2000 · 東區（筲箕灣鯉魚門）
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence opens in 2000, converted from the former Lei Yue Mun Fort to tell Hong Kong's coastal defence history.
Memory Its site, the Lei Yue Mun batteries, dates from 1887; the museum stands on the headland by Lei Yue Mun and was reconstituted as the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence in September 2024.
Background The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence opened in 2000, converted from the former Lei Yue Mun fort and barracks to present the history of coastal defence. Its predecessor, the Lei Yue Mun batteries, dates from 1887, and the museum stands on the headland by Lei Yue Mun, where the guns once guarded the eastern approach to Victoria Harbour. In September 2024 it was reconstituted as the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, and its founding is recorded by the Antiquities and Monuments Office.
Source AMO: Former Lei Yue Mun Barracks (HK Museum of Coastal Defence)（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
Chinese original & citation →
2000 · 沙田文林路
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum opens in Sha Tin in 2000 as a comprehensive museum.
Memory Its permanent galleries span history, art and culture, including the Jin Yong Gallery added in 2017, displaying manuscripts and memorabilia of Louis Cha.
Background The Hong Kong Heritage Museum opened on Man Lam Road in Sha Tin in 2000 as a comprehensive museum. Its permanent galleries cover themes in history, art and culture, including a Cantonese opera heritage hall, and a Jin Yong Gallery added in 2017 displays manuscripts and memorabilia of the writer Louis Cha (Cha Leung-yung). With exhibitions spanning diverse subjects, the museum presents local and Chinese culture together and has become a major cultural facility in the eastern New Territories for residents and visitors. Official records give only the year 2000.
Source LCSD: museum services（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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2000
The Trade Department is expanded and renamed the Trade and Industry Department, providing support to industry and SMEs.
Memory The Industry Department was dissolved in 2000; its functions were merged into the Trade Department, itself split off from the Commerce and Industry Department in 1982, which was then reorganised as the Trade and Industry Department.
Background The Industry Department was dissolved in 2000, with its functions merged into the Trade Department, which was then reorganised as the Trade and Industry Department to support industry and small and medium enterprises. The Trade Department had itself been split off from the Commerce and Industry Department in 1982. The reorganisation brought the support functions for industry and trade back together, so that a single department handled both industrial policy and trade promotion while serving SMEs. It also simplified the arrangements under which companies dealt with government on trade and industrial matters.
Source Trade and Industry Department: history（Trade and Industry Department） · official publication
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2000-01-01
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is established, responsible for food safety control and environmental hygiene services.
Memory The FEHD was created after the municipal councils were dissolved, consolidating food-safety control and environmental hygiene.
Background The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department was established on 1 January 2000, responsible for food safety control and environmental hygiene services. It was created after the dissolution of the Urban Council and the Regional Council, consolidating the food-safety control and environmental hygiene services that the two municipal councils had previously handled. The reorganisation was part of a post-handover review of the government structure. It brought the relevant services under a single department. As a result, food safety and environmental hygiene were administered centrally by one agency.
Source Hong Kong: The Facts — FEHD（Food and Environmental Hygiene Department） · official publication
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2000-01-01
The Agriculture and Fisheries Department is renamed the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, expanding conservation functions.
Memory Besides agriculture and fisheries, the renamed department took charge of country and marine parks and enforcement of endangered-species protection.
Background The Agriculture and Fisheries Department was renamed the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in 2000, expanding its role in nature conservation beyond agriculture and fisheries. After the reorganisation, country parks, marine parks and the protection and enforcement of endangered-species rules all came under the same department. This brought conservation work and the management of agriculture and fisheries together within one body, giving the protection and enforcement covering countryside and coastal areas a more unified arrangement, and the change of name reflected the wider conservation duties the department had taken on.
Source LegCo Legal Service: AFCD rename notices（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2000-03-06 · 中環（香港交易所）
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, the Futures Exchange and three clearing houses merge to form HKEX.
Memory The merger consolidated the stock and futures exchanges and clearing houses into a listed operator of Hong Kong's securities and derivatives markets.
Background On 6 March 2000 the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, the Futures Exchange and three clearing houses merged to form HKEX. The merger consolidated the stock and futures exchanges and clearing houses into a listed operator of Hong Kong's securities and derivatives markets. It streamlined a previously fragmented market structure, bringing trading and clearing under one group. HKEX's "About Us" page records the consolidation.
Source HKEX: History / About Us（Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing） · official publication
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2000-07-01 · 中環（投資推廣署）
Invest Hong Kong is established to attract and promote inward direct investment to Hong Kong.
Memory InvestHK promotes inward investment and helps overseas and mainland firms set up in Hong Kong.
