Hong Kong Times

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Leads Largest-Ever Life Sciences Delegation to US Biotechnology Convention

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, together with five leading universities, has sent its largest delegation to the BIO International Convention in San Diego to promote advances in AI-enabled therapeutics and diagnostics while seekin...

Geely Farizon and WeRide Unveil Right-Hand-Drive Robotaxis in Hong Kong Mobility Push

Geely Farizon, autonomous driving company WeRide, and local operator Kwoon Chung Bus have unveiled a fleet of right-hand-drive robotaxis in Hong Kong, marking a step toward commercial deployment of autonomous transport services in the ci...

Hong Kong Exchanges and HKMA Launch Central Bank Digital Currency Pilot for Derivatives Margin Payments

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority have begun a pilot using the e-HKD wholesale central bank digital currency to enable after-hours margin payments in derivatives trading, marking one of the first insti...

Lingyi iTech Launches Hong Kong Dual Listing to Raise 8.3 Billion Hong Kong Dollars for AI Expansion

Shenzhen-listed components manufacturer Lingyi iTech has started a Hong Kong initial public offering seeking to raise 8.3 billion Hong Kong dollars, using the dual listing to diversify beyond smartphones and channel capital into artifici...

Hong Kong Plans Expanded Stock Connect Quotas and Lower Entry Thresholds for Mainland Investors

Financial Secretary Paul Chan says Hong Kong is in discussions with mainland authorities to expand Stock Connect trading quotas and reduce investor entry requirements, a move designed to attract additional mainland capital into Hong Kong...

Hong Kong Residential Property Market Forecasts Turn Positive With Up to 10 Percent Price Rebound Expected

Major financial institutions including Morgan Stanley have revised their outlook for Hong Kong’s housing market, projecting up to a 10 percent rise in residential prices driven by renewed mainland buyer demand, stronger student rental ac...

Hong Kong Introduces Green Fuel Port Incentives to Support Alternative Energy Shipping and Future Trading Hub Ambitions

The Hong Kong government has launched incentive schemes worth 34 million Hong Kong dollars offering port fee concessions for vessels using cleaner fuels including LNG, methanol, and green ammonia, part of a broader strategy to attract ne...

Hong Kong International Airport Passenger Traffic Climbs to 5.34 Million as Terminal Two Expansion Scales Capacity

Hong Kong International Airport recorded 5.34 million passengers in May, reflecting strong double-digit annual growth as the newly opened Terminal Two ramps up operations, expanding total capacity to 100 million passengers and strengthen...

Tencent Opens WeChat AI Ecosystem to External Developers and Enterprise Partners

Tencent has released new development guidelines allowing external developers and corporate partners, including Tongcheng Travel, to integrate artificial intelligence agents into the WeChat ecosystem. The move is designed to embed large l...

Premier Li Qiang to Host World Economic Forum Meeting in Dalian With Global Leaders

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will host the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, bringing together international delegates and foreign leaders to discuss global trade, technological innovation and supply chain stability. The ev...

China-Taiwan Tensions Rise Over Agricultural Trade Pledges and Market Access Strategy

Beijing’s renewed pledges to increase purchases of Taiwanese agricultural products, including atemoya fruit, have drawn sharp criticism in Taipei. Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture warned that the strategy could create market dependency b...

China Faces Emerging Fiscal Strain as Electric Vehicle Boom Erodes Fuel Tax Revenues

China’s rapid shift toward electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, now accounting for more than 60% of new car sales, is sharply reducing fuel tax revenues that fund national road maintenance. The resulting shortfall is placing pressure on...

Global Automakers Shift China Strategy Toward Co-Innovation With Domestic EV Leaders

International automotive manufacturers operating in China are moving away from traditional market-for-technology arrangements toward co-innovation models. The shift reflects the growing dominance of Chinese electric vehicle and software ...

Severe Flooding Across Six Southern Chinese Provinces Disrupts Supply Chains and Displaces Residents

Extreme rainfall linked to El Niño conditions has triggered widespread flooding across Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan provinces. The storms have forced large-scale evacuations, submerged urban areas and disrupted...

China Introduces New State Council Regulation Expanding Oversight of Outbound Investment

The State Council has issued a new regulation on outbound investment that establishes a centralized, cross-agency security review system for capital leaving the country. Set to take effect on July 1, the framework expands regulatory over...

