HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR Government Press Releaseshttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/today.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/rss/rss_logo_en.gifHKSAR Government Press Releaseshttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/today.htmHKSAR Government - Press Releasesen-UKCopyright, HKSAR Governmentirc@isd.gov.hkThu, 25 Jan 2024 09:46:03 GMTTue, 12 Jul 2016 11:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[HKETONY and InvestHK join hands to promote business opportunities in Hong Kong (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500040.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500040.htmThu, 25 Jan 2024 08:20:00 +0800
     The event, hosted by the Hong Kong Association of New York was attended by guests from various sectors, including business, finance, legal and trade.

     In her welcome remarks, the Director of HKETONY, Ms Maisie Ho, gave the guests an update on the latest economic situation and developments in Hong Kong, and highlighted the city's role as a major global financial centre, the world's largest offshore renminbi business hub, an international asset and wealth management centre and a start-up hub, as well as one of the best places for high-net-worth individuals to set up family office.

     "Hong Kong is a city full of opportunities. As an international business hub and premier gateway to Mainland China, Hong Kong is an ideal partner for global enterprise and investment in Asia", she said.

     Ms Ho's points were reiterated by the Head of International Business Development of InvestHK, Ms Alison Tsui, who shared with the guests her insights on doing business in Hong Kong, highlighting the city's unique advantages, its energised startup ecosystems and the latest initiatives on attracting companies and talents.

]]><![CDATA[CHP reminds public on precautions against cold weather]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500024.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500024.htmThu, 25 Jan 2024 06:46:00 +0800
     A spokesman for the CHP said that cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases, especially among the elderly and persons suffering from heart disease, respiratory illness or other chronic illnesses.

     "Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker. Their body may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather," the spokesman said.

     Some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can in turn impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat. Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes and endocrine disorders may undermine the health of elderly people and lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their body to generate less heat. Persons with chronic illnesses such as chronic respiratory illnesses or heart disease are vulnerable to disease aggravation due to cold weather.

     The CHP reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures:

Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks accordingly;
Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;
Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
Use heaters with care, and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and
Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.

     In addition, the public should avoid alcoholic beverages.

     "Drinking alcohol cannot keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead," the spokesman said.

     "Parents should ensure that babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies relatively lightly clothed to avoid overheating them," the spokesman added.

     Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:

Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature;
Always place babies on their back to sleep. Leave their head, face and arms uncovered during sleep;
Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding;
Let babies sleep in a cot placed in the parents' room and near their bed; and
Maintain a smoke-free environment.

     In addition, seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccination early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP's website.

     A person who gets influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may be more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. Influenza vaccination may reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation and the length of stay. It is important for elderly persons, especially those residing in residential care homes, to receive both seasonal influenza vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination. They should also receive an additional booster against COVID-19 according to recommendations as soon as possible. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against respiratory illnesses and note the following:

Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;
Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
Maintain good indoor ventilation;
When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hot pot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken:

Wash hands before handling and consuming food;
Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food;
Wash and cook all food thoroughly;
Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub vegetables with hard surfaces with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from the surface and crevices;
Shrimps should be fully cooked until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque;
For shellfish such as scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove internal organs;
Most hot pot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees Celsius or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below;
Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hot pot; and
Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

     In addition, when using fuel-burning appliances, especially in indoor areas, the public should ensure adequate ventilation to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning.

     For more health information, the public may call the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP's website and Facebook Fanpage.

     The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecast, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.]]><![CDATA[Employers and employees should take precautions during cold weather]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500021.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/25/P2024012500021.htmThu, 25 Jan 2024 06:45:00 +0800
     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Cold Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Cold Weather Warning is in force, they should take appropriate precautions such as reminding employees who have to work outdoors or in remote areas to wear appropriately warm clothing, and make arrangements for employees to rotate from outdoor to indoor or sheltered work sites as far as possible. Employees should take note of the weather report, wear appropriately warm clothing and be mindful of their health conditions. They should notify their supervisors and seek medical help immediately if feeling unwell, such as having cold limbs and body shivering.]]><![CDATA[SFST meets with overseas senior officials and European Commission's representatives during Asian Financial Forum (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400801.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400801.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 22:06:00 +0800
They included the Minister of Finance of Qatar, Mr Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari; the Minister of Finance of Egypt, Dr Mohamed Maait; and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Egypt, Professor Hala El Said. All of them met with Mr Hui during the latter's visit to Qatar and Egypt in September last year.

