MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     According to the latest labour force statistics (i.e. provisional figures for October – December 2025) released today (January 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in October – December 2025, same as that in September – November 2025. The underemployment rate increased from 1.6% in September – November 2025 to 1.7% in October – December 2025.
 
     Comparing October – December 2025 with September – November 2025, movements in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in different industry sectors varied, but the magnitudes were generally small. As to the underemployment rate, increases were mainly seen in the transportation sector and information and communications sector. Meanwhile, a decline in the underemployment rate was seen in the cleaning and similar activities sector.
 
     Total employment decreased by around 2 900 from 3 669 900 in September – November 2025 to 3 667 000 in October – December 2025. Over the same period, the labour force also decreased by around 9 100 from 3 814 300 to 3 805 200.
 
     The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) decreased by around 6 200 from 144 400 in September – November 2025 to 138 200 in October – December 2025. Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons increased by around 3 900 from 60 900 to 64 800.
          
Commentary
 
     Commenting on the latest unemployment figures, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 3.8% in October – December 2025, same as that in the preceding three-month period.  The underemployment rate edged up by 0.1 percentage point to 1.7%. Over the same period, the labour force and total employment decreased slightly, and the number of unemployed persons also decreased further.”
 
     Looking ahead, Mr Chris Sun said, “The continued growth of the Hong Kong economy and the improvement in local consumption sentiment should help stabilise the labour market. Nonetheless, the employment situations in some sectors may continue to be affected by their challenging business conditions.”
 
Further information
 
     The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.
 
     In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organization. The employed population covers all employers, self-employed persons, employees (including full-time, part-time, casual workers, etc.) and unpaid family workers. Unemployed persons by industry (or occupation) are classified according to their previous industry (or occupation).
 
     The survey for October – December 2025 covered a sample of some 26 000 households or 68 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong. Labour force statistics compiled from this sample represented the situation in the moving three-month period of October to December 2025.
 
     Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.
 
     Statistical tables on the latest labour force statistics can be downloaded at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode200.html). More detailed analysis of the labour force characteristics is given in the “Quarterly Report on General Household Survey” which is published four times a year. The latest issue of the report contains statistics for the quarter July – September 2025 while the next issue covering the quarter October – December 2025 will be available by end February 2026. Users can also browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050001&scode=200).
 
     For enquiries about labour force statistics, please contact the General Household Survey Section (3) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5508 or email: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Cybersecurity Symposium convened today (January 20). The Symposium was co-organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) and the Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited, with the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Professional Association being the strategic partners.

     Under the theme “Navigating Cybersecurity Trends, Strengthening Organisational Defence”, the Symposium featured eight keynote speeches and five panel discussions covering key topics including emerging threats, cybersecurity trends, attack and defence strategies, protection of the computer systems of critical infrastructure, and AI. More than 30 experts from the Government, academia, technology, telecommunications, finance, and insurance sectors were invited as speakers and around 1 000 cybersecurity professionals and industry leaders from various sectors attended the Symposium.

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, officiated and delivered the welcome remarks at the Symposium. He said, “Technological development and security protection must be pursued in tandem. Innovation and technology (I&T) can truly benefit society only when it is built on the foundation of safety and reliability. Hong Kong is determined to become an international I&T centre, and will actively support national strategies, and fully leverage the institutional strengths and professional capabilities to build a robust stronghold for digital security.”  

     Professor Sun emphasised that cyberattacks and defence today are no longer confined to technical confrontations, but have evolved into a global race that transcends geographical boundaries and integrates intelligence. He also urged all sectors of the community to work together and take practical actions to strengthen cybersecurity defence, thereby ensuring that Hong Kong will not only become a pioneer in developing the digital economy, but also a guardian of cybersecurity.

     The Deputy Commissioner for Digital Policy (Digital Infrastructure), Mr Daniel Cheung, delivered a keynote speech at the Symposium, presenting the DPO’s major cybersecurity strategies and initiatives in 2025. He stated that the DPO laid a solid foundation for Hong Kong’s cybersecurity through various areas, including internal government protection measures, public promotion and support, national and international collaboration, and talent development. The DPO also co-ordinated efforts across various sectors to ensure robust cybersecurity preparations and the smooth execution of several large-scale major events in the second half of last year. He also shared the outcomes of the second Hong Kong Cybersecurity Attack and Defence Drill, which was co-ordinated by the DPO in October last year. He said that last year’s drill was further expanded in scale to cover more public services, thereby providing a more comprehensive assessment of the cybersecurity defence and response capabilities of government departments and public organisations with significant results.

