Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Transport Department (TD) today (January 21) said that the next online auction of vehicle registration marks (VRMs) will be held from noon on February 5 (Thursday) to noon on February 9 (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 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

     ​Following is a question by the Hon Tang Ka-piu and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:
 
     It is learnt that there has been continued concern in Hong Kong society about families of elderly doubletons featuring “the elderly taking care of the elderly” as well as families with “persons with disabilities taking care of elderly persons” and families with “elderly persons taking care of persons with disabilities”. The Chief Executive mentioned in the 2025 Policy Address that an intelligent accident detection system (detection system) would be installed for 300 high-risk households to detect dangerous situations involving high-risk elderly persons in a timely manner. In addition, it has been reported that some organisations have collaborated with enterprises in the community to install gerontechnology products for elderly households. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: 
(2) of the number of households currently applying for the Housing Department’s Grant for Emergency Alarm System (EAS Grant), with a breakdown by the number of elderly tenants in the relevant units, their districts of residence and age groups (each covering five years);
 
(3) given that in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2025-2026, the Government indicated that the number of recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme receiving the EAS Grant had gradually decreased from the 2020-2021 financial year to the 2024-2025 financial year, whether the Government has studied the reasons for the decrease in the number of recipients;
 
(4) whether it has conducted performance assessments of organisations currently providing EAS (commonly known as “ping on bell”) service; if so, of the standard of service provided by various organisations; if not, whether the Government will consider conducting such assessments of those organisations;
 
(5) of the number of households that have installed the Door Sensor Installation for Elderly Households (the sensor system) to date, with a breakdown by the number of elderly tenants in the relevant units and their districts of residence;
 
(6) whether the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) may receive the alerts issued by the sensor system simultaneously; if so, of the number of alerts issued by the sensor system to date, with a breakdown by the reasons for issuing alerts; if not, whether the Government will consider allowing HA to receive the relevant alerts simultaneously in the future;
 
(7) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of cases where elderly persons were found dead at home in the past five years, with a tabulated breakdown by their districts of residence, whether “ping on bell” was installed and the level of impairment under the Standardized Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services; and
 
(8) apart from the detection system and the sensor system, whether the Government has considered further providing other practical gerontechnology products for elderly persons directly for free; if so, whether it has estimated the additional funding required; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President, 
     The LWB hopes to achieve in this pilot scheme, through the application of technology, immediate detection, timely intervention, and prompt assistance whenever home accidents befall carers and/or their care recipients. The LWB is actively undertaking preparatory work and expects to announce the detailed arrangements in the first quarter of 2026 at the earliest, followed by installation of systems for relevant households. We aim to complete such installation for no fewer than 300 households by or before the third quarter of 2026.
      
     In addition, the Government set up the $1 billion Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care (the Fund) in December 2018 to subsidise eligible elderly and rehabilitation service units to procure, rent or trial technology products, so as to improve the quality of life of service users and reduce the burden and pressure of care staff and carers. In 2024-25, the Government injected additional $1 billion into the Fund and expanded its scope to cover technology products suitable for household use. As at December 2025, the Fund had allocated a total of about $910 million, subsidising about 2 100 elderly and rehabilitation service units to procure or rent over 27 000 technology products.
      
     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) expanded the scope of the Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly in September 2023 to cover rental of assistive technology products, thus further catalysing the use of gerontechnology in community care services for elderly persons.
      
     As for the public rental housing (PRH) estates, apart from the Internet of Things (IoT) Door Sensor Installation for Elderly Households (the Scheme), the HD is actively exploring the use of new technologies in promoting elderly-friendly living. For instance, the HD has piloted the installation of smart fall-detection systems in some accessible toilets of some PRH estates to detect incidents such as falls, fainting, prolonged inactivity, etc. The HKHA has also collaborated with the Hong Kong Police Force to promote the Project PINPOINT which encourages the use of location devices for high-risk elderly individuals so as to prevent the elderly from missing and alleviating the stress of their carers and families. The HD will continue exploring the feasibility of implementing other gerontechnologies with other government departments and social welfare organisations with a view to benefiting more elderly residents. The HKHA and the HKHS will also continue looking into the application of more smart solutions in their rental estates, such as exploring the use of robots to assist in carrying heavy items to strengthen support for elderly residents.
     
