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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Hung Kam-in and a reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
 
Question:
 
     In recent years, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively soliciting business and attracting investment, and has set up the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (Task Force) to assist Mainland enterprises in leveraging the Hong Kong platform to develop global business. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the overall effectiveness of the investment promotion activities and measures to solicit business and attract investment implemented by the Government in the past three years, including the amount of inward investment attracted, the number of job opportunities created and the number of strategic enterprises introduced; given that the Government has set up the Steering Committee on Preferential Policies for Attracting Industries and Investment to formulate preferential policy packages for enterprises, of the progress and timetable of the relevant work, as well as the specific effectiveness expected to be achieved by the relevant measures;
 
(2) whether statistics have been compiled on the number of Mainland enterprises which have established operations in Hong Kong to develop global business since the establishment of the Task Force, as well as the industry distribution of such enterprises; whether it has assessed the specific effectiveness of the Task Force’s interdepartmental collaboration mechanism in supporting enterprises; and
 
(3) whether it will, by making reference to the practice of the Task Force, strengthen the Government’s role, and enhance the co-ordination and collaboration of statutory bodies and overseas economic and trade offices, so as to take the lead in providing enterprises with more services for tapping into both the domestic and overseas markets in the form of one-stop support?
 
Reply:

President,
 
     As an investment promotion agency of the Government, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) under the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) has been proactively assisting Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up or expand businesses in Hong Kong by providing them with one-stop customised support, thereby attracting more enterprises and direct investment from outside Hong Kong. As this year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, the CEDB will accelerate the integration into the overall national development. We will consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international trade centre and fully leverage our strengths in professional services to help enterprises to go global, serving the country’s needs with Hong Kong’s advantages.
 
     The consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Hung Kam-in is as follows:
 
     Regarding supporting Mainland enterprises to go global, the CEDB established the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (GoGlobal Task Force) last October. It serves as a one-stop platform to actively attract Mainland enterprises to go global through Hong Kong. Since the establishment of the GoGlobal Task Force, I have convened three Steering Committee meetings to formulate a comprehensive work plan. Through the cross-bureau and cross-departmental collaboration mechanism, the GoGlobal Task Force is proactively taking forward various tasks:
 
(i) First, the GoGlobal Task Force proactively attracts key Mainland enterprises to set up businesses in Hong Kong, assisting them in progressively developing various corporate functions and business operations that satisfy overseas market standards, thereby preparing them for going global. For example, enterprises may establish regional headquarters and corporate treasury centres to fulfil relevant requirements on corporate structures, cross-border capital, industry certifications, compliance, etc. Among the 560 enterprises that have set up or expanded businesses in Hong Kong with InvestHK’s assistance in 2025, the top three sectors are financial services and fintech, innovation and technology, and family office. About half of them (298 enterprises) came from the Mainland, the vast majority of which plan to go global or are going global through the platform of Hong Kong. The GoGlobal Task Force will engage these enterprises that have set up presence in Hong Kong to understand their go global needs and target destinations in order to assist them in preparing for global expansion.
 
(ii) As one of the GoGlobal Task Force members, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) formally launched the cross-sectoral professional services platform GoGlobal Connect in April this year, bringing together eight groups of Hong Kong professional service providers, including legal services, accounting, financial services, testing and certification services, etc, to precisely match the services needs of go global Mainland enterprises and provide them with professional and customised consultation services. At present, the platform has already followed up on over a hundred enquiries regarding enterprises going global.
 
(iii) On publicity and promotional work, the GoGlobal Task Force has so far organised over 10 promotional events in Hong Kong and Mainland provinces and municipalities, engaging a total of over 3 000 representatives of Mainland enterprises. In addition to general promotional events that cover multiple industries, many of the events focused on specific industry themes including financial services, innovation and technology, and manufacturing. These industry-specific events provide enterprises from the relevant sectors with more focused and pertinent information and support. To enhance online publicity, the GoGlobal Task Force launched a dedicated website (www.goglobal.gov.hk) in March this year, providing practical information and success stories on enterprises going global and connecting to the HKTDC’s cross-sectoral professional services platform.
 
(iv) The GoGlobal Task Force will also organise outbound missions, which will be led by government officials, to enable Mainland enterprises to visit overseas markets, including high-potential markets of Belt and Road countries, to allow the enterprises to understand the local market situation.
 
