Latest news with #PolicyAddress
RTHK
3 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
Govt seeks to reassure caregivers over trial scheme
Govt seeks to reassure caregivers over trial scheme Chris Sun says caregivers will retain their eligibility for government subsidies when they are hospitalised. Photo: RTHK Welfare chief Chris Sun said low-income caregivers don't need to worry about their subsidy being cut when a trial scheme offering help to them begins on Monday. The trial is part of the government's efforts to build a database for carers, which was first announced in last year's Policy Address. From Monday morning, the Hospital Authority will notify the Social Welfare Department when a caregiver receiving a low-income subsidy needs to spend time in hospital, to see what help they need. Officials will give the family a call or pay a visit, to see if services such as food delivery or respite services are needed. Sun said on a TVB programme on Sunday that while low-income carers need to give at least 80 hours of care a month to receive the subsidy, that requirement will be waived in the case of hospitalisation. "We will handle such cases with discretion - nobody's subsidy will be docked," the minister said. "So for carers, please do not refuse to go to hospital because you worry about the hourly counts affecting your income." Sun added that under the trial scheme, officials will check the address of the caregiver, but not the reason why he or she is hospitalised, or for how many days. The secretary for labour and welfare also said in the long run, the government aims to build a wider net to support caregivers by extending the trial to cover recipients of other government subsidies.
RTHK
07-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Bane of tariffs 'boon for HK investment promotions'
Bane of tariffs 'boon for HK investment promotions' InvestHK chief Alpha Lau says around 1,300 enterprises have come to Hong Kong since 2023, with almost half of them made up of mainland companies. Photo: RTHK Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau said on Monday the disruption caused by US tariffs is an opportunity for the SAR to attract more business. She made the comment as the government's investment promotion agency said that over the past two years it had attracted more than HK$168 billion in investments to the city, more than twice the target laid out in the 2022 Policy Address. "We do not want to see the world being affected by new tariffs, or the US changing the established trade rules that we've been using for decades," Lau said. "But having said that, since it's happening anyway, we believe that Hong Kong is an ideal platform to turn these dangers into opportunities because most companies around the world require stability to do business," she added. Around 1,300 enterprises have entered Hong Kong since 2023, with almost half of them made up of mainland companies, followed by those from the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore. More than half of the enterprises were from the finance, technology and innovation and family offices. Meanwhile, more than 670 applications have been approved through the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme introduced in March last year, bringing in HK$21 billion. The scheme grants longer-term visitor's visas to applicants who will invest a minimum of HK$30 million into the city's technology and innovation sectors and permanent residency after they have stayed here for seven years. Lau said the agency has assisted more than 7,700 enterprises to set up offices in Hong Kong, bringing in more than HK$440 billion. She said InvestHK would continue to promote the SAR in both traditional and new markets and be in line with policies such as the low-altitude economy, liquor trade and the Northern Metropolis.
RTHK
26-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
'Creating software buzz next key step for Hetao'
'Creating software buzz next key step for Hetao' Sun Dong says talks have been held with companies from various sectors to persuade them to move to the Hetao cooperation zone. Photo: RTHK Attracting investments and talent is just as crucial as building infrastructure when it comes to the development of a massive technology zone co-developed by Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said. Three buildings in the Hong Kong section of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone have been completed and Sun said they will be put into use by the end of the year. The structures are two wet laboratory buildings and one accommodation complex. Speaking to RTHK in an interview marking three years into Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Sun described several aspects that are essential to the success of the tech zone. 'Besides hardware, it's also about software," he said. "By software, I mean how we can create a favourable business, scientific research and exchange environment so that top talent and businesses would be willing to move to Hetao. "These aspects complement each other and cannot exist without one another.' Sun said the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park has been in talks with more than 20 companies in sectors such as life and health technology and microelectronics to persuade them to move to Hetao. Officials are also holding talks with their Shenzhen counterparts over arrangements that allow the free movement of biological specimens within the Hetao cooperation zone, with details to be announced in due course, he said. Sun also said a plan to make a locally developed chatbot available for public use by the end of the year remains on track. 'HKChat' is market-ready in terms of technological capability, he said, noting that what remains to be done involves tests on cybersecurity and system stability. The technology chief also said the government is committed to further developing artificial intelligence and will invest more in this area, despite government budget cuts. He added that increased use of artificial intelligence to improve governance will be highlighted in the upcoming Policy Address.
