1990 · 屯門
Tuen Mun Hospital opens in 1990, the major acute public hospital of the New Territories West cluster.
Memory Formally opened in January 1991; expanded to become the leading hospital of the NT West cluster.
Background Tuen Mun Hospital began service in 1990 as a major acute public hospital for the New Territories West area, with its opening ceremony held in January 1991 and presided over by the then Governor. It serves residents of Tuen Mun and nearby districts and, after expansion, became the leading hospital of the New Territories West cluster. Its opening responded to the population growth of the new towns in the western New Territories, providing acute and specialist medical services to the area.
Source Hospital Authority: Tuen Mun Hospital（Hospital Authority） · official publication
Chinese original & citation →
1990-04-04 · 香港
The Basic Law is promulgated, establishing Hong Kong's constitutional basis after reunification.
Memory Adopted and promulgated by the National People's Congress, its annexes set the methods and gradual evolution of the CE and Legislative Council.
Background The Basic Law was adopted and promulgated by the National People's Congress on 4 April 1990, serving as the constitutional document establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after reunification. Its annexes set out the methods for forming the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council and the principle of gradual evolution. Building on the framework of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, it provided the basis for the territory's governance, law and rights after reunification.
Source CMAB: Basic Law promulgation and Sino-British Joint Declaration（Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau） · official publication
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1990-04-20 · 沙田區
The Shing Mun Tunnels open linking Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan, the second cross-mountain tunnels.
Memory Cutting under the Shing Mun valley hills between Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan, it eased pressure on Lion Rock Tunnel.
Background Opened in April 1990, the Shing Mun Tunnels link Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan and are Hong Kong's second cross-mountain tunnels after the Lion Rock Tunnel. Cutting under the hills around the Shing Mun valley, they give vehicles another route between the eastern and western New Territories and eased pressure on the Lion Rock Tunnel. As Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan continued to develop, the tunnels became an important road link for the area.
Source Transport Department: Shing Mun Tunnels (opened 20 Apr 1990)（Transport Department） · official publication
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1990-05 · 中環（中西區）
The Bank of China Tower in Central officially opens in May 1990, then the tallest building in Hong Kong.
Memory Designed by I. M. Pei with a rising-bamboo motif, its triangular geometry sparked a well-known feng shui controversy in Central when completed.
Background The Bank of China Tower in Central officially opened in May 1990 and was then the tallest building in Hong Kong. It was designed by architect I. M. Pei with a motif of rising bamboo, expressed through its distinctive triangular geometry. Its angular shape and sharp edges were popularly said to point like blades at neighbouring buildings, and when completed the tower sparked a well-known feng shui controversy in Central. It remains a notable example of the interaction between architecture and feng shui in Hong Kong, and a landmark on the Central skyline.
Source Bank of China (HK): Bank of China Tower（Bank of China (Hong Kong)） · official publication
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1990-06 · 灣仔（香港會議展覽中心）
The first Hong Kong Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is held in 1990 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Memory The annual fair grows into a major Asian publishing event and a key platform for the local reading and publishing industry.
Background The first Hong Kong Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, was held in 1990 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Held annually, the fair grew into a major Asian publishing event, providing an important platform for the local reading culture and publishing industry and bringing publishers, booksellers and readers together. As a regional publishing and printing centre, Hong Kong's role was matched by the fair's growing scale and status, and it became a regular cultural event each summer.
Source HKTDC press release: 30th Hong Kong Book Fair opens（Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)） · official publication
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1990-11 · 觀塘／將軍澳
Tseung Kwan O Tunnel opens, linking Kwun Tong and the Tseung Kwan O new town.
Memory The tunnel links Kwun Tong with the Tseung Kwan O new town as its main road link to the outside.
Background In November 1990 the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel opened, linking Kwun Tong with the Tseung Kwan O new town. It became the new town's main road link to the outside, connecting the area with urban Kowloon through the hills. Without a direct road of this kind, the new town would have remained poorly connected to the rest of the territory. As Tseung Kwan O grew, the tunnel served as the route most residents relied on when travelling to and from Kowloon.
Source HyD: Road Tunnels of Hong Kong（Highways Department） · official publication
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1990-12 · 香港
The Hospital Authority is established to manage all public hospitals.
Memory The authority took over public hospitals previously run under the medical department and later introduced a cluster system.
Background The Hospital Authority was established in December 1990, taking over the public hospitals previously managed under the medical department and separating hospital administration from a government department. It later introduced a cluster system, grouping public hospitals by district to coordinate resources, patient referrals and specialist services. This reorganised the management structure of Hong Kong's public healthcare and became the basis on which public hospitals have since operated. Under the authority, hospitals are run through a single statutory body rather than as part of a government bureau.
Source Hospital Authority: establishment history（Hospital Authority） · official publication
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1990-12-01
The Hospital Authority becomes a statutory body, overseeing public hospital services.
Memory As a statutory body it unified the management of public hospitals and clinics and introduced hospital clusters.
Background As the population aged and demand for medical care rose, public hospital services had previously been provided in a fragmented way. On 1 December 1990 the Hospital Authority became a statutory body, unifying the management of public hospitals and clinics and introducing hospital clusters. The change made public health services more systematic in planning, resource allocation and management, laying down the structure of the public healthcare system for years to come. It centralised responsibility for running public hospitals under one body.
Source HA HASLink: 30 years on（Hospital Authority） · official publication
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1990-12-03 · 中環（海事處）
The Hong Kong Shipping Registry is restructured as an autonomous register under China, breaking its formal link to the previous colonial registration.
Memory After the change Hong Kong-registered ships flew the Chinese flag, with the register run by the Marine Department, separate from the UK system.
Background On 3 December 1990 the Hong Kong Shipping Registry was restructured as an autonomous register under China, breaking its formal link to the earlier colonial registration. After the change Hong Kong-registered ships flew the Chinese flag, with the register run by the Marine Department, separate from the UK system. Taken before the handover, this step settled the flag question for ship registration and gave Hong Kong-registered vessels their own administrative arrangement. The Marine Department's guide to ship registration records the change.
Source Mardep: Hong Kong Shipping Registry guide（Marine Department） · official publication
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1991 · 油尖旺（尖沙咀）
The Hong Kong Science Museum opens with interactive exhibits promoting science and technology.
Memory In Tsim Sha Tsui East, it uses interactive exhibits to explain science through several themed galleries.
Background The Hong Kong Science Museum opened in 1991 in Tsim Sha Tsui East, using interactive exhibits to explain scientific principles and technological development across several themed galleries. Unlike museums built mainly around displaying objects, the Science Museum encourages visitors to handle and operate exhibits, making abstract ideas easier to grasp. Together with nearby facilities such as the Hong Kong Museum of History, it expanded the public cultural space available in eastern Tsim Sha Tsui, and its hands-on approach made science education part of family visits and school trips.
Source LCSD: Museums（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1991 · 全港（立法局）
The Legislative Council holds its first direct elections in 1991, returning 18 members from nine geographical constituencies.
Memory Emily Lau was the first woman directly elected; the council also had functional and appointed seats.
