Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:
 
     The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) expressly supports Hong Kong in leveraging the strengths of its Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. With the official release of the first batch of GBA Chinese medicines standards (GBA Standards) at the end of October 2024, coupled with the successive commissioning of the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI), the development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong is entering a critical transformation period of standardisation, professionalisation and internationalisation. However, members of the CM industry have reflected that the formulation of some of the current Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (Hong Kong standards) is overly focused on physicochemical identification, creating a gap with the national CM standards (national standards) and the actual operations of local small and medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers, and that there is also a lack of an efficacy evaluation mechanism centred on the holistic approach of CM. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the first batch of GBA Standards released covers a total of seven Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary CMs, whether the Government has formulated specific timetables and performance indicators for aligning more commonly used Chinese herbal medicines, proprietary CMs and clinical guidelines with the GBA Standards;
 
(2) how the Government will leverage the scientific research capabilities of GCMTI to promote the alignment of the GBA Standards with the standards formulated by international standardisation organisations (such as the Technical Committee for Traditional Medicine of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC249)), and promote such standards to overseas markets;
 
(3) given the views that the use of CM emphasises that medication varies from person to person, that the efficacy of proprietary CMs is difficult to evaluate, and that the GBA Standards impose extremely high requirements on physicochemical identification, making it relatively difficult for local small and medium-sized pharmaceutical manufacturers to align with such standards, resulting in relatively low market adoption of the standards, and also leading many local institutions to directly adopt products conforming to the national standards (such as CM formula granules), whether the Government will review the direction of establishing the Hong Kong standards in the future, so as to ensure that the Hong Kong standards can align with the CM theoretical system and actual market demand; and
 
(4) given that the registration system for CM Practitioners in Hong Kong has been in place since 2000, but the professional benchmarks and statutory registration system for CM pharmacists have yet to be implemented, whether the Government has formulated a specific timetable for promoting the professionalisation and institutionalisation of CM pharmacists, so as to safeguard the safe use of drugs by the public; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,

     The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Chinese Medicines Standards (the Standards) aims to co-ordinate quality and safety standards of Chinese medicines (CMs) within GBA, promote mutual recognition and circulation of CMs and facilitate high quality development of the industry. Expert Committee of the Standards (the Expert Committee), jointly established by the drug regulatory authorities of the three places including Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, formulates harmonised standards for the industry’s reference through discussion at meetings. The selection, verification, and publication of the Standards have to be discussed by the Expert Committee, and published by batches in an orderly manner having regard to the actual situation of the three places.
      
     In consultation with the Department of Health (DH), a consolidated reply to the Hon Stanley Ng’s question is provided as follows:
     
(1), (2) and (3) The first batch of the Standards was promulgated on October 29, 2024, covering seven items, namely Chenpi (Guangchenpi), Huajuhong, Huajuhongtai (huajuhongzhu), Banlangen Keli, Xiasangju Keli, Shexiang Huoluo You and Zhangquan Potong You. The General Rules for the Chinese medicines standards and Safety Quality Control Items for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the General Rules) was also promulgated at the same time.
 
     To enhance mutual recognition and circulation of CMs, drug regulatory authorities of the three places are establishing more standards for commonly used Chinese herbal medicines (Chms) and proprietary Chinese medicines in an orderly manner through the Expert Committee mechanism, considering the needs of the industry. The second batch of the Standards was promulgated on August 31, 2026, covering seven items, namely Bajitian, Guizhi, Huajuhong (You) Peifangkeli, Jinyinhua Peifangkeli, Sharen (Yangchunsha) Peifangkeli, Xiaochaihu Keli and Zhibai Dihuang Wan, together with the revised General Rules.
 
     The Standards serves as the technical standards of the three places and is neither to replace the statutory standards of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) or Chinese Mainland, nor a mandatory standard for the industry to adopt. As such, the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) of DH also continues to advance the development of the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS), establishing safety and quality standards for some commonly used Chms in Hong Kong and strive for aligning with the formulation of international standards. HKCMMS provides a reference standard of Chms for the Chinese medicine (CM) industry, also promotes research in CMs to facilitate its modernisation and internationalisation, thereby encouraging international trade in CMs. The content of HKCMMS includes the names, source, description, identification, tests, extractives, assay and chemical structure of reference substances. To date, GCMTI has published 12 volumes of HKCMMS, covering 357 types of Chms.
 
