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Source: Hong Kong Information Services

As of this morning, a total of 620 residents affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po are staying in hotel rooms through the co-ordination of the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau, and 552 residents are staying in youth hostels/camps. Another 3,457 residents are currently living in transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau, units from the Housing Society or Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun.

Currently, there is still an abundant supply of more than 1,000 units that can provide affected residents with longer term accommodation. The transitional housing and the Housing Society projects in different districts can altogether provide around 400 units at the moment.

Additionally, Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun and Runway 1331 at Kai Tak can provide a supply of around 900 units.

To provide residents in need with more choice, Housing Bureau swiftly made ready the units at Po Tin Interim Housing, which has lifts, for occupancy. During the process, corporate volunteer teams arrived on-site to assist with the flooring installation, making the units habitable within a short period of time. Colleagues from various divisions of the Housing Bureau and the Housing Department also dedicated their efforts, actively liaising with various donor organisations to furnish the units with essential daily supplies.

As of noon today, donations received by the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po had reached about $3.5 billion. Combined with the $300 million in startup capital from the Government, this takes the fund to a total of around $3.8 billion.

The Government announced today the launch of two new measures under the support fund to render assistance to residents affected by the fire. They are to provide affected flat owners with an annual rental grant of $150,000 to be provided for two years and a one-off relocation grant of $50,000; as well as to provide affected tenants with a one-off relocation grant of $50,000.

On the Government’s online platform for donated supplies, about 1,900 registrations have been received, with approximately 30% submitted by organisations. Over 28,000 donation items, covering various categories, have been distributed.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

In response to media enquiries about the publication by Amnesty International, an anti-China organisation, of its so-called research on the situation of persons in custody (PICs) in Hong Kong earlier, the Correctional Services Department today strongly condemned the content of the so-called research as fact-twisting as well as baseless.

The department pointed out that the research is intended to smear the legitimate custodial management it carried out in accordance with the law by citing different lies told by anti-China fugitives, who had breached supervision orders and had absconded from Hong Kong to engage in acts and activities endangering national security.

The department also criticised this anti-China organisation for not including in full the written response from the department earlier in its so-called research, with a view to presenting a distorted picture with ill intentions.

Amnesty International is an anti-China organisation under the guise of an organisation purportedly safeguarding human rights. In the past, Amnesty International smeared the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government through fabrication by falsely claiming that a Uyghur student had gone missing in Hong Kong and attributing the incident to the Hong Kong SAR Government.

In fact, the person concerned had never entered Hong Kong nor been denied entry into Hong Kong. This shows that it is the usual and despicable tactic of this anti-China organisation to disseminate false information to smear the Hong Kong SAR Government. The department must refute its false accusations one by one in order to set the record straight.

Contrary to the claims made by Amnesty International, the department is committed to ensuring a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment and providing appropriate rehabilitation programmes to PICs to help them turn a new leaf with dignity.

Its allegations of conditions prevalent within correctional institutions, such as physical violence, extremely high temperatures and poor ventilation inside the institutions in summer, solitary confinement and unsanitary conditions, are wholly unfounded.

The department takes a zero tolerance approach on physical abuse. As provided by the Prison Rules, any department officer who, without necessity, uses force in dealing with prisoners or uses undue force, violates discipline and may also be criminally liable in such circumstances.

To cope with hot weather conditions, the department has taken extensive measures, including the installation of anti-suicide safety fans and industrial fans, the progressive replacement of ventilation systems, and the installation of new gates and windows with improved ventilation efficiency. The department has also conducted trials of heat-insulating coatings on buildings and providing hand fans and cooling towels to PICs.

Regarding association arrangements, the Prison Rules empowers the department to remove a PIC from association with other PICs for purposes such as safeguarding the interests or personal safety of the PICs. Where the removal from association is initiated at the request of a PIC, the PIC may request to resume association at any time.

On sanitation and hygienic condition, daily inspection are conducted to ensure cleanliness of the correctional institutions and frequent examinations are conducted by the institutional medical officers for purposes of cleanliness and sanitation. Besides, the management of correctional institutions regularly arranges for comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the institutions, and arranges outside contractors to carry out pest control and rodent eradication work.