Background In 1991 the Legislative Council introduced geographical direct elections for the first time, returning 18 members from nine geographical constituencies. Emily Lau became the first woman to be directly elected to the council. The chamber also retained functional constituency and appointed seats at that time. Functional constituencies represented specific economic or professional sectors, while appointed members were chosen by the Governor rather than elected. The introduction of directly elected seats marked an important step in the development of Hong Kong's legislature.
Source Historical development of the Legislature（Legislative Council of the HKSAR） · official publication
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1991 · 清水灣（西貢區）
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is established and holds its opening ceremony in 1991.
Memory A preparatory committee was set up in 1986, the foundation stone laid in 1988, and Phase I buildings completed in 1991.
Background The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology held its opening ceremony in 1991 at Clear Water Bay in Sai Kung, established as a research-oriented university. A preparatory committee had been set up in 1986, the foundation stone laid in 1988, and the first phase of buildings completed in time for the 1991 opening. Founded to meet growing demand for science and technology talent and research capacity, the university later became a major centre for training researchers and supporting local scientific development. The university's official milestones record only the year 1991.
Source HKUST: Milestones（The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology） · official publication
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1991 · 上水上圍
The Kun Lung Study Hall in Sheung Shui is declared a monument in 1991.
Memory A Qing-era private study hall reflecting the scholarly tradition of the New Territories gentry.
Background The Kun Lung Study Hall stands at Sheung Wai in Sheung Shui and is a Qing-era private study hall, reflecting the value that New Territories gentry placed on learning. In traditional walled village society such halls were where children learned to read and write, and they also served as bases for clans to train their younger members. Only a small number of study halls have achieved declared monument status, and Kun Lung Study Hall was added to the list in 1991, making it one of these rare examples.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1991 · 香港
The Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature is first held in 1991, organised by the LCSD / Hong Kong Public Libraries and awarded biennially.
Memory A biennial award recognising outstanding local Chinese literature, one of Hong Kong's most prestigious official literary honours.
Background The Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature was first held in 1991, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Public Libraries, and is presented every two years. Recognising outstanding local Chinese writing across several genres, it is one of the most representative official literary honours in Hong Kong. Being run by the public library service reflects the government's role in promoting reading and literary creation, and gives local writers continuing recognition and a platform for their work.
Source HKSAR Press Release: presentation of the Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature（HKSAR Government Press Releases） · official publication
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1991-05 · 中西區（中環）
Hong Kong Park officially opens on the former Victoria Barracks site, an 8.16-hectare urban park.
Memory Built on the former Victoria Barracks site and keeping some of its buildings, the park covers about eight hectares.
Background Hong Kong Park officially opened in May 1991 on the former Victoria Barracks site, covering 8.16 hectares as a major urban park in Central. The land had been military ground, and some of the old barracks buildings were retained when it was converted into public open space. With its extensive trees and landscaped gardens, the park created a green setting in the heart of the Central business district, offering recreation to nearby offices and homes and marking a shift from colonial military use to civic leisure.
Source LCSD: Hong Kong Park（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1991-10 · 西貢（清水灣）
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is inaugurated, becoming Hong Kong's third university focused on science, technology and business.
Memory HKUST held its opening ceremony at its Clear Water Bay campus, focused on science, engineering, business and humanities.
Background In October 1991 the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology held its opening ceremony at its Clear Water Bay campus in Sai Kung, becoming the territory's third university, and it admitted its first students on 2 October. Its teaching and research focused on science, engineering, business and humanities and social science. Established as a new university in the post-war period, it was created to strengthen applied science and technology research in Hong Kong and to train the graduates sought by a growing economy.
Source HKUST: Milestones（The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology） · official publication
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1991-10-10 · 西貢區
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology formally opens.
Memory Focused on science, technology and business management, HKUST drew early faculty from other institutions and sits at Clear Water Bay.
Background The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology formally opened on 10 October 1991 as the territory's third comprehensive university, with its campus at Clear Water Bay in Sai Kung. Focusing on science, technology and business management, it initially drew on faculty seconded from other institutions before building its own teaching and research teams. Its founding added a science- and business-oriented option to local higher education alongside the established universities.
Source HKUST: foundation history（The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology） · official publication
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1991-11-15 · 油尖旺區
The new Hong Kong Museum of Art opens beside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Memory Moving beside the Cultural Centre, the museum holds Chinese painting, export porcelain and local art as a leading public gallery.
Background The Hong Kong Museum of Art moved into its present home beside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, gaining larger galleries for collections centred on Chinese painting, export porcelain and local art. Standing with the neighbouring Cultural Centre on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, it forms part of a cluster of major cultural venues and ranks as one of Hong Kong's leading public galleries, now managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Source HK Museum of Art: Eye on the Museum (Tsim Sha Tsui home opened 15 Nov 1991)（Hong Kong Museum of Art） · official publication
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1992 · 灣仔（灣仔區）
Central Plaza in Wan Chai is completed in 1992, 78 storeys tall and featuring the "Square of Light" timepiece.
Memory The apex houses a viewing gallery, and the external neon "Square of Light" changes colour every 15 minutes.
Background Central Plaza in Wan Chai was completed in 1992 as a 78-storey tower on the harbourfront, and was one of the tallest buildings in the city at the time of its completion. Its summit houses a viewing gallery inside a glass-and-steel pyramid. On the exterior, a neon timepiece known as the "Square of Light" changes colour every 15 minutes to mark the passing of each quarter-hour. It remains a well-known part of the Wan Chai waterfront skyline and a landmark in the district.
Source Film Services Office: Central Plaza (filming location)（Film Services Coordination Section） · official publication
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1992 · 錦田水頭村（元朗區）
The Yi Tai Study Hall in Kam Tin is declared a monument in 1992.
Memory A study hall dedicated to the civil and martial gods, reflecting Kam Tin's scholarly tradition.
Background Study halls were common in the New Territories, where clans valued learning. The Yi Tai Study Hall in Shui Tau Tsuen, Kam Tin, was dedicated to Man Cheong, the god of literature, and Kwan Tai, the god of war, and served the local Tang clan as a place of learning. Its presence reflects the clans' emphasis on education and on success in the imperial examinations. In 1992 the Antiquities and Monuments Office declared the hall a monument, preserving a record of clan schooling and examination culture in the region.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1992-06 · 深水埗（通州街）
The Sham Shui Po Ferry Pier ceases its Central ferry service and closes.
Memory After closure its ferry service gave way to other routes, and the area was later folded into West Kowloon reclamation and development.
Background The Sham Shui Po Ferry Pier stood on the waterfront at Tung Chau Street and long provided a ferry service to Central. In 1992 the pier ceased that route and closed, with its ferry services giving way to other routes. The area around the former pier was later folded into the West Kowloon reclamation and development plans. The closure came at a time when cross-harbour tunnels and road transport were becoming more established and demand for ferry crossings was declining, a pattern also seen at other older piers across the harbour.