     The Cybersecurity Symposium aimed to bring together industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by public and private organisations across the three key dimensions of policy, technology, and operations. The participants explored the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, fostered collaboration and knowledge exchanges between public and private organisations, and thereby further strengthening Hong Kong’s cybersecurity resilience. A cybersecurity solutions and services exhibition was also held alongside the Symposium to showcase the latest technologies and offer enterprises and organisations opportunities to engage directly with cybersecurity service providers, share practical experiences and forge connections.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po:
 
     The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today (January 20) that it will hold a direction conference on February 5 (Thursday) to give directions on the arrangements for subsequent hearings to be conducted by the Committee.
      
     At the direction conference, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Justice David Lok, will give directions on the subsequent hearings, including identifying individuals or organisations, or their legal representatives, who intend to attend the hearings; the language to be used, the manner of submission of witness statements and documents, etc; and will consider other matters relating to the hearings. There will not be any presentation of evidence or examination of witnesses at the direction conference.
      
     The direction conference will be held at 10am on February 5 in Cantonese at the Multi-purpose Room, 3/F, City Gallery, 3 Edinburgh Place, Central. Simultaneous interpretation in Putonghua and English will be arranged in the City Gallery.
      
     The direction conference will be open to the public. To allow more members of the public to observe the conduct of the conference, the proceedings will be broadcast simultaneously in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of the City Gallery and in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library. Some members of the public will be arranged to observe the conference in these two areas. A total of about 400 seats will be available for the public, with separate arrangements for the media.
      
     To avoid members of the public queuing up outside the venue for a long time, and to allow those who wish to observe the conference to have certainty of whether seats have been secured before the day of the conference, interested individuals are required to make an online reservation through the submission of a pre-registration form in advance. The Secretariat of the Committee will allocate seats on a first-come, first-served basis according to the system’s record of the time that the pre-registration forms are received. Details of the online reservations will be announced separately.
      
     In addition, the scope of the Committee’s work is extensive, and the issues are numerous and complex. In order to review the incident and related issues more comprehensively and from different perspectives, the Committee will invite members of the public and organisations to provide information on the causes and circumstances that led to the fire and its rapid spread at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, and related issues. Details of the method, timing, and scope of submission of information will be announced separately.
      
     The Chief Executive has established the Committee to review the causes of the incident and related issues of Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, and to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The Committee formally commenced its work on December 19, 2025.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government released today (January 20) the report of the Task Force on Review of Government Procurement Regime (in Annex), as well as the disciplinary investigation regarding the incident in the procurement of bottled drinking water and relevant follow-up actions.
      
Report of Task Force
————————
      
     The Task Force report summarised the recommendations from the Task Force chaired by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (SFST), Mr Christopher Hui, upon a thorough review of the government procurement regime, and having made reference to the management letter submitted by the Audit Commission on its review of the tender exercise for the procurement of bottled drinking water. The measures focused on four broad directions, namely institutional change, reshaping work culture, enhancement in cross-departmental information exchange, and application of technologies and artificial intelligence, with a view to holistically refining the tendering and procurement regime and procedures.
      
     Following the six quick-win measures announced in October last year, the Task Force put forward various further enhancement measures. Starting from January 1 this year, a financial vetting requirement has been introduced to the tendering of goods contracts with a value exceeding $15 million, making it on par with the prevailing practice of conducting financial vetting for service contracts with a contract value exceeding $15 million. Having regard to the nature and scale of procurement as well as practical operational needs, procurement officers may also set the tenderer’s experience as an “essential requirement” in a more flexible manner, in order to ensure that tenderers are capable of fulfilling contractual obligations. The Treasury has also promulgated internal guidelines to assist officers responsible for conducting financial vetting to identify possible red flags of fraud, so that they will be more vigilant and take timely follow-up actions.
      
     Moreover, following the revisions to the Standard Terms and Conditions of Tenders and Contracts (STC) in October last year that specifically empower procurement officers to disqualify a tenderer if they consider the tenderer not capable of fulfilling the contract terms, and to terminate a contract immediately if they reasonably believe that a contractor has made a material misrepresentation during the contract period, the Government has further updated the STC to stipulate that the Government may terminate a contract immediately on public interest grounds.
      
