Tag Archives: China

     Following is a question by the Hon Edward Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (January 24):
 
Question:
 
     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched a food waste collection trial scheme in public rental housing (PRH) estates in 2022, and subsequently announced that Smart Food Waste Bins (SFWBs) would be installed in all PRH estates in Hong Kong within this year to collect food waste. As for private housing courts, they can apply for subsidies under the initiative “Solicitation Theme: Supporting Residential Buildings in Adopting Smart Bins Technology in Food Waste Collection and Recycling” of the Recycling Fund or the “Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates” (the Pilot Scheme) launched by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) to install smart recycling bins to collect food waste. However, it is learnt that many private housing courts, single-block private buildings and “three-nil buildings” in Hong Kong are not eligible for the Pilot Scheme, while those buildings may also lack sufficient space to install SFWBs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the respective numbers of SFWBs in operation in PRH estates and private housing courts as at January 15 this year, together with a breakdown by District Council district;
 
(2) of the number of SFWBs which the Government expects will be in operation in Hong Kong by the end of this year;
 
(3) of the procurement and installation costs, as well as the annual repair and maintenance costs of each SFWB;
 
(4) of the respective current numbers of suppliers, as well as repair and maintenance contractors of SFWBs in Hong Kong;
 
(5) given that at present, a number of food waste collectors providing food waste collection and delivery services have applied to EPD for registration as “food waste collectors”, of EPD’s criteria for selecting food waste collectors in different districts;
 
(6) of the total number of applications for the Pilot Scheme received by the ECC as at January 15 this year; and
 
(7) in order to complement the Municipal Solid Waste charging to be implemented, whether the authorities will install SFWBs in places other than PRH estates and large housing courts (such as facilities under the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY, public refuse collection points of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, community halls, as well as parks and sitting-out areas under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department), so that more members of the public living in premises which have not been or cannot be installed with SFWBs may also participate in food waste recovery?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Currently, about 11 100 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated in Hong Kong per day, of which around 30 per cent is food waste. To help the public reduce food waste, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is gradually installing food waste smart recycling bins (FWSRBs) in all public residential housing (PRH) estates across the territory, with “GREEN$” points awarded to encourage active participation of the public. As for private housing estates, the EPD will support private residential buildings for the installation of smart recycling bins to collect food waste under the Recycling Fund and the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF). My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Edward Leung is as follows: 
 
(1) As at January 15, 2024, a total of 449 FWSRBs have been put into service for about 1 000 buildings in PRH estates and private housing estates (including villages), with distribution in various districts as follows:
 

District	PRH estate	Private housing estate	Total
Central and Western	3	0	3
Wan Chai	0	0	0
Eastern	14	15	29
Southern	9	0	9
Yau Tsim Mong	0	0	0
Sham Shui Po	19	0	19
Kowloon City	6	2	8
Wong Tai Sin	30	2	32
Kwun Tong	40	8	48
Kwai Tsing	29	5	34
Tsuen Wan	14	6	20
Tuen Mun	45	5	50
Yuen Long	43	2	45
North	24	6	30
Sha Tin	47	15	62
Tai Po	9	0	9
Sai Kung	14	27	41
Islands	5	5	10
Total	351	98	449

 
(2) The EPD is working with the Housing Department and the Hong Kong Housing Society at full speed to extend the smart food waste recycling service to all PRH estates in Hong Kong. It is expected that more than 700 FWSRBs will be put into service by the end of 2024. We will conduct timely reviews of the participation rate, the amount of food waste collection and the operation efficiency concerned at various PRH estates. Where necessary, we will install additional FWSRBs at individual PRH estates.
 
     As for private housing estates, the EPD is providing support to private residential buildings to install smart recycling bins for food waste collection under the Recycling Fund and the ECF. It is expected that about 100 FWSRBs will be installed at a total of 30 private housing estates and three rural villages through the above scheme before the Lunar New Year. Besides, the “Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates” launched by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) is still in its early stage of open applications. We expect that about 15 to 20 applications from housing estates involving about 120 FWSRBs will be approved in 2024. Since housing estates are required to submit applications for funding under the relevant funding schemes on their own initiative, the actual quantity will depend on the numbers of applications received and approvals granted.
 
