Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
The University Grants Committee (UGC) held a presentation ceremony for the 2026 UGC Teaching Award today (September 29) to honour academics from UGC-funded universities for their outstanding teaching performances and achievements, as well as their leadership and scholarly contributions to teaching and learning within and outside their campuses.—————————– Professor Helen Geng, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Division of Science, Lingnan University———————————- Dr Michael Rivera, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Hong Kong———————– Eye Learn, I.CARE: Joint-University Eye Care Ambassador Training Scheme, led by Professor Kelvin Chong (Professor (Clinical), Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)), with Professor Arthur Tsang (Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, CUHK), Dr Sharron Leung (Head of Nursing Education and Programme Director of Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Hong Kong Baptist University) and Ms Stephany Tai (Research Assistant, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK) as team members.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following are the closing remarks by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the Family Office Mediation and Collaborative Practice Training today (September 29):
Nick (Director of the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre, Professor Nick Chan), Ms Cooley (Chief Executive Officer of Cooley Family Office, Ms Ann Cooley), Jason (Global Head of Family Office at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Jason Fong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. It is my honour today to speak at the closing session of the inaugural Family Office Mediation and Collaborative Practice Training in this historic venue.
On behalf of the Department of Justice (DoJ), I wish to first extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cooley Family Office and the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre for hosting this impactful initiative. The Training has provided a platform to equip legal, financial and family counselling professionals with the fundamental theory and essential skills and tools for family office mediation and collaborative practice.
While disputes arising from family offices and family businesses can involve a substantial financial stake, they are rarely just about the dollar sign. Often, they concern matters of legacy, succession and complex family relationships. High intensity emotions and power imbalances inevitably complicate these conflicts. As the Chinese proverb says, “Even an upright judge finds it hard to settle family matters”, in Cantonese: 清官難審家庭事. While litigation can determine legal rights, it is very time-consuming and costly. It will also mean definitely a winner and a loser in the litigation, and this is undesirable in the context of family disputes, potentially destroying family bonds and tarnishing the reputation of family businesses.
This is where mediation and collaborative practice demonstrate their unique value. Mediation offers a private, confidential and amicable alternative where a neutral third party assists parties to explore tailor-made and mutually beneficial solutions. Collaborative practice takes a step further by including multidisciplinary professionals in the discussion, so that they could provide holistic advice from legal, financial and psychological aspects in parallel.
This Training is timely in promoting the use of family mediation and collaborative practice. I am especially delighted to see that it directly supports two of Hong Kong’s established priorities.
The first priority is Hong Kong’s positioning. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to expediting the development and deepening of Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre. Hong Kong has full support from the Chinese Mainland in this regard, as stated in the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The Government has also pledged this in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030). To achieve that, we will enhance our diversified and high-level dispute resolution services, including mediation.
In terms of our long history of promoting mediation, our department launched the “Mediate First” Pledge in 2009 to encourage the use of mediation as the first step to resolve disputes. Today, over 1 300 companies, organisations and individuals have signed the Pledge, symbolising the success of this campaign. Family mediation is featured from time to time in the DoJ’s flagship events such as “Mediate First” Pledge events and Mediation Week.
In terms of legal infrastructure, we enacted the Mediation Ordinance in 2012. It provides a clear statutory framework grounded in confidentiality and party autonomy. We established the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System in 2024 to review our mediation regulatory system. And hence, on the recommendations of the Working Group, we will introduce an amendment bill by the end of this year to facilitate the appointment of mediators when parties fail to reach a consensus on the choice of mediators.
As a matter of government-wide general policy, a mediation clause has been incorporated in all applicable government contracts since February 2025.
The establishment of the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong and the Government’s support for the IOMed further underlines our commitment to developing Hong Kong into a global mediation capital.
The second priority is to promote the development of family offices, again as pledged in Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan. As a world-leading international financial centre and wealth management centre, we have been providing quality services for family offices to develop their businesses here. Such professional services certainly include Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services. Our Chief Executive has announced in the Policy Address this year that promotion will be stepped up following the passage of a bill to enhance the preferential tax regimes for, among others, single family offices. The goal is to attract more family offices to establish a presence in Hong Kong.
Indeed, with over 3 300 single-family offices now established in our city, our global appeal is clearer than ever. Hong Kong enjoys the distinctive advantages of “one country, two systems”, a robust legal infrastructure based on the rule of law, and has a simple and low tax regime, world-class professional services and a globally experienced workforce. This Training in the past four days no doubt contributes to the edge of Hong Kong through cultivating a talent pool in family mediation and collaborative practice.
