The Lands Department announced on 23 May 2025 that demand notes for Government rent in excess of $100 per annum for the half year ending 24 June in respect of properties subject to the Government Leases Ordinance (Cap. 40) and certain other properties have been issued.

Payers can settle Government rent through various electronic means, including autopay, bank automated teller machines, e-Cheque/e-Cashier's Order, the Faster Payment System, payment by phone service (PPS), and bill payment services provided by banks and PPS on the Internet. Payment may also be made in person and in cash or through the Easy Pay System at designated convenience stores. For details, please visit the Treasury's website at www.try.gov.hk.

Payment may be made by sending a crossed cheque to PO Box No. 28000, Sham Shui Po Post Office, Hong Kong, or in person to any post office. Please ensure sufficient mailing time and postage to make the delivery in order. Underpaid mail will be rejected. For locations of post offices and their opening hours, please call Hongkong Post's enquiry hotline at 2921 2222 or visit its website at www.hongkongpost.hk.

Government rent payers who have not received their demand notes should enquire at the Government Rent and Premium Unit of the Lands Department at 1/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or call 2231 3033.

Purchasers of properties are strongly advised to instruct their solicitors to ensure that Government rent has been paid to date at the time of purchase. Enquiries on outstanding accounts can be made at 2231 3033 or email to landsd@landsd.gov.hk. An enquiry fee is payable for each property if a written confirmation of accounts position is needed.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/23/P2025052300224.htm.
 

The Government announced on 23 May 2025 that company re-domiciliation is now open for application.

The Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance 2025 was gazetted and came into effect on the same day. From 23 May 2025 onwards, a company incorporated outside Hong Kong may apply to the Companies Registry (CR) for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong. The mechanism reduces the need to go through complicated and costly judicial procedures, and enables a re-domiciled company to maintain its legal identity as a body corporate, thereby ensuring business continuity. At the same time, an applicant for company re-domiciliation is required to fulfil requirements concerning company background, integrity, member and creditor protection, solvency, etc.

The types of company which may apply for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong include a private company limited by shares, a public company limited by shares, a private unlimited company with a share capital and a public unlimited company with a share capital, or a type comparable to the above four types of company.

Under normal circumstances, the CR will complete the approval process within two weeks after an applicant has submitted all required documents and information. Upon the issuance of a certificate of re-domiciliation, the applicant becomes a re-domiciled company, which will generally be regarded as a Hong Kong-incorporated company with effect from its re-domiciliation date. A 120-day period will be allowed for the re-domiciled company to complete the deregistration procedures at its place of incorporation.

For regulatory purposes of the insurance and banking sectors, a non-Hong Kong-incorporated authorized insurer, or an authorized institution, a holding company of an authorized institution or an approved money broker should approach the Insurance Authority (IA) or the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) (as the case may be) for prior assessment before making a re-domiciliation application to the CR.

Further information on company re-domiciliation procedures, including a guide on company re-domiciliation, forms and frequently asked questions, is available in a new thematic section of the CR's website (www.cr.gov.hk/en/legislation/co2025/redomiciliation/overview.htm). The IA and HKMA will announce details on the requirements for relevant financial institutions separately.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/23/P2025052200343.htm.
 

HKMA partners with Land Registry to promote opening up of government data via CDI-CDEG linkage

The HKMA announced on 22 May 2025 the successful connection between the HKMA's Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) and the Land Registry (LR) through the Government's Consented Data Exchange Gateway (CDEG) (LR@CDI), enabling CDI participating banks to automate their land search processes. The linkage marks another major achievement in meeting banks' demand for government data after the connection of the CR to CDI through CDEG (CR@CDI).

Key features and benefits of LR@CDI

By connecting to the LR via the CDI-CDEG linkage, banks can search land and ownership information in a straight-through manner via Application Programming Interface (API), effectively streamlining their processes in relation to property valuation, mortgage and loan assessments for individual and corporate customers. This would in turn enable banks to enhance risk assessment, improve customer experience and reduce time costs.