Mr Hui said, "This year, AFF returns in full physical format since we have emerged from the COVID pandemic. Over 3 000 financial experts and leaders from across the globe participates in this mega event, with over a hundred of them joining as speakers. It is my great pleasure to come together with some of them again. By telling the good stories of Hong Kong overseas, our unique advantages could arouse the interest of influential leaders to come here for forging closer ties and tapping more opportunities.

"The announcement by the People's Bank of China (PBoC) on a series of measures which deepen the financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong is another major event relating to the development of Hong Kong's financial industry today. The new measures enhance the existing Bond Connect and Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect arrangements, as well as facilitating payment arrangements for purchasing properties, promoting co-operation on credit referencing and cross-boundary e-CNY. The new measures bring new opportunities for Hong Kong's financial sector. The HKSAR Government and financial regulators will continue to maintain close communication with the PBoC and relevant Mainland authorities to implement the various policy measures on enhancing financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong."

During the respective meetings, Mr Hui discussed with the ministers about the financial co-operation opportunities. These include encouraging Qatar financial institutions to set up in Hong Kong for asset and wealth management. For Egypt, they could make use of Hong Kong's Islamic finance infrastructure and the role as a major capital formation centre to raise fund.

Mr Hui met as well with the Deputy Director-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union of the European Commission, Dr Alexandra Jour-Schroeder. Mr Hui gave Dr Jour-Schroeder an update of Hong Kong's development in areas such as green and sustainable finance and fintech since their meeting in Brussels, Belgium in April last year. Mr Hui said Hong Kong will continue to develop into a green fintech hub by better integrating fintech with green finance, and accelerating the green transformation of the economy.

Mr Hui also updated Dr Jour-Schroeder Hong Kong's continuous efforts in refining the tax regime to counter cross-border tax avoidance and prevent double non-taxation, thus bringing Hong Kong's foreign-sourced income exemption (FSIE) regime in line with the latest requirements of the European Union.

Tomorrow (Jan 25), Mr Hui will meet with the delegation from the World Alliance of International Financial Centers led by their Managing Director, Dr Jochen Biedermann. The delegation, composed of representatives from Kazakhstan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Qatar and the United Kingdom, will exchange with Mr Hui on issues of mutual concern such as the latest market trend of green and sustainable finance.

]]><![CDATA[Asian Financial Forum explores strategies on sustainable economic development and opportunities of multilateral co-operation (with photos/videos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400767.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400767.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 21:40:00 +0800
Being the first large-scale international financial and business event in the region this year, the forum assembled more than 3,000 financial officials, representatives of central banks and regulators, senior executives from international financial and multilateral organisations, financial and business leaders and leading economists from over 40 countries or regions to shed light on hot topics such as opportunities in Mainland China, investment prospects, green finance, fintech, family office ecosystem, Renminbi internationalisation and development of the Greater Bay Area, reflecting Hong Kong's strengths as an international financial centre from various perspectives.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, addressed the opening session this morning. The Minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, Mr Li Yunze, delivered special remarks. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, welcomed participants at the keynote luncheon and the cocktail reception in the evening today.

Addressing the opening session, Mr Lee pointed out that this was the first time for the Forum to be held entirely in person since 2020, and noted that thousands of high-profile financiers and investors, international policymakers and business leaders, technology innovators and entrepreneurs, academics and professionals took part in the forum to get informed intelligence and insight on the global and regional economies as well as investment prospects.

"Under the 'one country, two systems' principle, Hong Kong can create opportunities for companies, and economies, in Asia and around the world. We can, and we will, contribute to realising a bright and shared future for the global community. 'One country, two systems', and the far-reaching opportunities it brings to us, has enabled Hong Kong's financial sector to thrive despite the considerable challenges we face," he added. Mr Lee invited participants from around the world to see for themselves Hong Kong's new development opportunities and enjoy the experiential activities around town specially provided by the forum.

Mr Li, in his speech, noted that Hong Kong is a globally renowned international financial centre with significant advantages in economic freedom, depth of financial market, internationalised legal environment and talent pool. He added that the National Financial Regulatory Administration will continue to strengthen bilateral regulatory co-operation with Hong Kong, promote higher-level opening up to Hong Kong and Macao under the framework of CEPA, and fully support Hong Kong to leverage its unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, so as to continuously reinforce and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. The initiatives include further deepening the connectivity between the financial markets in the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao; enhancing opening up of Mainland's banking and insurance sectors to Hong Kong and Macao; supporting Hong Kong in consolidating its role as a global offshore Renminbi business hub; and supporting Chinese financial institutions to anchor and serve Hong Kong market. He was confident that “as an international financial centre where East meets West and charm abounds, Hong Kong will definitely develop greater vitality and competitiveness, further contributing to prosperous development of the Asian regions”.