     To progress with the times and leverage technology, the Government Logistics Department (GLD) will adopt an AI tool to assist in information search on tenderers and contractors on a pilot basis in the first quarter of this year. Subject to the outcome of the trial, the AI tool will be extended to other procuring departments for adoption, so as to enhance the Government’s overall operational efficiency in conducting due diligence checks.
      
     Mr Hui said, “We have long been acting in the interest of the public and handling the incident regarding the procurement of bottled drinking water with openness and transparency. Our commitment to enhance the government procurement regime is ongoing and will never stop. We will continue to refine the Government’s procurement work with a resolve to reform, so as to obtain goods and services at the best value for money and ensure prudent use of public money through effective procurement procedures that adapt to the needs of the modern business environment.”
      
Outcome of disciplinary investigation and relevant follow-up actions
—————————————————————————-
      
     In late October last year, the SFST invited Ms Alice Lau, Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1, to conduct a disciplinary investigation into the incident with a view to ascertaining if any officers should be held accountable for the incident and, if so, the nature and level of their responsibility, such as whether any officers had contravened government or departmental rules and regulations in the process, or failed to act or perform up to the standards commensurate with their ranks and experience.
      
     After reviewing relevant documents, the investigation team led by Ms Lau identified over 20 officers from the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the GLD, and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and requested from them written statements. The investigation team also interviewed some of the officers concerned based on the contents of the statements.
      
     Following an in-depth and comprehensive collection and analysis of facts, the investigation team found that three GLD officers failed to perform up to the standards commensurate with their ranks and experience in the procurement of bottled drinking water exercise. They demonstrated a lack of vigilance and judgement, thus failing to identify obvious irregularities and seize the opportunity to follow up as appropriate and report to their seniors in a timely manner. This resulted in the department missing the chance to detect the false documents and take appropriate actions earlier.
      
     Based on the findings of the above investigation, there is prima facie evidence at this stage suggesting that two of the three GLD officers, including one directorate officer, had failed to appreciate the significance of obvious irregularities and report such irregularities to their seniors in a timely manner. The Government will initiate formal disciplinary proceedings against them and mete out punishment based on the findings of the disciplinary inquiry. Besides, the deficiencies in the work performance of the two officers will be reflected in their appraisals, and the Government will not grant an increment to the officers who have not reached the maximum salary point of their ranks.
      
     For the remaining GLD officer, the Government will reflect the officer’s inadequacy in vigilance, judgement, and analytical power in his/her appraisal report and will not grant an increment to him/her. Written advice will also be served, requiring the officer to demonstrate significant improvement in the above competencies in the future.
      
     Having found that there were officers who failed to report the irregularities to their seniors, the investigation team did not find any act of negligence on the part of the former Director of Government Logistics in the incident. However, the fact that all of the three aforementioned GLD officers at different ranks did not perform up to the standards commensurate with their ranks and experience in the incident reflects some prevalence of such substandard performance in the GLD. The report of the Task Force also revealed that there was room for improvement in the GLD’s procurement work, with the need to heighten officers’ guard against government loss and to put in place a more proactive and prudent procurement process. In this regard, the SFST has written to the former Director of Government Logistics, pointing out that more should have been done during his tenure as the Head of Department to enhance staff’s capabilities and develop their sensitivity and proactiveness. 
      
     The incident has drawn extensive attention from the public and brought serious disrepute to the Government. In this light, after consulting the Honours and Non-official Justices of the Peace Selection Committee, the Government has decided to reverse the previously announced decision to award the Silver Bauhinia Star to Mr Carlson Chan, and he has been informed.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

       The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present “Deconstructing Theatre for a Panoramic Perspective – Theatre Talk and Workshop Series” from February to March. Focusing on three key theatrical disciplines, namely playwriting, dramaturgy and scenography, the series traces the creative pathway of theatrical production: from the genesis of a story, through the construction of narrative logic, to the imaginative potential of spatial and visual elements on stage. Featuring local industry professionals as speakers, including screenwriter Ivan Kwok, writer-directors Kingston Lo and Vee Leong, stage and costume designer Cindy Ho and spatial designer Jan Wong, the series offers accessible explanations, experience sharing, work appreciation and practical exercises to discover multiple entry points of theatre-making and explore its boundless creative possibilities.
 