On this note, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the training team for sharing their valuable expertise and experience, and I congratulate every participant for completing the Training as a step elevating your professional practice. I wish you every success in putting the skills to use, and in playing an important part to expedite the momentum of Hong Kong’s established priorities which I shared today. Thank you very much.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in September
District
District The FEHD continues to carry out a series of mosquito prevention and elimination measures, including: Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including: Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#Issued at HKT 18:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKSAR Government assists Hong Kong resident in returning to Hong Kong after completion of sentence in the Philippines The HKSAR Government has always attached great importance to cases involving Hong Kong residents detained or imprisoned overseas. It attaches great importance to the legal rights of these Hong Kong residents and is committed to providing assistance to them. Upon the ImmD’s receipt of the request-for-assistance from the family of that Hong Kong resident in 2003, the HKSAR Government has maintained close contact with the OCMFA and the Embassy, and has made every effort to provide practicable assistance to the Hong Kong resident and his family concerned. The Embassy also attached great importance to the case, arranging officials to pay visits to the Hong Kong resident concerned during his sentence, and actively approaching the local judicial authorities to follow up on the situation.
Upon learning that the Hong Kong resident concerned had completed his sentence in the Philippines, the ImmD and the Embassy actively liaised with relevant Filipino authorities to follow up and immediately issued him with the document for returning to Hong Kong to expedite the overall repatriation procedure. The AHU also sent officers to the Philippines to co-ordinate the relevant repatriation arrangements with the Embassy and the Filipino authorities. Accompanied by the ImmD’s officers, the Hong Kong resident concerned has already returned to Hong Kong safely today. Under the ImmD’s arrangement, he reunited with his family at the Hong Kong airport upon arrival in Hong Kong and expressed gratitude to the Embassy and the HKSAR Government for their years of assistance, which enabled his prompt return to Hong Kong to reunite with his family after being released. His family was delighted with the family reunion and thanked the HKSAR Government and the ImmD for maintaining close contact with them regarding the situation of the Hong Kong resident concerned, and for providing proactive responses to their assistance requests.
The HKSAR Government expressed gratitude to the OCMFA and the Embassy for their support and assistance in facilitating the prompt return of the Hong Kong resident concerned following his release, which resulted in a prompt and smooth repatriation arrangement. The ImmD will continue to follow up on the case and provide practicable assistance to the Hong Kong resident concerned. Issued at HKT 20:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (the HKSAR Government) today (September 29) announced the successful pricing of around HK$20 billion worth of digital green bonds (Digital Green Bonds) denominated in HK dollars (HKD), Renminbi (RMB), US dollars (USD) and euro (EUR) under the Government Sustainable Bond Programme.
Following a virtual roadshow, the Digital Green Bonds were priced on September 28 as follows:
HKD 5.5 billion 2-year tranche at 3.80 per cent
RMB 7.5 billion 5-year tranche at 1.65 per cent
USD 200 million 3-year tranche at 5.023 per cent
EUR 450 million 4-year tranche at 3.734 per cent
This issuance has once again set a new record for the largest digital bond issuance in the world, with subscription ratios across four currencies reaching 1.3 to 11.3 times, further promoting market adoption and broadening investor base for digital bonds.
Building on three successful issuances since 2023, the latest issuance reinforces HKSAR Government’s commitment in promoting innovation in the bond market. Alongside traditional settlement rail and the tokenised central bank money option introduced in the previous issuance, tokenised deposits, empowered by EnsembleTX, have been incorporated into the primary issuance settlement process for the HKD tranche of this issuance. It represents the world’s first digital bond that integrates tokenised deposits in HKD, advancing towards a more integrated digital ecosystem, and lays a foundation for exploring the programmable features of digital money.
This issuance also continues to advance adoption of global standards. By adopting the International Capital Market Association’s latest Bond Data Taxonomy (BDT) Version 2.0 (Note 1), this issuance promotes greater data consistency, interoperability and end-to-end automation across the bond lifecycle.
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “The HKSAR Government has successfully issued digital green bonds for the fourth time, totalling HK$20 billion, which is the largest issuance of its kind globally. The offering was oversubscribed, demonstrating strong market appetite for tokenised products issued in Hong Kong. Denominated in multiple currencies, these bonds cater to the asset diversification needs of both local and overseas investors, and have incorporated a range of innovative technologies to further advance innovation in the bond market. The Government will continue to issue tokenised bonds on a regular basis, expand the use cases for the underlying technologies, and harness fintech to empower the bond market’s continued development.”