The department has put in place mechanisms, including regular visits from Justices of the Peace, who inspect the prisons to ensure the rights of PICs are protected. PICs who feel aggrieved by any treatment they received could lodge a complaint through various channels within and outside the department, eg the Ombudsman.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today said it strongly disapproves of and objects to the slanders and smears by the G7 foreign ministers as well as the European Union High Representative, after the court found Lai Chee-ying guilty of offences of endangering national security in strict accordance with the law and evidence.

The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

The Government pointed out that safeguarding national security is a top priority of every country. In accordance with international law and international relations based on the Charter of the United Nations, it is each and every sovereign state’s inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, and is also an international practice.

Acts and activities endangering national security could bring very serious consequences. Prompt action must be taken to prevent and suppress such acts and activities effectively. No country will watch with folded arms and tolerate any of such acts and activities endangering national security without taking any action.

The relevant countries have also enacted legislation to combat collusion with foreign forces, including the National Security Act 2023 by the UK, Foreign Agents Registration Act by the US, and the Countering Foreign Interference Act by Canada. In recent years, they have even intensified their crackdown, frequently labeling and charging individuals and organisations with legitimate dealings with China as “undertaking espionage activities” yet charges are often dropped later on, or the defendants are found not guilty, due to insufficient evidence. It is ironic that these countries now try to whitewash Lai Chee-ying’s blatant collusion with foreign or external forces, and his begging for sanctions against China as well as the Hong Kong SAR, as “exercising freedom of speech and the press”. This clearly exposes the double standard of these countries.

The Government noted that they showed no respect for the fact that charges had been laid against Lai Chee-ying and other defendants by the Department of Justice entirely based on evidence and public interest. There was no respect for the court of the Hong Kong SAR which had exercised judicial power independently and strictly on the basis of facts and evidence.

It added that they also refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court’s considerations and rationale for the verdict. Instead, they wantonly vilified the Hong Kong SAR prosecutorial and judicial authorities’ discharge of their duties in accordance with the law as “undermining rights and freedoms”, and continued to unscrupulously distort the facts to criticise the Hong Kong SAR. What these countries have done in this case is a true reflection of their bullying behaviour all along, which is extremely ugly and despicable.

The Government reiterated that the court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs.

The court’s reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court’s analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail.

The Government said that some countries have conflated the criminal acts in this case with freedom of the press, and have even played up different cases to vilify the Hong Kong SAR, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights and rule of law.

In fact, Lai Chee-ying’s case has nothing to do with freedom of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants have used journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong.

The public trial of this case has revealed Lai Chee-ying’s close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily, and one of the senior managers even said they were free within a “bird cage”.

Meanwhile, Lai Chee-ying had repeatedly and personally colluded with foreign forces, begging for sanctions and hostile actions against the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech as protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. In fact, the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security.

The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to the Hong Kong SAR, are protected in accordance with the law.

Like all other places in the world, journalists, just like all other citizens, have an obligation to abide by all the laws.

According to the principles established by Article 19 of the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence, when the media and journalists publish opinions, information and articles, they must observe and discharge “special duties and responsibilities”, including protection of national security and public order; journalists must, in accordance with the tenets of “responsible journalism“, act in good faith on accurate factual basis and provide reliable and precise information, so as to be entitled to the protection of freedom of speech and press freedom.

The Government stressed that the human rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents are firmly protected by the Constitution and the Basic Law. Any foreign or external forces attempting to discredit Hong Kong through the conviction verdict in Lai Chee-ying’s case will only expose their own weakness and faulty arguments and will never succeed.

It further stated that it will continue to steadfastly perform its duties and safeguard national security.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Transport Department said today that it will implement the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (STGV) in an orderly manner and various measures are ready to receive Guangdong vehicles entering Hong Kong’s urban areas from December 23.

Starting from 0.00am on December 23, approved Guangdong vehicles with confirmed travel bookings may enter Hong Kong’s urban areas via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) for up to three days per visit.

The department noted that the application response is positive. It will issue electronic permits and approval letters to the successful applicants accordingly.

