MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will depart for Beijing tomorrow afternoon (July 24) to attend the press conference on preparations for the 15th National Games organised by the Information Office of the State Council on July 25.

     The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, will join the trip.

     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong at night on July 25. During his absence, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, will be the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Tang Fei and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

Question:

     It is reported that the Singapore Government is actively developing the meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry, having set a clear target of tripling related tourism revenue by 2040. Through measures such as policy support, financial assistance, and cross-departmental collaboration, the Singapore Government has successfully attracted numerous international event organisers to establish a presence there, significantly enhancing Singapore’s competitiveness in the global MICE market. However, Hong Kong’s ranking in the international MICE market is relatively behind, having ranked only 33rd globally in terms of the number of MICE events held in 2023. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether comprehensive and regular evaluations of the effectiveness of Hong Kong’s existing MICE policies have been conducted, including performance in areas such as recent international rankings, market competitiveness, economic gains and spillover benefits to related industries; if so, of the details and how the authorities will adjust future development strategies for the MICE industry based on the evaluation results; if not, the reasons for that and whether consideration will be given to initiating such evaluations as soon as possible to more effectively promote the long-term development of the MICE industry;

(2) as there are views that Hong Kong’s current image at international MICE events is primarily associated with traditional trade exhibitions and lacks high-end international summits with global influence, whether the Government will consider re-examining and adjusting its current MICE promotion strategies, which could involve actively pursuing the hosting of internationally renowned summits with decision-making influence, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s image as an international city, attracting high-end visitors and driving economic growth; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as there are views that resources for the MICE industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) are dispersed, and with Hong Kong being the most internationalised city in the region, how the Government will assume a leading role in promoting MICE development; whether it will, through policy advocacy, resource integration, cross-city collaboration and other means, guide the Mainland cities in the GBA to jointly develop a co-ordinated MICE development strategy, thereby enhancing the overall competitiveness of the entire GBA in the international MICE industry?

Reply:

President,

     We have consulted the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau on the part involving the promotion of meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) tourism, and the consolidated reply is as follows:

     Hong Kong is the world’s seventh-largest trading entity in merchandise trade and also the region’s premier convention and exhibition (C&E) hub. Many well-known international organisations and businesses have chosen to host C&E events in Hong Kong. C&E events, in particular international ones, have attracted numerous participants (including exhibitors and buyers), not only benefitting the C&E industry but also bringing in high-spending business travellers that drive economic activities in such related sectors as accommodation, catering, retail, entertainment etc., thereby benefitting various industries and bringing important contributions to Hong Kong’s economy.

     In 2024, Hong Kong’s two dedicated venues for mega C&E events (viz. the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE)) hosted over 350 C&E events, attracting 9.17 million participants. In terms of attracting visitors, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has been striving to attract different types of visitor segments. Among others, the HKTB seeks to encourage those visitors coming to Hong Kong to participate in MICE-related business activities as well as stay and travel in the city through promoting Hong Kong as a destination for MICE tourism. In 2023 and 2024, there were about 1.3 million and 1.42 million overnight MICE visitors respectively. Their per capita spending was about 30 per cent and 40 per cent higher than that of the overall overnight visitors in the respective years.

     In view of the contribution of C&E events to Hong Kong’s overall economy, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government launched the Incentive Scheme for Recurrent Exhibitions (ISRE) in July 2023 to subsidise venue rentals of eligible exhibitions organised by private organisers. The ISRE was very well received, supporting more than 200 eligible exhibitions by the end of June this year. To further promote the development of the C&E industry and the mega event economy, thereby generating overall economic benefits for Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government has just launched the ISRE 2.0 on July 1, 2025, by allocating an additional provision of $500 million, focusing on attracting new and recurrent international exhibitions of a large scale.

     Since the resumption of tourism in Hong Kong starting from February 2023, the HKTB has stepped up its efforts to promote the recovery and development of MICE tourism. So far, the HKTB has successfully bid, assisted in successful bidding, or subsidised the staging of over 2 500 international MICE events in Hong Kong, which span across various fields including innovation and technology, financial services, medical science, luxuries, community services, aviation, etc. Among these events, there are high-end international summits of global impact, including the Fortune Innovation Forum 2024 held in March 2024, the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024 held in November 2024 and the Consensus Hong Kong held in February 2025. Meanwhile, scheduled international MICE events include the Routes World 2025 to be held in September 2025, as well as the Lions International Convention and the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly to be held in 2026 etc. It is estimated that the MICE events supported by the HKTB in 2025-26 will attract more than 183 000 high value-added overnight MICE visitors to visit Hong Kong, generating a total spending of about $1.4 billion based on the per capita spending of $7,800 by MICE visitors in 2024.

     In respect of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the HKTB will extend the scope of its promotion work under the theme of “Meet Hong Kong ‧ Meet GBA” to explicate the opportunities within the GBA so as to attract the staging of overseas MICE events in Hong Kong. In addition, the C&E industry will also explore the inclusion of GBA elements in suitable events. Among others, the UFI Global Congress 2025 will be held in the AWE in November 2025. As the host of the event, the AWE has incorporated GBA itineraries (Zhuhai and Macao) for participants from all over the world with a view to showcasing Hong Kong’s strategic advantage of being located in the centre of the GBA.