Background Invest Hong Kong was established on 1 July 2000 to attract and promote inward direct investment to the territory. Its work includes helping overseas and mainland companies set up operations in Hong Kong. With services and external trade central to Hong Kong's economy, inward investment supports related sectors. To this end, InvestHK provides support to firms interested in establishing a presence in the city, and the agency is based in Central, aiming to strengthen the territory's position as a place for companies to base their operations.
Source LegCo paper (Invest Hong Kong)（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2000-07-01
The Innovation and Technology Commission is established to drive innovation and technology development in Hong Kong.
Memory The Innovation and Technology Commission promotes Hong Kong's innovation and technology development and supports research.
Background The Innovation and Technology Commission was established in July 2000 to drive Hong Kong's innovation and technology development and to support research and the application of technology. Before it was set up, the related functions were spread across different departments. Once created, the work of promoting technology, supporting applied research and helping industry adopt new technology was concentrated in a dedicated body. Around the same period, the government also reorganised several departments dealing with commerce, industry and technology, giving innovation policy a clearer home within the administration.
Source LegCo TI panel: Commerce Bureau reorganisation / ITC（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2000-10-05 · 油尖旺（港鐵總部一帶）
MTR Corporation lists on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Memory On listing, the government remained the major shareholder while part of the shares were sold to the public — a key step in corporatising a public body.
Background On 5 October 2000 MTR Corporation listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. On listing the government remained the major shareholder while part of the shares were sold to the public — a key step in corporatising a public body. Corporatisation and listing gave the railway more flexibility in financing and operations, and also required it to weigh the interests of public shareholders. MTR's listing document records the flotation.
Source MTR Corporation listing document（MTR Corporation） · official publication
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2000-12 · 沙田區
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum opens, the largest comprehensive museum in Hong Kong.
Memory In Sha Tin, the museum covers history, art and culture, with permanent galleries including Cantonese opera and martial-arts fiction.
Background The Hong Kong Heritage Museum opened in Sha Tin in December 2000 and is the city's largest comprehensive museum. Covering history, art and culture, it has permanent galleries including Cantonese opera and martial-arts fiction, ranging from local opera to popular culture. Managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, it provides a large space for cultural exhibitions in the eastern New Territories and is a main venue for preserving and presenting Hong Kong culture.
Source LCSD Hong Kong Heritage Museum (opened Dec 2000)（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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2000-12-01 · 全港
The Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) system comes into effect.
Memory The MPFA was established in 1998; the scheme requires contributions from employers, employees and self-employed persons.
Background On 1 December 2000 the Mandatory Provident Fund system came into effect, becoming a major pillar of Hong Kong's retirement protection. Before it, retirement cover relied mainly on voluntary provident funds and personal savings, and not all workers were protected. The MPFA, set up in 1998, oversees a scheme requiring contributions from employers, employees and self-employed persons, turning retirement savings into an institutional arrangement. The MPF's launch reshaped how the working population plans for retirement over a long career.
Source 20 years of the MPF System（Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority） · official publication
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2001-01 · 東區（西灣河）
The Hong Kong Film Archive's permanent site opens at Sai Wan Ho to preserve and study Hong Kong's cinematic heritage.
Memory In Sai Wan Ho, it collects and restores Hong Kong film prints and has screening and research facilities.
Background The Hong Kong Film Archive's permanent site opened at Sai Wan Ho in January 2001, dedicated to preserving and studying Hong Kong's cinematic heritage. The Archive collects and restores Hong Kong film prints and provides screening and research facilities, allowing old films to be conserved and shown again to audiences. Its establishment gave the preservation and study of local film materials a permanent institutional base, filling a long-standing gap in the documentation of the city's cinema, with restoration and research work there supporting film historians and the wider industry.
Source Hong Kong Film Archive: About us（LCSD (Hong Kong Film Archive)） · official publication
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2001-04-01
The Hong Kong Tourism Board is established, replacing the Hong Kong Tourist Association.
Memory Formed by reorganising the Hong Kong Tourist Association, the HKTB promotes Hong Kong tourism across markets.
Background The Hong Kong Tourism Board was established on 1 April 2001, replacing the Hong Kong Tourist Association. Formed by reorganising the association, the board promotes Hong Kong tourism and markets the city to different source markets. The reorganisation placed tourism promotion under a newly formed statutory body dedicated to that task. The board continued the long-standing work of presenting Hong Kong as a destination to visitors from around the world. Its remit covered promotion in overseas markets as well as on the mainland.
Source HKTB: corporate information（Hong Kong Tourism Board） · official publication
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2001-05 · 銅鑼灣（香港中央圖書館）
Hong Kong Central Library opens as the territory's main public library.
Memory In Causeway Bay, it is the headquarters of the public library system and holds a special Hong Kong collection.