       Details of the thematic talks and workshops are as follows:
 
Playwriting Workshop: For Those Who Know How to Tell Stories
——————————————————————————–
Speaker: Ivan Kwok
Venue: Function Room AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
Session 1: Where Stories Begin – The Instinct to Tell
Date: February 25 (Wednesday)
Content: Starting with narrative exercises drawn from dreams, conversations, and memories from daily life, this session examines the distinctions between narrators and audiences in prose and drama, guiding participants to turn a “slice of daily conversation” into an opening scene of a play.
 
Session 2: Let the Characters Speak – The Birth of Dialogue
Date: March 4 (Wednesday)
Content: Introducing the three layers of dialogue (subconscious, rational and emotional), this session examinates how to turn a character’s words into the pulse of a play. Participants will practice adapting a prose passage into a dialogue between two persons.
 
Session 3: The Structure of Drama – From Emotion to Conflict
Date: March 11 (Wednesday)
Content: Introducing the dramatic triangle of drama (desire, obstacle and transformation), this session contrasts a character’s action logic with the emotional impulses of the author. Through exercises, participants will practice devising what a character “wants” and “cannot obtain”.
 
Session 4: Scenes and Rhythm – How Theatre Breathes
Date: March 18 (Wednesday)
Content: Exploring how scripts transform into spatial arrangements on stage and characters’ physical actions, this session analyses rhythm and silent moments in drama, illustrating how silence and action are more powerful than the spoken word. Participants will practice rewriting a phone conversation into a dramatic scene.
 
Session 5: Draw From Life, Write the Play Within You
Date: March 25 (Wednesday)
Content: This session explores how to transform personal experiences into dramatic archetypes and how to “find yourself and go beyond yourself” in a story. It concludes with a group sharing where participants will present script readings.
 
       Ivan Kwok is currently the Manager of the Theatre Literature Department of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre (HKRep). His play, “Principle”, in film version, won Best Screenplay at the Asian Academy Creative Awards (Hong Kong Region) in 2022, while another work, “True Lies” won Best Script at the Hong Kong Theatre Libre in 2019.
 
Talks on dramaturgy
——————————————————————————–
Venue：Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Space Museum
 
Session 1: Dramaturgy from a Director’s Perspective
Date: February 28 (Saturday)
Speaker: Kingston Lo
Content: Sharing creative collaborative experiences with dramaturgs, this session examines the practical roles and positioning of dramaturgs through case studies of local theatre productions. It further explores how Hong Kong’s creative ecosystem and operational models shapes their possibilities for engagement.
 
Session 2: Interdisciplinary Arts and Dramaturgy
Date: March 1 (Sunday)
Speaker: Vee Leong
Content: This session introduces the rise and evolution of interdisciplinary arts within the contexts of contemporary theatre and contemporary arts. It discusses how different artistic media influence artists’ creative methodology, and explores the frameworks and perspectives through which such works can be appreciated.
 
Session 3: A Dialogue on Dramaturgy
Date: March 8 (Sunday)
Speakers: Kingston Lo and Vee Leong
Content: Exploring diverse dimensions of dramaturgy, this session draws on experience sharing and case studies to examine the multiple roles and ways of participation of dramaturgs. It also reflects on how Hong Kong’s artistic landscape fosters room for the development of dramaturgical thinking.
 
       Kingston Lo is a theatre practitioner who performs the multifunctional roles of playwright, director, drama critic, and lyricist. For directing “The Bucket” at the HKRep, he received multiple local directing awards. His work, “Century Egg & Pork Congee”, was selected as an Outstanding Script (Hong Kong Region) at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Drama Script Writing Competition. Vee Leong is a writer-director in text-based theatre and intermedia art. She is currently the Co-Artistic Director of On & On Theatre Workshop while teaching dramaturgy at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). She has been commissioned by or featured at numerous local and international arts festivals.
 
Scenography workshop
——————————————————————————–
Speakers: Cindy Ho and Jan Wong
Venue: Function Room AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
Session 1: Costume Design
Date: March 5 (Thursday)
Content: Through sharing of selected works, this session examines how costume design functions as a narrative medium to convey characters’ emotions and show the period and background of the drama. A hands-on component will allow participants to experience the process of theatrical prototype-making.
 