     Looking ahead, the HKSAR Government and the HKTB, in collaboration with the C&E industry and relevant organisations, will continue to support the staging of international MICE events of different scales and types in Hong Kong, so as to help consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international MICE capital and attract more high value-added overnight visitors.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Business Facilitation Advisory Committee Secretariat:

     The Business Facilitation Advisory Committee held its 57th meeting today (July 23). At the meeting, the Consumer Council briefed members on its mechanism and procedures regarding comparative product testing.

     To safeguard consumer’s interests and enable informed consumption choices for a better quality of life, one of the important tasks of the Council is to conduct tests, surveys and research on consumer products to provide objective and unbiased information to consumers. The Council has adopted a structured and transparent process for conducting product testing and research. The evaluations are designed from user’s perspectives, focusing on performance, safety and/or sustainable consumption, etc. The results are published in “CHOICE Magazine” and other media of the Council, reaching more consumers through media coverage. In addition, the Council shares the findings and recommendations with relevant traders before publishing the report and invites them to provide comments in regard to the findings. This mechanism provides an effective communication platform for the Council and traders, while also serving as a reminder to manufacturers to prioritise quality and safety when optimising the overall production process, thereby strengthening consumer protection and also building a better reputation. 

     The Committee appreciated the Council’s ongoing efforts in building a safe and sustainable consumption environment, and strengthening communication and liaison between consumers and traders. 

     The Committee also received the work reports of its three task forces:

Wholesale and Retail Task Force (WRTF)
——————————————-
 

• The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) briefed the WRTF on the common legislative framework for Producer Responsibility Schemes (PRSs) and the initial proposal of the PRS on Plastic Beverage Containers and Beverage Cartons. The EPD stated that the common legislative framework would set out the general operational mechanisms for PRSs, the responsibilities of relevant stakeholders, and the associated regulatory control measures, etc. This framework would facilitate the future inclusion of more regulated products into the PRSs progressively, taking into account actual circumstances and expanding the waste-to-resources capacities. Regarding the initial proposal of the PRS on Plastic Beverage Containers and Beverage Cartons, the WRTF agreed that all sectors of society should share the responsibility to protect the environment, and suggested the EPD continue to communicate with the trades, ensuring various factors are thoroughly considered before implementing the Scheme.

 

• The Customs & Excise Department (C&ED) briefed the WRTF on the operation, procedures and advantages of the Mainland-Hong Kong “Single Submission for Dual Declaration” Scheme. The C&ED launched the Scheme in November 2024, currently covering all cargo passing through land boundary control points between the two places. Cargo information submitted by Mainland enterprises to the Mainland platform will be encrypted and automatically sent to the Hong Kong platform, from which Hong Kong enterprises can retrieve relevant cargo information for completing a local Customs declaration. The WRTF welcomed the “Single Submission for Dual Declaration” Scheme, and considered that it would facilitate Customs declarations for local enterprises.

Food Business and Related Services Task Force (FRSTF)
————————————————————
 

• The Fire Services Department (FSD) consulted the FRSTF on the new requirements for the installation of fire extinguisher cabinets in outdoor seating accommodation (OSA) of licensed food premises. The FSD proposed that all new licensing applications of food premises shall impose a requirement of installing a fully enclosed, dedicated fire extinguisher cabinet within the OSA of food premises to prevent fire extinguishers from being adversely affected by dust, moisture and other environmental factors, thereby ensuring their prompt and effective operation in the event of a fire. The FRSTF noted the proposal and suggested that the FSD to provide clear requirements for fire extinguisher cabinets to facilitate the trade’s compliance.

 

• The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) briefed the FRSTF on the Digital DIY (DDIY) Portal to facilitate the digital transformation of Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry. The DDIY Portal is designed to facilitate local enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in identifying suitable digital transformation solutions and connecting them to reputable service providers for implementation, enhancing operational efficiency and creating business opportunities. The FRSTF welcomed the business facilitation services provided by the HKPC and suggested the HKPC to consider performing the role of project manager to assist trades in successful implementation of digital solutions.

Task Force on Business Liaison Groups (BLGTF)
—————————————————
 

• The HKPC briefed the BLGTF on the main services of the SME ReachOut and other popular government funding schemes. SME ReachOut helps SMEs identify suitable funding schemes, answers application inquiries and provides form-review advisory services. Currently there are more than 40 government funding schemes targeting SMEs, covering areas such as business expansion, upgrading and transformation, research and development, fostering technology talent, and promoting new industrialisation, along with a number of industry-specific funding schemes. The HKPC briefed the BLGTF on details of some popular funding schemes and provided information on their application eligibility, funding amount and funding scope. The BLGTF thanked the HKPC for the briefing.

     The Committee also expressed appreciation for the commitment and achievements of the bureaux and departments in continuously implementing the business facilitation measures under the Be the Smart Regulator Programme to enhance their business licensing services. 

