Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government announced today (December 30) the membership list of the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) in the new term for two years from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.
       
     Professor Wong Wing-tak has been reappointed as the Chairman of the HKCTC. Six new members, namely Dr Kwok Tai-wai, Mr Norman Lee Shu-leung, Dr Lee Tak-yiu, Mr Robert Lok Pak-keung, Mr Tian Limao and Professor Joan Zuo Zhong have been appointed. In addition, 10 incumbent members have been reappointed.
      
     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Professor Wong has led the HKCTC with remarkable achievements over the past four years. We are confident that under his continued leadership and with the collective efforts of its members, the HKCTC will build upon its achievements, foster technological innovation in Hong Kong’s testing and certification industry, explore new opportunities and reach new heights.”
      
     Professor Sun also expressed gratitude to the six outgoing members, namely Dr Ann Leung, Mr Kenneth Leung Yuk-wai, Dr Wingco Lo Kam-wing, Dr Fanny Tang Wai-fan, Ms Gilly Wong Fung-han and Mr Wilson Wong Wing-wa for their strong support and active contribution to the work of the HKCTC.
      
     The membership list of the Council for the new term is as follows:
 
Chairman
———–
Professor Wong Wing-tak
 
Non-official members
————————
Ms Bess Choi Siu-fong
Mr Martin Fan
Dr Crystal Fok Lo-ming
Dr Gray Ho Koon-sing
Dr Emmie Ho Ngai-man
Ms Denise Hou Yuen-chi
Dr Kwok Tai-wai
Dr Lesly Lam Lik-shan
Ms Fiona Lee
Mr Norman Lee Shu-leung
Dr Lee Tak-yiu
Mr Robert Lok Pak-keung
Mr Robert Andrew Lui Chi-wang
Mr Joseph Poon Tim-leung
Mr Tian Limao
Professor Joan Zuo Zhong
 
Official members
——————-
Commissioner for Innovation and Technology or representative
Government Chemist or representative
Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council or representative
Executive Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council or representative
Executive Director of Vocational Training Council or representative
 
     The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification was established in September 2009 to advise the Government on the overall development strategy of the testing and certification sector.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (December 29) that an open tender under a two-envelope approach will be launched tomorrow for the pilot area under large-scale land disposal in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (HSK) in the Northern Metropolis (NM). The tender invitation will last for a period of about six months, closing on July 3, 2026 (Friday).

      Large-scale land disposal is one of the innovative and diversified development approaches in the NM. Under this approach, the Government would identify sizeable parcels of land including residential and industry sites with commercial value, as well as public facility sites, for integrated development by successful tenderers. This aims to better leverage market forces to expedite the development of the NM.

     This pilot area located in HSK has a total area of about 11 hectares, comprising three residential sites and three Enterprise and Technology Park (E&TP) sites (see Annex). Together, they can supply about 156 000 square metres of domestic floor area (i.e. about 3 120 flats, if calculated based on an average flat size of 50 square metres of gross floor area), and about 280 000 square metres of industry floor area.

     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, “As the first pilot area under large-scale land disposal undergoing tender in the NM, the HSK pilot area represents a significant step forward. The latest tender arrangements have incorporated market views, including the addition of one residential site, reducing the burden of road construction, allowing payment of land premium in stages, independent land leases for different lots, extension of building covenant to seven years, etc. These serve to increase the project’s financial attractiveness, facilitate investments from different background to form consortiums, and alleviate the cash flow pressure of developers.”

     She continued, “The ‘two-envelope approach’ echoes the ‘industry-oriented’ theme of the NM. The weighting for land premium is only 30 per cent; the remaining 70 per cent is for non-premium proposal where the assessment criteria focus on the development of the E&TP sites, including whether strategic industries are developed, whether leading enterprises are introduced, development speed, investment scale, employment opportunities to be created, etc. Through this industry-oriented tender and a series of facilitation measures, we hope to attract high-quality enterprises to establish their presence in the HSK pilot area, promoting growth of the industry chains.”

     Under the large-scale land disposal approach, the successful tenderer has to complete the site formation for the pilot area and construct some public facilities, including an open space, a pedestrian street and a footpath, handing them back to the Government upon completion. The successful tenderer will also have to complete the development of residential sites within the pilot area. Besides, the tenderer must tender for the development and operation of one E&TP site (i.e. HSK Town Lot No. 19), and can opt to develop and operate the other one or two E&TP sites (i.e. HSK Town Lot Nos. 23 and 24) at the same time. A tenderer willing to tender for and operate more industry sites will get higher marks. The purchasers of the E&TP sites winning the tender will be required to enter into service deeds with the Government, submit performance guarantees and arrange for bank bonds, ensuring the implementation of the non-premium proposals.