(3) At present, the Government mainly procures FWSRBs from suppliers through rental arrangements. The average monthly rental fee for each FWSRB is about HK$2,000, which includes services fees for transportation, installation, inspection, repairs and maintenance, wireless network, software updates and replacement of consumables. 
 
(4) Currently, there are about 10 suppliers in the local market that provide FWSRBs as well as their repair and maintenance services. The EPD has been closely monitoring the market developments and has opened up the technology platform to encourage the participation of more new suppliers to offer different models, thereby fostering healthy competition.
 
(5) In 2021, the EPD extended the “Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Collection” by rolling out four food waste collection service contracts in phases, covering Hong Kong Island and Islands District, Kowloon, New Territories East and New Territories West respectively. The services concerned are currently operated by two food waste collection contractors.
 
     The Government has all along been adhering to the principles of “achieving best value for money” and “maintaining open and fair competition” for procurement, with clear guidelines and procedures set out for open tendering. All interested food waste collection contractors are eligible to participate in tendering.
 
     As for the supply contracts of food waste collection services in various districts, the EPD evaluates and scores all technical and price proposals of the bids in accordance with the evaluation criteria and the marking schemes for acceptance of tenders stipulated in the tender documents. The contractor with the highest combined technical and price score is then selected as the successful bidder.
 
(6) Since December 29, 2023, the ECC called for applications from private housing estates with at least 1 000 households for two-year funding support for the installation and relevant repair and maintenance services of FWSRBs to further encourage recycling of domestic food waste. As at January 15, 2024, the ECC has received a total of six applications for the “Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates”.
 
(7) In September and December of last year, the EPD installed FWSRBs at two recycling stations in the vicinity of residential areas, namely GREEN@SHAM SHUI PO and GREEN@EASTERN, to conduct trial domestic food waste collection from the neighbourhood (including single-block and “three-nil” buildings) as public collection points. They are complemented by the reward of GREEN$ points to encourage active participation from the public. So far, the trial scheme has received positive responses from the public, with over 14 000 individuals participating in food waste recycling.

     The Government needs to consider a number of factors when installing FWSRBs in public venues, such as whether the venue has a suitable location and power supply for FWSRB installation; whether there is enough space for temporary storage of fully filled inner bins; whether the location is convenient for the public to practise food waste recycling; and whether the installation works will disrupt the site operation or cause inconvenience to site users. The EPD will closely monitor the level of public participation in food waste recycling and conduct timely review of the effectiveness of trial public food waste collection points. Based on the findings of the review, the Government will continue to explore installing additional public food waste collection points in suitable locations (such as public markets and refuse collection points) to provide the public with more convenient channels for recycling. read more

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Innovation and Technology: Building a Smart and Livable City Conference 2024 today (January 24):

Bernard (Chairman of M Plus Museum Limited, Chairman of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co Ltd and Vice Chairman of Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Mr Bernard Chan), Barry (President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Dr Barry Lee), Simon (Chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers Civil Division, Mr Simon Ng), Bernadette (Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn), Ricky (Permanent Secretary for Development, Mr Ricky Lau), Michael (Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong), ladies and gentlemen, builders of Hong Kong all, 

     Good morning. I’m pleased to join you all for today’s conference.

     First of all, let me take this opportunity to thank the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the CEDD (Civil Engineering and Development Department) for organising this joint conference, and my sincere congratulations to the CEDD as you mark your 20th anniversary this year. 

     The conference today centres on building a smart and livable city with the use of innovation and technology. I know that Bernadette will, in a few minutes, share with you some of the Government’s initiatives and developments in this regard. Allow me to take this occasion to focus on a critical aspect of a smart and livable city, that is infrastructure development. 

Continuously investing in infrastructure

     I am sure everyone here would agree that the Government and the community as a whole need to make a continuous investment in infrastructure. On the one hand, it brings direct benefits by creating jobs, improving the living environment and enhancing the quality of life for our people. On the other, it enables Hong Kong to better integrate into the Greater Bay Area development, which is very important to our long-term social and economic development. 

     The prerequisite for our sustainable economic and social development is sufficient land supply. Therefore, despite short-term ups and downs in the property market, we need to continue to invest in land creation. We should not forget the lesson that had been learnt the hard way in the past: when we stopped creating land, we ended up creating land shortages.

     And infrastructure provision is critical in this city’s “infrastructure-led” and “capacity-creating” approach in spatial planning. It will also help us unleash the development potential of areas along major transport infrastructure. 

