Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, continued to attend the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday (May 19, Geneva time). He also met with other participants and WHO officials to exchange views on various public health-related issues.
On the second day of the WHA, Professor Lo continued to attend the Assembly as a member of the Chinese delegation. He was accompanied by the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, and the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui.
In the morning, Professor Lo and his delegation met with the Minister of Health of Brazil, Dr Alexandre Padilha, to exchange views on the regulation of drugs and medical devices. Professor Lo said, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is actively enhancing the current regulatory system for drugs and medical devices, and will establish the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation within this year. We look forward to having more collaboration with the regulatory authority of drugs and medical devices in Brazil to jointly introduce more innovative drugs to benefit people.”
Professor Lo and Dr Lam also met with the Director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention of the WHO, Dr Etienne Krug, to exchange views on health literacy. At the meeting, they shared the HKSAR Government’s various efforts in enhancing health literacy to support life-course disease prevention and health promotion. Professor Lo said, “Enhancing health literacy enables members of the public to make wise choices for their own health. Through a life-course approach, we can effectively prevent diseases and promote health at different stages of life.”
During the meeting with the Head of the Mental Health Unit, Department of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use of the WHO, Dr Mark van Ommeren, Professor Lo and Dr Lam exchanged views on promoting the mental health of Hong Kong citizens, in particular about the impacts on mental health brought about by the use of electronic devices and social media. Professor Lo emphasised, “The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the mental well-being of the public. We adopt an integrated approach to provide services in various aspects, covering prevention, early identification, timely intervention and treatment, and rehabilitation for persons in need, thereby promoting mental health.”
Professor Lo and Dr Lam also met with the Director of the Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence of the WHO, Dr Alain Labrique, to conduct a detailed exchange on issues including smart healthcare, telemedicine, regulation of AI medical devices and relevant capacity building. Professor Lo said, “Smart healthcare is the core direction leading future healthcare development. The HKSAR Government has been committed to promoting the digital transformation of Hong Kong’s healthcare system, actively developing medical innovations and technologies and applying them to fields including healthcare services, public health surveillance and medical research, to comprehensively enhance service efficiency and quality, and promote the sustainable development of the healthcare system.”
In the evening, Professor Lo and the delegation attended a side meeting organised by the Global Coalition to listen to the sharing on global medical co-operation by a number of senior health officials from different countries.
Moreover, Dr Lam met with the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency, Professor Vernon Lee, to discuss the progress of collaboration between both sides in communicable disease prevention and monitoring, the response to infectious diseases with significant public health impacts, actions to combat antimicrobial resistance, and public health emergency response plans and exercises, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on the prevention and control of communicable diseases signed in August 2024.
The delegation will depart for Zurich today (May 20, Geneva time) to hold a roundtable meeting with local multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to introduce them to the measures put forward by the HKSAR Government to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, enhance the drug evaluation and registration mechanism, and foster clinical trial development.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued his visit programme in Paris yesterday (May 19, Paris time), including attending the “No Money for Terror” Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing hosted by France. He engaged in in-depth exchanges with delegations from over 80 countries and regions on issues including strengthening global co-operation in combating terrorist financing. He also shared his views during a discussion session on financial innovation and terrorist financing.
Speaking at the Conference, Mr Chan said that the means of terrorist financing have become increasingly sophisticated, including making use of the anonymity and speed of digital assets to transfer funds across borders and evade tracking. He said that jurisdictions need to, and have the responsibility to, implement relevant international standards, including putting in place appropriate regulation of digital asset platforms and issuers, so as to prevent regulatory arbitrage.
Mr Chan said that Hong Kong, China has all along firmly supported and implemented international requirements on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. Through a comprehensive legal framework, risk-based regulation, and full inter-agency collaboration, Hong Kong, China has been taking forward relevant work and was assessed as overall compliant in the latest round of mutual evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force. On digital asset regulation, Hong Kong, China follows the principle of “same business, same risks, same regulation”, and has implemented licensing regimes for digital asset platforms and stablecoin issuers, which include requirements on investor protection and prevention of money laundering.
Mr Chan pointed out that, in strengthening international efforts to combat terrorist financing, jurisdictions should deepen cross-border and inter-agency collaboration, strengthen information and intelligence exchange, and expedite the interception and freezing of illicit funds. In addition, they should make full use of frontier technologies, such as applying blockchain analytics to cross-border tracing, so as to enhance law enforcement capabilities and the recovery of illicit assets.
