Category: MIL-OSI

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Mediation HQ building completed

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

With the renovation project for the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) headquarters building completed, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Cui Jianchun visited the headquarters building today.

The renovation project completion signifies that the building is fully equipped and ready to serve as the IOMed headquarters and for other related purposes in the future.

Mr Lam and Mr Cui toured various areas including the main lobby, conference rooms, mediation rooms and exhibition areas of the headquarters, and were briefed on the revitalisation process and facilities.

The IOMed headquarters building was converted from the Old Wan Chai Police Station, a Grade 2 historic building. The design principle of the conversion was to complement the image and functionality of the IOMed headquarters by preserving the original architectural features of the old police station while adopting minimal and reversible alterations.

As the first international intergovernmental legal organisation dedicated to the use of mediation in resolving international disputes, the IOMed headquarters is located in a landmark architectural building in the central business district of Hong Kong.

This not only accentuates the special international status of the IOMed and accommodates its operational needs, but also fosters the conservation and revitalisation of the Old Wan Chai Police Station, reflecting the emphasis and determination of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in preserving and revitalising historical buildings.

With the proactive efforts of the Hong Kong SAR Government and co-operation from various parties, the headquarters building project was completed quickly and efficiently in about a year and a half, fulfilling the target set out in the supplement of last year’s Policy Address, to enable the official establishment of the IOMed headquarters in Hong Kong after the entry into force of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation.

Following the completion of the project, the headquarters building will be officially handed over to the IOMed Preparatory Office on August 1 to make good preparation use for the establishment and opening of the IOMed.

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Drone utilisation explained

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung explained today that the disciplined and auxiliary services utilise drones of different sizes, and related systems, to enhance operational efficency and make better use of manpower resources.

Mr Tang was outlining the scope of tasks performed by the departments’ unmanned aircraft in response to questions raised by lawmaker Chan Yuet-ming.

To assist in investigations and evidence collection, he said the Police Force, the Customs & Excise Department and the Immigration Department all use drones with high-resolution cameras to capture video at crime scenes, especially in rural areas and at sea, where access is relatively difficult.

He added that in May the force launched a Pilot Scheme for Operational Deployment of Drones, which involves using drones to perform patrols in the Border District and Kowloon West Region.

In the Border District, the force deploys an automated drone docking system that leverages smart planning of flight paths to enable automatic patrol operations. Meanwhile, in Kowloon West Region, patrol coverage is expanded through flexible deployment of drones for high-altitude patrols.

Mr Tang highlighted that since the pilot scheme was launched, drones have helped Police in four separate cases, leading to three people being arrested.

The force will look at ways to enhance the pilot scheme and have scheduled its expansion to Cheung Chau Division and the Central District in the fourth quarter of this year.

On the use of drones for monitoring crowds and traffic flows at large‑scale events, the security chief said potential safety hazards are promptly identified through real-time images recorded by the drones. Moreover, using a drone system capable of hovering at designated locations for extended periods of time allows the force to send safety reminders to members of the public.

When it comes to searching for missing people, the Police Force, the Fire Services Department and the Civil Aid Service all use drones to surmount harsh conditions and quickly reach difficult locations such as cliffs and mountains. Throughout the rescue process, drones can also conduct surveillance to ensure site safety.

Moreover, drones can take high-definition photographs of debris that can be used in the production of three-dimensional models, thereby facilitating the planning of rescue operations by ground rescue personnel.

Mr Tang elaborated that in firefighting, drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras are used by the Fire Services Department to monitor temperature changes at fire scenes from multiple angles in the air. Based on such data, incident commanders can work out firefighting strategies and devise entry and evacuation routes to enhance operational efficiency and ensure the safety of rescue workers.

Furthermore, to strengthen the security of prisons and detention facilities, drone technology is employed by the Correctional Services Department and the Immigration Department to assist in facility inspections – for example, examining deterioration in boundary fencing and checking roof-tops for anomalous objects – and to help with emergency response actions.

The security chief stressed that in applying drone technology, the disciplined and auxiliary services exercise stringent control and supervision to ensure their operations comply with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

The departments also strictly follow the Guidance on CCTV Surveillance & Use of Drones, issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, to avoid unnecessary proximity to the public and residential areas, he added.