     Last month, we unveiled the Hong Kong Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint. It laid out a comprehensive framework for the city’s transport infrastructure development, including strategic railways and major road networks for the next 20 years.

     The question then is how we are going to implement all the projects? There are a few things that we need to pay attention to. 

     First, we will need to suitably prioritise these projects. A prime consideration is to rationalise the cash flow requirements in the overall context of the Government’s Budget. Another consideration is of course the capacity of the construction industry, to avoid over-concentration of works that would drive up labour, materials and construction costs in general.

     Second, cost control and value for money. This is key to earn public support for the projects. I am glad to note that in recent years, the Government is doing generally well in ensuring that public works projects are completed on time and within budget. In the past 10 legislative years since 2013/14, more than 530 Category A projects were completed, with an actual total expenditure of around HK$153 billion, which was 11 per cent lower than the total approved expenditure at HK$172 billion. Colleagues, thank you for your hard and good work. 

     Yet, there is more that requires our attention. When we talk about cost, we would not only look at the project cost, but also costs in the whole asset life cycle of a project, including management and maintenance.  

     Third, about financing. For the coming huge investments in infrastructure projects, it is obvious that we could not all count on the Government’s capital works expenditure. We need to work with the private sector to leverage market capital. 

     Borrowing is one option. Since the launch of the Government Green Bond Programme in 2018, we have raised about HK$190 billion in green bonds. The funds have been used to finance 72 public works projects.

     At the end of March last year, government debt was at only about 4.5 per cent of our gross domestic product (GDP). Even counting the HK$65 billion in green and infrastructure bonds that we plan to issue in the next few years, the government debt-to-GDP ratio by 2027/28, will still remain below 10 per cent. That’s very low by international standards. And we will continue to stick to strict financial discipline, i.e. the funds raised would not be used for meeting recurrent expenditure needs. 

     Apart from borrowing, we should contemplate different financing arrangements creatively so as to maximise the benefits to the community. We have had some well-known successful cases. For example, railway plus property development, and build-operate-transfer models. Going forward, there may be some other forms of public-private partnerships such as collaboration with long-term investment funds. 

     To that end, I am chairing the Committee on the Financing of Major Development Projects. The Committee is tasked with examining financing arrangements for major development projects, advising on feasible investment and financing options and evaluating the impact of major development projects on government finances. It held its first meeting last month.

Supporting innovation in construction 

     Ladies and gentlemen, coming back to the construction industry, I wish to stress the Government’s commitment to supporting innovation in construction. Bernadette is going to give you a detailed account in her speech. Allow me just to outline the initiatives in this respect in the last Budget. 

     First, the Building Testing and Research Institute, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, will get going this year. It will engage in R&D (research and development) for innovative materials, construction methods and technologies. It will also contribute to devising standards, conduct testing and provide accreditation. 

     It is our vision that the Institute will make good use of Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international platform, facilitating our country’s construction standards and related products to converge with those in the international market. 

     Second, we have substantially completed the study on the first advanced construction industry building in Tsing Yi. The building will provide space for operators to set up steel reinforcement bar prefabrication and other advanced manufacturing yards, as well as processing sites for MiMEP (Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing). Construction of the building will proceed soon in the next phase. 

     Third, we are taking active steps to strengthen the supply chain of MiC (Modular Integrated Construction) modules. A steering committee has been set up by the Development Bureau. They are working very hard in this regard. 

     Meanwhile, we also see a clear case for more collaboration between the public sector, private sector and academia in smarter and greener construction and infrastructure. Our research capability is strong. In fact, many research teams and start-ups engaged in smart and green technology have been offering competitive products and solutions which are selling well in overseas markets. For example, a City University team has developed a coating for building exteriors that can reduce indoor temperatures by six to eight degrees Celsius. Another startup in Science Park is engaged in underwater carbon-sequestration projects. Their products are now used in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Indeed, many such local inventions are being used by our works departments.  

Concluding remarks

     Ladies and gentlemen, I hope I have given you some updates about our continuous commitment to investing in infrastructure and building a smart and livable city. I look forward to the insights from the many expert speakers participating in the conference today. 

     In just over two weeks we will celebrate Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon. This year’s Dragon promises to usher in a year of opportunity and promise. Allow me to wish each and every one of you a healthy and rewarding year. Thank you.