It has arranged vehicle inspection centres to install the HKeToll vehicle tags for vehicles during inspection, and applicants are required to set up auto-payment means or top up their HKeToll accounts for toll payments.

Regarding vehicle and road safety, all Guangdong vehicles entering Hong Kong’s urban areas are required to undergo and pass a vehicle examination in accordance with Hong Kong requirements at the department’s designated vehicle inspection centres on the Mainland. The department has provided training to inspection personnel to ensure consistency in inspection standards.

The department has also released videos on driving in Hong Kong at inspection centres and on social media to introduce Hong Kong’s traffic rules, traffic signs and road markings, and points to note while driving.

In addition, HKeMobility launched the STGV dedicated page with new functions today to display, via a map-based interface, carparks with enhanced facilities supporting charging for Mainland electric vehicles and Mainland payment means.

To help ensure road safety and effective diversion, the department has liaised with operators of common navigation apps used by Mainland drivers and noted that they will update their Hong Kong maps with reference to HKeMobility and the transport and traffic data from the Government’s Open Data Portal to provide the latest information on parking and charging facilities.

The department will release information on carparks to provide convenience for Guangdong drivers in locating public and private carparks with enhanced supporting facilities across districts.

Furthermore, the department has commissioned an operator to set up the Lantau Charging Station and STGV Information Centre, providing convenient charging services for Guangdong electric vehicles entering the urban areas via the HZMB Hong Kong Port or before returning to Guangdong, along with the latest information on the STGV.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Authority today said it will start inviting applications for the Sale of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Flats 2025, the Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) Flats 2025 and the White Form Secondary Market Scheme (WSM) 2025 together in the second quarter of 2026.

The HOS 2025 and the GSH 2025 offer a total of over 9,700 new flats, while the WSM 2025 offers 7,000 quotas.

Flats for sale under the HOS 2025 include a total of over 8,300 flats in five new HOS developments in Kai Tak, Kam Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Ping Shan, and Tung Chung, with saleable areas ranging from about 26.1 sq m to about 52 sq m. Larger flats, with saleable areas ranging from about 41.2 sq m to about 52 sq m, will account for about a quarter of the total number of flats.

Flats for sale under the GSH 2025 include over 1,400 new flats from a new GSH development in Kowloon Bay, with saleable areas ranging from about 26 sq m to about 43.6 sq m. Larger flats, with saleable areas ranging from about 41.5 sq m to about 43.6 sq m, will account for about a quarter of the total number of flats.

Moreover, a new batch of recovered Tenants Purchase Scheme flats will also be offered for sale under the GSH 2025.

The selling prices of flats in the five new HOS developments range from about $1.5 million to about $4.8 million, a 30% discount from the assessed market values.

The selling prices of flats in the new GSH development range from about $1.68 million to about $3.54 million, a 40% discount from the assessed market values.

The authority has also reviewed the White Form income and asset limits with reference to the existing mechanism.

For White Form family applicants of the HOS 2025 and the WSM 2025, the income limit will be maintained at the same level of $60,000 per month as the HOS 2024 and the WSM 2024.

While the asset limit for White Form applicants should be slightly adjusted downwards to $1,220,000 according to the existing mechanism, the authority considers that it would be appropriate to provide applicants with a buffer and maintain the asset limits for WF family applicants and one-person applicants at the same level of $1,230,000 and $615,000 respectively as the HOS 2024 and the WSM 2024.

Regarding long‑term accommodation support for those affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the authority noted that the Government will conduct a comprehensive collection of residents’ views, carry out an analysis and formulate long‑term plans to help the affected families rebuild their homes.

The authority said it will exercise the utmost flexibility and will fully and proactively support the Government in taking forward the relevant initiatives.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government will give landlords of units at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po an annual rental subsidy of $150,000 for two years, with the cash being paid in instalments of $75,000 every six months.

Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing made the announcement at a media session this afternoon, stating that the measure is a sensible, practicable and effective solution.

“Many residents, actually, they wanted to have another option of a rental subsidy to be given to them, so that they can, from the private market, rent suitable accommodation which can fit into their daily routines, such as going to work, going to school, going to the doctor’s.