Source HAD 18 Districts: Sham Shui Po heritage（Home Affairs Department） · official publication
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1993 · 大嶼山（離島區）
The Big Buddha at Po Lin Monastery, Lantau, opens — one of the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statues.
Memory Beside Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping on Lantau, the Buddha faces north towards Beijing and was funded by donors from many places.
Background The Tian Tan Buddha opened at Ngong Ping in 1993, standing beside Po Lin Monastery and counted among the world's largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statues. Facing north towards Beijing, it was paid for by donors from many places, reflecting the networks of Hong Kong's Buddhist community. Once completed it became a landmark of Lantau and helped drive religious and tourist development around Ngong Ping, giving the monastery's site a new focus for pilgrims and visitors alike.
Source HK Government Tourism: Po Lin Monastery and The Big Buddha（Hong Kong Government） · official publication
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1993 · 中西區（中環至半山）
The Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and walkway system opens, one of the world's longest covered escalator systems.
Memory Made up of covered walkways and several escalator runs, it links the Central business district with Mid-Levels, passing markets and homes en route.
Background The Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and walkway system opened in 1993, made up of covered walkways and several escalator runs linking the Central business district with Mid-Levels. Passing markets and homes along the way, it allows residents to travel on foot up and down the steep slopes of the Mid-Levels area, and ranks among the world's longest covered escalator systems. Besides easing movement on the uphill route, it has become a recognisable piece of the Central cityscape, used daily by commuters and forming part of everyday life in the district.
Source Transport Department: hillside escalator（Transport Department） · official publication
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1993-04-01 · 香港（香港金融管理局）
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is established by merging the Office of the Exchange Fund and the Office of the Commissioner of Banking.
Memory The HKMA was formed by merging the Office of the Exchange Fund and the Office of the Commissioner of Banking, to manage monetary affairs and the peg.
Background The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) was established on 1 April 1993 by merging the Office of the Exchange Fund and the Office of the Commissioner of Banking. The merger brought monetary management and banking supervision together under a single body. The HKMA is responsible for monetary affairs and banking regulation, and for maintaining the linked exchange rate system. Previously these functions sat with separate offices, and combining them was intended to improve coordination between monetary matters and financial stability.
Source HKMA: Governance of the HKMA（Hong Kong Monetary Authority） · official publication
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1993-07-01
The Office of the Telecommunications Authority is established to regulate the telecommunications industry.
Memory The OFTA regulated telecommunications and later merged with the Broadcasting Authority into the Communications Authority.
Background In the early 1990s Hong Kong's telecommunications market gradually opened up, and services such as telephony, mobile communications and broadcasting became ever more widespread, calling for a dedicated regulator. On 1 July 1993 the Office of the Telecommunications Authority was established to regulate the telecommunications industry. It later merged with the Broadcasting Authority to form the Communications Authority, reflecting a trend towards integrating the regulation of communications and broadcasting. The office handled licensing and oversight of operators under the territory's telecoms legislation.
Source OFCA: telecommunications milestones before 2012（Office of the Communications Authority） · official publication
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1993-08-01
The Buildings Department is established, responsible for building regulation.
Memory Established in August 1993, the department took over building-control functions from the former Buildings and Lands Department, formed in 1986 by merging the Lands Department with the Buildings Ordinance Office.
Background With densely packed buildings, building safety and controls bear on public safety. On 1 August 1993 the Buildings Department was established, taking over building-control functions from the former Buildings and Lands Department, which had been formed in 1986 by merging the Lands Department with the Buildings Ordinance Office. The new department reflected a re-division of land and building-control duties, giving it dedicated responsibility for approving, supervising and enforcing matters relating to buildings. It administers building regulations affecting design, construction and safety.
Source Care For Our Buildings (BD 20th anniversary)（Buildings Department） · official publication
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1993-10 · 荃灣（有線電視大樓）
Hong Kong Cable Television launches, the first subscription pay-TV service in Hong Kong.
Memory Operated under the Wharf Group, breaking the long-standing free-to-air duopoly.
Background In October 1993 Hong Kong Cable Television began broadcasting, the first subscription pay-TV service in the city. Until then the local market had been dominated by free-to-air television; operated by the Wharf Group, Cable delivered multiple channels over its cable network and broke that long-standing pattern. The arrival of pay-TV shifted viewers from passively receiving a few channels toward choosing programming on demand, laying ground for multi-channel and specialised content in the years that followed.
Source Hong Kong Cable Television: corporate history（Hong Kong Cable Television） · official publication
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1993-10-15 · 東區（柴灣）
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital opens on 15 Oct 1993, the first acute hospital after the establishment of the Hospital Authority.
Memory In Chai Wan, it was the first acute hospital opened after the Hospital Authority's formation, named after Lady Pamela Youde.
Background Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital opened on 15 October 1993 in Chai Wan and was the first acute hospital opened after the Hospital Authority was set up. The hospital is named after Lady Pamela Youde, wife of a former governor. Its opening marked the Authority's first new acute hospital and came as the Authority took over the running of public hospitals. It serves the eastern districts of Hong Kong Island and is a major acute hospital there, and its opening date is recorded by the Hospital Authority.
Source HA: Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital story（Hospital Authority） · official publication
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1993-11-01 · 中環（香港交易所）
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong launches the Automatic Order Matching and Execution System (AMS), ushering in an era of electronic dealing.
Memory The automatic matching system replaced open-outcry dealing, shifting trades from the trading hall floor to computer matching.
Background Trading on Hong Kong's stock market had long relied on manual dealing and open outcry in the trading hall, so efficiency was limited by the available space and the number of dealers. On 1 November 1993 the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong launched the Automatic Order Matching and Execution System (AMS), which used computers to match buy and sell orders automatically. The change shifted dealing from floor calling to electronic matching and marked an important step in the electronic modernisation of the local securities market, laying groundwork for later generations of trading systems.
Source HKEX: Trading Hall fact sheet (AMS)（Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing） · official publication
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1993-12-12 · 元朗屏山
The Ping Shan Heritage Trail, the first in Hong Kong, is inaugurated on 12 December 1993.
Memory Running about 1.6 km, it links the Tang clan's villages of Hang Mei, Hang Tau and Sheung Cheung Wai with the Tang Ancestral Hall and the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, Hong Kong's oldest surviving pagoda.
Background The Ping Shan Heritage Trail, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, was inaugurated on 12 December 1993. Running about 1.6 kilometres, it links the Tang clan's "three wais and six villages", including Hang Mei, Hang Tau and Sheung Cheung Wai, and connects the Tang Ancestral Hall with the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, Hong Kong's oldest surviving pagoda. By tying scattered historic buildings into a single walking route, the trail pioneered the practice of presenting monuments as connected heritage trails.
Source AMO: Ping Shan Heritage Trail (inaugurated 12 Dec 1993)（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1994 · 深水埗（九龍塘，香港城市大學）
City Polytechnic of Hong Kong attains university status and is renamed City University of Hong Kong.
Memory CityU's forerunner was City Polytechnic of Hong Kong founded in 1984; it gained university status in 1994.
