MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today launched a one-month public consultation on proposed amendments to the Fire Services Ordinance and its related subsidiary legislation.

The proposed changes aim to modernise the fire safety legislative framework, enhance public safety and streamline enforcement effectiveness, while meeting public expectations for improved fire safety.

Following the No. 5 alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the Government established the Task Force on Strengthening Fire Safety Governance, chaired by the Secretary for Security, to implement medium-to-long-term initiatives to improve fire safety governance.

A core component of these measures is a comprehensive review of the ordinance, its subsidiary legislation and the statutory responsibilities of various stakeholders.

The Security Bureau emphasised that the Government attaches great importance to maintaining high fire safety standards to protect lives and property.

To consolidate Hong Kong’s regulatory framework, the bureau proposed amending the principal ordinance alongside three pieces of subsidiary legislation: the Fire Service (Installation Contractors) Regulations, the Fire Service (Installations & Equipment) Regulations, and the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation.

These amendments will strengthen the registration regime for fire service installation contractors, enhance maintenance and inspection standards for building fire equipment and optimise fire hazard abatement procedures.

The bureau noted that the updates will also bolster the Fire Services Department’s enforcement powers in specific areas, including combating illicit fuelling activities.

In response to the public’s expectations for enhanced fire safety, the Government will finalise the legislative proposal swiftly after the public consultation, aiming to introduce the Bill to the Legislative Council this year.

Members of the public can submit their views in writing by email or by mail to the Legislation Amendment Working Group, South Wing, 5/F, Fire Services Department Headquarters Building, 1 Hong Chong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, on or before June 25.

Click here for the consultation document.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) announced today (May 26) that the pilot enhancement measures of the Incentive Scheme to Encourage Provision of Residential Care Home for the Elderly (RCHE) Premises in New Private Developments (RCHE Incentive Scheme) will be made permanent starting from June 20. All existing arrangements of the Scheme will remain unchanged. 

A spokesperson for the LWB said, “The pilot enhancement measures have been welcomed and supported by the industry.  The number of applications received by the Government has significantly increased from eight before the enhancement measures were introduced in 2023 to 25 by the end of March this year, achieving remarkable results. In view of this, the Government will make the enhancement measures permanent under the RCHE Incentive Scheme starting from June 20 to keep on driving the market to provide high-quality residential care service places. We hope to create favourable conditions for the market and continue to encourage private developers to construct RCHEs in their development projects, thereby increasing the overall supply of elderly residential care service places in Hong Kong.” 

The Lands Department and Social Welfare Department (SWD) will update their Practice Note and Guidance Note respectively to facilitate the industry’s compliance. 

To leverage market forces in developing high-quality RCHEs to meet the community’s acute demand for elderly residential care service places, the Government launched the RCHE Incentive Scheme in 2003, allowing developers to be exempted from payment of land premiums for eligible RCHEs when undertaking lease modifications, land exchanges or private treaty grants, on condition that they comply with specific lease conditions and obtain support from the SWD.

     In June 2023, the Government introduced the three-year pilot enhancement measures, including:

(a) relaxing the number, and maximum total gross floor area (GFA), of RCHE premises eligible for premium payment exemption in each site from one RCHE premises not exceeding 5 400 square metres to more than one RCHE premises with maximum total GFA of 12 000 sq m or 10 per cent of the total GFA permissible under lease, whichever is the greater; and

(b) when calculating the total GFA of the entire project, the total GFA of the eligible RCHE premises in the private development project will be exempted from being counted in the total GFA of the entire project under lease, thus enabling developers to use the original permissible GFA for other purposes. 

     The measures concerned aim at enhancing incentives for private developers to build RCHEs in their new development projects.

     According to the Scheme, developers are required to bear the construction cost of the RCHE premises which will be owned by the developers upon completion. As long as the premises are to be used as RCHEs, developers may lease or sell each RCHE as one whole unit, or operate the RCHEs on the premises by themselves or by engaging an organisation whereby they may set the fees on their own with regard to the market situation.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Government today (May 26) launched a one-month public consultation on the proposed amendments to the Fire Services Ordinance (FSO) (Cap. 95) and its related subsidiary legislation. The amendments aim to ensure that the existing fire safety-related legislative framework keeps pace with the times, enhancing public safety, regulatory coherence, enforcement effectiveness and accountability, while responding to public expectations for enhanced fire safety.
 
Following the No. 5 alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the Government established the Task Force on Strengthening Fire Safety Governance chaired by the Secretary for Security, and immediately implemented targeted measures and put in place medium-to-long-term initiatives to comprehensively enhance fire safety governance efficacy. One of the important measures is a comprehensive review of the FSO and its subsidiary legislation, including the fire safety-related statutory regulatory regimes and the responsibilities of various stakeholders, with a view to proposing amendments.
 