Background Hong Kong Central Library opened in May 2001 as the territory's main public library. Located in Causeway Bay, it is the headquarters of the public library system and holds a special Hong Kong collection. As the central library it also coordinates the wider public library network and keeps Hong Kong-related materials for public reference and research. Records from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Census and Statistics Department note the opening.
Source LCSD/C&SD: Hong Kong Central Library opening（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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2001-05
The Urban Renewal Authority is established to carry out urban renewal.
Memory Established under the URA Ordinance, it replaced the Land Development Corporation for urban renewal.
Background The Urban Renewal Authority was established in May 2001 to carry out urban renewal. It was set up under the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance, replacing the Land Development Corporation, and is responsible for urban renewal and the redevelopment of older districts. The ordinance gave the authority a statutory basis for its work. Urban renewal was thus concentrated in a single dedicated body. Its work includes redeveloping old buildings, rehabilitating blocks and improving the environment of older districts. It took over the projects previously handled by the Land Development Corporation.
Source URA: about us（Urban Renewal Authority） · official publication
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2001-05-07
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation is established to develop the innovation and technology industry.
Memory Formed by consolidating several technology-support bodies, it manages facilities such as the Science Park and industrial estates.
Background Around the time of the handover Hong Kong sought to promote technology-based industries and to consolidate scattered technology-support efforts. On 7 May 2001 the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation was established, formed by consolidating several technology-support bodies, and it manages facilities such as the Science Park and industrial estates. It provides premises and support services for innovative technology companies, serving as a key platform for the development of the innovation and technology industry in Hong Kong. The corporation brought several support schemes and facilities under one management.
Source LegCo CI panel: Science Park Phase 2（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2001-11 · 大埔（東北新界）
Tung Ping Chau is designated the fourth coastal park in Nov 2001, preserving its thin-bedded siltstone geology.
Memory Known for its flat island, flat sea and flat rocks, it is Hong Kong's easternmost island and was later incorporated into the geopark.
Background In November 2001, Tung Ping Chau was designated Hong Kong's fourth coastal park, in order to conserve its thin-bedded siltstone landforms. The island lies at the easternmost point of Hong Kong and is known for the "three flats" — a flat island, flat seas and flat rocks. Coastal parks are marine areas protected for conservation, and designation restricts harmful activities within their boundaries. The island was later incorporated into Hong Kong's geopark, giving its distinctive sedimentary rock formations further protection.
Source AFCD: Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark（Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department） · official publication
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2002 · 大埔（香港科學園）
Hong Kong Science Park is officially inaugurated as the city's flagship innovation-technology campus.
Memory On reclaimed land at Pak Shek Kok and run by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, it clusters technology and biotech firms.
Background In 2002 Hong Kong Science Park was officially inaugurated as the city's flagship innovation-technology campus. On reclaimed land at Pak Shek Kok and run by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, it clusters technology and biotech firms. The campus gives technology companies a concentrated base for development and serves as a key platform in the government's push for innovation and technology. HKSTP's "About Us" records this year as that of the park's inauguration.
Source HKSTP: About Us / history（Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks） · official publication
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2003 · 中環（中西區）
International Finance Centre Tower Two is completed in 2003, then the tallest building in Hong Kong.
Memory At 420m/88 storeys, designed by Cesar Pelli; the tallest in HK from 2003 until 2010 when ICC surpassed it.
Background International Finance Centre Tower Two was completed in 2003 and was then the tallest building in Hong Kong. Standing 420 metres tall with 88 storeys, it was designed by architect Cesar Pelli and is used mainly as an office building. It held the record for the city's tallest building from 2003 until 2010, when it was surpassed by the International Commerce Centre (ICC). It forms part of the International Finance Centre complex together with Tower One in the Central waterfront business district.
Source Tourism Commission A Symphony of Lights: IFC Towers（Tourism Commission） · official publication
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2003 · 香港
now TV begins operations, a major pay-TV platform in Hong Kong.
Memory Launched by HKT under PCCW, delivering television over the broadband network.
Background In 2003 now TV began operations and grew into one of Hong Kong's major pay-TV platforms. Unlike the traditional model of delivering programmes over cable or terrestrial broadcast, it was launched by HKT under PCCW, using the broadband network to carry television signals and thereby merging telecommunications with TV. This technical route made channel delivery more flexible and pushed local viewing habits from cable toward broadband-based service, while also sharpening competition among subscription platforms.
Source now TV: about us（HKT） · official publication
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2003-02-20 · 離島（坪洲）
The CEDD completes the Peng Chau development programme, reclaiming about nine hectares and building a sports hall, fire station and more.
Memory The project reclaimed land and built facilities such as a sports centre and fire station, improving Peng Chau's infrastructure.
