The Development Bureau: Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Established for Northern Metropolis Development by Mid-2026

Establishment of Industry Park Company to accelerate development of industries in Northern Metropolis

The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (December 29) the establishment of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited (the Park Company), which will be responsible for the development and operation of the around 23-hectare industry park located in Hung Shui Kiu in the Northern Metropolis (the Industry Park). The DEVB is moving full steam ahead to complete the company registration, land grant, capital injection and appointment matters as soon as possible, with a view to enabling the Park Company to commence operation by mid-2026.

The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, "The development of the Northern Metropolis is industry driven. Apart from using traditional land sales, in-situ land exchanges and large-scale land disposal approaches to bring in industries, establishing an industry park company wholly owned by the Government is another tool which allows the Government to participate in the development and operation of industries through the Park Company, and take the lead in leveraging market forces and adopting public-private partnership approaches to accelerate the development of industries in the Northern Metropolis."

The DEVB has completed a policy study on setting up the Park Company in accordance with this year's Policy Address, and the Working Group on Devising Development and Operation Models led by the Financial Secretary has endorsed the recommendation. The DEVB has obtained the approval of the Financial Secretary to incorporate a non-statutory, limited company wholly owned by the Financial Secretary Incorporated, named as the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited.

The Park Company will achieve four major objectives:

(i) capitalise on the locational advantage of Hung Shui Kiu to drive the development of industries with a competitive edge and supported by the Government;

(ii)masterplan the overall development of the Industry Park, build the park infrastructure and provide value-added services to support the growth of enterprises and develop a vibrant industry ecosystem;

(iii) adopt diversified public-private partnership models and make use of the Government's preferential policy packages as necessary to attract investments and enterprises to establish footholds in the Industry Park; and

(iv) provide support to brownfield operators affected by government development to move up the value chain.

In terms of corporate structure, the Board of Directors (BoD) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Park Company shall be appointed on the approval of the Chief Executive. The BoD comprises five official directors and around 10 non-official directors, including a chairperson to be appointed from the non-official directors. The five official directors include the directors of policy bureaux relevant to the development of the Park Company, including the Secretary for Development; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; and the Secretary for Transport and Logistics. The Government will participate directly in the major decisions of the Park Company through the official directors. The non-official directors will come from diverse backgrounds and sectors, allowing the Park Company to draw on the expertise from outside the Government.

The DEVB will seek the approval of the Chief Executive in Council later for granting the around 23 hectares of industry sites in Hung Shui Kiu at nil premium to the Park Company. As the sites within the Industry Park are currently zoned as "Port Back-up, Storage and Workshop", the DEVB will shortly seek the approval of the Town Planning Board for rezoning these sites to designate a park-specific zoning tailored for the Industry Park, as well as increase the land-use flexibility by widening the permitted uses to cover various suitable industries (such as advanced construction, high-value added or smart production) and supporting facilities (including convention or exhibition facilities, research, testing and certification, talent accommodation, food and beverage facilities, etc). Upon approval by the Legislative Council, the Government will inject initial capital into the Park Company in order to support its initial operational and development needs. The specific amount of capital injection will be announced in the 2026-27 Budget. The Park Company has to operate and manage the Industry Park in a financially sustainable manner and expand its business revenue, with a view to achieving financial self-sustainability in the long term.

The Park Company will develop the around 23 hectares of industry land by phases through different development models, and may further be granted more industry land in Hung Shui Kiu (such as some of the logistics sites in the area) for development in the future. Apart from self-developing part of the land for building and leasing industry facilities, the Park Company may dispose of some of the industry land of the Industry Park by way of tender for enterprises to undertake the construction of topside industry facilities on their own; and other approaches such as forming joint ventures with enterprises through provision of land as a form of capital participation to co-develop and co-invest in individual projects. Among the around 23 hectares of industry land of the Industry Park, around eight hectares are "spade-ready sites". For the remaining around 15 hectares, site formation is expected to be completed by the Government for the majority of the sites by end-2027.

The DEVB will strive to commence an open recruitment exercise for the CEO in January 2026, as well as complete a series of preparatory work in the first half of next year, including rezoning and granting of the land, seeking funding approval for the capital injection to the Park Company, appointing the BoD and the CEO, and recruiting other key staff for the Park Company, etc. The target is for the Park Company to commence operation by mid-2026.

Details of the proposal of the Park Company have been uploaded to the DEVB's website (www.devb.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_2464/HSK%20Industry%20Park%20Company%20-%20PPT%20for%20announcement.pdf).

The Development Bureau

Update on chikungunya fever

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (December 29), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases this year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.

Government's comprehensive follow-up actions

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Given that some local cases of CF have visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area in November, the trails are currently closed until further notice. Relevant government departments continue to conduct large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, the CHP appeals to the public not to enter the area in order to reduce the risk of contracting CF and to avoid exposure to chemicals or interfering with the mosquito control operations. Since the confirmation on December 10 of a case involving a person who had visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails on November 30, no further local cases have been recorded to date. The CHP continues to urge individuals who have recently hiked along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they develop relevant symptoms and to call the enquiry hotline (Tel: 2125 2373), which operates from 9am to 6pm.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has been continuously conducting intensive fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails and the surrounding area. At suitable locations, large ultra-low volume foggers have been deployed, and a robot dog is being put on trial to enhance operational effectiveness. The FEHD has also set up new mosquito trapping devices, cleared discarded containers and garbage that could cause stagnant water, and applied larvicide oil or larvicides in areas with stagnant water that cannot be removed immediately. The FEHD has been collaborating with the Kwai Tsing District Office, the Lands Department and the Drainage Services Department to strengthen efforts in eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails. Pamphlets have been distributed to hikers in the area, urging citizens to be vigilant against mosquito infestations and take personal protective measures. The FEHD also held meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work across districts to discuss the latest developments regarding the situation and plan accordingly to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders in strengthening mosquito prevention and control measures in areas under their purview.

Continuously strengthening prevention and control

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The FEHD and relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July this year, and this has continued. Among these, the FEHD has conducted vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations against the imported and local cases. In light of the local case, the FEHD has immediately conducted follow-up actions, including:

• carrying out intensive fogging in scrubby areas within a 250-metre radius of the relevant locations to kill adult mosquitoes;

• carrying out inspections of the locations, removing stagnant water, applying insecticides and disposing of abandoned water containers every week with a view to preventing mosquito breeding; and

• enhancing public education efforts through organising health talks, setting up mobile education stations, and distributing publicity leaflets.

The abovementioned measures will be continued. Furthermore, the Government will further enhance the mosquito control efforts in addition to the existing measures.

Preventive measures to be taken by the public

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Members of the public should use DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients properly to prevent mosquito bites, but the following precautions should be taken when using them:

• read the label instructions carefully first;

• apply right before entering an area with a risk of mosquito bites;

• apply on exposed skin and clothing;

• use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children (for children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent);

• apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent;

• reapply only when needed and follow the instructions; and

• in addition to DEET, there are other insect repellents available on the market containing different active ingredients, such as IR3535 and picaridin. When using any insect repellent, the public should follow the usage instructions and precautions on the product label.

​The FEHD also appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and property management agencies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, and may visit the following pages for more information: the CF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page, Instagram Account and YouTube Channel, and also the Mosquito Prevention and Control dedicated page of the FEHD.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Photo source: reference image