MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the National Day of Sweden reception 2026 today (June 5):

Consul General Ms Louise Bergholm (Consul General of Sweden to Hong Kong), Deputy Commissioner Zhang (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Zhang Changwei, members of the diplomatic community in Hong Kong, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 
     The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong is a strong testament to our enduring business ties. This year, the Chamber celebrates its remarkable 40th anniversary – 40 years of bringing Hong Kong and Swedish businesses together. 
     Our role as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland, our business potential, free market economy, and simple and low tax regime remain the most appealing advantages for Swedish companies here.  
     There is much scope for collaboration with Sweden in AI – from research and application to education and talent development. A recent study by Statistics Sweden reports that 35 per cent of Swedish companies used at least one form of AI technology last year, well above the European Union average of 20 per cent.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po:
 
     The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today (June 5) that the fifth round of evidential hearings, comprising three hearings, would be held from June 22 to June 25. Members of the public may pre-register for selected hearings under this round that they wish to observe via the online system from 10am on June 8 to 10am on June 11.
 
     The exact dates for the fifth round of three evidential hearings are as follows:
 

	Date
1.	June 22 (Monday)
2.	June 24 (Wednesday)
3.	June 25 (Thursday)

 
     The evidential hearings will be held from 10am to 1pm and from 2.15pm to 4.30pm at the Multi-purpose Hall, 3/F, City Gallery, 3 Edinburgh Place, Central.
 
     In the fifth round of evidential hearings, the Committee will receive oral evidence from the experts appointed by the Government and the Committee respectively on issues relating to the causes that led to the fire and its rapid spread. Part of the evidence will be given in English. Simultaneous interpretation in Cantonese, Putonghua and English will be provided in the City Gallery. The Committee will release the list of exact witnesses who will be giving evidence at each date of hearing on its website (www.ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk/eng/timetable.html) nearer the time.
 
     Some seats for the hearings will be reserved for the involved parties, and some seats will be open to the public to observe the proceedings. To allow more members of the public to attend the hearings, the proceedings will be broadcast simultaneously in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of the City Gallery and in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library. Arrangements will be made for some members of the public to observe the hearings in these two areas. A total of about 360 seats will be available for public observation in the main venue and the two transmission areas. About half of the seats will be set aside for residents of Wang Fuk Court on a priority basis. Separate arrangements will be made for the media.
 
     To avoid members of the public queuing outside the venue for a long time, and to allow those who wish to observe the hearings to have certainty of whether seats have been secured before the day of the hearings, for the fifth round of hearings, individuals (including Wang Fuk Court residents) are required to pre-register online (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ic-hearing/en/) from 10am on June 8 to 10am on June 11. Registrants should select on the online registration form the dates they wish to observe (one or more sessions can be selected) and submit the duly completed form. The Secretariat of the Committee will allocate seats on a first-come, first-served basis according to the system’s record of the time that the pre-registration forms are received.
 
     Successful registrants will receive a “Confirmation of Successful Registration” for the fifth round of hearings issued by the Secretariat of the Committee by June 17. An SMS notification will be sent from the sender name “#IC-hearing”. If an email address is also provided during pre-registration, an email notification will be sent from hearing@ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk. Pre-registration will be considered unsuccessful for those who have not received a notification by that date. Each person can only pre-register for each day of hearing once. Duplicate registrations will not be processed.
 
     According to the current plan, more hearings will be held. Relevant details (including the specific dates and the pre-registration arrangements for public observation) will be announced separately.
 
     The Chief Executive established the Committee to review the causes of the fire at Wang Fuk Court and related issues, and to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The Committee formally commenced its work on December 19, 2025. The evidential hearings commenced on March 19, and so far four rounds of 24 hearings have been held. The Committee hears evidence in the evidential hearings on matters in accordance with its terms of reference. The Committee aims to clarify the relevant facts through oral evidence, written submissions, and other forms of evidence presented by witnesses. This provides an important basis for the preparation of its report and recommendations.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Town Planning Board announced today (June 5) that the Secretary for Development has referred the approved Tuen Mun Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) to the Board for amendment to mainly reflect Lingnan University’s campus expansion plan.

