Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Strengthening prevention and control of mosquito infestation Question:
Last year, there were multiple cases of chikungunya fever in Hong Kong, including imported cases and local cases. The Government earlier took interdepartmental actions, including conducting large-scale chemical mosquito control operations and eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites. Given that, based on historical data from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus are expected to rise significantly from April onwards, there are views that the Government should prepare for the prevention and control work early. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) since the Government stepped up territory-wide mosquito control efforts in July last year, of the frequency and number of mosquito control operations conducted by the FEHD and relevant government departments in the 18 districts across the territory, and the rate of increase of the relevant figures compared with those in the same period last year (set out in a table);
(2) whether the Government will increase the frequency and number of mosquito control operations from April this year onwards to prevent mosquito infestation; if so, of the estimated rate of increase compared with the same period last year; and
(3) given that the Government earlier trialled new technologies such as new mosquito trapping devices, a robotic dog for mosquito control, large ultra-low volume foggers and drones to assist in mosquito control work, whether the Government has assessed the effectiveness of such technologies; if so, of the details?
Reply:
President,
Mosquito control is an important and ongoing task of the Government. Since Hong Kong recorded its first imported case of chikungunya fever (CF) in August last year, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) has convened several meetings of the interdepartmental Pest Control Steering Committee (PCSC) to review the enhanced mosquito prevention and control measures implemented by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and other departments. With the rainy season approaching and the anticipated increase in the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, the EEB convened another PCSC meeting in March this year to provide steer to the continued strengthening of mosquito prevention and control work through a multi-pronged approach.
Regarding the question from the Hon Joephy Chan, our reply is as follows:
(1) Details of the enhanced mosquito prevention and control measures implemented by the FEHD and relevant departments since July 2025 are as follows:
Vector surveillance
The FEHD continues to place gravidtraps in different areas across Hong Kong for monitoring the infestation of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and publishes the Area Gravidtrap Indices (AGI) on a regular basis, so that government departments and stakeholders can adopt targeted mosquito control measures with respect to the surveillance results. To further step up mosquito prevention and control, since August last year, the FEHD has extended its strengthened mosquito control work, which was originally initiated when the AGI of an area has reached 20 per cent (Level 3), to also cover areas with AGI between 10 per cent and 20 per cent (Level 2), until further notice. The FEHD will conduct detailed risk assessment for the areas concerned and carry out intensive and targeted mosquito control work jointly with other departments and stakeholders. The FEHD will also notify property management companies and residents of the nearby housing estates to stay vigilant and join hands in taking anti-mosquito measures.
Minimising mosquito breeding grounds and eliminating mosquitoes
With the primary focus on environmental control, the FEHD’s mosquito prevention and control work focuses on minimising mosquito breeding grounds. Biological or chemical methods are also applied to control mosquito populations. Measures include applying larvicides to drains and gully traps; conducting fogging operations at adult mosquito resting sites to eliminate adult mosquitoes; clearing water-holding containers, clearing blocked drains, and levelling depressions to eliminate stagnant water.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Transport Department (TD) today (April 1) said that the next online auction of vehicle registration marks (VRMs) will be held from noon on April 16 (Thursday) to noon on April 20 (Monday) through the auction platform E-Auction (e-auction.td.gov.hk). Interested bidders can participate in the online auction only after they have successfully registered as E-Auction users.
A spokesman for the TD said, “A total of 220 Ordinary VRMs will be available at this online public auction. The list of VRMs (see Annex) has been uploaded to the E-Auction website. Applicants who have paid a $1,000 deposit to reserve an Ordinary VRM for auction should also register as an E-Auction user in advance in order to participate in the online bidding, including placing the first bid at the opening price of $1,000. Otherwise, the VRMs reserved by them may be bid on by other interested bidders at or above the opening price. Auctions for VRMs with ‘HK’ or ‘XX’ as a prefix, special VRMs and personalised VRMs will continue to be carried out through physical auctions by bidding paddles and their announcement arrangements remain unchanged.”