In the morning, Mr Chan visited the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and met with its Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Fabrizia Lapecorella. At the meeting, Mr Chan briefed Ms Lapecorella on Hong Kong’s economic and financial developments, and said that Hong Kong, China has been actively participating in the work of committees under the OECD. Hong Kong, China has also been taking forward the implementation of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 2.0 and the relevant amendments to the Common Reporting Standard in accordance with international standards. Mr Chan also met with the President of the Financial Action Task Force, Ms Elisa de Anda Madrazo, and exchanged views on strengthening international co-operation on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.
At noon, Mr Chan had lunch with local banking and financial leaders. He briefed them on the latest developments of Hong Kong as an international financial centre, as well as the overall direction and opportunities of Hong Kong’s economic development. They also exchanged views on the global economic and financial outlook, and investment and development opportunities in China and Asia.
Mr Chan will depart for Brussels, Belgium, today (May 20, Paris time) for a visit.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Connection with national high-speed rail network Question:
There are views that the integration into the national high-speed rail network is an integral part in accelerating Hong Kong’s collaborative development with the Mainland. However, there are still many Mainland cities which cannot be directly accessible via the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the following data, to be provided in tabular form, given that the number of Mainland destinations directly accessible by trains departing from the West Kowloon Station (WKS) of XRL has now increased to 110: (i) the number of additional Mainland direct destinations served by the XRL Hong Kong Section over the past three years and the monthly patronage of the relevant train trips; (ii) the top 10 long-haul destinations with the highest patronage, as well as the train trips with a loading rate reaching 90 per cent or above in the past five years; (iii) the respective numbers and percentages of Hong Kong residents and visitors among passengers travelling to and from the additional Mainland direct destinations in each of the past three years;
(2) given that the 2025 Policy Address proposed that Hong Kong would fully integrate into the overall national development, whether the Government knows if the number of Mainland cities that are directly accessible from Hong Kong will be further increased within the XRL network in the future; if so, of the criteria for prioritising the introduction of the relevant destinations; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) given the large number of Hong Kong residents of Fujian origin and some members of the public have relayed that the XRL train trips running between WKS and Quanzhou and Putian are relatively infrequent at present, whether the Government will consider discussing with the relevant Mainland authorities about increasing the frequency of such routes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) whether the Government will consider discussing with the relevant Mainland authorities the introduction of Jinjiang as an intermediate stop along the route between WKS and Fuzhou, so as to meet the demands of clansmen from Jinjiang; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) was commissioned on September 23, 2018. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) have been in close communication with the relevant Mainland authorities, and have continued to expand the number of destinations directly connected to the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station in line with the development of the national high-speed rail network.
In consultation with the MTRCL, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Stanley Ng is as follows:
(1) From 2023 onwards, the number of Mainland destinations directly connected to West Kowloon Station has nearly doubled from 58 before the pandemic to 110 as of January 2026. The number of short-haul destinations has increased from six to 11 (with the addition of Dongguannan, Changping, Dongguan, Guangzhouxintang and Guangzhoudong stations), whilst the number of long-haul destinations has increased from 52 to 99. Amongst, several new direct long-haul routes have been launched on the XRL Hong Kong Section, including the Chengdudong Line in July 2023 (calling at destinations such as Leshan), the Zhanjiangxi Line in October 2023 (calling at destinations such as Kaiping, Yangjiang, Jiangmen), the Zhangjiajie Line in June 2024 (calling at destinations such as Fenghuanggucheng, Huaihua), and the Xianbei Line in January 2025 (calling at destinations such as Huashan, Luoyang); furthermore, with the upgrade of the Shanghai Hongqiao High-Speed Rail Line in January 2026, a new route calling at Nanjing, Wuxi, Hefei and other destinations have been added. As regards the loading of XRL trains, as each train trip calls at various destinations and travellers may board or alight at various intermediate stations, it is difficult to determine the exact loading of the train. In terms of patronage, among the train trips travelling to/from West Kowloon Station, the patronage of those with Shantou, Shenzhenbei, Guangzhounan, Changshanan or Shanwei as origin or destination, is among the top.
