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Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak and representatives of participating corporates today officiated at a kick-off ceremony for the “HYAB Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland & Overseas 2026”.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan outlined that the scheme has benefited over 1,300 Hong Kong youths since its launch in 2018. Over the years, he said, the Government and the business sector have jointly provided young Hongkongers with internship opportunities at corporates on the Mainland and overseas.

He highlighted that the scheme enables young people to experience first-hand the workplace culture in large corporates, gain hands-on experience, broaden their horizons, and understand national development and global trends, thereby enhancing their competitiveness.

Mr Chan observed that this year the number of corporates participating in the scheme and the number of internship placements are the highest on record, encompassing a wider range of industries.

In addition to traditional sectors, the Government has extended the scheme’s coverage to include emerging industries such as biotechnology and artificial intelligence. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the participating corporates for their profound engagement, which he said has become a pivotal force in nurturing local young talent.

He also remarked that the Government is drawing up Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan. He said that, building on the foundation of the Youth Development Blueprint and fully leveraging Hong Kong’s advantages under “one country, two systems”, the Government is striving to nurture a new generation of young people who have an affection for the country and Hong Kong, are equipped with a global perspective, an aspiring mindset and positive thinking, and will integrate into and serve the overall national development more effectively and proactively.

A total of 29 corporates are participating in the scheme this year. The internship placements cover multiple industries, including financial services, innovation and technology, pharma, logistics, property development, construction, retail, hospitality and public utilities.

The placements span different Mainland provinces and cities, as well as overseas countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

The recruited interns will depart from this month onwards and undertake placements of no less than five weeks.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today announced the results of its investigation into an SMS incident in relation to the results of the Central Allocation for Primary One Admission, and gave details of follow-up actions and enhancement measures.

The investigation found that the incident stemmed from an Education Bureau officer making an operational error while setting up an SMS sending procedure on the morning of June 2.

The bureau has decided to take disciplinary follow-up action against the officer concerned. Performance deficiencies will be reflected in the officer’s appraisal, and a pay increment will not be granted. The officer will also be transferred to perform other duties.

SMS messages containing an incorrect year and registration date were sent to parents on June 2, one day earlier than the official announcement date originally scheduled. The incident did not affect the central allocation results, which were announced on June 3.

A team was set up immediately to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to clarifying the details of what had occurred.

The investigation also found that another bureau staff member did not establish sufficient review and approval measures in the workflow. This staff member’s supervisory and management performance was deemed not to be satisfactory. Advice has been given to the staff member, and the bureau will reflect the inadequacies concerned in the staff member’s appraisal report.

The investigation task force concluded that in addition to negligence, the incident pointed to areas for improvement in the current workflow and internal supervision mechanisms.

After a comprehensive review of related workflows, system design and staff arrangements, it recommended a series of enhancement measures.

Firstly, the bureau should compile internal working guidelines, clearly outlining the workflow, division of duties and responsibilities and approval arrangements for disseminating messages, and should have regular reviews and updates.

Secondly, it should establish a multi-tier review and approval procedure in the message dissemination mechanism. Delivery should only be activated after confirmation by staff from multiple tiers, and changes after task confirmation will be restricted.

Thirdly, the bureau should conduct practical drills before large-scale SMS dissemination, and hold briefings and training sessions on system operation on a regular basis.

The bureau’s School Places Allocation Section immediately implemented the enhancement measures.

Other sections will also enhance processes involving dissemination of information to the public according to the above principles, the bureau added.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the keynote speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association Gala Dinner in Auckland, New Zealand, today (June 26, Auckland time):

Distinguished guests, friends from New Zealand and Hong Kong, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to join you this evening to celebrate the achievements of the Hong Kong-New Zealand business community.

New Zealand is a nation where growth begins with the land. Its agricultural strength and world-class food and dairy industries reflect a deep respect for nature, and a philosophy that every great harvest begins with a single seed.

Hong Kong is shaped by a very different landscape. Our city grows vertically, driven by density, connectivity, and an unrelenting pace. Yet, Hong Kong shares the same belief that small beginnings, when supported by the right conditions, can grow into something remarkable. Our strength has always been our ability to turn ideas into impact, and to scale innovation far beyond our physical size.

This shared mindset – the ability to turn seeds into scale – is reflected in the achievements of every awardee here tonight. Through resilience and ingenuity, you nurtured your ideas into successful enterprises.

It is also the story of Hong Kong’s transformation into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. This journey began with the promulgation of our I&T Development Blueprint in 2022, which set out a clear roadmap for the decade ahead. Over the past few years, we have been strengthening an ecosystem for innovative ideas to take root and flourish. Our R&D (research and development) expenditure has reached record highs. Hong Kong, together with Guangzhou and Shenzhen, now ranks first among the world’s top innovation clusters. For a compact city like Hong Kong to host five of the world’s top 100 universities reminds us that scale is not just measured in size, but more importantly, in vision, talent, and determination.