Members of the public participating in the online bidding should take note of the following important points:
(1) Bidders should register in advance as an E-Auction user by “iAM Smart+” equipped with the digital signing function; or by using a valid digital certificate and an email address upon completion of identity verification. Registered “iAM Smart” users should provide their Hong Kong identity card number, while non-Hong Kong residents who are not “iAM Smart” users should provide the number of their passport or other identification documents when registering as E-Auction users.
(2) Bidders are required to provide a digital signature to confirm the submission and amount of the bid by using “iAM Smart+” or a valid digital certificate at the time of the first bid of each online bidding session (including setting automatic bids before the auction begins) to comply with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance.
(3) If a bid is made in respect of a VRM within the last 10 minutes before the end of the auction, the auction end time for that particular VRM will be automatically extended by another 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
(4) Successful bidders must follow the instructions in the notification email issued by the TD to log in to the E-Auction within 48 hours from the issuance of the email and complete the follow-up procedures, including:
completing the Purchaser Information for the issuance of the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark (Memorandum of Sale); and
making the auction payment online by credit card, Faster Payment System (FPS) or Payment by Phone Service (PPS). Cheque or cash payment is not accepted in the E-Auction.
(5) A VRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. Relevant information on the Certificate of Incorporation must be provided by the successful bidder in the Purchaser Information of the Memorandum of Sale if the VRM purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
(6) Successful bidders will receive a notification email around seven working days after payment has been confirmed and can download the Memorandum of Sale from the E-Auction. The purchaser must apply for the VRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser within 12 months from the date of issue of the Memorandum of Sale. If the purchaser fails to do so within the 12-month period, in accordance with the statutory provision, the allocation of the VRM will be cancelled and a new allocation will be arranged by the TD without prior notice to the purchaser.
The TD has informed all applicants who have reserved Ordinary VRMs for this round of auction of the E-Auction arrangements in detail by post. Members of the public may refer to the E-Auction website or watch the tutorial videos for more information. Please call the E-Auction hotline (3583 3980) or email (e-auction-enquiry@td.gov.hk) for enquiries.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ18: BUD Fund The Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) is one of the initiatives of the Government in supporting SMEs, aiming at assisting local enterprises in upgrading, transformation and development of diversified markets. It is learnt that the approval rate, funding ratio and funding ceiling of the Fund are of great concern to enterprises. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of applications under general applications, “Easy BUD” and the “E-commerce Easy” of the BUD Fund received each year since the launch of the initiative; among them, the respective numbers of applications which were (i) approved, (ii) not approved and (iii) withdrawn by enterprises, as well as the respective amounts of average funding per approved application;
(2) whether it has assessed the impact on enterprises’ desire to apply for the Fund after the funding ratio of the BUD Fund was adjusted to 1 (Government): 3 (enterprises) in March 2025; if so, of the details;
(3) whether it will consider further expanding the geographical coverage of the BUD Fund, such as unifying the geographical coverage for general applications and “E-commerce Easy” of the BUD Fund, and including locally-conducted projects for brand promotion and building within the funding scope; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) it is learnt that the approval rates for applications under “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy” were below 40 per cent in the past, whether the authorities have put in place measures to support enterprises, so as to enhance the success rates of applications; if so, of the details; and
(5) of the number of enterprises that have fully utilised the funding ceiling under the BUD Fund at present; whether the Government will adopt the suggestion from some enterprises to increase the funding ceilings for the respective application schemes under the Fund; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) has been providing funding support to the trade since its establishment in 2012 to encourage non-listed Hong Kong enterprises to develop business in 40 economies with which Hong Kong has signed free trade agreements (FTAs) and/or investment promotion and protection agreements (IPPAs) through branding, upgrading and restructuring, and promoting sales. To strengthen the support for enterprises, the Government launched “Easy BUD” in June 2023 to expedite the vetting of applications involving designated measures, and launched “E-commerce Easy” in July 2024 to encourage enterprises to make use of the funding flexibly to implement electronic commerce projects.