China Imposes Export Controls and Procurement Bans on US Defense and Rare Earth Firms

China’s Ministry of Commerce has placed export controls on ten US entities, including rare earth producers MP Materials and USA Rare Earth, restricting access to dual-use materials. In a separate move, the Ministry of Finance barred 46 U...

Global Investors Continue Reallocating Capital From Chinese Internet Stocks to AI Hardware

Despite gains in mainland Chinese equities, offshore benchmarks such as the Hang Seng Technology Index remain under pressure as global investors rotate capital. Funds are increasingly shifting away from Chinese consumer internet and e-co...

People’s Bank of China Holds Benchmark Lending Rates at Record Lows for Thirteenth Straight Month

The People’s Bank of China has kept its one-year and five-year Loan Prime Rates unchanged at 3% and 3.5% respectively, marking the thirteenth consecutive month at record lows. The decision reflects policymakers’ effort to support growth ...

Beijing Unveils Fifteen-Point Plan to Stabilize Foreign Investment and Broaden Market Access

China’s Ministry of Commerce and related agencies have introduced a sweeping fifteen-point action plan aimed at stabilizing foreign direct investment and improving its utilization. The measures prioritize expanded access in finance, phar...

Towngas to Raise Tariffs by 4.4 Percent Amid Steady Cost Pressures

Hong Kong’s main piped gas supplier Towngas will increase tariffs by 4.4 percent from August, citing sustained operating cost pressures over the past two years. The adjustment adds to gradual inflationary pressure in household utility co...

Hong Kong Tightens Imported Labour Scheme as Workforce Pressures Persist

The Hong Kong government is refining its imported labour scheme to prioritise local employment while also considering making it permanent. Officials say the move is intended to address structural labour shortages linked to demographic de...

Hong Kong Replaces Income Poverty Line with 21-Indicator Social Measurement System

The Hong Kong government has replaced its traditional income-based poverty line with a new framework using 21 indicators, including social transfers and housing conditions. Authorities say the change aims to improve targeting of welfare ...

Lai Sun Proposes Dollar Note Swap to Ease Liquidity Pressure in Hong Kong Property Sector

Property developer Lai Sun has launched a US dollar note exchange programme to manage debt obligations amid ongoing financing pressure. The move highlights continued liquidity challenges facing leveraged developers in Hong Kong’s real es...

Hong Kong Launches Consultation on First Five-Year Plan to Build Green Fuel Trading Hub

Hong Kong has begun public consultation on its first five-year development plan, which includes proposals to establish a green fuel price index and position the city as a global arbitration centre for energy transition contracts. Officia...

Hong Kong Delegation Heads to World Economic Forum in Dalian to Court AI and Biotech Firms

A delegation led by Financial Secretary Paul Chan has travelled to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian. The group, including investment agencies and government bodies, is focusing on attracting companie...

Hong Kong Climbs to Highest Global Competitiveness Ranking in Seven Years

Hong Kong has achieved its strongest global competitiveness ranking since before the pandemic, reflecting improved institutional resilience, infrastructure strength and government efforts to attract global firms and talent. The result ma...

Mainland Tech IPO Surge Drives Fivefold Jump in Hong Kong Capital Raising

Mainland technology firms are increasingly turning to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, pushing year-to-date IPO fundraising to about 150 billion Hong Kong dollars, a 500 percent year-on-year increase. The trend underscores Hong Kong’s role ...

Hong Kong Expands Cross-Border Resource Flow Plans for Northern Metropolis Innovation Zone

The Development Bureau has introduced measures to ease the flow of capital, data and talent into the Hetao innovation park as part of the wider Northern Metropolis project. The initiative is aimed at accelerating investment and establish...

Hong Kong Overtakes Switzerland as World’s Largest Cross-Border Wealth Management Hub, Financial Secretary Says

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong has surpassed Switzerland as the world’s largest cross-border wealth management centre, with assets reaching 35 trillion Hong Kong dollars. Speaking at the Lujiazui Forum, he also pointed to a...

China Approves 2.3 Trillion Yuan Fiscal Package for AI, EVs and Semiconductor Development

China’s State Council has directed a 2.3 trillion yuan fiscal expansion targeting artificial intelligence infrastructure, electric vehicle innovation and domestic semiconductor production. The package marks a continued shift away from pr...