(v) To step up the collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the CEDB and the Ministry of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in February this year. The MOU seeks to strengthen co-operation and exchange in the provision of comprehensive overseas services and enhance the capacity of supporting Mainland enterprises to go global. In addition, we will engage with government authorities and chambers of commerce from different provinces and municipalities in the Mainland to discuss collaboration on overseas expansion, amplifying cross-regional synergy.
 
     In the past three years, InvestHK has assisted a total of over 1 400 enterprises to establish or expand businesses in Hong Kong. These enterprises are expected to bring in direct investment of around $200 billion and create over 21 000 jobs in total in the first year of their establishment or expansion. InvestHK is proactively working towards the new performance indicator set out in the 2025 Policy Address to attract at least a total of 1 200 enterprises, including Mainland enterprises planning to go global through Hong Kong, to set up or expand businesses in Hong Kong within two years’ time between 2026 and 2027.
 
     To meet the new performance indicator and attract more high value-added industries and enterprises to set up in Hong Kong while promoting the development of the Northern Metropolis, the Financial Secretary has established the Steering Committee on Preferential Policies for Attracting Industries and Investment (Steering Committee). The Steering Committee formulates preferential policy packages to promote industry development and investment, covering land grants, land premiums, financial subsidies, and tax incentives, etc. Currently, the Steering Committee has formulated a preliminary framework of the preferential policy packages, with details to be tailored based on industry, technology level, economic contributions, and employment opportunities of individual enterprises.
 
     InvestHK will negotiate with enterprises on settlement details using the preferential policy packages. It will also act as the “relationship manager” to provide enterprises with customised services to ensure that they can smoothly establish a presence in Hong Kong, including in the Northern Metropolis. InvestHK and relevant members of the Steering Committee are proactively taking forward the work related to the preferential policy packages. When cases become mature, the Government will announce them in due course.
 
     Looking ahead, we will expedite the aforementioned investment promotion work. We will also step up the co-ordination of the trio of overseas Economic and Trade Offices, InvestHK and the HKTDC under the CEDB through the Economic and Trade Express platform, thereby enhancing synergy in supporting enterprises to explore new overseas markets through Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announces that a tender of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes will be held on May 22, 2026 (Friday) for settlement on May 26, 2026 (Tuesday), as set out in the published tentative issuance schedule. This is to roll over an issue of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes maturing on the same day. 
 
A total of HK$1,200 million 2-year Notes will be on offer, of which HK$5 million will be made available for offer to members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender bids through Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (HKSCC). If the Notes reserved for non-competitive tender are under-subscribed, the non-subscribed amount will be added to the portion of notes for competitive tender (initially set at HK$1,195 million). The Notes will mature on May 26, 2028 and will carry interest at the rate of 2.52 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrears.
 
Members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender applications for Notes that are open to HKSCC may do so through Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for those who hold Investor Accounts of the Central Clearing and Settlement System (CCASS) at the HKSCC, directly through HKSCC, for submission to the HKMA for processing. Competitive tender applications for the Notes must be submitted through any of the Eligible Market Makers appointed by the HKMA, with the current published list available on the HKMA’s website at www.hkma.gov.hk. Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof for both competitive and non-competitive tender.
 
The tender results will be published on the HKMA’s website, the Refinitiv screen (HKMAOOE), and Bloomberg. Applicants who submitted non-competitive tender bids through HKSCC may also obtain the tender results from Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for applicants who hold Investor Accounts at HKSCC’s CCASS from the CCASS terminal for CCASS Broker/Custodian/Participants and CCASS Phone System.
 
HKMA Exchange Fund Note Programme Tender Information
——————————————————————
Tender information of 2-Year Exchange Fund Notes:
 

Price/Yield Table of the new EFN at tender for reference* only:
 

 
*Disclaimer: The information provided here is for reference only. Although extreme care has been taken to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date, the HKMA does not warrant that all, or any part of, the information provided is accurate in all respects. You are encouraged to conduct your own enquiries to verify any particular piece of information provided on it. The HKMA shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any use or reliance on any of the information provided here.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​To combat the illegal online sale and illegal import of controlled anti-obesity injections, the Department of Health (DH) and Hong Kong Customs carried out a joint enforcement operation yesterday (May 12) in Tin Shui Wai, arresting a 31-year-old woman suspected of illegally selling Part 1 poison and an unregistered pharmaceutical product, and importing a pharmaceutical product not under and in accordance with a licence.
 
