Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (October 8) announced that the monthly gravidtrap index (MGI) for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in September was 2.5 per cent, lower than the 5.3 per cent in August. This reflects the continued efforts by relevant government departments to intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations, resulting in the improvement of the overall mosquito infestation situation this month. In addition, the FEHD has strengthened the dissemination of information on the gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes so that more citizens can quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation. The department will continue its mosquito control work to further reduce the risk of transmission of chikungunya fever (CF) and dengue fever (DF).
In September, all 64 survey areas recorded an area gravidtrap index (AGI) lower than the alert level of 20 per cent. The decreases in the MGI and the AGI are attributable to the continuous and intensified mosquito prevention and elimination operations by various government departments and stakeholders, and may also have been affected by factors such as weather. The monthly rainfall was 528.7 millimetres in September, showing a decrease from the 939.2mm in August and 601.7mm in July. Overall, the MGI for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in September was 2.5 per cent, at Level 1 (indicating the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the survey areas was not extensive). Relevant departments and stakeholders will persistently intensify mosquito prevention and elimination operations.
Moreover, the monthly density index for Aedes albopictus in September was 1.1, which represented that an average of 1.1 Aedes albopictus adults were found in the Aedes-positive gravidtraps, indicating that the number of adult Aedes albopictus was not abundant in the survey areas.
The FEHD currently makes regular announcements on gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus on its webpage. To allow more citizens to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation, the FEHD has strengthened information dissemination by promptly announcing the latest gravidtrap indexes through press releases and social media.
In addition, to further reduce the risk of transmission of CF, the FEHD has extended the intensified mosquito control work, which was originally activated when the AGI reaches 20 per cent, to cover areas with the AGI falling between 10 and 20 per cent. Specifically, the FEHD will conduct detailed risk assessments in the areas concerned to identify locations with higher mosquito infestation risks and, in collaboration with relevant departments and stakeholders, conduct intensive and targeted mosquito control work. The FEHD will also notify nearby housing estates, advising property management agents and residents to stay vigilant and work together to take mosquito prevention and elimination measures.
To reduce the risk of transmission of CF and DF, the FEHD continues to step up mosquito prevention and control measures across all districts and to conduct vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations within a 250 metre radius of the residence of patients and the places patients had visited during the infectious period, including removing mosquito breeding grounds, applying larvicides to stagnant water that cannot be cleared, and carrying out ultra-low volume fogging operations in adult mosquito habitats such as densely wooded areas, dark and secluded places, and abandoned structures to eliminate adult mosquitoes.
The FEHD continues to conduct its three-phase Anti-mosquito Campaign this year. The third phase of the territory-wide campaign was launched on August 4 and will run until October 24. During the period, the district offices of the FEHD will target areas that have drawn particular concern, such as public markets, cooked food centres and hawker bazaars, single-block buildings, streets and back lanes, common parts of buildings, village houses, construction sites, vacant sites and road works sites to remove accumulated water and carry out mosquito prevention and control work. To further enhance the effectiveness of mosquito control, the FEHD and relevant government departments have carried out phase two of the All-out Anti-mosquito Operations from May 7. In addition to the work of phase one, including eliminating potential mosquito breeding places, the FEHD called on property management entities to arrange for necessary repairs to their premises to minimise mosquito breeding places and commence adult mosquito control measures by means of regular ultra-low volume fogging operations.
The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as soft drink cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and estate management bodies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Aedes albopictus is a kind of mosquito that can transmit DF and CF. DF is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and has become endemic in many countries in Southeast Asia. In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded over 14 million cases, which was a record number. Additionally, according to the WHO, CF cases have been recorded in more than 110 countries/regions. Many countries worldwide experienced CF outbreaks this year, and as of August, over 317 000 cases had been reported in 16 countries/regions worldwide. The DF and CF activities in neighbouring areas have remained high. Members of the public should stay vigilant and continue to carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Fok and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 8):
Question:
There are views pointing out that the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme) launched by the Government aims to provide immigration facilitation arrangements to visitors invited or sponsored by authorised host organisations to come to Hong Kong for undertaking short-term activities which are beneficial to the development of Hong Kong and allow them to participate in specified activities in 12 designated sectors during the period of their stay as visitor, which is of positive significance in promoting Hong Kong to develop the “eight centres”. However, there are views pointing out that the 2025-2026 Budget proposes to introduce application fees for various talent admission schemes and increase visa fees, which will impose cost pressure on the organisations which have not been included in the list of authorised host organisations under the STV Scheme (unauthorised organisations). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of activities in which visitors coming to Hong Kong under the STV Scheme were allowed to participate in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by type of activities, duration of activities (i.e. 1 to 3 days, 4 to 7 days, 8 to 10 days, and over 10 days) and designated sector;
(2) since the introduction of application fees for talent admission schemes and increase in visa fees, whether the Government has assessed the financial burden imposed on unauthorised organisations by such arrangements, as well as the impact on the number of activities organised by such organisations, including the number of activities cancelled due to financial pressure arising from additional visa fees; if so, of the outcome;
(3) as some members of the industry have relayed that it may necessitate a reduction in international exchange activities due to the rising costs for visa application since organisations are required to apply for employment visas for visitors invited to Hong Kong to participate in short-term activities not covered by activities in the designated sectors under the STV Scheme, of the Government’s specific measures in place to support such organisations, such as introducing extremely short-term employment visas at lower costs and streamlining visa application procedures;
(4) to ensure that the STV Scheme remains relevant to industry needs, whether the Government has established mechanisms for regular review, including consulting the representatives from the relevant sectors to update the list of authorised host organisations; whether it will step up efforts in promoting the STV Scheme to the industry, so as to clearly explain the application eligibility and requirements, as well as the specific requirements for activities in each designated sector; and
(5) as there are views that since only four organisations are recognised as authorised host organisations in the “art and cultural” sector under the STV Scheme (namely the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Arts Development Council and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority), it is difficult for many arts and cultural groups (arts groups) to benefit from the STV Scheme, which is contrary to the original intent of the Scheme, whether the Government will review the selection mechanism for authorised host organisations, including expanding the coverage of authorised host organisations in the “art and cultural” sector to include other recognised arts groups; if so, of the details and timetable?
Reply:
President,
To encourage more talent to come to Hong Kong for exchanges, the Government launched a two-year Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors (Pilot Scheme) in June 2022, which was regularised as the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Visitors Participating in Short term Activities in Designated Sectors (STV Scheme) in June 2024. Under the STV Scheme, organisations authorised by the relevant government bureaux/departments (B/Ds) can issue invitation letters to relevant non-local talent in their sectors. Invited persons may come to Hong Kong to participate in specified short-term activities as visitors without the need to apply for employment visas/entry permits from the Immigration Department (ImmD). They may participate in specified short term activities for up to 14 consecutive calendar days during each trip to Hong Kong, and receive remuneration for the specified activities concerned.
In consultation with the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the ImmD, my reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Kenneth Fok is as follows:
(1) As of end-June 2025, the Pilot Scheme/STV Scheme had benefited a total of 36 951 non-local talent, facilitating their entry into Hong Kong as visitors to participate in a total of over 6 200 short-term activities such as the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, the Asian Financial Forum, the Hong Kong Sevens and other major events. They participated in the relevant short-term activities in Hong Kong for about five days on average. The statistics by sector are at Annex. The ImmD does not maintain a breakdown of other statistics mentioned in the question.
(2) LWB indicates that in devising the fee levels for the various admission schemes for talent and capital investors, the Government has balanced various considerations, including the “user pays” principle, the fees charged for similar applications in overseas jurisdictions, and the impact on the applicants concerned. In particular, noting that some applications relate to short-term/one-off project-based employment, in addition to application fee, the Government has introduced two tiers of visa/entry permit issuance fee: $600 for visa/entry permit granted with a limit of stay of not more than 180 days, and $1,300 for those with a limit of stay of 181 days or more. The fee levels are modest and affordable.
Since the introduction of the relevant fees, the number of applications and visas/entry permits issued under the specified admission schemes in the past few months were comparable to those in the same period last year. The Government will closely monitor the relevant situation and review the fee structure as appropriate in accordance with the established mechanism.
(3) to (5) As above-mentioned, the Government will review the visa/entry permit fee structure for the various admission schemes for talent and capital investors as appropriate in accordance with the established mechanism.
On the other hand, to ensure that the STV Scheme keeps pace with the times, the Government reviews its coverage and operation mechanism from time to time, with a view to ensuring that it can continue to effectively promote the development of relevant sectors and raise Hong Kong’s international profile while ensuring that the risks are manageable. Since the launch of the Pilot Scheme, the Government has expanded the scheme twice in February 2023 and June 2024, by adding two new sectors, namely “Finance” and “Development and Construction”, to the original 10 designated sectors. The number of authorised organisations has also increased by 18 per cent from around 350 when the scheme was first launched, to more than 400 at present. These authorised organisations include government B/Ds, public/statutory organisations, professional bodies and industry associations, etc. Through an established mechanism, all participating B/Ds would assist in ensuring that the implementation of the scheme consistently meets policy objectives. Relevant information of the STV Scheme, including the authorised organisations and specified short-term activities that are currently covered by the scheme, is available on the ImmD’s website: www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/stv.html.
At present, different types of organisations can collaborate with authorised organisations under the scheme to organise eligible specified short-term activities, thereby benefiting from the relevant immigration facilitation. We welcome the industry to contact relevant B/Ds or authorised organisations in their respective sectors and consider co-organising eligible events, with a view to promoting more diverse forms of exchange and collaboration under the scheme.
