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Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will depart for Guangzhou tomorrow (November 8) to attend a press conference on preparations for the 15th National Games (NG) held by the Organising Committee of the 15th NG, as well as the second plenary meeting of the Organising Committee and the second meeting of heads of delegations on the following day. The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, will join him.

     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong on November 9. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 6) detected two suspected smuggling cases involving private cars at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and seized 1 386 suspected smuggled CPUs and 1 700 suspected smuggled solid-state drives with a total estimated market value of about $4.77 million.

Customs yesterday intercepted two outgoing private cars at the control point. Upon X-ray examination, Customs officers spotted irregularities in the images of the two private cars, and false compartments were found. The suspected smuggled items were seized respectively from the false compartment of the chassis frame under the cargo compartment of the first private car and the false compartment of the central console of the second private car. Two male drivers, aged 29 and 35, were subsequently arrested.

An investigation is ongoing.

Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of HK$2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Any person who modifies a vehicle for the purpose of smuggling is also liable to a maximum fine of HK$2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. The goods and private cars involved may be forfeited.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced today (November 7) that a tender of 10-year RMB institutional Government Bonds (Bonds) through the re-opening of existing 10-year Government Bond issue 10GB3505001 under the Infrastructure Bond Programme will be held on November 13, 2025 (Thursday), for settlement on November 17, 2025 (Monday).

An additional amount of RMB1.0 billion of the outstanding 10-year Bonds (issue no. 10GB3505001) will be on offer. The Bonds will mature on May 15, 2035 and will carry interest at the rate of 2.29 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrear. The Indicative Pricings of the Bonds on November 7, 2025 are 101.84 with a semi-annualised yield of 2.076 per cent.

Tender is open only to Primary Dealers appointed under the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Anyone wishing to apply for the Bonds on offer can do so through any of the Primary Dealers on the latest published list, which can be obtained from the Hong Kong Government Bonds website at www.hkgb.gov.hk. Each tender must be for an amount of RMB50,000 or integral multiples thereof.

Tender results will be published on the HKMA’s website, the Hong Kong Government Bonds website, Bloomberg (GBHK ) and Refinitiv (IBPGSBPINDEX). The publication time is expected to be no later than 3pm on the tender day.

HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Information

Tender information of 10-year RMB HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
 

Issue Number	:	10GB3505001
Stock Code	:	85024 (HKGB2.29 3505-R)
Tender Date and Time	:	November 13, 2025 (Thursday) 9.30am to 10.30am
Issue and Settlement Date	:	November 17, 2025 (Monday)
Amount on Offer	:	RMB1.0 billion
Maturity	:	10 years
Remaining maturity	:	Approximately 9.5 years
Maturity Date	:	May 15, 2035 (Thursday)
Interest Rate	:	2.29 per cent p.a. payable semi-annually in arrear
Interest Payment Dates	:	May 15 and November 15 in each year, commencing on the Issue Date up to and including the Maturity Date, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Institutional Issuances Information Memorandum of the Infrastructure Bond Programme and Government Sustainable Bond Programme (Information Memorandum) published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.
Method of Tender	:	Competitive tender
Tender Amount	:	Each competitive tender must be for an amount of RMB50,000 or integral multiples thereof. Any tender applications for the Bonds must be submitted through a Primary Dealer on the latest published list. The accrued interest to be paid by successful bidders on the issue date (November 17, 2025) for the tender amount is RMB0.00 per minimum denomination of RMB50,000. (The accrued interest to be paid for tender amount exceeding RMB50,000 may not be exactly equal to the figures calculated from the accrued interest per minimum denomination of RMB50,000 due to rounding).
Other Details	:	Please see the Information Memorandum available on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website or approach Primary Dealers.
Expected commencement date of dealing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited	:	The tender amount is fully fungible with the existing 10GB3505001 (Stock code: 85024) listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Use of Proceeds	:	The Bonds will be issued under the institutional part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Proceeds will be invested in infrastructure projects in accordance with the Infrastructure Bond Framework published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the kick-off ceremony of Shanghai Commercial Bank’s 75th anniversary celebration today (November 7):

Stephen (Chairman of the Shanghai Commercial Bank, Mr Stephen Lee), Lincoln (Director of the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, Mr Lincoln Yung), Wallace (Chief Executive of the Shanghai Commercial Bank, Mr Wallace Lam), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to join you today to kick off the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Shanghai Commercial Bank (SCB) in Hong Kong. 

