
Hong Kong to regulate ride-hailing firms as early as first half of 2026, eyes levy
But authorities have stressed that taxis must also be allowed to survive and that ride-hailing platforms must abide by a set of standards and responsibilities, according to a much-awaited paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Tuesday ahead of a panel discussion on Friday.
Setting out the direction of the proposed legal framework governing drivers, vehicles and operators of ride-hailing platforms, the Transport and Logistics Bureau also unveiled a plan for the government to have a share of the income.
A highlight of the regulatory framework is that the government plans to charge the platforms a levy on each trip, similar to that of Australia at A$1.20 (78 US cents) per hire on ride-hailing and taxi services, to compensate cabbies affected by the legalisation of online ride-sharing firms.
Companies will also need to pay a platform licensing fee based on the number of vehicles they operate.
Operators of ride-hailing platforms and drivers will be subject to renewable licences every five years, and vehicles annually, to prevent the speculative trading that is rampant in the taxi trade.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong public universities agree to return more funding if asked
Hong Kong's eight public universities have promised to return more recurrent funding allocated to them if asked by the government within the next three academic years and to follow Beijing's guidance. In new documents signed with their funding body, the universities also agreed that the government had the right to reduce the amount of their regular allocation if they failed to meet their commitments or had any major deficiency in institutional governance. The University Grants Committee (UGC), a government advisory body that allocates funding for higher education institutions, uploaded the university accountability agreements it signed with each institution in June. In an unprecedented move in February, the government revealed in its budget that the eight public universities would be asked to return HK$4 billion (US$509.6 million) from their reserves that they had saved from previous government funding. Earlier, university chiefs had indicated a willingness to do so. The budget also stated that authorities would only offer the eight public universities HK$68.1 billion in the coming three school years, falling short of the HK$70.9 billion proposed by the UGC, resulting in a 4 per cent average reduction rate. The new clauses specified that the government would not only be allowed to claw back the money, but also exert fuller control of the funding granted to the universities.


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China shows off latest AI innovations at international conference in Shanghai
Read more here: The World Artificial Intelligence Conference opened in Shanghai on July 26, 2025, with Chinese Big Tech companies stepping up their rivalry in the field. Among the event highlights was the launch of two new AI models by China's Tencent Holdings and Hong Kong-based SenseTime. The annual conference welcomed about 1,200 representatives from around the world, as China seeks to become the leader in the fast-evolving sector.


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong exports rise 11.9%, with strong showing in mainland China, Asia markets
Hong Kong's exports jumped by 11.9 per cent in June from a year ago, with the government attributing the sustained performance to the continued expansion of sales to mainland China and other Asian markets while trade with the West fell. Advertisement Growth tapered off from a 15.5 per cent year-on-year increase in May, as exports to the United States and European Union declined in June amid the ongoing US-China trade war. The value of total exports reached HK$$417.8 billion (US$53.5 billion) in June, the Census and Statistics Department said on Monday. A government spokesman said exports to the mainland and other Asian markets continued to 'expand visibly', while those to the US and EU fell. 'Looking ahead, the sustained steady growth in various Asian economies, in particular, the mainland economy, as well as Hong Kong's enhanced economic and trade ties with different markets, should continue to support merchandise trade performance,' the spokesman said. Advertisement 'Nonetheless, the outlook of global trade policy is still uncertain. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely and stay vigilant.'