Background City University of Hong Kong traces its origins to City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, founded in 1984 as part of the territory's polytechnic education system. In 1994 the institution attained university status and was renamed City University of Hong Kong, reflecting a period when Hong Kong's tertiary sector was expanding and several colleges were being upgraded. The university records the milestone only by year, without a precise date, so the event is noted here at year level. It remains one of the publicly funded universities in Hong Kong.
Source CityU: Founder obituary (university status)（City University of Hong Kong） · official publication
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1994 · 大埔
The Hong Kong Institute of Education is established, consolidating teacher-training colleges, later renamed EdUHK in 2016.
Memory The Institute was formed by merging several teacher-training colleges to unify teacher education, and was retitled a university in 2016.
Background In 1994 the Hong Kong Institute of Education was established, formed by merging several teacher-training colleges and thereby unifying the training of teachers in the territory. The institute took responsibility for preparing teachers and for research in education, and in 2016 it was retitled the Education University of Hong Kong. Its creation marked a move from scattered teacher-training colleges towards a single dedicated body. Bringing the colleges together gave teacher education a common institution and a stronger research base for Hong Kong.
Source EdUHK: History and campus（The Education University of Hong Kong） · official publication
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1994-04
The demolition of the Kowloon Walled City is completed.
Memory Excavation during clearance unearthed the southern gate and inscribed stone plaques; they were later declared monuments.
Background Demolition of the Kowloon Walled City was completed in April 1994, ending the Qing garrison stronghold. Excavation during clearance unearthed the southern gate and stone plaques inscribed "South Gate" and "Kowloon Walled City"; these relics were later declared monuments and preserved. The relics found around the southern gate provided physical evidence for studying the walled city's original layout, and the site was subsequently laid out as a park.
Source Kowloon Walled City Park history（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1994-11 · 九龍（九龍塘）
Former Baptist College is renamed Hong Kong Baptist University following legislative amendments in November 1994.
Memory The retitling was completed by amending legislation, letting Baptist grant its own degrees the same year PolyU and CityU were upgraded.
Background In November 1994 the former Baptist College was renamed Hong Kong Baptist University through amending legislation. The change allowed the university to award its own degrees, placing it alongside the Polytechnic University and City University, which were upgraded the same year. The retitling built on the college's long-standing base in Kowloon Tong. It was part of a wider wave in which several post-secondary institutions in Hong Kong gained full university status during the 1990s, and it marked the college's full recognition as a degree-granting university.
Source HKBU General Information 2025-26: Foundation and Development（Hong Kong Baptist University） · official publication
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1994-11-16 · 九龍塘（深水埗區）
On 16 Nov 1994 the Legislative Council passes an ordinance renaming Hong Kong Baptist College as Hong Kong Baptist University.
Memory Founded by the Baptist Convention in 1956, the College became law-awarding in 1983.
Background On 16 November 1994 the Legislative Council passed an amendment ordinance formally renaming Hong Kong Baptist College as Hong Kong Baptist University. The college had been founded by the Baptist Convention in 1956 and gained the power to award degrees in 1983, gradually developing from a post-secondary college into a degree-granting institution. With this renaming, it joined other institutions such as the Polytechnic in acquiring full university status, part of the wider expansion of Hong Kong's higher-education sector in the 1990s.
Source HKBU 60th Anniversary History (Chapter 3)（Hong Kong Baptist University） · official publication
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1994-11-18 · 九龍城區
Hong Kong Baptist College is renamed Hong Kong Baptist University.
Memory Formerly Baptist College founded in 1956, it gained university title and degree-granting powers in the 1990s upgrades.
Background Hong Kong Baptist College was renamed Hong Kong Baptist University on 18 November 1994. Tracing its origins to the college founded in 1956 and based in Kowloon City, it gained the right to award its own degrees after the change, confirming its academic standing. It was one of several local institutions upgraded to university status during the 1990s, when demand for higher education in Hong Kong was growing and colleges were building complete degree programmes.
Source HKBU: renaming history（Hong Kong Baptist University） · official publication
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1994-11-25 · 紅磡（九龍城區）
On 25 Nov 1994 the Hong Kong Polytechnic gains university status and is renamed The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Memory Tracing back to the 1937 Government Trade School and renamed Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1972.
Background On 25 November 1994 the Hong Kong Polytechnic gained university status and was renamed The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Its roots reach back to the Government Trade School established in 1937, which was renamed Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1972 and for decades provided vocational and professional training to generations of local students. The same period saw several other local colleges also upgraded to full university status, reflecting the gradual expansion of Hong Kong's higher-education sector as more degree places became available.
Source PolyU: Our History (1994 to Present)（The Hong Kong Polytechnic University） · official publication
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1995-08-03
The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance is enacted, protecting personal data privacy.
Memory The ordinance protects personal-data privacy and established the Privacy Commissioner's office to enforce it.
Background The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance was enacted in 1995, setting up a regulatory framework for the collection, holding, use and disclosure of personal data and protecting personal-data privacy. It also established the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data to monitor and enforce the law. Before the ordinance, Hong Kong had no comprehensive legislation protecting personal data, and privacy was largely addressed through other laws and administrative arrangements. The law gave individuals rights over their own data and placed duties on bodies that handled it.
Source PCPD: key facts and history（Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data） · official publication
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1995-12-01 · 赤鱲角（香港國際機場）
The Airport Authority is established to operate Hong Kong International Airport.
Memory The authority built and operates the Chek Lap Kok airport, carrying through the Airport Core Programme.
Background The Airport Authority was established on 1 December 1995 to operate Hong Kong International Airport. It built and operates the Chek Lap Kok airport, carrying through the work of the Airport Core Programme. The new airport was later completed and opened at Chek Lap Kok, replacing the former airport at Kai Tak. The Airport Core Programme covered the new airport together with supporting roads, bridges and railway works. The authority has since been responsible for running the airport and for its continued development.
Source New Airport inquiry report summary（Government Press Release） · official publication
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1995-12-22
The Kowloon Walled City Park opens, inaugurated by Governor Chris Patten.
Memory Built on the site of the Kowloon Walled City demolished in 1993–94, the park preserves the yamen, the South Gate wall relics and old trees within a Jiangnan-style garden.
Background The Kowloon Walled City Park opened on 22 December 1995, inaugurated by Governor Chris Patten. Built on the site of the walled city demolished in 1993–94, it follows a Jiangnan garden layout while preserving the yamen, the remains of the South Gate wall and old trees. By combining the site's historic relics with landscaped grounds, it formed the park as it is known today; the park is now managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department as an important public and historic space in the Kowloon City area.
Source Kowloon Walled City Park history（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1996 · 中西區（上環）
The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences opens in the former Pathological Institute, a museum dedicated to medical history.
Memory Converted from the old Pathological Institute, it presents the history of medicine in Hong Kong, the building itself being historic.