     Just now, Stephen shared the history and proud tradition of the SCB. I’m pleased to see that throughout your development, you have remained true to the visionary mission back in 1915 – to serve the community, to support industries, and to foster international trade. They remain as relevant today as they were over a century ago. 

     Over the years, the Bank has built a strong reputation for serving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well, in addition, also as the high-net-worth individuals. I believe what sets the SCB apart is the close relationships it has fostered with its clients – one that is built on trust and long-term commitment.

     I’m also pleased to see that the Bank is embracing innovation and playing a pioneering role in advancing financial inclusion. A prime example is your launch of Hong Kong’s first SME online platform built on the Interbank Account Data Sharing and Commercial Data Interchange infrastructure – an initiative that streamlines the account opening and loan application process, improving access to credit for SMEs.

     And you are going further. Through active participation in the CargoX project, the SCB is collaborating with public and private partners to integrate credit, logistics and cross-boundary transaction data to facilitate financing and payment solutions for SMEs venturing abroad. 

     Looking ahead, I believe the SCB is well positioned for continued growth. Under the roadmap outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan recommendations by the CPC Central Committee, the country will continue to pursue high-level two-way opening up. More Mainland enterprises will expand their global presence, and many of them will use Hong Kong’s top-notch financial and professional services. With strong connectivity across the Shanghai Banks network, the SCB is well placed to support these enterprises to go global. 

     At the same time, Hong Kong is fast emerging as the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre. The Government is working closely with the industry to strengthen our asset and wealth management ecosystem – by expanding product offerings, enhancing market liquidity and deepening connectivity with global markets. These developments will open up new growth opportunities for your bank, particularly given your strategic focus in this area. 

     Ladies and gentlemen, on this special occasion, let me once again extend my heartiest congratulations to the SCB on your 75th anniversary in Hong Kong. I wish the Bank continued success and prosperity in the years to come.

     And before I close, let me take this opportunity to remind everyone: mark your diaries for December 7, the Legislative Council Election. Your vote matters for our city, and for our shared future. Thank you very much.

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) published today (November 7) the results of the Survey on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)’ Credit Conditions for the third quarter of 2025. According to the survey, SMEs’ credit conditions remained broadly stable.
 
Regarding SMEs’ perception of banks’ credit approval stance relative to six months ago, excluding respondents who answered “no idea/don’t know”, 59 per cent perceived a “similar” or “easier” credit approval stance in the third quarter of 2025, down from 65 per cent in the previous quarter (Chart 1 in the Annex). 41 per cent perceived a “more difficult” credit approval stance, compared to 35 per cent in the previous quarter. The perception of a more difficult credit approval stance may not necessarily reflect actual difficulties faced by SMEs in obtaining bank credit as the perception could be affected by a number of factors, such as media/news reports, business conditions and opinions of relatives and friends.
 
Among respondents with existing credit lines, 3 per cent reported a “tighter” banks’ stance, up from 1 per cent in the previous quarter (Chart 2 in the Annex). In this survey, a tighter stance on existing credit lines denotes a range of possible measures or arrangements, such as reducing unused and used credit lines, raising the interest rate, imposing additional collateral requirements, or shortening loan tenor. Therefore, respondents’ indication of banks’ stance on existing credit lines may not directly reflect banks’ supply of credit to SMEs.
 
The survey also gauged the results of new credit applications from SMEs. 2 per cent of the respondents reported that they had applied for new bank credit during the third quarter of 2025. Among the respondents who had already known their application outcomes, 72 per cent reported fully or partially successful applications, up from 67 per cent in the previous quarter (Chart 3 in the Annex).
 
Owing to small sample sizes of SMEs with existing credit lines (15 per cent of surveyed SMEs) and with new credit applications (2 per cent of surveyed SMEs) during the quarter, the results could be prone to large fluctuations, and hence should be interpreted with care.