Speaking at the keynote luncheon, Mr Chan shared his views on achieving sustainable development. He said, "As for Hong Kong, we are an active contributor to global sustainable development. Our role, as part of China, is to serve as a major financial and trade centre connecting markets, investors and capital." He stressed that economic progress is central to achieving sustainable development, noting that the power of free trade and the flow of capital has unleashed immense productivity worldwide, raising the incomes and living standards of billions of people. Therefore, Hong Kong is firmly committed to multilateralism, to free trade, and to reducing trade barriers, and Hong Kong is also a staunch supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization as governing institution. He also pointed out that Hong Kong is well-positioned to support climate action and green transition in the Asian region and around the world, and will unleash the potential of fintech in promoting sustainable development. The President of United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, elaborated on how responsible capitalism would reshape the new normal along the sustainable roadmap, and emphasised the crucial role of global co-operation in this regard.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, chaired two plenary sessions today. In the morning session, ministers from various countries shared their experiences and strategies in charting the path to a shared future under the post-pandemic adverse environment. Speakers included the Minister of Finance of Qatar, Mr Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari; the Minister of Finance of Egypt, Dr Mohamed Maait; the Minister of Finance of Croatia, Mr Marko Primorac; the Deputy Minister of Finance of Thailand, Mr Julapun Amornvivat; and the Vice Minister of Finance of Indonesia, Mr Suahasil Nazara.

During the plenary session chaired by Mr Hui in the afternoon, the President of the New Development Bank, Mrs Dilma Rousseff; the President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser; the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Egypt, Professor Hala El Said; and the Deputy Director-General of the Directorate‑General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union of the European Commission, Dr Alexandra Jour-Schroeder, examined the role of finance in sustainability and the importance of multilateral co-operation in regional economic development.

Also among the highlights of the programme today was the policy dialogue chaired by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue. Under the theme of "Towards International Economic and Financial Cooperation", speakers exchanged views on managing global economic and financial challenges through effective collaboration as well as maintaining financial stability amid heightened global economic vulnerabilities. Speakers included the Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Mr Burkhard Balz; the Governor of the Central Bank of Mongolia, Mr Lkhagvasuren Byadran; the Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, Mr Thomas Helbling; the Chief Executive of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, Mr Ian Johnston; and the Vice-President (East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific) of the Asian Development Bank, Mr Scott Morris.

In addition, in the forum, the HKSAR Government and the Government of the Republic of Croatia signed the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, which will further promote economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Croatia, and bring the bilateral relations to a new level. The Financial Services Development Council of Hong Kong and the Financial Sector Development Program of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration and enhance connectivity between the financial markets in the two places.

The AFF will continue tomorrow (January 25). The breakfast panel, with the theme of "Unleashing the Dragon's Currency: Navigating Renminbi Internationalisation on the Global Stage", will facilitate discussion on Renminbi's journey towards global prominence, providing valuable insights into the future of finance, investment strategies and evolving international relations. The Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences in 2022 and the Merton H. Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance of the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, Professor Douglas W. Diamond, will speak at the keynote luncheon to illustrate the likely interest rate moves by the United States Federal Reserve as well as the risks of economic recessions and measures to address structural financial crises.

The two-day forum stages a number of discussion sessions in multiple format, including the Global Spectrum series, Fireside Chat series, Dialogues for Tomorrow series and thematic workshops, which provide platforms for participants to undergo in-depth discussions on a wide range of issues of global interests. The AFF Deal-making and exhibition zones assist investors in exploring global investment opportunities and collaboration. There is also the Global Investment Zone, which introduces investment environments and potential projects of various countries or regions to forum participants.

In addition, to tell the good story of Hong Kong and promote the mega-event economy, the forum has arranged with multiple partnering organisations special experiential activities for participants from outside Hong Kong, including free admission to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, tour of Hong Kong aboard an open-top sightseeing bus or Hong Kong's iconic red-sail junk boat, dining discounts, guided tours, etc. The diversified programmes will add to participants' first-hand experience in the vibrant colours, rich culture and dynamic lifestyle of Hong Kong.