Background The CEDD announced the completion of the Peng Chau development programme on 20 February 2003, with about nine hectares of land reclaimed and facilities such as a sports hall and a fire station built. Through reclamation the project added usable land to Peng Chau and improved the island's community and infrastructure. Such outlying-island development programmes aimed to raise living conditions for residents and to meet the islands' needs for public facilities. It reflects efforts to improve conditions in outlying communities.
Source DEVB Press Release: completion of Peng Chau development programme（Development Bureau） · official publication
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2003-03-10 · 沙田（威爾斯親王醫院）
The SARS outbreak erupts in Prince of Wales Hospital as healthcare workers fall ill, marking the start of the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong.
Memory The outbreak began in ward 8A of Prince of Wales Hospital, infecting many health workers, and later spread to the community and Amoy Gardens.
Background On 10 March 2003, SARS erupted at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, beginning in ward 8A where many healthcare workers fell ill, marking the start of Hong Kong's epidemic. From the hospital the infection later spread into the wider community, including the Amoy Gardens housing estate. With little prior experience of such a virus, the city faced a fast-moving public-health crisis, and the SARS Expert Committee report recorded the Prince of Wales outbreak and reviewed how infection control and case notification were handled, laying groundwork for later reforms to disease surveillance.
Source SARS Expert Committee Report (Government)（HKSAR Government） · official publication
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2003-04-01
The Securities and Futures Ordinance comes into effect, consolidating securities and futures regulation.
Memory The ordinance consolidated and updated securities and futures law into a single framework for markets and intermediaries.
Background The Securities and Futures Ordinance brought provisions previously spread across separate securities, futures and related ordinances into a single statute, creating one regulatory framework for markets and intermediaries. It consolidated the powers of the Securities and Futures Commission, covering licensing, market conduct and disclosure by listed companies. Before this, securities and futures were governed by different legislation, leaving the industry and investors to work with multiple sets of rules. After consolidation, the basis for enforcement and compliance became clearer, giving the regulator a single set of tools for the market.
Source SFC: Our role（Securities and Futures Commission） · official publication
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2003-06-27 · 薄扶林（數碼港）
Cyberport officially opens as a hub for digital media and technology.
Memory Developed on land reserved by the government at Pok Fu Lam, Cyberport combines offices, retail and community facilities with a digital-media focus.
Background Cyberport officially opened on 27 June 2003 as a hub for digital media and technology. Developed on land reserved by the government at Pok Fu Lam, it combines offices, retail and community facilities with a digital-media focus. It provides a concentrated base for digital entertainment and technology firms and is one of the government's flagship projects in this field. The milestones in Cyberport's annual report record the opening.
Source Cyberport Annual Report (2003 opening milestone)（Hong Kong Cyberport） · official publication
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2003-06-29
The Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) is signed, promoting economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.
Memory The arrangement covers trade in goods and services and investment facilitation, framing economic cooperation between the two places.
Background On 29 June 2003 the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) was signed to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. The arrangement covers trade in goods, trade in services and trade and investment facilitation, providing a framework for economic cooperation between the two places. It marked a step towards making their economic and trade relations more institutional, bringing goods, services and investment facilitation within a single framework. CEPA was signed between the mainland and Hong Kong to lower barriers and facilitate business between them.
Source Hong Kong Yearbook 2021, Chapter 22: History（Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region） · official publication
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2003-12-19 · 上水河上鄉
The Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall at Ho Sheung Heung is declared a monument on 19 December 2003.
Memory The Hau clan ancestral hall reflects the scale and social organisation of a New Territories walled village community.
Background The Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall stands at Ho Sheung Heung in Sheung Shui and is the ancestral hall of the Hau clan. Its scale and layout reflect the organisation and social structure of a New Territories walled village community. Besides honouring ancestors, such halls served as places for clan discussion and for bringing members together. The hall remains a focus of clan identity in the village. It was declared a monument on 19 December 2003, extending statutory protection to a walled village ancestral hall.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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2003-12-20 · 元朗區
The West Rail opens with Yuen Long station among its core stops.
Memory Running from Tuen Mun via Yuen Long, Kam Sheung Road, Tsuen Wan West and Nam Cheong, the West Rail had low early ridership and was later absorbed into the Tuen Ma line.
Background Opened in December 2003, the West Rail ran from Tuen Mun through Yuen Long, Kam Sheung Road and Tsuen Wan West to Nam Cheong, with Yuen Long among its core stops. It gave the north-west New Territories a heavy-rail corridor, differing from the earlier reliance on Tuen Mun Road and buses, though ridership was low in its early years. Later absorbed into the Tuen Ma line as the network integrated, it became an important rail link between the north-west New Territories and the urban area.