     An International Advisory Board (IAB) under HKCMMS project, comprising of herbal medicine experts from the HKSAR, Chinese Mainland and overseas regions, is responsible for reviewing the standards for Chms. The objective of HKCMMS is to precisely align with the CM theoretical framework and market demands, while ensuring the incorporation of views from the local and Chinese Mainland industry through IAB. HKCMMS has been frequently cited by  
     In terms of international promotion, DH fully leverages the unique advantages of Hong Kong in having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, to actively develop and participate in efforts to promote CM to go global, in co-operation with the national strategy to promote CM’s global expansion, standardisation and matters related to strategic CMs management. In addition to the aforesaid contributions to standard setting and WHO herbal medicines standards, CMRO also continues to actively promote scientific research findings to the international community through authoritative platforms, such as the Western Pacific Regional Forum for the Harmonization of Herbal Medicines and the International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines. In 2025, Hong Kong hosted the 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which representatives from WHO were invited to join and exchange views on the future direction of the global development of traditional medicine and standards for CMs.
 
(4) The standards and recognition of healthcare professionals are promoted by the relevant professions in accordance with the principle of professional autonomy. In regulating healthcare professions, the Government adopts a risk-based approach in determining the most suitable mode of regulation applicable to an individual healthcare profession, based on the level of risk posed on public health, healthcare quality and public safety when providing services. The Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint (the Blueprint) sets out various measures to promote CMs regulation, quality enhancement and innovative research and development in Hong Kong. Among other things, CMs talents cultivation is a key driver of the CMs development in Hong Kong.
 
     At present, CMs professionals in Hong Kong have a wide scope of work and a diverse range of functions, and the competence standard of CMs professionals in different fields have yet been comprehensively established. Action 6.2 of the Blueprint explicitly proposes empowering the industry to cultivate talents in CMs and intends to establish a dedicated working group under the future sector advisory structure. This working group will bring together relevant stakeholders from the Chinese Mainland and the local CMs sector to discuss models for the continuing education and development of CMs professionals. The Blueprint also proposes leveraging the Chinese Medicine Development Fund to promote collaborative efforts among stakeholders to conduct research on the core competence for talents in the CMs sector, with a focus to clarify the alignment between professional competence and industry development needs, thereby laying the groundwork for future exploration of continuous professional development requirements and regulation for CMs personnel. The Government will align with the development direction sets by the CMs sector for its professionals and maintain continuous communication with the industry.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):
 
Question:

     There are views suggesting that urban-rural integration is one of the core concepts underpinning the Government’s promotion of the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM), and that the original village houses play an important role in the NM during its transitional development phase. Introduced in 1972, the New Territories Small House Policy allows a male indigenous villager aged 18 years old or above who is descended through a male line from a resident of a recognised village in the New Territories of Hong Kong, to apply for permission to erect, for once in his lifetime, a small house for himself on a suitable site within his own village. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (October 7) presented appreciation letters to staff members from the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the Lands Department (LandsD), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) in recognition of their swift and thorough clearance of unlawfully occupied government land at Woh Chai Hill in Sham Shui Po through interdepartmental collaboration.

The Office of The Ombudsman previously received a complaint that Woh Chai Hill had long been unlawfully occupied by numerous structures, including mahjong rooms, illegal recreational and sports facilities, temporary toilets and other items, which affected environmental hygiene and posed potential safety hazards. Following the Office’s proactive intervention, the six departments collaborated to conduct joint inspections and enforcement operations. Taking the lead in overall co-ordination, the local District Office of the HAD subsequently drew up a comprehensive enforcement plan and worked with relevant departments to devise and implement further operations. The LandsD and the FEHD carried out multiple enforcement operations, ultimately removing the illegal facilities and items at Woh Chai Hill in phases within a short period of time. The LCSD, the CEDD and the ArchSD promptly followed up by launching an improvement and enhancement programme, and added suitable and safe recreational and sports facilities that comply with regulations for public use in the district, thereby benefiting the community.

To recognise and honour the collaborative efforts and achievements of the six departments, the Office invited the frontline teams and personnel responsible for the enforcement operations and improvement measures to receive appreciation letters. Mr Chan said, “Since taking office, one of my strategic focuses has been to foster interdepartmental collaboration. The successful resolution of this thorny district problem that had persisted for over a decade hinged on the relevant departments joining forces and taking firm and decisive enforcement action. The collaboration among the six departments fully demonstrated the current-term Government’s resolve and capacity to confront challenges head-on, address problems of public concern proactively and effectively, and improve public administration for the betterment of people’s livelihood.”

Mr Chan stressed, “Interdepartmental collaboration, as a cornerstone of the ‘One Government’ concept, is crucial to ensuring efficient and people-oriented public administration and advancing good governance. This aligns closely with the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030), which seeks to strengthen interdepartmental collaboration, supervision and oversight for better public service and governance effectiveness, thereby continually improving people’s well-being.”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (October 7) that stalls at the 2027 Fong Ma Po (FMP) New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po will be put up for open auction on October 21 (Wednesday).
 