The average daily patronage of short-haul and long-haul destinations to/from West Kowloon Station is tabulated below:
Year**Starting from the full resumption of long-haul services from April 1, 2023
The MTRCL does not maintain a breakdown of the local and non-local patronage. According to the statistics on passenger traffic of the Immigration Department, the percentage of Hong Kong residents and visitors travelling to/from the West Kowloon Station is tabulated below:
Year(2) The HKSAR Government and the MTRCL will continue to leverage the adjustment of the national high-speed rail network timetable to strive to introduce more intermediate stations and launch more direct long-haul routes, so as to provide direct access to more tourist destinations and major economic hubs, offering greater choices and convenience for cross-boundary travellers.
(3) and (4) With the service commencement of the Guangzhou-Shanwei and Shantou-Shanwei Railways on the Mainland, trains connecting West Kowloon Station with the areas of Chaoshan, Xiamen and Fuzhou have served more destinations along the routes. Starting from January 2026, there are two XRL train pairs each day running between West Kowloon Station and Fuzhou Station along the Ningbo-Guangzhou Railway, calling at destinations including Quanzhoudong and Quanzhounan. This adjustment also reduced the journey time between West Kowloon Station and Fuzhou Station by approximately 20 minutes, offering greater convenience to passengers travelling between the two destinations. In addition, the trip of one pair of trains running between West Kowloon Station and Xiamen Station has been extended with Fuzhou as the destination, offering more options to travellers.Issued at HKT 11:38
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ7: Measures to promote sports sponsorship Question:
The National 15th Five-Year Plan emphasises the need to comprehensively promote the high-quality development of the sports industry. In recent years, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has also been promoting sports development in Hong Kong through the implementation of a five-pronged approach, i.e. promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism in sports and developing sports as an industry. However, a study has indicated that the local sports industry currently relies heavily on public funding, with few measures to promote sports sponsorship and limited tax incentives to encourage resources from the business and private sectors. All these have posed considerable challenges to the industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of industry-related entities in Hong Kong over the past three years, including national sports associations (NSAs), community sports clubs, sports clubs and professional sports organisations, and provide a breakdown by the nature of these entities (e.g. enterprises, social enterprises, non-profit-making organisations and charitable institutions);
(2) given that expenditure incurred by enterprises on sports sponsorship may currently be treated as marketing expenditure eligible for tax deduction, of the amount of money involved in such tax deductions over the past three years; whether the authorities will study the optimisation of the relevant tax deduction and concession measures with a view to strengthening incentives for private organisations and enterprises to make donations and provide sponsorship; if not, of the reasons for that;
(3) given that many overseas NSAs operate as philanthropic or charitable organisations, thereby enabling enterprises or individuals to obtain tax concessions when making donations or providing sponsorship, whether the authorities will consider following such practice by encouraging and assisting local NSAs in transforming into charitable institutions of a public character, so as to enable them to attract more private and corporate sponsorship; if so, of the specific measures; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether the authorities will regularly compile statistics and conduct studies on the development of sports as an industry, and formulate specific policy objectives and initiatives for strengthening the development of the sports industry, so as to boost the output value of the local sports industry and develop it into a new industry for Hong Kong; if not, of the reasons; and
(5) whether, in selecting major sports events to be supported under the “M” Mark System, the authorities will give greater consideration to the following three factors or criteria: (i) the contribution to promoting local sports development; (ii) the capability to attract commercial sponsorship; and (iii) the effectiveness in enhancing public enthusiasm for participating in team sports; of not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government has been allocating substantial resources to promote sports development and proactively implemented the five key policy objectives (the five-pronged approach), by promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism in sports, and developing sports as an industry. In 2026-27, the Government’s estimated expenditure on sports development is about $8.1 billion, which is nearly 70 per cent higher than the expenditure of about $4.8 billion ten years ago. In addition to allocating resources, the Government strives to encourage and attract the business and private sectors to participate in and invest in activities including major sports events, leveraging market resources to promote sports as an industry.
Having consulted the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, our reply to the question raised by the Hon Andrew Fan is as follows:
(1) In the past three years, national sports associations (NSAs), sports organisations (SOs) and community sports clubs (CSCs) under the subvention of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department are all non-profit-making organisations. The relevant figures are listed below:
The Government does not maintain statistics on the breakdown of the aforementioned NSAs, SOs and CSCs by the categories of enterprises, social enterprises, non-profit-making organisations and charitable institutions. The Government also does not maintain statistics on the number of sports clubs and professional sports organisations in Hong Kong.