The reply to the questions raised by the Hon Jimmy Ng is as follows:
(1) Since the establishment of the BUD Fund, the number of applications received, approved, rejected and withdrawn by enterprises, as well as the average approved funding amount per application each year are as follows:
Year(General application: 1 356, “Easy BUD”: 197)(General application: 1 619, “Easy BUD”: 530, “E-commerce Easy”: 50)(General application: 1 471, “Easy BUD”: 472, “E-commerce Easy”: 194)(2) The Government implemented rationalisation measures in March 2025 such that the BUD Fund would be utilised in the most productive manner and its financial sustainability be ensured. As at end-February 2026, the BUD Fund received a total of over 32 000 applications. In 2025, the BUD Fund received around 5 350 applications, an increase of over 210 per cent as compared with that in 2019, reflecting that the trade’s demand for the BUD Fund has remained strong.
The funding ratio of the BUD Fund was adjusted in March 2025, and its effectiveness needs to be reviewed over time. In addition, we have relaxed the frequency for submitting “Easy BUD” applications and provided more targeted funding support for projects on green transformation and restructuring of production lines, etc. since March 2025. Meanwhile, we plan to implement a series of enhancement measures in the second quarter of 2026, including expansion of the fund’s geographical scope and enhancing promotion and facilitating enterprises’ participation in exhibitions and export promotion activities through “Easy BUD”, which were announced in the 2025 Policy Address; as well as increasing the funding ceiling per “Easy BUD” application by 50 per cent from $100,000 to $150,000 and providing more targeted funding support for enterprises to implement BUD Fund projects involving artificial intelligence elements, which were announced in the 2026-27 Budget. In this connection, we need time to review the relevant financial implications. We will continue to manage the fund prudently to ensure its financial sustainability, and utilise the public funds in a timely and focused manner to enable more enterprises to receive funding support and to maintain a wide spread of beneficiaries.
(3) The current geographical scope of the BUD Fund covers 40 economies (Note 5) with which Hong Kong has signed FTAs and/or IPPAs, accounting for more than 80 per cent of Hong Kong’s total trade in goods in 2025. The 2025 Policy Address announced the expansion of the geographical scope of the fund by 20 per cent to cover eight more economies (Note 6). We plan to seek approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in the second quarter of 2026, with a view to implementing the expansion of the geographical scope of the fund to a total of 48 economies in the same quarter. The geographical scope of the BUD Fund will also be correspondingly expanded as Hong Kong signs more FTAs and/or IPPAs with other economies in the future.
“E-commerce Easy” was launched for less than two years and its geographical scope was expanded to the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in March 2025. The Government will therefore continue to review its operational arrangements and consider making adjustments and enhancements, having regard to the market situation, practical experience and provided that the financial sustainability of the fund is ensured.
The BUD Fund was established with the aim of assisting Hong Kong enterprises in developing more diversified markets outside Hong Kong, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. Enterprises will receive funding support to implement project measures covered by the BUD Fund (including measures implemented locally) to develop their businesses in markets covered by the geographical scope of the fund, provided that the existing guidelines and other funding criteria can be satisfied. If participation in a Hong Kong exhibition is involved, the applicant enterprise needs to demonstrate the direct relevance between the exhibition and its business development in the target market, such as the past editions’ effectiveness. The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), the Programme Secretariat of the BUD Fund, will overall consider the specific circumstances of each individual case when vetting the applications.
(4) As at end-2025, the approval rates of “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy” are 60 per cent and 41 per cent respectively. The HKPC, the Programme Secretariat of the BUD Fund, has been vetting all the applications stringently by following the criteria stipulated in the Guide to Application to ensure that only eligible applications can be approved. Therefore, the approval rates depend on the merits of individual applications and whether the funding conditions could be fulfilled. The major rejection reasons for “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy” applications include the failure in fulfilling the eligibility of having substantive business operations in Hong Kong or the failure in obtaining the necessary licenses to start their businesses in the target markets by the applicant enterprises. As “E-commerce Easy” was launched for less than two years and submission of supporting documents in respect of some applications made by the applicant enterprises are pending, the approval rate has yet to take into account those applications.