Session 2: Spatial Design
Date: March 12 (Thursday)
Content: Using cases studies of diverse works, this session traces the design process and collaboration with other creative leads, and analyses the role of spatial design in performing arts. Participants will gain insights into how spatial and scenographic environments are conceived and realised.
 
Session 3: Costume × Space
Date: March 19 (Thursday)
Content: Integrating the two key elements of design – costume and space, this session investigates how the time, place, people, and narrative of a performance gradually take form through scenographic thinking.
 
       Cindy Ho was Artist-in-Residence and Guest Lecturer in Stage Design at Theatre Design Department of the HKAPA, and continues to work as an independent stage artist. Her innovative design for “Marriage” has won multiple awards. Jan Wong is spatial designer in Hong Kong whose works have received several stage design awards. He was honoured with the Award for Young Artist (Drama) at the 19th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2025.
 
       The above-mentioned talks and workshops will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm. Each session will run for about one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets priced at $80 (for each session, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Package booking discounts will be available for purchasing different sessions under this series. For discount schemes and programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/theatre/programs_1940.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 20) announced the results of a risk assessment study on the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat sauces and like products. All samples were compliant with the microbiological food safety criteria for pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens). The overall result was satisfactory.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “Ready-to-eat sauces and like products, such as gravies, dressings and dips, are often served to enhance the flavour of food or complement dishes. These products are often made in large batches. If these ready-to-eat products are contaminated by foodborne pathogens and held for extended periods without proper temperature control, the pathogenic bacteria may proliferate in the contaminated sauces to levels capable of causing foodborne illnesses. Additionally, the preparation of ready-to-eat sauces may involve a variety of ingredients, some of which may be fresh and not subjected to further cooking, making them potential sources of contamination.”

     Given the above-mentioned risks, the CFS therefore conducted a study and collected from various food businesses 50 samples of dressings/dips and 50 samples of gravies. The microbiological quality of the samples was assessed against the criteria stipulated in Microbiological Guidelines for Food.

     The study results showed that all samples complied with the microbiological food safety criteria for pathogenic bacteria. Test results of individual samples, including the total bacterial count (aerobic colony count) in a curry sauce sample and the Escherichia coli count in an avocado-based sauce sample indicated that there may be room for improvement in terms of food handling processes as well as personal and environmental hygiene, respectively, but there was no food safety concern. The CFS provided advice on Good Hygiene Practices to the staff concerned. Follow-up samples were taken and the testing results were satisfactory.

     To ensure food safety, the spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure proper time and temperature control when preparing ready-to-eat sauces, especially during storage and cooling. Raw food should be stored and handled separately from cooked and ready-to-eat food to avoid cross-contamination. Food handlers should strictly implement and maintain personal and environmental hygiene, including handwashing with soap regularly.

     The spokesman also advised members of the public to consume ready-to-eat sauces or like products with raw or undercooked ingredients as soon as possible after purchase. High-risk groups, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, people with weakened immunity, and people taking antibiotics or antacids, are advised not to consume ready-to-eat sauces or like products with raw or undercooked ingredients.

     The study is available on the CFS’s website at www.cfs.gov.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​The Labour Department (LD) will participate and set up a booth at the Education & Careers Expo 2026 organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) from January 22 to 25 (Thursday to Sunday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
      
     The LD booth will be located at A01 in Hall 1D, providing information on its employment services, the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, the Working Holiday Scheme, and the Youth Employment and Training Programme to assist job seekers, in particular young people, to learn more about career opportunities in Hong Kong, the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, and overseas.
      
     The LD will hold a seminar from 1pm to 1.30pm on January 24 (Saturday) at the venue to introduce the Working Holiday Scheme.
      
     Job seekers can find more employment information on the LD Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk). For details of the expo, please visit the HKTDC website (www.hktdc.com/hkeducationexpo).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Health Bureau (HHB) announced today (January 20) that Hong Kong citizens can authorise designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to deposit their radiology reports and images into their personal eHealth accounts through the “Personal Folder” function in the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) starting from January 27. This will enable citizens to store and utilise electronic health records from healthcare services received outside Hong Kong in a more convenient and secure manner, thereby facilitating greater continuity of care.