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Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (January 24):
 
Question
 
According to the Hong Kong Population Projections 2020-2069 released by the Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of elderly persons in the total population will increase substantially from 18.4 per cent in 2019 to 33.3 per cent in 2039, and the situation of the elderly population exceeding 2.5 million will remain for at least 30 years. On the other hand, the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) launched the Senior Citizen Residences Scheme (the Scheme) in 1999. The third project under the Scheme was launched on March 14 last year to provide 312 flats, and it has been reported that HKHS received 500 applications for the project on the same day. There are views pointing out that there will be a huge demand for elderly housing. Regarding the various projects launched under the Scheme, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
 

1. the numbers of residents in the various projects in each of the past 10 years;
    
2. the numbers of persons who terminated tenancies in the various projects in each of the past 10 years, and the reasons for termination;
    
3. the ancillary facilities provided in the various projects at present; and
    
4. whether HKHS will add more ancillary facilities to the existing projects and new projects in the future; if so, of the details?
    
    

Reply
 
President,
 
     The Senior Citizen Residences Scheme (the SEN Scheme) of the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) provides residence integrating housing, recreation and healthcare services under one roof for the middle-income aged 60 or above, and the units are disposed of under the “lease-for-life” arrangement. The SEN Scheme accepts singleton and couple/non-couple doubleton applications throughout the year and adopts a single-queue arrangement, which is applicable to all completed projects as well as future projects under the SEN Scheme. Applicants are not required to submit applications more than once and there is no application deadline. Having consulted HKHS, the reply to the question raised by Hon LAM about the SEN Scheme is set out below:
 
(1) and (3)
 
     Currently, there are three projects under the SEN Scheme, namely Jolly Place in Tseung Kwan O, Cheerful Court in Ngau Tau Kok and Blissful Place in Hung Hom. Details of the projects, including the number of tenants and major facilities in the past 10 years, are listed at Annex A.
 
(2)
 
     There is a small number of tenancy termination cases under the SEN Scheme each year. Between 2014 and 2023, the total numbers of tenancies terminated are about 120 and 150 for Jolly Place and Cheerful Court respectively (yearly figures are at Annex B). As tenant intake of the Blissful Place only started in mid 2023, no tenancy termination has been recorded so far. The main reasons for tenancy termination include tenants’ death, admission to elderly residential care home as well as relocation to family residence due to health conditions.
 
(4)
 
     The SEN Scheme is HKHS’s key development strategy in the area of elderly housing. HKHS is currently constructing or planning three other SEN projects in Fanling, Kwun Tong and Shau Kei Wan. Amongst them, the project in the Dedicated Rehousing Estate at Pak Wo Road, Fanling is expected to be completed by end 2024, which comprises a residential care home for the elderly, a sky garden and a clubhouse for residents. In future, HKHS will continue to provide appropriate facilities for projects under the SEN Scheme in response to market development and the needs of the elderly.
 
 
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     Following is a question by the Hon Adrian Ho and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (January 24):
 
Question:

     The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) has been implemented for one year. According to government statistics, as at the end of November last year, a total of 47 681 applications were approved under the Scheme, of which 30 810 ‍applicants have already come to Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of applications rejected under Categories A, B and C of the TTPS as at the end of December last year, as well as the percentages of such numbers in the total number of applications;

(2) as there are views pointing out that some TTPS applicants have not actively complied with the time frame for coming to Hong Kong and securing an offer of employment after their applications have been approved, of the current number of applicants who have successfully secured an offer of employment in Hong Kong among those who have come to Hong Kong under the Scheme, as well as the distribution of the trades in which they are engaged and the time they have taken to secure an offer of employment; and

(3) as there are views that the TTPS is relatively lenient in terms of the work experience requirement for Category C applicants as well as the vetting and approval criteria for the Scheme as a whole, making the Scheme susceptible to being exploited by some people as a “big trick” to immigrate to Hong Kong, for example, there are rumours that individual applicants have only come to Hong Kong for giving birth, travel convenience, enhancing their own curriculum vitae, etc, resulting in the Scheme being “tainted” and not truly fulfilling its purpose of contributing to Hong Kong’s economy, of the counter-‍measures put in place by the Government to perform proper gatekeeping for the Scheme, so as to curb and eliminate all kinds of improper use and abuse of the Scheme?