The Government has, since 2020, provided an online application system for the BUD Fund, and simplified the application form. The dedicated webpage of the BUD Fund already provides information on the application process, frequently asked questions, application tip, success stories, etc., for enterprises to refer to when planning their projects. The HKPC and the “SME ReachOut” also provide free one-on-one consultation services to answer enquiries relating to application. The Programme Secretariat has also been promoting the BUD Fund to enterprises, including their understanding of “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy”, through a series of measures, including participating in exhibitions or information expos, placing advertisements, and distributing promotional leaflets.
(5) As at end-February 2026, no enterprise had exhausted the $7 million cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise under the BUD Fund thus far, and the enterprises which had utilised the cumulative funding amount of $4 million or more is around 1 per cent. Hence, the current funding ceiling of $7 million should be sufficient to meet the needs of enterprises. Enterprises can freely allocate the funding ceiling of $7 million among different application types, i.e., general application, “Easy BUD” or “E-commerce Easy”, based on their own needs. As mentioned above, the Government announced in the 2025 Policy Address and the 2026-27 Budget that further enhancement measures (including the increase of the funding ceiling per “Easy BUD” application by 50 per cent from $100,000 to $150,000) will be rolled out. The Government will continue to keep in close touch with the trade, and to review the BUD Fund’s implementation from time to time to provide adequate support to small and medium enterprises, while taking into account the financial capacity and sustainability of the BUD Fund.
Note 1: Applications received may not be processed in the same year. The figures include applications that could not be processed owing to incomplete information and those withdrawn voluntarily by enterprises afterwards.
Note 2: “Easy BUD” was launched in June 2023.
Note 3: “E-commerce Easy” was launched in July 2024.
Note 4: The figures include applications that could not be processed owing to incomplete information and those withdrawn voluntarily by enterprises afterwards.
Note 5: The 40 economies currently covered include the Chinese Mainland, 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (comprising Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), Australia, Chile, the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Georgia, Macao, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Austria, Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Bahrain and Peru.
Note 6: The eight economies are Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Hungary, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Brazil. Issued at HKT 16:50
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Stable energy supply is crucial to Hong Kong’s economic and social operations. Public transportation, air passenger and cargo services, and electricity supply are directly related to energy supply. The situation in the Middle East is affecting global oil supply, with the impact on Asia being particularly pronounced. The top priority of the Government is to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply.
Currently, around 80 per cent of Hong Kong’s oil products come from the Chinese Mainland. Hong Kong has weathered several global energy crises in the past, including those triggered by the Gulf War and the Ukrainian conflict. With the advantage of having strong support from the motherland, Hong Kong has been able to maintain a stable energy supply amid energy shortages in many regions and cities around the world.
In view of the latest situation in the Middle East, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) reiterated to local major oil companies the importance of energy for Hong Kong’s economic and social operations, and urged them to ensure a stable supply of local auto-fuel. All oil companies have indicated that the supply of local auto-fuel remains at a normal level, and that they will continue to strive to maintain a stable supply.
To facilitate public monitoring of retail price adjustments for auto-fuel, the EEB will, starting from today (April 1) and on a weekly basis, release the seven-day moving average retail prices, after walk-in discounts, of unleaded petrol and diesel from local oil companies, along with the trends in international benchmark prices of refined oil products during the same period. The relevant information has been uploaded to the EEB website: www.eeb.gov.hk/en/energy/financial_monitoring.html.
Crude oil and refined oil products are different products. Therefore, changes in the international prices of crude oil (e.g. London Brent crude) may not necessarily correspond to adjustments in retail prices for auto-fuel. The EEB compares the international benchmark prices of refined oil products with retail prices for auto-fuel in these charts to facilitate the public in monitoring trends of local retail prices for auto-fuel among local oil companies, as well as international prices for refined oil products, and to assess whether these prices are moving in tandem and the extent of such changes.