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LCQ17: Repair and maintenance of external walls of buildings

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ17: Repair and maintenance of external walls of buildings 
Question:
 
Some flat owners of buildings in old districts have relayed to me that titles to the external walls of many buildings in Hong Kong are held by the original developers of those buildings. However, quite a number of these developers have ceased operations over the years following completion of the buildings. The Government has assumed ownership of the external walls of buildings held by some of such developers after their liquidation. There are also cases in which the external walls of buildings are left unattended, be turned into “abandoned structures” and become dilapidated. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of private buildings in Hong Kong where titles to their external walls are not unified (including buildings with incomplete titles to part or the whole of their external walls); of the number of private buildings with titles to their external walls taken over by the Government due to the fact that the developer concerned has gone into liquidation, and the government departments involved in managing such titles, together with a breakdown of the names and numbers of such buildings by District Council (DC) district;
 
(2) how the Government will handle the issue concerning the responsibilities for repair and maintenance of the external walls arising from private buildings with incomplete titles to their external walls and those with titles to their external walls taken over by the Government as mentioned in (1), e.g. whether the Government has transferred the titles to the external walls under its possession to the owners’ corporations (OC(s)) of the relevant buildings at nominal cost; if so, of the number of successful cases of title transfer, and the number of OCs refusing acceptance of such transfer, together with a breakdown by DC district;
 
(3) of the measures in place to ensure structural safety of the external walls of the buildings where titles to the external walls have been taken over by the Government; whether there have been cases in the past five years where dilapidated external walls of such buildings caused injuries to pedestrians and the Government was required to assume responsibility for compensation; if so, of the details; and
 
(4) how the Government will handle the situation mentioned in (1) above in which the titles to the external walls of buildings are incomplete while their external walls are posing immediate danger; whether the Government has assumed any responsibility for repair and maintenance and paid for the relevant works; if so, of the total amount of repairs or maintenance costs incurred by the Government in the past, together with a breakdown by DC district?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The Government has all along been emphasising that building owners should properly maintain and repair their buildings. Apart from extending the life of their buildings, danger to the occupants or the general public arising from dilapidation can also be avoided. Generally speaking, the Deeds of Mutual Covenant (DMCs) of a building, being a private contract, stipulate the rights and obligations among the parties concerned (i.e. owners, managers and developers), including management of the common parts of buildings and other related matters, as well as bearing of the relevant maintenance costs, etc. Some DMCs also specify the titles to and the management right of external walls. In fact, owners may manage the common parts (including external walls) of their buildings and other related matters by forming owners’ corporations (OCs), owners’ committees and engaging licensed property management companies.
 
The Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344) also stipulates the responsibilities for management and maintenance of the common parts of a property. Moreover, the Urban Renewal Authority has launched an all-in-one Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme, providing financial assistance and technical support to building owners, including support for owners to carry out comprehensive maintenance works for the common areas of their buildings. The Home Affairs Department also provides assistance and support to OCs in handling building management matters (including maintenance of the external walls of buildings).
 
Our reply, prepared in consultation with the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan is as follows:
 
(1) As the titles to different parts of buildings and the responsibilities for managing their common parts are stipulated in the DMCs, which are private contractual agreements, the Government has not compiled statistics on the number of private buildings in Hong Kong where titles to their external walls are not unified (including buildings with incomplete titles to part or the whole of their external walls).
 
For properties owned by companies, if the company, pursuant to the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) or the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32), completes the procedures for winding up and is about to dissolve, every property and right (such as including some properties that are yet to be sold in the market) vested in or held on trust for the company immediately before the dissolution is vested in the Government as bona vacantia. Among these, land properties are “bona vacantia properties” (including their external walls). In general, the Lands Department (LandsD) will dispose of the titles to the external walls (bona vacantia external walls) of the aforesaid buildings which are vested in the Government as bona vacantia by way of sale (please see part (2) for details). Unsold bona vacantia external walls will continue to be managed by the LandsD.
 
As of June 2025, there are a total of 56 cases involving bona vacantia external walls which have been taken over and are still managed by the LandsD, the details of which (by District Council district) are set out at Annex 1. Given some of the bona vacantia external walls taken over by the LandsD only account for a portion of the overall ownership of the external walls, the LandsD will shoulder the management and maintenance responsibilities corresponding to its share of interests in the external walls in accordance with the DMCs.
 