About Survey on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Credit Conditions
 
In light of the importance of SMEs to the Hong Kong economy and concerns about potential funding difficulties facing SMEs over the past few years, the HKMA has appointed the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to carry out this survey, starting from the third quarter of 2016. This survey is conducted on a quarterly basis, covering about 2 500 SMEs from different economic sectors each time. The results of this survey can help monitor the development of SMEs’ access to bank credit from a demand-side perspective.
 
The results of this survey should be interpreted with caution. Similar to other opinion surveys, views collected in this survey may be affected by changes in sentiment due to idiosyncratic events that occurred over the survey period, which can make the results prone to fluctuations. Readers are advised to interpret the results together with other economic and financial information. In addition, views collected are limited to the expected direction of inter-quarter changes (e.g. “tighter”, “no change” or “easier”) without providing information about the magnitude of these changes.
 
Detailed tables and technical information of this survey are published on the website of the HKPC (smecc.hkpc.org).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The men’s individual competition of the 15th National Games (NG) China Mobile Cup road cycling event will be staged at 9am tomorrow (November 8) and is expected to conclude at 2.30pm. It is the sole event of the 15th NG that will span across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

     The race covers a total distance of 231.8 kilometres, comprising a 55.8km section in Hong Kong. The race convoy will travel through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and go through the Hong Kong Port, North Lantau Highway and Penny’s Bay Highway. The athletes will return after passing by the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and head back to Zhuhai via the HZMB and Hengqin. It is anticipated that the race convoy will enter the Hong Kong section around 10.20am and spend about one and a half hours in the Hong Kong section.

     To facilitate the holding of the race, temporary control measures will be implemented on the HZMB Hong Kong Port, the HZMB and some roads tomorrow. Members of the public and visitors should pay attention to the following key points:
 

• Temporary control measures will be implemented on the HZMB westbound from Hong Kong towards Zhuhai/Macao from 7.30am to 12.30pm. The Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building and Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port will close at 6.30am. Travellers or vehicles wishing to leave Hong Kong for Zhuhai or Macao before the implementation of the temporary control measures are required to arrive at the Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building or Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port before 6.30am tomorrow in order to undergo departure and clearance procedures.
   
• Cross-boundary (CB) public transport services travelling on the HZMB between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, including the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus), CB coach and bus services of SkyPier Terminal Transfer Coach of Hong Kong International Airport, will be suspended during the implementation of the temporary control.
   
• Temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the North Lantau Highway and roads near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort during the race. Travel time to and from the airport via the North Lantau Highway is expected to increase by about 30 minutes. Travel time to and from the park, hotels and the Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre via Penny’s Bay Highway, Sunny Bay Road, Magic Road and Fantasy Road may be also increased by about 30 minutes. Members of the public and travellers should plan their trips in advance and allow sufficient travel time. They are advised to use railway services, including the Airport Express, the Tung Chung line and the Disneyland Resort line, and avoid driving to the above road sections. Drivers who need to drive to the airport can also consider using the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel.
   
• The departure and clearance services at the HZMB Hong Kong Port will resume after 12.30pm tomorrow. It is expected that traffic will be busy. Members of the public should note that as the roads within Zhuhai are still closed for the race until about 2.30pm, Gold Bus from Hong Kong to Zhuhai is expected to provide limited services from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Members of the public are advised to avoid heading to the Hong Kong Port in haste. Gold Bus from Zhuhai to Hong Kong will resume services at 2.30pm. Meanwhile, Gold Bus services to/from Macao will resume at 12.30pm. The Transport Department (TD) has instructed the Gold Bus operator to draw up manpower arrangements in advance and reserve sufficient backup vehicles to meet passenger demand upon the resumption of normal boundary-crossing services. Members of the public and travellers who need to travel between Zhuhai and Macao tomorrow are advised to plan their journeys early and use other land Boundary Control Points (BCPs) as far as possible and pay attention to the traffic control arrangements within Zhuhai.
   