     Papers for the Committee meeting are available at www.gov.hk/en/business/supportenterprises/bf/advisory/index.htm for public access.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Established in 2000, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department enters its 25th anniversary this year. Today (July 23), the HKHM welcomed its 15 000 000th visitor since its inauguration. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, presented a gift pack to the visitor. The HKHM has also launched a commemorative exhibition to celebrate its silver jubilee.

The 15 000 000th visitor of the HKHM is Ms Sun from Guangzhou, who is visiting the HKHM for the first time with her husband and daughter. She is a fan of Jin Yong’s novels and Hong Kong television dramas, so she specially came to visit the Jin Yong Gallery. The museum arranged special souvenirs for them.

     In celebration of the silver jubilee, “Together We Inspire: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum” will be held from today until February 23 next year, providing visitors with the background of HKHM’s establishment, its past exhibitions and core collections.

     The exhibition features around 20 items/sets of exhibits selected from the museum’s collection, showcasing Hong Kong’s cultural diversity. The exhibits include the 120-year-old Hakka wedding palanquin that portrays the marriage customs of Hakka villagers in the New Territories; the Haiqing costume with hand-painted peony and peacock patterns in the 1910s to 1920s, which is a masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship among early Cantonese opera costumes; and the ceramic work “Yuanyang Café” that creates a nostalgic atmosphere of traditional-style cafés. The trophy posthumously presented to Anita Mui for the Timeless Artistic Achievement Award of the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards, which is one of the essential collections in the field of Hong Kong pop culture at the museum, will also be displayed.
 
     In addition, the HKHM will organise the 25th anniversary fun day on November 15 and 16, offering a series of free programmes, including a night at the museum with Cantonese music, a pre-show sharing session on “Kung Fu Artistry – Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way”, treasure hunt games, ink art improvisation workshops, patterned band weaving workshops, and a talk on the development and history of public museums in Hong Kong, to provide visitors with an extraordinary museum experience.

     As a comprehensive museum, the HKHM has organised more than 200 exhibitions over the years, spanning history, art, and local culture. In recent years, the museum has also focused on presenting exhibitions and programmes related to Hong Kong pop culture, such as special exhibitions about legendary stars like Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui, which have been well received. Apart from local visitors, the HKHM also attracted tourists. In the year, around 30 per cent of the visitors were from the Mainland and overseas.

    The HKHM will present a series of exciting exhibitions and events in the second half of the year. These include an exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of the birth of Professor Chao Shao-an, the master of Lingnan School of Painting, as well as performances and activities celebrating the 85th anniversary of the birth of Bruce Lee, the internationally famous martial arts superstar. For details of the latest exhibition information, please visit the website hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/highlights.html, or the Instagram page www.instagram.com/heritagemuseum.hk.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
 
Question:
 
Land premium is one of the major revenue sources of the Government. However, there are views pointing out that the current high inventory of new private residential units has reduced developers’ willingness to bid for land, apply for payment of land premium and redevelop old buildings. This has led to significant fluctuations in public finances. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will consider introducing targeted measures to lower the initial investment costs for developers’ projects, e.g. enhancing the additional conditions for land sales and splitting up sites for sale, etc, as well as stepping up publicity to attract more local and overseas developers to invest in land, thereby increasing the revenue from land premium; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) whether it will re-launch the “Application List” system (i.e. the Government puts land up for sale hinges on whether there is any developer triggers a certain piece of land) in order to strike a balance between market demand and the Government’s dominant position; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) apart from lowering the application threshold for compulsory sale for the redevelopment of old buildings, will the Government consider adjusting the upper limits of plot ratios in various districts to attract developers to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings by raising the plot ratios of sites earmarked for redevelopment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The Government land revenue primarily comes from premium generated from land sales, private treaty grants and lease modifications. The market sentiment can be affected by economic and property market conditions, resulting in fluctuations in land revenue. The Government’s policy objective is to maintain a sustained and stable land supply to support society and industry development in Hong Kong. The Government will continuously create land and roll out such land to the market in an orderly manner in light of the latest situation.
 
Regarding various parts of the Hon Chen’s question, the Development Bureau (DEVB)’s reply is as follows:
 
Firstly, regardless of external environment or property market conditions, the Government will strive to enhance the attractiveness of land sale sites. When formulating the annual land sale list and deciding when to dispose of individual sites to the market, the Government has been closely monitoring market conditions and listening to the views of the industry and potential investors. In recent years, the Government has introduced smaller-scale residential sites located in mature neighbourhood with simple tender terms. The market response has been positive, with all four residential sites successfully tendered out in the previous financial year (2024-25).
 