(2) In general, the LandsD will dispose of bona vacantia properties that it has taken over by way of sale. However, as the titles to external walls are not suitable for sale in the open market, the LandsD will normally invite the OC of the buildings concerned to take over the ownership of bona vacantia external walls at a nominal fee (i.e. $1,000). Since 2010, the LandsD has successfully transferred the titles of 24 cases of bona vacantia external walls to the OCs of the buildings concerned by sale. A list of these buildings is set out at Annex 2.
 
Among the 56 cases of bona vacantia external walls currently managed by the LandsD as mentioned in part (1), the LandsD has officially invited the OCs of the buildings concerned to take over the titles of 13 cases, but the OCs have yet to respond. A list of the buildings concerned is set out at Annex 3. The LandsD is arranging initial negotiation with the relevant OCs regarding the transfer of titles for the other 42 cases. As for the remaining case, there is no plan for transfer for the time being as no OC has been formed in the building. So far, no OC has explicitly rejected the offer regarding bona vacantia external walls, and the LandsD will continue to negotiate with the relevant OCs on the transfer matters.
 
Generally speaking, for buildings where titles to their external walls are not unified (i.e. not held by a single owner or company) or are incomplete (e.g. individual titles are unclear), the OCs or the owners should jointly negotiate and bear the responsibilities for management and maintenance of external walls in accordance with the DMCs.
 
(3) For bona vacantia external walls managed by the LandsD, the department bears the same responsibilities as other owners. The LandsD staff will inspect the conditions of external walls on a regular basis and, if necessary, will arrange for works contractors to carry out repairs as appropriate to ensure their structural safety and that they are in a good state. According to the records of the LandsD, there has not been any case of injuries to pedestrians due to dilapidation of bona vacantia external walls under its management.
 
(4) The Buildings Department (BD) has been adopting a multi-pronged approach to ensure the safety of private buildings. Regardless of ownership status, if it is found that a building, including its external walls, poses an imminent danger to the public, the BD will arrange for government contractors to carry out emergency works and subsequently recover the relevant works costs, supervision fees, and surcharges from the owners. In other words, the relevant fees should be ultimately borne by the owners, rather than the BD.
 
Regarding the bona vacantia external walls managed by the LandsD mentioned in part (1) above, none of the concerned cases require intervention or repair works by the BD due to imminent danger. 
Issued at HKT 17:30

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Government releases “Report on Hong Kong’s Business Environment: Unique Strengths under ‘One Country, Two Systems'”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (July 30) released the “Report on Hong Kong’s Business Environment: Unique Strengths under ‘One Country, Two Systems'”. The report provides all sectors of the community and Mainland and overseas investors with details on Hong Kong’s latest developments and strengths, comprehensively showcasing Hong Kong’s open, safe, stable, efficient and internationalised business environment. The report has been uploaded to the “Hong Kong Economy” website: www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/environment/index.htm

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Civil group petition for public hearing on the Taiwan’s Knowledge Economy Flagship Park project. MOEA to handle with prudence, in accordance with law and transparency.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On June 30, 2025, representatives from civil groups including the Taiwan Fenghezi association and the Environmental Rights Foundation visited the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and held a press conference to voice concerns regarding the pre-hearing briefing for the “Taiwan Knowledg Economy Flagship Park Project”. The MOEA has acknowledged and takes these concerns seriously. The MOEA will continue to clarify responsibilities and procedural requirements with relevant agencies to ensure full compliance with legal procedures and the principles of public participation.
Civil groups raised several key issues, including whether the MOEA holds the authority to conduct hearings for the entire 400-hectare area, questions regarding the site and scope of the major development, concerns over procedural legality, and the suggestion to hold a preparatory hearing. In response, the MOEA stated that the “pre-hearing briefing” scheduled for July 5, 2025, is being held in accordance with the resolution made during the 14th special task force meeting of the Ministry of the Interior’s Urban Planning committee in 2024. The purpose is to broadly gather public opinions and ensure that the public is well informed about the project details and hearing procedures.
The MOEA emphasized the opinions collected during the pre-hearing briefing will serve as references for future reviews conducted by the Hinchu County Government and the Urban Planning Committee of the Ministry of the Interior. The

The MOEA emphasized that the opinions collected during the pre-hearing briefing will serve as references for future reviews conducted by the Hsinchu County Government and the Urban Planning Committee of the Ministry of the Interior. The MOEA reaffirms its commitment to lawful administration and transparency, and will carefully handle this case while openly incorporating diverse viewpoints, to uphold public participation rights and promote legally sound and legitimate decision-making in public policy.