While local oil companies have set pump prices for auto-fuel, they offer various discounts for actual transactions. As a result, pump prices do not reflect the actual retail prices. In addition to showing pump prices, the charts also show the retail prices, net of walk-in discounts, offered by each oil company. This allows the public to compare the average prices across different oil companies and choose the ones offering more competitive prices. Nonetheless, it should be noted that these charts do not take into account other discounts available only to specific customers, such as credit card discounts and membership card discounts from the oil companies.
The EEB will release the charts for the previous week every Wednesday afternoon. If Wednesday falls on a general holiday, the charts will be released on the next working day.
The Government will continue to closely monitor geopolitical developments, international energy price trends, and the local fuel supply situation to ensure the stability of Hong Kong’s energy supply.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases issues recommendations on seasonal influenza vaccinations for 2026-27 season The SCVPD recommended that the priority groups for SIV during the 2026-27 influenza season remain the same as in the previous season (2025-26), including health care workers, persons aged 50 years or above, pregnant women, residents of residential care homes, persons with chronic medical problems, children and adolescents aged 6 months to under 18 years, poultry workers, as well as pig farmers and pig-slaughtering industry personnel.
Regarding vaccine types, the SCVPD recommended that all locally registered trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines can be used during the 2026-27 influenza season, comprising the inactivated influenza vaccine, the live attenuated influenza vaccine (i.e. nasal vaccine) and the recombinant influenza vaccine. Moreover, the composition of the influenza virus strains to be used during the 2026-27 influenza season should align with the WHO’s recommendations for the 2026-27 Northern Hemisphere influenza season.
Regarding the timing of vaccinations, the SCVPD recommended that the public receive SIV before the onset of the main influenza season. Based on local historical data, influenza activity generally remained at a relatively high level from January to April each year. Another peak of influenza activity also occurred around July or August in some years. Since vaccine manufacturers must wait for the WHO to announce its recommendations on virus strains for the Northern Hemisphere seasonal influenza vaccines in February or March each year before beginning production, the SCVPD considered that October or November is the most optimal time for vaccination. “All members of the public, in particular young children and older adults, should receive SIV annually for personal protection, unless they have known contraindications,” he added. Details of the SCVPD recommendations are available on the CHP websiteIssued at HKT 16:51
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ20: Admission of non-locally trained nurses
Range of monthly salary(5) of the measures put in place by the Government, regarding the recruitment of non-locally trained nurses, to prevent the abuse of the mechanisms for the Technical Professionals Stream under GEP and ASMTP and to ensure that employers in DH, HA and the social welfare sector accord priority to employing locally trained nurses?
Reply:
Note 1: The numbers of applicants and approved applicants are figures as at December 31, 2025 after the passage of the amendments to the NRO in July 2024. Note 2: It refers to applications received with complete information. Note 3: Among the 41 applications for SR, none were rejected, four were withdrawn and five were pending approval. Note 4: Among the 393 applications for LR, four were rejected, 10 were withdrawn and 151 were pending approval. Note 5: Among the 297 applications for LE, two were rejected, 26 were withdrawn and 127 were pending approval. Note 6: Among the 32 applicants approved for SR, one had his/her SR effected only after December 31, 2025, and another one had his/her SR terminated on or before December 31, 2025 upon leaving the service. Note 7: Among the 228 applicants approved for LR, one had his/her LR effected only after December 31, 2025. Note 8: Among the 142 applications approved for LE, one withdrew his/her application, two had their LE effected only after December 31, 2025, and another two had their LE terminated on or before December 31, 2025 upon leaving the service. Note 9: 13 out of the figure above started service after December 31, 2025 due to other reasons (such as pending the issue of visas). Note 10: 19 out of the figure above started service after December 31, 2025due to other reasons (such as pending the issue of visas). Note 11: Include Chinese Mainland, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan region. Amongst which, 141 are nurses under short-term exchange through the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes. Note 12: The involved country/region of the SR nurse is Malaysia. Note 13: The involved country/region of the LR nurse is Malta.