Apart from individual land sale sites, we are mindful of the need to alleviate the financial pressure on developers participating in projects of larger scale. Last December, the Government conducted an expressions of interest exercise for three pilot areas under large-scale land disposal in the Northern Metropolis (NM). We have invited the market to provide views on, among other things, various financial arrangements including payment of premium by instalment with certain interest rate. We would liaise with the banking sector on any facilitating arrangements for developers to finance the NM projects. To enhance development incentives of the developers, we will consider allowing land owners to voluntarily surrender land planned to be resumed by the Government in the NM to offset the premium payable for in-situ land exchange or large-scale land disposal in new development areas. In addition, we are exploring wider application of the “pay for what you build” approach, which allows developers to pay premium for lease modifications that is determined based on the actual floor area and actual use, thereby reducing their development costs.
 
On publicity, we held the Enterprise Participation in Northern Metropolis Development Event last November. Over 80 enterprise representatives attended and signed a Memorandum of Understanding about supporting and participating in the NM development. During the ceremony, 35 enterprise representatives also signed agreements among them to collaborate in the NM development, with a total investment of over $100 billion, demonstrating strong confidence and interest in the NM.

We also joined hands with other bureaux, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) in promoting the NM and facilitating the development of various industries therein. In particular, OASES is tasked with attracting high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe, and has announced four batches of 84 strategic enterprises that have set up or expanded their businesses in Hong Kong, many of which have also expressed interest in establishing their presence in the NM. InvestHK, on the other hand, is committed to assisting Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up and expand in Hong Kong by providing one-stop support services. Last year, InvestHK assisted over 500 enterprises to set up or expand in Hong Kong, including those which have expressed interest in the land for industries in the NM. OASES, InvestHK and the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office under the DEVB will further collaborate to follow up on the needs of those enterprises interested in setting up businesses in the NM.
 
Secondly, under the prevailing system, the Government will announce the Land Sale List in advance on a yearly basis, and also the land tender programme on a quarterly basis based on considerations such as policy needs, market conditions and other sources of supply. We consider that the current system enables the Government to assume the lead in land disposal, thereby ensuring that it can increase the supply of land in a stable and prudent manner. At present, the Government has no intention to re-launch the “Application List” system, nor does it have any plan to implement a dual-track approach of land sale and adopting the “Application List” system, so as not to cause disruption to the Government’s strategy and pace regarding land disposal and send confusing signals to the market. If developers are interested in particular sites, they may express their interest to the DEVB through various channels for its reference.
 
As one of the Government’s measures to encourage the private sector to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings, the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 (the Amendment Ordinance) was implemented last December to lower the compulsory sale application thresholds and facilitate multiple adjoining-lot compulsory sale applications. Since the implementation of the Amendment Ordinance, the Lands Tribunal has received four compulsory sale applications.
 
The Government has also implemented other measures in recent years to incentivise the private sector to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings, so as to expedite the pace of urban renewal. For example, we have been progressively implementing the recommendations proposed in the District Study for Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok completed in 2021, including piloting the transfer of plot ratio within the same district and permitting interchangeability of domestic and non-domestic plot ratio, with a view to enhancing the financial viability of redevelopment projects. For the ongoing district studies for Sham Shui Po and Tsuen Wan being undertaken by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), we would explore the feasibility of adjusting the maximum plot ratio of individual district, as well as increasing the maximum plot ratio of individual old building site upon redevelopment. The URA will submit the Master Renewal Plans to the Government in the second half of this year. Moreover, the DEVB is studying the use of newly developed land to drive large-scale urban redevelopment projects, including considering cross-district transfer of unutilised plot ratio be allowed from old districts to new development areas, and reducing the density of old districts. We will complete the relevant study and put forward preliminary recommendations within this year.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Gary Zhang a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

Question:

The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) launched in August 2023 the Same-day Flexi-trip Arrangement (Flexi-trip) for passengers travelling between Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Futian Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. The service has been extended to include train trips running to and from Shenzhenbei Station since March 18 last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the current number of Flexi-trip-applicable train trips, its percentage in the total number of train trips running via Futian Station and/or Shenzhenbei Station, and the average proportion of passengers utilising Flexi-trip among such train trips;

(2) whether it knows the average occupancy rates of Flexi-trip-applicable train trips during weekdays, weekends and public holidays respectively from August 2023 to March 17 last year, and from March 18 last year to the present; and

(3) as it is learnt that the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway fully implemented the electronic ticket “valid once throughout the ticketed date” services in March this year, allowing passengers who have purchased their tickets to travel on trains of the same direction and of the same class throughout the ticketed date without having to alter tickets, whether the Government will require MTRCL to study applying this ticketing model to Flexi-trip so as to facilitate passenger travel; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

Since the commissioning of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) on September 23, 2018, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the operator of the XRL Hong Kong Section, i.e. the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), have all along been committed to enhancing the services and operational arrangements of the XRL, with a view to fully realising its socio-economic benefits and the advantages of interconnectivity with the national high-speed rail network. The XRL Hong Kong Section connects with the national high speed rail network, which currently spans over 47 000 kilometres. The number of Mainland destinations directly accessible from West Kowloon Station has more than doubled from 44 in the initial commissioning to 96, including 11 short-haul destinations and 85 long-haul destinations. The number of train trips operated per day has also increased from 166 in the initial stage to at least 208 currently. Apart from gradually introducing more destinations, the MTRCL has been actively exploring the provision of diversified XRL train services and products with the Mainland railway authorities, with a view to providing convenience to passengers and meeting their different needs. Of these, there are Same-day Flexi-trip Arrangement (Flexi-trip Arrangement) that provides greater flexibility in journey planning for short-haul travellers; multiple journey tickets, such as the 30-day Ticket and 20-ride Ticket, for frequent travellers commuting between the two places; and sleeper train service running in the mode of evening departures and morning arrivals that provides an alternative travelling experience to long-haul travellers. The XRL caters for the different needs of travellers ranging from short-haul and long-haul trips to business, leisure, and family visits, facilitating more frequent flow of people between the two places.