Background The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences opened in 1996, converted from the former Pathological Institute in Sheung Wan, and is a museum devoted to the history of medicine in Hong Kong. The building itself is historic, and its exhibitions present the development of medicine in the territory. Converting old pathological facilities into a museum preserved the building and provided a permanent place to display and study local medical history, on a site tied to the city's early public-health work.
Source Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences Society: about（Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences Society） · official publication
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1996 · 西貢沙角尾
The Yi Shing Temple at Ho Chung in Sai Kung is declared a monument in 1996.
Memory Dedicated to Che Kung and Hung Shing, a traditional religious landmark of Sai Kung's coastal villages.
Background The Yi Shing Temple stands in Sai Kung and is dedicated to Che Kung and Hung Shing, two deities widely worshipped in the region. It has long been a traditional religious landmark for the coastal villages of Sai Kung. Coastal communities depended on the sea for their living, and worship of sea deities such as Hung Shing expressed the hopes of fishing and farming families for favourable weather and safe waters. The temple was declared a monument in 1996, recognising the heritage value of a coastal village temple.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1996-04-15 · 紅磡（九龍城區）
Hung Hom Municipal Services Building Sports Centre commences service on 15 April 1996, offering a multi-purpose arena, squash courts and fitness facilities.
Memory Inside the Hung Hom Municipal Services Building, it offers a multi-purpose arena, squash courts and a fitness room — a key indoor recreation venue for Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan.
Background On 15 April 1996 the Hung Hom Municipal Services Building Sports Centre commenced service. Offering a multi-purpose arena, squash courts and a fitness room, it is a key indoor venue for residents of Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan. Located inside the municipal services building, it brings a market, library and recreation facilities together in one block for everyday use. Its opening answered the urban population's demand for indoor sports and leisure facilities, making such buildings a one-stop hub for daily needs.
Source LCSD: Hung Hom Municipal Services Building Sports Centre（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1996-05
The Equal Opportunities Commission is established to enforce anti-discrimination legislation.
Memory A statutory body enforcing anti-discrimination law covering sex, disability and family status.
Background As concern about equality and anti-discrimination grew, Hong Kong enacted related legislation. In May 1996 the Equal Opportunities Commission was established as a statutory body to enforce anti-discrimination law covering areas such as sex, disability and family status. Through handling complaints and conciliation and through public education, the commission works to promote the elimination of discrimination and to advance equal opportunities in society. Its guidance helps employers and service providers understand and meet their duties under the law. The body also promotes understanding of equal opportunity through research and publicity.
Source Introduction to the EOC（Equal Opportunities Commission） · official publication
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1996-07-05 · 西貢區
Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park is designated among Hong Kong's first marine parks.
Memory At Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung, known for corals and marine life, it was among Hong Kong's first marine parks.
Background On 5 July 1996 Hoi Ha Wan was designated a marine park, among Hong Kong's first. Lying in Hoi Ha Wan, Sai Kung, it is known for its coral communities and rich marine life. Designated and managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department under the relevant ordinance, marine parks protect the marine environment by restricting fishing and vessel activity, and they also serve as places for ecology education and research.
Source AFCD: Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park (designated 5 Jul 1996)（Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department） · official publication
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1996-12-11 · 灣仔（會議展覽中心）
The Selection Committee elects Hong Kong's first Chief Executive-designate; Tung Chee-hwa wins 320 of 398 valid votes.
Memory Tung Chee-hwa was chosen by the Selection Committee with 320 votes as the first Chief Executive designate, later appointed by the Central People's Government.
Background On 11 December 1996, the Selection Committee preparing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region voted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai to choose the first Chief Executive-designate. Tung Chee-hwa won 320 of 398 valid votes, and was subsequently appointed by the Central People's Government. This selection was an important step before the establishment of the SAR, putting in place the territory's first head of government, and was conducted under arrangements made by the preparatory committee for the SAR.
Source HKMAO: SAR Preparatory Committee report（Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council） · official publication
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1997
Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun Bridges open, forming the main link of the Lantau Link.
Memory Road traffic uses the upper deck while rail runs below, with the lower deck usable in severe typhoons — a key link between the city and Chek Lap Kok airport.
Background In 1997 the Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun Bridges opened, forming the main link of the Lantau Link. Road traffic uses the upper deck of the Tsing Ma Bridge while rail runs below, and the lower deck can be used during severe typhoons, serving both road and rail. These bridges act as a key link between the urban area and the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, built to serve the airport. The official record gives only the year 1997 for the opening, without a verifiable month or day.
Source Tunnels and bridges: details and location map（Transport Department） · official publication
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1997 · 旺角（油尖旺）
The Yuen Po Street Bird Garden opens, when the bird traders formerly of "Bird Street" (Hong Luk Street) relocate into the garden.
Memory On Yuen Po Street in Mong Kok, the garden rehoused the bird traders of the old Bird Street, keeping the local bird-keeping culture alive.
Background The Yuen Po Street Bird Garden opened in 1997 on Yuen Po Street in Mong Kok. The Urban Renewal Authority relocated the bird traders of the old 'Bird Street' at Hong Luk Street as a group into the garden. This arrangement kept alive the local culture of bird-keeping and the bird trade, allowing traders who had operated on the old street to carry on in a new garden setting. The exact opening date has not been confirmed by a first-hand official source.
Source Urban Renewal Authority: Yuen Po Street Bird Garden（Urban Renewal Authority） · official publication
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1997 · 粉嶺龍躍頭
The gatehouse and enclosing walls of Lo Wai in Lung Yeuk Tau are declared monuments in 1997.
Memory Lo Wai is one of the Lung Yeuk Tau walled villages of the Tang clan; its gate and watchtowers survive well.
Background Lo Wai is one of the walled villages of Lung Yeuk Tau in Fanling and is a settlement of the Tang clan. The gatehouse and enclosing walls of a walled village served both defensive and boundary purposes. Lo Wai's gate and watchtowers survive in good condition and are physical evidence for studying the layout of New Territories walled villages. Such defences were once common among clan villages in the region. The gatehouse and walls were declared monuments in 1997, giving statutory protection to this defensive architecture.
Source AMO: Lung Yeuk Tau heritage trail（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1997-02-16
The first Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon is held, becoming the city's largest annual running event.
Memory Evolving from earlier local marathon events, it became Hong Kong's biggest annual road race, its route revised repeatedly for road closures.
Background The first Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon was held on 16 February 1997, evolving from earlier local marathon events. It later grew into the city's largest annual road race, its route repeatedly revised to suit road closures and the needs of the event. Staging such a race requires coordination of traffic, police and medical arrangements, making it one of Hong Kong's biggest annual sporting occasions, and it has since become a regular fixture of the city's sporting calendar.
Source Standard Chartered HK Marathon: event history (1997)（HKAAA / Standard Chartered HK Marathon） · official publication
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1997-03-31 · 深水埗區
Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park closes, marking the end of a generation's childhood memories.
Memory At Lai Chi Kok with rides, a zoo and a theatre, its closure symbolised the end of old Hong Kong's amusement-park era.
