MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

LCQ21: Enhancing Cantonese proficiency of non-ethnic Chinese 
Question:
 
It has been learnt that with the continuous increase in the Cantonese proficiency requirements for job seekers in various trades and industries in Hong Kong, quite a number of non-ethnic Chinese people face difficulties in securing employment due to the language barrier, and in particular, the limited availability of Cantonese courses is further restricting their learning channels. Some self-financing programmes offered by higher education institutions have been cancelled one after another due to under-enrolment, hindering non-ethnic Chinese people from enhancing their language proficiency and integrating into the community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will communicate with the universities funded by the University Grants Committee to encourage them to offer more Cantonese courses (such as those similar to the courses offered by the Yale-China Chinese Language Academy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong), particularly those designed specifically for non-ethnic Chinese people; if so, of the details (e.g. the estimated cost of the courses); if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) whether it has plans to collaborate with self-financing institutions and other educational institutions to offer more Cantonese learning courses targeting non-ethnic Chinese people, so as to enhance their language proficiency and employment competitiveness; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) whether it will consider setting up dedicated scholarships or subsidy schemes to encourage and assist non-ethnic Chinese people in enrolling in the relevant courses offered by various major Cantonese learning centres in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether it will consider launching summer Cantonese courses for non-ethnic Chinese youths, with a tailored design for the contents and mode of teaching and learning of such courses, so as to enhance their language proficiency and social confidence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) whether the Government has conducted any study or assessment in the past five years to analyse the actual Cantonese proficiency levels required by different industries in Hong Kong of their employees, as well as the impact on the employment of non-ethnic Chinese people; if so, of the findings of the relevant studies or assessments; if not, whether it will consider conducting relevant studies, so as to facilitate the formulation of corresponding policies?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The Government has all along been committed to building a harmonious, inclusive and caring society for ethnic minorities and non-Chinese speakers to enjoy equal opportunities and integrate into the community. Different bureaux and departments of the Government all encourage and support non-Chinese young people to equip themselves for future employment. Regarding the question raised by the Hon Dominic Lee, the consolidated reply after consultation with relevant bureaux and departments is as follows:
 
Support for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students
 
The Education Bureau (EDB) actively assists NCS students in adapting to the local education system at an early stage, encouraging them to make full use of their studies in primary and secondary schools to learn Chinese and integrate into the community. The EDB is committed to enhancing students’ proficiency in biliteracy and trilingualism (written Chinese and English; spoken Cantonese, Putonghua, and English) at both the primary and secondary levels. All eligible children (including NCS students) enjoy equal access to publicly-funded kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. The EDB also encourages parents of NCS students to arrange for their children to study in local kindergartens for early exposure to and learning of the Chinese language. In the 2024/25 academic year, more than 70 per cent of publicly-funded kindergartens, primary and secondary schools admitted NCS students. The EDB has also adopted a multi-pronged approach in providing NCS students with all-encompassing learning support from pre-primary to secondary levels.
 
At the post-secondary education level, to develop more internationalised campuses and promote cultural integration on campuses, the EDB encourages the University Grants Committee-funded universities to step up their support for students from different backgrounds, including offering appropriate courses and workshops to non-local students who wish to learn Chinese/Cantonese. Additionally, the Vocational Training Council is committed to supporting NCS students in pursuing its vocational and professional education and training programmes, helping them enhance their Chinese language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for both daily communication and workplace contexts.
 
Support for school leavers and working individuals
 
The Government promotes lifelong learning and is committed to enhancing the overall quality of the manpower. At present, many operators in Hong Kong offer a wide range of self-financing programmes to meet the continuing education needs of different individuals. As at June 2025, on the Qualifications Register under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (QF), based on registered course titles searches, there are around 100 Cantonese language educational courses targeting non-Chinese speakers, involving 22 course providers, covering QF Levels 1 to 4. Among them, there are part-time certificate courses on vocational Cantonese offered by the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) for non-Chinese speakers. NCS school leavers and working individuals may pursue relevant courses based on their personal interests and circumstances.
 
Moreover, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) provides subsidies for non-school-attending ethnic minorities enrolled in dedicated language courses of the ERB, targetting members of low-income families with an attendance rate of 80 per cent or above. The HAD also provides funding to non-governmental organisations to organise language classes at the Support Service Centres for Ethnic Minorities and in the community to help ethnic minorities meet their basic daily needs.

     On the other hand, the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research has launched the Vocational Chinese Language Programme for NCS School Leavers initiative, inviting post-secondary institutions/training providers to develop and deliver vocational Chinese courses that are recognised under the QF. Upon completing the courses and meeting the attendance or assessment requirements, learners may receive up to 85 per cent tuition fee reimbursement. Over the past five years, an average of 200 NCS school leavers have benefited annually.
 
