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Stunning showcase ushers in 2025

Hong Kong welcomed 2025 with the grandest New Year Countdown Fireworks Display ever, bringing joy and wonder to over 400,000 spectators, locals and visitors alike, spanning across the iconic Victoria Harbour. Themed “The Symphony of Happiness”, the captivating 12-minute spectacle offered blessings for 2025 by revealing the myriad states and stages of the five natural elements – metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Highlights included “The Propitious Clouds”, which showcased rainbow-coloured smoke against silver fireworks — a first in Hong Kong!

Another snooker star becomes Hong Kong resident

Welcome to Hong Kong! World No. 1 snooker player Judd Trump has officially become a Hong Kong resident through the city's Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. The snooker star, who has 30 professional titles to his name so far, follows hot on the heels of legendary Ronnie O'Sullivan who confirmed his Hong Kong residency earlier this year. “I am here because I enjoy the city, I love everything about Hong Kong – the food, the people and the buildings,” Trump said. Lean more about Hong Kong’s various talent admission schemes here.

Talent scheme list updated

The aggregate list of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme has been updated to reflect changes in 2024 to the top 100 universities or institutions over the past five years in four world university rankings. The updated list consists of 199 universities and institutions worldwide. New additions include University of Massachusetts. The list also includes the top five specialised institutions in the past five years on the QS World University Rankings in the discipline of "Art and Design" and the top 20 ranked Mainland universities in the past five years under the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Best Chinese Universities Ranking.

Hong Kong to establish WIPO Technology & Innovation Support Centre

The Hong Kong Productivity Council has been designated jointly by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the China National Intellectual Property Administration as part of the new batch of organisations for establishing WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISCs). The TISCs in Hong Kong will focus on providing local start-ups and small and medium enterprises with high-quality intellectual property (IP) information and services to assist them in exploring their innovation potential and creating, protecting, managing and commercialising their IPs. The centres are expected to begin operations as early as next year, further advancing Hong Kong's development as a regional hub for IP  trading and a global centre for innovation and technology.

Tourism blueprint released

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau released (Dec 30) the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0, proposing four positions, four development strategies and 133 measures for the industry. Highlights include nurturing and developing tourism products and initiatives with local and international characteristics, and promoting smart tourism through the use of information technology. Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law said the Bureau will continue to lead the travel trade in enhancing Hong Kong's tourism competitiveness in all aspects, while also striving to reinvigorate the sector and promote its healthy and prosperous development

China’s C919 jet soars into 2025 with historic HK flight

A flying start to 2025! China's first home-grown C919 passenger jet made its inaugural scheduled commercial flight outside the Mainland, touching down at Hong Kong International Airport on New Year's Day. The narrow-body C919, operated by China Eastern Airlines, took up a daily round-trip route between Hong Kong and Shanghai (Jan 1), marking the start of a new era in the nation's aviation history and further cementing Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub connecting China with the world. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said Hong Kong, being an international aviation hub, has been demonstrating our strengths and advantages to the international aviation sector. She added that Hong Kong was the first city beyond other Mainland cities to have this kind of commercial flight, bringing the historic innovation breakthrough in the Mainland’s production of civil aviation aircraft to both Hong Kong citizens, and the international visitors coming to Hong Kong.

The values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods in November both recorded year-on-year increases, at 2.1% and 5.7% respectively. Exports to the Mainland rose further, and those to many Asian markets saw increases of varying degree. For the first 11 months of 2024 as a whole, the value of total exports and imports of goods increased by 9.1% and 6.7% respectively over the same period in 2023. A visible trade deficit of $345.1 billion, equivalent to 7.7% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded. Looking ahead, increased global economic uncertainties and escalation of trade conflicts would pose challenges to Hong Kong's export performance, though the Mainland's various measures to boost its economy should provide some support.

Second batch of land leases extended for 50 years

The Lands Department published (Dec 27) a second Extension Notice under the Extension of Government Leases Ordinance to extend the land leases of three lots for a term of 50 years without having to execute a new contract. The notice concern general purpose leases which are due to expire in 2031 and do not contain a right of renewal. Interests and rights under the original lease will be carried forward to the extended lease term. Owners do not have to perform any procedures, nor are they required to execute lease extension documents with the Government or rearrange mortgages. The mechanism provides certainty for lease extension, enhances the confidence of property owners and investors in the real estate market, manifests the solid safeguards for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong under the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”. 

HKSAR Govt upholds national security and sovereignty

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government said (Dec 26) it strongly disapproved of and firmly rejected the reauthorisation by the US of Sanctions Provisions under its Hong Kong Human Rights & Democracy Act, as incorporated in its National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025. In a statement, the Government said in accordance with international law and international practice based on the UN Charter, each and every sovereign state has an inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security. The US clamour for “sanctions” is a despicable attempt to intimidate HKSAR officials and is a demonstration of political grandstanding. It stressed that the HKSAR Government will resolutely continue to discharge its duty of safeguarding national security.

The Basic Law (BL) is the constitutional document of the HKSAR. It provides the guarantees to maintain our existing way of life, including socio-economic development, the rights and duties of Hong Kong people, the rule of law and other areas. The Basic Law was put into effect on July 1, 1997.

Q: Can foreign enterprises participate fully in Hong Kong’s economy?

A: Yes. Hong Kong welcomes and encourages the participation of foreign enterprises, and provides a level playing field for all. There are no foreign exchange controls in Hong Kong and no restrictions on the trading of gold, securities, futures and the like. The Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong shall maintain the status of a free port, pursue the policy of free trade and safeguard the free movement of goods, intangible assets and capital. (BL Articles 112; 114; 115)