(2) to (4) The HKHA provides eligible elderly households who do not receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) with subsidies to install Emergency Alarm Systems (EAS) (also known as “Safety Bell”), so that the elderly in need are able to seek prompt assistance in case of emergency. The HKHA has extended the scope of the EAS subsidy to cover not only traditional EAS but also mobile EAS, such as mobile phones and watches equipped with EAS as well as products with fall detection function. Elderly households may purchase the said devices on their own. Successful applicants will be given a one-off subsidy of not more than $2,500 to cover the actual expenses. As at end November 2025, the HKHA had approved over 26 000 applications. The HKHA does not keep the breakdown of the age profile or the districts of the applicants.      
     From 2020-21 to 2024-25, the number of CSSA recipients receiving the grant for EAS dropped from 32 745 to 25 543, alongside the decrease in the number of CSSA elderly cases from 128 863 to 110 846. The CSSA recipients decide on whether to apply for the grant for EAS based on their individual circumstances with varying reasons. Staff at Social Security Field Units of SWD will provide eligible CSSA recipients with information on the relevant grant and facilitate their applications. Apart from the grant provided under CSSA, various organisations in society also offer CSSA recipients similar EAS assistance.
      
     The SWD has not designated any service providers with regards the grant for EAS provided under the CSSA Scheme. CSSA recipients in need are free to purchase suitable EAS according to their needs. Separately, under the District Services and Community Care Teams – Pilot Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers, the Government subsidises eligible elderly persons and persons with disabilities referred by the Care Teams to install and use the emergency alarm services. Such services are provided by the designated service providers engaged by the SWD through established procurement procedures. The SWD monitors the provision of the services in accordance with the service contracts, as well as reviews and enhances the services as appropriate. 
     Subject to residents’ participation and the availability of resources, the HD will identify suitable estates for expansion of the Pilot Scheme along with simultaneous receipt of door-opening/closing notifications. The HD will actively explore the feasibility of implementing other similar schemes in collaboration with other government departments and social welfare organisations, with a view to benefiting more elderly households in other PRH estates. 
      
     In the past 5 years (i.e. from 2021 to November 2025), the number of natural death cases recorded in PRH units under the HD is set out in the table below. HD does not maintain statistical breakdowns by age, district, or whether the concerned individuals had EAS installed.
     

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Johnny Ng and a reply by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):
 
Question:

     The Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan outline the country’s development in the next five years and make special arrangements to promote long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the specific policy options to proactively align with the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, including how to broaden economic development and growth, accelerate the development and application of innovation and technology, and expedite the upgrading of industry structures, so as to align with the country’s development;
 
(2) as there are views that the Northern Metropolis will be crucial to Hong Kong’s economic and innovation development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, how the Government will strengthen co-operation between the Northern Metropolis and other Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, such as formulating joint policies to promote division of work in development, streamlining the administration workflows, advancing infrastructure construction, and expediting the implementation of the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda and the Conceptual Outline of the Development Plan for the Innovation and Technology Industry in the San Tin Technopole, so as to align with the country’s planning and development; and
 
(3) whether the Government will, apart from formulating one-year policy planning through the annual Policy Address, proactively align with the country’s planning and arrangements and formulate “five-year plans” in the long run, so as to align with the country’s macro development direction?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Having consulted the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) and the Development Bureau (DEVB), our reply in response to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Johnny Ng is as follows:
 