Source HK Yearbook 2004: West Rail opens 20 Dec 2003（Government of HKSAR） · official publication
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2004-04-01
The Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) system is fully implemented, requiring all employers and employees to participate in mandatory provident fund schemes.
Memory With joint employer and employee contributions managed by private trustees, the MPF is a key pillar of retirement protection.
Background On 1 April 2004 the Mandatory Provident Fund system was fully implemented, requiring all employers and employees to join a mandatory provident fund scheme. Under the MPF, employer and employee contributions are managed by private trustees, making it an important pillar of retirement protection in Hong Kong. The system gives people in work a layer of compulsory retirement savings and is a main component of Hong Kong's retirement protection framework, alongside other forms of support for the elderly. The MPF was introduced as a compulsory savings scheme to build up retirement resources for people in employment.
Source 20 years of the MPF System（Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority） · official publication
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2004-06-01
The Centre for Health Protection begins operation, monitoring and controlling diseases.
Memory Set up after SARS, the Centre for Health Protection monitors and controls disease and coordinates public-health response.
Background The Centre for Health Protection began operation on 1 June 2004, responsible for monitoring and controlling diseases. Set up after SARS, it monitors and controls disease and coordinates the public-health response. Its establishment responded to the experience of the SARS outbreak. The aim was to strengthen Hong Kong's capacity for disease surveillance and for responding to public-health emergencies. The centre is part of the Department of Health and coordinates the surveillance, investigation, risk assessment and control of communicable diseases.
Source DH press release: Centre for Health Protection begins operation（Department of Health） · official publication
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2004-07-01
Hong Kong marks the seventh anniversary of the handover with celebrations; a large demonstration is also held on the same day.
Memory The day saw both official celebrations and public marches voicing demands, reflecting a diversity of views.
Background On 1 July 2004, the seventh anniversary of the handover, Hong Kong held large-scale celebrations, and a large demonstration was also held the same day to voice demands. Official celebrations and public marches took place on the same day, reflecting a diversity of views in society. The two sets of events took place in the same city on the same public holiday, and the coexistence of celebration and protest on that date illustrated the range of opinions present in Hong Kong at the time.
Source Government press releases (appointments, honours and senior official appointments)（Information Services Department, HKSAR Government） · official publication
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2004-07-01
The Civil Engineering and Development Department is established by merging the Civil Engineering Department and the Territory Development Department.
Memory The CEDD was formed by merging the civil engineering and territory development departments, handling infrastructure and new-town work.
Background The Civil Engineering and Development Department was established on 1 July 2004, formed by merging the Civil Engineering Department and the Territory Development Department. It handles infrastructure works and new-town development, as well as land formation and related works. After the merger, the government placed civil engineering and new-town development work under a single department, streamlining the previous structure and reducing overlap between departments. The new department has since been responsible for major infrastructure and land-supply projects. It also undertakes port and reclamation works.
Source DEVB press release: CED and TDD merger（Development Bureau） · official publication
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2004-07-01
The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer is established to coordinate government IT.
Memory The office coordinates government IT strategy and the delivery of e-government services.
Background The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer was established in 2004 to coordinate the government's information technology strategy and the delivery of e-government services. It took over work previously handled by the Information Technology Services Department, bringing policy coordination and service delivery together in a single office. Bringing these functions under one body allowed departments to follow shared standards when rolling out electronic services. Its creation reflected a move to treat information technology as a cross-departmental function rather than one confined to a single service department.
Source OGCIO to be established on 1 July（Government Press Release） · official publication
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2005 · 旺角（油尖旺）
Langham Place, redeveloped with the Urban Renewal Authority, is completed as a major integrated complex in central Mong Kok.
Memory Built over the redeveloped Argyle Street and Shanghai Street area, it combines mall, offices and hotel and refreshed Mong Kok's commercial face.
Background Langham Place was completed in 2005 as a joint redevelopment by the Urban Renewal Authority and a developer. Built over the old Argyle Street and Shanghai Street area, it combines a shopping mall, offices and a hotel as a major integrated complex in central Mong Kok. The redevelopment helped renew the district's commercial face and changed land use and footfall patterns there. The precise opening date has not been confirmed by a first-hand official source.
Source Urban Renewal Authority: Langham Place Redevelopment（Urban Renewal Authority） · official publication
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2005-08-01 · 大嶼山
The MTR Disneyland Resort Line opens, serving Hong Kong Disneyland.
Memory Branching from Sunny Bay on the Tung Chung line and using themed shuttle trains, it was built solely to serve the park.
Background The MTR Disneyland Resort Line opened on 1 August 2005, branching from Sunny Bay station on the Tung Chung line to Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau. It was built solely to serve the park, its route short and mainly a shuttle, with themed trains running on it. The branch coincided with the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and linked the park into the metro network, making travel there easier for residents and visitors.