Following up on a complaint, the DH and Hong Kong Customs purchased two boxes of an anti-obesity injection (see photos) from the woman in question via an online social media platform. The product packaging indicated in Japanese that it contains tirzepatide, a substance classified as Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (PPO). The product is suspected to be an unregistered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong.
 
The DH and Hong Kong Customs will continue to investigate the case, and the arrested person has been released on bail pending further investigation.
 
Tirzepatide is used for the treatment of obesity, and its side effects include hair loss, nausea and diarrhoea. Medicines containing tirzepatide should be used under a doctor’s direction and must be supplied on the premises of an Authorized Seller of Poisons (commonly known as a pharmacy) under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor’s prescription.
 
The DH strongly urged members of the public not to self-purchase or consume products of doubtful composition or from unknown sources. Purchasing controlled medicines (including anti-obesity injections) online poses health risks. Besides the lack of a doctor’s assessment of an individual’s health condition, it is difficult to ascertain the legitimate source of the drugs. It is also impossible to know whether the drugs were properly stored during transportation (especially for drugs requiring cold-chain storage). This leaves their safety, quality and efficacy unguaranteed.
 
The DH also reminded the public that selling medicines controlled under the PPO illegally, regardless of the sales channel (including online sales platforms, instant messaging applications or social media), carries criminal liability. Do not risk breaking the law.
 
According to the PPO, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market. Additionally, pharmaceutical products containing Part 1 poisons could only be sold at the registered premises of a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. If any contravention of the law is suspected, the DH will follow up and carry out enforcement action. After seeking advice from the Department of Justice, prosecutions against relevant persons may be initiated. Illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment.
 
Hong Kong Customs reminded the public that under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), import or export of all controlled items (including pharmaceutical products and medicines) must be accompanied by a valid licence issued by the relevant authorities. Any person who brings any controlled item into/out of Hong Kong (whether in person, by post, or through purchasing agents or consolidated consignments) without a valid licence may be prosecuted, in addition to the confiscation of the subject item. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.
 
The DH reminded the public that all registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of “HK-XXXXX”. The safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed.  
 
Weight control should be achieved through a balanced diet and appropriate exercise. The public should consult healthcare professionals before consuming any medication for weight control. They may visit the website of the Drug Office of the DH for “Health message on overweight problem and slimming products” for information.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today welcomed the passage, by the Legislative Council, of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions & Allowances) Bill 2026, which allows implementation of the concessionary tax measures proposed in the 2025 Policy Address and the 2026-27 Budget. 

The legislation will be published in the Government Gazette on May 22.

The measures include increasing the basic allowance, the married person’s allowance, the single parent allowance, the basic and additional child allowance, and the basic and additional allowance for dependent parents/grandparents, as well as raising the deduction ceiling for elderly residential care expenses and extending the claim period for additional child allowance for newborns starting from the year of assessment 2026-27. About 2.09 million taxpayers will benefit, reducing tax revenue by about $5.51 billion per year.

A one-off 100% reduction of salaries tax, tax under personal assessment and profits tax for the year of assessment 2025-26 will also be granted, subject to a ceiling of $3,000 per case. This is expected to benefit about 2.12 million taxpayers and 170,000 businesses, with about 24% of the former and 18% of the latter not needing to pay tax for the year of assessment 2025-26. Government revenue will be reduced by about $5.78 billion.

The one-off tax concessions, increased allowances and deduction ceilings will be reflected in taxpayers’ final tax payable for the year of assessment 2025-26 and tax payable for the year of assessment 2026-27.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) of Taiwan today (May 12) announced Taiwan’s results at the 2026 Edison Awards, marking another landmark year for the country at what is widely regarded as “the Oscars of Innovation.” In total, Taiwan received 16 awards this year, joining other winners including Dell, Medtronic, and Dow.

MOEA-affiliated research institutions took home three gold, six silver, and three bronze awards. Winners included the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC), and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI). The awarded technologies have been commercialized through partnerships with companies such as Mizuno and Sangtech Lab, helping accelerate industry transformation.

ITRI claimed three gold and two silver awards. Its LigamiX, co-developed with TTRI, 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.

