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New fathers in Hong Kong will enjoy up to five days of statutory paternity leave from next year after a fierce debate in the city's legislature on Thursday.
The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2018, which will become effective before Lunar New Year in February, was passed with 54 votes, four abstentions and one objection.
Pan-democratic lawmakers were unhappy with the change - from three days to five - but their counterproposals to raise it to seven days were voted down.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Dr. Law Chi-kwong, who led the effort to extend paternity benefits, came under fire for his take-it-or-leave-it attitude after warning the bill would be withdrawn if the counterproposals were approved.
Law dismissed a suggestion the government could subsidise employers for the cost of two extra days, so the paternity leave could be lengthened to seven days.
International examples had shown employers had less incentive to hire women if they had to pay for extra leave, but the same did not apply to men, Law said.