The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “This fourth issuance of tokenised green bond demonstrates the HKSAR Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovative forms of bond issuance and driving green transformation. The Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong released last year highlighted the focuses on the expansion of the suite of tokenised products and the advancement of use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration. The Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address further stated that the Government will work to broaden use cases and popularise digital bonds. This issuance will further enhance society’s understanding of the integration of sustainable development and fintech, while strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading global green and sustainable finance hub.”
The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Eddie Yue, said, “Since 2023, we have been breaking new ground with digital bond issuances of the HKSAR Government. This fourth issuance reinforces our commitment to stay ahead in the digital finance space, continues to unlock new synergies across digital infrastructures, and deepens our digital asset ecosystem. We are encouraged by the strong investor demand and the expanding market participation, and look forward to sustaining this momentum to further catalyse market innovation and promote adoption.”
Key features of the Digital Green Bonds
The clearing and settlement system of the Digital Green Bonds is the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU), with HSBC Orion as the digital assets platform. HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, ICBC (Asia), J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, UBS, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Ashurst Perkins Coie Hong Kong, and Linklaters were involved in the preparation for the issuance.
Issue size
Around HK$20 billion equivalent
Currency
HKD, RMB, USD, EUR
Issue ratings
AA-/Aa3/AA+ (Fitch / Moody’s / S&P), on par with the issuer’s long-term rating
Governing law
Hong Kong law
Settlement cycle
T+1
Use of proceeds
To finance and/or refinance projects that fall under one or more of the “Eligible Categories” set out in the Government’s Green Bond Framework
Vigeo Eiris has provided a Second Party Opinion on the Government’s Green Bond Framework. The Digital Green Bonds have also received the Green and Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme Pre-issuance Stage Certificate from the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency
Listing
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Lead Managers, Joint Bookrunners
HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, ICBC (Asia), J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered Bank
Joint Lead Managers, Joint Bookrunners
Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, UBS
Joint Green and Sustainable Bond Structuring Banks
Crédit Agricole CIB, Bank of China (Hong Kong), BNP PARIBAS, Standard Chartered Bank
Clearing and Settlement System
CMU operated by the HKMA (Note 2), with linkage to Euroclear and Clearstream
Platform
HSBC Orion
Platform Provider
HSBC
Platform Direct Participants
Bank of China (Hong Kong), Bank of Communications, BNP PARIBAS, Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC, ICBC (Asia), Standard Chartered Bank
Trustee
HSBC
Principal Paying Agent
HSBC
Legal Advisers
Allen Overy Shearman Sterling (to issuer), Ashurst Perkins Coie Hong Kong (to Platform Provider), Linklaters (to banks and agents)
DISCLAIMER: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT MADE BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN, AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED, AS AN OFFER OF, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE STATE LAWS. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SUCH SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
Note 1: The BDT is a standardised and machine-readable language of key economic terms of a bond (such as amounts, currency, maturity, interest), key dates (such as pricing, settlement) as well as other relevant information (such as governing law, relevant parties, ratings, selling restrictions) typically included within a term sheet. Version 2.0 of the BDT expands coverage to support more complex issuance structures, introduces greater flexibility in data fields to accommodate a wider range of transaction types, and extends its application across the full bond lifecycle.
Note 2: The Digital Green Bonds are cleared and settled through the CMU, and the settlement of transactions made through the CMU benefits from statutory settlement finality under Hong Kong law.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
In the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 released today (September 29) by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Hong Kong’s ranking rose further by one place to 14th globally among 139 economies, and remained fifth in Asia.
As regards the two sub-indices under the GII, Hong Kong’s ranking with respect to the “Innovation Input” sub-index remained at eighth globally, and its ranking in the “Innovation Output” sub-index rose by one place to 21st.
Hong Kong’s scores in all five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index were higher than the averages of the high-income group, with “Market Sophistication” ranking second globally, and “Human Capital and Research”, “Institutions” and “Infrastructure” rising to rank sixth, seventh and 11th globally respectively. As for sub-pillars, Hong Kong continued to top the ranking in “Credit”, and ranked among the global top 10 in many areas, including “Tertiary Education” (third), “Information and Communication Technology” (fourth), “Investment” (fourth), “Institutional Environment” (ninth) and “Business Environment” (10th). Data also showed that Hong Kong’s gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) and the number of researchers continued to rise.