Background Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park, with its rides, zoo and theatre, was once a family leisure destination for Hong Kong people. It closed on 31 March 1997, signalling the end of an era of old-style entertainment built around local amusement parks. As the city developed and patterns of entertainment changed, large traditional parks became hard to sustain, so Lai Yuen's closure is remembered as the end of a generation's childhood memories.
Source HKPL exhibition dossier on Lai Yuen (incl. GovHK photos and contemporary press)（Hong Kong Public Libraries） · official publication
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1997-04-30 · 九龍西－港島西（西隧）
The Western Harbour Crossing opens as Hong Kong's third cross-harbour road tunnel.
Memory Built by a private consortium under a build-operate-transfer model, the Western Harbour Crossing links the West Kowloon reclamation with western Hong Kong Island, easing pressure on the other cross-harbour tunnels.
Background On 30 April 1997 the Western Harbour Crossing opened as Hong Kong's third cross-harbour road tunnel. A private consortium built it under a build-operate-transfer arrangement, linking the West Kowloon reclamation with the western part of Hong Kong Island. By adding a third crossing of Victoria Harbour, it helped relieve traffic on the Cross-Harbour and Eastern Harbour tunnels. Its position on the western side of the harbour gave drivers an alternative to the older crossings and served the developing reclamation area.
Source Transport Department: cross-harbour tunnel traffic（Transport Department） · official publication
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1997-05 · 青衣（青嶼幹線）
The Lantau Link (including the Tsing Ma Bridge) opens, connecting Lantau to the urban area ahead of the new airport.
Memory The Lantau Link comprises the Tsing Ma Bridge, Kap Shui Mun Bridge and the Ma Wan viaduct, the main route between Lantau and the city.
Background The Lantau Link opened in May 1997, connecting Lantau to the urban area ahead of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok. It comprises the Tsing Ma Bridge, the Kap Shui Mun Bridge and the Ma Wan viaduct, the main route between Lantau and the city. Before it opened, travel to Lantau relied mainly on ferries; with the link complete, vehicles could drive in and out directly. The Highways Department's Tsing Ma Bridge fact sheet records the opening, with a separate ceremony marking official commissioning.
Source HyD Fact Sheet: Tsing Ma Bridge（Highways Department） · official publication
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1997-05 · 中西區（太平山）
The redeveloped Peak Tower officially opens in May 1997, a new Peak landmark and the Peak Tram upper terminus.
Memory Designed by Sir Terry Farrell, the wok-shaped tower has a viewing terrace at 428 m giving 360-degree harbour views.
Background The redeveloped Peak Tower officially opened in May 1997, becoming a new landmark on Victoria Peak and serving as the upper terminus of the Peak Tram. Designed by the architect Terry Farrell, it is known for its wok-shaped, "hands-in-salaam" form, with a viewing terrace at 428 metres above sea level offering 360-degree views over Victoria Harbour. Rebuilt on the site of an earlier tower, it continues the Peak's long-standing role as a viewpoint and tourist destination since the early colonial era. The Peak's official record gives only May 1997.
Source The Peak: History of The Peak Tram & The Peak Tower（The Peak Tramways Company） · official publication
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1997-05-22 · 青衣／馬灣（青嶼幹線）
The Tsing Ma Bridge opens as part of the Lantau Link, one of the world's longest dual road-and-rail suspension bridges connecting the New Territories and Lantau.
Memory One of the world's longest road-and-rail suspension bridges, it carries traffic above and rail plus emergency access below.
Background On 22 May 1997 the Tsing Ma Bridge opened as part of the Lantau Link, connecting the western New Territories with Lantau and ranking among the world's longest road-and-rail suspension bridges. The bridge carries road traffic on its upper deck, while the lower deck is used for railway and emergency access. Together with the rest of the Lantau Link, it provided a fixed crossing between the mainland and Lantau. Its dual road-and-rail design made it unusual among the territory's bridges.
Source HyD Fact Sheet: Tsing Ma Bridge（Highways Department） · official publication
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1997-06 · 灣仔（會議展覽中心）
Phase II expansion of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre completes, doubling exhibition space and serving as the handover ceremony venue.
Memory The second phase doubled the exhibition space on reclaimed land and later hosted the handover celebrations.
Background The Phase II expansion of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was completed in June 1997, doubling its exhibition space. Built on an artificial island created by reclamation, it made the centre a landmark on the Wan Chai waterfront, and the same year the Hong Kong handover ceremony was held there. The expansion supported Hong Kong's role as a regional hub for conferences, exhibitions and trade, advanced with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and strengthened the convention and business functions of the Wan Chai area.
Source HKTDC 60th anniversary: milestones (HKCEC)（Hong Kong Trade Development Council） · official publication
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1997-06 · 灣仔北（灣仔區）
The HKCEC expansion opens in June 1997, more than doubling function space and hosting the handover ceremony.
Memory Completed in about 39 months from reclamation; its 40,000 sqm curved aluminium roof evokes a bird in flight.
Background In June 1997 the second phase of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was completed, more than doubling its function space and hosting Hong Kong's handover ceremony the same year. The expansion was carried out in about 39 months from reclamation to completion, and its 40,000-square-metre curved aluminium roof evokes a bird in flight. Because the first phase had quickly proved too small, the extension both answered growing demand and placed the centre at the heart of a globally watched political and commercial event. The official HKCEC overview records only June 1997.
Source HKCEC Fast Facts (Phase II)（Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre） · official publication
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1997-06-30 · 中西區（中環）
The Court of Final Appeal is established, replacing the British Privy Council as Hong Kong's highest appellate court.
Memory Housed in the former French Mission Building on Battery Path in Central and led by the Chief Justice, it began operating on 1 July 1997.
Background The Court of Final Appeal was established on 30 June 1997, replacing the British Privy Council, which had carried Hong Kong's final appeal function since 1844, and becoming the territory's highest appellate court. The court is housed in the former French Mission Building on Battery Path in Central and is led by the Chief Justice; it began operating on 1 July 1997. Bringing the final appeal back to Hong Kong changed a judicial system that had long been decided in London, and it became the top of the court hierarchy within Hong Kong.
Source Judiciary Fact Sheet（Hong Kong Judiciary） · official publication
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1997-07 · 灣仔（海旁）
Wan Chai reclamation Phase I completes, forming the reclaimed island for the HKCEC extension.
Memory The reclamation created an artificial island for the Convention Centre's second phase, with later phases following.
Background Phase I of the Wan Chai reclamation was completed in July 1997, creating an artificial island to accommodate the second-phase extension of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The works pushed the shoreline out into Victoria Harbour, producing new land on the Wan Chai waterfront for the centre's expansion. Later phases were completed in turn, gradually changing the shape of the Wan Chai waterfront and its transport links; the project formed part of a wider harbour reclamation programme in Central and Wan Chai.
Source CEDD: Central and Wan Chai reclamation（Civil Engineering and Development Department） · official publication
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1997-07-01
Hong Kong becomes a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; the Basic Law takes effect and the SAR Government is sworn in.
Memory The handover ceremony ran overnight from 30 June to 1 July at the new Convention & Exhibition Centre; the 99-year New Territories lease and the whole colonial arrangement ended that day.