People’s Bank of China Holds Loan Prime Rates Steady Despite Expectations of Further Monetary Easing

The People’s Bank of China kept its one-year and five-year Loan Prime Rates unchanged at 3 percent and 3.5 percent, signaling a continued preference for targeted liquidity measures rather than broad monetary stimulus amid ongoing propert...

China Startup Spacesail Demonstrates Direct-to-Cell Satellite Voice Calls Using Commercial Smartphones

Chinese low-Earth orbit operator Spacesail has completed satellite voice calls using standard commercial smartphones without hardware modification. The breakthrough positions the company to compete in the global satellite communications ...

China Cuts Over 12,000 University Degree Programs in Major Education Restructuring Drive

China’s Ministry of Education has eliminated more than 12,000 undergraduate programs since 2021 as part of a nationwide shift in higher education. The restructuring redirects academic capacity toward engineering, semiconductors, and adva...

China Launches AI Export Strategy to Help Manufacturers Sell Integrated Technology Solutions Abroad

Beijing and Alibaba Cloud have introduced a coordinated strategy aimed at helping Chinese manufacturers move beyond low-margin exports toward artificial intelligence-driven industrial solutions. The plan was presented at the “Harmony for...

China Deploys New Floating Structures at Scarborough Shoal Amid South China Sea Tensions

Philippine and allied surveillance operations have detected newly installed floating platforms by Chinese maritime forces at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The deployment adds to ongoing tensions over territorial claims in the...

China Expands State Takeovers of Stalled Property Projects to Stabilize Real Estate Sector

Local governments and state-owned developers in China are increasing buyouts of abandoned or stalled real estate megaprojects previously led by highly leveraged private firms. The move is intended to stabilize construction activity and r...

China and Canada Agree EV Import Quota in Exchange for Agricultural Tariff Reductions

China and Canada have reached a trade arrangement capping Chinese electric vehicle imports into Canada at 49,000 units for the year. In return, China will reduce tariffs on key Canadian agricultural and seafood exports, easing tensions b...

Tesla Prioritizes Non-Chinese Graphite Supply as Battery Material Trade Pressures Intensify

Tesla has reinstated a supply agreement with Syrah Resources to secure natural graphite outside China, reflecting efforts to build alternative battery material supply chains. The shift comes amid tighter Chinese export controls and risin...

Hong Kong Expands Tax Exemptions for Family Offices to Cover Digital Assets and Private Credit

The Hong Kong government has gazetted the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill 2026, widening tax concessions for family offices and private funds. The revised framework now includes digital assets, private credit, overseas property and emissio...

Hong Kong Ranks Second Globally in IMD Competitiveness Index for 2026

Hong Kong has been ranked the world’s second most competitive economy in the IMD 2026 World Competitiveness Yearbook, its highest position since 2019. The city placed strongly on tax policy, business legislation, government efficiency an...

Hong Kong Exchanges Introduces Weekly Stock Options and Expands Derivatives Trading Tools

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing has rolled out weekly expiries for 17 additional single-stock option classes and introduced a pilot digital payment system for after-hours derivatives trading. The expansion brings the total number of wee...

Hong Kong Moves to Expand Cross-Border Data Transfers Under Northern Metropolis Integration Plan

Hong Kong authorities are preparing streamlined cross-border data transfer arrangements for the Lok Ma Chau Loop, with potential expansion across the wider Northern Metropolis. The framework is intended to support deeper integration with...

Hong Kong Sends High-Level Delegation to World Economic Forum Meetings in Dalian and Xi’an

Financial Secretary Paul Chan is leading a delegation of more than 30 officials and business leaders to the Summer Davos forum in Dalian and Xi’an. The visit aims to attract mainland Chinese companies to Hong Kong and strengthen capital ...

Hong Kong Establishes Financial Taskforce to Mobilise Private Capital for Northern Metropolis Development

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Association of Banks have convened a new Financial Advisory Taskforce focused on financing the Northern Metropolis project. The group is tasked with developing funding structures to chan...

Hong Kong Wins Bid to Host 2027 HYROX World Championships at AsiaWorld-Expo

Hong Kong will host the 2027 PUMA HYROX World Championships at AsiaWorld-Expo, marking the event’s first staging in the Asia-Pacific region. The competition is expected to attract international athletes and visitors, supporting the city’...

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