     The assessment criteria will be detailed in the tender documents to be published tomorrow.

Flexible land premium payment arrangement

     The successful tenderer can elect for paying 25 per cent of the land premium within 28 days from the notification of tender award, settling the remaining 75 per cent of land premium within three years from the notification of tender award with no interest charged during this period. Another flexible arrangement is allowing tenderers that has elected to pay land premium in stages to surrender land within the NM that the Government intends to resume, for offsetting at most 75 per cent of the land premium. The Lands Department will announce the list of eligible land tomorrow, among which a tenderer may propose in his tender surrendering the lots he owns. The Government will calculate the value of surrendered lots based on the applicable ex-gratia compensation rates for land resumption, for offsetting the land premium for the HSK pilot area.

     Ms Linn said, “The two aforementioned arrangements related to land premium payment are measures aiming for removing barriers and restrictions as mentioned in this year’s Policy Address. They can reduce the cash flow pressure of enterprises in land development, thereby promoting their participation in the NM project.”

Land lease and other arrangements

     Individual residential sites and E&TP sites will have independent land leases for execution, and can be held by different purchasers being members of the consortium submitting a bid. The building covenant in all the leases is seven years. Besides, if the two adjacent E&TP sites (i.e. HSK Town Lot Nos. 23 and 24) are awarded, the Government will consider accepting an application for lease modification from the purchaser for joint development, for a more holistic development and operation of the industry sites.

     The tender documents will also specify the completion dates of infrastructures adjacent to the pilot area (such as roads, water supply / sewerage facilities), and provide that if the Government’s delay in construction of such infrastructures has caused a delay to the development of the pilot area, the Government may favourably consider extending the building covenant without requiring payment of additional premium.

     The DEVB has already established a dedicated project supervision office chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning & Lands), providing end-to-end facilitation service to private development projects in the NM in order to speed up their implementation. The HSK pilot area is no doubt a signature project.

     Land sale documents for the lots including the Explanatory Statement, the Information Statement, the Forms of Tender, the Tender Notice, the Conditions of Sale and the sale plans will be made available tomorrow for public downloading from the Lands Department’s website (www.landsd.gov.hk). Hard copies of the sale plans may also be purchased at the Survey and Mapping Office, Lands Department, 6th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, from tomorrow until the close of the tender. Details of the tender will be gazetted tomorrow.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     ​The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (December 30) announced a total of 15 Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) will provide public holiday Family Medicine Outpatient Services on the New Year holiday (January 1, 2026) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the “Book FMC” function of the “HA Go” mobile app.
      
     The spokesperson reminded members of the public to stay vigilant to personal and environmental hygiene during the public holiday to avoid spreading diseases. Members of the public who develop respiratory symptoms should wear a mask and seek medical advice promptly. The HA appeals to non-emergency patients to avoid using accident and emergency (A&E) services and seek treatment at FMCs, private doctors or 24-hour outpatient services at private hospitals to reduce pressure on public hospital A&Es. Members of the public can visit the Health Bureau’s (HHB) Primary Care Directory (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk) to choose a family doctor and view related clinic service information. The HHB has also collated information of private hospitals, healthcare facilities, family doctors and Chinese medicine clinics that will be in operation during the New Year holiday across the city. The information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant hospitals and clinics has been uploaded to the online portal (www.map.gov.hk/gm/s/hhbclinic/all?lg=en) for public reference in collaboration with the Spatial Data Office of the Development Bureau and the Lands Department.
      
     Meanwhile, the spokesperson appeals to members of the public, especially high-risk groups, to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19 to reduce the chance of infection for themselves and their family members, as well as to reduce critical cases and deaths.

