371 construction and engineering professionals pass GBA engineering "Professional Title" evaluation
This year, 371 Hong Kong construction and engineering professionals from the public sector, consultants, and contractors have passed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) engineering "Professional Title" evaluation and obtained corresponding professional qualifications on the Mainland. After the evaluation mechanism became a regular practice, it has expanded to cover 10 disciplines. "Professional Title" is a unique evaluation system for professional qualifications adopted by the Mainland. It serves as an important benchmark for evaluating the skills and qualification levels of professionals and provides a basis for construction enterprises to recruit and promote talent.
With the concerted efforts of the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments, an evaluation mechanism for Hong Kong professionals was established in 2023. It was first implemented as a pilot scheme in 2024 across five engineering disciplines: civil engineering, geotechnical, highway, electrical, and measurement, control and instrumentation. This year, in addition to continuing the evaluation for these five engineering disciplines, the mechanism has been expanded to include three more engineering disciplines: mechanical engineering, telecommunications engineering and cyber security, as well as two construction disciplines: architecture and engineering costing. This expansion increases the number of professional disciplines covered by the "Professional Title" evaluation mechanism to 10. Since the implementation of the mechanism, a total of 578 Hong Kong professionals have obtained Mainland "Professional Title" qualifications.
The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, today (November 24) attended the celebration ceremony jointly organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors. In his speech, he noted that the Development Bureau (DEVB) has been dovetailing with the National 14th Five-Year Plan regarding the strategy of high-quality development of the GBA, and is committed to driving Hong Kong's construction and engineering sectors to seize opportunities to pursue development in the Mainland cities of the GBA, thereby better integrating into the national development.
He added that the successful implementation of the engineering "Professional Title" evaluation is a crucial step in achieving the interfaces of regulatory frameworks in the development of the GBA. The relevant measure also aligns with the Recommendations of the Communist Party of China Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development recently adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to help enhance the international status and competitiveness of the construction industry. In addition, the mechanism creates broader development prospects and favourable conditions for the construction industry of Hong Kong, as well as allowing Hong Kong professionals to gain a better position and a wider vision to contribute to the country's development.
The DEVB will continue to maintain close collaboration with relevant Mainland authorities and co-ordinate the local construction sector to take forward the relevant work, with a view to extending in an orderly manner the "Professional Title" evaluation mechanism to other eligible construction-related professions, such as planning and landscape architecture.
371 construction and engineering professionals pass GBA engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
371 construction and engineering professionals pass GBA engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
371 construction and engineering professionals pass GBA engineering "Professional Title" evaluation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases sixth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (April 1) released the sixth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in March, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:
District |
Survey Area |
March 2026 |
First Phase Gravidtrap Index |
First Phase Density Index |
Islands |
Cheung Chau |
0.0% |
N/A |
Wong Tai Sin |
Wong Tai Sin West |
0.0% |
N/A |
Sai Kung |
Sai Kung Town |
0.0% |
N/A |
Kwai Tsing |
Lai King |
0.0% |
N/A |
Yuen Long |
Hung Shui Kiu and Ping Shan |
0.0% |
N/A |
District |
Survey Area |
March 2026 |
Area Gravidtrap Index |
Area Density Index |
Central and Western |
Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui |
0.0% |
N/A |
Wan Chai |
Happy Valley and Tai Hang |
1.8% |
1.0 |
Islands |
Tung Chung |
0.0% |
N/A |
Kowloon City |
Ho Man Tin |
0.9% |
1.0 |
Kowloon Tong |
2.5% |
1.0 |
Sham Shui Po |
Cheung Sha Wan |
0.9% |
1.0 |
Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei |
0.0% |
N/A |
Yau Tsim |
Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei |
0.0% |
N/A |
North |
Fanling South |
0.0% |
N/A |
Tai Po |
Tai Po East |
0.0% |
N/A |
Tsuen Wan |
Sheung Kwai Chung |
1.0% |
1.0 |
Tuen Mun |
Tuen Mun South |
0.9% |
1.0 |
Yuen Long |
Yuen Long Town |
0.0% |
N/A |
Among the sixth batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering five survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering 13 survey areas in March, most of the areas recorded 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.
The FEHD has so far released six batches of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March 2026, covering 62 survey areas. Among these 62 survey areas, 47 recorded a decrease or remained unchanged as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month (i.e. February 2026), representing that the areas' mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Fifteen other areas recorded a slight increase, but the indexes were lower than 10 per cent.
The warm and humid weather of spring is favourable for mosquito breeding. Members of the public should strengthen prevention work against mosquito breeding before the rainy season, and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites in advance, with a view to avoiding the nuisances caused by rapid mosquito breeding during the rainy season and reducing the risk of transmitting mosquito-borne diseases.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside their premises;
remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
Source: AI-found images