Reply:
 
President,

     To alleviate the acute manpower shortage, the Government newly launched the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) in end-2022 to trawl for outside quality talent to enrich the local talent pool. The TTPS is applicable to persons of three categories:
 

1. Category A: persons with annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above in the year immediately preceding the date of application;
2. Category B: full-time bachelor’s degree graduates of the universities/institutions prescribed in the aggregate list of eligible universities (Note) (eligible universities/institutions) with at least three years of work experience over the past five years immediately preceding the date of application; or
3. Category C: full-time bachelor’s degree graduates of eligible universities/institutions in the past five years immediately preceding the date of application with less than three years of work experience.

Note: The aggregate list of eligible universities under the TTPS comprises the top 100 universities/institutions in four designated world university rankings in the past five years (namely the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Global Universities Rankings and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities); the top five universities/institutions providing specialised hotel programmes on the QS World University Rankings in the discipline of “hospitality and leisure management” in the past five years; and the top 10 Mainland universities under the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Best Chinese Universities Ranking in the past five years. The aggregate list currently consists of 185 top universities/institutions around the world.

     An eligible outside talent is not required to have secured an offer of employment in Hong Kong before application for a two-year visa through the TTPS to explore opportunities in Hong Kong.

     The TTPS has received enthusiastic responses since its launch. As at end-December last year, we received around 65 000 applications and approved nearly 51 000. Of these, around 36 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong. Along with the approved applications of other talent admission schemes, around 90 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong last year, far exceeding the Government’s annual target of admitting at least 35 000 talents.
 
     Our reply, in consultation with the Immigration Department (ImmD), to the Member’s question is as follows:

(1) As at end-December last year, there were around 65 000 applications under the TTPS, of which around 3 000 were refused, accounting for 5 per cent of the total number of applications. A detailed breakdown is at Annex. The main reasons for refusal were that the applicants did not meet the eligibility criteria of the TTPS, including failing to meet the eligible annual income threshold under Category A, or not being graduated from institutions in the aggregate list of eligible universities.

(2) and (3) The eligibility criteria of the TTPS are clear and transparent. The ImmD has all along been assessing each application in a rigorous manner on the basis of the eligibility criteria. Apart from examining whether an applicant meets the specific eligibility criteria under the TTPS and normal immigration requirements, the ImmD will consider the individual circumstances of each application before deciding whether to approve it.
 
     Since March last year, the TTPS applicants with work experience are required to declare in their applications the sectors of their occupations. As at late December last year, more than 20 per cent of the approved applicants came from the financial services sector. Those from the commerce and trade sector and the innovation and technology sector each accounted for about 15 per cent while over 10 per cent of the approved applicants came from the information and communication technology sector. In addition, among all the approved TTPS applicants, more than 70 per cent of them are aged 40 or below, and individuals with high income or graduating from top universities with at least three years of work experience, i.e. applications under Categories A and B of the scheme, also account for almost 80 per cent. These quality talent are young, with high income or good academic qualifications, and possess extensive work experience and global vision. Their arrival in Hong Kong could help fill the manpower gaps in the local market and promote the development of major sectors.

     We welcome talent from all over the world to come to Hong Kong for development by choosing appropriate talent admission schemes based on their backgrounds and needs. These schemes complement one another to proactively trawl for diverse global talent with different academic and professional backgrounds to come and settle in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) was established in October last year. One of its key functions is to maintain close contact with incoming talent and keep track of their development and needs in Hong Kong, so as to provide them with comprehensive one-stop support services and assist them to settle down quickly in Hong Kong and contribute to the local economic development.
 
     Although it is not a requirement for approved applicants to have secured offers of local employment, they, upon applying for extension of stay before the expiry of their visas granted, will have to be employed, or have established or joined in business in Hong Kong. The ImmD will follow the established mechanism in vetting relevant applications and play a stringent gatekeeping role to ensure that only applications of eligible persons will be approved. The ImmD also conducts surprise inspections from time to time, including verifying on site the employing company’s mode of operation, financial status, employees’ information, so as to determine whether the information reported by an applicant or his employing company is true. If one is suspected to have submitted an application based on a false employment relationship, or the authenticity of documents submitted by the applicant is in doubt, the ImmD will promptly follow up and conduct investigations. The Department will take decisive law enforcement actions if there is sufficient evidence. Should any person be found to have illegally obtained his/her employment visa or residency, the visa or residence status granted will be invalidated according to the laws of Hong Kong. The persons concerned will also be subject to criminal liabilities and removal back to their places of origin. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Yang Wing-kit and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (January 24):
 