Family Medicine Outpatient Services arrangements on the New Year Holiday (January 1, 2026)
 

Region	List of FMCs	Address	General Enquiry	Telephone Booking
Hong Kong Island	Aberdeen Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen	2555 0381	3543 5011
	Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan	2560 0211	3157 0077
	Wan Chai Violet Peel Family Medicine Clinic	LG/F, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai	3553 3116	3157 0000
Kowloon	Kwun Tong Family Medicine Integrated Centre	UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong	2389 0331	3157 0687
	Nam Cheong Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan	3742 3876	3543 5795
	Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin	2354 2267	3157 0118
	San Po Kong Robert Black Family Medicine Clinic	600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong	2383 3311	3157 0113
	Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei	2272 2400	3157 0880
New Territories	Lek Yuen Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Sha Tin	2692 8730	3157 0972
	North District Family Medicine Integrated Centre	3/F, North District Community Health Centre Building, 3 Wai Wo Street, Sheung Shui	2957 5186	3157 0965
	Tai Po Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po	2664 2039	3157 0906
	Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O	2191 1083	3157 0660
	Tsuen Wan Lady Trench Family Medicine Clinic	213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan	2614 4789	3157 0107
	Tuen Mun Family Medicine Clinic	11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun	2452 9111	3543 0886
	Yuen Long Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	269 Castle Peak Road (Yuen Long), Yuen Long	2443 8511	3543 5007

Service hours: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 28) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 4.6 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $2.3 million.
 
A male passenger, aged 26, arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected ketamine concealed in packets of coffee powder in his check-in suitcase. He was subsequently arrested.
 
The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The cases will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (December 30). 
 
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, at a media session today (December 29) on the land sale programme for January to March 2026, the tender arrangements for Hung Shui Kiu pilot area under large-scale land disposal and the establishment of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company:
 
Reporter: Some questions on the land parcel tender tomorrow. What are the latest requirements that are different from the original proposal of the land parcel scheme? How would the Government attract developers to bid the land parcels, and is the Government confident in securing a tender, and will similar arrangements be made in the future regarding other large-scale land disposal projects as well? Thank you.
 
Secretary for Development: Your question is about the first large-scale development pilot area in Hung Shui Kiu. Because for this past year, we have been engaging potential bidders in various discussion forums. We have also conducted a formal expression of interest exercise with written submissions received. So, it is with regard to comments received that we have adjusted some of the parameters for this tender exercise, including, for example, the addition of one additional residential site to improve the viability of the whole land parcel. In all, previously, we have offered two residential sites, but right now, we are offering three residential sites in the entire parcel. And also, we have introduced premium by phases arrangement, and also what I would describe as surrender and offset arrangement to minimise the cash flow burden on the potential bidders. We have also allowed a longer tender period, which is also in response to a particular comment raised by the potential bidders. So, we believe that having made all these adjustments, which are in response to comments made, we are optimistic that we will have good tender bids. And we will assess our tender based on a two-envelope approach, with as high as 70 per cent of the marks going to technical proposals, which is the non-premium part of the tender. And this demonstrates that the importance we attach to the quality of the business enterprises to go into the enterprise land parcels within this large-scale development area.
 
Reporter: In terms of land sales, how many units are the Government providing in the whole fiscal year? And with the Government providing more than it intended, what does it say about the market outlook? Secondly, regarding the industrial park at Hung Shui Kiu, is there a rough ballpark figure on how much money will the Park Company be granted to operate at the initial phase? And are there any requirements or qualities that the Government is seeking for when appointing board members and the Chief Executive Officer?
 
Secretary for Development: On your first question, which is about the overall land supply for private housing in the current financial year. As I have tried to set out just now, if all things go smoothly, the overall outturn in terms of land supply for private housing for the current financial year will be able to support 15 750 residential units, which is around 20 per cent above the initial target of 13 200 we have set for this financial year. We are encouraged to see this overshooting because it reflects that the private market is gaining momentum and picking up again. And we are glad to facilitate through our land sales as well, and this is why we are rolling out two sites this quarter, even though we know that we will possibly exceed the target. Because actually, for private housing projects, apart from helping to fulfil the target demand a few years down the road when the projects are completed, the very movement of the projects in terms of kick-starting the planning and the construction works are a kind of economic activity, it helps sustain the employment in the entire development sector from the professionals to frontline workers. And as some of you may have known, actually the unemployment rate for the construction sector is relatively high for the past year compared to other sectors, largely because of the slowing down of the new private housing supply projects. And that’s why we are glad to see the market picking up momentum again, and we are willing to facilitate this trend.
 
