Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and Policy Address
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, announced the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) on 16 September 2026 and subsequently released the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address).
For details, please visit the respective dedicated websites of the Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address:
www.hk5yplan.gov.hk and
www.policyaddress.gov.hk.
“Four-in-One” Seminar Series
The four SME centres co-organise "Four-in-One" seminar series regularly. Themes of this seminar series in the second half of 2026 are "Exploration of New Markets", "E-Commerce/ Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications" and "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)". Upcoming events under this series are listed below. Interested persons are welcome to register at the links shown therein. Admission is Free.
“SME ReachOut” Webinar Series - Grow Smarter, Go Global: AI & Funding for SME Expansion
(EP. 2 will be livestreamed on 29 September 2026)
(EP. 3 will be livestreamed on 29 October 2026)
(EP. 4 will be livestreamed on 26 November 2026)
This webinar series is organised by the “SME ReachOut” of the HKPC combining AI applications with government funding schemes to unpack a complete roadmap for SMEs going global. EP. 1 One-Person Company × AI: Funding-Fuelled Global Reach (webinar) was held on 26 August 2026.
EP. 2 Cross-Border E-Commerce Leap: Funding Your Global Play (webinar) will explain the application of AI in cross-border multi-channel growth, e-commerce and digital marketing strategies, and tips on applying for the BUD Fund.
EP. 3 Go Global with Funding: AI-Powered Brand Growth (webinar) will explain how to leverage brand positioning to enhance overseas customer trust, AI-optimised branding strategy, and related funding schemes.
EP. 4 Funding the Twin Engines: Smart Manufacturing × Green Logistics across the Value Chain (webinar) will explain how to leverage AI-driven data production to enhance logistics efficiency, how ESG technologies can foster value chain upgrades, and related funding schemes.
This series of webinars will be conducted in Cantonese.
More Details and Registration
SUCCESS-supported Activities
I. "SME ReachOut" Biz "Fundmula" for SMEs: Navigating from EMF to BUD (Event)
(This event will be held at the HKPC Building on 18 September 2026)
This event is organised by "SME ReachOut" of the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. Following the consolidation of the SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) into the
Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund), experts are invited to share the difference of the two funding schemes, application strategies and form filling tips for BUD Fund, and the details of "Easy BUD" concerning exhibitions. Each participating company may apply for a free advisory session covering application details of the BUD Fund, "Easy BUD" form-filling, and technical support for cross-border e-commerce / digital marketing. Given the limited number of slots, early application is recommended. Successful applicants will receive a confirmation email separately. (This event will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and
Registration
II. HKTISC IP Training “Introduction of IP Trading: A New Frontier for Innovation and Commercialisation” (Online Training)
(This course will be live-streamed on 22 September 2026)
This training is offered by the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This online training aims to enhance participants’ knowledge of how to better utilise and monetise their intellectual property (IP). Key topics include preparation for IP commercialisation, pathways for IP utilisation and technology transfer, and common questions and challenges faced by companies during the commercialisation process. (This training will be conducted in Putonghua.)
More Details and Registration
III. 3D Logistic Simulation with AI (Online Course)
(This course will be live-streamed on 29 September 2026)
This course is offered by the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This online course will introduce no-code and vibe-coding approaches to building virtual logistics environments. Participants will learn how AI tools can help design warehouses, model transport routes, visualise inventory movement, and simulate supply chain operations in 3D. (This course will be conducted in Cantonese and supplemented with English.)
More Details and Registration
Intellectual Property Department: IP Training Programme “IP203 Generative AI – IP Concept and Legal Considerations”
(IP203 will be live-streamed and held at the VTC Tower, Wan Chai on 8 October 2026)
This IP course organised by the Intellectual Property Department is now open for registration
here.
“IP203 Generative AI - IP Concept and Legal Considerations” aims to illustrate the involvement of IP in the Generative AI, allowing participants to understand the relevant IP concept, the potential legal issues associated with Generative AI and how to protect IP rights in the age of AI. (The medium of instruction will be Cantonese, supplemented with English terms.)
