightening of carbon emissions standards by the International Maritime Organization, the use of onshore power while berthing will become an inevitable trend and a mandatory requirement for international cruise ships to meet the emission-reduction requirements, whether the Government has compiled statistics on the number of cruise ships already equipped for the use of onshore power that have called at or planned to call at Hong Kong and have used Hong Kong as their homeport between 2024 and 2026;
(2) whether it has grasped the data on the development of onshore power at major cruise terminals in the Asia-Pacific region and the Mainland, including but not limited to the number of terminals already fully equipped with and using onshore power systems, the coverage rate of berths with onshore power facilities, and the years in which the relevant facilities were commissioned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it has formulated measures for the expeditious installation of onshore power facilities at the KTCT to meet the future needs of the cruise industry, thereby avoiding declines in the desire of international cruise ships to call at Hong Kong due to the lack of onshore power facilities in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In respect of the question raised by the Hon Yiu Pak-leung, having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply is as follows:
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a reduction target, striving to reach net-zero carbon emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. The use of green energy is a major trend in the international shipping industry. Hong Kong, China, as an associate member of the IMO, has long been supporting its emission reduction target.
Installing onshore power supply facilities at cruise terminals allows cruise ships to connect to the onshore power grid while at berth, helping to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption from marine auxiliary engines, while also reducing local air pollutant emissions, in particular nitrogen oxides. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) had reserved space for setting up onshore power supply facilities during its construction. In response to the trend of adopting onshore power in the international cruise industry in recent years, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, in collaboration with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), has commissioned a consultancy to conduct a study on the installation of onshore power supply facilities at the KTCT. This includes reviewing the trend of developing onshore power supply facilities in major ports around the world, analysing the installation of onboard systems for onshore power connection and their use by cruise ships in various places, and studying the technical requirements and development costs for installing onshore power supply facilities at the KTCT. The Government is reviewing the study report submitted by the consultancy and considering whether onshore power supply facilities should be installed at the KTCT.
The use of onshore power is one of many feasible decarbonisation measures and is not a mandatory requirement of the IMO. Its decarbonisation effectiveness depends on fuel mix of local power generation. If the power source is mainly renewable or low-carbon energy, onshore power can effectively reduce overall carbon emissions; on the contrary, if the grid is dominated by high-carbon energy, the emission reduction effectiveness will be relatively limited. The international shipping industry is also actively exploring the use of green maritime fuels, such as liquefied natural gas, green methanol, green ammonia and hydrogen, to accommodate different routes and infrastructure conditions.
The reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) According to the cruise ship berthing records of the KTCT from 2024 to 2025 and the berthing schedule for 2026 (as of April), a total of 37 cruise ships belonging to different cruise lines have called or planned to call at the terminal, 286 ship calls in total over the 3 years; the Government’s survey showed that 33 of these cruise ships, about 89 per cent are equipped with the conditions to use onshore power.
(2) According to data published by the Cruise Lines International Association, as of October 2025, a total of 38 ports worldwide that accommodate cruise ships are equipped with onshore power supply facilities for cruise ship use while at berth, accounting for about 3 per cent of the world’s cruise ports, while another 20 ports secured funding to develop onshore power supply facilities, and 30 ports were planning to implement onshore power. The development of onshore power is concentrated in the United States, the European Union and China. Some major cruise terminals in the Chinese Mainland, such as Tianjin, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, are equipped with onshore power.
(3) Whether international cruise ships choose to visit Hong Kong hinges on comprehensive considerations involving multiple factors, including the attractiveness of the entire region and itineraries, the uniqueness of onshore excursions, visitors’ experience, transport connectivity with other places, such as aviation and railway, as well as cost-effectiveness. As for the compliance with emission reduction, as mentioned above, the use of onshore power is only one of the feasible options. Even if onshore power is available, the choice of cruise lines to use onshore power or other green maritime fuels involves various factors, including cost-effectiveness, technical compatibility, and berthing time. Given the Government’s policy direction on encouraging the use of green maritime fuels by ocean-going vessels, we will take into account cost-effectiveness when considering whether onshore power supply facilities should be installed at the KTCT, so as to provide cruise ships with an additional option for emission reduction when calling at Hong Kong.
In fact, Hong Kong’s cruise tourism is sustaining momentum, with 189 ship calls in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 26 per cent, covering 22 different international cruise brands, and the cruise passenger throughput in Hong Kong was 631 000, representing a year-on-year increase of 22 per cent.
The CSTB and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) have been taking a multi-pronged approach to attract more international cruise ships to deploy to Hong Kong. Specific measures include the Government having earmarked in the 2023-24 Budget funding for the HKTB for four financial years to attract more cruise ships to Hong Kong. In addition, the Government reserved in the 2025-26 Budget new funding of $46 million to continue to provide support to the cruise industry until 2028-29, with priorities on encouraging cruise lines to increase their number of ship calls to Hong Kong, make overnight calls and use Hong Kong as the homeport; and provide cruise lines making ship calls at the KTCT during the summer low season with concessions on the cruise ships’ dockage fees and passenger fees from 2025/26 to 2027/28, with a view to attracting more cruise ships to berth at the KTCT during the summer low season.
In addition, the HKTB is actively participating in regional and global cruise industry events to raise Hong Kong’s profile as a cruise tourism destination; strengthening strategic partnerships with global cruise lines and encouraging them to prioritise the inclusion of Hong Kong as a port of call in their Asian itineraries; and advancing collaboration to foster co-ordinated itinerary planning and joint promotion, strengthening regional co-operation. The CSTB, in collaboration with the HKTB, is also promoting and developing diversified and distinctive onshore excursions to showcase Hong Kong’s unique culture and enhance Hong Kong’s in-destination experience of cruise tourists.