(2) and (3) All outgoings and expenses, to the extent to which they have been incurred by the taxpayers (including companies) in the production of chargeable profits, are allowed as deductions under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) (IRO). If a commercial organisation sponsors a sports event in order to promote its business, the sponsorship concerned may be treated as marketing expenses incurred in the production of chargeable profits, and thereby allowable as deductions.
In addition, for taxpayers (including companies) who make aggregate donations not less than $100 to any tax-exempt charitable institution under section 88 of the IRO, the donations may be deducted from the assessable profits under profits tax, net assessable income under salaries tax and total income under personal assessment for the relevant year of assessment. The total deduction allowable in any year cannot exceed 35 per cent of the donor’s assessable profits or income.
Under section 88 of the IRO, charitable institutions or trusts of a public character are exempt from profits tax subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions in relation to the trade or business carried on by them. In processing applications for tax exemption under section 88 of the IRO, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has been making reference to the relevant common law cases to determine whether an organisation’s object is an exclusively charitable purpose at law, and whether the organisation is established for public benefit.
The IRD does not maintain statistics on the tax deductions for expenditures on sports sponsorship.
Commercial organisations’ expenses in promoting their businesses through sports sponsorships are already treated as expenses incurred in the production of chargeable profits and allowable as deductions, and a deduction arrangement is in place for donations to tax-exempt charitable institutions. In addition, given Hong Kong’s current low tax rates, the Government will not at present consider providing tax deductions or additional tax concessions for expenses on sports sponsorship.
In promoting Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, the Government attracted more market funds through matching funds. This enhances not only the quality but also the commercial momentum of events, further expanding the scale and benefits of the sports industry. In particular, the Government established the “M” Mark System, allocating funding through matching sponsorship and direct grant to support organisers in hosting large-scale sports events, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a centre for major international sports events. In 2024-25, a total of 30 major sports events were awarded “M” Mark status, involving a total of about $402 million in commercial sponsorship and about $284 million in matching fund.
Apart from the “M” Mark System, the Government also provides direct and matching grants for major local international events, major national championships and local international events through the Arts and Sport Development Fund (ASDF) (Sports Portion) to support NSAs in organising international sports events in Hong Kong. In 2024-25, a total of 120 events were supported by the ASDF (Sports Portion), involving a total of about $13 million in commercial sponsorships and about $12 million in matching grants.
(4) The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) has been publishing statistics on the economic contribution of sports and related activities in Hong Kong every year since 2019, with the earliest figures covering 2016. According to the latest figures released by the C&SD in 2025, the value added of Hong Kong’s sports and related activities at basic prices in 2023 was around $44 billion, representing an increase of 15.1 per cent compared with 2022, and accounting for 1.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. In terms of employment, more than 80 000 persons were employed in sports and related activities in 2023, representing an increase of 12.8 per cent compared to 2022.
The development of sports as an industry permeates and intertwines with various areas of sports development, and it is gradually generating synergy effect with the other four aspects, namely, promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events and enhancing professionalism in sports. To further promote the development of sports industry in Hong Kong, we are actively implementing different measures, such as promoting community-wide participation in sports to foster a strong sports culture in the community; attracting more world-class sports events to be staged in Hong Kong; boosting the development of “sports + mega events” while encouraging commercial organisations to invest in the sports market; and making full use of the Kai Tak Sports Park to develop a host-city economy. The Government will continue to maintain close communication with the sports sector and formulate policies to further enhance the development of sports as an industry.