• The Police will set up a temporary restricted flying zone (RFZ), extending 2km outwards from the race track from 9am to 1.30pm on November 8. No small unmanned aircraft, except those authorised, will be permitted to enter the zone. Details of the temporary RFZ will be shown on the electronic portal for small unmanned aircraft “eSUA”.
   
• For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements for the race, please refer to the TD Notice: www.td.gov.hk/en/traffic_notices/index_id_83562.html.
   

​The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO) has liaised with relevant government departments and organisations to disseminate information on the relevant BCPs clearance services and transportation arrangements to be implemented for the event to the public, travellers and stakeholders through various channels, including:
 

• The Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AAHK) has reminded airlines to notify members of the public and travellers taking flights tomorrow to allow sufficient time to travel to the airport and has also issued a circular to inform travellers that CB coach services via the HZMB will be affected. Meanwhile, the AAHK will also issue relevant notices through its website and social media platform.
   
• The Tourism Commission (TC) has informed the hotel sector through their trade associations to remind their guests of the special transportation arrangements. The TC has also informed licensed travel agents through the Travel Industry Authority and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to avoid bringing tour groups across the HZMB tomorrow. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has also notified its trade partners and disseminated the relevant information on its website (www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/index.html) to facilitate visitors’ itinerary planning.
   
• The TD has informed trades including CB goods vehicles, public transport operators (PTOs) such as Gold Bus, CB coach, local non-franchised bus, franchised bus, taxi operators and MTR of the arrangements tomorrow. The PTOs have been issuing notices gradually to inform passengers. Alert messages were also issued to applicants of Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and the HZMB closed road permit holders on the temporary control measures of the HZMB and the Hong Kong Port tomorrow. In addition, the TD will alert motorists to the latest traffic information through Full Variable Message Signs in tunnels and control areas concerned. Meanwhile, MTR Corporation Limited will assist to step up public broadcast in all heavy railway stations. The TD will also urge CB and local travellers and members of the public to take heed of various public transport arrangements in CB traffic, travelling to and from the airport and Tung Chung as well as the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and plan their journeys early, via the HKeMobility mobile application, radio, TV and Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk).
   
• The Islands District Office has disseminated the relevant message to residents in the district through the district network (including District Councils, Area Committees and District Committees, Youth Committees, as well as District Services and Community Care Teams). Some Care Teams in the district have set up street stalls and distributed leaflets at various locations in the area for several days before the event day and posted relevant information on social media, so that residents could be informed of the special transportation arrangements on the day of the event and thus plan and adjust their travel accordingly. The Care Teams have also assisted in contacting property management companies and village representatives in the district and requested them to post the above TD notice at conspicuous places for residents’ information. On the day of the event, the Care Teams will deploy staff to inspect the district and provide appropriate assistance to members of the public in need.
   
• The Marine Department has contacted CB ferry operators to increase the frequency of ferry services to Macao according to operational situation on the morning of the event day.
   
• The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has also reminded visitors planning to visit the resort via its official website (www.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/special-notice) and mobile application about the special traffic arrangements on the event day. There may be a possible increase in travel time to and from the resort and the Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre via Magic Road and Fantasy Road due to traffic control measures.
   
• Hong Kong Customs has informed the transport trades of the traffic arrangements tomorrow and to use other land BCPs as far as possible for entry and exit. Customs has also posted notices at the clearance facilities of the Hong Kong Port and informed the public through its website (www.customs.gov.hk/en/home/index.html) and social media platform.
   
• The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has informed food traders of the arrangements and posted relevant information on the Food Trader Portal and its official website.
   
• The Immigration Department (ImmD) will update the situation of the Hong Kong Port in real time through its mobile application on the event day. Tourists can check the queuing situation of the HZMB Hong Kong Port through the ImmD’s mobile application before travelling, to better plan their itineraries and minimise queuing time.
   
• The Police will also remind the public of the temporary traffic control arrangements through its social media platform (www.facebook.com/HongKongPoliceForce).

In addition, the 15th NG road cycling (women’s individual) event will be held on November 9. Though the race course will mainly be located in Zhuhai and will not affect the HZMB and clearance services at the port, some of the roads in Zhuhai will be closed due to the event. No regular public transport services will be provided for the artificial island of Zhuhai. From 7.30am to 11.30am that day, only limited services for routes departing for Zhuhai will be provided by Gold Bus. Members of the public are advised to avoid taking Gold Bus to Zhuhai during the abovementioned periods. Moreover, some of the ferry services between Hong Kong and Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port will also be suspended on November 8 and 9.