In consultation with the MTRCL, my consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Gary Zhang is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Flexi-trip Arrangement, first introduced on August 14, 2023, was a new ticketing arrangement, allowing passengers travelling between West Kowloon Station and Futian Station to flexibly alter their train trips on the same day. Apart from altering their tickets once for free before train departure through the General Ticket Alteration arrangement, passengers are also allowed to alter their train trips for up to three times on the day of travel through the Flexi-trip Arrangement. Since March 18, 2024, the arrangement has been extended to cover direct trains running between West Kowloon Station and Shenzhenbei Station, and trains departing from or terminating at Shenzhenbei Station that call at Futian Station. “Non-reserved Seats” are also available for train trips covered by the Flexi-trip Arrangement to provide more room and flexibility to passengers in altering their train trips.  

According to the information provided by the MTRCL, starting from July 1, 2025, there is a daily total of 109 train trips at West Kowloon Station calling at, departing from or terminating at Futian Station, with 74 of these train trips open for the Flexi-trip Arrangement, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total; and 167 trains calling at, departing from or terminating at Shenzhenbei Station, with 60 of these trains open for Flexi-trip Arrangement, accounting for about 40 per cent of the total. Overall, Flexi-trip Arrangement is applicable to a total of 98 train trips.

Based on the MTRCL’s assessment, after the introduction of the Flexi-trip Arrangement, the overall patronage of the relevant train trips has increased, suggesting that Flexi-trip Arrangement is one of the factors attracting more passengers to take the XRL. The average loading of the Flexi-trip Arrangement-applicable train trips was about 40 per cent for the first phase, and remained at similar level after the extension of the arrangement to Shenzhenbei Station in the second phase, among which the related loading was nearly 60 per cent on average during weekends and public holidays. Of the train trips applicable for Flexi-trip Arrangement, passengers using Flexi-trip Arrangement account for an average of nearly 10 per cent of the total patronage of these trips.

(3) With the increasingly frequent flow of people between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the commissioning of the XRL Hong Kong Section has realised the “one-hour living circle” in the Greater Bay Area. The Flexi-trip Arrangement further facilitates the flexible travel of visitors, marking a significant breakthrough in the services of the XRL Hong Kong Section. The HKSAR Government and the MTRCL have been actively reviewing how to further bring greater convenience to visitors. 

As we understand, the China Railway Guangzhou Group Company Limited introduced the “Same-day One-time Valid” electronic ticket service on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway running between Guangzhou and Shenzhen in March 2025. In short, passengers with a “Same-day One-Time Valid” ticket can choose to take any train of the same direction and class on the same day according to their travel needs. This arrangement saves passengers the hassle of altering their train ticket, enabling more flexibility in choosing different trains and bringing greater convenience to passengers.  

Upon introduction of such ticketing arrangement at the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway, the MTRCL approached the relevant Mainland authorities to explore the feasibility of introducing a similar arrangement in the XRL Hong Kong Section. The HKSAR Government supports the MTRCL to continue exploring various measures to facilitate passengers’ travel. We understand that the MTRCL has recently been actively studying the details of the relevant arrangements with relevant Mainland authorities, with due consideration to factors such as the clearance procedures, ticketing arrangements, train operation safety involved in the XRL Hong Kong section, etc.

The HKSAR Government and the MTRCL will maintain communication and co-ordination with the Mainland railway authorities and the relevant departments to continuously enhance the services of the XRL Hong Kong Section, with a view to providing convenient and comfortable services to passengers.

Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Lillian Kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

Question:

     There are views pointing out that among the many tobacco control measures implemented by the Government in recent years, smoking cessation support services and education are of great importance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the number of persons served by the smoking cessation clinics under the Hospital Authority in each month of the past three years, as well as such persons’ success rate of quitting smoking;

(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the relapse rate for the persons who successfully quit smoking as mentioned in (1), and whether it has provided them with follow-up and support services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) of the following information on the provision of community-based smoking cessation services by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) subvented by the Department of Health in the past three years: the names of such NGOs, the types of services provided, the number of participants in the smoking cessation services and, among them, the numbers of those who completed the smoking cessation service programme and successfully quit smoking, as well as those who failed to complete the entire service programme;

(4) whether it has conducted survey on the levels of satisfaction of smoking cessation service users with the various smoking cessation support services (such as smoking cessation counselling services, medications, and smoking cessation services with Chinese medicine and acupuncture) and collected relevant feedback; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) whether it has compiled statistics on the ratios of different smoking cessation treatments used in Hong Kong at present;