In considering whether to further relax the scheme, the Government shall take into account two major principles, including that eligible individuals visiting Hong Kong for specified short-term activities under the scheme will not displace the local workforce, and there will not be a risk of abuse (including illegal employment). The Government will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the STV Scheme as well as the views of the relevant departments and the sectors concerned, and timely review the scheme’s coverage to strike an appropriate balance between immigration control and facilitation.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (October 8):
Question:
It is learnt that in recent years, the sale of products in the form of “blind boxes” (i.e. commodities whose contents are unidentifiable by consumers in advance) has become increasingly common among some merchants. However, such sales model has also aroused consumers’ concerns about their rights and interests as well as its impact on minors. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the authorities have regulated the sales model of “blind boxes” under the current legal and regulatory framework;
(2) as there are views that under the sales model of “blind boxes”, consumers are more inclined to pursue the thrill and chance-taking mentality from not being able to identify the contents of the “blind box” items in advance rather than the items themselves, whether the Government has assessed the gambling elements that may be inherent in the sales model of “blind boxes” and its impact on minors;
(3) it is learnt that some European Union countries, Singapore and the Mainland have imposed regulation on the sale of “blind boxes”, whether the authorities will consider drawing on the experience of the aforesaid countries to improve the current regulatory framework for the sales model of “blind boxes”;
(4) it is learnt that in addition to “blind boxes” available for sale offline, consumers can also purchase “blind boxes” sold outside Hong Kong through online platforms, whether the authorities have assessed if the existing legislation and regulation are sufficient to guard against such risks relating to tax avoidance and prohibited articles that may be associated with “blind boxes” sold outside Hong Kong; and
(5) as the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the Guidelines on Rules for Blind Box Business Operations (for Trial Implementation) in June 2023, which include a specific negative sales list prohibiting the sale of certain commodities such as medicinal products, medical devices as well as flammables and explosives in the form of “blind boxes”, while also imposing restrictions on products such as cosmetics and food that have a bearing on public health, whether the Government will consider drawing on such practice to regulate the sales practice of commodities relating to public health and safety?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Home Affairs and Youth Bureau, the Health Bureau, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, and the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), our consolidated reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
The Government has been committed to safeguarding the rights and interests of consumers, and attaches great importance to the safety of products sold in the market. Regarding “blind boxes” which have gained popularity in recent years, we note that other jurisdictions, including the Mainland, have been regulating, among others, relevant sales practices and product safety.
Currently, various laws are in place in Hong Kong to protect the rights and interests of consumers. Among others, the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap. 362) prohibits traders from subjecting consumers to unfair trade practices, including false trade descriptions, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices, bait advertising, bait-and-switch and wrongly accepting payment. The Trade Descriptions Ordinance covers goods and services, and is applicable to the trade practices of both physical and online traders. A trader deploying any of the above unfair trade practices when selling “blind boxes” to consumers will contravene the law.
The C&ED, as the principal enforcement agency of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, has been actively combating unfair trade practices through enforcement actions, compliance promotion, and publicity and public education, with a view to protecting consumer rights and interests. If a trader is suspected of having engaged in unfair trade practices, the C&ED will take enforcement actions decisively. On the other hand, the Consumer Council endeavours to study and promote the protection of consumers’ rights and interests, including handling consumer complaints concerning goods and services. If consumers suspect that a trader is engaging in unfair trade practices when selling “blind boxes”, they could report the matter to the C&ED or file a complaint with the Council.
In addition, at present, various laws in Hong Kong regulate the safety of different types of products or articles. Any person supplying relevant products or articles to consumers, regardless of the form, packaging and sales channel, is responsible for ensuring that their safety complies with the relevant legal requirements.
In respect of toys products, the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) regulates the safety of toys, which are manufactured, imported or supplied for local use. The Toys and Children’s Products Safety (Additional Safety Standards or Requirements) Regulation also stipulates that a toy supplied in Hong Kong must carry information including identification markings (i.e. the full name and address of the manufacturer, importer or supplier) and the bilingual warnings or cautions (with respect to the safe keeping, use, consumption or disposal) applicable to the toy.
For drugs (including pharmaceutical products and proprietary Chinese medicines (pCms)), the current regulations aim to ensure that drugs meet relevant standards for safety, quality and efficacy, thereby safeguarding public health and safety. They must be registered under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (PPO) or the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549) before they can be sold. All registered pharmaceutical products and pCms must bear labels that correspond to the registration particulars, clearly stating information such as the Hong Kong registration number, product name, active ingredients, manufacturer information, etc. Selling drugs in the form of “blind boxes” may violate relevant legislation. When purchasing drugs, members of the public should carefully read the information on the packaging labels, and should not buy or use products of doubtful composition or from unknown sources.
As regards medical devices, some products are already regulated by existing legislation, including the PPO, the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (Cap. 456) and the Trade Descriptions Ordinance etc, depending on the characteristics and features of the products concerned. Before purchasing and using medical devices, members of the public should also thoroughly familiarise themselves with the product to ensure it meets their needs. The Government is actively developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, and will set up the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation in 2026, implement “primary evaluation” for new drug registration in phases and submit a legislative proposal on regulating medical devices, to enhance medical products regulation.
As regards dangerous goods, the Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295) and its subsidiary legislation regulate the manufacture, storage, conveyance and use of dangerous goods (including explosives and inflammable substances). A trader supplying any dangerous goods regulated under the above legislation in the form of “blind boxes” must comply with the legal requirements. If the articles inside the “blind boxes” are commonly used in daily life and available in retail stores (such as alcohol handrub/sanitiser, glue, etc), and the container sizes of which do not exceed the maximum package size specified in the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012, they are classified as dangerous goods in consumer packs, and will be exempted from the packing, marking and labelling requirements.
As regards food, according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food sold in Hong Kong shall be safe for human consumption. It must also comply with the subsidiary legislation under the aforementioned ordinance concerning food safety and food safety standards. Specifically, according to the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations, unless exempted, the labelling or marking of the prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong, whether in the form of “blind boxes” or not, must include relevant information, including indication of durability, statement of special conditions for storage or instructions for use, information on energy value and nutrient content, etc, in either the English or the Chinese language or in both languages.
Moreover, the safety of consumer goods which are ordinarily supplied for private use in Hong Kong, if not covered by other legislation, is subject to the regulation of the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation. Pursuant to the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance, manufacturers, importers and suppliers should ensure that the consumer goods they supply are reasonably safe. The Consumer Goods Safety Regulation stipulates that any warning or caution marked on the package of consumer goods must be in both the English and the Chinese languages in a legible and conspicuous manner.
The Government will continue to closely monitor the trends of unfair trade practices and the latest requirements for safety standards of various articles to formulate appropriate strategies, thereby protecting consumers’ rights and interests and safety.
Furthermore, there are strict regulations in Hong Kong on the import and export of all prohibited/controlled items and dutiable commodities. These regulations are applicable to all modes of import and export, including articles purchased through cross-border electronic commerce platforms. According to the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), import and export of all controlled items (including dangerous drugs, arms, ammunition, weapons, controlled chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and animals and plants, etc) must be accompanied by a valid licence or permit issued by the relevant authorities. Any person who brings any controlled item into/out of Hong Kong (whether by person, by post, or through purchasing agents or consolidated consignments) without a valid licence or permit may be prosecuted, in addition to confiscation of the subject item. In terms of tax, apart from four categories of dutiable commodities that are subject to duty under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) (i.e. liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon and methyl alcohol), Hong Kong does not impose duty on any other imported or exported goods. Any person who imports or exports dutiable goods must obtain a valid permit from the C&ED and make proper declaration on the manifest. For consumption of dutiable goods in Hong Kong, one must ensure that the relevant duty has been duly paid.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Tony Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 8):
Question:
There are views pointing out that with manpower shortages faced by Hong Kong’s public healthcare system, it has become a norm for frontline healthcare personnel to work overtime and this not only affects their physical and mental wellbeing but also the quality of healthcare services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the average weekly working hours, overtime hours, frequency of duty shifts and on-site call duties of healthcare personnel in the public healthcare system in the past three years, with a breakdown by grade;
(2) whether it knows the details of the current overtime compensation mechanism in the public healthcare system; the respective numbers of healthcare personnel of various categories who received overtime allowance or compensation, and the amounts involved, in the past three years; and
(3) of the latest status of the implementation of various measures (including the recruitment of non-locally trained healthcare professionals) introduced by the Government as an effort to alleviate the pressure arising from manpower shortages in the public healthcare system (particularly among healthcare personnel in public hospitals); how the efficiency of healthcare personnel as a whole can be enhanced through smart healthcare and multi-disciplinary collaboration?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Tony Tse is as follows:
With our high-quality healthcare professionals and highly efficient healthcare system, Hong Kong boasts a number of world-leading health indicators. We are among one of the regions with the longest life expectancies (note 1) and lowest infant mortality rate in the world (note 2). The public current health expenditures in Hong Kong only accounted for 4.1 per cent (note 3) of its Gross Domestic Product in 2022-23. Compared with other economies with a similar degree of population ageing, Hong Kong’s related expenditure ratio is among the lowest. On the other hand, we were able to provide nearly 90 per cent of the city’s healthcare services and achieve a high service quality on par with international standards, demonstrating the remarkable efficiency of our public healthcare system.