     To facilitate a better viewing experience, a public viewing zone will be set up on the footpath of Fantasy Road located at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which can accommodate a few hundred spectators. Members of the public may come to cheer the athletes and enjoy the race there. The Police will implement crowd management measures subject to area conditions. Members of the public are advised to follow instructions of the Police and staff on site. As temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the race route at the North Lantau Highway, members of the public should take the MTR to the Disneyland Resort station as far as possible to reach the designated viewing zone. The Guangdong competition region has commissioned the China Central Television as the host broadcaster to provide live webcast of the event. All rights-holding broadcasters, including the three local free television broadcasters and Radio Television Hong Kong, will be conferred the live signal.
    
​A spokesperson for the NGCO said that as the NG is the country’s highest-level event, this event has to meet stringent requirements regarding race course selection and organisational arrangements to ensure athletes’ safety. Relevant departments will work together to facilitate the special traffic and transportation arrangements to minimise the impact on the public and travellers who usually use the HZMB and other related road sections. Members of the public and travellers who need to travel to and from Zhuhai or Macao are urged to plan their itineraries in advance and use other control points and public transport as far as possible. The spokesperson thanked the public and travellers for their understanding, as well as the contributions of various organisations and departments implementing the relevant arrangements.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre of the Art Promotion Office is staging the “Art Specialist Course 2024-25 Graduation Exhibition” from today (November 7) to November 28, showcasing creative works by 23 graduates of the art specialist courses. Admission is free.

     The exhibition showcases works by students from two courses, namely “Drawing, Painting and Printmaking” and “Sculpture, Body and Space”. It covers in-depth exploration of both three-dimensional and two-dimensional visual arts, ranging from bodily inspired forms and spatial experiments to discussions of realism and conceptual expression in painting. These works embody each artist’s distinctive interpretation of materials, sensory experience, and spatial relationships, bear witness to each student’s growth in artistic presentation and vision, and reveal art as a way of life.

     For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/va_art_specialist_course_2024_25_graduation_exhibition.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Kowloon East Cluster announced today (November 7) that the Tseung Kwan O South Family Medicine Clinic (TKOSFMC), located on 1/F, North Tower, Tseung Kwan O Government Offices, 30 Tong Yin Street, Tseung Kwan O, will commence services on November 10 (Monday). Complementing the three Family Medicine Clinics (FMC) in Sai Kung, namely Tseung Kwan O Jockey Club FMC, Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) FMC and Sai Kung Mona Fong FMC, comprehensive one-stop primary healthcare services in the district will be further enhanced.
 
     Aside from providing doctor consultation services, the TKOSFMC will also provide other services through its multidisciplinary healthcare teams such as personalised health screenings, chronic disease prevention and management, vaccinations, and health education. With the commencement of services, it will also help strengthen family medicine training and enhance collaboration among primary healthcare services in the community to better address the population’s health needs.
 
     The spokesperson said, “The TKOSFMC adopts a family medicine service model and is committed to providing comprehensive, holistic, continuous, prevention-oriented and diversified primary healthcare services. The new clinic enhancements not only improve the overall clinic environment but also reinforce multidisciplinary healthcare services and introduce advanced equipment to assist diagnosis in line with primary healthcare development. This can further strengthen the role of family medicine as the first point of contact in a continuous healthcare process.”
 
     The Kowloon East Cluster has informed residents in the district through various channels, including arranging local district council members to visit the clinic to better understand the clinic’s facilities and services, in order to ensure that the public and residents in the district are aware of the relevant outpatient service arrangements. Some patients with chronic illnesses requiring regular follow-up at the three FMCs in Sai Kung have also been individually notified and arranged with follow-up appointments at the TKOSFMC in future. Patients with episodic illnesses can make appointments via the Telephone Appointment System (telephone number: 3542 5741) or the HA Go mobile application’s “Book FMC” function. For general enquiries, members of the public can contact the clinic at 2970 0200.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly released today (November 7) a report on air quality in 2024 under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network, which indicates a long-term downward trend of the concentrations of various air pollutants, namely sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), respirable suspended particulates (RSPs, PM10) and fine suspended particulates (FSPs, PM2.5).
 