]]><![CDATA[CHP investigates two suspected food poisoning clusters]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400758.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400758.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 20:44:05 +0800
     The first cluster involved 19 students and four staff from a sheltered workshop in Chai Wan, including nine males and 14 females aged between 21 and 76. Three of the affected persons sought medical advice and none required hospitalisation.

     The other cluster involved four students from a sheltered workshop in Sha Tin, including one male and three females aged between 37 and 66. One of the affected persons sought medical advice and none required hospitalisation.

     All affected persons had lunch provided by a food supplier, Chez Lung Catering Co. Limited, on January 22. They developed diarrhoea and vomiting about seven to 28 hours after consuming the food. Initial investigations of the CHP revealed that the food poisoning might have been caused by infection of Clostridium perfringens. The CHP has arranged the collection of stool specimen of patients for testing in order to ascertain the source of infection. The CHP suspected that the food concerned was pork chop with onion sauce.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has conducted inspections at the food supplier's premises yesterday (January 23) and today. Preliminary investigation by the CFS suspected that the incriminated food item was inadequately cooked, with prolonged storage under improper temperature. Investigation is ongoing.

     Officers of the CHP have conducted site visits at two sheltered workshops and provided health advice to the staff of the workshops concerning proper disinfection, and personal and environmental hygiene. The workshops have been put under medical surveillance.

     The CHP is aware that Chez Lung Catering Co. Limited also supplies food to other sheltered workshops and schools. The CHP has contacted the relevant institutions and no other individual has been found to be affected after investigation. Investigation of the CHP is ongoing.

     The CHP said that food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens is usually associated with meat and meat products that are cross-contaminated, inadequately cooked or stored under sub-optimal temperature for prolonged period. The incubation period ranges from 6 to 24 hours (usually 10 to 12 hours). Severe abdominal pain and acute diarrhoea are common symptoms.

     To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:

Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
Avoid eating raw seafood;
Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
Pre-cooked or leftover foods should be stored and reheated properly before consumption;
Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;
Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;
Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
Drink boiled water;
Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

]]><![CDATA[HKSAR Government welcomes announcement by People's Bank of China on measures deepening Mainland-Hong Kong financial co-operation]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400722.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400722.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 20:31:00 +0800
The announcement covers six new measures, including (1) promoting use of Mainland bonds as eligible collaterals; (2) allowing foreign investors to participate in the Mainland bond repurchase business; (3) promulgating the implementation arrangements of the enhanced Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme; (4) introducing facilitative payment arrangements for Hong Kong and Macao residents purchasing properties in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA); (5) expanding the scope of Shenzhen-Hong Kong co-operation on cross-boundary credit referencing pilots; and (6) further expanding the cross-boundary e-CNY pilots in Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, "I express my deep gratitude for the CPG's staunch support towards the financial development of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a world-leading international financial centre. The six new measures announced today deepen the mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong and better serve international investors' need for liquidity management of investments in the Mainland bond market, which are conducive to giving full play to Hong Kong's role as an international financial centre and actively contributing to building strength in finance and the high-quality development of finance of our country. The new measures also meet the demands for cross-boundary financial services of the residents and businesses of the Mainland and Hong Kong by providing innovative payment services for cross-boundary retail consumption by residents of the two places, facilitating Hong Kong residents purchasing properties in the Mainland cities of the GBA, and providing more convenient services to businesses of the two places seeking cross-boundary financing. The HKSAR Government will continue to actively consolidate and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre, capitalising on our strengths in financial services."

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, "The 'three connection, three facilitation' new measures under this announcement enhance the existing Bond Connect and Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect mechanisms and enrich their content, increasing the attractiveness of these schemes for investors, deepening the mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong, further consolidating Hong Kong's role as an offshore Renminbi business hub, as well as providing more convenience to residents and businesses in various aspects. These measures can strengthen Hong Kong's unique role and function in connecting the Mainland with the international markets and support the orderly opening up of the financial market of our country."

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, "The new measures bring new opportunities for Hong Kong's financial sector. The HKSAR Government and financial regulators will continue to maintain close communication with the PBoC and relevant Mainland authorities to implement the various policy measures on enhancing financial co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong."]]><![CDATA[CHP investigates local measles infection case and reminds public that vaccination is the most effective preventive measure]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400749.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400749.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 20:30:00 +0800
     The case involves an 11-month-old boy with good past health. He had developed fever, cough, running nose, vomiting and diarrhea since January 13. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on January 15 and 16. He developed rash on January 16 after admission to the paediatric ward of QEH on that day. He is in stable condition after treatment and was discharged on January 22.