(5) The Government will review each event application according to established mechanisms. The review criteria include the event’s status and significance, financial viability (including sponsorship from private enterprises), economic impact, media coverage and marketing plans, community appeal and social benefits, sports development impact, as well as the ability, technical and administrative quality of the organiser, in order to ensure the effective use of public money for bringing the greatest benefits to Hong Kong as a whole. Issued at HKT 11:20
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ13: Measures to mitigate road traffic noise
Noise Mitigation MeasuresExpenditure ($ million)
(6 works projects in total)Expenditure ($ million)
(1 works project in total)accounting for 4.3% of total project costsaccounting for 11.0% of total project costsaccounting for 1.9% of total project costsaccounting for 0.3% of total project costsaccounting for 1.0% of total project costs
Direct Noise Mitigation Measures Adopted on Roads
Expenditure ($ million)Expenditure ($ million)Issued at HKT 11:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Cho-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 20):
Question:
There are views that street signs are not only road identification signs, but also historical carriers recording the city’s evolution. While some old T-shaped street signs are still retained in Hong Kong for heritage conservation reasons, merely preserving the materials may not enable the public to fully and accurately understand their historical significance. As Hong Kong enters a new stage from stability to prosperity, the Government should take the initiative to provide explanations on street signs to establish a correct historical perspective. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether, as some streets are named after British officials, the Government will install additional interpretation facilities at the relevant locations to give an objective account of the relevant historical context through words and images; with the development of smart cities, whether the Government will consider installing QR codes next to the street signs with historical value to link them to official national education databases or web pages (such as the National Education One-stop Portal);
(2) whether the Government will shortlist streets in Hong Kong with significant historical transitions (such as streets related to the background of the Opium Wars, relics of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression or the process of our return to the motherland), incorporating elements of national education into the explanations on street signs to enable members of the public and tourists to gain an in-depth understanding of the journey of national rejuvenation through city walks; and
(3) whether the Government has formulated policy guidelines with a macroscopic vision when planning the streets in the Northern Metropolis and naming the streets in other new development areas, with the aim of incorporating elements of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture, achievements in national development and education on patriotism into the street naming mechanism, with a view to broadening the criteria for consideration of naming?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Development Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Cho-kwong is as follows:
The Lands Department is responsible for the naming of streets in Hong Kong pursuant to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132). When streets have to be named, the Lands Department will consult the relevant government departments regarding the naming proposals put up by it, other government departments or members of the public and consult the local community/organisations and district councils through the District Offices of the Home Affairs Department.
Street names could be linguistic symbols representing the geographical, historical, cultural and architectural characteristics of the places. The Lands Department has long incorporated virtues promoted by traditional Chinese culture, such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness, as one of the considerations for street naming. As there will be more new streets alongside the development of the Northern Metropolis and other new development areas, the Development Bureau and the Lands Department would certainly take into account the background and characteristics of the relevant places when taking forward these work.
The Highways Department (HyD) is responsible for installing street name plates (SNPs) on named public roads under its purview, and carries out maintenance and repair works for them. Generally speaking, SNPs should be designed to be simple, clear and not causing inconvenience to road users. The HyD will actively co-operate with the requests of the relevant policy bureaux/departments to discuss suitable designs and custom-make new SNPs, if necessary.
The Government has been adopting a multi-pronged approach in introducing the history of Hong Kong to the public. Regarding the work of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Department, from time to time, adopts diverse channels and media (e.g. permanent and special exhibitions organised by the museums, performing arts events based on historical background and stories, book recommendations from the public libraries, community workshops etc.) and uses various entry points related to daily life to introduce the collection and historic relics related to the history of Hong Kong to the general public. Where necessary, the LCSD can also provide extra historical information relevant to streets within its historical resources to responsible policy bureaux/departments for consideration in naming and display.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
A man was sentenced today (May 20) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to six weeks’ imprisonment for illegally importing 14 200 alternative smoking products. The Department of Health (DH) welcomed the verdict and reminded members of the public and visitors not to bring alternative smoking products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products or herbal cigarettes into Hong Kong, and not to use any alternative smoking products.
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the DH was notified by Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 19) that 14 200 alternative smoking products had been intercepted in the luggage of the aforesaid man arriving from Japan. TACO immediately arrested and prosecuted the individual.
Since the amendments to the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, which conferred arrest powers on TACO inspectors, took effect on September 19, 2025, TACO has prosecuted 25 cases involving importation of large quantities of alternative smoking products. Twenty-eight persons have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from six weeks to eight months.
According to the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), a person who imports alternative smoking products, including electronic smoking products, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years; or liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), no person may promote, manufacture, sell, or possess for commercial purposes alternative smoking products. An offender is liable to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
TACO will continue to closely monitor and enforce the law to combat related offences.
In addition, the DH also cautions the public that alternative smoking products are addictive and are not effective smoking cessation tools. E-cigarettes may increase the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Smokers are urged to quit smoking as early as possible for their own health and that of others. For assistance, please call the DH’s Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline on 1833 183, or visit www.livetobaccofree.hk for information on quitting.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ1: Promoting development of dispute resolution services Question:
The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes supporting Hong Kong in strengthening its position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the specific long-term strategies in place to facilitate the development of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), so as to enable Hong Kong’s common law system to interface effectively with the legal systems of different regions (including the civil law and sharia law), and support the country’s strategic layout for the Belt and Road Initiative and Global South countries;
(2) how it will consolidate Hong Kong’s existing legal and dispute resolution resources, and leverage the advantages of the common law system and IOMed’s headquarters status to strengthen the development of dispute resolution services, such as setting up dedicated funds, improving arbitration and mediation talent training, conducting research on the compatibility of different legal systems, and strengthening IOMed’s collaborative mechanism; and
(3) how it will apply digital technology to further assist the Judiciary and dispute resolution institutions in enhancing efficiency, such as by developing AI online dispute resolution platforms and using AI to assist in case management, document drafting, legal research and multilingual translation, thereby lowering the costs for cross-boundary users of Hong Kong’s dispute resolution services and accelerate the digital transformation of traditional legal services?