Source MTR press release: opening of Disneyland Resort Line（MTR Corporation） · official publication
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2005-09-12
Hong Kong Disneyland officially opens.
Memory The park was built as a joint venture between the HKSAR Government and The Walt Disney Company, becoming part of Lantau’s tourism infrastructure.
Background Hong Kong Disneyland officially opened on 12 September 2005. The park was built as a joint venture between the HKSAR Government and The Walt Disney Company and was sited on Lantau, becoming part of the island's tourism infrastructure. Its opening added a large theme-park attraction to Hong Kong and, together with the nearby airport and other tourism facilities, helped drive the development of tourism on Lantau. Set beside the airport, it forms part of the area's broader tourism cluster serving local and visiting guests.
Source Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: milestones（Hong Kong Disneyland Resort） · official publication
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2006-05-20 · 元朗區
Hong Kong Wetland Park officially opens in Tin Shui Wai.
Memory North of Tin Shui Wai, the park combines an indoor visitor centre with an outdoor wetland reserve for conservation and ecology education.
Background Hong Kong Wetland Park, north of Tin Shui Wai, officially opened in 2006 and combines an indoor visitor centre with an outdoor wetland reserve. Its purpose is to promote wetland conservation and ecology education, letting visitors learn about wetland habitats. Managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, it is a facility blending conservation, education and tourism in the north-west New Territories, and it gives the Tin Shui Wai new town a large green space.
Source Hong Kong Wetland Park (officially opened 20 May 2006)（Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department） · official publication
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2006-09-18 · 大嶼山（離島區）
The Ngong Ping 360 cable car officially opens, linking Tung Chung and Ngong Ping.
Memory Climbing from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping over North Lantau Country Park, it was suspended for months after a cabin fall in 2007.
Background The Ngong Ping 360 cable car officially opened on 18 September 2006, linking Tung Chung with Ngong Ping and passing over North Lantau Country Park, giving passengers views of Lantau from above. The line offered visitors an alternative to road travel for reaching the Big Buddha and the Ngong Ping area, supporting tourism there. In 2007 it was suspended for several months after a cabin fell, then resumed service and has continued to operate.
Source LegCo: Opening of Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2006-11-14 · 黃大仙（鑽石山）
Nan Lian Garden, a Tang-style garden adjoining Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill, opens in November 2006.
Memory Covering about 3.5 hectares in Tang-style timber structures with unusual rocks and old trees, managed by the LCSD.
Background Nan Lian Garden opened in Diamond Hill in November 2006, a Tang-style garden adjoining the Chi Lin Nunnery. Covering about 3.5 hectares, it is built with timber structures, unusual rocks and old trees, and includes a vegetarian restaurant and a tea house, all managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Together with the rebuilding of the nunnery area, the garden brought Tang-style architecture and landscaping into the city, offering a cultural and recreational space laid out on traditional garden principles.
Source LCSD: Nan Lian Garden（Leisure and Cultural Services Department） · official publication
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2006-12-19 · 東區（北角）
Shue Yan College is renamed Hong Kong Shue Yan University, becoming Hong Kong's first private university.
Memory Shue Yan College was retitled a university as Hong Kong's first private one, founded by Dr Chung Chi-yung and Dr Hu Hung-liao.
Background On 19 December 2006 Shue Yan College was renamed Hong Kong Shue Yan University in North Point, becoming the city's first private university. It was founded by Dr Chung Chi-yung and Dr Hu Hung-liao, who had long run it as a private post-secondary institution. For years the college operated without public funding, and the grant of university title marked formal recognition that a private college could achieve full university status in Hong Kong, reflecting the founders' sustained effort to build a degree-granting institution.
Source HKSYU: university profile（Hong Kong Shue Yan University） · official publication
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2007 · 觀塘區
The Urban Renewal Authority launches the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment, its largest project.
Memory Covering the Yue Man Square area with large-scale acquisition and relocation, it was the URA's largest single redevelopment.
Background In 2007 the Urban Renewal Authority began the statutory planning process for the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment; the authority's annual report gives only the year, and the exact date cannot be verified. Covering the Yue Man Square area and involving large-scale acquisition and relocation, it was the URA's largest single redevelopment project to date. The project also involved arrangements for relocating residents and traders in the district and reshaped how the old district was to be replanned.
Source URA Annual Report 2006/07 (Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment)（Urban Renewal Authority） · official publication
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2007 · 中環（愛丁堡廣場）
Queen's Pier is dismantled for the Central Reclamation and its components salvaged, sparking one of Hong Kong's pivotal heritage debates.