(1) The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) deliberated and adopted the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan) in October last year. The Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan provide top-level design and strategic blueprint for the country’s development over the next five years, comprehensively devising the strategic tasks and major initiatives during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and clarifying the approaches and key tasks in priority areas ranging from industrial development, technological innovation, domestic market, economic system, opening-up, rural revitalisation, and regional development, to cultural construction, safeguarding people’s livelihoods, green development, safe development, and national defence. All of these strategic tasks and major initiatives will bring boundless opportunities for Hong Kong’s future development, and therefore all sectors of Hong Kong society must seize them firmly. For example, in terms of improving regional economic structures, Hong Kong should deeply engage in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while strengthening interactive co-operation with other Mainland regional economies for mutual benefit, win-win results, and mutual advancement. In terms of international co-operation, Hong Kong should continue to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, attract global high-end talents and capital, and play its dual roles of assisting Mainland enterprises to “go global” and attracting overseas investment. In terms of green development, Hong Kong should promote green finance and carbon neutrality practices to support the country’s ecological civilisation construction, while fostering the development of local environmental industries. As for the innovation and technology development that Member is concerned about, the Government announced the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint in 2022. In addition, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park) officially opened in December 2025. Hong Kong and Shenzhen will strive for trial implementation of dedicated cross-boundary policy measures to facilitate the convenient flow of important innovation elements including personnel, materials, capital and data within the Loop, endeavouring to become a testing zone for new rules and innovation and cultivate a testing ground for institutional and policy innovation, in response to the goals and requirements for high-quality development as well as self-reliance and strength in science and technology in the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. From the above, it can be seen that the work of aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan is all-round, in-depth and multi-dimensional, covering extensive areas. The Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan also make important plans for Hong Kong’s development, proposing to consolidate, enhance, build and develop the “Four Centres and One Highland”, namely the international financial, shipping, trade and innovation and technology centres, as well as the highland of international top-tier talent. These plans not only represent the direction and driving force for Hong Kong’s long-term development in the future, but also align with the country’s development positioning and are conducive to the country’s development needs, precisely leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths to serve the country’s needs. At present, policy bureaux and departments of the HKSAR Government are actively studying in-depth on how to proactively align with the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan in their respective scopes and purviews. After the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan is adopted at the session of the National People’s Congress later, the policy bureaux will take forward the relevant alignment work in full swing. The Steering Group on Integration into National Development led by the Chief Executive will also provide high-level, all-round guidance, co-ordination and supervision to effectively implement the relevant work, ensuring that the HKSAR fully aligns with the 15th Five-Year Plan and promotes high-quality development for both the country and Hong Kong.
 
(2) As regard the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM), it is an important measure taken by the HKSAR Government to actively align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, as well as an important engine driving Hong Kong’s future economic and social development. It helps promote the high-quality development and foster more comprehensive co-operation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We are moving full steam ahead to develop the NM, expedite the construction and attract industries. At the same time, as mentioned above, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park already officially opened in December 2025, and the ITIB has also promulgated the Conceptual Outline of Development Plan for Innovation and Technology Industry in San Tin Technopole, setting a clear development strategy for the San Tin Technopole.
 
     Recently, in addition to launching the tender exercise for the first pilot area under the large-scale land disposal approach within the NM, DEVB is also actively preparing for the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited’s commencement of operation in mid-2026. DEVB will conduct a public consultation on the dedicated legislation to accelerate the development of the NM in the first quarter, and has recently introduced to the industry and stakeholders the administrative measures to expedite approval of private projects within the NM. The HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close liaison with the Shenzhen side on matters relating to NM development through the Task Force for Collaboration on the NM Development Strategy. Both sides will conduct joint discussions on matters related to cross-boundary development and construction.
 