As for the “Innovation Output” sub-index, Hong Kong’s ranking in the “Creative Outputs” pillar rose by two places to 15th globally, and that in “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” pillar rose one place further to 29th. Data also showed that Hong Kong’s number of patents and mobile app creation continued to increase.
A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today said, “We are pleased to see the good progress Hong Kong has achieved in the GII. Expediting the development of innovation and technology (I&T) has been a policy priority of this Government. Following the directions set out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the HKSAR (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan), the Government is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. Among other things, Hong Kong will enhance the institutional framework for I&T development, expedite the alignment with key national strategies in technology, and develop the new ‘three major I&T parks and five key R&D institutions’ paradigm. In particular, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the San Tin Technopole will form a co-ordinated development at the upstream, midstream and downstream levels, jointly creating a comprehensive industrial ecosystem covering R&D, commercialisation, pilot and mass production. Hong Kong will also advance new industrialisation having regard to local circumstances, with a view to establishing a framework with Hong Kong characteristics for the development of a new industrialisation system, as well as take forward the AI+ Initiative on all fronts, enhance the layout of computing infrastructure, support small and medium-sized enterprises in accelerating their adoption of AI, and empower different sectors of the economy through AI technology. Meanwhile, Hong Kong will leverage the advantage of being closely connected to the Mainland and the world to develop an international hub for science and technology co-operation, as well as deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), thereby attracting global I&T resources and talent. The HKSAR Government will strive to realise the vision in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan that Hong Kong will basically have established an international I&T centre based in the GBA, serving the entire country and being connected to the world, after 2030.”
The GII is a ranking on the innovation capabilities and achievements of economies around the world. Its evaluation criteria cover multiple aspects, including institutions, human capital and research infrastructure, credit, investment, collaboration, knowledge creation, absorption and diffusion, and creative outputs.
The GII consists of two sub-indices: “Innovation Input” and “Innovation Output”. There are five pillars under the “Innovation Input” sub-index, namely “Institutions”, “Human Capital and Research”, “Infrastructure”, “Market Sophistication”, and “Business Sophistication”; and two pillars under the “Innovation Output” sub-index, namely “Knowledge and Technology Outputs” and “Creative Outputs”. Each of the above pillars is further broken down into three sub-pillars.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs detects money laundering case involving about $3.6 million following infringement investigation In May this year, Customs detected an online shop offering counterfeit perfumes and skincare products for sale and arrested a 37-year-old local man. A subsequent financial investigation and fund-flow analysis revealed that the arrested person operated an infringing business and utilised bank accounts of another person to receive about $3.6 million in suspected criminal proceeds between February 2024 and May 2026.
Customs today arrested the local man for “dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence” (commonly known as money laundering) under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO) and searched his residential premises. During the operation, a batch of items suspected to be connected with the case was seized.
The arrested person has been released on bail pending further investigation. An investigation is ongoing, and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Under OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years, while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:45
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Development Bureau invites industry to submit applications for inclusion in “pre-qualified lists” of building maintenance consultants and contractors The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, “The DEVB, together with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and relevant departments and agencies, will process the applications at full steam. Our goal is to have the ‘pre-qualified lists’ available progressively by the end of this year and to begin tendering projects for property owners in the first quarter of next year. In future, only consultants and contractors that are on the ‘pre-qualified lists’ will be eligible to submit tenders for projects under the new support service. I appeal to dedicated and capable consultants and contractors in the industry to apply as soon as possible. Together with other enhanced services in future, such as tender invitation and evaluation services for property owners, we aim to establish a professional and clean maintenance team to work with the Government to provide property owners with high-quality and reliable services, as well as to foster healthy development of the industry.”
The DEVB announced and briefed the Legislative Council’s Panel on Development on September 22 regarding the compilation of the three “pre-qualified lists”, which cover Inspection Consultants; Supervision Consultants that will draft tender documents and supervise building maintenance works; and Building Works Contractors responsible for construction, as well as introduced the four areas of pre-qualification criteria (technical competence, integrity, financial capacity, and past performance), the biennial review mechanism and the arrangements for removal and suspension of the pre-qualification status. Details are set out in the Annex. These arrangements have taken into account the views of various stakeholders, including the industry, striving to be both rigorous and pragmatic.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2026 will be gazetted on October 2 to relax the criteria for stamp duty relief for intra-group asset transfers of enterprise groups, as proposed in the 2026-27 Budget.