A spokesman for the FEHD said the annual FMP New Year Fair will be held for 15 consecutive days from February 6 to 20 next year. A total of 21 dry goods stalls and six wet goods stalls will be put up for auction, with upset prices of $780 and $770 respectively.
 
The open auction will be held at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, on October 21 (Wednesday), starting from 2pm until the completion of the auction.
 
Bidders for FMP New Year Fair stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A bidder must pay the bid price and register in person with his/her own name as the licensee of the stall immediately after successfully bidding for a stall. The bidder is also required to sign at once a licence agreement with the FEHD; otherwise, he/she will forfeit the rights to operate the stall.
 
The FMP New Year Fair site will be made available to the licensees three days in advance of the fair (from February 3 to 5, 2027) for the setting up of stalls. In the event of any unforeseeable incident that will cause a reduction of the whole licence period (including the duration for setting up stalls and the business period of the fair), the Government has the right to postpone the commencement date and shorten the duration of the period. The bidding price (licence fee) paid will be refunded to the successful bidder on a pro-rata basis without interest.
 
The FEHD reminds licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of the permitted commodities, and no other activities are allowed in the licensed area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show, sell or gift any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, contrary to the interest of national security, immoral or incompatible with the object of the FMP New Year Fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction.
 
Stall licensees should not destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at or in the vicinity of the stall. They must completely remove the stall structure and all paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise), from the licensed area before 6pm on February 20, 2027.
 
According to the licence agreement, except inside designated stalls, licensees must not keep, store or use any compressed helium cylinders in the licenced area. Whereas licensees of the designated stalls may keep, store or use helium cylinders in the licenced area, the quantity of helium should be such that a licence is not required pursuant to the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Cap. 295E), i.e. equivalent to 150 litres of helium. Sales of floating LED glowing balloons and aquarium fish by stall licensees are prohibited at the FMP New Year Fair.
 
In addition, as stated in the licence agreement, the height of dry goods stalls must not exceed 3 metres from ground level, while the height of wet goods stalls must not exceed 4.5m from ground level. For wet goods stalls with a height of more than 3m from ground level, the licensee must, at his/her own cost, provide the FEHD with the original certificate issued by an authorised person, a registered structural engineer, or a competent person under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations (Cap. 59I) to certify the structural safety of the structure in the licensed area before the fair is opened to the public. The licensee must also affix a copy of the aforesaid certificate on the structure of the stall. Also, each corner and anchor point of the marquee (if any) shall be securely fastened using appropriate ballast weights, such as sandbags or purpose-designed marquee water weights. During the period when the Strong Monsoon Signal is in force or is to be issued, the licensee shall immediately inspect the stall and adopt reinforcement measures as necessary.
 
Successful bidders shall comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.
 
Details of the 2027 FMP New Year Fair, such as the public notice, the location and layout of the fair venue, commodities allowed for sale at the fair stalls, open auction arrangements and related rules, as well as a sample of the licence agreement, are available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk). Interested bidders may visit the website or contact the FEHD’s Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office (3183 9167 or 2657 1137) for enquiries.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (October 7) that nine pre-sale consents for residential developments involving 3 766 residential units were issued in the third quarter of 2026.

Details of the above residential developments (eight of which being phased developments) with pre-sale consents issued are as follows:
 

Expected year of completion	Developments
2027	One phase of a development in Kai Tak (282 units) One phase of a development in Chai Wan (258 units)
2028	Two phases of a development in Cheung Sha Wan (914 units) Three phases of a development in Yau Tong (1 339 units) One phase of a development in Tai Po (522 units) One development in To Kwa Wan (451 units)

 
The LandsD also issued one consent to assign in the third quarter, involving 727 residential units in one phased development in Tai Po.

As at September 30, 2026, 34 applications for pre-sale consent for residential developments involving 15 378 residential units were being processed. Details are as follows:
 

Expected year of completion	No. of applications	No. of residential units involved
2026	1	40
2027	8	1 826
2028	12	6 843
2029	9	4 379
2030	4	2 290

 
In addition, four applications for consent to assign involving 865 residential units and two non-residential units respectively as well as four applications for pre-sale consent for non-residential developments were being processed.

Members of the public can obtain up-to-date information on consents issued for the past quarter and cases pending approval by visiting the LandsD’s website (www.landsd.gov.hk).