Spokesman: Tseng, Chu-Fen (Deputy Director General, BIP)
Contact Number: 886-2-26558300 ext. 9602
Email: cftseng@bip.gov.tw

Contact Person: Lin, Yi-Wun (Taipei Office, BIP)
Contact Number: 886-2-265-58300 ext. 9501
Email: ywlin1@bip.gov.tw

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LCQ10: Promoting virtual asset development

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (July 30):
 
Question:
 
     In 2022 and this year, the SAR Government promulgated two policy statements on the development of virtual assets (VA) in Hong Kong respectively, explicitly positioning the city as a premier global hub for digital assets and taking forward various legislative and regulatory measures. These include the passage of the Stablecoins Bill and the introduction of a licensing regime for VA service providers (the licensing regime). However, some industry participants have expressed concerns about whether the existing policies can strike an appropriate balance between investor protection and innovation promotion, and how Hong Kong will address international competition (such as the regulatory frameworks for stablecoins established by the United States and Singapore). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) as there are views that under the existing licensing regime, only 10 institutions from both local and overseas markets have been granted licences, and that the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)’s approval speed lags behind that of competitors such as Singapore, whether the authorities have drawn up a specific timetable to further streamline the licensing process, in order to attract more compliant enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong; whether it will draw reference from international standards (such as the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) to develop a more flexible regulatory sandbox mechanism that encourage trials of financial technology;
 
(2) whether the authorities will, within the next three years, regularise the issuance of tokenised bonds and extend this to other asset classes (such as real estate or private equity funds); how the Government will resolve the current lack of uniformity in cross-institutional tokenisation standards, for example, whether it will establish a co-ordination mechanism jointly with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, SFC and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; and
 
(3) whether it will strengthen co-operation with relevant Mainland institutions (such as the Digital Currency Institute of the People’s Bank of China) and international organisations (such as the International Monetary Fund), in order to establish cross-boundary agreements on VA regulation and anti-money laundering initiatives?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government issued the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong (Policy Statement 2.0) in June 2025. Building on the first policy statement released in October 2022, Policy Statement 2.0 reaffirms the Government’s commitment to positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset field.
 
     One of the key focuses of Policy Statement 2.0 is enhancing the legal and regulatory framework. A comprehensive regulatory framework provides a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the digital asset sector. Following the implementation of the licensing regime for digital asset trading platforms in June 2023, the Stablecoins Ordinance will come into effect on August 1 this year. At the same time, the Government and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) are consulting the public on the licensing regimes for digital asset dealing service and custodian service providers, with a view to formulating the legislative proposals as soon as practicable. Upon the completion of the legislative work, the regulatory framework in Hong Kong will provide comprehensive coverage of the key nodes of the digital asset industry, balancing risk management and investor protection, while providing favourable conditions for market development and financial innovation.
 
     After consulting the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the SFC, and the Hong Kong Police Force, our reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
 
(1) As of early July 2025, the SFC has officially granted licences to 11 digital asset trading platforms with both local and overseas background, and is processing an additional nine licence applications. The time required to process licence applications regarding digital asset trading platform varies, depending on various factors such as the completeness of the information provided by the applicants, the adequacy of the supporting documents submitted by the applicants, and the time taken by the applicants to respond to requests for further information during the SFC’s assessment process.
 
     Based on the practical experience in processing licence applications, the SFC from time to time reviews and enhances relevant procedures to help applicants better understand the SFC’s regulatory expectations, thereby reducing the time required for licence assessments. In this regard, the SFC launched a swift licensing process in June 2024, under risk-based on-site inspections would be conducted on those deemed-to-be-licensed digital asset trading platform applicants. During the process, the SFC would communicate direct with the senior management and ultimate controllers of the relevant applicants about regulatory standards, so as to reduce the time required for granting relevant licences.
 