(3) to (5) The statistics above suggests that non-locally trained nurses contribute to less than one per cent of the overall nursing manpower of over 75 000 nurses, which is extremely low. The Government has since June 30, 2025 introduced a new channel under the General Employment Policy (GEP) and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) to allow young and experienced non-degree mid-level talents with relevant professional and technical qualifications to come to Hong Kong to join eight skilled trades facing acute manpower shortage, including nurses. An applicant must be aged between 18 and 40, and meet the requirements specified for the specific skilled trade on the Technical Professional List, including academic qualifications, work experience and professional skills (such as registration or licence to practice), etc. In addition, according to the prevailing requirements under the GEP and ASMTP, the relevant professionals are required to have secured employment from local employers before application, and the remuneration package should be commensurate with the market level for similar jobs. This new channel will last for three years with an overall application quota of 10 000. The application quota for each skilled trade is limited to 3 000 to prevent occupations with larger industry scales from exhausting the quotas.
Employer For applications from the residential care homes sector, the ImmD does not maintain the statistical breakdown by type of RCHs. The breakdown by monthly remuneration of the approved applications in the residential care homes sector is tabulated below:
Monthly remuneration The HA and the DH will accord priority to employing locally trained nurses, and offer non-locally trained nurses similar remuneration packages as locally trained nurses. The Health Bureau will work with relevant bureaux and departments to encourage other designated institutions under the NRO to similarly accord priority to employing locally trained nurses. The ImmD will follow the established mechanism in examining whether an applicant meets the relevant eligibility criteria, and refer the application to relevant policy bureaux and departments or professional bodies for verification on his/her qualifications where necessary. The ImmD will ensure that only applications meeting the eligibility criteria are approved. The Government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the new arrangement and plans to conduct a review after the first year of implementation. Issued at HKT 15:35
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ10: Measures to regulate illegal bicycle parking Question:
Last year, the Office of The Ombudsman released an investigation report on the Government’s regulation of illegal parking caused by bicycle rental shops, revealing that bicycle shops in Sha Tin District (such as the Tai Wai area) had persistently occupied pavements and rear lanes by placing large numbers of bicycles there. Even after interdepartmental joint enforcement operations were carried out, the improvement was short-lived and the problem quickly recurred, posing safety concerns for and causing serious obstructions to pedestrians. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
Year (2) and (3) With regard to the enforcement strategies and the applicable legislation, the Working Group will, having consulted the Sha Tin District Council on March 19, 2026, reinforce the existing mode of joint clearance operations conducted pursuant to the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 28) to address the issue of illegal bicycle parking by bicycle rental shops in the vicinity of Tsuen Nam Road and Chik Sau Lane in Tai Wai. In future joint operations, if the FEHD identifies bicycles in connection with the carrying on of the business of a bicycle rental shop placed on pavements outside the shop (including back alleys) without lawful authority or reasonable excuse and causing obstruction to the public, the FEHD may issue a fixed penalty notice to the shop. Where necessary, the FEHD may also issue a warning notice requiring the removal of the obstructing bicycles. If the warning is not complied with, the FEHD will remove the bicycles concerned.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the refined joint clearance operations, the Working Group will, prior to the commencement of such operations, apprise the relevant bicycle rental shops of the revised enforcement arrangements, the applicable penalties and the procedures for removal. Concurrently, publicity initiatives will be undertaken in tandem with enforcement actions to draw individuals’ attention to the repercussions of illegal bicycle parking. The relevant departments are currently finalising the details for the implementation of the new arrangements, with a view to adopting the new operation mode at the earliest juncture.Issued at HKT 16:53
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (April 1) that open auctions for a total of 501 stalls in 45 public markets will be held in April. Market stalls not taken at open auctions will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices on April 24 on a first-come, first-served basis.