The OZP incorporating the respective amendment(s) will be exhibited for public inspection under the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance.

The Tuen Mun OZP was last approved by the Chief Executive in Council in June 2025.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Three owners were convicted and fined $262,480 in total at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday (June 2) for failing to comply with removal orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).  

The first case involved four unauthorised structures with a total area of about 77 square metres on a flat roof of two units in a residential building on Wan Tau Street, Tai Po. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), two removal orders were served on the two co-owners under section 24(1) of the BO. 

Failing to comply with the removal orders, the two co-owners had been prosecuted by the BD and were fined a total of $20,660 upon convictions by the court. As they persisted in not complying with the removal orders, they were prosecuted for the second time and were fined $171,960 in total, of which $51,960 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon convictions by the court.

The second case involved an unauthorised structure of about 20 sq m on a flat roof of another unit in the same building as the first case. As the UBW was carried out without prior approval and consent from the BD, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined $90,520 in total, of which $30,520 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction by the court.

A spokesman for the BD said today (June 5), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action and instigate prosecutions against owners again if they persist in not complying with removal orders, so as to ensure building and public safety.”

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

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Government published in the Gazette today (June 5) the Banking Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2026, which serves to ensure that Hong Kong’s banking legislation will continue to be fit for purpose and conducive to future developments amidst the evolving landscape of the banking industry.

The Bill covers amendments to the Banking Ordinance (BO) in the following areas: (i) regulation of bank holding companies; (ii) engagement of skilled persons for supervisory purposes; (iii) modernisation of enforcement provisions; (iv) simplification of the current three-tier banking system into a two-tier system; and (v) technical amendments to reduce the compliance burden and enhance regulatory clarity. The Bill will also make amendments to The Hong Kong Association of Banks Ordinance and the Financial Institutions (Resolution) Ordinance for enhancing operational efficiency and flexibility. 

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “Committed to fostering an optimal and attractive business environment, the Government has been dedicated to keep refining Hong Kong’s financial regulations to align with the latest international standards and market dynamics. The relevant amendments will empower the banking industry to fully capture the immense opportunities presented by future market and technological developments.”

The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The banking industry plays an indispensable role in enabling effective financial intermediation and the functioning of the financial system. These enhancements to banking legislation will ensure that our regulatory framework remains robust and conducive to the development of banks, thereby further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre.”

This series of amendments will help reduce the compliance burden on the banking industry, make regulatory requirements clearer and more effective, keep pace with market developments, and further align Hong Kong’s banking regulation with relevant international standards. The HKMA conducted a series of public and industry consultations on the proposed legislative amendments between 2023 and 2025. Broad support for the proposals was received from the respondents.

The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for the first reading on June 17.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Police announced today (June 5) that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in So Kon Po and Causeway Bay to facilitate the International Football Friendly Match – Hong Kong, China vs Mongolia, which will be held tonight at the Hong Kong Stadium. The Police urge members of the public travelling to areas subject to road traffic control to make use of public transport as far as possible.

A.    Traffic arrangements before the start of the event———————— Part of the traffic lane of Caroline Hill Road between Eastern Hospital Road and Cotton Path;
– Westbound Hysan Avenue between Yun Ping Road and Hoi Ping Road;
– Stadium Path; and
– Lee Garden Road between Lan Fong Road and Hysan Avenue, except for green minibuses (GMBs).
 