This course is free for members of the “
IP Manager Scheme PLUS”. Enterprises registered in Hong Kong can fill out the
online form to join the Scheme for free, getting priority in course registration and special offers for their staff joining the
IP Training Programme. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
Subsidiary legislation on plain packaging for conventional smoking products and duty stamps gazetted
The Government published on 11 September 2026 in the
Gazette three pieces of subsidiary legislation to take forward a new phase of the "10 measures for tobacco control", including establishing specific statutory requirements for the plain packaging of conventional smoking products and updating the health warnings on the packaging in tandem, so as to reduce the attractiveness of the packaging, prevent smoking especially among young people, and increase willingness to quit smoking; and implementing the duty stamp system to enable the public and law enforcement officers to more effectively distinguish duty-paid cigarettes from "cheap whites", thereby strengthening the combating of illicit cigarettes.
Plain packaging and duty stamps will take effect in phases, and the 13-month preparation period started as early as January 2026, with a view to allowing sufficient preparation time for the industry. The three pieces of subsidiary legislation gazetted on 11 September 2026 will be tabled at the Legislative Council (LegCo) for the negative vetting procedure on 7 October 2026, and the measures prescribed will take effect on 1 March 2027, with a nine-month transitional period before the full implementation on 1 December 2027. Detailed technical provisions and transitional arrangements are set out in the
LegCo brief.
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health and the C&ED will continue to maintain communication with the industry on the implementation details of the new requirements, and provide appropriate assistance in light of actual circumstances to ensure smooth implementation of the measures.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/11/P2026091100719.htm.
United Nations Sanctions (Haiti) (Amendment) Regulation 2026 gazetted
The Government gazetted the
United Nations Sanctions (Haiti) (Amendment) Regulation 2026 (Amendment Regulation), which came into operation on 11 September 2026.
"The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Haiti) Regulation to give effect to certain decisions relating to sanctions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2794 in respect of Haiti," a Government spokesman said.
The amendments renew the travel ban and financial sanctions, and further specify the time-limited arms embargo requirements.
The HKSARG has long been implementing fully the sanctions imposed by the UNSC. The Amendment Regulation aims to give effect to the instructions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling the international obligations of the People's Republic of China as a Member State of the United Nations.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/11/P2026091100252.htm.
United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2026 gazetted
The Government gazetted the
United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2026 (Amendment Regulation), which came into operation on 11 September 2026.
"The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Yemen) Regulation 2019 to give effect to certain decisions relating to sanctions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2801 in respect of Yemen," a Government spokesman said.
The amendments renew the financial sanctions and travel ban.
The HKSARG has long been implementing fully the sanctions imposed by the UNSC. The Amendment Regulation aims to give effect to the instructions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling the international obligations of the People's Republic of China as a Member State of the United Nations.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/11/P2026091100247.htm.
Hong Kong and Bangladesh sign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement
Hong Kong and Bangladesh signed an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) on 9 September 2026 to strengthen mutual investment protection, with a view to enhancing the confidence of investors, expanding investment flows and further strengthening the economic and trade ties between the two places.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, signed the IPPA on the margins of the Belt and Road Summit with the Minister of Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute of Bangladesh, Mr Khandakar Abdul Muktadir.
Mr Yau said, "As a manufacturing powerhouse and a populous country in South Asia, Bangladesh has a rapidly expanding economy and is an important trade and investment partner of Hong Kong. This IPPA marks a new milestone in strengthening the longstanding trade and investment links between Hong Kong and Bangladesh. The signing of the IPPA on the margins of the Belt and Road Summit also signifies the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's commitment to the continual expansion of economic ties with markets along the Belt and Road, of which Bangladesh is a staunch supporter.
"An IPPA enables investors of the two parties to enjoy corresponding protection of their investments in the host economies, and thus enhances confidence of investors in making investments abroad. Hong Kong has been making dedicated efforts to expand its network of IPPAs, in particular with countries along the Belt and Road, in order to enhance two-way investment flows and bring about economic growth and mutual prosperity," he added.
Under the Agreement, the two governments undertake to provide investors of the other side with, among other measures, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment of their investments, compensation in the event of expropriation of investments, and the right to free transfers abroad of investments and returns. The Agreement also provides for the settlement of investment disputes under internationally accepted rules, including mediation and arbitration. The Agreement will enter into force after the fulfilment of relevant internal requirements by both sides.
The IPPA with Bangladesh is the third such agreement that this term of Government has signed, following the IPPAs with Türkiye and Bahrain signed in October 2023 and March 2024 respectively.
Including Bangladesh, Hong Kong has so far signed 25 IPPAs with 34 foreign economies. The other economies are 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/09/P2026090900265.htm.