(1) Open auctions ————————————————– Auction date: April 9 (Thursday) (pm) Number of stalls: 65————————————————– Auction date: April 10 (Friday) (am) Number of stalls: 68——————- Auction date: April 10 (Friday) (pm) Number of stalls: 13————– Auction date: April 13 (Monday) (am) Number of stalls: 78————– Auction date: April 13 (Monday) (pm) Number of stalls: 1————– Auction date: April 14 (Tuesday) (am) Number of stalls: 64————– Auction date: April 14 (Tuesday) (pm) Number of stalls: 64——————— Auction date: April 15 (Wednesday) (am) Number of stalls: 71——————— Auction date: April 15 (Wednesday) (pm) Number of stalls: 77 Relevant information on renting at upset prices on a first-come, first-served basis, will be available on the FEHD website after the open auction.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Bidders or applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for or select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls to be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stall in the same market, and will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the second round of auction or to select one stall in the same market on a first-come, first-served basis (except Stanley Waterfront Mart). The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed-term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to bid for a stall in the auction or select a stall on a first-come, first-served basis in the same market, but shall vacate the current stall and return it to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (April 1) released the sixth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in March, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:
District
Survey Area
March 2026
First Phase Gravidtrap Index
First Phase Density Index
Islands
Cheung Chau
0.0%
N/A
Wong Tai Sin
Wong Tai Sin West
0.0%
N/A
Sai Kung
Sai Kung Town
0.0%
N/A
Kwai Tsing
Lai King
0.0%
N/A
Yuen Long
Hung Shui Kiu and Ping Shan
0.0%
N/A
District
Survey Area
March 2026
Area Gravidtrap Index
Area Density Index
Central and Western
Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui
0.0%
N/A
Wan Chai
Happy Valley and Tai Hang
1.8%
1.0
Islands
Tung Chung
0.0%
N/A
Kowloon City
Ho Man Tin
0.9%
1.0
Kowloon Tong
2.5%
1.0
Sham Shui Po
Cheung Sha Wan
0.9%
1.0
Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei
0.0%
N/A
Yau Tsim
Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei
0.0%
N/A
North
Fanling South
0.0%
N/A
Tai Po
Tai Po East
0.0%
N/A
Tsuen Wan
Sheung Kwai Chung
1.0%
1.0
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun South
0.9%
1.0
Yuen Long
Yuen Long Town
0.0%
N/A
Among the sixth batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering five survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering 13 survey areas in March, most of the areas recorded 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.
The FEHD has so far released six batches of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March 2026, covering 62 survey areas. Among these 62 survey areas, 47 recorded a decrease or remained unchanged as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month (i.e. February 2026), representing that the areas’ mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Fifteen other areas recorded a slight increase, but the indexes were lower than 10 per cent.
The warm and humid weather of spring is favourable for mosquito breeding. Members of the public should strengthen prevention work against mosquito breeding before the rainy season, and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites in advance, with a view to avoiding the nuisances caused by rapid mosquito breeding during the rainy season and reducing the risk of transmitting mosquito-borne diseases.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside their premises;
remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai (SHETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), in collaboration with the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province, jointly hosted the “Hong Kong: The Preferred Platform for Shandong Enterprises to Go Global” seminar today (April 1) in Jinan, Shandong Province.
The event was supported by the Finance Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province, and was co-organised by the Shandong Liaison Unit of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Jinan Municipal Committee. It explored how Mainland enterprises, including those from Shandong Province, can leverage Hong Kong’s business advantages and opportunities to expand overseas, as well as to strengthen collaboration between the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (GoGlobal Task Force) and Mainland authorities to better support Mainland enterprises with their overseas expansion plans via Hong Kong.
The seminar began with welcoming remarks by the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, and the Vice Governor of the Shandong Provincial People’s Government, Mr Sun Ximin.
