Hong Kong expands anti-bribery law to cover industrial park firm
Hong Kong has gazetted an order designating the Industrial Park Company as a public body under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, subjecting its directors and employees to stricter anti-graft rules from 29 January 2027.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on 6 November 2026 gazetted the Prevention of Bribery (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2026, which designates the Industrial Park Company as a public body under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The order means all directors and employees of the company's board will become public servants under the ordinance and face stricter regulation in dealings related to the company's work, including a ban on soliciting or accepting any advantage. Persons who have business dealings with the company will also be subject to the ordinance's relevant provisions; bribery and corruption transactions involving public bodies and public servants in various circumstances will constitute offences.
A spokesperson for the development authority said the Industrial Park Company is wholly owned by the government through the Financial Secretary Incorporated and is responsible for developing and operating the Hung Shui Chiu Industrial Park to accelerate industrial introduction in the Northern Metropolis (North City). Given the company's public function of attracting investment to the North City and its need to deal with third parties, including it as a public body regulated by the ordinance is in the public interest. The spokesperson noted that Schedule 1 of the ordinance already specifies more than 140 public bodies, including some similar institutions responsible for promoting industrial development.
The order will be tabled for members' scrutiny at the Legislative Council meeting on 11 November 2026 (Wednesday). After the legislature completes the 'tabling first, scrutiny later' procedure, the order will take effect from 29 January 2027.