On your second question about the Park Company for the Hung Shui Kiu industrial land, right now we have yet to decide the capital injection to be given for this company because it will be decided in the context of the coming Budget. As to the qualifications of the directors and the Chief Executive Officer to be appointed to run this Park Company, I think largely they will have to be people coming from different professions with expertise and experience in the running of different industries. Also, we would very much like our directors and the Chief Executive Officer to have vision and foresight so that they can help Hong Kong lead the way in enterprise development.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (December 29) that it is investigating an imported Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case. The public is reminded to be vigilant and avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox. High-risk target groups are strongly advised to receive the Mpox vaccinations.

     The case involves a male. He developed rash on December 18 while overseas, followed by skin ulcers and a fever. After returning to Hong Kong on December 25, he attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tin Shui Wai Hospital. Due to persistent symptoms, he attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Pok Oi Hospital on December 27, and was arranged to admit to Tuen Mun Hospital for isolation. His sample tested positive for the Mpox virus upon laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the CHP. The patient is currently in stable condition.
 
     According to the patient, he has not received the Mpox vaccination. He stayed overseas throughout the entire incubation period and had a history of high-risk exposure during that period. No epidemiological linkages between this case and other confirmed cases recorded in Hong Kong earlier could be identified so far. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigation into the case and will report it to the World Health Organization.

Hong Kong has put in place the Preparedness and Response Plan for Mpox since June 2022 and activated the alert response level under the Plan after the first confirmed case of Mpox in September of the same year. The CHP has implemented a series of measures (including enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, public education and vaccination), which have been effective in preventing local outbreaks of Mpox in the past three years.

Since 2022, a total of 84 Mpox cases (67 local and 17 imported) have been recorded in Hong Kong, of which 16 cases were recorded this year. All the patients were male. Epidemiological investigations revealed that most cases had history of high-risk sexual behaviour, including having sex with strangers or without wearing condoms when having sex. Hong Kong has not yet detected any new Mpox strain (Clade Ib) cases. 

The CHP reminded high-risk target groups to receive Mpox vaccinations in order to lower the risk of infection or the possibility of having more severe symptoms after infection. In addition, persons who experience Mpox symptoms (including rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches) or suspect themselves of being infected are advised to seek medical attention and receive treatment at once. They should not engage in activities with others that may expose others to their skin rash or body fluids. Members of the public should maintain good personal and hand hygiene to prevent virus transmission or infection through contact. They should also avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected.

The CHP has set up a telephone hotline (2125 2373), which operates from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays. Those who suspect or are concerned that they may have had high-risk contact with confirmed cases, particularly men who have sex with men or those who have sexual practices with strangers, can use the hotline to make enquiries and receive relevant health advice.

Furthermore, the DH provides vaccination services to high-risk groups of Mpox. The following high-risk target groups are eligible for Mpox vaccinations on a voluntary basis:
 

1. individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;
2. healthcare workers responsible for caring for patients with confirmed Mpox;
3. laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and
4. animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in case of Mpox occurrences in animals in Hong Kong.

     High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH’s Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH’s Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre.

Meanwhile, the DH’s Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority’s Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.

For more details, please visit the CHP’s page on Mpox and Mpox Vaccination Programme.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The World Bank Group published the second pilot Business Ready 2025 Report (Report) on December 29. The Report analyses the overall performance of economies under three pillars (Note 1) involving ten topics (Note 2) and assesses their business environment accordingly. The number of economies assessed is expanded from 50 economies last year to over 100 this year. According to the Report, among the three pillars, Hong Kong remains in the top 20 in “Operational Efficiency” and in the second quintile in “Regulatory Framework” and “Public Services”.

     “Some assessment results of the Report, such as those relating to ‘International Trade’, ‘Financial Services’, ‘Dispute Resolution’ etc., differ from the rankings and highly positive evaluations bestowed upon Hong Kong by many other international organisations. We note that the assessment methodology of the Report may result in an outdated and unfair comparison. Taking the pillar of ‘Operational Efficiency’ as an example, some of the data used to assess Hong Kong were collected shortly after the pandemic in 2023, while some of the data used for other economies’ assessment were collected in 2024,” a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spokesman said.

     “This year’s report is still under the pilot phase and may have room for improvement on the assessment methodology and data comparability. The HKSAR Government will maintain communication with the World Bank Group to fully explain Hong Kong’s business environment and relevant policy measures. The HKSAR Government will also raise constructive feedback, striving to optimise the compilation of the Report,” the spokesman said.