Dr Chan said that Shandong has a strong industrial foundation and solid manufacturing capabilities, providing a robust base for enterprises to go global. Hong Kong has long been an important economic and trade partner for Shandong and a key platform for Shandong enterprises to go global. The National 15th Five-Year Plan gives explicit support to Hong Kong in better integrating into and serving the overall national development, consolidating and enhancing its status as “four centres and one hub”. Hong Kong can help Shandong enterprises address various challenges, such as expanding international markets, managing cross-border capital and exchange rate risks, meeting overseas compliance requirements and protecting intellectual property, cultivating international talent and connecting with professional services, making it the best partner for enterprises to expand to overseas markets. He noted that the GoGlobal Task Force aims to provide one-stop solutions to issues faced by enterprises during their overseas expansion process, ranging from financing planning to market development. It will organise overseas delegations for Mainland enterprises to gain first-hand insights into overseas business environments.
He also said that this year marks the beginning of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong will actively integrate into and serve the national development strategy, deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in economic and trade fields. In February, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening co-operation and exchange in the provision of comprehensive overseas services, fostering closer collaboration between Mainland enterprises seeking to go global. In addition, the GoGlobal Task Force’s dedicated website (www.goglobal.gov.hk) has been officially launched, including the cross-sector professional services platform established by the HKTDC that aims to provide Mainland enterprises planning to expand overseas via Hong Kong with comprehensive information about the GoGlobal Task Force’s services, and to match them with Hong Kong’s professional services.
Mr Sun said, Shandong has a comprehensive and robust industrial system, a vast and diversified market, and strong growth momentum, providing Hong Kong with abundant application scenarios and co-operation opportunities in finance, trade, and professional services. It has become an important partner for Hong Kong in expanding into the Mainland market and integrating into the national development strategy. Shandong is ready to work hand in hand with Hong Kong to leverage their respective advantages, share development opportunities, cultivate new drivers of industrial collaboration, enhance the level of technological co-operation, and expand new capital co-operation. Shandong enterprises are encouraged to actively seize the opportunities arising from high-level opening up, make good use of Hong Kong as the preferred platform for going global, align with international standards, connect with global resources, and continuously strengthen their core competitiveness and international influence.
As core members of the GoGlobal Task Force, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK Ms Loretta Lee and the Regional Director, Northern China, of the HKTDC, Mr Kevin Chan, encouraged Mainland enterprises to choose Hong Kong as their preferred base for going global. They also delivered keynote speeches on how Hong Kong can assist Mainland enterprises in expanding into global markets.
Ms Lee said, Hong Kong, with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, provides strong support for Mainland enterprises for their global expansion. As the overseas expansion strategies of Mainland enterprises continue to upgrade, businesses across different industries at various stages can find their own “value-added leverage point” in Hong Kong. From financial capital to innovation ecosystems, from intellectual property protection to high-end talent, and from a well-established legal system to the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong has everything that Mainland enterprises need to go global. InvestHK offers Mainland enterprises one-stop, support for overseas expansion, ranging from consultations and business set-up assistance to further business expansion.
Mr Chan said that the HKTDC, as another core member of the GoGlobal Task Force, has 51 global offices and an extensive business network. Each year, it organises over 40 international exhibitions and conferences, providing customised solutions for Mainland enterprises to go global across various areas, such as innovation and technology, food and agricultural products, gifts and cultural creativity, logistics and shipping, finance, life and health, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative. The HKTDC actively shares successful cases of Mainland enterprises using Hong Kong as a platform to go global and leverage on Hong Kong’s strengths as a global services hub and resource allocation centre. The HKTDC is committed to supporting Shandong enterprises in using Hong Kong as a springboard to steadily pursue globalisation and explore overseas markets.
The seminar also featured a panel discussion moderated by the Deputy Director of SHETO Mr Arthur Lam. Representatives from Hong Kong’s professional services sectors and Mainland enterprises that have successfully expanded overseas through Hong Kong shared their experiences and insights on how Hong Kong’s advantages can empower Shandong enterprises to better expand overseas markets.