Memory A former ferry pier in the Central reclamation area, its demolition sparked conservation protests and a heritage-grading dispute.
Background Queen's Pier was a ferry pier beside Edinburgh Place in Central. To make way for the third phase of the Central Reclamation, it was dismantled in 2007, with its components salvaged for possible reassembly later. Conservationists protested at the site during the demolition and disputed the pier's heritage grading. The case became one of Hong Kong's pivotal heritage debates, drawing wider public attention to the trade-offs between keeping older structures and carrying out urban development. Its fate was later cited in discussions about how historic structures are handled during large reclamation projects.
Source LegCo panel paper (Queen's Pier)（Legislative Council） · official publication
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2007 · 八鄉上村（元朗區）
The Chik Kwai Study Hall at Pat Heung is declared a monument in 2007.
Memory A clan study hall of the Lai family, reflecting the New Territories' emphasis on private schooling.
Background The Chik Kwai Study Hall at Sheung Tsuen, Pat Heung, was built by the Lai clan as a place for teaching pupils, an example of the private family schools once common in the New Territories. Such study halls were usually funded by clans to teach their children to read and write, and pupils there studied classical texts in preparation for examinations. In 2007 the Antiquities and Monuments Office declared the hall a monument, recognising its value as evidence of the region's tradition of clan-based schooling.
Source Declared monuments in Hong Kong（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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2007-02-14
The Hong Kong Memory project is announced, aiming to preserve Hong Kong history and cultural heritage digitally.
Memory Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and built with universities and museums, it became a digital repository of oral histories and archives.
Background The Hong Kong Memory project was announced on 14 February 2007, aiming to preserve Hong Kong's history and cultural heritage in digital form. Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and built collaboratively by several universities and museums, it gathered and digitised scattered documents, photographs and oral histories. It later became a digital treasure house for the public and researchers seeking Hong Kong source materials, extending the work of local archival preservation.
Source Gov News: launch of the Hong Kong Memory project（HKSAR Government Press Release） · official publication
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2007-07-01
Hong Kong marks the 10th anniversary of the handover with major celebrations attended by President Hu Jintao.
Memory The tenth anniversary featured a flag-raising, cultural performances and celebrations, attended by the national president.
Background On 1 July 2007, the tenth anniversary of the handover, Hong Kong held major celebrations attended by President Hu Jintao. The tenth anniversary featured a flag-raising ceremony, cultural performances and large-scale celebration events, with the national president visiting Hong Kong for the occasion. It was the tenth year since the handover, and the occasion was marked with a series of official activities that ran alongside the flag-raising and performances. The anniversary was one of the territory's major official observances of the handover.
Source Government press releases (appointments, honours and senior official appointments)（Information Services Department, HKSAR Government） · official publication
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2007-10-01
The rail-merger franchise takes effect on 2 December 2007, merging the two rail operators into MTR.
Memory On the merger the KCR network passed to the MTR Corporation, renamed MTR, with fares and interchange arrangements progressively unified.
Background The rail-merger franchise took effect on 2 December 2007, merging Hong Kong's two rail operators into MTR. On the merger the Kowloon-Canton Railway network passed to the MTR Corporation, which was renamed MTR, and fares and interchange arrangements were progressively unified. The merger ordinance had been passed by the Legislative Council in June 2007, with the franchise taking effect on 2 December. This turned the local rail system from two operators into a single network.
Source Railway Network (July 2022)（Transport and Logistics Bureau） · official publication
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2007-12-02
The merger of the two railways takes effect, with KCR merged into MTR.
Memory On the merger's effect, the KCR network passed to MTR, with fares and concessions progressively unified.
Background With the merger concession taking effect on 2 December 2007, the KCR network came under the operation of the MTR Corporation, ending the long period in which two separate companies ran Hong Kong's railways. The merger was implemented through a service concession, with the government acting both as regulator and as the MTR's major shareholder. After the networks were integrated, fares, interchange arrangements and concessions across the two former systems were progressively unified. This narrowed the differences passengers faced when travelling across the old boundary between the two railways.
Source Railway Network (July 2022)（Transport and Logistics Bureau） · official publication
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2008-09-15
The collapse of Lehman Brothers triggers the global financial tsunami; Hong Kong's economy is hit and the government introduces stabilization measures.
Memory It triggered the Lehman minibond saga; the government later used the Exchange Fund to guarantee bank deposits in full and brokered a bank buy-back of the minibonds.
Background On 15 September 2008 the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial tsunami, hitting Hong Kong's economy and prompting the government to introduce a range of stabilisation measures. The failure triggered the Lehman minibond saga; the government later used the Exchange Fund to guarantee bank deposits in full and brokered a bank buy-back of the minibonds. The financial tsunami put pressure on Hong Kong's financial markets and investor confidence and formed the background to the government's intervention to steady the financial system.