A spokesman for the Security Bureau said, “The Government attaches great importance to fire safety standards and the protection of the lives and property of citizens. To further consolidate Hong Kong’s fire safety regulatory regime, we consider it necessary to amend the FSO and three pieces of related subsidiary legislation under the Ordinance, namely the Fire Service (Installation Contractors) Regulations (Cap. 95A), the Fire Service (Installations and Equipment) Regulations (Cap. 95B), and the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F). These amendments will comprehensively strengthen the regulation of the registration regime for Registered Fire Service Installation Contractors (RFSICs), the maintenance and inspection of building fire service installations (FSI) and equipment, and the abatement of fire hazards. We will also take this opportunity to appropriately enhance the enforcement powers of the Fire Services Department (FSD) in specific areas and combat illicit fuelling activities, among others.”
 
The spokesman added that, in view of the public’s pressing aspiration for enhanced fire safety, the Government will finalise the legislative proposal as soon as possible upon completion of the public consultation, and will strive to introduce the Bill for the Legislative Council’s consideration within 2026.

The proposed legislative amendments cover six pillars:

• Strengthening the regulatory regime for FSIs;
• Introducing the FSI responsible persons regime;
• Reforming the RFSIC registration and disciplinary regime;
• Enhancing penalties and criminal accountability;
• Introducing a fixed penalty regime and streamlined abatement of fire hazards workflow; and
• Expanding the FSD’s enforcement powers and combating illicit fuelling.

For details, please refer to the consultation document available on the websites of the Security Bureau (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/pub/consultation/pafso.html) and the Fire Services Department (www.hkfsd.gov.hk/eng/fire_protection/pc_cap95/). Members of the public may submit views in writing by email (fsab_consultation@hkfsd.gov.hk) or by mail to the Legislation Amendment Working Group, South Wing, 5/F, Fire Services Department Headquarters Building, 1 Hong Chong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, on or before June 25.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Transport Department (TD) today (May 26) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on June 13 (Saturday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     “A total of 420 traditional vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said.

     For the auction of TVRMs, only registration marks starting with “HK” or “XX” and special vehicle registration marks are put up for physical auction. Applicants should attend the auction and take note of the opening price as announced by the auctioneer before participating in the bidding of the mark.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(4) The display of a vehicle registration mark on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.

(5) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Leading wusheng (martial male) actors from four major Peking opera troupes in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Hubei will gather in Hong Kong in late June for the “Showcase of Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour Roles”, kicking off the Chinese opera series of the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). The three-day programme will feature classic plays such as “‘The Battle at Changbanpo’ and ‘The Incident at Hanjin Crossing'”, “The Pulley”, “Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister off” and “On Iron Cage Mountain”. Many of these plays draw on tales of loyalty and righteousness from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, “The Water Margin” and “The Story of Yue Fei”, showcasing the finest martial traditions from northern and southern schools. This programme is also the opening event of the 14th Chinese Opera Festival (COF) and is one of the programmes of the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month 2026.

     Peking opera wusheng can primarily be classified into two subtypes: changkao and duanda. Changkao wusheng refers to military males who wear dakou (warrior’s armour) and thick-soled boots to portray commanding generals, placing equal emphasis on combat techniques and stylised movements. Duanda wusheng, by contrast, wear fitted costumes and light footwear, mainly depicting heroic fighters that perform martial art routines through agile, swift, and acrobatic movements. 

     Details of the three performances are as follows:

“Lin Chong on the Run”, “‘The Battle at Changbanpo’ and ‘The Incident at Hanjin Crossing'”
——————————————————————————————————
Date and time: June 26 (Friday), 7.30pm

     “Lin Chong on the Run” is a well-known Peking opera featuring duanda wusheng roles. Zhao Hongyun, an emerging actor of the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, will portray Lin Chong’s desperate journey to Liangshan from “The Water Margin”, capturing the sorrow of a fallen hero with a balanced focus on vocal and acting skills. “‘The Battle at Changbanpo’ and ‘The Incident at Hanjin Crossing'” is an iconic martial piece adapted from the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, in which a succession of wusheng actors will perform. Xi Zhonglu, hailed as “the foremost wusheng in Peking opera of our time”, will command the stage with the imposing aura of Guan Yu in the hongsheng (red-faced male) tradition. Wei Xuelei and Chen Lin, class one performers from the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing and the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company respectively, will share the role of Zhao Yun who rescues the lord amid fierce martial scenes. Both plays illustrate the dynamic range of wusheng artistry in Peking opera.