To provide fertile soil for our I&T development, we are building a comprehensive I&T ecosystem anchored by three major I&T Parks and five key R&D institutions, guided by clear industry policies focused on life and health technologies, AI and robotics, as well as advanced manufacturing and new energy.

Our three I&T Parks are: Cyberport – our flagship digital hub; Hong Kong Science Park – our mature, full-spectrum I&T centre; and the newly opened Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen – Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, which is envisioned to develop into a world-class innovation platform connecting international companies with the Chinese Mainland, particularly the Greater Bay Area with a population of 88 million and a massive GDP of roughly NZD3.8 trillion. As for the five key R&D institutions, in addition to the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, which have been operating for decades, we are establishing three new strategic R&D institutes dedicated to microelectronics, AI, and life and health technology.

Through the InnoHK research clusters, our flagship R&D initiative, we collaborate with 30 world-renowned universities and institutes from 12 economies, with over 3 000 talents from around the world to pursue cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs. To further attract top researchers, we launched a HK$3 billion Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, approximately NZD655 million, to support local universities to recruit international experts in frontier fields such as AI and quantum information in Hong Kong.

We are also building new engines of Hong Kong’s high-quality development through robust I&T infrastructure. Apart from the Hetao Hong Kong Park I just mentioned, the new I&T land in the adjacent San Tin Technopole will take up the transformation of research outcomes derived from the Hetao Hong Kong Park and integrate with the comprehensive industry supply chains in the Greater Bay Area. Together, these two I&T zones will form a complete research-to-market chain and drive our future I&T development by leveraging the city’s unique advantages under “one country, two systems” while deepening synergy with Shenzhen and other cities in the Greater Bay Area.

To accelerate AI development, a core industry of Hong Kong’s future economy, we are investing heavily in computing power. Our Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster will deliver 180 000 PFLOPS (peta-floating point operations per second) of computing power by 2032, a 36-fold increase from today’s capacity, to meet the surging computational demands. The cluster will also serve as a strategic gateway for cross-boundary data flow and develop Hong Kong into an international data hub.

We also introduced targeted funding schemes to accelerate industry development and strengthen collaboration among the government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors. Notably, the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme supports universities in transforming outstanding R&D outcomes into real applications. The New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme supports the setting up of smart production lines in Hong Kong. And the I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to be launched very soon will channel market capital to invest in emerging and future industries of strategic importance, including AI and semiconductors. These three HK$10 billion initiatives alone represent a combined investment of NZD6.6 billion.

Good policies, powerful infrastructure and catalytic funding are the water, sunlight and nutrients that allow innovation to grow. But climate matters too. Ranked second globally in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook and fourth in the 2025 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, Hong Kong offers global capital and talent, a trusted law regime, a simple tax system, robust IP protection and unparalleled access to the Chinese Mainland and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) markets, providing an ideal environment for talent, investors and enterprises to thrive. With such a favourable climate, we witnessed a record high of 5 200 start-ups in Hong Kong. We also facilitated more than 650 leading I&T or high potential enterprises in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong over the past few years.

Tonight, we honour not only outstanding companies, but also the spirit of partnership that has long connected our two economies. As we enter a new era defined by food technology, green transformation, AI-driven agriculture, and sustainable production, the opportunities before us are promising. Hong Kong stands ready to serve as the gateway and accelerator, with talent, infrastructure and global reach, to help New Zealand innovations grow from seeds to scale. I hope that the companies in this room will be among the first to pioneer new breakthroughs.

Thank you to the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association for organising tonight’s event. To our awardees, I offer my warmest congratulations. Let us seize this moment to plant new seeds of collaboration. I look forward to growing the next chapter of Hong Kong-New Zealand partnership together. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at listing ceremony of PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (PT Merdeka Gold Resources) today (June 26):

Carlson (Chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Mr Carlson Tong), Mr Kartono (President Commissioner of PT Merdeka Gold Resources, Mr Santoso Kartono), ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,

     Good morning. It is a great pleasure of mine to join you all today to celebrate the listing of PT Merdeka Gold Resources on the HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited). I extend my warmest congratulations to the company, its leadership, shareholders, and all those who have worked tirelessly to bring this milestone to fruition.

     This listing marks not only a significant achievement for PT Merdeka Gold Resources as a leading Indonesian gold producer, but also a testament to the growing confidence of international mining enterprises in Hong Kong as a premier capital-raising and trading hub. It is also the company’s deep confidence in Hong Kong’s strategic plan to build a full-chain ecosystem here and in the Asia time zone. Your decision to list here underscores the strong economic ties between Hong Kong and Indonesia, and more broadly, with our Belt and Road partners.