Reply:
President,
In response to the questions raised by Professor the Hon Alex Fan, the reply is as follows:
(1) The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) is a treaty-based independent intergovernmental international organisation. The Governing Council is its decision-making body and the Secretary-General, Professor Teresa Cheng, leads the daily operation of the IOMed Secretariat in accordance with the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (Convention) and the relevant rules and regulations. The National 15th Five-Year Plan mentions supporting the IOMed to further its role. Although the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government does not participate directly in the daily operation of the IOMed, it will fully support and co-operate with the work of the IOMed.
The IOMed is open for joining by any country in the world, and the mediation proceedings of the IOMed are conducted in accordance with the Convention and its mediation rules, which are in the nature of internationalised procedures for dispute resolution. The existing Contracting States and Signatory States of the Convention include countries which implement common law, civil law, Islamic law and other legal systems.
The HKSAR Government supports and co-operates with the work of the IOMed in the following aspects. Firstly, the IOMed Headquarters is converted from the Old Wan Chai Police Station, a Grade II historic building, with the support of the HKSAR Government. The HKSAR Government will continue to provide support on the maintenance of the Headquarters. Secondly, the Department of Justice (DoJ) actively encourages Hong Kong legal professionals to participate in the work of the IOMed. In this regard, 10 out of the 24 mediators designated by our country to the IOMed’s General Panel of Mediators come from Hong Kong. In addition to the four Government Counsel seconded previously, the DoJ has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the IOMed in January 2026 for the secondment of Hong Kong legal professionals.
Thirdly, building on the HKSAR Government’s policy on the incorporation of mediation clauses in government contracts, the DoJ is proactively exploring ways to promote the inclusion of the IOMed mediation as an option in suitable international agreements to which the HKSAR Government is a party. The HKSAR Government and the IOMed are also exploring the establishment of a dedicated panel of mediators for commodities trading disputes.
Lastly, the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy will promote the IOMed through training and capacity-building programmes. The HKSAR Government also enhances promotion of the IOMed by supporting or co-organising conferences with the IOMed. For example, with the support of the DoJ, the IOMed has just successfully organised the inaugural Global Mediation Summit on May 8, 2026 during the Mediation Week. The HKSAR Government is also exploring opportunities to promote the IOMed later this year during Legal Week, the Belt and Road Summit, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting.
(2) In strengthening Hong Kong’s unique position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre, resources, whether in terms of financial resources, human resources or facilities, present a real challenge.
The DoJ is in the process of preparing for the construction of the Hong Kong International Legal Service Building, which will be adjacent to the headquarters of the IOMed. The building will be equipped with world-class conference halls, training facilities, including moot courts; dispute resolution facilities, including arbitration and mediation facilities; office space for local and international law-related organisations, and provide additional space for the IOMed. The Hong Kong International Legal Service Building is not only a necessary upgrade on quality and quantity to the existing facilities, but also conducive to the consolidation of relevant legal services facilities to create synergy.
Subject to available resources, the DoJ will also strengthen the role and functions of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and set up its headquarters in the Hong Kong International Legal Service Building.
The DoJ will also continue to attract organisations providing international legal and dispute resolution services to set up offices in Hong Kong to promote international co-operation, such as the Asia-Pacific Liaison Office of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law to be set up this year.
Building on Hong Kong’s common law-based system implemented in Hong Kong, the DoJ will keep pace with the times, benchmark international standards and trends, and take the lead in reviewing and amending laws relating to dispute resolution, such as the Mediation Ordinance and the Arbitration Ordinance.
While the DoJ plays a leading role in these tasks, legal professional bodies, including the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association, dispute resolution organisations and other legal organisations, should also take the initiative to participate. The DoJ looks forward to hearing any views and collaborating with different parties.