Background On 1 July 1997 Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China; the Basic Law took effect the same day and the SAR Government was sworn in. The handover ceremony ran from the evening of 30 June into the early hours of 1 July at the new wing of the Convention and Exhibition Centre, ending both the ninety-nine-year New Territories lease and the whole colonial arrangement. Hong Kong has since operated under the Basic Law, with its previous systems and way of life maintained as provided.
Source Hong Kong Legal System: The Basic Law（Department of Justice） · official publication
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1997-07-01
The 99-year New Territories lease and the rest of the colonial arrangements formally end.
Memory The NT lease ran from 1898; on the handover all land reverted to State ownership, managed lawfully by the SAR Government.
Background The 99-year lease of the New Territories and other colonial arrangements formally ended on 1 July 1997. The New Territories lease had run from July 1898; once it expired, those arrangements ceased to follow colonial-era rules. After the handover, all land in Hong Kong became State property managed lawfully by the SAR Government, with the land lease and deed system continuing under the Basic Law. The date was therefore both the day of Hong Kong's handover and the expiry of that 99-year lease.
Source Hong Kong Legal System: The Basic Law（Department of Justice） · official publication
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1997-07-01 · 中環（終審法院）
The Court of Final Appeal of the HKSAR is established under the Basic Law, replacing the Privy Council as the highest appellate court.
Memory The Court of Final Appeal replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the highest appellate court, embodying the final adjudication power under the Basic Law.
Background Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997, and on that same day the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was established under the Basic Law. The court replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the territory's highest appellate court, embodying the power of final adjudication granted to the SAR by the Basic Law. This arrangement preserved the common law system within the "one country, two systems" framework and marked a key change in Hong Kong's judiciary.
Source Judiciary: Hong Kong: The Facts — Judiciary (CFA)（Judiciary of the HKSAR） · official publication
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1997-10 · 中西區（中環）
The Central & Western heritage trail (Central section) opens in Oct 1997, linking about 40 historic monuments, the first urban heritage trail in Hong Kong.
Memory The Central section links about 40 historic sites and was Hong Kong’s first urban heritage trail; Sheung Wan, Western and Peak sections were added later.
Background The Central section of the Central and Western heritage trail opened in October 1997, linking about forty historic monuments in Central and becoming the first urban heritage trail in Hong Kong. By joining scattered sites into one walking route, it made the history of the Central area easier for the public to explore. Heritage trails group historic sites along a set route for visitors. Sheung Wan, Western and Peak sections were added later, and the Antiquities and Monuments Office records its opening date.
Source AMO: Central & Western heritage trail（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1998 · 油尖旺（尖沙咀）
The Hong Kong Museum of History moves to its current Tsim Sha Tsui site, showcasing Hong Kong's history and culture.
Memory The new Tsim Sha Tsui building presents the Hong Kong Story exhibition, succeeding the earlier museum in Kowloon Park.
Background The Hong Kong Museum of History moved to its current Tsim Sha Tsui site in 1998, succeeding the earlier museum housed in Kowloon Park. The new building presents the "Hong Kong Story" permanent exhibition, using objects and reconstructed scenes to trace the territory's history and culture from prehistoric times to the modern day. The move made the museum a principal place for residents and visitors to learn about local history, and fitted the wider development of the museum cluster in Tsim Sha Tsui East.
Source LCSD: Museums（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1998 · 中環（中西區）
International Finance Centre Tower One in Central is completed in 1998, a Victoria Harbour landmark.
Memory Built on reclamation along the waterfront, developed by a consortium led by the MTR and Sun Hung Kai.
Background International Finance Centre Tower One in Central was completed in 1998, becoming a landmark on the Victoria Harbour waterfront. It was built on reclaimed land within the Central financial district and developed by a consortium made up of the MTR and Sun Hung Kai, among others. Tower Two later joined it to form today's International Finance Centre complex. The two towers now dominate part of the Central waterfront and reflect the use of reclamation to create land for major commercial development.
Source Tourism Commission A Symphony of Lights: IFC Towers（Tourism Commission） · official publication
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1998 · 尖沙咀漆咸道南
The Hong Kong Museum of History moves into its HK$390m Tsim Sha Tsui premises in 1998.
Memory It sits beside the Science Museum, forming a museum cluster; it traces its roots to 1962.
Background In 1998 the Hong Kong Museum of History moved into its new premises on Chatham Road South in Tsim Sha Tsui, built at a cost of HK$390 million. Tracing its roots to the City Hall art museum of 1962 and separated from the Museum of Art in 1975, it now stands beside the Science Museum to form a museum cluster in Tsim Sha Tsui. The move gave the museum far more exhibition space and allowed Hong Kong to present its local history in a more systematic way. Official records give only the year 1998.
Source LCSD: museum services（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1998-04-01
The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499) takes effect, requiring EIA for designated projects.
Memory The ordinance sets the statutory EIA process for major infrastructure such as the airport and boundary crossings.
Background The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499) took effect on 1 April 1998, requiring designated projects to undergo an environmental impact assessment. It set out a statutory EIA process for major infrastructure such as the airport and boundary crossing works, obliging projects to assess environmental impacts and propose mitigation before construction. This brought environmental considerations into the institutional planning of works and became an important basis for approving large development projects.
Source e-Legislation: Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499)（Government of the HKSAR） · official publication
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1998-05 · 荃灣（三號幹線汀九橋／大欖隧道）
Ting Kau Bridge and Tai Lam Tunnel (Route 3) open, a cable-stayed bridge system spanning Tuen Mun's Tai Lam Chung.
Memory The Ting Kau Bridge and Tai Lam Tunnel form part of Route 3, a fast link between the northwest New Territories and the city.
Background Ting Kau Bridge and the Tai Lam Tunnel on Route 3 opened in May 1998, forming a cable-stayed bridge system spanning Tai Lam Chung in Tuen Mun. They form part of Route 3, a fast link between the northwest New Territories and the city. After opening, journeys between the northwest New Territories and Kowloon or Hong Kong Island could use an express route, easing the load on other roads. The Highways Department's Ting Kau Bridge fact sheet records the opening.
Source HyD Fact Sheet: Ting Kau Bridge（Highways Department） · official publication
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1998-07 · 中環（立法會）
The first Legislative Council of the HKSAR is established and Mrs Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai is elected its first President.
Memory The first Legislative Council was returned by functional constituencies and an election committee, with Rita Fan elected its first President.
Background After the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the first Legislative Council was formed in July 1998, with members returned by functional constituencies and an election committee. Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai was elected as its first President. The composition of this first council marked the formal operation of the SAR's legislature under the Basic Law, although the electoral system for the council was later adjusted over time. The official timeline records the event only to the month, so it is dated to July 1998.
Source LegCo: Factsheet 11 (first President)（Legislative Council） · official publication
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1998-07-06
The new airport at Chek Lap Kok opens, replacing Kai Tak Airport.
Memory After the final day of operations, the urban waterfront runway ends its role as the international airport.