Question:
 
     There are views that the Government should promote to tourists local overnight attractions (particularly those on major festivals such as the New Year’s Eve, the Lunar New Year and Christmas) so as to encourage tourists to stay in Hong Kong and have fun. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will publicise and promote to tourists local overnight activities (including watching midnight movies, enjoying acupressure and massage, singing in karaokes, eating at late-night on-street cooked food stalls and late-night diners, shopping at morning bazaars and supermarkets operating 24 hours a day, spending leisure time at Lan Kwai Fong, watching sunrise and having morning tea and dim sums); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) whether it will discuss with the operators of entertainment and catering establishments such as cinemas, bars and chain restaurants measures to be implemented on major festivals such as introducing overnight movie screenings, extending the operating hours of restaurants and distributing bar vouchers to tourists, so as to offer more late night attractions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) whether it will enhance the support for and the promotion of local morning bazaars and allow hawkers to hawk legally when holding festive or time-limited temporary bazaars; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) as it is learnt that theme parks in Japan and South Korea introduce overnight packages and organise overnight parties from time to time, whether the Government will, by drawing reference from such practices, discuss with local theme parks the introduction of overnight packages and organisation of overnight parties on major festivals, with a view to enriching overnight entertainment activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) whether it will study the organisation of large-scale overnight music events on major festivals, such as overnight music festivals, disc jockey music parties as well as concerts with firework displays, with a view to attracting tourists to come to Hong Kong to participate in these events; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     In respect of the question raised by the Hon Yang Wing-kit, having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the reply is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) consolidated a series of Nightlife Hotspot on its DiscoverHongKong.com website, introducing nighttime activities in Hong Kong, including visiting photogenic bars, late-night shopping, stargazing in rural areas, to visitors.
 
     Beside, riding on the Government’s launch of Night Vibes Hong Kong in September 2023, the HKTB has introduced a number of promotions to create a vibrant nighttime atmosphere in town in the past few months. These include intensifying local ambience with city-wide decorations during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Halloween; organising a number of flagship events in the evenings such as the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, Hong Kong WinterFest and Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations, as well as launching the International Chinese New Year Night Parade on the first night of the Chinese New Year. The HKTB also offers to visitors Hong Kong Night Treats visitor dining vouchers and visitor-exclusive special offers on open-top sightseeing buses evening tours; and launching new Temple Street promotion to enhance the nighttime ambience and encourage locals and visitors to experience the city’s vibrant nighttime appeal. Details of mega events and promotions are as follows:
 

Mega event/ promotion	Details
Promotion support for Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance (September 28-30, 2023)	The event was held over three nights during the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a glowing fire dragon carried by performers dancing through the streets of Tai Hang.
Promotion of “Hallo” Hong Kong Halloween campaign (October 2023)	From mid to late October 2023, Halloween-themed decorations were added to Visitor Centres, MTR stations, sightseeing vehicles and various tourism hotspots throughout the city, inviting visitors and the public to enjoy the rich Halloween ambience while showcasing Hong Kong’s unique festive charms to the world.
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival (October 26-29, 2023)	The event was held for four consecutive days at the Central Harbourfront Event Space, with about 300 wine and food stalls. The first three days of the event were open until 11pm, attracting about 140 000 members of the public and tourists.
Hong Kong Night Treats dining vouchers (From November 2023)	Starting from November 2023, the HKTB has been distributing one million visitor dining vouchers worth $100 each to inbound visitors to encourage them to enjoy Hong Kong’s dining experience and bar scene after 6pm at participating bars and Quality Tourism Services Scheme-recognised restaurants. In addition, to encourage local consumption, the HKTB started a similar giveaway of a total of 200 000 Hong Kong Night Treats for Locals dining vouchers to be used after 6pm in two batches starting from December 2023, with a view to enhancing the appeal of local consumption, creating business opportunities for the food and beverage sector continuously and stimulating the economy.
Hong Kong Night Bus Tour visitor-exclusive offer (From November 2023 to January 2024)	From November 2023 to January 2024, the HKTB introduced the Hong Kong Night Bus Tour visitor-exclusive offer. For only $20, visitors could travel on one of the three designated routes and explore famous attractions and landmarks on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon at night, enjoying the fascinating night view of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong WinterFest (November-December 2023)	A giant Christmas tree was once again set up in the West Kowloon Cultural District, adorning Victoria Harbour. Together with eight Winter Harbourfront Pyrotechnics shows at 8pm, the event attracted a total of 1.2 million visitors.
Whole-new Temple Street promotion (From mid-December 2023)	A new six-month Temple Street promotional campaign has been launched in mid-December 2023, giving a new energy through “A taste of Temple Street” (food stalls) and the Street decor lights. Illuminated arts installations, distinctive signages and light projections adorn the Street to bring together the unique characteristics of Temple Street and inspire a sense of novelty to attract visitors and locals to visit Temple Street for sightseeing and in-depth discovery of its authentic experiences. “A taste of Temple Street” (food stalls) is open daily from 2pm to 11pm, while the Street decor lights light up daily from 5pm to 11pm.
Hong Kong New Year Count-down Celebrations (December 31, 2023)	The Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations was the largest countdown fireworks and music show ever held in Hong Kong, attracting 480 000 visitors on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
International Chinese New Year Night Parade (February 10, 2024)	Nine floats and 29 local, Mainland and overseas performing teams will take to the stage, presenting a series of spectacular performances incorporating Chinese New Year elements from 8pm to 9.45pm.