Nevertheless, our healthcare system is facing various structural challenges. Longevity has led to an overall ageing population and a surging prevalence of chronic diseases in Hong Kong. Quality public healthcare services at affordable prices have attracted huge service demand, exerting immense pressure on the city’s healthcare system. In light of the above, the HA is actively implementing various measures to attract and retain manpower, while leveraging information technology to enhance efficiency.
(1) Under the HA’s existing policy, the conditioned hours of work for all employees are 44 hours gross per week. Regarding staff’s rostering arrangements, individual departments allocate shifts according to operational needs. Furthermore, overtime work refers to any work undertaken over and above an employee’s conditioned hours of work, and should normally be recompensed by time-off in lieu. The HA does not maintain centralised records for the above data, but individual departments maintain records of overtime hours worked due to operational needs. Regarding on-call duties, the HA provides the Fixed Rate Honorarium to recognise the efforts and contributions of doctors whose job nature requires sustained long working hours.
The HA has been closely monitoring the manpower situation and has introduced a host of measures within the overall budget to attract, train and retain talents, including increasing the quotas of resident trainees to recruit local medical graduates; recruiting non-locally trained doctors (NLTDs) to complement the local recruitment; enhancing promotion opportunities for staff retention; recruiting part-time healthcare staff (e.g. through the recruitment of locum staff); providing flexible full-time working arrangements; rehiring suitable retirees; enhancing the Home Loan Interest Subsidy Scheme, and establishing the HA Academy to enhance training opportunities for different grades of staff members.
The HA’s manpower situation has been steadily improving. The number of doctors working in the HA has increased from 4 617 in 2006-07 to 6 807 in 2023-24. The average number of weekly working hours for HA doctors has seen a reduction from about 55 hours in 2006-07 (note 4) to about 48.9 hours in 2023-24. The proportion of doctors working over 65 hours per week has also fallen from about 18 per cent in 2006-07 to about 3.1 per cent (note 5) in 2023-24. Meanwhile, the attrition rate of doctors has also decreased from 6.3 per cent in 2006-07 to 5.2 per cent in 2023-24.
(2) Unlike the general practice of recompensing overtime work through time-off, the HA has also in place the Special Honorarium Scheme (SHS). Staff members who join the SHS outside normal work hours on a voluntary basis shall receive a special honorarium calculated at an hourly rate of 1/140 of their current basic salary. SHS aims to alleviate short-term staffing shortages and respond promptly to emergencies, while facilitating the provision of extra service sessions under special programmes to meet operational needs.
The numbers of medical and nursing staff receiving payment for SHS and the amounts involved (note 6, 7, 8) for 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 are set out in the following tables:
2022-23
Staff Group
Number of Staff
Payment for SHS ($ million)
Medical
4 375
424.1
Nursing
16 250
407.3
2023-24
Staff Group
Number of Staff
Payment for SHS ($ million)
Medical
4 446
483.1
Nursing
14 868
429.3
2024-25
Staff Group
Number of Staff
Payment for SHS ($ million)
Medical
4 169
401.8
Nursing
12 731
325.3
(3) Apart from recruiting local medical graduates, the HA also actively recruits NLTDs and engages professional healthcare talent through different global platforms for exchange programmes in Hong Kong. This serves to expand the talent pool of the public healthcare system so as to support the HA’s service demands and development. As of August 31, 2025, a total of 330 NLTDs have worked or participated in exchange programmes within the HA. The HA has also earlier completed the indicator set out in “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to “have no less than 250 NLTDs working in the HA by end-2024”.
Regarding the recruitment of non-locally trained nurses (NLTNs), subsequent to the passage of the Nurses Registration (Amendment) Ordinance in July 2024, the HA has launched a series of promotional campaigns to attract NLTNs from around the world to join the HA. In addition, the HA is actively developing nurse exchange programmes with various non-local partner institutions. As of August 31, 2025, a cumulative total of 324 NLTNs have practised or participated in exchange programmes within the HA.
Meanwhile, the HA has been actively advancing smart healthcare by leveraging technologies such as AI, smart wards, smart clinics, smart support and digital workspaces to optimise the clinical and administrative workflows, thereby enhancing the healthcare service quality and operational efficiency. For example, the HA is strengthening the clinical application of AI to assist doctors in drafting medical reports, imaging analysis of Computed Tomography, and providing real-time interpretation services during patient consultations. Regarding smart wards, the HA utilises electronic displays and paperless workflows to provide real-time patient information and improve safety. As for smart clinics, specialist out-patients clinics and general out-patients clinics under the HA have in place the “e-Vitals” systems to enable patients to self-report vital signs data, thereby streamlining follow-up procedures and reducing data entry errors. As for smart support, the HA employs digital dashboards and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to enhance operational management, while deploying multifunctional robots to assist with administrative tasks, alleviating the workload of healthcare staff. Furthermore, the HA has established digital workspaces to facilitate multi-platform real-time communication, ward management and office automation as well as foster cross-departmental collaboration. These measures have improved efficiency, reduced patient waiting times and rationalised hospital admission processes.
Note 1: Provisional figures for average life expectancy at birth in 2024 were 82.8 for male and 88.4 for female.
Note 2: Provisional figures for the infant mortality rate in 2024 were 1.7 deaths per 1 000 registered live births.
Note 4: The HA has maintained relevant data since 2006-07.
Note 5: Comprehensive monitoring of all specialties has been conducted biennially since 2011. Therefore, the HA is unable to provide the average weekly working hours of doctors in 2024-25. The HA is in the process of data collection for the average weekly working hours of doctors in 2025-26, thus relevant data cannot be provided at the moment.
Note 6: The number of staff receiving SHS payment in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 is calculated based on headcounts as at March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 respectively.
Note 7: The “Medical” group includes Consultants, Senior Medical Officers/Associate Consultants, Medical Officers/Residents, Visiting Medical Officers, Interns and Dental Officers.
Note 8: The “Nursing” group includes Senior Nursing Officers, Department Operations Managers, Ward Managers/Nursing Officers/Advanced Practice Nurses, Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Midwives, etc.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ18: Engaging in high-risk activities during inclement weather
Year(as at August 31)The rescue teams have not maintained statistical breakdown of their operating costs.
(2) The Government is highly concerned about and strongly condemns the acts of individuals engaging in high-risk activities during adverse weather conditions, particularly those persons who bring young children to seafronts or dangerous locations for chasing winds and watching waves. The HKPF, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) currently have regulations in place to regulate such dangerous behaviours, which include: During the recent onslaught of Super Typhoon Ragasa, the HKPF took stringent enforcement actions including conducting three operations resulting in the arrest of four persons in total. These persons had brought young children to seafronts or dangerous locations for wind-chasing and wave-watching activities during adverse weather conditions, and were suspected of committing the offence of “neglect by those in charge of a child or young person” under the Offences against the Person Ordinance. In addition, a man was found swimming at the closed Golden Beach in Tuen Mun, suspected of contravening the Bathing Beaches Regulation. The HKPF had applied for summons to prosecute that person. The HKPF will actively follow up on relevant cases and will timely publicise enforcement actions to demonstrate the Government’s zero tolerance stance towards such behaviours.
The above-mentioned enforcement actions have clearly demonstrated the Government’s resolute stance on holding individuals accountable for the irresponsible acts endangering life safety. The Government has also taken note of the views in the community calling for a response, from the legislative perspective, to target the irresponsible wind-chasing and wave-watching behaviours during adverse weather conditions. The Government will take a holistic view in studying this issue.Issued at HKT 17:25
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at the Raffles Family Office Annual Forum 2025 today (October 8):
Chi Man (Group Chief Executive Officer of Raffles Family Office, Mr Kwan Chi Man), Minister Murangwa (Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr Yusuf Murangwa), ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,
It is a profound honour to address you at the Raffles Family Office Annual Forum 2025. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organiser for convening this distinguished gathering.
The theme of this year’s forum, “The Decade Before, A Century Beyond,” resonates deeply with the evolving mission of family offices: to preserve wealth, foster values, and also drive positive impact across generations.
Family offices are undergoing significant transformation, and I wish to share with you a few defining trends that we observed. Firstly, family offices are enhancing governance structures and also investment processes, formalising investment opportunities, adopting institutional-style governance to ensure efficiency and also clarity in decision-making, often separating operations from family offices.
Secondly, there is a growing focus on private markets, with family offices increasingly allocating capital to private equity, co-investments, and also direct investments in companies, moving away from purely passive public market investments and adopting fund structures to centralise asset management, achieve scale, and also facilitate succession planning.
And thirdly, driven by collaboration, especially at a global level, family mobility and diverse investment opportunities, family offices are expanding globally and also enhancing services with custom solutions, such as estate planning, insurance, technology adoption, and also collaboration with banks, insurers and wealth tax, to meet these evolving needs.
All these three trends that I mentioned, professional governance, diversification into private assets and also global operations sophistication, position family offices well to thrive in an era of rapid technological disruption, evolving economic paradigms, and also growing societal expectations. Hong Kong, as a global financial hub, is uniquely positioned to support this journey, offering a platform where bold ideas can flourish and also legacies can endure for generations to come.
The Government is steadfast in our commitment to positioning our city as the premier hub for family offices in Asia and beyond. Our unique advantages – a robust legal system, world-class financial infrastructure, strategic proximity to the Mainland, and a competitive and simple tax regime – make us an ideal destination for family offices, including those from Africa of course, seeking to establish or expand their operations. Through a multipronged approach, in collaboration with regulators and our industry stakeholders, we have implemented a comprehensive suite of policies to create a conducive and also competitive environment for global family offices.