“Because many residents, they have lived in Tai Po for a long time, and they have their social network there, so if they stay in the transitional housings elsewhere in Hong Kong, they have this problem of social dislocation.

“And also we have surveyed the stock of our accommodation, public housing accommodation in Tai Po, and actually we do not have any more such units left. So, we think a sensible and practicable and effective solution is really to offer them this rental subsidy, which we think it is not an excessive demand. It is reasonable.”

The rental subsidy will also extend to landlords of units at Wang Chi House, the only block of Wang Fuk Court untouched by the fire. Mr Cheuk explained that this is because they are also affected due to residents not being allowed to return to the building yet. 

In addition, a one-off relocation subidy of $50,000 will be issued to both landlords and tenants to help them move to private accommodation. 

The subsidies will be disbursed from Monday in phases.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today released the first Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint for Hong Kong, outlining the vision for Chinese medicine (CM) development in the city.

The blueprint envisions a future that inherits the wisdom of CM while leveraging the Mainland’s extensive experience and resources. By integrating CM into a comprehensive healthcare system, Hong Kong will serve as a bridgehead for the international expansion of CM.

The vision will be realised by short, medium and long-term goals and action plans across key areas, covering five key domains with numerous goals and actions proposed.

These domains embrace the CM profession, its services, and cultural inheritance, as well as the development of Chinese medicines, and the “Go Global” promotion of CM by leveraging Hong Kong’s service model.

Unveiling the blueprint at a press conference today, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau emphasised the Government’s commitment to the development of CM and noted that the blueprint aligns with the nation’s CM development strategies.

Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development Vincent Chung said at the press conference that as far as clinical practice guidelines are concerned, the priority is to define the best practices in terms of CM diagnosis and treatment.

“We are going to create Chinese medicine practice guidelines and also pathways, and that will of course, number one, define what the best practices are in terms of Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment,” he said.

As for the clinical pathway, an issue of concern is defining the different professionals to deliver the best services for patients, using overseas healthcare systems as references.

“In Malaysia, in Australia, in Singapore they have Chinese medicine practitioners being regulated and they are regulated healthcare professionals. They can actually make references to our model in terms of service development, so they can actually make use of their Chinese medicine resources and professionals better in their health systems, if we call it that way, and actually export our services model,” Mr Chung said.

He added that the other key area is Chinese herbal medicine standards and the testing technology being developed at the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute.

“These can actually help different countries and regions to advance their regulatory best practices and also to know how to apply this new technology in clarifying the quality of all these Chinese herbal medicines,” he said.

Prof Lo said that the Government will work closely with the CM sector to implement the blueprint’s recommendations in an orderly manner to provide comprehensive, quality CM services to the public.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Government released the first Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint of Hong Kong today (December 18), outlining the vision of Chinese medicine (CM) development in Hong Kong – inheriting the wisdom of CM, leveraging the motherland’s development experience and resources, and utilising CM to provide Hong Kong citizens with higher quality and more comprehensive healthcare services for better health outcomes, while establishing Hong Kong as a bridgehead for the global expansion of CM.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, “CM is an integral part of Hong Kong’s healthcare system that has long been trusted and used by the citizens. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been committed to promoting CM development over the years, and the Blueprint is the first policy document published by the Government specifically dedicated to the development of CM in Hong Kong. The formulation of the Blueprint aligns with national CM development overall strategies, and fully considers the institutional advantages of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and the CM system, with a view to promoting Hong Kong’s better integration into the construction of the CM highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the overall national development of CM.

     “Leveraging on the country’s robust capability in CM, Hong Kong also takes its advantages in its internationalised healthcare system, regulatory system, standard setting and clinical research, and more. The HKSAR Government will continue to work closely and actively with the CM sector to promote CM development, aiming to implement the recommendations as set out in the Blueprint in an orderly manner to provide comprehensive and quality CM services to the public. The Government will also leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world, with a view to assisting the national drive for CM to go global.

     “This year marks a significant milestone for CM development in Hong Kong. The 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine was held in Hong Kong on December 2, and The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the permanent premises of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) also commenced services last Thursday (December 11), which received a positive public response. Building on the existing foundation of CM development, the release of the Blueprint today enables us to look to the future and formulate a comprehensive plan to further promote the comprehensive, high-quality and high-standard development of CM.”

