MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan completed his itinerary in Dalian this morning and at noon proceeded to Xi’an, where he called on CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee Secretary Hao Huijie and Xi’an Mayor Ye Niuping to discuss  strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Xi’an.

Upon arriving in the city, Mr Chan visited Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU). He met CPC XJTU Committee Secretary Wu Guosheng, and held a symposium with innovation and technology enterprises there. He elaborated on Hong Kong’s business environment, and its financial and innovation and technology ecosystems.

In a speech to about 400 teachers, students and alumni of the university, he commented that Hong Kong and Xi’an can work together to transform hard technology achievements into products and services for the global market.

Mr Chan highlighted that Xi’an has outstanding research strengths in areas of hard technology such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, new energy and new materials. He said these cutting-edge technologies can fully unleash their value only by “identifying the right scenarios and the right applications”.

To become effective productive forces, he added, such technologies require capital, market validation and internationalisation, all of which Hong Kong can give crucial support on.

Mr Chan encouraged students to regard Hong Kong as one of the barometers of the global market, actively enter the intersection of “finance + technology”, and make good use of Hong Kong’s positioning as an international financial centre and an international innovation and technology centre.

Vice Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Zhang Xiaoguang also took part in the visit programme at XJTU.

Before leaving Dalian in the morning, Mr Chan attended day events on day three of the “Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026”.

The Financial Secretary spoke at a session organised by Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Limited, and highlighted that Hong Kong is accelerating its formation of a green technology ecosystem.

He said that over 300 internationally competitive green technology enterprises have established a presence at Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Invest Hong Kong said it has assisted 413 overseas and Mainland enterprises in setting up or expanding their business in Hong Kong in the first half of 2026, and expects these to bring in over $53 billion in foreign direct investment.

InvestHK today hosted its annual welcome reception for international and Mainland businesses, thanking them for their trust and confidence in Hong Kong’s business environment. It announced its investment promotion results for the first half of this year at the event.

Officiating at the reception, Chief Executive John Lee said Hong Kong’s rising international rankings, together with its strong performance in attracting investment and enterprises, reflect the city’s robust advantages and immense opportunities.

“In the first half of this year, we welcomed 413 companies establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong – a year on year increase of some 10%.

“Together, they are expected to bring in over $53 billion in foreign direct investment and also create more than 8,600 new jobs.”

The Chief Executive added that Hong Kong is expediting development of the Northern Metropolis, which will unlock abundant opportunities and shape a prosperous future for the city.

InvestHK revealed that among the 413 overseas and Mainland enterprises it assisted in setting up or expanding in Hong Kong, about 60% came from the Chinese Mainland, while the rest spanned various markets across Europe and Asia.

The top five sectors included innovation and technology, financial services, and transport and logistics.

The reception drew more than 380 guests from global enterprises. Representatives from global logistics and financial technology firms expressed enthusiasm about what Hong Kong continues to offer.

“We do intend to expand and that may well be in the Northern Metropolis as well,” said Nina Barton, Director of Sustainability for Asia Pacific at a logistics company. “We are looking at the first Hong Kong five-year plan, which is obviously going through at the moment, how much of a pivotal role logistics takes in that.

“We want to continue to focus on Hong Kong as an aviation club, and the development within the GBA (Greater Bay Area), which will help from a customer’s perspective as well, help trade to be much smoother between Hong Kong and the GBA region.” 

Sean Abbott, Director of APAC Banking & Infrastructure at a financial technology company, said: “We are very much keen to continue to see initiatives that encourage Chinese businesses, or anywhere in the world really, to come to Hong Kong, set up shop, and use it as a base to do business internationally.

“We will be here to help them get paid basically without having to go to every country and every place in the world and open up a bank account and figure out how to do that or use the traditional rails where it is expensive and slow.

“And then things like the Stable Coin Initiative, ideas like that that are kind of pushing the envelope a bit and really encouraging innovation in the economy.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government will launch a public consultation for the 2026 Policy Address next Monday.

 

Chief Executive John Lee said: “I strive to lead my team to drive reforms by adopting a result-oriented approach, focusing on actions and delivery of results, and ensuring that policy measures are effectively implemented.

 

“My team and I have always been listening to the views from different sectors, driving economic growth, improving people’s livelihood, with the aim to enable the public to share the benefits of development and enhance their well-being.”

 

He highlighted that the Government is pressing ahead at full speed with the formulation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, explaining that as a forward-looking, strategic and directional guiding document, it will map out Hong Kong’s economic and social development over the coming five years.

 

Mr Lee said the Policy Address will set out the Chief Executive’s annual policy agenda, establish a number of specific targets in response to the plan’s requirements and directions, report on the progress of policy implementation, and introduce measures suited to the city’s actual situation. The Government will also strive for a vibrant economy and pursue development to enhance public well-being.

 

The Chief Executive added that Hong Kong will continue to leverage the unique advantages of having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle, consolidate and enhance the city’s status as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, accelerate its development as an international innovation and technology centre, and build an international hub for high-calibre talent, thereby seizing opportunities brought by the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and better integrating into and serving national development overall.

 

“I invite you all to share your views on the 2026 Policy Address,” he added. “My team and I will listen to and consider your views carefully. We look forward to receiving your suggestions. Let’s work together to write a brighter chapter for Hong Kong.”

 

During the consultation period, the Chief Executive and principal officials will attend a number of online and face-to-face consultation sessions, and will also engage with the community extensively to gather views.