Background The new airport at Chek Lap Kok opened on 6 July 1998, replacing Kai Tak, which stood within the urban area; this is documented in a Legislative Council select committee report. After Kai Tak's final day of operations, its waterfront runway projecting into Kowloon Bay ended its role as an international airport. The move from the city to Chek Lap Kok marked a major turning point in Hong Kong's aviation and infrastructure development.
Source LegCo Select Committee report on the new airport（Legislative Council） · official publication
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1998-08-31 · 港島（中華巴士）
China Motor Bus franchise expires on 31 Aug 1998, its 88 Hong Kong Island routes transferred to Citybus network (NWFB).
Memory The Executive Council granted NWFB the 88 routes, effective 1 Sept 1998.
Background China Motor Bus's franchise expired on 31 August 1998, and its 88 routes on Hong Kong Island were transferred to New World First Bus (NWFB). Earlier, in March 1998, the Executive Council had granted NWFB the franchise for those 88 routes, effective from 1 September 1998. A franchise is the right granted by the government to an operator to run bus routes in a defined area. The change ended China Motor Bus's long operation on Hong Kong Island and showed that franchises are reviewed when their terms end.
Source LegCo Transport Panel: China Motor Bus franchise（Legislative Council of Hong Kong） · official publication
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1998-09 · 油尖旺區
The new Hong Kong Museum of History opens, systematically preserving Hong Kong's cultural memory.
Memory Moving from Kowloon Park to Tsim Sha Tsui, it presents the permanent Hong Kong Story exhibition, the main venue for local history.
Background The Hong Kong Museum of History moved from its old premises in Kowloon Park to its present Tsim Sha Tsui site, where the permanent Hong Kong Story exhibition became its centrepiece, systematically displaying historical artefacts and materials. The move expanded its space and exhibition capacity, letting scattered local historical materials be gathered, preserved and presented together. It thus became the main venue for Hong Kong's historical and cultural memory, now managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Source LCSD: museum services (HK Museum of History moved 1998)（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1998-09
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority is established to regulate the MPF system.
Memory The MPFA regulates the MPF system and ensures trustees and schemes comply with the law.
Background Before the MPF system was introduced, many working people in Hong Kong lacked retirement protection, with only some covered by civil service pensions or occupational retirement schemes. In September 1998 the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority was established to regulate the MPF system. It ensures that trustees and schemes comply with the law, providing a supervisory foundation for a retirement savings system intended to cover employees and the self-employed. The authority also oversees the registration of schemes and the conduct of approved trustees.
Source MPFA 20th anniversary（Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority） · official publication
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1999 · 屯門（嶺南大學）
Lingnan College acquires university status and is renamed Lingnan University.
Memory Lingnan's forerunner was Lingnan College, re-established on Stubbs Road in 1967; it gained university status in 1999.
Background Lingnan University traces its origins to Lingnan College, re-established on Stubbs Road in 1967, and its campus is located in Tuen Mun. In 1999 the college attained university status and was renamed Lingnan University. The upgrade was part of a broader expansion of tertiary education in Hong Kong at the time, and the university later became one of the institutions funded through the University Grants Committee. As the official milestone records only the year, without a precise date, the event is noted here at year level.
Source Lingnan University: 50th anniversary milestones（Lingnan University） · official publication
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1999-04 · 香港
The Government first establishes the Film Development Fund in April 1999 with an initial commitment of HK$100 million, and re-launches it in 2005 on a larger scale.
Memory A government fund financing Hong Kong's film industry, later administered under the Film Development Council and CreateHK.
Background The Government first established the Film Development Fund in April 1999 with an initial commitment of HK$100 million, and re-launched it on a larger scale in 2005. The fund provides grants and financing for Hong Kong's film industry, supporting production, talent development and related projects, and was later placed under the Film Development Council and CreateHK. Its establishment came as the local film industry faced a shrinking market, reflecting a policy of using public funds to support the film trade and forming the basis of later film-funding schemes.
Source LegCo Paper CB(1)1298/06-07(03): Support Measures for the Film Industry（Legislative Council of the HKSAR） · official publication
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1999-09-16
Tropical Cyclone York brings the No.10 Signal, held for about 11 hours — the longest duration since the war.
Memory York brought the city to a standstill — transport, flights and schools suspended — one of the 1990s’ most disruptive storms.
Background Typhoon York struck Hong Kong in September 1999, prompting the Observatory to hoist the No.10 hurricane signal, which stayed in force for about 11 hours — the longest such period since the war. The No.10 signal means hurricane-force winds; York brought transport, flights and schools to a standstill, making it one of the 1990s' most disruptive storms. The episode underlined the role of the warning system in public safety, and the Observatory recorded these signals in its historical table.
Source Hong Kong Observatory: report on Severe Typhoon Haikui (2311)（Hong Kong Observatory） · official publication
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1999-11 · 葵青（葵青區）
Kwai Tsing Theatre opens in November 1999, featuring one of the LCSD's first black box theatres.
Memory With an auditorium and a black box theatre, it is the principal performance venue for Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi and was among the LCSD’s first venues to include a black box theatre.
Background Kwai Tsing Theatre opened in November 1999 to serve residents of Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi, an area long dominated by industry and public housing estates with relatively few cultural performance venues. It houses an auditorium and a black box theatre, and was among the first venues under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to include a black box. With its flexible staging, the black box suits small-scale and experimental productions, giving local theatre companies more space to perform and rehearse and filling a gap in Kwai Tsing's public cultural facilities.
Source LCSD: Kwai Tsing Theatre（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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1999-12-04 · 北區（粉嶺龍躍頭）
The Lung Yeuk Tau heritage trail opens on 4 Dec 1999, linking the Tang clan's "five walled villages and six hamlets".
Memory Hong Kong's second heritage trail after Ping Shan, it links Tang clan walled villages such as Lo Wai and Ma Wat Wai with the Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall.
Background The Lung Yeuk Tau heritage trail opened on 4 December 1999, linking the Tang clan's "five walled villages and six hamlets" and monuments such as the Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall. It was Hong Kong's second heritage trail after Ping Shan, and it connects Tang clan walled villages including Lo Wai, Ma Wat Wai and Kun Lung Wai with the ancestral hall. The Tang were one of the major clans of the New Territories. The trail presents New Territories walled villages and clan halls together for visitors.
Source AMO: Lung Yeuk Tau heritage trail（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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1999-12-30 · 大埔碗窰
The Fan Sin Temple at Wun Yiu in Tai Po is declared a monument on 30 December 1999.
Memory Dedicated to the patron god of potters, recording Wun Yiu's ceramics industry since the Ming dynasty.
Background The Fan Sin Temple stands at Wun Yiu in Tai Po and is dedicated to Fan Sin, the patron deity of potters. It stands next to the Wun Yiu kiln site. Wun Yiu was an important kiln centre for local ceramics since the Ming dynasty, and potters who settled there built the temple to honour the patron of their trade. The temple therefore records the history of the Wun Yiu ceramics industry. Fan Sin Temple was declared a monument on 30 December 1999.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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