     Subsequently, the SFC expanded in January 2025 the scope of the swift licensing process to include all new applicants for a digital asset trading platform licence. Under the swift licensing process, applicants are required to first establish internal policies, procedures, systems and monitoring measures, which must then undergo external assessment. The SFC acts as one of the parties overseeing the entire external assessment process. The SFC continues to review the circumstances in respect of applications for a digital asset trading platform licence, with a view to facilitating more digital asset trading platform operators from diverse backgrounds to commence business in Hong Kong.
 
     In addition, to promote financial innovation, regulatory authorities such as the HKMA, the SFC, and the Insurance Authority have established various regulatory sandbox mechanisms. These enable innovative use cases in tokenisation, blockchain, generative AI (artificial intelligence) and insurance technology to be tested under a risk-controlled environment before their actual application, while receiving technical support and regulatory feedback from the regulatory authorities. The design of these sandboxes has taken reference to both local and overseas experience to foster a healthy and sustainable environment for the market, helping financial institutions seize opportunities and responsibly adopt financial technologies.
 
(2) The Government made two issuances of tokenised green bonds in 2023 and 2024, which demonstrated the benefits of tokenisation and were well received by the market. The two issuances represented the first tokenised green bond issued by a government and the first multi-currency digitally native tokenised bonds in the world respectively. In the 2025-26 Budget, the Government announced the regularisation of tokenised bond issuance, and the HKMA is currently preparing for the third issuance.
 
     As highlighted in Policy Statement 2.0, the Government recognises the potential of tokenisation of traditional financial products and real-world assets. The Government has also observed growing interest among financial institutions in tokenising traditional financial instruments, and that more and more intermediaries are exploring tokenisation of securities and distributing tokenised securities. In fact, the SFC issued “Circular on intermediaries engaging in tokenised securities-related activities” and “Circular on tokenisation of SFC-authorised investment products” in November 2023, providing guidance to intermediaries on managing new risks posed by tokenisation technology and related investment products, thereby promoting the steady, responsible and sustainable development of the tokenisation market.
 
     Building on the above, the SFC authorised in 2024 the first tokenised investment product for retail access in Hong Kong. That is a gold token that allows investors to acquire fractional ownership of physical gold. In the first quarter of 2025, the SFC further authorised three retail tokenised money market funds, which were the first in the Asia Pacific region. As of the end of March 2025, these funds had a total of over $700 million assets under management.
 
     Meanwhile, through the HKMA’s Project Ensemble, we are actively encouraging innovative use cases, including the tokenisation of traditional financial products (e.g. money market funds and other funds) and revenue streams of real-world assets (e.g. electric vehicle charging stations). The SFC is a key partner of Project Ensemble, and has been working with the HKMA to promote the wider adoption of tokenisation in the asset management industry. The HKMA is also exploring the development of innovative financial market infrastructure, providing a unified technical foundation to facilitate interbank settlement of tokenised deposits.
 
(3) Hong Kong has been actively participating in international efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, including the development of standards and regulations relating to digital assets. In particular, Hong Kong’s regime for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing has been recognised by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the setter of relevant international standards, as both overall compliant and effective, especially in international co-operation.
 
     Currently, Hong Kong is participating in the discussion of the Virtual Assets Contact Group under the FATF, so as to keep abreast of the latest related risks in respect of money laundering and terrorist financing and to foster international collaboration in this area. Meanwhile, the HKMA is leading the Financial Stability Board’s review of the global implementation of the global regulatory framework for crypto-asset activities.
 
     In addition, the Joint Financial Intelligence Unit under the Hong Kong Police Force is a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, exchanging information with over 160 member financial intelligence units worldwide. This supports cross-jurisdiction enforcement and intelligence-sharing efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, including cases involving digital assets.
 
     At the same time, the anti-money laundering related agencies in the Mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region have established mechanisms for regular exchanges and close collaboration.
 
     The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, financial regulators and law enforcement agencies will continue to monitor the risks associated with money laundering, terrorist financing and digital assets. We will maintain close communication and collaboration with relevant international organisations and relevant agencies in other jurisdictions, including the Mainland.
 