Over the years, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have introduced a variety of policies and measures tailored to local circumstances, working together to improve regional air quality. The report reveals that the 2024 annual average concentrations for these parameters have declined between 18 per cent and 86 per cent from their peak levels (shown in Annexes 1 and 2). The decline well demonstrates the effectiveness of emission reduction measures implemented across the three places in improving air quality in the Pearl River Delta region.
  
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has continued to implement various air pollutant emission control measures covered in the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (EVs), the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035, Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and the Green Transformation Roadmap of Public Buses and Taxis on marine and land transport, power plants and non-road mobile machinery to enhance air quality. In addition, the Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 came into effect on April 11, 2025. The Amendment Ordinance tightens five existing Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) and adds three new parameters introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) to the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. Among the 15 updated AQOs, seven are set at the most stringent levels of the Guidelines, which are on par with those of other advanced economies.
 
For vehicles, the HKSAR Government is committed to phasing out approximately 40 000 Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles progressively by the end of 2027. The Government deploys roadside remote sensing equipment to control exhaust emissions from vehicles. New registrations of fuel-propelled private cars including hybrids will cease in 2035 or earlier, and approximately 700 electric buses and 3 000 electric taxis will be introduced by end-2027. The HKSAR Government has been implementing and promoting green transformation of vehicles and is striving towards zero vehicular emissions by 2050. These efforts have produced early results. As at end-September 2025, the number of EVs in Hong Kong exceeded 135 000, of which about 132 000 were private cars – nine times the number from six years ago, accounting for 21 per cent of all private cars in Hong Kong.

Since 2019, Hong Kong has collaborated with Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities to establish a domestic marine emission control area in the Pearl River Delta, requiring all vessels to use compliant fuel within Hong Kong waters while sailing or at berth.
  
Meanwhile, Guangdong Province published and implemented the “Notice on Action Plan for Continuous Improvement of Air Quality in Guangdong Province Issued by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province”, the “Notice on Implementation of Monitoring Requirements on Fugitive Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from Factories Issued by Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province”, the “Notice on Strengthening Control of VOCs Emissions During Storage and Transportation in Oil Depots and Petrochemical and Chemical Enterprises”, the “Notice on Further Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides Emission from Stationary and Mobile Sources issued by Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province”, and the “Notice on Strengthening Environmental Control on Diesel Trucks of Key Vehicle-using Enterprises”, as well as promulgating the local standard “Integrated Emission Standard of VOCs for Stationary Pollution Source”. Guangdong Province launched the hierarchical management of VOCs-related enterprises, enhanced the total VOCs management, advanced the control of industrial boilers and furnaces, upheld a co-ordinated approach across vehicle regulations, fuel standards, roadway management, and enterprise compliance to strengthen emissions regulations for diesel trucks operated by key enterprises, conducted compliance checks on new vehicles, improved emissions management for non-road mobile machinery, and carried out regular sampling and inspection of the fuel quality and emissions of engineering machinery.
 
The Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) Government is continuously implementing measures to improve air quality in line with the Long-term Decarbonisation Strategy of Macao (including the Macao Electric Vehicle Promotion Plan) and the Macao Environmental Protection Plan (2021–2025). These include controlling vehicle exhaust emissions, phasing out high-pollution vehicles, promoting EVs, and regulating VOCs. In 2024, the Macao SAR Government continued to encourage vehicle owners to phase out high-polluting old motorcycles and diesel vehicles through the Subsidy Scheme for Phasing out Old Motorcycles with Replacement of New Electric Motorcycles and the Subsidy Scheme for Phasing Out Old Diesel Vehicles. These efforts have achieved positive results. Building on this progress, the Macao SAR Government is launching a new phase of the Subsidy Scheme for Replacing Gasoline Motorcycles with New Electric Motorcycles in 2025. This new scheme expands the scope of eligible applicants to include all conventional fuel-propelled motorcycles and extends the scheme duration to five years, further intensifying efforts to phase out high-polluting motorcycles and promote electric motorcycles. In addition, the Macao SAR Government is studying the formulation of a new phase of the subsidy scheme for phasing out old diesel vehicles and is advancing a series of related policies. These include enhancing public charging and battery-swapping facilities, tightening emission limits for motorcycles and diesel vehicles as well as certain parameters for unleaded motor gasoline, restricting the import of construction adhesives exceeding VOC content limits, and increasing the proportion of local photovoltaic power generation. Through these comprehensive efforts, the Macao SAR Government aims to further reduce local emissions, enhance air quality, and achieve the regional joint prevention and control objectives.