“The Pulley”, “Wu Song Checking in at the Inn”, “Rescuing His Sister at the Bright Sun Mansion”
———————————————————————————————————–
Date and time: June 27 (Saturday), 7.30pm 

     “The Pulley” is regarded as a touchstone of wusheng mastery. In this performance, Wang Daxing, a class one actor from the Tianjin Peking Opera Theatre, will demonstrate his formidable command of challenging routines such as “qiba” (a stylised suite of movements to depict arming for battle), “extended combat” and “overturning the pulleys” technique to breathe life into the last tragic battle of Southern Song General Gao Chong. Lu Jialiang, an outstanding young actor from the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, will demonstrate agile fist movements in the Gai school classic “Wu Song Checking in at the Inn”, detailing a humorous encounter through a fight between Wu Song and Sun Erniang. Class one performer Wang Xilong will portray the spoiled aristocrat Gao Deng in a painted-face role in “Rescuing His Sister at the Bright Sun Mansion”, displaying the arrogance and dominance of Gao through elegant martial sequences such as “tangma” (horse-riding) and “drunken fighting”. The three plays put the diverse artistry of various Peking opera schools on full display.

“Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister Off”, “Seven for a Righteous Cause”, “At the Crossroads”, “On Iron Cage Mountain”
———————————————————————————————–
Date and time: June 28 (Sunday), 2.30pm

     “Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister Off” is a representative Li school wusheng piece that combines singing, line delivery and martial choreography. Wang Xilong carries the Li school mantle, delivering a nuanced portrayal of the complex, bittersweet emotions of the occasion. Both “Seven for a Righteous Cause” and “At the Crossroads” are renowned plays of the Gai school. In the former, Lu Meng, a class one actor from the Hubei Provincial Peking Opera Theatre, will lead an outstanding ensemble cast to showcase the chivalrous spirit of outlaw heroes through vigorous martial choreography, while the latter features Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company performers Hao Shuai and his long-time partner Hao Jie, vividly presenting the most celebrated comic-action duets between wusheng and wuchou (martial comic) roles. The finale, “On Iron Cage Mountain”, is a major painted-face wusheng showcase. Xi Zhonglu will unleash a dazzling array of combat choreography to manifest the fearless spirit of Shu Han General Jiang Wei.

     The three performances will be held at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC). Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $260, $360, $460 and $560 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The CCF 2026 offers various discount schemes, such as group booking discounts, package booking discounts and the newly introduced “Generations Together 1+1” discount. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/showcase-of-actors-in-full-armour-roles-in-peking-opera.

     A number of free extension activities will be organised for this programme. A meet-the-artists session (in Putonghua) entitled “Face-to-Face with Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour Roles” will be held at 7.30pm on June 25 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, HKCC. The speakers include Xi Zhonglu, Wei Xuelei and Wang Daxing, while Chinese opera researcher Sheng Yihui will be the moderator. A backstage tour (in Putonghua) will be held at 4pm on June 26 (Friday) at the backstage of the Grand Theatre of the HKCC. Since the spaces for online registration of these two extension activities are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby space on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis.

     In addition, a demonstration performance of Peking opera will be held at 3pm on June 27 (Saturday) at the Foyer of the HKCC, featuring young actors Ren Zicheng and Liu Hanxiye from the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company who will perform “The Young Cowherd”. “The Art of Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour Roles Exhibition” will be held from June 10 to 28 at the Foyer Exhibition Area of the HKCC. All are welcome. 

     The programme will also feature a session under the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series” to be held at 10am on June 25 (Thursday) at the Grand Theatre of the HKCC, with free admission specially for local primary and secondary school students. Actors from the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company will introduce the makeup, costumes and stylised movements of different wusheng roles in Peking opera, offering a comprehensive insight into this art form. Interested schools can call 2268 7325 for details.

     The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2026 will be held from June to September. It will host various forms of distinctive stage programmes and related extension activities, film screenings, thematic exhibitions, talks, workshops, as well as community and school activities, affording the public and visitors more opportunities to appreciate and experience the beauty of fine traditional Chinese culture. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2026, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Co-developed with ITRI, earned a gold award for addressing long-standing limitations of conventional artificial ligaments, including poor biocompatibility, inflammation and rejection risks, and material degradation that can lead to breakage. Combining polymer-bioceramic composite fibers with a porous bionic textile structure, the technology delivers up to three times the strength of commercially available products while promoting bone regeneration and tissue adherence. Through collaboration with traditional textile manufacturers, ITRI transformed a textile material originally worth less than US$1 into an artificial ligament commanding a unit price of US$2,500.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

A Mainland telecommunications operator that is engaged in digital development in Central Asia will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to provide services for a logistics centre during Chief Executive John Lee’s visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next month.

 

Mr Lee will lead a delegation to the two countries early in June.