(3) The HKSAR Government attaches utmost importance to the work of proactively aligning with the country’s “Five-Year Plans”. The Chief Executive delivers the Policy Address annually, setting out to the Legislative Council and all sectors of the community the major policy directions and concrete measures to be launched by the Government in the coming year. These policy measures maintain consistency and are highly aligned with the national “Five-Year Plans”. In fact, since the promulgation of the 14th Five-Year Plan, each year’s Policy Address has included specific policy initiatives aimed at consolidating and strengthening Hong Kong’s role as the “eight centres” outlined in the plan. The Government also formulates development blueprints from time to time for key policy areas, manifesting medium- to long-term development planning, such as the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint and the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint. All these demonstrate that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the long-term planning and development of the HKSAR. The establishment by the Government of the Steering Group on Integration into National Development to steer the 14th Five-Year Plan and the 15th Five-Year Plan is in itself a mature and established mechanism for comprehensively aligning with the country’s “Five-Year Plans”.
 
     The 15th Five-Year Plan will bring boundless development opportunities to Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will certainly lead all sectors of Hong Kong society to work together to fully and proactively align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, so as to promote the long-term high-quality development of the country and Hong Kong, integrate into and at the same time serve the overall national development, and contribute to the country’s building of a great country and the great rejuvenation of the nation.
 
     Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hok-fung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 21) announced the test results of a recently completed seasonal food surveillance project on Lunar New Year (LNY) food (first phase). The test results of around 770 samples collected were satisfactory, except for two prepackaged rice cake samples found with sodium contents inconsistent with the declared values on their nutrition labels, which were announced earlier.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The LNY is coming soon, and the CFS is conducting this seasonal food surveillance project in two phases. During the first phase of the project, different types of LNY food – including steamed puddings (e.g. turnip puddings and festive cakes), fried dumplings (e.g. sesame balls and crispy triangles), candies, glutinous rice balls, nuts, melon seeds, vegetarian dishes and dried aquatic products – were collected from different retailers (including online retailers) for chemical and microbiological tests as well as nutrition content analysis.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre Opening Ceremony today (January 21):

Andrew (Chairperson, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG), Mr Andrew McAulay), Lester (Deputy Chairman, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Lester Huang), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 

     Good afternoon. It is a joy to be here with you for the opening of the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre – and to launch Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden’s milestone 70th anniversary year.

     As Andrew noted, this new Centre was made possible by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. This support is not only deeply appreciated – it is especially fitting, with the Year of the Horse arriving in just a few weeks.

     For 70 years, KFBG has continually evolved to support the government and the people of Hong Kong.

     Today, KFBG continues to broaden its mission. It builds on decades of hands-on scientific and practical nature restoration, and advises NGOs (non-governmental organisations), institutions, corporations and, of course, the Hong Kong Government.

     The Government is deeply committed to protecting Hong Kong’s biodiversity and environment. Last month, we published our updated Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which reflects both global goals and our country’s national strategy for conservation.

     The Plan outlines how Hong Kong will protect nature and support sustainable development over the next decade.

     I am pleased to say that KFBG played a significant role in this updated plan.

     And I should add – KFBG’s forest restoration programme recently became the first in the world to receive a premium-tier certification from the Global Biodiversity Standard, underlining its global leadership in ecological restoration.

     KFBG’s expertise also supports Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, as we move toward better integration of urban and rural areas, and balance development and conservation.

     The new Conservation Centre is home to more than 100 scientists and other professionals, ensuring that KFBG’s important work in nature conservation, sustainable living and holistic education continues to grow, and also supporting the Government, our people and the rich natural environment we are so blessed with.

     That includes more than 580 bird species, which represents one-third of our country’s total, and some 6 000 marine species, around one quarter of our country’s recorded total. 

     Hong Kong is also home to wonderful landscapes, like the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Global Geopark and many other conservation areas.

     In 2024, we established three major nature conservation parks. And upon the completion of the Wetland Conservation Park in the Northern Metropolis, which will be five times larger than the Hong Kong Wetland Park, we will have a vital new hub for wetland conservation.

     Nature conservation and biodiversity require constant care and collaboration. I look forward to continuing our co-operation with KFBG, the Jockey Club, scholars, researchers, environmentalists and the general public – to keep nature at the heart of Hong Kong’s future. 

