Submissions and Reports

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce welcomes the opportunity to review and comment on the Talent List. Addressing the acute shortage situation across various professions and bridging the gaps for high-skill talent are key priority areas for Hong Kong as we seek to boost the momentum of our economic revival post-epidemic and maintain our competitiveness in the long run.

The Chamber welcomes the HKLRC’s proposals to introduce a bespoke law that deals with the proliferation of cyber-dependent crimes given the risks of such illegal acts on Hong Kong’s businesses. The Chamber has also called for a balanced approach in the design of the new law so that other than the objective of protecting public interest, consideration should also be given to upholding business’ legitimate needs.

The Chamber has called on the Government to normalize international connectivity. Based on findings from a Chamber survey conducted in May 2022, an overwhelming majority of respondents have been affected by restrictive travel measures.

The Chamber considers achieving herd immunity in Hong Kong to be critical in bringing the coronavirus pandemic under control and restoring normalcy. To that end, a number of recommendations has been made to the Government to promote public buy-in and achieve a higher vaccination rate.

The Chamber agrees with the Government that there is the need to address the abuse of SIM Cards for criminal purposes, but suggests that consideration should also be given to attendant issues such as data privacy implications and efficacy of a mandatory registration system. In light of the social impact that such regulatory changes may bring, the Chamber recommends that efforts be made to better define the rights and responsibilities of stakeholders, namely, users, operators, and regulators under the proposed programme.

The Chamber agrees with the Law Reform Commission’s proposals to relax the current prohibition of outcome-related fee structures for arbitration to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an arbitration centre, but suggests that a phased approach be adopted to the implementation of flexible fee structures. Due consideration should also be given to the protection of the interests of smaller businesses opting for such a means of dispute resolution.

The Chamber has called on the Government to take into account the economic implications of extended social-distancing restrictions on Hong Kong in particular sectors that have been hardest hit such as F&B operators. If the existing government guidelines on reduced dine-in capacity and evening ban were to continue, further financial assistance should be provided to offset the resultant loss in revenue and to prevent job losses.

The Chamber appreciates that the intent behind the Government’s proposals is to address questionable sales tactics and protect Hong Kong consumers. However, we have reservations about the measures, as there is an existing piece of law that already addresses aggressive trade practices, and also due to the lack of a rigorous review that would assess the impact of introducing such a legislative change.

The Chamber has all along been supporting the Government’s initiative to embrace and adopt technology more widely to develop Hong Kong into a smart city. While the business sector would like to see prompt and concrete actions of a smart government, we therefore urge the Government to be more swift and resolute in breaking through the bureaucratic routine and take the lead to scale up the momentum immediately.

The Chamber welcomes the Government's proposals under the updated masterplan "Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030." It is encouraging that the Government is planning to build a green, smart and liveable city, but the Chamber worries about how various master plans such as “Hong Kong 2030+,” “Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint,” “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2030+” and “Railway Development Strategy 2014” can be aligned with each other; and how labour supply and talent development can meet demand for our future development.