 

The operator’s Head of Carrier Business Kevin Chan said he believes the Government’s official visit can help to deepen economic and trade exchanges with Central Asian countries.

 

“The local 5G development focuses on traditional consumer markets, while the enterprise service ecosystem is still evolving. We are going to give them our smart solutions through our logistics platform. On top of that, because we also have other projects happening in Central Asia, especially in the Kazakhstan region, they will be providing us with a logistics capability that they will make sure all the equipment and all our construction of these satellite base stations will be seamless.”

 

In March, the company established its Global Intelligence Center in Hong Kong.

 

Mr Chan said that Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” provides unique strategic advantages for the firm’s expansion into Central Asia.

 

“Central Asian countries lack direct physical access to undersea cables. While Hong Kong has the world’s highest density network of submarine cable landing stations and international data exchange centres, the company utilises this advantage to seamlessly connect Central Asia’s terrestrial optical cable system to Hong Kong. This allows Central Asian data to reach major global economies via the shortest route.”

 

He also highlighted the region’s young population and explosive demand for information, observing that these signal immense potential. For Central Asia, digital services also contribute to local development.

 

In addition to making specific local investments, the operator also works with the Hong Kong SAR Government’s GoGlobal Task Force to facilitate the globalisation of Mainland telecoms equipment, technical standards and service solutions.

 

Mr Chan pointed out that Central Asia only launched 5G in 2023, while the 5G market in the Chinese Mainland is relatively mature.

 

“As the Central Asian region has more mining industries, the company hopes to drive local enterprises to utilise 5G services with the Mainland’s smart mining solutions.”

 

Moreover, the company hopes to link the Greater Bay Area, Central Asia and Europe by constructing cross-border digital economy and logistics networks and developing opportunities along Belt & Road Initiative countries and regions.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee will lead a delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in June, a move the investment industry believes will open new markets for Hong Kong businesses and boost regional economic links.

 

Asset management company representative Cliff Zhang, who is part of the delegation, has previously accompanied the Chief Executive on two visits to the Middle East. His company signed an agreement with Oman last September to launch that country’s first energy transition fund.

 

Mr Zhang said several collaborations are expected to be announced during the Central Asia trip, including joint investments with the Oman Investment Authority.

 

He noted that Middle Eastern governments and institutions are optimistic about the vast potential of the Central Asian market. He emphasised that Hong Kong can serve as a vital bridge connecting the Chinese Mainland, the Middle East and Central Asia.

 

“It is essentially leveraging the capital from the Middle East which has the desire and the interest to invest more in Central Asia which has the market and the market opportunities,” Mr  Zhang said.

 

“Countries of the Middle East need the Chinese and the Asian companies to bring their products, their technology, their services to those markets,” he added.

 

“That is where Hong Kong plays a role in connecting the dots, being a “super connector” and a “super value-adder” in bringing everybody together.”

 

Mr Zhang highlighted Central Asia’s unique economic advantages, emphasising its young population, abundant natural resources and strategic position between Asia and Europe.

 

While noting that the distinct strengths and investment landscapes of Central Asia and the Middle East cannot be directly compared, he sees significant opportunities ahead.

 

Mr Zhang said that Central Asia offers greater scope for co-operation, particularly across the real estate, energy and infrastructure sectors.

 

“I think Central Asia is a gold mine that is at its early stage of development and opening up,” he said.

 

Mr Zhang added that Central Asia requires more technology and investment from partners in infrastructure and property development, for example.

 

“I definitely see that the demand in the property space is a very real one,” he noted. “That is also one of the areas where we think Hong Kong enterprises have a very strong capability, given Hong Kong is also one of the major property markets globally.”

 

Beyond housing, Central Asia’s demand for hotels, office buildings and shopping malls is rising rapidly.

 

Mr Zhang pointed out that major expanding cities such as Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, and Tashkent in Uzbekistan, are all keen to leverage Hong Kong’s expertise in urban planning and public transport management.

 

He added that Central Asia faces enormous investment needs for mineral and natural gas processing facilities while actively developing renewable energy sources.

 

At the same time, local demand for professional services such as finance and healthcare continues to grow.

 

Asked how to draw lessons from the Middle East, Mr Zhang observed that Central Asia’s predominantly Muslim population shares cultural ties with the Middle East.

 

He also stressed that establishing a local team is essential when entering new markets to accurately gauge policy directions and foster mutual trust. Having already set up an office in the Middle East, his company plans to adopt a similar model in Central Asia.

 

He added that this Central Asian delegation is the largest organised by the current-term Government, surpassing last year’s Middle East mission, and features an increased presence of representatives from Chinese Mainland companies.

 

“This symbolises the further deepening of joint efforts to venture into the global market between the two,” Mr Zhang said.