     I wish Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden another 70 rewarding years of nature conservation and education. And I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year, full of the good fortune that our precious environment gives us. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Ming and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:

     The Government has advised that it will adopt the principles of “infrastructure-led” and “capacity creating” to take forward the MTR Northern Link (NOL) Main Line and Spur Line projects, with the target of commissioning the projects in or before 2034. However, there are views that as the relevant railway infrastructures are still under construction, the completion and intake of residents for public and private housing developments one after another in New Territories North (NTN) in recent years may impose pressure on the traffic in the district. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics for the past three years on and estimated for the coming three years the population growth brought by the newly completed public and private housing developments in NTN, as well as formulated targeted short to medium term traffic contingency plans based on such data in order to meet the cross-district travel needs of the residents in the district;

(2) as it has been reported that the commissioning of Kwu Tung Station connecting NOL is expected to be advanced to 2027, whether the Government has plans to advance the commissioning of other stations along NOL in a strategic and phased manner so as to cope with the additional transport demand in the district; and

(3) in the light of the growing population in NTN, whether the Government will discuss with MTR Corporation Limited the further adjustment of the train frequency of the MTR East Rail Line, the deployment of more trains, or the introduction of passenger flow management measures so as to cope with the future increasing patronage; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:
 
President,

     The Government has a set of holistic transport strategies and planning principles to address the needs of the travelling public and socio-economic development through improving transportation infrastructure, enhancing public transport services and optimising road resources. In planning public transport services for individual districts, the Government takes into account a range of factors, including local development, demographic changes, transport infrastructure planning, traffic conditions and the carrying capacity and service positioning of different public transport modes. In view of the anticipated population growth in the New Territories North (NTN) (including Fanling, Sheung Shui, Kwu Tung and San Tin), the Government will make advance planning of public transport services as appropriate to meet the travelling needs of the public. 

     The reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Yiu Ming is as follows:

(1) Over the past three years, the newly completed housing development projects in the NTN primarily included Ching Tao Court and Choi Shek Estate in Sheung Shui, leading to a population increase of about 9 400. The Transport Department (TD) has already made several arrangements in advance under the annual route planning programmes of the franchised bus operators. The arrangements include introducing bus service between Ching Tao Court and Sheung Shui Station in September 2024 as well as launching a green minibus route between Choi Shek Estate and Shek Wu Hui in December last year. 

     In the next few years, the population intake of the two housing development projects in Fanling North and Kwu Tung North New Development Areas (NDAs) will commence in two phases, with the first phase from mid-2026 to 2027 accommodating an additional population of approximately 55 000 and the second phase from 2030 to 2032 accommodating about 170 000. We have formulated various measures to address the travelling needs of residents, including advance planning of short-to-medium term road works for the two NDAs based on the “infrastructure-led” and “capacity creating” principle. The works include the commissioning of the Fanling Bypass Eastern Section within this year, which will connect the Fanling North NDA directly to the Fanling Highway, thereby alleviating the traffic situation in Sheung Shui and Fanling town centres. In addition, the Government will complete several road improvement works progressively by 2031, including the construction of Po Shek Wu Road Flyover and Fanling Bypass Western Section, as well as the widening of the section of the Fanling Highway between Kwu Tung and Sheung Shui, to tie in with the intake progress of the second phase of the two NDAs concerned. 

     In terms of public transport services, the TD has planned to introduce a total of six new franchised bus routes in light of the first phase of intake of the two NDAs concerned. These routes will connect Kwu Tung North and Fanling North to Sheung Shui or Fanling Station as well as key community facilities within the district (such as North District Hospital). They will also include inter-district services to and from Kowloon East, Kowloon West, Tsuen Wan District and Yuen Long District. Bus routes to and from urban areas will pass through bus-bus interchanges at major tunnels to facilitate the public and residents to transfer for other districts. Relevant roads and public transport interchanges within the new development areas will also be ready by then. The TD has already briefed the North District Council on the relevant arrangements around the end of last year. 