     Hong Kong has also maintained close communication with regulators around the world on the regulation and developments of digital assets. As major regions around the world gradually implement regulatory regimes related to digital assets, Hong Kong will continue to exchange regulatory experience with the international community, strengthen cross-border/cross-boundary regulatory collaboration, and jointly promote financial stability and innovation.

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LCQ21: Enhancing public rental housing management

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Dominic Lee and a written reply by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, who is undertaking the duties of the Secretary for Housing, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, in the Legislative Council today (July 30):
 
Question:
 
     There are views that, in recent years, residents of public rental housing (PRH) have had differing opinions regarding the management services provided by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), however, the existing channels established by HA for collecting residents’ opinions are not sufficiently comprehensive. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective total number of opinions submitted by PRH residents to HA through telephone hotlines, Estate Management Advisory Committees, mail, and other channels in each of the past five years, with a breakdown by the nature of the opinions submitted (e.g. PRH maintenance, environmental hygiene, and community facilities); 
Reply: 
     Always upholding the values of “Caring”, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has been committed to providing quality public rental housing (PRH) to residents. Through professional management and maintenance, we strive to create a good living environment for residents in an attentive and responsible manner. Residents of public housing are our major service targets. We attach great importance to their expectations and needs. We will continue to maintain contact with residents and local stakeholders, to collect their opinions through various channels, and to listen to their views on how to enhance the living quality of residents in public housing with a view to enhancing their sense of well-being.
 
     In response to the question raised by the Hon Dominic Lee, in consultation with the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Home Affairs Department, our reply is as follows:
 
(1) The numbers of complaints and requests regarding estate management issues of PRH received by the HA from 2020 to 2024 are set out by year at Annex.
 
(2) to (6) The HA/Housing Department (HD) has been actively widening its communication channels with residents, and collecting opinions from PRH residents through both traditional and electronic means so as to enhance estate management services. The HD has placed suggestion boxes at the ground floor lobbies of domestic blocks in all estates. Apart from providing paper questionnaire surveys, the HD also printed QR code and hyperlinks to the electronic questionnaire survey on the notice for opinion collection to facilitate PRH residents to complete electronic questionnaires. Summaries of residents’ opinions collected through electronic questionnaires will be distributed to residents through the Estate Newsletter published in May and November every year, so that they are informed of the concerns of other residents about the management issues in their respective estates.
 
     Furthermore, the HA/HD regularly conducts Tenants’ Opinion Surveys to collect residents’ feedback on the performance of various estate service contractors (including estate property service agents, works contractors, cleaning and security service contractors). Residents can choose to complete paper questionnaires and opinion forms, answer electronic questionnaires, have telephone interviews or face-to-face interviews to express their opinions. Residents are also welcome to exchange views with the HD’s staff by making telephone calls or visiting estate management offices in person any time, or directly talk to estate staff during home visits to reflect their opinions.
 
     Additionally, the HD conducts the Public Housing Recurrent Survey (PHRS) biennially to collect views from households currently living in the HA’s PRH estates on housing-related matters. The matters include estate management, maintenance services for estate common areas and households’ premises, marking scheme for estate management enforcement, environmental facilities and initiatives in estates, as well as HA’s shopping facilities and parking arrangement in estates. The survey covers all PRH estates in Hong Kong, with PRH households selected for participation in interviews through random sampling to collect the views of PRH residents on the abovementioned matters. The survey results are announced at the HA’s Subsidised Housing Committee meetings and are made available for public’s review. The major findings of the latest PHRS can be downloaded from the HD’s website (www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/common/pdf/about-us/housing-authority/ha-paper-library/SHC6-20241EN.pdf 
     To further promote the application of innovative technologies in PRH estate management, the HA will launch a centralised property management platform this year. By leveraging data analysis and integrating digital technology into daily management operations, the platform aims to enhance management efficiency and improve service quality. The HA has also established a dedicated co-ordination team to oversee the trial of various innovative technologies across different management areas and review operational models, including updating workflows and manuals as well as providing appropriate training to staff. We will closely monitor relevant technological developments and introduce more innovative technologies as appropriate to optimise estate management works.
 
     When implementing improvement works projects in existing estates, the HA places great emphasis on the views and participation of residents. To ensure that the works projects can truly meet the needs of the residents, the HD adopts various means for public consultation to extensively collect suggestions from residents and stakeholders on the improvement works projects. This helps the project team formulate detailed design proposals more effectively.
 