A key pillar of our strategy is the profits tax exemption for family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices here in Hong Kong. This measure reduces the cost of operating here, enabling families to optimise their wealth management strategies and also focus on long-term growth and also legacy building. By alleviating tax constraints, we empower family offices to allocate resources strategically, aligning with their goals of intergenerational wealth preservation and also impact. We will also be expanding the qualifying investments for tax concessions to include private credit and other new asset classes, aligning with the new trend of sector I just highlighted.
Recognising the crucial role of talent and expertise, as highlighted by Chi Man just now, we established the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy two years ago under the Financial Services Development Council. This academy serves as a collaborative platform to network, share knowledge, and also to train specialised talent to family offices, asset owners, and wealth inheritors. The academy has recently celebrated its second anniversary and has delivered over 20 capacity-building events in collaboration with partners and thought leaders, engaging over 3 000 family asset owners and next-gen leaders in dialogues and also legacy planning. By fostering positive financial management values and also strengthening the talent pool, the academy supports the professionalisation of the sector, ensuring family offices have access to the expertise needed to thrive in a competitive landscape.
Another initiative that I would highlight is our New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (new CIES) further enriches our ecosystem by attracting high-net-worth individuals and their capital to Hong Kong. Eligible investors who make investments of HK$27 million or above in eligible assets and place HK$3 million into the new CIES Investment Portfolio, as managed by Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, may reside and pursue development in Hong Kong. Recent enhancements demonstrate our responsiveness; from March this year, investments through wholly owned private companies counted towards the threshold, and net asset assessment and calculation requirements have also been relaxed. Moreover, the threshold of the transaction price of residential real estate is now reduced, while the aggregate cap for the total investment amount in real estate is also raised. These measures create synergies with our tax concession regime, encouraging more family offices to anchor in Hong Kong and contribute to our vibrant financial ecosystem.
Beyond fiscal and operational support, we are fostering Hong Kong as a global centre for philanthropy and cultural innovation. Initiatives include developing art storage facilities at our airport, which cater to the growing interest in luxury assets among family offices. In additional, we are promoting Hong Kong as a philanthropic hub, aligning with the aspirations of many family offices to drive positive social impact. These efforts resonate with the forum’s theme of building legacies that extend beyond financial wealth, contributing to a better future for communities worldwide.
Our policies have delivered tangible results. We set a target to facilitate at least 200 family offices to establish or expand operations in Hong Kong by the end of 2025 – a goal we proudly achieved ahead of schedule in September this year. As announced in the latest Policy Address, we target to attract an additional 220 family offices to Hong Kong from the year of 2026 to the year of 2028, further enriching our market size.
Finally, the third Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit, our flagship event for family offices, was held in March this year under the theme “Hong Kong of the World, for the World”. It convened family offices to discuss technology, artificial intelligence, philanthropy, and also cultural innovation, fostering collaborations to create a sustainable future. This summit underscores Hong Kong’s role as a convener of global ideas and a catalyst for positive change, aligning with the aspirations of family offices to create a lasting impact. I am very glad to share that it will return once again next year.
Before I go, I would like to congratulate Chi Man for organising this event, and also choosing the right colour for the forum because it is in the same colour of the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address. At the same time, as Chinese say, it takes 10 years to grow a tree but a hundred years to cultivate a talent, so I am sure it is just the start of a new journey and the use of a tree pattern here is very apt.
Again, the Raffles Family Office Annual Forum 2025 embodies the spirit of “The Decade Before, A Century Beyond.” It challenges us to learn from the past, engage with the present, and build a future where family offices thrive as stewards of wealth and values. Hong Kong invites you to leverage our unparalleled advantages – robust policies, strategic location, and a dynamic financial ecosystem – to establish or expand your operations. Our comprehensive support, from tax exemptions to talent development, positions Hong Kong as the premier destination for family offices seeking to build legacies that endure. Together, let us weave the tapestry of the future, drawing from the lessons of the past decade to create a century of prosperity, impact, and responsibility.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ10: Industrial water supply
YearNote: Since 2013, the Government has begun introducing seawater for cooling purpose, though it accounts for only a small portion of total industrial and cooling water consumption. The Government also plans to utilise reclaimed water for cooling use in suitable areas in the future.
(2) Over the past decade, the industrial and cooling water consumption of the three InnoParks (i.e. Tai Po InnoPark, Yuen Long InnoPark and Tseung Kwan O InnoPark), the industrial and cooling water consumption in Hong Kong, and the percentages of industrial and cooling water consumption of the three InnoParks in the industrial and cooling water consumption in Hong Kong are listed in the following table:
Year[percentage in industrial and cooling water consumption in Hong Kong](million cubic metres)[8.16%][1.68%][1.65%][8.26%][1.64%][1.83%][8.38%][1.79%][2.12%][8.03%][1.66%][2.14%][8.17%][1.74%][2.38%][8.16%][1.90%][2.58%][8.06%][1.95%][2.52%][8.20%][1.94%][2.75%][6.95%][1.80%][2.59%][6.43%][1.76%][2.71%](3) The planning and design of water supply facilities are primarily aimed to meet the population’s demand for drinking water and water demand for industrial and commercial use (including industrial areas and InnoParks). During planning of the water supply system for individual development areas, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) will base on the water demands estimated by relevant policy bureaux to plan the required water supply system.
The Government will continuously review the relevant water demand of each district based on its latest development and planning, and assess the carrying capacity of the water supply system to ensure the provision of stable and reliable water supply to existing users and new users of future development. If necessary, the Government will consider implementing water supply system improvement projects in a timely manner to enhance the capacity of the water supply system to meet the projected overall water demand in the district with due consideration of the projected water demand and its timeline, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, the capacity of the existing water supply system, and the priority of overall infrastructure projects.Issued at HKT 15:40
Details
2025-10-07
President Lai interviewed by The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
President Lai Ching-te recently met with Stephen Yates, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center; Buck Sexton, host of the American radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show; and Mr. Sexton’s brothers Mason and Keats. President Lai was also interviewed by Buck Sexton and responded to questions regarding cross-strait relations, the regional landscape, national defense, the economic and trade partnership between Taiwan and the United States, and Taiwan’s social welfare policies. The interview was broadcast on the early morning of October 7. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: One of the things we’ve noticed that has already gotten some attention back in the States is the sense of civic responsibility here, how respectful and law-biding everyone is, how safe everyone feels on your streets. It is inspiring to tell Americans about this. I also wanted to ask you about the situation right now with your neighbor, China. There’s obviously a lot of global concern about a sense of rhetoric heating up, a sense that there is a pathway now that is becoming more imminent that there could be a crisis. How do you want to describe the situation right now, for specifically an American audience? President Lai: First of all, I am very glad that you have seen a lot of things during your stay in Taiwan and that you are having a fruitful trip so far. I also want to thank you for commending our civil society. In the international community, Taiwan is often lauded as being a place where the most beautiful scenery is actually its people. Recently, due to a typhoon, a barrier lake overflowed in Hualien, causing a significant number of injuries and deaths. Streets and houses were covered in mud. Taiwanese society mobilized to help people affected. We had a long holiday weekend this past weekend. On the first day, 30,000 people traveled to Hualien to offer assistance. And on both the second and third days, another 40,000 went, meaning that over 100,000 people, of their own accord, took their shovels to help those affected. In our society, these people were referred to “superheroes with shovels.” So you can feel that in Taiwan there is a lot of warmth. People are kind. So our streets, at nighttime or daytime, are generally very safe. Your question was about Taiwan’s relations with China. I very much hope that everyone in the world who pays attention to Taiwan-China issues can be clear about several things. Firstly, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC. China does not have the right to invade Taiwan. Secondly, China has been holding military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, undermining peace and stability in the region. So it is China – not Taiwan – that is disrupting the cross-strait status quo. The fact that the Taiwanese people seek to protect their sovereignty and pursue a way of life based on democracy, freedom, and human rights should not be seen as a provocation against China. Thirdly, even though Taiwan is facing increasing threats from China, Taiwan has not given up on seeking peace and mutual prosperity across the strait. We understand that peace is priceless and that there are no winners in war. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential elements of global security and prosperity. Our pursuit of peace is an ideal, not a fantasy. We believe that to achieve peace, there must be strength. Since taking office, I have implemented the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. The first pillar is strengthening Taiwan’s national defense. Our defense spending, as defined by NATO, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP next year. And this will increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. We are procuring arms from the United States and partners across the international community. At the same time, we are promoting indigenous defense capabilities. We will work with the international community to codevelop arms, including R&D, design, and manufacturing. This will allow the domestic defense industry to grow and contribute to Taiwan’s security. Drones, unmanned submarines, and robotics are all areas that Taiwan will prioritize in the future. The second pillar is enhancing our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China. But last year, this number was only 7 percent. The United States is now Taiwan’s largest destination for outbound investment. In other words, we are not putting all of our eggs in the same basket. We hope that Taiwan’s industries will be rooted in Taiwan, deploy globally, and market across the world. This will not only strengthen our economy but also make it more resilient, thereby safeguarding Taiwan’s security. The third pillar is standing together with the United States and other free and democratic countries to bolster joint deterrence. This will allow us to prevent war by preparing for one. And fourthly, Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with China based on parity and dignity. Through exchanges and cooperation, we can achieve the goal of peace and mutual prosperity. I noticed that US President Donald Trump once said publicly that Xi Jinping actually called him and stated that he would not attack Taiwan during President Trump’s term in office. We hope that Taiwan will continue to enjoy the support of President Trump. If he is able to convince Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan, President Trump will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize. Q: If you could speak directly to President Trump about Taiwan’s situation right now, the security situation more specifically, what would you want him to know? President Lai: If I had the chance to meet President Trump in person and talk about the current cross-strait situation, I would suggest that he take note of the fact that Xi Jinping is not just holding ever-larger military exercises in the Taiwan Strait but expanding China’s military deployment in the South and East China Seas. China’s military exercises now extend across the Indo-Pacific region. Its aircraft carriers are moving beyond the first island chain and second island chain. And its northern fleet even sailed around Japan for a week. Chinese naval vessels also conducted live-fire exercises in Australia’s exclusive economic zone. The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is changing constantly, and tensions are rising. So the issue is not only a possible annexation of Taiwan. If it is able to annex Taiwan, China will be in a stronger position to compete with the United States and alter the rules-based international order. This would eventually also impact US interests. So we hope that President Trump can continue to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is determined to ensure its national security. We will fulfill our responsibility and work with free and democratic countries to maintain regional peace and stability. Q: Because America has learned some difficult lessons about foreign policy and foreign policy intervention, there is a focus on partners who will carry their weight for their own defense and have a willingness to fight. If anyone in America, policymaker or citizen, has a question about whether Taiwan is willing to defend its own sovereignty, what would you say to them? President Lai: I would tell them that Taiwan is absolutely determined to ensure its own national security. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. So when Taiwan looks after its own national security, it shows that Taiwan is committed to protecting regional peace and stability as well. That is why, as I mentioned before, we are continuing to increase our national defense budget. So during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s term, the national defense budget was increased from 1.9 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent. Next year, it will reach 3.32 percent. And we hope to increase this to 5 percent by 2030. This would be five years earlier than NATO’s own goal. Also, we have established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee under the Office of the President. This committee brings various sectors of Taiwan together and combines the strengths of the public and private sectors to carry out exercises and drills that enhance whole-of-society defense. I also convened a high-level national security meeting in which we defined the Chinese Communist Party regime as a foreign hostile force; and I proposed 17 strategies to address the five major threats we face from China. These will translate into more than a hundred amendments to our national security laws, which will be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan during the current session. This will put Taiwan on a stronger legal footing, bolster its national defense, and allow people to contribute their power toward safeguarding our nation and protecting regional peace and stability. I believe that people help those who help themselves. So I very much agree with your idea that Taiwan and other countries should meet their own responsibilities. Only by helping ourselves can we expect help from others. And when we show unity and work together, that is when deterrence is at its strongest; and that is when we will be able to safeguard peace and stability in the world. Q: Obviously, there’s a tremendous global and American, specifically, interest in artificial intelligence and the future of it. Also very interesting is the incredible facility that TSMC has built and is building out more in Arizona. I would like to ask you to speak to the economic partnership, specifically in advanced technology, microchip manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, and the relationship between Taiwan and America going forward, and how you view that to grow and bring prosperity for both countries. President Lai: So we all know that Taiwan’s technology industry has performed well. This is the result of decades of cooperation among Taiwan’s industries, government, academia, and R&D sector, as well as the support of the Taiwanese people. But I must also note with appropriate humility that TSMC and the Taiwanese semiconductor industry are still only one part of a bigger ecosystem, and do not represent the whole system. So if you look at the entire semiconductor ecosystem, the United States is strong in areas such as innovation, R&D, and design. And it is also the biggest market. Japan is strong in raw materials and related equipment. And the Republic of Korea, they have flash memory. Taiwan’s strength is in wafer manufacturing. And the Netherlands makes the critical equipment that is used to make semiconductors. But in the whole ecosystem, you can see that around 80 percent of profits go to the United States. So for semiconductors, I would say the United States is still the leader in this ecosystem. Looking ahead, as we face the AI era, every nation in the semiconductor ecosystem will be extremely important. And the United States will continue to lead the world in this. So Taiwan is very willing to work with the United States to achieve this goal. We want to help the United States reindustrialize and become a global AI hub. We want the United States to continue to lead the world in this new AI era and we want to help make America great again. So with regard to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, we see it as an important responsibility in terms of ensuring the world’s future prosperity. That is why the Taiwan government has been very supportive of TSMC’s investments in the United States and Japan, as well as Germany. In the future, when the United States has reindustrialized and become a global AI hub, I am sure that TSMC will continue to play a crucial role. Q: Over the course of meetings with various members of your government, I learned something very interesting that has to do with family formation, a problem we have also started to look at in America. It will be very interesting, I think, to the American audience, to hear of countries that are trying to use policy to address issues like encouraging marriage and encouraging children so that a society can replenish – so that there is replenishment and there is resiliency. Could you please speak to some of the ways that you are encouraging people to have more kids here? What is Taiwan doing and how are those initiatives going so far? President Lai: I am very glad that you look positively at what we have been doing in Taiwan. Actually, Taiwan’s policies were made with reference to what the United States and other countries have been doing. Concerning our strategies: first, the government is supporting families in jointly raising children from birth to six years old by providing monthly subsidies. Tuition is also free for both public and private high schools and vocational schools. We also have a long-term care system for senior citizens. Across Taiwan, there are some 15,000 service centers with around 100,000 long-term care staff who look after seniors over the age of 65 as well as people with disabilities so that they can receive quality care. Young people who want to get married and have children are given priority in applying for social housing. If they want to buy a home, they can get government funding to subsidize the interest on their mortgage. And if they are renting, they can get a rent subsidy from the government. For couples who are having problems conceiving, the government subsidizes fertility treatment. We are also cutting taxes. Taiwan’s government is currently investing more in our society and cutting taxes by more than ever before in our history. These initiatives will help our young people feel confident that they can get married, have children, and will be able to raise them. I note that President Trump is also cutting taxes. We want to reduce the burden on households so that more people can start a family. This will promote social stability, prosperity, development, and continual growth for the country.
Details
2025-09-30
President Lai meets US Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg
On the afternoon of September 30, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Luke Lindberg, under secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the United States Department of Agriculture. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwanese businesses plan to purchase US$10 billion of American agricultural products over the next four years, which will boost the efficiency of Taiwan’s livestock industry and enhance its food security. The president expressed hope of utilizing Taiwan’s advantages in the high-tech industry to strengthen cooperation between Taiwan and the US in agricultural technology innovation and food security and resilience, fostering an even more mutually beneficial partnership. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a pleasure to once again welcome Under Secretary Lindberg, a good friend of Taiwan, just a year after his previous visit. Taiwan’s agricultural trade goodwill mission just concluded its visit to the US. And now, we are meeting with Under Secretary Lindberg and his delegation of dozens of industry representatives, highlighting the deep friendship and close partnership between Taiwan and the US. I extend a sincere welcome to our guests and applaud this step forward in Taiwan-US trade exchanges. Taiwan is currently the seventh-largest trade partner of the US and its seventh-largest export market for agricultural products. The US has also become Taiwan’s largest investment destination and largest market for agricultural exports. All of this goes to show that, in trade and the agricultural sector, Taiwan and the US are interdependent and enjoy close collaboration. This month, Taiwan’s agricultural mission visited Washington, DC, and several agricultural states, including South Dakota, Under Secretary Lindberg’s home state. This demonstrated that Taiwan is determined to continue elevating the Taiwan-US trade partnership. During the trip, industry representatives from Taiwan and the US signed procurement letters of intent. Taiwanese businesses plan to purchase US$10 billion of American agricultural products, including soybeans, wheat, corn, and beef, over the next four years. We anticipate that importing high-quality raw materials for animal feed will boost the efficiency of Taiwan’s livestock industry. And US agricultural products can also enhance Taiwan’s food security. Taiwan is also a reliable and important partner to the US in technology. Looking forward, we hope to utilize Taiwan’s advantages in the high-tech industry to strengthen cooperation between Taiwan and the US in agricultural technology innovation and food security and resilience. Taiwan faces geopolitical risks and challenges as it is situated on the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific and serves as a crucial hub for global non-red supply chains. I believe that regional neighbors and like-minded countries must join hands to safeguard global peace, stability, and prosperity. This delegation led by Under Secretary Lindberg not only contributes to mutual prosperity in agricultural trade across the public and private sectors, it also symbolizes the firm and steady steps by which we are deepening the strategic and economic partnership between Taiwan and the US. Let us continue to work together to strengthen Taiwan-US relations and contribute even more to global prosperity. Under Secretary Lindberg then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for having them here today. He then expressed their sincere best wishes to all of the people in Taiwan who were impacted by Super Typhoon Ragasa. He mentioned that their delegation, consisting of 25 US businesses, is here to help sell US agricultural products and build continued relationships in Taiwan. He also noted that it is a particularly exciting time of year to be here in Taiwan to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a time of cultural importance here in Taiwan. Under Secretary Lindberg thanked Taiwanese consumers for continuing to purchase American agricultural products, adding that roughly 25 percent of the food that is imported into Taiwan is from the US, contributing to Taiwan’s food security. As a friend of Taiwan, he said, the US is also committed to Taiwan’s resilience through energy security. Mentioning the recent goodwill mission that Taiwan’s minister of agriculture led to the US last week, Under Secretary Lindberg said that he comes as well with some goodwill for the Taiwanese people, explaining that they have decided to take the next step in allowing Taiwanese producers of pineapple access to the US market. He expressed hope that this will bring great joy and prosperity to many families here in Taiwan as the mid-autumn season begins. The under secretary said he looks forward to their discussion and expressed hope for continued prosperity and growing relations. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Acting Director Karin M. Lang.