(3) We understand that the Judiciary has been committed to making good use of technology to enhance the efficiency of court operations, and has taken key technological initiatives, such as equipping courts with speech-to-text systems, exploring and piloting the use of generative AI tools to assist in legal research and analysis, and formulating guidelines for the use of generative AI for judges and judicial officers, legal practitioners and other court users.
The DoJ recognised the importance of lawtech and AI and therefore established the Consultation Group on LawTech Development in January 2025. In 2025, with the assistance of the Consultation Group, the DoJ organised four rounds of LexGoTech Roundtable, published the LexGoTech Roundtables Report, organised the inaugural Hong Kong LawTech Fest during the Legal Week last year, and launched the Survey of LawTech Service Providers in Hong Kong. The DoJ has also set up the Inter-Departmental Working Group to Review Legislation to Support Wider Application of AI to take the lead in reviewing the relevant laws in Hong Kong.
In addition, the DoJ proactively supported, for example, the eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre in the launching of the APEC Online Dispute Resolution Platform and participated in the Pilot Scheme on Sports Dispute Resolution, promoting Hong Kong as an international sports dispute resolution centre and at the same time enhancing the use of lawtech.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (May 20):
Question:
There are views pointing out that traffic congestion in some districts (such as Happy Valley) is caused by the fact that roads in those districts are part of the driving test (road test) routes, and learner drivers, due to their lack of experience, often fail to drive their vehicles at an appropriate speed, thereby obstructing other vehicles on the road. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the impacts of the various road test routes on the traffic in the respective districts over the past three years, including whether such routes are suitable for continued use as road test routes in the light of factors such as population growth and changes in traffic flow; if it has assessed, of the assessment results; if not, whether the Government has plans to conduct such an assessment;
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pok-chi and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, in the Legislative Council today (May 20):
Question:
At present, there are over 1 000 aquaculture farmers in Hong Kong, and some members of the industry are concerned about how the Government will promote the modernisation of the aquaculture industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of (i) the overall number of people enrolling in, (ii) the actual number of people attending, and (iii) the number of people successfully completing the training programmes relating to smart fish culture organised by the Government over the past three years;
(2) of the number of aquaculture farmers granted approval under the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund for acquiring modernised equipment such as water quality monitoring and automated feeding systems over the past three years; of the number of such farmers operating in marine fish culture zones and pond fish culture zones respectively; and
(3) how the Government has applied technology to assist in promoting the modernisation of the aquaculture industry (including marine fish culture and pond fish culture) over the past three years?
Reply:
President,
The Government is proactively promoting the modernisation and high-quality development of the local agricultural and fisheries (A&F) industries and encouraging the industries to upgrade and transform in accordance with the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries (the Blueprint). Specific measures include enhancing training of talents, providing financial support and facilitating technology application. These measures aim to assist the industries in addressing environmental challenges, steadily raising the quantity, quality and value of local A&F produce, and pursuing sustainable and diversified development, thereby benefitting the A&F industries as a whole, including the mariculture and pond fish culture sectors.
The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Pok-chi is as follows:
(1) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vocational Training Council (VTC) in 2024 to jointly nurture talents for modernised aquaculture. The AFCD assists the industry in providing internship opportunities for the VTC students to impart practical experience in aquaculture and conservation to those aspiring entrants to the industry, while the VTC offers them tuition fee subsidies and on-the-job training. The Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) under the VTC launched a part-time programme on “Diploma in Modernised Aquaculture” in 2025 to facilitate practicing fish farmers and other working individuals to pursue further studies during their spare time. Being the first aquaculture programme in Hong Kong accredited at Level 3 of the Qualifications Framework (QF), the programme takes about nine months to complete, and has produced 21 graduates. Field trips were arranged for students to the Ta Kwu Ling Operation Centre to acquire the indoor marine fish hatchery techniques, as well as to Yuen Long to visit the closed recirculating aquaculture system, with a view to gaining an in-depth understanding of the application of modernised aquaculture technologies.
In addition, to further professionalise and standardise the local fisheries training, and to provide aspiring entrants with a well-defined professional recognition and a clear career path, the IVE will launch the first part-time programme on “Professional Diploma in Deep Sea Mariculture”, accredited at QF Level 4, in June this year. Spanning about nine months, the curriculum covers techniques and practices in deep-sea mariculture, science in water quality monitoring, nutrition of fish feed, disease prevention and management, as well as modern business operations and management, etc.