(2) and (3) On railway infrastructure development, the Government is pressing ahead with the Northern Link (NOL) Project, which is an important piece of transport infrastructure supporting the Northern Metropolis development and facilitating Hong Kong’s better integration into national development. The Project comprises Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line (EAL), the NOL Main Line connecting the EAL and the Tuen Ma Line, as well as the NOL Spur Line connecting San Tin Station and the new Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. The construction of Kwu Tung Station on EAL has already commenced in 2023. Progress has been satisfactory thus far and the station is expected to come into operation in 2027 as scheduled, which would match the timing of major population intake of the Kwu Tung North NDA. Last year, the Government executed the Project Agreement for Part 1 of the NOL Project with the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to implement the NOL Spur Line in combination with the Main Line through an innovative mindset, substantially bringing forward the timetable of the Spur Line by two years than what was originally envisaged and achieving simultaneous commissioning with the Main Line by 2034 or earlier.

     At present, we are taking forward the NOL Main Line and Spur Line on the basis of simultaneous commissioning across both lines. This mega railway project is currently in full swing. As the project progresses, we together with MTRCL would examine the feasibility of commissioning by phases. Relevant considerations include overall technical feasibility, interface with other works in the new development areas along the railway alignment, the development pace of projects along the railway alignment, and whether testing and commissioning by phases would affect the commissioning date of the remaining railway sections. We would continue to work with MTRCL towards reducing construction time, and endeavour to commission the NOL Project at an early juncture.

     In summary, the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the TD will continue to monitor the population growth and passenger demand in the NTN as well as the operation of relevant public transport services to enhance services at suitable juncture to meet residents’ needs. Meanwhile, we will continue to work with relevant government departments responsible for planning and development to formulate appropriate traffic and public transport service arrangements in advance. 

     Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Tang Fei and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:     
(1) whether it has plans to commission experts, scholars or higher education institutions to conduct scientific, in-depth research tailored for Hong Kong’s unique social environment, so as to assess the specific impact of social media on the emotional health, personality development and academic performance of local children and adolescents; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that, and whether consideration will be given to establishing dedicated funding to support such academic research;

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Judy Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:
 
The Lands Department (LandsD) currently grants short-term tenancies through tendering or direct land grant for non-governmental organisations or social enterprises to use unleased and unallocated government land. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information on complaints against short-term tenancy site operators received by the Government in the past five years: (i) the number of complaints (and their annual rates of changes), (ii) the reasons for complaints and (iii) the number of cases with follow-up actions taken;
 
(2) of the following information on (i) the number of sites newly granted under short-term tenancies in various districts in each of the past five years and the respective (ii) areas and (iii) uses of such sites involved, with a breakdown by land disposal method (i.e. tendering and direct land grant);
 
(3) of the following information on (i) the number of sites with their short-term tenancies terminated in various districts in each of the past five years and the respective (ii) areas involved and (iii) reasons for terminating the tenancies of such sites, with a breakdown by land disposal method (i.e. tendering and direct land grant);
 
(4) of (i) the number of sites with tenancies renewed by the same tenant upon expiry of the fixed term of the tenancies and the respective (ii) areas and (iii) uses of such sites involved in respect of short-term land tenancies managed by the LandsD in the past 10 years (set out by district); (i) the average renewal term and (ii) the longest renewal term of such sites with tenancies renewed by the same tenant, with a breakdown by land disposal method (i.e. tendering and direct land grant); and
 