     Hong Kong is actively building a vibrant international gold trading market. Amid complex geopolitics, our city’s security, stability, and robust financial infrastructure position us well as an attractive destination for physical gold storage, trading, settlement, and delivery. Guided by the National 15th Five-Year Plan, we are leveraging “one country, two systems” to deepen co-operation with the Mainland and international markets, thereby contributing to national strategies while enhancing our role in global gold pricing and trading.

     Key initiatives are well underway. We are expanding gold storage capacity in Hong Kong towards over 2 000 tonnes in the coming years. A government-owned central clearing system for gold is on track for trial operations this year, developed in close partnership with the Shanghai Gold Exchange to deliver efficient, reliable services aligned with international standards. We are also broadening investment products, including gold ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and tokenised gold, contemplating tax incentives for gold-related activities, and fostering an industry-led trade association to strengthen global connections.

     These efforts aim to create a comprehensive, liquid, and trusted ecosystem that benefits producers, investors, and market participants in the gold market alike. The listing of PT Merdeka Gold Resources is a welcome and timely addition that enriches our market and exemplifies the opportunities Hong Kong offers to dynamic enterprises from the region.

     We remain fully committed to working with partners like PT Merdeka Gold Resources to realise the full potential of Hong Kong as an international gold trading centre. I wish the company continued success, sustained growth, and fruitful engagement with the Hong Kong and global investment communities.

     Thank you and congratulations.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Members met with the Sai Kung District Council (DC) and Central and Western DC members at the LegCo Complex today (June 26). They held in-depth discussions and exchanged views on issues related to community development and people’s concern.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, DC (HKETO, Washington DC), hosted on June 24 (Washington time) a panel discussion co-organised with the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham) on Hong Kong’s business environment and its role as an international centre for finance and trade.
 
     The event, presented under the Economic and Trade Express platform, brought together members and representatives of the US-China Business Council, as well as a cross-section of private sector representatives, US federal and local government officials, business consultancies, think tanks, higher education institutions, diplomats, media, and professionals from various sectors.
 
     The Director of the HKETO, Washington DC, Ms Elania Luk, welcomed attendees, and remarked on Hong Kong’s unique ability and competitiveness to weather global headwinds. “Hong Kong will continue to do what it has done best: adapt”. She stated that in response to past challenges, Hong Kong had embraced change and leveraged its core strengths, namely commitment to a free-market philosophy; a simple, low tax regime; prudent fiscal policies; and the free flow of capital, information, goods, and talent.
 
     Ms Luk shared the news that Hong Kong moved up from third place to be ranked the second-most competitive economy in the world in the International Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026.
 
     She also noted that five of Hong Kong’s universities are in the world’s top 100, according to the recently released Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2027 World University Rankings. Ms Luk noted that while the University of Hong Kong held on to the 11th position, the Chinese University of Hong Kong rose an astonishing 14 places to 18th. “The rise of our universities within the ranking demonstrates our city’s growing appeal for international talent and its stature as a global higher-education hub,” Ms Luk said.
 
     Following her remarks, Ms Luk moderated a panel discussion featuring the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Mr David Butts; the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Dr Eden Woon; Partner at the Asia Group Mr George Chen; Managing Director of Peak Capital Mr John Ying; and the Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of Invest Hong Kong, Ms Xie Yi.
 
     The panellists offered their assessments of Hong Kong’s business environment and the hallmarks of the city’s resiliency.  They are in general optimistic about Hong Kong’s outlook, core advantages and business environment. They also discussed how the American business community can leverage Hong Kong’s value proposition.
 
    The event coincided with AmCham’s annual doorknock to Washington, DC. Mr Butts spoke of the importance of the annual doorknock, saying its mission was two-fold. “To share stories of American businesses operating in Hong Kong and to learn about Washington’s current thinking about Hong Kong,” Mr Butts said.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva hosted a reception on June 23 (Geneva time) to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with over 170 guests from diplomatic missions to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and key contacts in various international organisations, the academia and local businesses.
 
Speaking at the reception, the Permanent Representative of the HKSAR of China to the WTO, Miss Winky So, highlighted that trade has been one of the most powerful forces for economic growth and development, and the trading system can be shaped if all parties work together.
 
To the guests, she said, “Hong Kong’s success has always depended on our own openness and connectivity, as well as the predictability provided by the WTO; we remain firmly committed to upholding the core values of the rules-based multilateral trading system.”
 
As a founding member of the WTO, Hong Kong has always been a staunch supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system. Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong participates in the WTO as a separate customs territory in the name of Hong Kong, China.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region