     As to whether merchants will extend the operating hours, it is their commercial decision. It has been a usual practice for some Hong Kong cinemas located in busy districts to schedule midnight/late night screenings until 3am during major festive holidays such as New Year, Chinese New Year and Christmas. For Chinese New Year Eve, some may have screenings overnight until 5am to 6am.

(3) According to the Environment and Ecology Bureau, bazaars can be organised for various purposes and in different forms, such as promoting local economy, festive celebration, and can be held during daytime or nighttime. The Government occasionally organises or supports bazaars to achieve policy or specific objectives, and adopts an open attitude towards festive or time-limited bazaars proposed by organisations. To ensure that bazaar activities do not affect public safety and order, food safety and environmental hygiene etc, the organisers need to obtain relevant licences/permits and should consider local opinions. If the bazaar activities have the required licences/permits, stalls operating in the venue are not required to hold hawker licences.
 
     On the other hand, illegal hawking on street, even during late-night or early-mornings hours, may cause obstruction to emergency services, environmental and noise nuisance, or hygiene and fire risks. It is also unfair to the businesses of shops nearby. Last year, the Government has received around 8 500 complaints about illegal hawking. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will continue to regulate and take enforcement actions against unlicensed hawking activities.

(4) For theme parks, we have all along been encouraging the Ocean Park Corporation (the Park) to actively formulate and launch various types of events, including night events with extended opening hours of the Park. Examples of night events organised by the Park last year include Ocean Park Halloween Fest 2023, New Year countdown event, and programmes with education elements such as Grand Aquarium Overnight, Starry Summit Glamping, Eco Night Exploration and stargazing programme. Of them, Grand Aquarium Overnight and Eco Night Exploration were in-park overnight programmes.

     For Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Resort), in addition to the nighttime spectacular “Momentous” newly launched in 2022, the Resort held a New Year’s Eve countdown earlier on for the first time in 15 years, which were all popular with guests. The Resort has been promoting packages integrating theme park tickets and overnight hotel stays at the three themed resort hotels, and it will continue to enrich its various offerings with a view to attracting more visitation.

(5) When deciding on the staging of large-scale events, event organisers, be they Government departments or commercial organisations, will consider many factors apart from the operating expenses. For example, the estimated number of participants, their experiences, the impacts to nearby residents and the environment such as whether the events will create noises to nearby residents, and the availability of transportation facilities at the time of the events, and in particular whether the overnight activities will bring nuisances to the neighbourhood. As commercial organisations will in particular consider the cost-effectiveness of the staging of events, the event organisers will be prudent when deciding on the staging of overnight events.

     Nevertheless, there are also some entertainment venues in Hong Kong, such as bars, which are open overnight. Interested local residents or visitors may go to these venues for enjoyment. For visitors who are going to join large-scale events in Hong Kong, they may, depending on their need, arrange hotel reservations in advance to rest after the events and continue their itineraries and other activities in Hong Kong. read more