The rise of short videos has attracted a sea of users and fans, and created unlimited business opportunities for local enterprises. To keep up with the everchanging market, Hongkong Post, in collaboration with China Post Hong Kong, has set up a“China Post Hong Kong & Hongkong Post Joint Douyin Account” (“Joint Douyin Account”) on Douyin, a popular short-video platform.  Hongkong Post will release interesting short videos (the link of Joint Douyin Account) from time to time on this platform, and arrange the two influencers in the short videos to host livestream shopping, helping local SMEs advertise their brands to the Mainland market, and promote genuine Hong Kong products.

To successfully attract the greatest number of customers to experience the benefits of their products in the shortest time, setting effective promotion prices and discounts is the key to success. Additionally, choosing an appropriate Douyin account/ influencer is equally important. Currently, the number of followers of the Joint Douyin Account has reached almost 1.7 million. Selling and promoting products through the Joint Douyin Account not only increases brand awareness, but also helps enterprises understand the features of the Douyin platform and the acceptance of their products in the Mainland market, which will facilitate the formulation of a more effective long-term marketing strategy. Enterprises can also choose to continue cooperation with Hongkong Post after the promotion period or set up their own Douyin accounts/ shops.

If you are interested in cooperating with Hongkong Post to arrange livestream shopping, please contact Hongkong Post at 2921 6020 or by e-mail at crm_support@hkpo.gov.hk.

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CE leads delegation of HKSAR Government and senior representatives of business sectors to Guangzhou to begin visit to Mainland cities of GBA

A delegation of the HKSARG and senior representatives of the business sectors, led by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, arrived in Guangzhou on 25 November 2024, marking the commencement of a three-day visit to Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with a view to further promoting the co-operation between the HKSAR and the Guangdong Province and various GBA cities in business, trade and different industries.

The delegation attended the Guangdong-Hong Kong Deepening Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation Conference co-organised by the People's Government of Guangdong Province and the HKSARG on the afternoon of 25 November to exchange views on enhancing economic, trade and investment co-operation, and promote high-quality development of the GBA. The Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Huang Kunming; Mr Lee; and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, delivered speeches at the conference.

In his speech, Mr Lee said that, with the support of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the Guangdong Provincial Government, the conference brought together government officials and representatives of the business sectors from Guangdong and Hong Kong to join hands in taking concrete actions to promote the high-quality development of the GBA proactively.

He said that Guangdong and Hong Kong, sharing close geographical ties and same cultural roots, have been closely interacting and co-operating with each other over the years in different areas including economic and trade investment, tourism and culture, as well as people's living. Both sides deepen co-operation under the spirit of complementarity and mutual benefits, so as to make greater contributions to the GBA as a strategic fulcrum of the new development pattern of our country, a demonstration zone of high-quality development, and a pioneer of Chinese modernisation. He also encouraged the business sectors in Guangdong and Hong Kong to continue to seize the opportunities to contribute to, and benefit from, the development of the GBA into a world-class bay area.

The Vice-Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Zhang Xin; the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, together with representatives from multiple Hong Kong, foreign and Guangdong enterprises, gave thematic presentations to around 350 business leaders of the GBA to promote the development potential of Hong Kong and Guangdong, as well as the huge market and business opportunities of the GBA. The conference also witnessed the signing of 126 contracts with a total value of RMB 100 billion between enterprises of the two places.

After the conference, Mr Lee and the delegation attended the welcoming dinner hosted by the People's Government of Guangdong Province. They exchanged views on further deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong co-operation to jointly promote the high-quality development of the GBA.

In the evening, Mr Lee and the delegation arrived in Foshan and met with the Secretary of the CPC Foshan Municipal Committee, Mr Tang Yifeng. Mr Lee said that Foshan has a solid foundation in manufacturing with well-established production lines and production chains, while Hong Kong has rich experience in areas including finance, commerce and professional services, as well as research and development capabilities and the advantage of internationalisation. Hong Kong will continue to maintain close co-operation with Foshan to jointly seize the opportunities brought about by GBA development.