Intending purchasers are advised to study carefully the details of the development and the sale procedures, through information available from public advertisements, sales brochures and price lists released by the developer, before making a deposit for purchase. The sales brochure for a development also contains a summary of the provisions of the Deed of Mutual Covenant, including information on the common parts, the number of undivided shares assigned to each unit, the term of years for which the manager is appointed, the basis on which the management expenses are shared among the owners of the units, as well as a summary of the provisions of the government land grant, which intending purchasers are recommended to read carefully.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Four owners were convicted and fined $1,181,400 in total, of which $1,061,400 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (October 6) for failing to comply with removal orders and repair orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

The case involved alteration of six units into mini-storage units in an industrial building on Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong. As the alteration and addition works were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), and they obstructed the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue activities, contravening the Building (Planning) Regulations, six removal orders and six repair orders were served on the four owners under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO respectively. 

Failing to comply with the statutory orders, the four owners had been prosecuted by the BD and were fined upon conviction by the court. As they persisted in not complying with the statutory orders, they were prosecuted for the second time.

A spokesman for the BD said today (October 7), “Unauthorised alteration works causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue activities, or affecting the fire-resistant construction of a building may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders and repair orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action and instigate prosecutions against owners again if they persist in not complying with removal orders and repair orders, so as to ensure building and public safety.”

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. Moreover, failure to comply with a repair order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of level 5 ($50,000 at present) and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Lau Ka-keung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

Since the implementation of the regulatory regime for autonomous vehicles (AVs) on March 1, 2024, the Government has issued a number of pilot licences to date, and it proposed in the 2025 Policy Address and the 2026-2027 Budget to accelerate the large-scale development of driverless autonomous driving in Hong Kong, expediting its transition to commercial operations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether the authorities will consider specifying, according to the level of vehicle automation and the actual control exercised at the time of an accident, the legal liabilities of operators, registered vehicle owners, vehicle manufacturers and software developers, etc under circumstances such as full driving automation, remote operation, system failure and cyber attacks; if so, of the timetable for drafting the relevant legal framework; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) as it has been reported that some drivers of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles Scheme (the Southbound Travel Scheme) are suspected of activating the unapproved advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on Hong Kong roads; how the authorities verify whether vehicles are equipped with ADAS during the vehicle inspection and approval process under the Southbound Travel Scheme, and how they monitor and investigate whether drivers have activated or deactivated ADAS during their stay in Hong Kong; of the relevant penalties and follow-up measures if drivers are found to have violated the requirement;

(3) as the Government has applied the mandatory requirement of taking out third party risk insurance policy under the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Cap. 272) to AVs, and it has indicated that it will adopt a data-drive approach to keep the insurance requirements for AVs at various stages of trials and application under review, and assist the relevant sectors in formulating insurance arrangements specifically for the application of more advanced levels of AVs; of the current progress in this regard; if a vehicle under the Southbound Travel Scheme activates ADAS without approval and an accident occurs, whether the existing third party risks insurance is applicable; if not, whether other protection arrangements will be provided for the affected third parties; and

(4) as there are views pointing out that some drivers may not clearly understand ADAS, which still require continuous monitoring by the relevant drivers who must be ready to take over vehicle control at any time, how the authorities will strengthen publicity and public education to enable members of the public to clearly distinguish between “driver assistance system” (Level 2 or below) and “automated driving system” (Level 3 or above), and understand their respective scopes of application, operational limitations and drivers’ responsibilities; whether the authorities will consider incorporating the relevant knowledge into the driving test and driving training materials, and requiring drivers using the relevant systems to complete related e-learning programmes when renewing their driving licences or upon first registration of the relevant vehicles; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government has been promoting the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Hong Kong in an active and orderly manner through tripartite efforts by providing policy support, regulatory backing, and financial subsidy. Having consulted the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Hong Kong Police Force, the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:

(1) AVs, same as conventional motor vehicles, are governed by the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) and its subsidiary legislation. Accordingly, the existing vehicle registration and licensing regime applies equally to AVs, and the legal liabilities of registered vehicle owners and licensees are likewise applicable in the case of AVs. As regards the definition of “driver” under section 2 of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), it also applies to backup operators of an AV who are inside the AV, in its vicinity, or in a remote control room. When operating an AV, these personnel shall also assume the existing legal liabilities of a “driver”. 

Furthermore, the responsible person who is issued with a pilot licence by the Transport Department (TD) to implement an AV pilot scheme (i.e. the pilot proprietor) must, pursuant to the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA) and the Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles, ensure that the AV is maintained in a good and serviceable condition, and that its autonomous driving system is operating properly. The Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA) also sets out requirements on various risk management-related matters, including insurance, maintenance, retention of journey data and operation records, as well as the reporting and investigation of incidents or accidents involving the pilot AVs. If an operator of an AV pilot licence operates an AV in a manner that is not in compliance with the pilot licence and its conditions, the operator may be held liable.