Another gold winner, Prognosis Monitoring System (PMS), addresses the costly risks of sudden production line failures that lead to product loss and unplanned downtime. Using AI to continuously monitor equipment conditions and predict anomalies before failure, PMS significantly reduces unexpected shutdowns. In a single instance during semiconductor manufacturing, the system prevented an estimated loss of US$5 million. The technology has since expanded into industries including machine tools, energy, and petrochemicals.

Also earning gold, Sustainable Pavement Material Recycling introduces a first-of-its-kind asphalt-aggregate separation process that resolves the longstanding disposal burden of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Using a proprietary biological agent and a water-based heating process, the technology converts 100% of RAP into reusable paving material, generating approximately US$50 in value per ton of recycled material. At scale, the technology could help Taiwan reduce quarrying by approximately 4.85 million tons annually while cutting carbon emissions by 270,000 tons per year.

MIRDC took home two silver and two bronze awards. The silver award-winning ThermoMind Smart Energy-efficiency Combustion System tackles the longstanding inefficiencies of traditional furnaces, which have traditionally struggled with significant heat loss and a heavy reliance on manual adjustment. Targeting energy-intensive industrial furnace applications, ThermoMind delivers real-time combustion adjustment and waste heat recovery, helping industries reduce carbon emissions by over 110,000 metric tons to date.

Also earning silver, MagicABC addresses the shortage of Mandarin-speaking speech-language pathologists and the limitations of one-way training systems. Through an AI-powered Speech-Language Pathology Agent (SLP-Agent) and interactive lesson plans, MagicABC helps children with language delays practice verbal expression. The system has already been adopted by more than 10 medical and educational institutions, including Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital.

TTRI claimed two Silver and one Bronze awards. The silver award-winning A Slice of Running Shoe disrupts traditional footwear assembly by integrating precision melt-blown automation to slash the conventional eight-step process down to just two. This leap in efficiency allows a shoe upper to be completed in a six minutes; furthermore, its mono-material construction ensures the product is both ultra-lightweight and fully recyclable, addressing critical goals in the circular economy.

Securing another Silver, the CellNet Leukocyte Reduction Filter, co-developed with Sangtech Lab, enhances transfusion safety by removing white blood cells from blood products. The manufacturing process replaces conventional solvents and heavy water usage with supercritical carbon dioxide fluid technology, enabling a cleaner, lower-carbon production of medical devices under entirely solvent-free and waterless conditions.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Inter-departmental Task Force on Monitoring Fuel Supply today announced that the Government will waive 50% of the toll for commercial vehicles using government tolled tunnels, and the Tsing Sha Control Area, from May 17 to July 16.

Commercial vehicles include buses, goods vehicles, light buses and taxis registered with the Transport Department. Private cars and motorcycles are not eligible for the waiver.

The two-month measure aims to alleviate operating costs for commercial vehicles, and to assist drivers and operators in coping with rising fuel prices, the task force explained.

The department said it has steered the toll service provider to adjust the HKeToll system. Commercial vehicle owners only need to pay the reduced amount, as displayed via the system. Payment methods and time limits remain unchanged.

Separately, taxi passengers are reminded that they must continue to pay statutory tolls in full during the waiver period. Placards will be displayed in taxi compartments regarding the tolls. 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs(MOEA) announced on April 14 that the “2026 Auto Parts, EV, and Motorcycle Procurement Meeting” would be held in Hall 1 of the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center to help local suppliers secure overseas orders. The event attracted 92 international buyers from 37 countries, who held over 480 one-on-one meetings with 241 Taiwanese companies, generating US$280 million in business opportunities, while showcasing Taiwan’s strong competitiveness in global supply chains.

Leading buyers included major e-commerce platforms for U.S. auto parts, fuel system and engine management manufacturers, a Thai Tier 1 supplier, and a French off-road motorcycle brand. Buyers praised Taiwan’s consistent quality, flexible customization, and reliable delivery, with several indicating plans to expand sourcing. Amid shifting geopolitical patterns, Taiwan is increasingly seen as a key supply chain partner.

The event also featured a policy brief on sourcing in Taiwan, with a European distributor sharing market trends to help firms switch from passive order-taking to proactive market alignment.

The MOEA added that the “2026 Global Sourcing Day-Kaohsiung” on April 21 would further drive business opportunities with over 150 international buyers expected to participate. The government will continue to support firms through, “Taiwan Excellence Pavilions,” buyer matchmaking, and AI-driven digital marketing to expand global market opportunities.