     Starting from January 27, citizens can submit an authorisation application through the “Personal Folder” function in the eHealth App before receiving radiology services at three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong (namely the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital and Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine). Citizens will then receive an “Authorisation QR Code” in the mobile application. When seeking medical care at the designated medical institutions, citizens can present the QR code along with their Hong Kong identity card to local healthcare personnel for identity verification and authorisation. The medical institution will then assist the citizens to directly deposit the radiology reports and images of that consultation into their personal eHealth accounts. Moreover, eHealth users can apply for the service on behalf of family members using the “Caregiver” function in the mobile application. 

     Compared to the current arrangement where citizens can self-deposit medical records into their personal eHealth accounts, this upgraded function supports the deposit of high-resolution radiology images, which are often challenging for citizens to upload themselves. In addition to viewing the relevant records through the mobile application, citizens can also authorise healthcare providers in Hong Kong to access them through the eHealth system during follow-up care.

     A spokesperson for the HHB said, “Since July 2024, the HHB has launched the ‘Personal Folder’ function to enable citizens to self-deposit medical records obtained during consultations outside Hong Kong to eHealth, under the principle of ‘bring your own health records’. The introduction of the high-resolution radiology image function upgrade marks a significant step in cross-boundary medical record sharing. This upgrade supports citizens in consolidating medical records obtained from different healthcare processes into their personal eHealth accounts, offering more convenience for future management and usage. Building on the experience gained from implementing the new function, we will continue to optimise the processes and enhance the user experience, and gradually extend the function to cover more types of medical records and institutions, with a view to more effectively supporting citizens using cross-boundary healthcare services.”

     The HHB has set up support stations at the three designated medical institutions outside Hong Kong to assist Hong Kong citizens in registering for eHealth, downloading the eHealth App, and using the relevant function. Citizens can also view tutorial videos on the eHealth App, eHealth’s thematic website and social media platforms to learn about the usage and purpose of the new function.

     For more details, please visit the eHealth thematic website or call the hotline at 3467 6300. The hotline service runs from 9am to 9pm from Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays).

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Development Bureau today invited the market to submit expressions of interest (EOI) within two months for post-secondary student hostel development at three commercial sites in Kai Tak, Siu Lek Yuen (Shatin) and Tung Chung East.

In July 2025, the Development Bureau and the Education Bureau jointly launched the Hostels in the City Scheme. By relaxing some development controls, it has facilitated private developers/operators in converting commercial buildings into student hostels to meet the needs of post-secondary students.

Subsequently, it was announced in the 2025 Policy Address that the scheme would be expanded to also cover new hostel developments.

The scheme has been met with an encouraging response, with 24 applications received involving around 5,000 beds in total, most of which were in urban areas.

Apart from two applications that concern new student hostel development on private land, all applications were for the conversion of existing buildings, the majority of which involved wholesale conversion.

Out of the 24 applications received, 22 have been confirmed to have complied with the eligibility criteria as laid down under the scheme, with the remaining two under processing.

Proponents of these 22 cases are starting to apply for development approvals under relaxed development controls, while the relevant government departments are processing at full steam the planning applications and the building plans received.

The Development Bureau said that the 2025 Policy Address has recommended that suitable sites for student hostel development be put up through land sale, besides facilitating the market in converting existing commercial buildings and building hostels on existing private land. This would be the first time for the bureau to use land disposal in the open market to encourage the development of student hostels.

All three sites included in this EOI exercise are located in urban or extended urban areas with better traffic accessibility and more mature community and commercial facilities in the vicinity. These sites are zoned commercial on the respective outline zoning plans, meaning developing student hostels according to the scheme would not require further planning applications. The relevant land has already been formed with basic infrastructure.

The Development Bureau said that the three sites are all readily developable land where zoning and development parameters are suitable for student hostel developments. Those who are awarded the sites through tender could promptly develop these sites into student hostels and help respond to the demand for post-secondary hostel accommodation.

Subject to the response received from this EOI exercise, the Government can make available one or more of the three sites supporting student hostel development for land sale through open tender in 2026-27 at the earliest.

The Government’s preliminary estimate is that around 4,500 beds can be provided in total on the three sites, but the actual bed numbers will depend on the design of the project proponents.

The invitation documents for EOI have been uploaded onto the Development Bureau’s website. Interested parties should submit a soft copy of their EOI by midnight on March 20.