The ‘Study on strategic policy to promote SMEs’ participation in government procurement’ analyses SMEs’ current opportunities and challenges arising from public procurement. With reference to practices in South Korea and the U.K., the Centre makes policy recommendations to generate more business opportunities for SMEs, and thus facilitating the sustainable growth of local economy and maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness. 

Some cities encourage people to use bicycle as an alternative to public transport after the coronavirus outbreak. Although there are many cyclists in Hong Kong, their right to use the road remains controversial among the public. Can cycling become a means of transportation in Hong Kong?

Over the past two decades, Hong Kong has experienced extreme heat more frequently, which in turn exposed outdoor workers to an increasing risk of heat exhaustion. Can the existing labour regulations fully protect the rights of these workers?

George Floyd, an African American, died after a police officer pressed a knee to his neck during an arrest. The tragic death has sparked a wave of demonstrations against racism and police brutality in some countries. A series of incidents shows that prolonged social unrests may occur if racial conflicts are not effectively resolved. Hong Kong is a home for hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities. However, some of them are being discriminated because of their race. What should we do to create an inclusive environment?

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again placed the spotlight on the risk of our over-reliance on the city’s public healthcare services. Although part of the services can be shared by the private sector and primary healthcare service providers, some obstacles have to be removed in advance.

Looking back on the history, many cities changed their appearance by urban planning after plague to prevent the return of epidemics. One example was the expansion of Hong Kong’s official urban planning standards to incorporate guidelines on air ventilation for the purpose of improving wind penetration through the city fabric after the SARS outbreak in 2003. As a post-coronavirus prediction, three possible transformations in urban planning may take place.