Category: MIL-OSI

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Asian Financial Forum opens

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), gathering heavyweight speakers from around the world to explore developments in the financial markets and ways of fostering co-operation among economies in times of change, kicked off today.

 

Co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Trade Development Council, the two-day forum, themed “Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape”, is expected to attract over 3,600 participants from more than 60 countries or regions.

 

This year’s event has brought together more than 150 distinguished speakers – including government officials, representatives from central banks and regulatory bodies, financial and business leaders, scholars, and economists – to discuss key financial and economic trends, as well as emerging opportunities in areas such as asset and wealth management, fintech, trade finance, gold and precious metals trading, green finance, insurance and risk management.

 

This year’s forum includes the inaugural Global Business Summit, a platform which has a specific focus on how Hong Kong is able to leverage synergies between finance and industries to support Mainland enterprises in going global while helping international businesses to grow their presence in China.

 

Addressing the AFF’s opening session this morning, Chief Executive John Lee highlighted Hong Kong’s prowess as an international financial hub.

 

He said: “Hong Kong’s financial regulatory system is robust, and our financial market stands out for its deep liquidity, innovative products and world-class investor protection. We also boast a highly educated workforce, a welcoming environment for global talent and transparent financial regulations aligned with international standards.”

 

He outlined that these strengths are widely recognised, citing the fact that Hong Kong ranked third globally, and first in Asia, in the most recent Global Financial Centres Index, while placing third in the 2025 World Competitiveness Yearbook, up two places over the previous year.

 

He added that the city will focus on three fronts to further boost its status as an international financial centre.

 

“First, Hong Kong will further reinforce its existing strengths, including those in the equity market, the bond market, and the asset management and wealth management sector. Second, Hong Kong will expedite the development of new growth areas, including building an international gold trading market and commodities trading ecosystem in Hong Kong. Third, international exchanges and co-operation will remain a priority for Hong Kong, including assisting companies interested in re-domiciling to Hong Kong.”

 

At the forum’s keynote lunch, Financial Secretary Paul Chan delivered welcome remarks, stating that: “In a world where economies are reconfiguring value chains and seeking more resilient, diversified partnerships, Hong Kong stands out as a reliable, trusted, resourceful and well-positioned partner, bridging the Mainland and the world.”

 

He elaborated that Hong Kong’s significance will only grow, as it serves as a gateway for global investors to access China’s innovation-driven opportunities.

 

In the realm of finance, he highlighted that Hong Kong is the world’s premier two-way international fundraising platform, welcoming both Mainland and international companies to list in Hong Kong, and is also the world’s leading offshore renminbi (RMB) hub, offering global investors a wide range of RMB-denominated investment and risk management products.

 

He added that at a time of global fragmentation, Hong Kong will continue to remain open for business and welcome partners from around the world to collaborate on shaping the future of Asia and of the world at large.

 

Also today, Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui signed a co-operation agreement with Shanghai Gold Exchange Chairman Yu Wenjian, in the presence of Mr Lee, People’s Bank of China Deputy Governor Zou Lan, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government Wu Wei, and Executive Deputy Director of the Office of the Financial Commission of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Zhou Xiaoquan.

 

The agreement marks a new milestone in terms of co-operation between gold markets in the two places. This includes establishing a high-level, collaborative governance structure for Hong Kong’s gold central clearing system, and opening new avenues for physical infrastructure synergy and market interconnectivity.

 

The Global Business Summit, co-organised by the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau, the Trade Development Council, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises will be held tomorrow. Mr Chan, Shanghai Executive Vice Mayor Wu Wei and Hunan Vice Governor Wang Junshou will deliver speeches at it.

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Childhood jab programme explained

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today emphasised that all public health policies and medical advice must be based on scientific evidence, as it rejected any suggestion of delaying or discontinuing the hepatitis B vaccination for newborns, stating that this would pose significant and irreversible public health risks to the community.

 

The centre was responding to media enquiries about whether adjustments to the vaccines covered by the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) are needed.

 

The centre reaffirmed that vaccines under the HKCIP are among the most effective tools for safeguarding public health and preventing and controlling infectious diseases, and that their safety and effectiveness is fully supported by scientific evidence from long-term practice.

 

It reminded parents to ensure their children receive timely vaccinations under the HKCIP to protect them from contracting serious vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

CHP Controller Dr Edwin Tsui said the Government has long promoted comprehensive childhood immunisation.