Note 1: The three pillars include “Regulatory Framework”, “Public Services” and “Operational Efficiency”

Note 2: The ten topics are “Business Entry”, “Business Location”, “Utility Services”, “Labor”, “Financial Services”, “International Trade”, “Taxation”, “Dispute Resolution”, “Market Competition” and “Business Insolvency”.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Education Bureau (EDB) today (December 30) announced that the 2025/26 round of applications under the Enhancement and Start-up Grant Scheme for Self-financing Post-secondary Education opens for applications from today to April 15, 2026. 
 
     The Scheme aims to provide financial support for eligible self-financing post-secondary education institutions to develop and enhance programmes that meet market needs but require high start-up costs, reducing institutions’ reliance on tuition fees to recover the costs, thus relieving the financial burden on students. It also supports institutions to better develop their own strengths and niche areas, strengthening strategic co-ordination among institutions. 
 
     Eligible institutions are as follows:
 
(a) Hong Kong Metropolitan University;

(b) approved post-secondary colleges under the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320); and 

(c) post-secondary institutions registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279). 

     The Scheme subsidises full-time locally accredited local self-financing sub-degree and undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes, covering both the development of new programmes and the enhancement of existing ones. To enhance teaching and learning in designated academic areas, it supports projects of the following nature:
 
(a) significant development/enhancement of programme curricula and pedagogies; 

(b) recruitment/professional development of faculty members and teaching staff; 

(c) procurement/upgrade of market-standard equipment/facilities to meet academic and professional requirements; 

(d) provision of new/improvement to existing discipline-specific campus facilities/infrastructure; and 

(e) other relevant discipline-specific expenditure areas aligned with the objectives of the scheme. 

     Funding for each proposal will generally be capped at $42 million. The Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education will advise the Secretary for Education regarding the comparative merits of the proposals.
 
     In the 2024/25 round of applications, two out of seven applications were approved with a total grant of about $48 million, which supported the aviation services and surveying sectors in meeting the keen manpower demand of the relevant industries. Details of the projects are as follows:
 

Institution	Project	Approved grant (in million dollars)
Hong Kong Metropolitan University	Establishment of a Flight Simulation Laboratory for the Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Aviation Services Management Programme	22.4
Hong Kong Shue Yan University	Development of an Applied Degree in Surveying and Dispute Resolution	25.1

 
     The EDB will maintain close liaison with relevant institutions to make best use of the resources of the Scheme and launch the relevant programmes as soon as practicable.
 
     Further details of the Scheme and the approved projects are available at the designated website (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/esgs.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (December 30) on the traffic and public transport arrangements during the New Year holidays.

     From January 1 to 4, in anticipation of a large number of members of the public, visitors and cross-boundary vehicles visiting various land-based boundary control points (BCPs), the Transport Department (TD) urged cross-boundary travellers to use public transport services between Hong Kong and the Mainland or Macao, plan their trips early and allow sufficient travelling time. The TD has been steering local and cross-boundary public transport operators (PTOs) to strengthen their services during the New Year holidays to meet passenger demand, including:

Early morning of New Year’s Day

(1) Lo Wu Control Point (passenger clearance services to be extended to 2am on New Year’s Day)

• The operating hours of the MTR East Rail Line will be extended correspondingly, with the last departure from Admiralty to Lo Wu extended to 0.56am;

(2) Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port (LMC/HG Port) (24-hour operations as usual)

• Travellers may take the MTR East Rail Line or other public transport services to Sheung Shui, interchange with franchised bus route No. N73 to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange, and then transfer to the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) to the Mainland;
• PTOs will also strengthen the LMC/HG Port short-haul cross-boundary coach and the Yellow Bus services to cater for the peak passenger demand;

(3) Shenzhen Bay Port (SBP) (passenger and passenger vehicle clearance services to provide 24-hour operations)

• Franchised bus operators will operate two special overnight bus routes, Nos. NB2 and NB3, to provide services to and from Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun respectively during the overnight period. Travellers may also take the MTR Tuen Ma Line to Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun Stations, and interchange with route Nos. NB2 and NB3 to SBP respectively;
• The governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong have also allocated special cross-boundary coach quotas for the operation of overnight services; and

(4) Hong Kong Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) (24-hour operations as usual)

• The frequency of the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus) will be increased, if needed.