(6) whether it has compiled statistics on and assessed the relationship between the allocation of public resources and the effectiveness of smoking cessation services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(7) whether it has studied and analysed the reasons for smoking among minors and adults respectively; if so, of the details, and how its future tobacco control education and publicity strategies will tie in with the findings of the relevant studies; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Lillian Kwok is as follows:

(1) to (6) Promoting smoking cessation is an important pillar under the tobacco control strategy. The Department of Health (DH) is responsible for co-ordinating smoking cessation services in Hong Kong. In addition to operating the Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline that handles general enquiries and provides professional counselling on smoking cessation, the DH also collaborates with local universities for setting up hotlines to provide telephone-counselling services especially for young smokers. From 2022 to 2024, the Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline of the DH handled 7 404, 9 684, and 9 297 enquiries respectively. Satisfaction survey results revealed that over 90 per cent of the service recipients interviewed were satisfied with the service in general. 

     On smoking cessation service, the DH collaborates with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in providing free and accessible community-based smoking cessation services including counselling service and consultations by doctors (with free postal services of smoking cessation medication) or Chinese medicine practitioners, and designated services for smokers from different ethnicities, as well as immigrant, teenager and workplace smokers. The DH arranges referrals for smokers to access various local smoking cessation services, including the aforementioned community-based smoking cessation services or those provided by clinics under the HA. The smoking cessation clinics under the HA will also assist HA’s patients (especially those with chronic diseases) in quitting smoking. Smoking cessation service providers provides smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment with 52-week follow-up services to assess their quit status. The DH also launched the “Quit Smoking App”, through which smokers can assess their nicotine dependence level, set quit plan, record quitting progress and get tips on how to deal with smoking craving, which would help maintain a smoke-free life.

     From 2022 to 2024, 20 389, 27 709, and 28 559 smokers received smoking cessation services respectively through HA’s smoking cessation clinics or community-based smoking cessation services (see Annex). The quit rates of service users (i.e. the percentage of service users who self-reported to have stayed quit in the past seven days) at 52 weeks after the quit date ranged from 20 per cent to 60 per cent (Note), which are comparable to those in overseas countries. The DH and HA do not maintain relevant data on the relapse rates among successful quitters.

     The Government announced in June last year “10 measures for tobacco control”, which include strengthening smoking cessation services. Currently, smoking cessation services have been extended to cover all District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses across 18 districts in Hong Kong with a view to facilitating quitters in finding the most suitable and convenient way to quit smoking. The DH has also subvented three more Chinese medicine smoking cessation service providers (from one to four in total) starting from this year to operate smoking cessation clinics with an emphasis on counselling and acupuncture. The available service quotas for Chinese and Western medicine smoking cessation services under the community-based smoking cessation services are expected to increase to approximately 2 600 and 4 000 per annum respectively.

     Smoking cessation is a dynamic process, and its effectiveness is influenced by social and environmental factors. For example, past experience from increasing tobacco duty shows that the greater the tax hike, the larger the number of calls received by the smoking cessation hotline. On the other hand, publicity and educational efforts are critical to assisting smokers to quit smoking successfully. Therefore, it is recommended under the “10 measures for tobacco control” to also strengthen publicity and education. The DH is committed to promoting a smoke-free culture, including promoting smoking cessation through mass media and promotional campaigns. The DH has launched the Quit in June campaign since 2021, and subsequently started distributing one-week trial packs of smoking cessation drugs (nicotine replacement therapy) to smokers for free with a view to encouraging smokers to attempt quitting and increasing the success rate, as well as introduced a trial programme on the use of Chinese medicine ear-point patches for smoking cessation. Most of the smokers who have tried the ear-point patches consider them useful in relieving the withdrawal symptoms. Following the Quit in June campaign each year, the number of calls to the smoking cessation hotline has significantly increased, indicating an uptick in smokers’ intentions to quit.

     Smoking cessation is beneficial to smokers of any age. There is a wide range of smoking cessation therapies that have been proven effective. Studies show that counselling and pharmacotherapy can boost the quit rate substantially. Through personalised and targeted smoking cessation services, healthcare professionals can better assist smokers in quitting smoking, and at the same time help the Government to promote smoking cessation more precisely. The Government will continue to support smokers intending to quit smoking and allocate resources as needed to strengthen smoking cessation services as well as publicity and promotional efforts, thereby safeguarding public health.

(7) The results of the Thematic Household Survey (THS) in 2023 showed that among the daily smokers of conventional cigarettes aged 15 and above in Hong Kong, over 90 per cent started smoking due to the influence of family, friends, or others. As such, the Government has actively engaged in public education for promoting a smoke-free environment. The DH, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, NGOs and healthcare professionals, have targeted young people on promoting anti-smoking messages, including organising smoking cessation competitions, health talks, training programmes and theatre programmes with local service groups; and through interactive teaching materials and mobile classrooms, revealing to students the tactics used by the tobacco industry to promote tobacco products and equipping them with the skills to resist picking up smoking habit when under peer pressure.