     The improvement works project at Chak On Estate in Sham Shui Po is one of the innovative attempts. The HA held the “Let’s Go Well-being Chak On” Design Competition from January to May 2025 and invited the public to provide design proposals for the improvement works in the estate. The competition successfully attracted over 150 outstanding young designers and students to participate. They interpreted the concept of “Well-being Design” Guide through innovative and thoughtful designs, injecting new vitality into the communal spaces of Chak On Estate. All shortlisted teams engaged Chak On Estate residents in the co-creation processes and collected their views on the designs. Not only did the winning entries showcase the professionalism and creativity of the contestants, but they also reflected contestants’ careful attention to and understanding of the residents’ needs. This allowed residents to participate in the improvement works project of the estate in a novel way and enhanced their sense of belonging and pride.
 
     The HA has been actively promoting a caring and inclusive community and collaborates with non-governmental organisations and other government departments to organise various kinds of community building activities, strengthen mutual support among residents, and enhance community cohesion. To further deepen exchanges with local stakeholders, the HD has been organising regional estate management sharing sessions since the second quarter of this year. Local stakeholders including relevant District Council members were invited to participate in the sessions to exchange views and share their estate management experience. The HD staff also briefed the participants on the latest policies of the HA and related information, and directly listened to their suggestions and opinions on estate management.
 
     To further strengthen the attention and support for the elderly and the disabled, as well as to listen to their opinions, the PRH estate offices under the HA proactively assist the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) in promoting care activities, organising community events, and offering visits and support services for families in need (including elderly households, disabled individual, and carer households). Additionally, the HA partners with non-governmental organisations to host activities such as outreach visits every year. The LWB and the HD have strengthened their collaboration by integrating data from the Social Welfare Department’s elderly service users with the HD’s PRH residents’ data so as to identify high-risk hidden households. In mid-July 2025, a pilot scheme was launched in Kwun Tong District and Sha Tin District, inviting the Care Teams to proactively contact and visit these elderly, disabled individual and carer households to understand their needs and introduce relevant support services, etc. This scheme enables them to strengthen their support networks, to seek assistance in emergencies or when needed, and to be heard of their views on other services and estate management.
 
     The HA will continuously strive to optimise the communication mechanism and measures with PRH residents, provide diverse and convenient communication channels, so as to enhance public housing management standards, build a harmonious community and strengthen the sense of well-being and belonging of PRH residents. 

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IOMed headquarters building project completed (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

IOMed headquarters building project completed  
     Accompanied by the Director-General of the IOMed Preparatory Office, Dr Sun Jin, and the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, Mr Lam and Mr Cui toured various areas including the main lobby, conference rooms, mediation rooms and exhibition areas of the headquarters. They were briefed by the Director of Architectural Services, Mr Michael Li, on the revitalisation process and facilities of the building.
 
     The IOMed headquarters building was converted from the Old Wan Chai Police Station, a Grade-2 historic building. The design principle of the conversion was to complement the image and functionality of the IOMed headquarters by preserving the original architectural features of the old police station while adopting minimal and reversible alterations. As the first international intergovernmental legal organisation dedicated to the use of mediation in resolving international disputes, the IOMed headquarters is located in a landmark architectural building in the central business district of Hong Kong. This not only accentuates the special international status of the IOMed and accommodates its operational needs, but also fosters the conservation and revitalisation of the Old Wan Chai Police Station, reflecting the emphasis and determination of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in preserving and revitalising historical buildings.
 