     The Blueprint sets out short, medium and long-term goals and action plans across key areas, covering five key domains and proposing eight goals and 20 actions, with details as follows:

(1) CM Services

Goal 1: Enhancing Clinical Services Excellence
1. Defining the role of CM services within the healthcare system
2. Improving the quality and clinical effectiveness of CM services
3. Upgrading CM services through technological empowerment

Goal 2: Establishing an Interprofessional Service System
4. Deepening interprofessional collaboration mechanisms for CM services
5. Integrating into the healthcare system fully and fostering cross-institutional collaboration
6. Strengthening the role of CM in primary healthcare

(2) CM Profession

Goal 3: Leading CM Professional Development
7. Elevating the competence standard of the CM profession
8. Building a more comprehensive CM talent cultivation system
9. Empowering the sector to continuously advance CM professional development

(3) Chinese Medicines (CMs) Development

Goal 4: Enhancing CMs Quality and Standard
10. Strengthening quality management of CMs
11. Implementing good manufacturing practice (GMP) for proprietary CMs fully

Goal 5: Contributing to the Establishment of International Standard for CMs
12. Leveraging the GCMTI to establish standard for CMs
13. Deepening collaboration between the GCMTI and institutions in the Mainland and the GBA

Goal 6: Driving CM Innovation in Research and Industry
14. Promoting innovation of CMs and clinical trials
15. Empowering the industry to cultivate talent in CMs

(4) Cultural Inheritance

Goal 7: Promoting Culture of CM
16. Disseminating knowledge on the appropriate selection of CM for disease prevention and treatment
17. Fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance cultural confidence in CM

(5) Go Global

Goal 8: Facilitating the “Go Global” of CM
18. Promoting Hong Kong’s CM service model and international co-operation globally
19. Facilitating the international application of CMs standard and testing technologies
20. Establishing an international hub for CM information exchange and innovation

     Professor Lo thanked the Chinese Medicine Development Committee, its Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint Subcommittee, CM sector and stakeholders from relevant sectors, for their valuable advice provided during the formulation of the Blueprint.

     The Chinese Medicine Unit of the Health Bureau (HHB) has been maintaining close liaison with local, Mainland and international stakeholders through various platforms and means, including engaging in nearly 400 activities, meetings and exchange sessions, to conduct stakeholder consultation for the formulation of the Blueprint.

     Full text and pamphlet of the Blueprint are available at the HHB’s thematic website (www.healthbureau.gov.hk/CMDevBlueprint).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     To support the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee in attracting international top-notch researchers to Hong Kong and procuring facilities to conduct research projects in frontier technology fields, the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund was launched in September 2025. The Scheme aims to expand Hong Kong’s research capacities, promote the integrated development of education, technology and talent, and dovetail with the country’s strategic planning for frontier technologies.
      
     The Government will set up an Assessment Panel to consider applications received under the Scheme. The Innovation and Technology Commission today (December 18) announced that the Assessment Panel will be chaired by Dr Chung Shui-ming, with members from academia and representatives of the Government. The appointments will be for a term of two years starting from January 1, 2026. The membership of the Assessment Panel is as follows:
 
Chairman:
Dr Chung Shui-ming
 
Non-official Members:
Dr Joe Fang Zhou
Professor Paul Lam Kwan-sing
Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung
Professor Yang Guangzhong
 
Ex-officio Members:
Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry or his/her representative
Commissioner for Innovation and Technology or his/her representative

     The National 15th Five-Year Plan indicates clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology centre and sets out key strategies to modernise the industrial system and accelerate the realisation of self-reliance on high-standard technology. The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, expressed hope that the Scheme can attract international top-notch talent to inject greater momentum into basic research in frontier technology fields, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and establishing Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talent, enabling the city to better integrate into and serve the overall national development.
 
     The first round of applications has ended on November 25, 2025. The Innovation and Technology Commission expects that the application results will be announced in the first quarter of 2026. For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Scheme (Tel.: 3543 5904; e‑mail: ftrss@itc.gov.hk).