The Government will continue to review the implementation of the different measures to better support the employment and learning needs of ethnic minorities and facilitate their integration into the community.
Issued at HKT 14:45

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LCQ1: Eradicating youth consumption of “space oil drug” 
Question:
 
     The Government statistics show that 128 young people aged under 21 were reported to have consumed “space oil drug” in the first quarter of this year, accounting for over 67 per cent of all reported cases. The youngest among them was just 12 years old. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the respective numbers of cases of young people possessing and consuming “space oil drug” received by the authorities in the past three years; the specific measures in place to assist them in drug treatment and rehabilitation, and the total number of young people who have quit “space oil drug” with such assistance to date;
 
(2) whether it will establish a regular mechanism for primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to handle cases of young people consuming “space oil drug”, while strengthening training for frontline personnel, including teachers and social workers, in order to enhance their ability to identify, handle, and prevent cases of students consuming “space oil drug”; and
 
(3) given that the Government launched the Healthy School Programme some years ago to establish a healthy and drug-free culture in schools by organising personal growth activities and voluntary school drug testing, whether the authorities will step up the promotion of this programme in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, so that teachers and social workers can have opportunities to identify those young people who consume “space oil drug” at an early stage and provide them with immediate and appropriate assistance?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government attaches great importance to combating the emerging “space oil drug” problem. A number of targeted measures have been launched on multiple fronts to curb the use of “space oil drug”, which often illegally contains the anesthetic etomidate. Among these measures, we have already listed etomidate and its three analogues as dangerous drugs through legislation, and have recently proposed listing other analogues as dangerous drugs as well. Since the listing of etomidate as a dangerous drug on February 14, 2025, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have successfully stopped the supply of more than 220 000 drug-filled cartridges by the end of last month with a total of 405 persons arrested. Among those arrested, 153 were involved in trafficking dangerous drugs, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the arrests. Apart from legislation and law enforcement, the Government has also launched a number of publicity programmes to educate the public to stay away from “space oil drug” and raise awareness among young people of its serious harm.
 
     In consultation with the Education Bureau (EDB), replies to each of the Member’s questions are as follows:
 
(1) The “space oil drug” has been gradually on the rise since 2023. From 2023 to May 31, 2025, the LEAs arrested a total of 566 persons for unlawful possession of etomidate, and among them, 134 persons or about 20 per cent were young people aged below 21. Regarding the number of abusers, data from the Central Registry of Drug Abuse show that from 2023 to May 31, 2025, there were 493 recorded “space oil drug” abusers, of whom 356 persons, or about 70 per cent, were young people aged below 21. These young people are being followed up by relevant drug treatment institutions or outreaching social work teams with a view to helping them to quit drugs. Indeed, drug treatment and rehabilitation services are an integral part of the Government’s anti-drug strategy. For young people addicted to “space oil drug”, drug treatment and rehabilitation agencies (e.g. Counselling Centres for Psychotropic Substance Abusers (CCPSAs)) provide education programmes, vocational training, and counselling on careers and studies, tailored to their personal growth stages, learning needs and interests. Anti-drug workers also provide young people with essential emotional support and mental health counselling.
 
(2) Schools are key partners in the Government’s anti-drug efforts. The Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau (SB), in collaboration with the EDB, has established a regular mechanism for all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to handle drug-related incidents, including cases involving the use of “space oil drug”. The EDB has also issued guidelines to schools in this regard. To assist schools in handling such cases, the ND of the SB has been working with non-governmental organisations to provide anti-drug professional training for frontline staff, including teachers and social workers, to enhance their capacity in identifying, handling and preventing “space oil drug” abuse cases among students.
 
(3) After years of implementation, the Healthy School Programme spearheaded by the ND has been proven capable of strengthening students’ resolve to stay away from drugs, thereby fostering an anti-drug culture in schools. In light of the latest drug scene, the ND plans to include etomidate testing in its voluntary school drug testing, targeting its introduction within the next school year. The ND has also required schools to incorporate knowledge on the prevention of “space oil drug” into the activities organised under the Programme, including understanding the harm of “space oil drug”, the serious consequences of committing relevant offences, and the skills to refuse “space oil drug”. While promoting the Healthy School Programme, the ND is also implementing the Beat Drugs with Sports Programme to help young people stay away from “space oil drug” and other drugs through sports activities. About 60 per cent of all secondary schools in Hong Kong have participated in these two anti-drug programmes.
 