Traffic diversions
———————————— Eastern Hospital Road between Stadium Path and Tung Lo Wan Road will be rerouted one-way northbound;
– Two traffic lanes on Caroline Hill Road between its western junction with Leighton Road and Link Road will be designated for traffic entering Caroline Hill Road from Hoi Ping Road;
– Hysan Avenue between Leighton Road and Hoi Ping Road will be rerouted one-way eastbound;
– Two traffic lanes on eastbound Hysan Avenue will be designated for traffic turning right to Hoi Ping Road;
– Vehicles leaving the private driveway of Lee Garden One must turn left to eastbound Hysan Avenue;
– Traffic along Yun Ping Road cannot turn left to westbound Hysan Avenue, and vehicles will be diverted to Lan Fong Road and Pak Sha Road;
– Traffic along northbound Link Road downhill to northbound Caroline Hill Road may need to turn left to westbound Leighton Road; and
– Vehicles travelling along Lan Fong Road may not be allowed to turn left to southbound Lee Garden Road, and will be diverted to northbound Lee Garden Road, Foo Ming Street and southbound Percival Street, except for GMBs.———————————————– Northern kerbside of Cotton Path; and
– Southern kerbside (taxi drop-off zone) and northern kerbside (private car drop-off zone) of Eastern Hospital Road near the main entrance of Hong Kong Stadium.———————— Eastern Hospital Road between Caroline Hill Road and Cotton Path;
– Northbound Link Road (downhill), except for vehicles heading for No. 1, 3, 5 and 7 on Link Road; 
– Hoi Ping Road;
– Sunning Road, except for vehicles leaving Lee Garden Three Car Park;
– Cotton Path and Leighton Road (when necessary). ———————————— Before the end of the event, vehicles leaving buildings on Eastern Hospital Road may be permitted to turn right to northbound Eastern Hospital Road;
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road cannot enter Caroline Hill Road for Link Road, and vehicles will be diverted via Wong Nai Chung Road and Broadwood Road; and
– When Leighton Road is closed, traffic along westbound Causeway Road will be diverted via Irving Street; traffic along eastbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted via Canal Road West; traffic along southbound Percival Street must turn right to westbound Leighton Road; and traffic along southbound Canal Road East cannot turn left to Leighton Road.——————————– 
– Westbound Leighton Road;
– Percival Street south of Hennessy Road;
– Caroline Hill Road;
– Link Road;
– Stadium Path;
– Cotton Path; and
– Eastern Hospital Road.—————————-
 
     All on-street parking spaces on the following roads will be suspended from 5pm to 11pm:- Northbound Caroline Hill Road between Stadium Path and Cotton Path;
– Hoi Ping Road;
– Sunning Road; and
– Eastern Hospital Road.———————————————–     
     Depending on the prevailing conditions, other traffic control measures will be implemented. Motorists are advised to exercise patience and tolerance, and take heed of instructions of the police officers on site.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Highways Department (HyD) today (June 5) invited tenders for the Extension Works to Lung Fu Road, Tuen Mun (Contract No. HY/2025/15).

     The works are scheduled to commence in January 2027 and will take about 48 months to complete. The works mainly include:
 

• construction of an elevated carriageway and an at-grade carriageway of approximately 600 meters in length connecting Lung Fu Road to Tsing Wun Road northbound;

 

• construction of an elevated carriageway and an at-grade carriageway of approximately 800 meters in length connecting Tsing Wun Road to Lung Fu Road southbound;

 

• reconstruction of an elevated carriageway and an at-grade carriageway of approximately 400 meters in length connecting Tsing Wun Road southbound to Wong Chu Road eastbound;

 

• design, supply and installation of Fully Variable Message Sign (FVMS) at Tuen Mun Road southbound near MTR Siu Hong Station; and

 

• carrying out associated works including noise barriers, geotechnical works, electrical and mechanical works, drainage works, waterworks, street lighting works, traffic facilities, landscaping works and environmental mitigation measures.

     The HyD has commissioned WSP (Asia) Limited as the consultant to design and supervise the construction works. Interested tenderers must download the tender forms and other particulars from the Electronic Tendering System for works contracts (e-TS(WC)).

     The invitation to tender was gazetted today. Tenderers shall submit completed tenders in electronic format via e-TS(WC). Submission of tenders will close at noon on July 31, 2026 (Friday).

     For enquiries, please contact WSP (Asia) Limited at 2217 2227.