     His blood sample tested positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to measles virus upon laboratory testing. The patient has not received measles vaccinations and had no travel history during the incubation period. His three household contacts are currently asymptomatic.

     "The global immunisation coverage rates have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom and some European countries are facing a resurgence of measles outbreaks. In view of the continuous increase in measles cases in the European Region, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged parents to bring their children to get vaccinated as early as possible to prevent measles from spreading," a spokesman for the DH said.

     The CHP reiterated that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. During the COVID-19 pandemic over the past three years, parents, schools and healthcare workers in Hong Kong continued to support childhood immunisations, striving to maintain the immunisation coverage rates at a high level. As revealed by the vaccination uptake of primary school students and the findings of the territory-wide immunisation surveys regularly conducted by the DH, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage has been consistently maintained at a high level, well above 95 per cent, and the local seroprevalence rates of measles virus antibodies reflect that most of the people in Hong Kong are immune to measles. On the whole, the information available indicates that the risk of large-scale outbreak is considered to be low in Hong Kong. However, it is possible for some not fully vaccinated people to get infected and transmit the measles virus to susceptible people (including children aged below one who are not due for the first dose of measles vaccine).

     The spokesman reminded members of the public that delays in vaccination will weaken the protection for children against measles, and parents are reminded to maintain up-to-date vaccination for their children for comprehensive and timely protection.

     Members of the public who are planning to travel to places with a high incidence or outbreaks of measles should review their vaccination history and past medical history, especially people born outside Hong Kong who might not have received a measles vaccination during childhood. Those who have not received two doses of measles-containing vaccines, with unknown vaccination history or unknown immunity against measles, are urged to consult their doctor for advice on vaccinations at least two weeks before departure.

     Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by the measles virus. It can be transmitted by airborne droplets or direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons, and, less commonly, by articles soiled with nose and throat secretions. A patient can pass the disease to other persons from four days before to four days after the appearance of a skin rash.

     The spokesman advised, "The incubation period (the period from infection to appearance of illness) of measles ranges from seven days to 21 days. Symptoms of measles include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. If symptoms arise, members of the public should wear surgical masks, stop going to work or school and avoid going to crowded places. They should also avoid contact with non-immune persons, especially persons with weakened immunity, pregnant women and children aged below one. Those suspected to have been infected are advised to seek medical attention as early as possible and reveal relevant contact history of measles to healthcare professionals."

     Besides being vaccinated against measles, members of the public should take the following measures to prevent infection:

Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene;
Maintain good indoor ventilation;
Keep hands clean and wash hands properly;
Wash hands when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, such as after sneezing;
Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose of nasal and mouth discharge properly;
Clean used toys and furniture properly; and
Persons with measles should be kept out of school till four days from the appearance of a rash to prevent the spread of the infection to non-immune persons in school.

     For more information on measles, the public may visit the CHP's measles thematic page. Members of the public who are going to travel can visit the website of the DH's Travel Health Service for news of measles outbreaks outside Hong Kong.]]><![CDATA[HKMA and PBoC announce measures to deepen financial co-operation between Hong Kong and Mainland]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400609.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400609.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 20:09:00 +0800
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) announce today (January 24) six policy measures to deepen the financial co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland, including:

Expanding the list of eligible collateral for the HKMA's RMB Liquidity Facility to include RMB bonds issued onshore by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China and the policy banks of the People’s Republic of China;
Further opening up the onshore repurchase agreement (repo) market to all foreign institutional investors (including Bond Connect investors) that already have access to the China Interbank Bond Market;
Releasing the amendments to the Implementation Arrangements for the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA);
Implementing facilitative measures on the remittances for property purchase by Hong Kong and Macao residents in the Mainland cities in the GBA;
Promoting the collaboration on cross-boundary credit referencing to facilitate corporates’ cross-boundary financing activities;
Expanding the cross-boundary e-CNY pilots in Hong Kong

The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, "We are pleased to see the announcement of the six measures. They will promote further opening up of the Mainland’s financial market, strengthen Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre and offshore RMB business hub, and foster closer connections within the GBA. The announcement is the result of the concerted effort of the HKMA, the PBoC and other relevant financial regulatory authorities in the Mainland and Hong Kong. We will continue to work closely with them and the industry to ensure timely and smooth implementation of these measures, and explore further enhancements."]]><![CDATA[Fatal traffic accident in Tai Po]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400708.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400708.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 19:37:16 +0800<![CDATA[Appeal for information on missing woman in Sham Shui Po (with photo)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400693.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400693.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 19:25:17 +0800
     Wong Hoi-ying, Fiona, aged 19, went missing after she left her residence in Pak Tin Estate on January 22 morning. Her family made a report to Police yesterday (January 23)