With the launch of LR@CDI, CDI participating banks can also access e-Alert notifications via API when further charge/mortgage documents related to the mortgaged properties are lodged for registration with the LR, thereby providing banks with timely updates on the risk profile of their mortgage lending.

Growing utilisation of CR@CDI

Since the CDI-CDEG linkage came into full operation in August 2024, CR@CDI has been well received by banks, with average monthly data transfers amounting to approximately 1.5 million. Eight banks are actively utilising the CR@CDI connection to enhance their operational efficiency and risk management capabilities in different business scenarios such as automating online account opening process and conducting customer due diligence. More banks are expected to join the CDI service to obtain company search records in a more streamlined manner with the use of API.

For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/22/P2025052100613.htm.
 

Government welcomes passage of Stablecoins Bill

The Government welcomed the passage of the Stablecoins Bill by the LegCo on 21 May 2025 to establish a licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoins (FRS) issuers in Hong Kong, to further enhance Hong Kong's regulatory framework on virtual-asset (VA) activities, thereby fostering financial stability and encouraging financial innovation.

Upon implementation of the Stablecoins Ordinance, any person who, in the course of business, issues an FRS in Hong Kong, or issues an FRS that purports to maintain a stable value with reference to Hong Kong dollars in or outside Hong Kong will need to obtain a licence from the Monetary Authority (MA). The relevant persons must satisfy the requirements in areas such as reserve asset management and redemption, including proper segregation of client assets, maintaining a robust stabilisation mechanism, and processing stablecoin holders' requests for redemption at par value with reasonable conditions. The relevant persons must also comply with a range of requirements, including those on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, risk management, disclosure and auditing, and fitness and propriety. The MA will conduct further consultations on the detailed regulatory requirements of the regime in due course.

The regulatory regime will provide better protection for the general public and investors. Among others, under the Ordinance, only specified licensed institutions may offer an FRS in Hong Kong, and only an FRS issued by a licensed issuer may be offered to a retail investor. Additionally, to prevent fraud and scams, at all times (including the six-month non-contravention period), only advertisements of licensed FRS issuance are allowed. Members of the public are advised to take note of the above and exercise care when receiving FRS-related advertising materials or messages.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, "The Ordinance adheres to the 'same activity, same risks, same regulation' principle, with a focus on a risk-based approach to promote a robust regulatory environment. This is not only in line with international regulatory requirements, but also lays a solid foundation for Hong Kong's virtual asset market, which, in turn, promotes the sustainable development of the industry, protects users' rights and interests, and strengthens Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre."

The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, "The Ordinance has established a risk-based, pragmatic, and flexible regulatory regime. We believe that a robust and fit-for-purpose regulatory environment would provide favourable conditions to support the healthy, responsible, and sustainable development of Hong Kong's stablecoin and the broader digital asset ecosystem."

The Ordinance is expected to come into effect in 2025, to allow sufficient time for the industry to understand the requirements under the licensing regime. The regime also provides for a transitional arrangement to facilitate the industry in applying for a licence and making suitable business arrangements in accordance with the regulatory regime.

The Government will continue to support the development of the VA sector. Following the implementation of the VA trading platform and stablecoins issuers regulatory regimes, the Government will soon launch consultations on VA over-the-counter and custodian services, and promulgate the second policy statement on the development of VAs.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/21/P2025052100374.htm.
 

Legislative amendments on air transport of dangerous goods gazetted

Legislative amendments which seek to implement the latest requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the safe transport of dangerous goods (DG) by air was gazetted on 23 May 2025 for tabling in the LegCo on 28 May, and targeted for commencement on 18 July 2025.

The Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Amendment of Schedule 16) Order 2025 and the Dangerous Goods (Consignment by Air) (Safety) Regulations (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2025 serve to incorporate the ICAO's latest requirements in the local legislation. Such requirements are set out in a new edition (i.e. the 2025-2026 edition) of the ICAO's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Technical Instructions).