 

Starting from June 29, people can offer their views through the Policy Address website, via the dedicated Facebook page, by email, by phone on 2432 1899, by fax on 2537 9083, or by post to 26/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Lands Department today posted land resumption notices for the second batch of Phase 1 of the San Tin Technopole (STT) development.

A total of 278 private lots, covering an area of about 117 hectares, will be resumed under the Lands Resumption Ordinance. The land will officially revert to the Government on September 26.

The department emphasised that it will maintain close liaison with all affected parties to properly handle compensation and rehousing matters.

The STT project (excluding the Loop) spans a total area of approximately 540 hectares and is being rolled out in two phases. Phase 1 will cover about 365 hectares and is further subdivided into two stages. Stage 1 spans about 158 hectares, while Stage 2 will cover about 207 hectares.

Land for the first batch of the Phase 1 development, measuring about 62 hectares, was reverted to the Government on October 11, 2025. This area is currently being handed over to the Civil Engineering & Development Department in phases for site formation and infrastructure works.

Upon its full completion, the STT will supply approximately 50,000 residential flats to accommodate a new population of more than 150,000. It is also expected to generate about 160,000 employment opportunities.

The first batch of residents, involving about 18,000 people under the Phase 1 Stage 1 development, will start moving in progressively from 2031.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, at the Opening Ceremony of Learning and Teaching Expo 2026 today (June 25):

Mr Armstrong Lee (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hong Kong Education City), Dr David Wong (Chairman of the Education Commission), Dr Elizabeth Quat (Founder and Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium), Dr Winnie Tang (Founder and Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is a privilege to join you at the Opening Ceremony of the Learning and Teaching Expo 2026. On behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), I extend a very warm welcome to our global community of educators, innovators, policymakers, and digital education stakeholders who have gathered here today.

The theme of this year’s event is “Reimagining Education: Human-Centric and Future-Ready”, it captures our ambition perfectly. It aligns with our vision to make Hong Kong a premier international innovation and technology hub.

This is not just an economic goal. This is about our future. AI and emerging technologies are changing our world at lightning speed. To stay competitive and to prosper, we must move boldly. And we are.

The Hong Kong SAR Government is taking action on many fronts. We are building world-class I&T infrastructure. We are providing strategic funding to support growth. And we are building strong global partnerships to bring in the best talent and opportunities.

While technology builds the future, education builds the people who live in it. Technology without talent is meaningless. And talent, as all of you here know very well, does not emerge overnight. It is nurtured patiently.

What we need is an education that can nurture future-ready learners — young people who can navigate the digital world, who can solve problems, and who can handle new technologies wisely and responsibly. Ultimately, when we reimagine what education means in the AI era, we are also laying the very foundation that will power Hong Kong’s future as a global technology hub.

That is why our strategy follows a powerful cycle. We grow technology through talent, we lead industries through technology, and we attract talent through industries. When education, technology, and talent move forward together, our city moves forward too — we build an unparalleled talent pool, we develop a richer knowledge reserve, and we strengthen our capabilities for scientific and technological innovation, lifting our competitiveness to new heights.

And I am pleased to let you know that our vision is already bearing fruit. Hong Kong now ranks third globally in “Technology” in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster remains the world’s number one innovation cluster in the 2025 Global Innovation Index.

In 2024, we set up the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents to bring these policies closer together. Many of the Committee’s key proposals were integrated into the 2025 Policy Address. And I am pleased to say we are already putting them into practice.

Universities and research institutions are the pillars of innovation. 5 universities in Hong Kong ranked among the world’s top 100, and we also have 4 of the world’s most internationalised universities. They conduct strong basic research, which serves as a crucial starting point for innovative scientific development.

To further consolidate our upstream strengths, our InnoHK Research Clusters initiative has attracted more than 30 top-notch universities and R&D institutes from 12 economies, bringing together some 3 000 outstanding I&T talents around the world to work side by side.

All these achievements hinge on one core asset — our people. And the expertise of our people starts with education. So the key question is: how do we equip our next generation for an age constantly reshaped by technology, especially AI? 

Our Education Bureau has worked closely with the Curriculum Development Council to answer that question. The result is the Blueprint for Digital Education Development in Primary and Secondary Schools — launched just last week. It is the product of countless professional conversations, with principals, with frontline teachers, with experts from our universities and our technology sector. It reflects our commitment to Hong Kong’s future.

And its heart is a simple yet powerful message: cultivating values through education, keeping our students as the foundation, and using technology as the support. And this is what the word “Human-centric” in this year’s Expo theme means to us in practice.

The Blueprint offers a clear roadmap for every school, every teacher, and every student to excel in the digital age — not by simply using more technology, but by using it wisely, ethically, and creatively. 

It focuses on four key areas: nurturing talents with both digital literacy and humanistic qualities; strengthening teacher training to drive digital transformation of education; optimising infrastructure to build smart campuses; and promoting cross-sector collaboration to co-create a digital education ecosystem.

In the short-to-medium term, we aim to achieve AI education for all students across all schools, progressively reaching the goal of comprehensively enhancing all students’ AI literacy.

To deliver this ambition, we need strong partners. Hong Kong Education City has firmly established itself as a premier digital learning hub, empowering our teachers and students with cutting-edge tools and high-quality educational content. It acts as the bridge that carries technology from policy into real practice.

Let me end where it all truly begins. The path to becoming a leading I&T hub is paved in our classrooms. When we invest in our teachers and when we empower our students with future-ready skills, we are building the foundation for a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable Hong Kong.

So to the teachers, the innovators and the officials with us this morning, the future you are helping to shape is already taking root right here, right now. I wish you all a rewarding and inspiring Expo. Thank you.