     The findings of the THS showed that the younger the age group, the higher the rate of smoking flavoured cigarettes, and nearly 70 per cent smoked flavoured cigarettes when they first smoked. Scientific evidence shows that flavoured cigarettes, such as menthol or fruit-flavoured cigarettes, reduce the awareness of the hazards of tobacco and increase the chances of non-smokers (especially teenagers) to start smoking, as well as making them more vulnerable to continuing with the smoking habit and harder to quit. Besides, the findings of the school-based surveys on smoking pattern of students as commissioned by the Health Bureau and conducted by the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong in 2023 revealed that the ratio of secondary school students who currently smoke electronic cigarettes to those who smoke conventional cigarettes was similar (1.1 per cent each), indicating that e-cigarettes, among other smoking products, are particularly popular amongst the younger generation. Research suggests that e-cigarettes can serve as a gateway to smoking conventional cigarette. In this connection, the “10 measures for tobacco control” include banning flavoured conventional smoking products, banning the possession of alternative smoking products (ASPs), as well as prohibiting the provision of conventional smoking products and ASPs to persons aged below 18.

     The Government will continue to step up the work on smoking cessation and explore various tobacco control measures in the medium and long term in order to eliminate the hazards posed by tobacco products on the society in all aspects and protect the health of the community under a progressive and multi-pronged approach with a view to moving towards a tobacco-free Hong Kong.

Note: The quit rates recorded by different smoking cessation programmes vary due to differences in target groups and treatment methods (for example counselling, pharmacotherapy and Chinese medicine and acupuncture). Smokers should choose the smoking cessation service/method that best suits their personal needs in order to quit smoking successfully.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Junius Ho and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
 
Question:
 
Article 40 of the Basic Law stipulates that the lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the “New Territories” shall be protected by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the Court of Final Appeal’s judgment in 2021, all components under the Small House Policy are lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories. However, there are views that the existing Small House Policy, which has been in force for over 50 ‍years, has become outdated in terms of its implementation and details. Regarding village land and the Small House Policy, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has recently reviewed the Small House Policy for indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) given that according to the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Development of this Council in December last year, the Government has commenced a consultancy study on how to promote urban-rural integration in the entire Northern Metropolis, which will include formulating guidelines on implementation of urban-rural integration, of the progress of the relevant work and the specific measures in place to promote village participation in development, so as to unleash land potential; and
 
(3) given that some members of the community have put forward a proposal for “ding” buildings, which involves pooling the rights and interests of various indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories in building small houses (commonly known as “ding” rights) to develop modern apartment buildings, whether the Government will take this proposal into consideration?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
The New Territories Small House Policy has been implemented since 1972, to allow a male indigenous villager aged 18 years old or above who is descended through the male line from a resident in 1898 of a recognised village in the New Territories to apply for permission to erect, for once in his lifetime, a small house for himself on a suitable site within his own village.
 
In response to the respective parts raised by Dr the Hon Ho, our reply is as follows:
 
(1) The Court of Final Appeal (CFA) ruled on the judicial review of the Small House Policy in 2021, confirming that all components under the Small House Policy, namely Free Building Licence, Private Treaty Grant and Land Exchange, are lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories within the meaning of Article 40 of the Basic Law. In view of the historical background of the Small House Policy, having been in operation for many years, and that the CFA has upheld its lawfulness and compatibility with the Basic Law, we currently have no plans to review the relevant policy.
 
That being said, we appreciate the needs for eligible New Territories indigenous villagers to build small houses. Since 2021, the Government has streamlined the procedures for processing small house applications with a view to expediting approvals under the existing policy framework, including processing procedures under various aspects in parallel, simplifying the procedures for handling objections and conducting face-to-face meetings with applicants for direct discussion.
 
The above measures have gradually shown results. The average number of small house applications processed by the Lands Department (LandsD) each year increased to more than 2 500 cases in the years from 2022 to 2024, surpassing its performance pledge of 2 300 cases, while the number of applications approved per year also increased from over 500 in 2022 to over 800 in 2024, representing an increase of more than 55 per cent.
 
In addition, to expedite the development of small houses, the LandsD implemented in January this year, on a pilot basis, a self-certification scheme at the District Lands Office (DLO), Yuen Long, which allows lot owners to appoint registered professionals at their own expense to prepare and submit the relevant documents for self-certification of compliance of relevant approval requirements, thereby leveraging the resources in the industry and expediting the approval process. The LandsD will also streamline and expedite the approval process for applications submitted under the scheme with the target of completing the processing of cases within 10 weeks upon receipt of all required documents. The LandsD has extended the coverage of the scheme to DLO, North in July this year.
 