The Network comprises a total of 23 air monitoring stations in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Centre of Guangdong, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of Hong Kong, the Macao Environmental Protection Bureau and the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau are responsible for the co-ordination, management and operation of the monitoring stations in the respective places and the release of quarterly and annual monitoring results. The relevant reports are available on the following websites:
 

• The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Regional Air Quality Monitoring Information System (www.gdeem.cn:20047/#/);
• The Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province (gdee.gd.gov.cn);
• The EPD of Hong Kong (www.epd.gov.hk); and
• The Macao Environmental Protection Bureau (www.dspa.gov.mo) or the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (www.smg.gov.mo).

Looking ahead, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao will continue to work hand in hand to build a beautiful bay area and further improve air quality in the GBA.  

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced that the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area will be extended to designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha from November 9 (Sunday), marking a new phase of the Pilot Scheme.

     In his Policy Address in September this year, the Chief Executive has announced the extension of the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements with the governments of Guangdong and Macao in an orderly manner, including expansion to cover designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha, as well as two-way transfers. To ensure the smooth implementation of relevant arrangements, the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the People’s Government of Zhuhai Municipality and the Nansha District People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, conducted drills in September and October respectively to assess the simulated transfer of patients under the cross-boundary ambulance arrangements. The drills were conducted smoothly in general. The Pilot Scheme will be extended to Zhuhai People’s Hospital and the Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, starting from November 9.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, “With the high degree of integration among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and frequent travelling of residents between different cities in the GBA for living and working, there is an increasing demand for the cross-boundary transfer of patients in a point-to-point mode. The extension of the Pilot Scheme will help enhance the medical collaboration in the GBA, offering patients a safer, more timely and convenient transfer arrangements.

     “The arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in the GBA involve cross-boundary travelling of vehicles, healthcare personnel, drugs and medical devices, and more. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to various national ministries, including the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the National Health Commission and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, for their support and guidance which contributed to the smooth extension of the arrangements. I would also like to thank various authorities of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the People’s Government of Zhuhai Municipality, the Nansha District People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality and the People’s Government of Shenzhen Municipality for their concerted efforts in maintaining proactive communication and close collaboration on the arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer. In addition, I would like to thank a number of HKSAR Government departments and organisations, including the Security Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Transport Department, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, for their full co-operation.”

     The Pilot Scheme was launched on November 30 last year, with the implementation of direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer of patients from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen and Macao (i.e. the University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital and the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao) to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong in its first phase. As at early November this year, a total of 17 patients (11 from Shenzhen and six from Macao) had been successfully transferred to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong for treatment. According to professional medical assessments, patients of the above cases have a need for continuous hospitalisation for treatment. Their conditions were relatively stable, but they were unable to cross the boundary on their own and were unsuitable for transfer to an ambulance via the existing boundary control points. The risk during transfers can be significantly reduced if patients are not required to be handed over between ambulances at boundary control points, and the arrangements fully demonstrated the continuous deepening of quality healthcare collaboration and development in the GBA. The overall operation of the Pilot Scheme has been smooth since its implementation, and it will be extended for one year until November 29 next year.

     The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to review the effectiveness and operational experiences of the existing transfer arrangements, with the medical needs, safety and interests of patients as the prime concerns, as well as to press ahead with the objective of extending the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements to two-way transfers as set out in the Policy Address, aiming for implementation early next year.