 

“Vaccines that contribute to safeguarding children’s health and overall public health have been incorporated into the HKCIP and other government vaccination programmes, such as the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes.

 

“Thanks to the trust and support of parents, schools and the healthcare professionals in the HKCIP over the years, immunisation coverage has remained extremely high, successfully keeping the incidence of related childhood infectious diseases in Hong Kong at extremely low levels.”

 

Dr Tsui highlighted that the CHP’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) regularly reviews vaccines for various preventable diseases by assessing Hong Kong’s epidemiology, the latest recommendations on immunisation from the World Health Organization (WHO), scientific developments and the application of new vaccines, updates on vaccine components, cost-effectiveness studies, and the experiences of other health authorities.

 

The SCVPD then makes recommendations to the Department of Health from a public health perspective.

 

“The HKCIP is tailored to local epidemiological conditions and has been proven safe and effective,” added Dr Tsui. “Its achievements in safeguarding public health are evident. Members of the public should not blindly follow practices in certain overseas regions and develop unnecessary concerns about the HKCIP’s long-standing effectiveness.”

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Hepatitis B scheme to launch

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Health Bureau’s Primary Healthcare Commission announced today that the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme, allowing eligible individuals to receive a hepatitis B risk assessment, screening and long-term management, will be launched on February 7.

Targeting those at higher risk, the scheme aims to identify people with chronic hepatitis B at an early stage, offer them long-term follow-up services and reduce their risk of developing cirrhosis, liver cancer or other serious complications.

Starting from February 7, eligible individuals can enrol in the scheme at District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (DHCs).

Hong Kong residents born in or before 1988 with no known medical history of chronic hepatitis B, but with family members or sexual partners who have contracted chronic hepatitis B, are eligible to participate. They must first register as DHC members and agree to join eHealth.

Regarding the screening process, DHC staff will arrange for eligible participants to undergo a free hepatitis B surface antigen rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and pair them with a family doctor of their own choice.

Participants with positive RDT results will be subsidised by the Government to receive further blood tests, under a co-payment model, to confirm whether they are infected with the hepatitis B virus.

If the result of a participant’s first blood test is positive, their family doctor will arrange for a second blood test six months later to confirm the diagnosis.

Family doctors will assess and diagnose whether a participant has chronic hepatitis B based on the participant’s laboratory results and clinical conditions, with a view to providing appropriate treatment and management.

During the screening phase, participants are only required to pay a co-payment fee of $180. Moreover, the Government will subsidise up to two consultations with family doctors, resulting in a total consultation fee of $136.

Participants not diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B after screening can continue to receive hepatitis B-related health counselling and education at DHCs.

Participants who are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B will enter the treatment phase. They will be entitled to a maximum of four subsidised follow-up consultations per year, and will pay a co-payment fee determined by the family doctor for each consultation.

The Government has recommended a co-payment fee of $150 per consultation, and will provide a subsidy of $166 to family doctors for each consultation.

The basic-tier drug list under the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) includes antiviral medicines for hepatitis B treatment. Participants prescribed those drugs will not be required to pay for medication.

In addition, family doctors can arrange appropriate laboratory testing services for participants. The list of laboratory tests and related co-payment fees are the same as those under the CDCC Pilot Scheme.

For participants who have also enrolled in the CDCC Pilot Scheme Family, doctors can offer management of chronic diseases such as prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hyperlipidaemia in the same consultation. Participants will only be required to pay a co-payment fee for one consultation.

Meanwhile, if participants are recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance aged 75 or above, or holders of valid medical fee waiver certificates, DHCs will arrange for them to receive chronic hepatitis B screening and treatment services at one of 18 designated Hospital Authority Family Medicine Clinics. They may be granted a full or partial medical fee waiver based on their eligibility.

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Record high numbers of companies and start-ups affirm Hong Kong’s incomparable business advantages

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     According to the results of the 2025 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong and the 2025 Startup Survey announced by the Government today (January 26), the number of companies in Hong Kong with Chinese Mainland or overseas parent companies rose to 11 070 in 2025, while the number of start-ups in Hong Kong increased to 5 221, both reaching record highs again. The results demonstrate that Hong Kong’s unique attractiveness to enterprises from around the globe continues to rise, and that the city is the ideal investment destination to set up or expand businesses.