Under the regulatory framework for AVs, AVs must comply with the insurance requirements under the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Cap. 272) to safeguard the safety of the public, passengers, and pedestrians. In addition, AVs must be equipped with a journey recorder to record operational data. In the event of an accident, relevant personnel may inspect the relevant operational data during the investigation to analyse whether the AV was operating properly at the material time, thereby facilitating the determination of liabilities. Generally speaking, depending on the cause of the occurrence and the proof adduced, liability (whether criminal or civil) will be borne by the operator, the vehicle owner, or the supplier of the vehicle. The party bearing such liability may also raise a defense in accordance with the common law, and the matter will be adjudicated by the court.

(2) The Government attaches great importance to vehicle and road safety. On the one hand, it ensures through strict vehicle examination procedures that all vehicles on road comply with the relevant road safety and environmental standards; on the other hand, it also safeguards the safety of road users through publicity and education. Regarding the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (STGV) scheme, all such vehicles entering Hong Kong must pass a vehicle examination at a Mainland vehicle inspection center designated by the TD, in accordance with Hong Kong’s requirements, to ensure such vehicles are in compliance with relevant standards and can be used safely on Hong Kong roads. The TD is also distributing road safety information to applicants of the STGV scheme through multiple channels, and has made it clear that any Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) not approved by the TD must not be activated on Hong Kong roads. These channels include having staff at the designated vehicle inspection centers in Mainland to remind applicants of the relevant requirements in person during vehicle inspections, distributing notices to applicants, and sending reminder emails.

The Hong Kong Police Force has been closely monitoring road safety and cases of suspected traffic law violations. Through routine on-beat patrols and intelligence gathering, if any suspected violations are detected or relevant traffic complaints are received, the Force will proactively follow up and investigate to safeguard the safety of road users.

Any driver who uses an unapproved driver assistance system on Hong Kong roads, or who takes their hands off the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion due to reliance on such system(s), may be in breach of relevant traffic regulations (such as careless driving or dangerous driving). Upon conviction, they may be subject to fines, revocation of their driving licence, or even imprisonment. In addition to enforcement actions taken by the Hong Kong Police Force, the TD will also seriously follow up on violations under the STGV scheme, including reporting the cases to the Guangdong Provincial Government and suspending or revoking the travel eligibility of the vehicles involved.

(3) As mentioned above, under the current regulatory framework, AVs must comply with the insurance requirements under the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Cap. 272) to protect the safety of the general public, passengers, and pedestrians. As AV technology develops, the TD has been maintaining communication with the insurance industry to formulate suitable insurance arrangements for AVs as they progress to a more mature stage (namely, where there is no backup operator on board, but only remote backup operators). The TD will continue to further discuss the application of AVs with the insurance industry so as to make early preparations for suitable insurance arrangements. 

At present, if any vehicle travelling on Hong Kong roads (including vehicles under the STGV scheme) causes an accident while using an ADAS unauthorised by the TD, third-party liability for bodily injury or death is generally covered by statutory protection. Even if the act of activating an unauthorised ADAS is determined to fall within the specific events and losses for which the insurance company bears no liability to pay compensation or benefits under the express terms of the policy (also known as “exclusions” or “excluded items”), the insurance company must still compensate the affected third party first, and may subsequently recover the relevant amount from the insured. As for third-party property damage, this will be handled in accordance with the individual policy terms and the circumstances of the accident.

(4) The TD has been working closely with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Road Safety Council to promote road safety through various channels, such as the publication of Road Safety Bulletin and social media platforms. These efforts include reminding drivers of the points to note when using the driver assistance system, the necessity of reading the vehicle owner’s handbook to understand the functions and limitations of the system, and the need to be attentive to road conditions and to hold the steering wheel firmly at all times. Relevant reminders are also provided in the Road Users’ Code. The TD will continue to carry out various publicity and educational initiatives to remind drivers of the matters requiring attention when using the driver assistance system. 

Currently, in TD’s driving tests, written test questions are set based on the Road Users’ Code. The Code is distributed upon first application for a learner’s driving licence or a non-commercial driving test, and the assessment content includes the proper use of driver assistance systems. Regarding the road test, although the use of driver assistance systems is not part of the assessment, the TD will consider incorporating relevant application skills into induction and refresher courses for driving instructors, enabling them to teach these skills to learners according to their needs.