New Year’s Day daytime and long weekend of Mainland (January 1 to 4)
 

• BCP shuttle bus services will be strengthened, including increasing the frequencies of the Gold Bus and the Yellow Bus to cater for passenger demand;
• Cross-boundary coach services will be strengthened, including allocating additional cross-boundary coach quotas and enhancing the LMC/HG Port short-haul cross-boundary coach services;
• The frequency of local franchised bus B routes connecting various land-based BCPs will also be increased to a level higher than that of normal weekends, and the operators will reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet passenger demand; and
• The train services of the MTR East Rail Line between Admiralty and Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau will be enhanced at different times during the above period to provide convenience for the travelling public and visitors.

Travel outside peak periods

     The TD anticipates that the waiting time for public transport services, including the Gold Bus and the local franchised bus B routes, may be longer during peak periods of cross-boundary travel. Passengers should avoid travelling during peak hours, observe order while queuing and heed advice from on-site police and PTO staff. Passengers planning to take cross-boundary coaches are also advised to reserve their coach tickets in advance.

     Of note, motorists of cross-boundary private cars crossing the border are advised that, subject to actual traffic conditions, special traffic arrangements may be implemented at the Lok Ma Chau and the Shenzhen Bay Port during New Year holidays to secure smooth access for public transport vehicles to the above BCPs. Cross-boundary private cars may experience longer waiting times when crossing the BCPs during the peak periods. Motorists should pay extra attention to variable message signs and traffic signs along the roads. In case of traffic congestion, they should remain patient and follow the instructions of on-site police.

Information dissemination

     For the HZMB, to plan their journeys ahead, members of the public can make use of the TD’s HKeMobility mobile app or website (hkemobility.gov.hk/en/traffic-information/live/cctv) to access snapshots of traffic conditions at inbound and outbound vehicle plazas of the HZMB Hong Kong Port. They can also check real-time situations of the vehicle clearance plaza of the Zhuhai Port through the WeChat official accounts “hzmbzhport” or “zhuhaifabu” (traffic-info.gzazhka.com:5015/#/) (Chinese only). Moreover, motorists are reminded to always comply with the traffic control measures implemented by the Zhuhai authority when driving on the HZMB Main Bridge. Vehicles must not occupy the emergency lane unless instructed by the Zhuhai authority.

     Residents and visitors may visit “Easy Boundary” (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/bwt/status.html?type=outbound), a one-stop information platform on immigration clearance launched by the Security Bureau, or the HKeMobility to obtain useful information, including the respective average waiting time for passengers and private cars at land-based BCPs, as well as for the Gold Bus and Yellow Bus to plan their trips and save waiting time. Members of the public are advised to check the latest traffic news through radio and television broadcasts, the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) and the HKeMobility.

     The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre operates round the clock to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of various districts, the BCPs and major stations, and to implement contingency measures when necessary to meet service demands.

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically co-ordinating and steering the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the New Year’s Eve and New Year holidays, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government announced today (December 30) the handover of a residential site in Tung Chung, i.e. Tung Chung Area 122 (TC122), to the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) for development of subsidised sale flats (SSFs).
 
     TC122 was originally one of the government sites identified for tender under the Private Subsidised Sale Flat – Pilot Scheme (the Pilot Scheme). The site is now handed over to the HKHS for development as one of its SSF projects, with around 1 600 SSFs estimated to be completed in 2031-32 preliminarily.
 
     “The Government has all along been pragmatically adjusting the development arrangements of different sites based on social demands and actual circumstances. The HKHS is a close partner of the Government on housing policies with profound experience in the development of SSFs. Having reviewed the latest situation, the Government believes that the handover of TC122 to the HKHS could expedite the development of the SSFs,” said a spokesman for the Housing Bureau.
 
     The Government announced in June 2023 the policy framework of the Pilot Scheme, with an aim to tap into market forces and boost overall development capacity. The Government is now closely keeping in view market developments, so as to review if there is a need to suitably adjust some of the key parameters of the Pilot Scheme as well as future tender arrangements for sites under the Pilot Scheme having regard to market conditions. Further announcements will be made in due course.

     “The handover of TC122 to the HKHS for development of SSFs is in line with the Government’s policy objectives of boosting SSF supply, helping the grassroots achieve home ownership and encouraging upward mobility. The Government believes this would be well received by the public. It will also continue to take forward other measures in respect of enhancing the housing ladder, so as to help citizens achieve home ownership,” the spokesman added.