     Apart from the Healthy School Programme and the Beat Drugs with Sports Programme just mentioned, the ND has been promoting a healthy and drug‑free school culture through enhanced cross‑disciplinary and cross‑sectoral collaboration with various anti-drug service units and welfare service units. This collaboration provides teachers and social workers with opportunities to identify young people who have taken “space oil drug” at an early stage, and offer timely and appropriate assistance. In this regard, the ND arranges for the CCPSAs to reach out to schools and organise anti-drug school talks, including providing training for teachers and social workers, and educating students about the harm of “space oil drug”. Since 2024, over 170 schools with a total of 38 000 students, teachers and social workers have participated in these talks. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre will also organise a new round of interactive activities in July 2025 for candidates of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination and senior secondary school students. These activities aim to provide students with a stress-relieving occasion and reinforce their resistance against “space oil drug”. The ND also conducts free drama tours for schools to educate upper primary students in an interactive manner on the harm of “space oil drug”. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Police Force has staged a new play, “Interactive Anti-Drug Theatre – A Space Study Adventure”, to safeguard schools from the emerging “space oil drug”. Finally, on parental education, the ND works closely with the Committee on Home-School Co-operation and the Federations of Parent-Teacher Associations in various districts to provide parents and young people with timely and appropriate assistance related to “space oil drug”. 
 
     President, the Government has taken various measures to curb “space oil drug”. We have strategies in place to address the situation, ranging from legislation and law enforcement to treatment and rehabilitation. We will humbly listen to the views of the community, adjust our strategies as situation changes, and proactively adopt innovative and targeted approaches to combat drug harm together with the public.
 
     Thank you, President.
Issued at HKT 14:35

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Extension of e-Channel service to holders of People’s Republic of China electronic passport ​     Eligible PRC passport holders can use the e-Channel service when entering Hong Kong without prior enrolment for e-Channel service via face recognition technology. The new arrangement does not apply to PRC passport holders entering Hong Kong on the strength of ‘Entry Permit for Hong Kong’ issued by the overseas Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions. They will continue to complete arrival clearance at immigration counters.

​     The ImmD has always been committed to serving the public and striving for innovation by enhancing the clearance efficiency of the e-Channels and expanding the service target group so that more visitors can use the e-Channels for self-service immigration clearance, thereby providing them with a more convenient and efficient immigration experience.Issued at HKT 12:58

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LCQ14: Public toilet projects in Hong Kong 
Question:
 
     It has been learnt that, in recent years, the Government has been actively promoting construction of public toilets (including refurbishment or facelifting) projects in Hong Kong, with the aim of improving the quality of public sanitary facilities. According to the information provided by the Government in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2025-2026, the Enhanced Public Toilet Refurbishment Programme for that financial year covers 110 public toilets and involves a total project estimate of about $460 million. According to the Government’s paper submitted to the Panel on Development of this Council regarding funding for the Capital Works Reserve Fund for 2025-2026, the total budget for the four public toilet projects in Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam Sun Tsuen) in Kwun Tong, Ha Ma Tseuk Leng in North District, Ha Tsuen Shi Vegetable Market Office in Yuen Long, and Fraser Village in Yuen Long, is as high as about $87 million. In particular, the reprovisioning of Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam San Tsuen) public toilet in Kwun Tong has been budgeted at about $38 million. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the reasons why the project estimates of the above four public toilets are higher than those of public toilets in general;
 
(2) of the overall planning for public toilet projects in Hong Kong; the factors considered by the authorities when deciding to commence the public toilet projects (including the requirements for male-to-female toilet compartment ratio, site selection criteria, pedestrian flow density and district distribution ratios);
 
(3) it has been learnt that at the end of 2023, the proportion of female population in Hong Kong is about 54.5 per cent, which is nine per cent higher than the male population, but the existing supply of female toilets often falls short of demand, resulting in females often having to wait for a long time for their turn to use them, whether the authorities will consider adjusting the male-to-female toilet compartment ratio and increasing the number of female toilet compartments in planning for public toilet projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether the authorities have compiled statistics and assessed the demand for the use of public toilets, the actual utilisation rates and the public satisfaction levels, etc, at various tourist attractions and border control points; if it has compiled such statistics, of the details;
 
(5) of the distribution of the proportions of the various expenditures (e.g. design, salaries of works personnel and construction costs) in the project estimates for all public toilet projects in Hong Kong at present; and
 
(6) whether the authorities have a dedicated department responsible for monitoring and managing the progress of public toilet projects, as well as providing temporary public toilet services while the works are in progress; if so, whether they will announce the details of the progress of the relevant works in a timely manner?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Government departments including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Home Affairs Department, respectively plan and manage toilets facilities provided for public use (public toilet) under their purview. The Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) carries out the design, construction and refurbishment of public toilets in accordance with the public service standards for public toilets as specified by the client departments.
 
     Having consulted the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Security Bureau, our reply to the question raised by the Hon Maggie Chan is as follows:
 
(1) When the ArchSD designs and constructs new public toilets, as well as reprovisions and refurbishes existing public toilets, it will devise project details by taking into account factors including relevant departments’ requirements, design standards of existing public toilets, conditions of facilities, utilisation rates, legal requirements, sewage facilities and provision of barrier-free facilities; and ensures the project complies with the “no-frills” principle. In compiling the project estimates, the ArchSD will make reference to the costs of projects of similar scale in the past and the prevailing returned tender prices; with provisions for consultants’ fees and contingencies.
 