Source Hong Kong Yearbook 2021, Chapter 22: History（Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region） · official publication
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2008-10-14
The government announces a full guarantee on all bank deposits to prevent bank runs during the financial tsunami.
Memory During the financial tsunami the government used the Exchange Fund to guarantee all bank deposits in full until the end of 2010, steadying depositors and averting runs.
Background On 14 October 2008 the government announced a full guarantee on all bank deposits to prevent bank runs during the financial tsunami. During the crisis the government used the Exchange Fund to guarantee all bank deposits in full until the end of 2010, steadying depositors' confidence and averting runs. The guarantee was intended to reassure savers at a time of acute market stress, and the measure was part of the steps taken after the collapse of Lehman Brothers to stabilise the banking system and depositor confidence.
Source About the HKMA（Hong Kong Monetary Authority） · official publication
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2009 · 全港
Yueju (Cantonese opera) is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.
Memory The first Hong Kong element on the UNESCO list, jointly held by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
Background Cantonese opera is a traditional form of Chinese theatre that combines singing, acting, recitation and martial movement, and it is performed widely in Cantonese-speaking communities. In 2009 it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a joint nomination by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. It was the first Hong Kong element to reach the UNESCO list. The listing recognised the art form's long history and its continuing practice across the region, and it is now treated as shared cultural heritage by the three places.
Source Intangible Cultural Heritage Office: Hong Kong ICH list and representative list（Intangible Cultural Heritage Office） · official publication
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2009 · 沙田（沙田區）
The Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin is rated a Grade II historic building in 2009; the temple is over two hundred years old.
Memory Dating back more than two centuries, the old Che Kung Temple was rated a Grade II historic building in 2009, closely tied to the Che Kung festival and the New Year wheel-turning custom.
Background In 2009 the old Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin was rated a Grade II historic building. The temple dates back more than two hundred years and has long been a focus of worship in the Sha Tin area. At the Che Kung festival and around Chinese New Year, people visit the temple and turn the wheel of fortune to seek blessings, a custom closely tied to this building. The grading affirms the temple's architectural and historical value and highlights how folk festivals and religious sites are intertwined.
Source AMO: historic building grading（Antiquities and Monuments Office） · official publication
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2009-04-30 · 灣仔（灣仔區）
On 30 April 2009 the Government gazettes resumption of a private lot at Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, to implement the Blue House cluster revitalisation.
Memory Part of the Revitalising Historic Buildings scheme, operated on the "keep occupants in place" model.
Background On 30 April 2009 the Government gazetted the resumption of a private lot at Stone Nullah Lane in Wan Chai to carry out revitalisation of the Blue House cluster. The project belongs to the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme and is notable for operating on a 'keep occupants in place' model, letting existing residents stay rather than clearing the site for a single new use. This approach links conservation with community life and offered an alternative reference for later work in older districts.
Source DEVB: Blue House building cluster revitalisation (land resumption)（Development Bureau） · official publication
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2009-12 · 葵青（昂船洲大橋，八號幹線）
Stonecutters Bridge opens — a cable-stayed bridge of 1,018-metre main span linking Tsing Yi and West Kowloon.
Memory Part of Route 8 linking Tsing Yi and West Kowloon, the bridge is a key crossing serving the container port and the city.
Background Stonecutters Bridge opened in December 2009 as a cable-stayed bridge with a 1,018-metre main span linking Tsing Yi and West Kowloon. Part of Route 8, it is a key crossing serving the container port and the city. The bridge connects the two shores of Tsing Yi and West Kowloon and provides a crucial harbour-crossing section of Route 8. The Highways Department's Stonecutters Bridge fact sheet records the opening.
Source HyD Fact Sheet: Stonecutters Bridge（Highways Department） · official publication
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2009-12-18 · 沙田山廈圍（沙田區）
Tsang Tai Uk (Shan Ha Wai) in Sha Tin is confirmed as a Grade 1 historic building on 18 December 2009.
Memory A large granite-and-brick Hakka walled village of the Tsang clan, with intact defensive layout.
Background Tsang Tai Uk, also known as Shan Ha Wai in Sha Tin, is a large walled village built by the Hakka Tsang clan between 1847 and 1867. Constructed in grey brick and granite, it still preserves an intact defensive layout typical of walled villages of the period. On 18 December 2009, as part of its assessment of 1,444 historic buildings, the Antiquities Advisory Board confirmed it as a Grade 1 historic building. The grading, the highest for historic buildings, reflects the site's heritage value.
Source Antiquities Advisory Board: Results of assessment of 1,444 historic buildings（Antiquities Advisory Board） · official publication
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