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “Even though geopolitics and the global economic and trade landscape are evolving, Hong Kong has been proactively demonstrating its incomparably unique advantages under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, as the best two-way springboard for overseas enterprises to tap into the vast Chinese Mainland market and for Chinese Mainland enterprises to go global. Together with the wide array of the latest initiatives to promote economic development, including the establishment of the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global, the formulation of preferential policy packages to attract high value-added industries to Hong Kong, the accelerated development of the Northern Metropolis, the establishment of the Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur, etc, Hong Kong’s advantages will continue to strengthen, thereby accelerating the injection of new impetus to our economy and providing more opportunities for both Chinese Mainland and overseas companies based in Hong Kong.

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InvestHK achieves outstanding results in 2025 reflecting strong global investor confidence in Hong Kong (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

InvestHK achieves outstanding results in 2025 reflecting strong global investor confidence in Hong Kong (with photo)      
     The strong foreign direct investment (FDI) performance was driven by investment across diverse and high-value industries. It is estimated that the total investment thereby brought to Hong Kong’s economy has reached nearly $69.4 billion, a nearly 2 per cent increase compared to 2024; these companies are expected to create 10 748 job opportunities, covering transport, logistics and industrials, tourism and hospitality, as well as the financial services and fintech industries, with around 20 per cent in management/professional level jobs, in Hong Kong during their first year of operation, achieving more than 57 per cent of increment compared to 2024.
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “I am happy to see the outstanding results achieved by InvestHK last year. Together with record numbers of Mainland and overseas companies and start-ups in the city, there are a clear reflection of the strong global investor confidence in Hong Kong. Our city’s unique advantages, such as enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, proactively integrating into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and capitalising on national strategies such as the high-quality co-operation under the Belt and Road Initiative, continue to make it an important hub for businesses and investments, attracting enterprises across the globe to select the city as their base to expand regional businesses in Asia. This year marks the commencement of the 15th Five-Year Plan; the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to create an even more conducive business environment, further promote Hong Kong’s national opportunities and international advantages to attract FDI and companies to Hong Kong, demonstrating the city’s roles as a ‘super-connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’.”
 
     The top five locations of origin among the companies assisted span markets in the United States, Europe and Asia.
 

Location of origin     Among the companies assisted, the top five sectors were as follows:
 

Sectors     In addition, the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, received 2 852 applications by the end of 2025 since its launch in March 2024, which will bring in more than $85.5 billion in investments to the city.      
      
     The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “2025 marked a significant chapter in InvestHK’s story, celebrating a quarter-century legacy and the new horizons ahead. We will continue to deepen integration into overall national development in the 15th Five-Year Plan, strengthen co-ordination with other GBA cities, and expand engagement with our Mainland counterparts and stakeholders. We will make good use of the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global to further support Mainland enterprises to go global via Hong Kong, strengthening the city’s role as a powerful conduit for two-way investment. At the same time, the Northern Metropolis is also a strategic priority that the department is actively taking forward. Through preferential policy packages, we are committed to attracting more high-potential companies to set up in Hong Kong and showcasing to the international business community the enormous potential of Hong Kong as a cross-border collaboration platform.”
      
     InvestHK’s annual report 2025 is available on the department’s website here: www.investhk.gov.hk/en/resource-centre/?type=brochures-and-guides-annual-reportIssued at HKT 9:28

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Independent Committee in relation to fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po invites public and organisations to provide information

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Independent Committee in relation to fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po invites public and organisations to provide information 
     The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today (January 26) that it is inviting members of the public and organisations to provide information on the causes and circumstances that led to the fire, and its rapid spread and related issues, from tomorrow (January 27) until February 10.
      
     Members of the public and organisations wishing to provide information can submit a form via one of the following means from 10am tomorrow to 11.59pm on February 10:
      The Chief Executive has established the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to review the causes of the incident and related issues of the fire, and to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The Committee formally commenced its work on December 19, 2025.
Issued at HKT 16:00

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FSTB and Shanghai Gold Exchange sign co-operation agreement to foster high-quality development of Hong Kong’s gold market

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) signed today (January 26) a co-operation agreement with the Shanghai Gold Exchange during the Asian Financial Forum, marking a new milestone in deepening co-operation between the gold markets of Hong Kong and Shanghai. The FSTB also revealed new moves in six aspects relating to the development of gold market at the same time.

     The agreement was signed by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (SFST), Mr Christopher Hui, and the Chairman of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, Mr Yu Wenjian, in the presence of the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Mr Zou Lan; Member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shanghai Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Mr Wu Wei; and the Executive Deputy Director of the Office of the Financial Commission of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Mr Zhou Xiaoquan. 