(5) as there are views that the prolonged renewal of tenancies of some short-term tenancy sites by the same tenant has runs contrary to the spirit of short-term tenancy, whether the Government has conducted a review on the effectiveness in respect of short-term tenancy sites; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it has plans to conduct such a review?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
Under the prevailing land approval policy, the Lands Department (LandsD) may grant short term tenancies (STTs) by way of tender or direct grant to support various social and economic activities and bring rental revenue for the Government. In addition, if an application receives policy support, and is considered in compliance with statutory or administrative requirements upon consultation with the relevant departments, the LandsD may grant STT to a non-governmental organisation and a social enterprise at concessionary or even nil rent for community, organisation, or non-profit making uses. The LandsD is responsible for granting and managing STTs, with fixed terms normally ranging from one to five years, and not exceeding seven years. Upon expiry of the fixed term, STTs will usually be re-tendered for another fixed term, or renewed according to the circumstances. The Government announced in the 2025 Policy Address that it would handle the tenancy term of Government tenancies in more flexible ways, and provide tenancy of a maximum total tenure of 21 years through renewal, which will mainly benefit lands for economic use, in response to the market suggestion of facilitating business and investments by providing a longer tenancy term. The relevant measures will be rolled out within the first quarter of this year.
 
My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan is as follows:
 
(1) As the nature and the type of land involved in each complaint are different, the LandsD does not maintain statistics on cases involving solely STTs. In general, upon receipt of complaints relating to STT sites, the LandsD would carry out investigations, including site inspection, as soon as possible. If any breaches of tenancy conditions are confirmed, such as violation of the user restriction clauses, the LandsD would take follow-up action immediately, including the issue of warning letters requesting the tenants to rectify the breaches, and may, subject to the circumstances, terminate the tenancy in accordance with the tenancy conditions and take back the site.
 
(2) In the past five years, the number of STTs freshly granted by the LandsD for commercial, economic, or social uses is set out in Annex I. The relevant uses include fee-paying public car parks, education, social welfare, religious, recreation, shops, factories, container handling, outdoor or indoor storage, and shipyards.
 
(3) In the past five years, the number of STTs for commercial, economic, or social uses that were terminated and the area involved are set out in Annex II. In general, the major reasons for termination of STTs include taking back sites for long term development (such as public housing development, Government land sale programmes) and termination initiated by tenants on their own considerations. Besides, only a minority of STTs were terminated for breach of tenancy conditions. For example, there were only about four such cases in 2025.
 
(4) and (5) If the sites are still yet to be required for long term development a few years after the expiry of the fixed term of the STTs, the LandsD will normally re-tender the STTs, so as to allow other interested business operators in the market to have a fair opportunity in bidding for the sites, maintaining healthy competition. That said, direct grant STTs which are related to economic activities, with policy support, or special historical background, may be renewed quarterly upon expiry of the fixed term. The LandsD does not maintain statistics on the average term and the average area of the STT sites with tenancies renewed by the same tenant. According to the statistics maintained by the LandsD, among the direct grant STTs, there are some 1 800 cases with cumulative tenancy period exceeding 10 years, the majority of which (around 1 550 cases) fall within a few major categories, including STTs granted for relocation of businesses affected by public works (such as shipyards); STTs converted from Government land licence in early years (usually shops or workshops); and some sites for public utilities or franchise operation (such as franchised bus depot). Among them, the longest STT tenancy term through renewal is 60 years, where the site has been leased for the use of a bus workers’ canteen, to tie in with the operation of the adjacent bus terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui pier. 
 
The Government would take into account a number of considerations in examining whether a site should be granted by way of STT or land lease, including where the site may be available for certain uses only on a short term basis; where the site may be available for supporting certain uses on a long term basis but STTs would allow greater flexibility in changing STT users; and where the site may be available for supporting certain uses on a long term basis but STTs may better meet the development needs of certain economic activities as one-off premium payment would not be required. As regards views that certain STTs may have run for too long, as explained above, there are policy or historical reasons for the relevant STTs. On the other hand, there are views in the market in recent years that tenancies with longer term may facilitate business and investments, which is also one of the considerations for our suggestion to provide Government tenancies for at most 21 years. While we understand the Hon Chan’s concerns about fair competition, we should also take into account various considerations when considering the term of tenancies. When we grant new tenancies in future, we will take into account the relevant factors holistically and strike an appropriate balance.