HONG KONG, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) - China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government has recently introduced a number of measures to address the challenges of the current economic environment and alleviate unemployment in Hong Kong.

File photo: VCG

Law Chi-kwong, secretary for Labor and Welfare, and Yau Tang-wah, secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, announced on Friday the measures to improve the employment situation and support the tourism sector.

A special program that allows employees to upgrade their skills and learn about other industries is open for enrolment from October. This program aims to help employees affected amid current economic challenges to change job, according to Law.

Law said that Hong Kong's unemployment figures for the latest quarter showed significant increases in the unemployment rates in tourism, catering and retail sectors, and he hoped the program would ease unemployment or underemployment in various sectors.

Yau said that Hong Kong's tourism industry is facing a tough time, with the number of visitors to Hong Kong has dropped 30 percent since early September.

The SAR government is taking a multi-pronged approach to tackle the downturn, for instance, exempting certain fees and charges and providing subsidies for tourism sector, Yau added.

The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) also announced on Wednesday a series of measures, which include enhancement of some funding arrangements and freeze of fees, to ease the funding problems when the small and medium enterprises and start-ups carry out projects, and help them control their operating costs.

Wong Kam-sing, secretary for the Environment, said on Wednesday that the SAR government will grant a 50 percent rent reduction for tenants of EcoPark, a facility for recycling industry, for six months, starting from October.