Mr Lee has returned to Hong Kong on the morning of 26 November 2024. Mr Chan leads the delegation to continue its visit to Foshan, Guangzhou and Dongguan.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/25/P2024112500591.htm.

HKMA welcomes completion of migration of consumer credit reference services to Credit Data Smart

Government promulgates Development Outline for Hong Kong Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone

HKMC Insurance Limited announced that the enhancements to the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme (SFGS) as set out in the "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address" took effect on 18 November 2024. The measures allow borrowing enterprises under the SFGS to apply for principal moratorium for up to 12 months, for both existing and new loans. The application period will last for 12 months, and end on 17 November 2025. In addition, the maximum loan guarantee periods of the 80% and 90% Guarantee Products will both be extended by three years, to ten years and eight years respectively. The partial principal repayment options will be offered to new loans under the two guarantee products. These measures aim to alleviate the repayment pressure on borrowing enterprises, helping them address challenges brought about by economic restructuring.
 
Borrowing enterprises in need may approach the relevant participating lenders to discuss specific arrangements. For details, please refer to the SFGS website (www.hkmc.com.hk/sfgs).
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/news-and-media/press-releases/2024/11/20241118-4/.

Hong Kong and Peru signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 15 November 2024 (Lima time) on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.
 
In the witness of the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, and the President of Peru, Ms Dina Boluarte, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, Mrs Úrsula Desilú León Chempén, signed the FTA.
 
"Peru is Hong Kong's valued trading partner in Latin America, and also one of the participating countries of our country's Belt and Road Initiative. The Agreement signed today (15 November) is the first FTA signed by the current-term HKSAR Government, carrying strategic value to both Hong Kong and Peru. Apart from helping Hong Kong to gain entry into the great potential market of Peru, the FTA also provides manufacturers, service providers and investors of Hong Kong and Peru with legal certainty and better conditions, creating business opportunities and enhancing bilateral trade and investment between the two places," Mr Lee said.
 
"The Agreement heralds the beginning of closer bilateral relations between Hong Kong and Peru. I believe that the unique advantages of Hong Kong under 'one country, two systems', including open and friendly business environment, simple and low tax regime, free flow of information and capital, and a pool of high quality talent with global vision, would enable Peru to better grasp development opportunities for the future," he added.
 
Mr Lee noted that the commencement of negotiations of a separate Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) between Hong Kong and Peru is encouraging, and trusted that Hong Kong and Peru will further enhance bilateral investment flows to bring about economic growth of the two sides.
 
The FTA encompasses trade in services (including electronic commerce), trade in goods, investment and other related areas. The FTA's overall commitments go beyond those undertaken by the two economies under the World Trade Organization, and the trade in Hong Kong can be benefited from elimination or reduction of tariff, and reduction of trade barriers. Service providers and investors, likewise, can be benefited from legal certainty of better market access and national treatment when entering and operating in Peru.
 
Mr Yau said being Hong Kong's second FTA forged with Latin American economies, the FTA would create synergy with the FTA between Hong Kong, China and Chile signed in 2012, reinforcing the message to other Latin American trading partners that Hong Kong is ready to forge closer economic partnership in the region.
 
"We look forward to Hong Kong's traders and investors to grasp the opportunities brought by the FTA, and expand their businesses in Peru and through Peru to the Latin American markets. At the same time, the FTA would also help more Peruvian businesses to expand into Hong Kong and through Hong Kong in the region, in particular the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," Mr Yau said.
 
Under the FTA, Hong Kong service providers can enjoy benefit in over 150 services sectors Peru has made specific commitments under the FTA. These commitments encompass sectors where Hong Kong has traditional strengths or has potential for development, including professional services, computer and related services, research and development services, financial services, and transport services.
 
