
Hong Kong's Population Remained Stagnant
Hong Kong's population was 7,527,500 in the middle of the year, remaining virtually unchanged from a year earlier, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced on Thursday.
Among the total population at mid-2025, 7,247,600 were usual residents. A net inflow of 18,200 Hong Kong residents was recorded during the period from mid-2024 to mid-2025. Over the same period, there were 35,200 births and 50,000 deaths, resulting in a natural decrease of 14,800, according to the Census and Statistics Department of the HKSAR government.
A spokesperson for the HKSAR government pointed out that Hong Kong continues to benefit from various measures on talent attraction and labor importation.
Over the past few years, many people have moved to Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland and other places around the world. This has offset the impact of natural population decrease, stabilizing the overall population in mid-2025, which increased over 180,000 compared to mid-2022, the spokesperson said.

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As the table data indicates, the global waste incinerator market is, on one hand, represented by traditional giants such as Hitachi Zosen (predecessor of Kanadevia) and MARTIN GmbH, which hold a certain market share with their century-old technological expertise and global project experience. On the other hand, Chinese companies such as SUS ENVIRONMENT, Sanfeng Environment, and Everbright Environment have rapidly emerged as 'rising stars' with their localized innovation and large-scale production advantages. MARTIN GmbH vs. Hitachi Zosen Two Traditional Giants Meet As Equals Before the rise of the waste incineration industry in China, grate technology developed by MARTIN GmbH was among most widely used and most effective waste-to-energy equipment technologies worldwide, particularly in countries with high waste generation. MARTIN GmbH's SITY2000 reciprocating reverse-pushing inclined grate furnace technology features high combustion efficiency, advanced flue gas emission control, broad adaptability to varying waste calorific values, and a high degree of automation. In terms of application, Martin grate furnaces have been covered in many countries and regions around the world, with a processing capacity of 262,612 tonnes per day. Japanese brands, represented by Hitachi Zosen, have been rivaling with MARTIN GmbH's grate technology. Known for its highly efficient and stable combustion technology and strict environmental standards, Hitachi Zosen's core technology originates from the Swiss VonRoll reciprocating mechanical grate design. Globally, Hitachi Zosen's grate furnaces have accumulated more than 500 incineration lines, covering China, Japan, Europe and beyond — with a particularly dominant presence in the European market in recent years. Kanadevia in the table refers to the former Hitachi Zosen Corporation, while Kanadevia Inova is Kanadevia's European subsidiary, and Steinmüller was acquired and merged by Kanadevia Inova in 2022. Innovation Leading the World SUS ENVIRONMENT, Sanfeng, and Everbright Hit the Market with 'Made in China' In recent years, the high speed development of China's waste incineration industry and the increasing number of Chinese companies expanding overseas have changed the competitive landscape of the waste incinerator market. It is indicated that by 2025, China's waste-to-energy installed capacity accounts for more than 60% of the global total, with domestic enterprises achieving parity — and in many areas surpassing — international competitors in terms of technology research and development, scenario adaptation, cost control, and environmental protection, etc. Among them, SUS ENVIRONMENT, at the beginning of its establishment, signed a technology transfer agreement with Hitachi Zosen Corporation. Based on the characteristics of China's waste, it absorbed and re-innovated the 'VonRoll Hitachi Zosen mechanical grate furnace' technology, and finally formed a full series of technologies and equipment capable of handling waste with calorific values ranging from low to high, and covering everything from small-scale incinerators to ultra-large-scale incinerators. After achieving domestic production, SUS ENVIRONMENT developed large-tonnage grate systems and high calorific value treatment technologies with independent intellectual property rights, greatly improving the scale and efficiency of the equipment. It took the lead in launching a single-line 750- tonne per day SUS ENVIRONMENT grate furnace, which became the largest single incinerator in China at the time. Since then, it has continuously broken records. By the end of 2021, it completed the research, development, production and operation of the China's first 1,000-tonne per day single-unit incinerator. Meanwhile, SUS Environment has been driving the development and iteration and of ultra-high-pressure waste heat boilers, external reheating technologies, and pollutant control technologies. It has also applied artificial intelligence technology to the waste incineration industry, establishing a mature technological system in areas such as intelligent combustion optimization, high-efficiency waste-to-energy conversion, carbon-pollution synergistic control, and AI digital twins, positioning itself at the forefront of global waste-to-energy and thermal utilization system solutions. Currently, SUS Environment's equipment and technologies have been applied in over 300 incineration plants, with a daily treating capacity exceeding 300,000 tonnes, making it the global market share leader in waste incineration equipment and technology supply. With investment operations across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, along with 11 global representative offices, the company possesses localized long-term service advantages. Another Chinese company, Sanfeng Environment, has undergone roughly three stages in technological innovation for waste incineration: In 2000, it introduced the complete SITY2000 waste-to-energy and flue gas treatment technology from MARTIN GmbH, achieving localization through learning, absorption, and domestic adaptation, leading to projects like Tongxing and Fumiaoling. From 2007 to 2015, based on the imported technology, it conducted re-innovation research and development to adapt to the evolving demands of China's waste incineration market and the changing characteristics of domestic waste, ultimately achieving stable combustion. Since 2016, through pioneering innovations in large-scale grate furnaces, efficient waste heat utilization, pollutant control, and ultra-low emissions, Sanfeng Environment has developed its clean and efficient waste incineration technology. Furthermore, Sanfeng Environment has successfully implemented an AI-powered intelligent incineration system for municipal solid waste by incorporating advanced artificial intelligence technologies such as big data analytics and machine learning. Currently, Sanfeng Environment's core technologies and equipment have been applied in over 260 waste-to-energy projects across China as well as multiple countries including the United States, India, Ethiopia, Thailand, and Vietnam. With a daily treatment capacity of more than 230,000 tonnes of domestic waste, its incinerator equipment continues to lead the domestic market share of incinerator equipment. Everbright Environment, another domestic leading waste incineration company, also laid its foundation by studying advanced foreign technologies in its early stages. It successively established technology research and development centers and technology development companies in Shenzhen and Beijing, initiating market-oriented independent research and development to fully achieve 'Made in China' status for waste-to-energy technology and equipment. In October 2010, Everbright's first independently manufactured 400-tonne per day multi-stage hydraulic mechanical municipal solid waste incinerator was successfully commissioned at the Jiangyin project. In 2011, Everbright Environmental Technology Equipment (Changzhou) Ltd. was established to accelerate technology commercialization. By 2014, Everbright's self-developed series of multi-stage hydraulic mechanical grate furnaces (including 300, 350, 400, 500 and 750 tonnes per day models) obtained EU CE certification, marking all Everbright incinerators meeting EU safety standards and qualifying for export to European markets. As of June 2024, Everbright Environment has cumulatively produced and sold 567 sets of municipal solid waste incinerators, with its service coverage extending to 26 provinces and municipalities across China, over 220 regions, as well as overseas markets including Ethiopia, Vietnam, India, Thailand, and Bulgaria. Overall, the global waste-to-energy equipment market currently exhibits a diversified landscape. European and Japanese brands maintain stable market positions through their heritage and widespread recognition, while Chinese brands are gaining increasing visibility and acceptance in international markets due to technological innovation and cost advantages, playing an increasingly influential role in the global market.


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