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Speech by FS at Asian Financial Forum Keynote Luncheon (English only) (with photo/video)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at Asian Financial Forum Keynote Luncheon today (January 26):

Dr Barroso (Former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal, Dr José Manuel Barroso), Fred (Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Professor Frederick Ma), your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

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Primary Healthcare Commission launches Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme to provide hepatitis B screening and treatment services for higher-risk group

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau announced today (January 26) that the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme will be launched on February 7 to identify people with chronic hepatitis B in the community at an early stage and provide long-term follow-up services, with a view to reducing their risk of having cirrhosis, liver cancer and other serious complications. Starting from that day, eligible persons may enrol in the Scheme at District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) to receive a hepatitis B risk assessment, screening and long-term management.

     The Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme is one of the key primary healthcare initiatives put forward by the Chief Executive in his 2025 Policy Address. Making reference to the service model of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme), the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme subsidises eligible persons to receive chronic hepatitis B screenings and treatment, as well as liver cancer screenings, in the private healthcare sector through strategic purchasing and a co-payment model.

     The Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme targets a higher-risk group. Hong Kong residents born in or before 1988 (the introduction year of the universal childhood hepatitis B immunisation programme) with no known medical history of chronic hepatitis B nor related symptoms, while having family members (including parents, siblings and offspring) or sexual partners who contracted chronic hepatitis B being eligible to participate. They have to first register as DHC members and agree to join eHealth.

     DHC staff will arrange eligible participants to undergo a free hepatitis B surface antigen rapid diagnostic test (RDT) at DHCs, and pair them with a family doctor of their own choice. Participants with positive RDT results will be subsidised by the Government to receive further blood tests at the clinic of their chosen and paired family doctor under a co-payment model to confirm whether they are infected with the hepatitis B virus. Under the general service workflow, if the result of the participant’s first blood test is positive, the family doctor will arrange a second blood test for the participant six months later to confirm the diagnosis. During the process, family doctors will promptly assess and diagnose whether a participant has chronic hepatitis B based on the participant’s laboratory results and clinical conditions, with a view to providing appropriate treatment and management. During the screening phase, participants are only required to pay a co-payment fee of $180, while the Government will subsidise family doctors for up to two consultations at a total consultation fee of $136. Participants who are not diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B after a screening can continue to receive hepatitis B-related health counselling and education at DHCs to establish healthy lifestyles (see Annex for details of the screening process).

     Participants who are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B will enter the treatment phase, with arrangements the same as those of the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Participants are entitled to a maximum of four subsidised consultations per year for follow-up service, and they have to pay a co-payment fee determined by the family doctor (Note) for each consultation. The Government has recommended a co-payment fee of $150 per consultation. The Government will provide a subsidy of $166 to family doctors for each consultation. The same basic-tier drug list of the CDCC Pilot Scheme, which includes antiviral medicines for hepatitis B treatment, will also be adopted in the treatment phase. Participants prescribed with those drugs will not be required to pay for medication. In addition, family doctors can arrange appropriate laboratory testing services for participants with clinical needs. The list of laboratory tests and related co-payment fees are the same as those under the CDCC Pilot Scheme.

     To encourage family doctors to provide whole-person and continuous care to members of the public, family doctors can offer management for chronic diseases such as prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hyperlipidaemia in the same consultation for participants who have also enrolled in the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Participants are only required to pay a co-payment fee for one consultation. The consultation quotas will also be calculated in a consolidated manner. The higher number of subsidised consultation quotas for the CDCC Pilot Scheme or the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme shall prevail. As the concurrent management of the “three highs” and chronic hepatitis B requires a more detailed and comprehensive assessment and diagnosis, the Government will provide an additional fixed annual subsidy of $300 per participant to the family doctor if the family doctor has provided concurrent management for chronic hepatitis B and any of the “three highs” chronic diseases for the same participant in at least two consultation sessions within a calendar year (January 1 to December 31).

     To address the healthcare needs of the underprivileged group, if the eligible persons are recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance aged 75 or above, or holders of valid medical fee waiver certificates, DHCs will arrange for them to receive the same chronic hepatitis B screening and treatment services at 18 designated Family Medicine Clinics of the Hospital Authority. Participants may be granted a full or partial medical fee waiver based on their relevant eligibility when receiving the services.

     Members of the public may visit the CDCC Pilot Scheme’s thematic website for more details of the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme.

Note: The co-payment fee for medical consultations set by family doctors under the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme must be consistent with the co-payment level set under the CDCC Pilot Scheme.