Details
2025-09-30
President Lai meets delegation led by Japanese House of Councillors LDP Members’ General Assembly Chairperson Matsuyama Masaji
On the morning of September 30, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Members’ General Assembly in the House of Councillors Chairperson Matsuyama Masaji. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic countries must unite in solidarity in the face of the continued expansion of authoritarian regimes, and expressed hope to further deepen partnerships with Japan in areas such as security, trade, and the economy. He also emphasized jointly establishing democratic non-red supply chains, enhancing economic security, promoting regional peace, contributing even more to the world, and building an even brighter future for the Taiwan-Japan friendship. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I want to sincerely welcome Chairperson Matsuyama and his delegation, who have taken the time to visit Taiwan, and I am grateful for their efforts to further deepen Taiwan-Japan exchanges. I am confident that this visit will help provide a greater understanding of Taiwan’s political and economic situation, as well as the development and achievements of Taiwan-Japan relations. Taiwan and Japan support each other like family. The care and condolences from various groups in Japan regarding the recent disaster in Hualien have been truly moving. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have worked together to overcome challenges such as earthquakes and the pandemic, and have jointly faced the threat of authoritarian expansion. Japan has not only long remained attentive to the situation in the Taiwan Strait, but has also continued to demonstrate through concrete action its determination to maintain regional peace. Last week, the foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, and Korea convened and issued a joint statement, marking the third time this year that these countries have reaffirmed support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. They also opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo and voiced concern for the increasingly frequent destabilizing actions in the region. These firm standpoints represent a consensus among the global democratic community. Democratic countries must unite in solidarity in the face of the continued expansion of authoritarian regimes. Taiwan hopes to continue deepening its partnerships with Japan across areas such as security, trade, and the economy, including collaboration in industries like semiconductors, hydrogen energy, AI, and drones to jointly establish democratic non-red supply chains, enhance economic security, and promote regional peace and stability. In 2021, for the first time, the House of Councillors unanimously passed a resolution calling on countries to support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly. I want to express my gratitude once again and hope that all House of Councillors members will continue to support Taiwan’s international participation, allowing Taiwan to deepen exchanges on global issues and make even greater contributions to the world. I wish the delegation a successful and fruitful visit. I am sure that through our joint efforts, we will build an even brighter future for the Taiwan-Japan friendship. Chairperson Matsuyama then delivered remarks, noting that he visited Taiwan many times during his tenure as president of Junior Chamber International Japan. However, he said, this visit is his first as chairperson of the LDP Members’ General Assembly in the House of Councillors. He said it is an honor to meet President Lai and thanked him for taking the time to receive the delegation despite the recent typhoon in Hualien. He offered condolences for those who lost their lives, and extended sympathies to the injured, expressing his sincere hope that those affected by the disaster can soon return to their normal lives. Chairperson Matsuyama noted that both Taiwan and Japan frequently face natural disasters and have always extended help to each other in times of need. He expressed hope that our countries can further strengthen collaboration in disaster prevention and mitigation. Chairperson Matsuyama mentioned that the delegation visited Kaohsiung the day before to pay tribute with flowers at the bronze statue of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and deeply felt the Taiwanese people’s respect for former Prime Minister Abe and their friendship with Japan. He emphasized that Taiwan is very important to Japan, as our countries share universal values. Economic exchanges and mutual visits between our two countries are frequent, he said, making Taiwan a key partner and friend. He expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan continue deepening exchanges and collaboration. Chairperson Matsuyama then presented President Lai with a list of donations from the delegation for those affected by the recent disaster in Hualien. The delegation also included Japanese House of Councillors Members Watanabe Takeyuki, Ueno Michiko, and Horii Iwao, and was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.
Details
2025-09-26
President Lai meets delegation of Latin American and Caribbean intelligence and security chiefs
On the morning of September 26, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation of Latin American and Caribbean intelligence and security chiefs in Taiwan for a joint meeting. In remarks, President Lai noted that previous joint meetings have been a great success, helping us defend against common threats. He stated that Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities and build whole-of-society defense and resilience, and going forward, hopes to strengthen joint defense and intelligence-sharing mechanisms with our allies and promote various exchanges to further enhance our collaborative capabilities. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, on behalf of the government and all the people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to offer a sincere welcome to the delegation. This visit by intelligence and security chiefs from our allies is not only a testament to the deep diplomatic friendships between Taiwan and your countries, but also represents our determination to resolutely defend shared values such as freedom and democracy. Previous joint meetings among intelligence chiefs from Taiwan, Latin America, and the Caribbean have been a great success. This multilateral cooperative mechanism promotes normalized intelligence resource sharing and exchanges, and helps us defend against common threats. The international security environment is becoming increasingly complex, and multiple challenges including foreign infiltration, digital manipulation, disinformation, and cyberattacks are posing a massive threat to democratic systems. These challenges from authoritarian countries transcend borders, and only by strengthening cooperation among democratic allies can we prevent authoritarian expansion and build social and democratic resilience. In particular, over the past few years China has continued to increase military coercion against Taiwan, and has also engaged in infiltration, cognitive warfare, and manipulation around the world, using hybrid warfare tactics in an attempt to influence political decision-making in various countries and undermine the operations of democratic politics. Taiwan is on the forefront of threats from China. We continue to enhance our self-defense capabilities and build whole-of-society defense and resilience. Going forward, we hope to strengthen joint defense and intelligence-sharing mechanisms with our allies to enhance vigilance against China’s infiltration. I will also direct the National Security Bureau to continue to promote various exchange, assistance, and training mechanisms with our allies to further enhance our collaborative capabilities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our allies for their long-term support for Taiwan, and for continuing to speak up for Taiwan at international venues. Taiwan is willing and able to contribute even more to the international community. We look forward to the continued support of our allies for Taiwan’s international participation, providing mutual assistance in the international arena to jointly promote mutual prosperity and development, maintain regional peace and stability, and safeguard global democracy and freedom. In closing, let me once again welcome you all to Taiwan. Please convey my most sincere greetings and best wishes to your heads of state, and let us continue to deepen the diplomatic alliances between our countries. Minister Marco Alcaraz of Paraguay’s National Secretariat of Intelligence then delivered remarks, stating that we are currently in an era of rapid global change, with technology developing at breakneck speed, influencing daily life, social systems, and public policy at virtually every level. While these circumstances compel every nation to formulate flexible and forward-looking response strategies, he said, these measures are insufficient to address increasingly complex and sophisticated technological attacks by geopolitical rivals. Minister Alcaraz indicated that in this context, hacktivism is rapidly rising, coinciding with China’s large-scale energy investments and economic policies in Latin America. This not only demonstrates China’s economic strength, he said, but has also allowed it to obtain critical information through secret tactics that it then uses to conduct negotiations and assess the risk levels of various projects. The minister stated that this brings substantial benefits to China, especially when promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, attempting to access information such as the organization of global supply chains, which has a direct impact on the stability and sovereignty of various countries. Minister Alcaraz further pointed out that all countries are facing attacks by various hacker organizations targeting strategic areas such as telecommunications, government agencies, the military, and non-governmental organizations. China’s goal is not only to steal sensitive data from the infrastructure of various countries, he said, but also to weaken their democratic systems, digital sovereignty, and diplomatic relations. Minister Alcaraz also stated that the more united allies are, the more opponents will try to divide us, so countries must make greater efforts to strengthen mutual cooperation and exchanges. Latin American countries are increasingly subject to China’s divisive tactics, he said, but in circumstances fraught with challenges and threats, Paraguay is never alone, with staunch allies always providing support, among which Taiwan is especially important. Minister Alcaraz expressed confidence that Taiwan and Paraguay will further deepen bilateral cooperation, and continue to consolidate our partnership through long-term strategic planning. Minister Alcaraz mentioned that President Lai’s staunch support and commitment to diplomatic relations have given Taiwan a pivotal role in strengthening alliances that promote regional cooperation and defend shared values. He then thanked Taiwan for playing a critical role in bringing Latin America and the Caribbean together as steadfast allies.