Given the popularity of the said professional diploma programme, the AFCD is actively exploring with the IVE to continue organising similar programmes in 2027 to sustain talent cultivation and meet the demands of the modernised development of the local fisheries industry.
In addition, the AFCD organised about 70 short-term training activities for the industry over the past three years. These included skills and knowledge training courses, technical seminars, workshops, forums and field visits, covering topics on Internet of Things (IoT) applications, real-time monitoring technologies, indoor recirculating aquaculture systems, smart aquaculture management, etc. The accumulated number of attendees reached 770, with an overall attendance rate exceeding 90 per cent.
The AFCD will continue to roll out diversified training activities and encourage the industry members to pursue continuous learning, enabling them to grasp the latest technological advancements and market development trends for comprehensive enhancement of their professional competence and competitiveness.
(2) The Government has set up the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund (SFDF) with a commitment of $1 billion, which aims to support the industry in adopting sustainable and high value-added mode of operations. The Equipment Improvement Project under the SFDF provides grants to fishermen and fish farmers to upgrade their fisheries equipment or materials, thereby improving their production efficiency and fostering sustainable development.
Over the past three years, grants have been approved for 226 aquaculture farmers, including 120 marine fish farmers and 106 pond fish farmers, to acquire modernised equipment. The total amount of grant approved was about $11.28 million. The equipment they acquired with the grant included water quality control and monitoring equipment, automatic feeding machines, solar power generators, aerators, and security systems.
In addition, the SFDF has also subsidised projects that promote the modernisation of the aquaculture industry, including the “Aquaculture Extension Services for Hong Kong” and the “Fish Pump Sharing Project”. The two projects provide fish farmers with specialised aquaculture veterinary services such as on-site diagnosis and treatment of fish diseases, technical advisory services and prescription medications, and fish pumps to replace manual cage changing and net washing respectively. Meanwhile, the SFDF has supported three projects to carry out modernised deep-sea mariculture in the new fish culture zones (FCZs), in which deep-sea cages with resistance to wind and wave equipped with modern management equipment such as automated feeding and real-time monitoring systems are being used, to promote commercial deep-sea mariculture. The total amount of grant for the above projects is about $48 million.
(3) The modernisation and technological advancement of aquaculture is a global development trend. The AFCD has proactively assisted and encouraged the local fish farmers to leverage technology to progressively transform from traditional mode of operation.
As regards deep-sea mariculture, referencing the practical experience of the development of deep-sea mariculture in the Mainland and the achievements of the Tung Lung Chau mariculture demonstration farm, the AFCD adopted steel truss cages or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) gravity-type cages with resistance to strong wind and wave, integrated with real-time surveillance, water quality monitoring and automated feeding systems, a solar and wind power generation system, etc. when designating the four new FCZs in 2023. These utilise water bodies more effectively, enhance production efficiency and give full play to the production potential of the new FCZs.
As regards pond fish culture, the Government will take the planned Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park as a pilot to implement modernised high-density culture production model that integrates nature conservation with pond fish culture. In this regard, the AFCD launched a trial on the container eco-culture system at the demonstration point of the Au Tau Fisheries Office in Yuen Long last year. The system requires only a small area of the pond bund to conduct high-density fish culture. Tailwater undergoes sedimentation and purification through the associated ecological fish ponds, and can be reused after aeration, thus reducing the burden on the environment.The AFCD has also introduced a smart aquaculture management platform at the demonstration point to showcase remote real-time monitoring systems and smart management equipment that adopts artificial intelligence analysis, in order to enhance the effectiveness of aquaculture operations, overcome geographical limitations, and alleviate the problem of manpower shortage.
Besides, the Government plans to establish a Fisheries Research Centre in the Northern Metropolis to conduct research and experiments on modernised aquaculture, including projects on fry hatching, species selection, feed and nutrition management, disease prevention and health monitoring. The Centre will also promote processing of aquatic products, build a platform for industrial demonstration and promotion of technologies and establish a remote real-time monitoring platform, and at the same time provide supporting facilities to help deepen co-operation and exchanges in aquaculture research and development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, thereby facilitating the long-term development of the aquaculture industry.
President, the Government will actively steer the industry towards high value-added and modernised mode of operations for comprehensive enhancement in its overall competitiveness in accordance with the development direction of enhancing the overall production capacity, quality and efficiency of A&F laid down in the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the targets set out in the Blueprint, so as to provide the public with a more stable supply of premium local fisheries products.