     Regarding the four public toilet works project mentioned in the question, the ArchSD stated that the construction floor area of the Reprovisioning of Lei Yue Mun (Ling Nam Sun Tsuen) Public Toilet is the largest among projects on public toilets in recent years. Besides, given that public toilet is highly utilised and locates at a tourist spot, the design of the reprovisioning works focused on enhancing the quality of the facilities and the user experience of the tourists, including the provision of additional universal toilets, the adoption of a people-oriented design with the provision of more spacious interior than other common public toilets, and the implementation of smart toilet system to enhance hygiene and management. In addition, the congested underground pipelines and high groundwater level in the vicinity have made the construction much more complex and hence increased the costs. The ArchSD has adopted a number of design enhancement and works solutions to minimise construction costs and risks as far as practicable, such as relocating the underground equipment to above ground to reduce the extent of excavation.
 
     As for the proposed Improvement to Ha Ma Tseuk Leng Public Toilet in North District, Improvement to Ha Tsuen Shi Vegetable Market Office Public Toilet in Yuen Long and Improvement to Fraser Village Public Toilet in Yuen Long, given they are located in rural areas with no public drainage system in the proximity and lack of proper roads for delivery of construction materials, the project costs are expected to be higher. The ArchSD is still reviewing the estimates of these three proposed projects, and will evaluate their cost effectiveness, endeavours to seek feasible options to lower construction cost.
 
(2) When planning for the provision of public toilets, the Government will consider various factors, including the number of existing nearby public toilets (including public toilets managed by government departments and public toilet facilities in private premises like shopping arcades), utilisation rates, land requirements, feasibility (for example water and electricity supply, and sewage treatment, etc), as well as the opinions and requests of nearby residents, local community and District Councils.
 
(3) Building (Standards of Sanitary Fitments, Plumbing, Drainage Works and Latrines) Regulations (Cap. 123I) provides for the statutory standard for ratio of male to female (1:1.5) in the provision of sanitary fitments in newly introduced public places (for example sports stadia, shopping arcades and department stores) in private buildings.
 
     As for public toilets managed by government departments, relevant departments will consider actual conditions of individual public toilets, including the location and size of the public toilet, as well as users’ needs and stakeholders’ views, and increases the female ratio of sanitary fitments when needed.
 
(4) Public toilets at tourists attractions and boundary control points (BCPs) are individually or jointly managed by different government departments (including the FEHD, the LCSD, the AFCD, the Government Property Agency, and departments relevant to the BCPs), or delegated third parties (for example the MTR Corporation Limited). Government departments respectively monitors the usage of public toilets under their management, and will suitably follow up as necessary, including adjusting the inspection and cleaning frequencies. Departments have not maintained relevant statistics.
 
(5) The DEVB stated that the scope of works, site location, site constraints and construction methods vary for each public toilet improvement, refurbishment, enhancement or reprovisioning project. The design and construction of each project will be appropriately adjusted to suit its unique characteristics. As such, construction cost and proportion of expenses such as labour, machinery, materials and consultancy fees, vary. The ArchSD generally will reserve approximately 10 per cent of the cost in the budget of each project as contingency, so to address needs for unforeseen adjustments.
 
(6) When the ArchSD constructs, refurbishes or enhances public toilets for government departments, it carries out regular inspections, manages the progress of projects, and also provides temporary toilet facilities for public toilets affected by the construction works having considered relevant departments’ requirements.
Issued at HKT 12:45

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Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector to benefit from Mainland’s expedited patent pre-examination service starting June 30 
     Under the enhanced measure, Hong Kong’s I&T sector (including innovative entities such as enterprises, higher education institutions and research institutions) seeking patent protection on the Mainland may submit patent pre-examination requests to the Shenzhen Intellectual Property Protection Center if they meet the relevant criteria (e.g. the inventions in their applications fall within the specified industry sectors). Upon passing the pre-examination, their patent applications can enter the expedited examination channel of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), significantly shortening the period of examination.
 
     The Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, said, “This cross-boundary facilitation measure for patent applications can effectively accelerate the legal protection and commercialisation of research outcomes in the vast Mainland market by Hong Kong’s I&T sector. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government expresses its gratitude to the CNIPA for supporting Hong Kong in the advancement of I&T and IP trading, which enables Hong Kong to seize the opportunities brought by the national development of new quality productive forces and contribute to the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”
 
     For details of the measures, please refer to the Intellectual Property Department’s website 
     The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality jointly promulgated the 16 Co-operation Measures in February 2023, aiming to advance IP development in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, foster cross-boundary IP and innovation, exchange and co-operation, and support Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading centre.
Issued at HKT 17:00