(2) The Northern Metropolis (NM) possesses many historical and traditional rural townships and precious natural ecology, which are embedded with rich historical and cultural resources. “Urban-rural integration” is one of the key focuses in the development of the NM. In planning new development areas, we will preserve the layout and appearance of traditional villages. Through proper planning to soften the urban-rural interface, we can integrate new development areas and the rural areas in harmony. The villagers will also benefit from new transport and other infrastructure and facilities, as well as new and diverse employment opportunities. With a view to bringing new business opportunities to villages and facilitating visitors to experience the rural culture, we are exploring further facilitation measures under the prevailing Small House Policy to encourage an appropriate provision of village shops, restaurants and home-stay lodging facilities. We will also appropriately conserve and revitalise historical buildings and provide venues for carrying out traditional activities to promote cultural heritage. By combining tourism resources such as natural ecology and historical buildings, we can promote “tourism is everywhere” and enrich the rural living experience.
 
The Government has engaged a consultant to formulate the policies and approaches to further promote “urban-rural integration” in the development of the NM. During the process, various stakeholders including the villagers would be consulted. We will report the progress to the Legislative Council at an appropriate juncture.
 
(3) The intent of the Small House Policy is to enable the habitation of indigenous inhabitants in low-density village environments. The permission of “ding” buildings or high-density development is not compatible with the policy intention. The existing legislation has also set out clear rules regarding development of small houses. In accordance with the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance (Cap. 121), a small house shall neither contain more than three storeys nor exceed a height of 8.23 metres (27 feet) and the maximum roofed-over area of the house shall not exceed 65.03 square metres (700 square feet). From a planning perspective, land originally planned for low-rise and low-density development may not be suitable for high-rise and high-density development.
 
Hence, whether seen from either the policy, legal or planning perspective, the “ding” building proposal will represent a significant deviation from or change to the prevailing arrangements for small houses. Separately, the Government is taking forward the development of the NM in full force. The NM closely relates to the overall public interest and, upon its full development, will supply 3 000 hectares of land with 500 000 new housing units for members of the public from all walks of life, and provide substantial land for industry development and create diverse employment opportunities. Development of the NM is both a consensus of our society and the priority of the Government. Given its controversy, we therefore do not consider it appropriate to consider the “ding” building proposal at this juncture, as doing so will invariably spark discussion and divert the Government’s efforts and resources.
 
Thank you, President.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Transport Department (TD) today (July 23) said that the next online auction of vehicle registration marks (VRMs) will be held from noon on August 7 (Thursday) to noon on August 11 (Monday) through the auction platform E-Auction (e-auction.td.gov.hk). Interested bidders can participate in the online auction only after they have successfully registered as E-Auction users.
 
     A spokesman for the TD said, “A total of 200 Ordinary VRMs will be available at this online public auction. The list of VRMs (see Annex) has been uploaded to the E-Auction website. Applicants who have paid a $1,000 deposit to reserve the Ordinary VRM for auction should also register as an E-Auction user in advance in order to participate in the online bidding, including placing the first bid at the opening price of $1,000. Otherwise, the VRMs reserved by them may be bid on by other interested bidders at or above the opening price. Auctions for VRMs with ‘HK’ or ‘XX’ as a prefix, special VRMs and personalised VRMs will continue to be carried out through physical auctions by bidding paddles and their announcement arrangements remain unchanged.”
 
     Members of the public participating in the online bidding should take note of the following important points:
 
(1) Bidders should register in advance as an E-Auction user by “iAM Smart+” equipped with the digital signing function; or by using a valid digital certificate and an email address upon completion of identity verification. Registered “iAM Smart” users should provide their Hong Kong identity card number, while non-Hong Kong residents who are not “iAM Smart” users should provide the number of their passport or other identification documents when registering as E-Auction users.
 
(2) Bidders are required to provide a digital signature to confirm the submission and amount of the bid by using “iAM Smart+” or a valid digital certificate at the time of the first bid of each online bidding session (including setting automatic bids before the auction begins) to comply with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance.
 
(3) If a bid is made in respect of a VRM within the last 10 minutes before the end of the auction, the auction end time for that particular VRM will be automatically extended by another 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
 
(4) Successful bidders must follow the instructions in the notification email issued by the TD to log in to the E-Auction within 48 hours from the issuance of email and complete the follow-up procedures, including:
 

• completing the Purchaser Information for the issuance of the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark (Memorandum of Sale); and
• making the auction payment online by credit card, Faster Payment System (FPS) or Payment by Phone Service (PPS). Cheque or cash payment is not accepted in the E-Auction.

(5) A VRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. Relevant information on the Certificate of Incorporation must be provided by the successful bidder in the Purchaser Information of the Memorandum of Sale if the VRM purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(6) Successful bidders will receive a notification email around seven working days after payment has been confirmed and can download the Memorandum of Sale from the E-Auction. The purchaser must apply for the VRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser within 12 months from the date of issue of the Memorandum of Sale. If the purchaser fails to do so within the 12-month period, in accordance with the statutory provision, the allocation of the VRM will be cancelled and a new allocation will be arranged by the TD without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     The TD has informed all applicants who have reserved the Ordinary VRMs for this round of auction of the E-Auction arrangements in detail by post. Members of the public may refer to the E-Auction website or watch the tutorial videos for more information. Please call the E-Auction hotline (3583 3980) or email (e-auction-enquiry@td.gov.hk) for enquiries.