For trade in goods, Peru committed to eliminate tariffs on approximately 98.3 per cent of its tariff lines for Hong Kong's originating goods exported to Peru, among which tariff elimination concerning 91.3 per cent of the tariff lines would take immediate effect upon the entry into force of the FTA, while tariffs of the remaining 7 per cent tariff lines would be phased out gradually. The competitiveness of Hong Kong products exported to Peru will be enhanced.
 
Peru ranked fifth among Hong Kong's merchandise trading partners in Latin America in 2023, with bilateral merchandise trade amounted to HK$5.2 billion. The bilateral merchandise and services trade between Hong Kong and Peru grew at an average annual rate of 4 per cent (from 2019 to 2023) and 16.3 per cent (from 2018 to 2022) respectively. The FTA negotiations between Hong Kong and Peru commenced in January 2023 and were concluded in July 2024.
 
For key benefits of the FTA to Hong Kong, please refer to Annexes 1 and 2. Full text of the FTA has been uploaded onto the TID's website (www.tid.gov.hk). The FTA will enter into force after Hong Kong and Peru have completed their respective internal procedures.
 
Including the FTA with Peru, Hong Kong has so far signed nine FTAs with 21 economies, including the Mainland of China, New Zealand, the member states of the European Free Trade Association (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Chile, Macao, the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam), Georgia, Australia and Peru. All FTAs, except the one with Peru, have entered into force.
 
Hong Kong is actively seeking to expand its economic and trade network, such as seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and exploring FTAs or IPPAs with emerging markets including potential partners in the Middle East and other regions along the Belt and Road.
 
Following the signing of the FTA with Peru on 15 November (Lima time), the geographical scope of the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales is also extended to cover Peru (as the 40th eligible economy) with immediate effect to further support Hong Kong enterprises in developing their businesses there.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/16/P2024111600021.htm.

Government announces details of Signature Performing Arts Programme Scheme

Government promulgates Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering

The Women Empowerment Fund is open for the second round of applications this year starting from 15 November until 16 December 2024. The Fund subsidises projects that support women in juggling their jobs and family life, bring awareness to women's physical and mental health, and unleash their potential.
 
The Fund accepts two rounds of applications each year. The Guide to Application and the application form have been uploaded to the Fund's website (www.wef.gov.hk). Interested eligible women's groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) may submit an electronic or paper application.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/15/P2024111500278.htm.

Home and Youth Affairs Bureau launches new round of Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland (deadline: 16 December 2024)

Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2024 gazetted

The Transport Department (TD) said on 15 November 2024 that, to promote the quality services and image of the taxi industry, and compliment quality taxi drivers and taxi service management teams, the Committee on Taxi Service Quality (CTSQ) and the TD are jointly organising the Taxi Service Commendation Scheme 2024.
 
Members of the public can nominate quality taxi drivers and service management teams, and share their Good Driver, Good Service riding experiences provided by a taxi driver via the CTSQ's webpage (www.ctsq.org.hk/voting) by scanning the QR code on the publicity material of the scheme (see Annex). They can also download the nomination form from the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/taxi/index.html) or the CTSQ's website (www.ctsq.org.hk) and send the completed form to the TD by post or email.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/15/P2024111500295.htm.

Air Pollution Control (Fuel Restriction) (Amendment) Regulation 2024 gazetted

The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) published the report on the 2023 Manpower Projection on 14 November 2024. The projection indicates that Hong Kong is expected to face a manpower shortage of 180 000 by 2028. The 2023 Manpower Projection report has been uploaded to the website of the LWB (www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/manpower_projection/index.html).
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/14/P2024111400292.htm.

The Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) (Amendment) Regulation 2024 (Amendment Regulation) was gazetted on 15 November 2024 to amend the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations (Cap. 448B) to incorporate in the local legislation the latest requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents.

The Amendment Regulation was tabled at the LegCo on 20 November for negative vetting. Subject to scrutiny by the LegCo, the Amendment Regulation will come into effect on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics by notice published in the Gazette, with an implementation target in the first half of 2025.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202411/13/P2024111300182.htm.