     With the proactive efforts of the HKSAR Government and co-operation from various parties, the headquarters building project was completed quickly and efficiently in about a year and a half, fulfilling the target set out in the supplement of last year’s Policy Address, which aimed for the substantial completion of the headquarters building in mid-2025 to enable the offi­cial establishment of the IOMed headquarters in Hong Kong after the entry into force of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation. Following the completion of the project, the headquarters building will be officially handed over to the IOMed Preparatory Office on August 1 to make good preparation use for the establishment and opening of the IOMed. The Department of Justice will fully support the IOMed’s future work and is confident that, by leveraging synergy with various relevant regional or international organisations within Hong Kong’s legal hub, it will help consolidate Hong Kong’s positioning as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, and contribute to the development of foreign-related rule of law of the country and the promotion of national strategies such as the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Issued at HKT 15:00

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Posted on

LCQ16: Promoting gender mainstreaming

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Judy Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (July 30):

Question:

Since 2002, the Government has progressively implemented “gender mainstreaming” in its policy and programme areas, taking into account the perspectives and needs of both genders as one of the key considerations in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of legislation, policies and programmes. This ensures that both genders have equitable access to, and benefit from, society’s resources and opportunities. However, there are views that a number of existing reference documents and publications relating to gender mainstreaming (e.g. the Gender Mainstreaming Guidebook and related leaflets, as well as the Gender Mainstreaming Checklist for Government staff) have not been updated for more than 10 years, and their contents may no longer keep pace with current developments. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the details of the actual examples of gender mainstreaming implemented by various policy bureaux and government departments in the past three years;

(2) whether it knows the details of the future plans of the Women’s Commission to promote gender mainstreaming in various trades and industries and among the public; and

(3) whether it has plans to update the reference documents and publications relating to gender mainstreaming; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The reply to the question raised by the Hon Judy Chan is as follows:

Gender mainstreaming is a global strategy advocated by the United Nations for the promotion of women’s advancement and gender equality. It aims to ensure that the needs and perspectives of women and men are considered when conducting day-to-day work and making policies, so as to ensure that women and men have equitable access to, and benefit from, society’s resources and opportunities.

The Government attaches great importance in promoting gender mainstreaming within the Government by establishing a gender-sensitive decision-making process and systematically integrating gender perspectives and needs into the policy formulation process to fully implement gender mainstreaming. To assist government staff to implement gender mainstreaming, the Women’s Commission (WoC) developed a Gender Mainstreaming Checklist (the Checklist), which assisted government departments to adopt gender mainstreaming in a more systematic manner by answering a series of questions. Since April 1, 2015, all Government bureaux and departments shall refer to the Checklist and apply gender mainstreaming when formulating major government policies and initiatives. To date, the Government has reviewed over 1 800 policy papers, and relevant policies and initiatives have incorporated gender mainstreaming with reference to the Checklist prior to implementation, striving to ensure that the needs of women are taken into consideration. These initiatives are broad in scope, covering different policy areas and facility designs.

The Government is also committed to enhancing public servants’ understanding of gender-related issues and gender mainstreaming. To this end, the Government provides training for officers of different grades and ranks regularly. Since 2001, over 17 000 officers have received relevant training. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) also developed related e-learning courses for government officers’ reference.

The Government and the WoC have also been working closely to promote the concept of gender mainstreaming to all sectors of society through various channels. The HYAB and the WoC organise the International Women’s Day Reception every year to raise public awareness on various issues of common concern to women. The reception featured exhibition panels that introduced concepts including gender mainstreaming. Additionally, since September 2022, the WoC has been organising school talks for kindergarten and lower primary students to raise their gender awareness by introducing to students the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, promoting gender equality and challenging gender stereotype. Students are also taught on applying these concepts in daily lives. The WoC has organised 150 school talks so far.

Furthermore, the HYAB and the WoC have officially launched the “She Inspires” Mentorship Programme, which matches local female university students who aspire to pursue a career in the professional or business sectors with women leader mentors, and provides relevant training and activities. We will also take this opportunity to include gender-related training to let more young people understand the concept of gender mainstreaming. The HYAB and the WoC will also make good use of different platforms, including the luncheon with women leaders and the Family and Women Development Summit, to further promote gender mainstreaming to all sectors of society.

Gender mainstreaming is the United Nations’ key strategy to promote women’s interest and to achieve gender equality. The Government will review existing reference documents and tools related to gender mainstreaming from time to time and adjust their contents as necessary to ensure their applicability. We will also continue to publish articles or information related to gender mainstreaming and promote gender mainstreaming to the public through various channels, such as uploading articles related to gender mainstreaming to the one-stop family and women information portal launched in October 2024. The Government will continue to work hand in hand with the WoC to promote the well-being and interests of women through a three-pronged strategy, namely the provision of an enabling environment, empowerment of women through capacity building and public education.