Extension of operating hours to 24 hours daily for fresh produce imported via Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge from 1 October 2026
A spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said on 7 September 2026 that starting from 1 October 2026 (Thursday), the operating hours for fresh produce imported via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will be extended to 24 hours a day, to give the trade greater flexibility in scheduling the arrival of fresh food to better accommodate the diverse operational needs of different food sectors.
Having discussed the arrangements with the Mainland authorities and listened to the views of the trade, the CFS decided to extend the operating hours from the existing 16 hours (i.e. from 1pm to 5am the next day) to 24 hours a day for fresh food to be imported through the HZMB into Hong Kong, with effect from 0.00am on 1 October 2026. Vehicles transporting designated categories of fresh food (frozen and chilled poultry, meat and game, eggs, milk, fresh aquatic products, vegetables and fruits) from the Mainland to Hong Kong via land will then be able to enter the territory via the HZMB at any time.
To ensure food safety, the CFS will inspect the vehicles importing fresh food via the Hong Kong Port of the HZMB. This includes examining the details of import documents, conducting physical inspections and taking fresh food samples for testing.
The spokesman added that the operating hours and arrangements for vehicles transporting imported fresh food into Hong Kong via the Man Kam To Boundary Control Point remain unchanged.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/07/P2026090700297.htm
HKMA launches public consultation on Phase 2B prototype of Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (Deadline: 7 October 2026)
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched a public consultation on 7 September 2026 on Phase 2B prototype of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (Hong Kong Taxonomy).
Following the publication of
Phase 2A of the Hong Kong Taxonomy earlier this year, the HKMA has continued to enhance the framework. Guided by market feedback, government policies, industry needs, and the latest developments in technology and climate science, the Phase 2B prototype introduces a number of enhancements that further support Hong Kong's decarbonisation efforts, facilitate the region's transition to a low-carbon economy, and reinforce Hong Kong's position as an international financial centre and a leading hub for green and sustainable finance.
The public consultation will last until 7 October 2026. The consultation paper is available on the
HKMA website. Interested parties are invited to submit their comments on or before the deadline.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/07/P2026090700249.htm.
Signing of tax pact with Slovenia marks new Hong Kong milestone in expanding international tax co-operation with 60th tax pact signed
The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, had a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to China, Mr Boštjan Malovrh, in Hong Kong on 4 September 2026 and signed on behalf of the HKSARG a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with the Government of Slovenia.
Mr Hui said, "This is the 60th CDTA that Hong Kong has concluded, the 15th one that the current-term Government has signed, and the fifth one this year. It marks a new milestone of the HKSAR Government's efforts in proactively expanding Hong Kong's CDTA network.
"Slovenia is an important trading partner of Hong Kong in Europe and a participant in the Belt and Road Initiative. Last September (in 2025), I travelled to Slovenia to discuss the early conclusion of the CDTA between our two jurisdictions and received a positive response from the Slovenian Government, which has led to the formal signing of the agreement by both sides today (4 September 2026). The CDTA sets out the allocation of taxing rights between Hong Kong and Slovenia, which will enable investors to better assess their potential tax liabilities from cross-border economic activities and avoid double taxation, thereby promoting bilateral trade and investment.
"The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau is also actively following up on the consensus to strengthen co-operation reached during the Chief Executive's visit to two Central Asian countries this June. We have completed CDTA negotiations with Kazakhstan and the CDTA will be signed once both sides have completed the internal procedures. We will also commence negotiations with Uzbekistan later this year."
At the bilateral meeting, Mr Hui highlighted to Mr Malovrh the latest developments of Hong Kong as an international financial centre, including its top-tier global positions in areas such as cross-boundary wealth management, global competitiveness and tax policy, as well as the HKSAR Government's initiatives to develop Hong Kong into a global gold trading, clearing and reserve hub.
In accordance with this CDTA, any tax paid by Hong Kong residents in Slovenia will be allowed as a credit against the tax payable in Hong Kong in respect of the same income, subject to the provisions of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) (IRO). Moreover, Slovenia's withholding tax rate for Hong Kong residents on dividends, currently at up to 25 per cent, will be reduced to 10 per cent at maximum, while the withholding tax rates on interest and royalties, currently at up to 25 per cent, will also be reduced to 5 per cent.
The CDTA will come into force after completion of ratification procedures by both sides. In Hong Kong, the Chief Executive in Council will make an order under the IRO in respect of the CDTA, which will be tabled at the LegCo for negative vetting. Details are available on the
Inland Revenue Department's website.
For relevant press release, please visit
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202609/04/P2026090400552.htm.