Some of the updated provisions introduced by the new edition of the Technical Instructions include:

(a) A requirement to indicate on the DG transport document the dimensions of packages containing certain radioactive materials has been added to facilitate cargo loading procedures;

(b) A note specifying DG allowed for carriage by passengers has been relocated to better reflect its applicability; and

(c) Some changes to the technical requirements on the classification, packing, marking and labelling of certain kinds of DG for carriage by air have been incorporated.

"The aviation industry is supportive to the legislative amendments which aim to enhance the safe carriage of DG by air," a spokesperson for the TLB said.

DG, in the context of air transport, include explosives, compressed gas, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidising substances, toxic substances, infectious substances, radioactive materials and corrosives.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/21/P2025052100247.htm.
 

Legislative amendments on low-altitude economy development gazetted

Legislative amendments which seek to facilitate the development of the low-altitude economy (LAE) was gazetted on 23 May 2025 to amend the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (Cap. 448G) and the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Cap. 448C).

The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Order 2025 serves to extend the existing regulatory regime to cover small unmanned aircraft (SUA) weighing over 25 kilograms but not exceeding 150kg. The major proposed amendments include:

(1) to add a new category C aircraft (i.e. those weighing over 25kg but not more than 150kg);

(2) to require anyone operating category C aircraft to obtain prior permission from the Civil Aviation Department (CAD);

(3) to impose insurance requirements for category C aircraft;

(4) to permit a statutory fee to be charged on a full cost-recovery basis (e.g. fees for registration of a category C aircraft);

(5) to require anyone operating cross-boundary SUA operations, regardless of the weight of the SUA deployed, to obtain prior permission from the CAD; and

(6) to require information in respect of SUA operated under the CAD's prior permission to be kept for six months and be accessible within Hong Kong to facilitate enforcement.

As well, the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Amendment) Order 2025 serves to facilitate the trials of various unconventional aircraft in Hong Kong. New articles are proposed to be added under Cap. 448C to empower the Chief Executive to permit the trials of unconventional aircraft under specified conditions.

A spokesman for the TLB said, "In order to tie in with the overall national development, the Government has been proactively taking forward various initiatives to promote LAE development in Hong Kong, and it is imperative to establish a robust legal and regulatory framework for the emerging technologies for LAE. The proposed legislative amendments can tap into the potential of heavier SUA and facilitate trial flights for unconventional aircraft, thereby expanding and enriching the application scenarios for different low-altitude flying activities.

"In the longer term, the Government is also studying a new and customised piece of legislation regulating different types of unconventional aircraft," the spokesman added.

The Amendment Orders will be tabled at the LegCo on 28 May. Subject to scrutiny by the LegCo, the Amendment Orders will be targeted for commencement on 18 July.
 
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202505/21/P2025052100313.htm.
 

EEB and GACC sign co-operation agreements on export of meat and dairy products from Hong Kong to Mainland

Protection of the Harbour (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 comes into force

In view of the cash-flow pressure of SMEs, SUCCESS has compiled a summary of support measures relating to liquidity.

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SME ReachOut

“SME ReachOut”, a dedicated service team operated by HKPC, has commenced operation since 1 January 2020 to enhance SMEs’ understanding of the Government’s funding schemes, with a view to encouraging better utilisation of the support provided by the Government. The team would help SMEs identify funding schemes that suit their needs, and answer questions relating to applications.

The Government has allocated $100 million to HKPC to gradually enhance the services of “SME ReachOut” in the ensuing five years starting from 2023. HKPC has enhanced the services of “SME ReachOut” in October 2023, including arranging visits to more chambers of commerce, commercial and industrial buildings and co-working spaces, and increasing the publicity in social media so as to step up the promotion of government funding schemes. At the same time, more one-on-one consultation sessions will be provided to assist SMEs in applying for government funding and building their capacities, focusing on areas such as ESG, technology transformation, digitalisation and cyber security, with a view to enhancing their competitiveness through leveraging new technologies.

For further information or enquiries on “SME ReachOut”, please contact “SME ReachOut” Hotline / WhatsApp (Text Message Only) at 2788 6868 or email by sme_reachout@hkpc.org or visit https://smereachout.hkpc.org/en.