According to the Stamp Duty Ordinance, stamp duty relief is provided for the transfer of immovable property or Hong Kong stock between associated bodies corporate. Currently, if one of two bodies corporate owns 90 per cent or above of the issued share capital of another, or a third body corporate owns 90 per cent or above of the issued share capital of each of them, relevant bodies corporate would be regarded as associated. The Bill will relax the criteria in determining whether two bodies corporate are associated, taking into account other direct or indirect beneficial interests or voting rights in addition to issued share capital, and lowering the ownership threshold to 75 per cent.
A Government spokesperson said, “Since some new enterprises, such as limited liability partnerships and companies limited by guarantee, etc, do not issue shares, other enterprises may exercise ownership in these enterprises through direct or indirect beneficial interests such as equity interests or participation interests. The Bill relaxes the definition of associated bodies corporate, enabling these new enterprises to also benefit from the stamp duty relief for intra-group asset transfers.
“Business expansion and restructuring frequently involve the transfer of assets within a business group. The Bill enables more enterprises to benefit from the relevant stamp duty relief, which will further enhance the business environment, thereby increasing the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s tax regime.”
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first reading and the commencement of the second reading debate on October 14. Subject to passage by the Legislative Council, it will apply to the instruments executed on or after February 25 this year.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has noted recent social media posts concerning pest and rodent problems at various food premises and private premises. It is highly concerned about the situation and has initiated investigations and follow-up actions according to the nature of individual cases. The FEHD stressed that the presence of rodent infestation at licensed food premises is an offence. It will take the matter seriously and take enforcement action.
Regarding the rodent infestation incident at a supermarket in Luk Yeung Galleria, the FEHD has deployed staff to conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the food room was found to be in an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness. Prosecution has been instituted against the person responsible under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), and a Notice of Elimination of Vermin has also been issued to the person responsible for the premises, requiring the necessary improvement measures to be taken.
As for the incident involving suspected foreign object found in takeaway food from a food premises in Tsing Yi, the department has arranged an inspection and has also attempted to contact the complainant, and to understand the process of food preparation, packaging and delivery. The department will objectively investigate the circumstances of the incident and follow up in accordance with the law.
In addition, regarding a rodent infestation complaint concerning a fitness centre in Festival Walk, the FEHD deployed staff on the same day to inspect the centre concerned and the shopping mall. Although no signs of rodents were found inside the shop, potential pest and rodent infestation risks were identified in the shopping mall. A Notice of Elimination of Vermin was issued to the shopping mall’s property management company, requiring it to take improvement measures. The FEHD also provided the persons responsible with advice on rodent prevention and eradication.
The FEHD adopts a risk-based inspection and enforcement strategy. It has also recently taken the initiative to conduct blitz inspections targeting major supermarket chains. Food business operators have a responsibility to ensure food safety and the hygiene of their premises, and to continuously implement effective measures to prevent pest and rodent infestation and food contamination. Government inspections and enforcement cannot replace operators’ responsibility for day-to-day hygiene management.
Rodent control requires corresponding measures to be taken according to the management responsibility for different types of premises. The FEHD is mainly responsible for rodent prevention and eradication in public places within its areas of responsibility. Other government departments are responsible for rodent prevention and eradication at the premises they manage. The FEHD will provide professional technical support and collaborate with the relevant departments as necessary. As for private premises, including shopping malls, fitness centres and residential premises, day-to-day environmental hygiene and rodent-control work is primarily the responsibility of owners, persons responsible for the premises and property management companies. The FEHD will provide professional advice in response to complaints and specific risk situations, and will take action in accordance with the law where necessary.
To encourage private premises to participate proactively in rodent control, the FEHD has extended the Anti-Rodent Charter to shopping malls, encouraging owners, operators and property management companies to conduct regular inspections, manage the environment properly and carry out rodent-prevention work. According to figures released earlier by the department, as of September this year, about 130 shopping mall organisations and groups had joined the initiative, covering about 8 200 shops. The FEHD will also provide technical support to help participating organisations continuously improve their rodent prevention work.
Rodent control relies on the joint participation of the Government, the trade, property management companies and members of the public. All parties must address the three basic elements of rodent survival – food, harbourage and access routes – by cutting off food sources, eliminating hiding places and blocking access routes. By reducing the risk of rodent infestations at source, we can work together to safeguard environmental hygiene.