Proposed Criminal Penalties for Bid-Rigging in Hong Kong
香港擬對串謀投標採取刑事處罰
Introduction
The Competition Commission is currently reviewing changes to the law to make bid-rigging a criminal offense rather than a civil violation.
競爭事務委員會目前正在審視法律修訂，旨在將串謀投標由民事違規改為刑事罪行。
Main Body
This regulatory change was caused by serious problems in how residential maintenance contracts are awarded. For example, a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in November, which caused 168 casualties, revealed suspected corruption and illegal agreements between bidders. Furthermore, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn stated that the Independent Commission Against Corruption received 24 complaints about bid-rigging in building maintenance in 2025, which is double the number of complaints from 2021.
這次監管變革是由於住宅維修工程發包過程出現嚴重問題。例如，11月旺福苑發生的一場導致168人死傷的致命火災，揭露了投標者之間涉嫌貪汙及非法協議。此外，發展局局長林婉儀表示，廉政公署在2025年收到24宗關於大廈維修串謀投標的投訴，是2021年的兩倍。
Currently, the Competition Commission can only issue fines, which means it must hand over cases involving organized crime, such as triads, to the police. To solve this problem, Chairperson Jat Sew-tong has suggested a maximum prison sentence of seven years. Additionally, the government is considering a new rule for large tenders where bidders must sign a legal declaration. If a person provides false information in this document, they would face criminal charges.
目前競爭事務委員會僅能開出罰單，這意味著涉及三合會等有組織犯罪的案件必須移交警方處理。為解決此問題，主席葉紹棠建議最高可判處七年監禁。此外，政府正考慮針對大型招標推出新規定，要求投標者簽署法律聲明。若有人在該文件中提供虛假資訊，將面臨刑事指控。
The Commission has already discussed these changes with Chief Executive John Lee and the Hong Kong Bar Association. In a separate effort to be more open, the Commission announced that the public will be allowed to attend certain meetings starting in July.
委員會已與行政長官李家強及香港律師會討論這些變動。此外，為了提高透明度，委員會宣布自7月起將允許公眾出席部分會議。
Conclusion
The Commission plans to present these legal changes by the end of the legislative year to strongly discourage companies from engaging in bid-rigging.
委員會計劃在本立法年度結束前提出這些法律修訂，以強烈威懾公司不要串謀投標。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The "Upgrade" Shift: Moving from A2 Simple to B2 Sophisticated
At the A2 level, we describe things using basic verbs like make, give, or do. But to reach B2, you need precise verbs that describe official actions. Let's look at how the text transforms simple ideas into professional language.
🛠 The Precision Swap
Instead of saying "the government is changing the law," the text uses: "Reviewing changes to the law"
Why this is B2: "Reviewing" implies a careful, professional examination. It's not just a change; it's a process.
⚖️ The "Official" Vocabulary Bank
Look at these specific pairs from the article. Stop using the word on the left; start using the word on the right:
- ❌ Wrong/Fake False (e.g., "False information")
- ❌ Stop/Prevent Discourage (e.g., "Strongly discourage companies")
- ❌ Give/Tell Issue (e.g., "Issue fines")
- ❌ Start/Begin Engaging in (e.g., "Engaging in bid-rigging")
🧠 Logic Connectors: Building a Bridge
An A2 student uses "And" or "But". A B2 student uses Transition Markers to guide the reader through a complex argument.
Found in the text:
- "Furthermore" Use this instead of "Also" when adding a serious point to an argument.
- "Additionally" Use this to add a new piece of information to a list of facts.
Pro Tip: When you want to sound more academic, avoid starting sentences with "And." Try "Furthermore, [Subject] [Verb]..."