15 things to know about John Lee’s Hong Kong policy address 2025 – no pets were harmed 7.         Capital attraction Lee has pledged to enhance investment arrangements under the city’s cash-for-residency scheme by lowering the residential property transaction price threshold from HK$50 million to HK$30 million. The government will also raise the maximum amount of eligible investment for buying non-residential property from HK$10 million to HK$15 million with no transaction price threshold. The financial secretary has been tasked with leading the government and public bodies to formulate preferential policy packages, including land grants, land premiums, financial subsidies and tax incentives, to lure high-potential enterprises to the city. The government will also explore a more flexible mechanism, which may allow the city leader and the finance chief to introduce tax incentives that meet international standards. 8.         Seeing red The government plans to collaborate with neighbouring Shenzhen to promote a new patriotic educational route, themed “Chinese Cultural Celebrity Rescue”, to tell the history of war heroes. Lee has also pledged to develop “yacht tourism” by relaxing requirements for visiting vessels and cooperating with mainland authorities to facilitate cross-border yacht travel. 9.         A night at the museum As part of moves to make more money out of some leisure facilities it manages, the government will lease out museums on their closing days for commercial or private use and open up more venues for hire, among other measures, Lee says. 10.     Hong Kong’s authentic musical Home-grown Cantonese musical The Impossible Trial is set to become a “long-running classic” under the government’s vision, as more mainland tours will be organised. The musical centres on Fong Tong-geng, a prominent Qing dynasty lawyer losing his reputation and wealth, who sets out to right his wrongs and redeem himself as a champion of the common man. 11.     Pets to the rescue Lee also eyes the enormous consumption market of pet owners and encourages the business sector to offer more “pet-friendly spaces”. To create new business opportunities for the underperforming catering industry, restaurant operators will be able to apply for a new licence to let dog lovers bring their pets into the eateries. 12.     Imported labour curbs Lee has pledged to improve the city’s labour import scheme to combat abuse and ensure local workers are prioritised for jobs. Employers applying to import waiters and junior cooks are required to extend their local recruitment process and must have employed residents before applying for imported workers. 13.     More ladders to home ownership To fulfil people’s home-buying dreams, Lee has announced measures to increase the supply of subsidised housing and improve selling arrangements. The moves include providing more quota slots for public rental housing tenants in purchasing subsidised flats, as well as increasing opportunities for people in the private rental market to buy lived-in subsidised homes. The government has also pledged to build bigger subsidised homes for sale and launch a new scheme to allow the elderly to sell their larger subsidised home in exchange for a smaller one. 14.     Making old gold and more babies, please Lee has also announced the extension of a HK$130,000 newborn tax allowance to HK$260,000 per taxpayer, by increasing the eligibility period to two years after birth instead of one, as a strategy to boost the city’s birth rate. To build an elderly-friendly society, the government will set up a working group on ageing society strategies to be led by the deputy chief secretary, covering areas of elderly care, healthcare, housing, among others. 15.     SME booster To support small and medium enterprises, the government will extend the principal moratorium arrangement for one year, as well as encourage banks to be more flexible in processing loans for enterprises with sound repayment ability. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3325852/15-things-know-about-john-lees-hong-kong-policy-address-2025-no-pets-were-harmed (ICE HONG KONG)

Fonte notizia: South China Morning Post