Details
2025-09-25
President Lai meets delegation from Institute for Indo-Pacific Security
On the morning of September 25, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS), a think tank based in the United States. In remarks, President Lai emphasized that the people of Taiwan possess an unwavering determination to protect national sovereignty and that Taiwan is actively bolstering its self-defense capabilities and enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to elevate Taiwan-US defense cooperation and advance exchanges with the US and other like-minded countries in such areas as national security, cybersecurity, and countering disinformation, while further strengthening the strategic economic and trade partnership with the US. He expressed his hope that the IIPS will continue to assist Taiwan in connecting with the US and deepening cooperation with other friends and allies. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome back Chairman Randall G. Schriver, a good friend of Taiwan. It has been over a year since our last meeting. I look forward to exchanging views with you today. On behalf of Taiwan, I would like to once again express heartfelt condolences for the passing earlier this year of former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, a mentor and dear friend of Chairman Schriver, and pay him tribute. I would also like to thank all of you for supporting Taiwan and for continuing to help strengthen Taiwan-US relations. The distinguished guests here today are members of the IIPS – the successor to the Project 2049 Institute – and experts who have served important roles in the US government. Your visit demonstrates the stable ties and close exchanges that Taiwan and the US enjoy on matters of national defense and security. Taiwan is situated at a crucial location on the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific and faces China’s political and military intimidation and gray-zone aggression. Thus, we profoundly appreciate the importance of national security and peace across the Taiwan Strait. I want to emphasize that the people of Taiwan possess an unwavering determination to protect national sovereignty, safeguard their free and democratic way of life, uphold the rules-based international order, and ensure regional peace and stability in line with global development interests. In the spirit of peace through strength, and strength through resilience, Taiwan is actively bolstering its self-defense capabilities and enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience. Just last Saturday, the largest-ever iteration of the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition drew to a close. And that same day, the Office of the President held the first-ever Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy International Forum. During Chairman Schriver’s visit last year, we exchanged opinions on defense budgets as a percentage of GDP. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to invest in national defense and security. Defense spending, as it is defined by NATO, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP next year, and is expected to reach 5 percent of GDP by 2030. Pursuing indigenous defense capabilities and adhering to our asymmetric strategy, Taiwan will continue to elevate Taiwan-US defense cooperation through military procurement from the US and joint research, development, and manufacturing. We will also advance exchanges with the US and other like-minded countries in such areas as national security, cybersecurity, and countering disinformation, as we work together to safeguard regional peace and stability. Moreover, Taiwan seeks to further strengthen its strategic economic and trade partnership with the US so as to jointly ensure global supply chain security and advance prosperity and development around the world. I look forward to the IIPS continuing to assist Taiwan in connecting with the US and deepening cooperation with other friends and allies. In closing, I once again welcome the delegation to Taiwan, and I wish you a pleasant and successful visit. Chairman Schriver then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking the time to meet with the delegation. He then offered their condolences and sympathies for the victims and all affected by the typhoon in Hualien and wished success to those engaged in relief and rescue work. He added that the IIPS team will be making contributions to the relief effort and expressed confidence that they will be joined by many Americans in that regard. Chairman Schriver, mentioning the meeting of the United Nations in New York, underlined the fact that Taiwan is not there, and pointed out that this is a reminder of China’s increasing pressure to isolate Taiwan and to prevent its meaningful participation in the UN, UN affiliated agencies, and other international organizations. However, he noted, it is also a reminder of Taiwan’s innovative approach to meaningful participation in regional and global affairs. Taiwan, he continued, is a generous country in its own relief efforts for neighboring countries and for countries out of the region, such as in its assistance during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and, more recently, assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Despite the isolation, he said, Taiwan continues to be a tremendous regional and global citizen, which he believes will continue under President Lai’s leadership. Chairman Schriver stated that they are here to learn about Taiwan’s current situation and priorities as well as how they, as friends and strong advocates of Taiwan, can help when they return to Washington to promote international support as well as speak out for Taiwan. Chairman Schriver said that the overall Taiwan-US relationship is healthy, but noted that there is work to do. He expressed his hope that Taiwan and the US can keep deepening cooperation in such areas as trade and security, including the timely delivery of military equipment procured from the US. In closing, the chairman once again thanked President Lai for receiving the delegation.
Details
2025-10-07
President Lai interviewed by The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
President Lai Ching-te recently met with Stephen Yates, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center; Buck Sexton, host of the American radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show; and Mr. Sexton’s brothers Mason and Keats. President Lai was also interviewed by Buck Sexton and responded to questions regarding cross-strait relations, the regional landscape, national defense, the economic and trade partnership between Taiwan and the United States, and Taiwan’s social welfare policies. The interview was broadcast on the early morning of October 7. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: One of the things we’ve noticed that has already gotten some attention back in the States is the sense of civic responsibility here, how respectful and law-biding everyone is, how safe everyone feels on your streets. It is inspiring to tell Americans about this. I also wanted to ask you about the situation right now with your neighbor, China. There’s obviously a lot of global concern about a sense of rhetoric heating up, a sense that there is a pathway now that is becoming more imminent that there could be a crisis. How do you want to describe the situation right now, for specifically an American audience? President Lai: First of all, I am very glad that you have seen a lot of things during your stay in Taiwan and that you are having a fruitful trip so far. I also want to thank you for commending our civil society. In the international community, Taiwan is often lauded as being a place where the most beautiful scenery is actually its people. Recently, due to a typhoon, a barrier lake overflowed in Hualien, causing a significant number of injuries and deaths. Streets and houses were covered in mud. Taiwanese society mobilized to help people affected. We had a long holiday weekend this past weekend. On the first day, 30,000 people traveled to Hualien to offer assistance. And on both the second and third days, another 40,000 went, meaning that over 100,000 people, of their own accord, took their shovels to help those affected. In our society, these people were referred to “superheroes with shovels.” So you can feel that in Taiwan there is a lot of warmth. People are kind. So our streets, at nighttime or daytime, are generally very safe. Your question was about Taiwan’s relations with China. I very much hope that everyone in the world who pays attention to Taiwan-China issues can be clear about several things. Firstly, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC. China does not have the right to invade Taiwan. Secondly, China has been holding military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, undermining peace and stability in the region. So it is China – not Taiwan – that is disrupting the cross-strait status quo. The fact that the Taiwanese people seek to protect their sovereignty and pursue a way of life based on democracy, freedom, and human rights should not be seen as a provocation against China. Thirdly, even though Taiwan is facing increasing threats from China, Taiwan has not given up on seeking peace and mutual prosperity across the strait. We understand that peace is priceless and that there are no winners in war. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential elements of global security and prosperity. Our pursuit of peace is an ideal, not a fantasy. We believe that to achieve peace, there must be strength. Since taking office, I have implemented the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. The first pillar is strengthening Taiwan’s national defense. Our defense spending, as defined by NATO, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP next year. And this will increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. We are procuring arms from the United States and partners across the international community. At the same time, we are promoting indigenous defense capabilities. We will work with the international community to codevelop arms, including R&D, design, and manufacturing. This will allow the domestic defense industry to grow and contribute to Taiwan’s security. Drones, unmanned submarines, and robotics are all areas that Taiwan will prioritize in the future. The second pillar is enhancing our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China. But last year, this number was only 7 percent. The United States is now Taiwan’s largest destination for outbound investment. In other words, we are not putting all of our eggs in the same basket. We hope that Taiwan’s industries will be rooted in Taiwan, deploy globally, and market across the world. This will not only strengthen our economy but also make it more resilient, thereby safeguarding Taiwan’s security. The third pillar is standing together with the United States and other free and democratic countries to bolster joint deterrence. This will allow us to prevent war by preparing for one. And fourthly, Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with China based on parity and dignity. Through exchanges and cooperation, we can achieve the goal of peace and mutual prosperity. I noticed that US President Donald Trump once said publicly that Xi Jinping actually called him and stated that he would not attack Taiwan during President Trump’s term in office. We hope that Taiwan will continue to enjoy the support of President Trump. If he is able to convince Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan, President Trump will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize. Q: If you could speak directly to President Trump about Taiwan’s situation right now, the security situation more specifically, what would you want him to know? President Lai: If I had the chance to meet President Trump in person and talk about the current cross-strait situation, I would suggest that he take note of the fact that Xi Jinping is not just holding ever-larger military exercises in the Taiwan Strait but expanding China’s military deployment in the South and East China Seas. China’s military exercises now extend across the Indo-Pacific region. Its aircraft carriers are moving beyond the first island chain and second island chain. And its northern fleet even sailed around Japan for a week. Chinese naval vessels also conducted live-fire exercises in Australia’s exclusive economic zone. The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is changing constantly, and tensions are rising. So the issue is not only a possible annexation of Taiwan. If it is able to annex Taiwan, China will be in a stronger position to compete with the United States and alter the rules-based international order. This would eventually also impact US interests. So we hope that President Trump can continue to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is determined to ensure its national security. We will fulfill our responsibility and work with free and democratic countries to maintain regional peace and stability. Q: Because America has learned some difficult lessons about foreign policy and foreign policy intervention, there is a focus on partners who will carry their weight for their own defense and have a willingness to fight. If anyone in America, policymaker or citizen, has a question about whether Taiwan is willing to defend its own sovereignty, what would you say to them? President Lai: I would tell them that Taiwan is absolutely determined to ensure its own national security. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. So when Taiwan looks after its own national security, it shows that Taiwan is committed to protecting regional peace and stability as well. That is why, as I mentioned before, we are continuing to increase our national defense budget. So during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s term, the national defense budget was increased from 1.9 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent. Next year, it will reach 3.32 percent. And we hope to increase this to 5 percent by 2030. This would be five years earlier than NATO’s own goal. Also, we have established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee under the Office of the President. This committee brings various sectors of Taiwan together and combines the strengths of the public and private sectors to carry out exercises and drills that enhance whole-of-society defense. I also convened a high-level national security meeting in which we defined the Chinese Communist Party regime as a foreign hostile force; and I proposed 17 strategies to address the five major threats we face from China. These will translate into more than a hundred amendments to our national security laws, which will be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan during the current session. This will put Taiwan on a stronger legal footing, bolster its national defense, and allow people to contribute their power toward safeguarding our nation and protecting regional peace and stability. I believe that people help those who help themselves. So I very much agree with your idea that Taiwan and other countries should meet their own responsibilities. Only by helping ourselves can we expect help from others. And when we show unity and work together, that is when deterrence is at its strongest; and that is when we will be able to safeguard peace and stability in the world. Q: Obviously, there’s a tremendous global and American, specifically, interest in artificial intelligence and the future of it. Also very interesting is the incredible facility that TSMC has built and is building out more in Arizona. I would like to ask you to speak to the economic partnership, specifically in advanced technology, microchip manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, and the relationship between Taiwan and America going forward, and how you view that to grow and bring prosperity for both countries. President Lai: So we all know that Taiwan’s technology industry has performed well. This is the result of decades of cooperation among Taiwan’s industries, government, academia, and R&D sector, as well as the support of the Taiwanese people. But I must also note with appropriate humility that TSMC and the Taiwanese semiconductor industry are still only one part of a bigger ecosystem, and do not represent the whole system. So if you look at the entire semiconductor ecosystem, the United States is strong in areas such as innovation, R&D, and design. And it is also the biggest market. Japan is strong in raw materials and related equipment. And the Republic of Korea, they have flash memory. Taiwan’s strength is in wafer manufacturing. And the Netherlands makes the critical equipment that is used to make semiconductors. But in the whole ecosystem, you can see that around 80 percent of profits go to the United States. So for semiconductors, I would say the United States is still the leader in this ecosystem. Looking ahead, as we face the AI era, every nation in the semiconductor ecosystem will be extremely important. And the United States will continue to lead the world in this. So Taiwan is very willing to work with the United States to achieve this goal. We want to help the United States reindustrialize and become a global AI hub. We want the United States to continue to lead the world in this new AI era and we want to help make America great again. So with regard to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, we see it as an important responsibility in terms of ensuring the world’s future prosperity. That is why the Taiwan government has been very supportive of TSMC’s investments in the United States and Japan, as well as Germany. In the future, when the United States has reindustrialized and become a global AI hub, I am sure that TSMC will continue to play a crucial role. Q: Over the course of meetings with various members of your government, I learned something very interesting that has to do with family formation, a problem we have also started to look at in America. It will be very interesting, I think, to the American audience, to hear of countries that are trying to use policy to address issues like encouraging marriage and encouraging children so that a society can replenish – so that there is replenishment and there is resiliency. Could you please speak to some of the ways that you are encouraging people to have more kids here? What is Taiwan doing and how are those initiatives going so far? President Lai: I am very glad that you look positively at what we have been doing in Taiwan. Actually, Taiwan’s policies were made with reference to what the United States and other countries have been doing. Concerning our strategies: first, the government is supporting families in jointly raising children from birth to six years old by providing monthly subsidies. Tuition is also free for both public and private high schools and vocational schools. We also have a long-term care system for senior citizens. Across Taiwan, there are some 15,000 service centers with around 100,000 long-term care staff who look after seniors over the age of 65 as well as people with disabilities so that they can receive quality care. Young people who want to get married and have children are given priority in applying for social housing. If they want to buy a home, they can get government funding to subsidize the interest on their mortgage. And if they are renting, they can get a rent subsidy from the government. For couples who are having problems conceiving, the government subsidizes fertility treatment. We are also cutting taxes. Taiwan’s government is currently investing more in our society and cutting taxes by more than ever before in our history. These initiatives will help our young people feel confident that they can get married, have children, and will be able to raise them. I note that President Trump is also cutting taxes. We want to reduce the burden on households so that more people can start a family. This will promote social stability, prosperity, development, and continual growth for the country.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (October 8):
Question:
“The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” announced that the Government will streamline the procedures to expedite the approval process of applications for outside seating accommodation (OSA) of restaurants and introduce a licensing arrangement allowing operators to let dogs enter their food premises. There are views that the measures relating to OSA and allowing dogs to enter food premises are conducive to the expansion of business opportunities for food premises, thereby effectively unleashing the economic vitality of the community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of applications for OSA licences of restaurants received and approved by the Government over the past three years, as well as the average number of days for vetting and approving those applications and the success rate; the anticipated average number of working days to be shortened to in vetting and approving those applications following the introduction of measures to expedite the approval process of OSA applications; whether there are plans to introduce artificial intelligence technologies to streamline the approval process; if so, of the specific timetable for implementing such technologies;
(2) of the following information regarding restaurants approved by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to set up OSA in the past three years: (i) the number of prosecutions in respect of contraventions relating to OSA in each year; (ii) the average amount of fine and highest penalty imposed in such prosecution cases; (iii) the number of restaurants which had their restaurant licenses revoked due to contraventions relating to OSA; and (iv) the average amount of Government rent paid by restaurants for setting up OSA;
(3) while introducing measures to expedite the approval process for OSA applications of restaurants, whether it will review the clauses for setting up OSA, e.g. requiring restaurants located in areas with high daytime but low nigh-time pedestrian flows to set up OSA during night time only; whether flexible approval procedures and management standards can be put in place for OSA applications of restaurants near venues of special events, such as those organising “a mega event in every district”, so as to stimulate the economic vitality of the community and meet the operational needs during the mega events; and
(4) of the details of the research conducted by the Government on allowing dogs to enter food premises, including whether it has examined the specific practices of allowing dogs to enter food premises in the Mainland and overseas countries and regions (e.g. the type of applicable premises, conditions for dog access, operational management regulations, health safeguards and dispute resolution mechanism); whether relevant management measures and code of practice for the licensing arrangement allowing operators to let dogs enter their food premises would be developed based on the research findings, with a view to achieving a pet-friendly community while safeguarding restaurants and public health security?
Reply:
President,
The Government announced in “The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address” that to further expedite the approval process of applications for outside seating accommodation (OSA) of restaurants, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will adopt a new way by proactively co-ordinating various relevant departments to undergo “joint-vetting” to resolve the matter together, and when necessary, escalate the process regarding complicated applications to the relevant Permanent Secretary or even the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration for steer, at the same time, the procedures will be streamlined. In consultation with the Lands Department, the reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Rock Chen is as follows:
(1) In the past three years, the number of applications for OSA of restaurants received by the FEHD, the processing time, cases approved and success rate are as follows:
2022
2023
2024
Number of applications
73
98
93
Approvals granted (Note 1)
37
32
63
Median processing time (months)
19
23
16
Success rate (Note 2)
41%
40%
30%
Notes:
(1) Included cases where applications were made that year or earlier but approved that year.
(2) Calculated based on the year when application was received, by dividing the number of cases received that year and approved as of August 2025 by all applications received that year (including applications later withdrawn, given up by the applicants or rejected).
The processing time of applications varies depending on the time needed for the applicant to comply with licensing requirements, handle objections from the public or relevant departments, and resolve land and other issues. It is expected that with the streamlined procedures and the “joint-vetting” mechanism, applications which are simple and straightforward could be approved within about a month. Relevant departments are working on the arrangements for streamlining the workflow so as to set concrete target timelines.
The FEHD has also been actively applying AI technology in various areas of its work to enhance effectiveness, such as tackling fly-tipping and monitoring rodent infestation. It will continue to explore applying such technology in different areas of work to further enhance efficiency.
(2) In the past three years, prosecutions and fines imposed against restaurants with approved OSA due to OSA-related breaches are as follows:
Year
Number of prosecutions
Average fine ($)
Maximum fine ($)
2022
62
1,222
5,000
2023
72
1,614
6,500
2024
57
1,818
6,500
During the same period, no restaurant licences were revoked as a result of these violations.
Regarding land rent, for applications to set up OSA on Government land, the Lands Department or departments managing the relevant land lot will, after consulting relevant departments, generally issues land licences or short-term tenancies, based on the specific circumstances of the land use. As of end-August 2025, the relevant annual fees for approved land licences or short-term tenancies are:
Approval Type
Average Fee
Land licence
About $3.4 per square metre
Short-term tenancy
About $630 per square metre
Note: The actual fees payable for each case vary depending on the location of the land.
(3) The FEHD will coordinate relevant departments to undergo “joint-vetting” to resolve matter together and at the same time, streamline procedures, including adopting standardised Government rent for OSA, and allowing some applications to proceed without the requirement for increasing kitchen area and bathroom facilities. As for applications involving walkways with a remaining width of three metres or more after the provision of OSA, they will generally be considered as meeting the basic traffic requirements and do not have to be reviewed case-by-case. The Government will launch internal guidelines on the new “joint-vetting” mechanism to expedite applications for OSA of restaurants in Q4 2025 for implementation by departments.
At present, many large-scale events provide catering services. When vetting relevant licence applications, the FEHD and other relevant departments will liaise closely with event organisers to develop suitable licensing conditions that take into account the venue and operational needs, so as to facilitate the events and ensure food safety, environmental hygiene and fire safety etc.
(4) The Government announced in the Policy Address that restaurant operators will be allowed to apply for permission to let dogs enter their food premises, creating new business opportunities for the industry. The Government will consult relevant trades and draw reference from practices and experiences on the Mainland and overseas, in order to formulate the implementation details of letting dogs enter food premises. Approved restaurants must display clear signage so that the public can make an informed choice, and have to comply with specified requirements and arrangements so as to balance the safeguarding of food safety and environmental hygiene, as well as the interests of the trade and consumers.
The FEHD expects to grant permission to the first batch of applications by mid-2026, permitting a certain number of restaurants to allow dogs to enter. The Government will monitor the implementation, industry uptake and community response, and refine the details of operation as necessary.
This year’s “Cheers!” Series will be held from November to February 2026, with nine visiting and local performing groups offering a diverse programme of family entertainment, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department announced today.
Featuring five international award-winning productions and four local shows, the series will include acrobatic and circus performances, puppetry, dance, theatre, multimedia shows and musicals.
It will begin with the puppetry musical Jack and the Beanstalk,with dubbing in Cantonese, by the Theater Company Hikosen from Japan.
Local productions include a performance of The Messiah by the Hong Kong Oratorio Society; a multimedia children’s show, One Lap – 16000km: The Little Penguin’s Way Home, by the puppet theatre troupe Make Friends With Puppet; a “non-verbal full mask theatre” show, Plastic Island, by Free-To-Play; and The Making of the Perfect Mulan by the tap dance company R&T.
Tickets for the series are now available from URBTIX.