RTHK
25-06-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Trial for identifying needy elderly to start this year
Trial for identifying needy elderly to start this year Chris Sun says work is under way to link databases managed by public organisations, with the hope of identifying high-risk elderly people. Photo: RTHK A government initiative to identify vulnerable elderly individuals – and offer necessary assistance – through big data analysis could kick off with a district-based trial this year, according to labour and welfare chief Chris Sun. It will be followed by a citywide launch after smoothing out potential glitches with the system, he added. Sun emphasised that there's no time to waste as early intervention is essential to prevent tragedies. The idea of establishing an "inter-disciplinary and inter-organisation" database was first mentioned in the chief executive's Policy Address last year. The system, designed by university teams, is aimed at detecting vulnerable individuals, such as senior citizens who are ill and live alone, as well as their carers. Such cases will then be passed on to relevant authorities for follow-up. In an interview with RTHK marking three years since the John Lee administration assumed office, Sun said the system will link databases from social welfare organisations, as well as public hospitals and the Housing Authority. "Three in four senior citizens receive cash subsidies or some sort of services from the government, so authorities definitely have information about them, and where they live," he said. "Once they are in hospital, then the case is recorded on the Hospital Authority's database. But its database is not linked with ours. Once they are linked, we will know if they come from an elderly household, and if they are at risk. In this case we can send help immediately, either by instructing NGOs or community care teams." Sun hopes to conduct trials on a smaller scale within this year to iron out technical issues. Once this is done, he added, it could be expanded quickly to other districts. On a separate note, the welfare minister revealed that a guide will be published in July to help professionals from specific industries determine if they have to report cases of suspected child abuse. The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance, set to take effect in January, would compel social welfare, education and healthcare practitioners to alert authorities of incidents involving physical, psychological or sexual abuse against minors. Those who fail to comply face up to a HK$50,000 fine and three months in prison. The government is now formulating a Mandated Reporter Guide which Sun said will save time and effort for those bound by the new regulation. "They can access a website and answer a questionnaire based on what they know about the case. Whether there were bodily injuries, et cetera, et cetera, the questions are not difficult," he explained. "There are also guidelines to help them choose the correct answer. After answering all the questions the guide will tell you if the case meets the criteria for mandatory reporting."
RTHK
23-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Grade B and C offices 'likely to join dorms scheme'
Grade B and C offices 'likely to join dorms scheme' Permanent Secretary for Development Doris Ho says having more dormitories in place is a prerequisite for the SAR to attract more overseas students. File Photo: RTHK The Development Bureau said on Monday it expects private grade B and C offices will likely join a pilot scheme that allows commercial buildings and hotels to be converted into student hostels much more quickly. The bureau is proposing that the definition of hotels be expanded to cover student dormitories so that developers do not have to be put through any planning procedures should they wish to convert buildings into student hostels or construct dormitories on commercial sites. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Permanent Secretary for Development Doris Ho said having the support facilities in place is a prerequisite for the SAR to better develop its "Study in Hong Kong" brand, which was first unveiled in last year's Policy Address to attract more overseas students to study here. "The industry told us that maybe there is a higher chance of grade B and C offices joining the scheme," she said. "We also looked at some figures – these two grades of offices have a vacancy rate of only about 10 percent in the past year. "Therefore, if we have this scheme and they are willing to participate, it will allow commercial buildings that have not been fully utilised to be put to better use, and we think that's worth supporting." The government, Ho said, will leave it up to the industry to decide whether medium- and low-cost hotels will participate in the scheme. She said the SAR has sufficient hotel capacity to support tourism development for the time being. This is because the occupancy rate for the 90,000 hotel rooms in Hong Kong stands at 80 to 90 percent, Ho said, and with the change in travel patterns, travellers do not necessarily stay overnight. Under the scheme, the bureau also hopes to waive floor area requirements to offer developers greater flexibility. For instance, Ho said, they can retain the area previously used as a covered parking lot to offload goods and convert them into facilities such as laundry, study and gym rooms. She said the government has set neither a target on how many more student dormitories would be set up under the scheme nor a cap on the number of applications. Metropolitan University vice president Charles Kwong welcomes the scheme. As the bureau's development projects facilitation office will be responsible for the scheme, he said, it will save a lot of time and costs as schools no longer have to liaise with government departments one by one when they are trying to convert buildings into hostels. He believes institutions are not looking for Grade A private offices for conversion. Instead, vacant buildings located in preferred areas will be more suitable as schools can follow through with the conversion with better time control, Kwong added. The scheme will start accepting applications in the middle of next month.