     She is about 1.47 metres tall, 39 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and long black hair. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and white sports shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

]]><![CDATA[Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Germany and Korea suspended]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400625.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400625.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 18:18:00 +0800
     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 180 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Germany, and about 50 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 23.85 million poultry eggs from Korea in the first nine months of last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the German and Korean authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.]]><![CDATA[Public should beware of scam video about investment plan purported to be recommended by CE]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400622.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400622.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 18:10:00 +0800
     The spokesman reminded the public to be cautious regarding similar investment-related advertisements or promotional videos. They should not provide their personal information online, sign up for mobile applications or open any links. Members of the public should remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of such content.

     The incident will be referred to the Police for a follow-up investigation.]]><![CDATA[LCQ7: Co-operation with the Mainland's pilot free trade zones]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400511.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400511.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 18:05:00 +0800
Question:

     It has been reported that 22 pilot free trade zones (FTZs) have been established on the Mainland. There are views that by strengthening the co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland's FTZs, Hong Kong, in its role as a "super-connector" connecting the Mainland and the rest of the world, can proactively integrate into the overall development of the country, thereby creating wider room for the development of Hong Kong's trade and financing sectors, as well as high-end professional services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has studied ways to strengthen co-operation between Hong Kong and the FTZs in different regions of the Mainland;

(2) whether the Government has actively reached out to the Mainland's FTZs for co-operation in policies, information as well as trade and investment; if so, of the details of the existing partnering mechanism, and the Mainland's FTZs with such partnering mechanism already established by the Government; and

(3) as the State Ministry of Commerce promulgated the List of Key Tasks in Pilot Free Trade Zones (2023-2025) in June 2023, which mentions that one of the key tasks of the Guangdong FTZ is to advance the compatibility and alignment of rules and mechanisms between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, and deepen co-operation with Hong Kong and Macao in such fields as trade, investment, finance, legal services and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, of the Government's major work plan for this year and the next year in relation to co-operation with the Guangdong FTZ in the relevant fields?

Reply:

President,

     The establishment of pilot Free Trade Zones (FTZs) is a strategic initiative of the nation to drive its reform and liberalisation forward, mainly to explore new ways to deepen reform and widen liberalisation comprehensively through pilot implementation of institutional innovation in finance, economy and trade, investment, customs clearance, etc, with a view to accumulating more experience for possible replication and promotion. Since 2013, the nation has set up a total of 22 pilot FTZs in Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hainan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Hebei, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, Beijing, Hunan, Anhui and Xinjiang.

     Having consulted the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB), and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), our consolidated reply to the three parts of the question is set out below:

     The nation has rolled out a number of policy measures for the pilot FTZs to enhance the level of trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, including the implementation of the "Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment in Pilot FTZs", under which areas outside the Negative List are administered in accordance with the principle of equal treatment for domestic and foreign investments, and foreign-invested enterprises are accorded national treatment, as well as the establishment of the Mainland's first international trade "Single Window". These liberalisation and facilitation measures provide Hong Kong-invested enterprises and other foreign invested enterprises with greater room for development.

     Different pilot FTZs may have different emphasis in positioning, missions and measures. For instance, the Guangdong pilot FTZ, which covers three regions, including Qianhai and Shekou Area of Shenzhen, Nansha New Area of Guangzhou and Hengqin New Area of Zhuhai, focuses on deepening the co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The Guangdong government issued "the '14th Five-year Plan' for the Development of China (Guangdong) Pilot FTZ" in September 2021, and announced that it would further open up to Hong Kong and Macao in respect of "promoting in-depth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao co-operation".

     The Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement promotes trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation between the two places, and also covers liberalisation measures for pilot implementation in the Guangdong pilot FTZ, including allowing professionals who have obtained the qualification of General Practice Surveyors in Hong Kong to directly register for practice in Qianhai, Hengqin and Nansha, enabling them to provide real estate appraisal services without the need to obtain professional qualification through mutual recognition with the Mainland. These liberalisation measures, on one hand, meet the keen demand for Hong Kong's professional services arising from the development of the pilot FTZs on the Mainland and, on the other hand, assist Hong Kong service suppliers to actively tap the enormous potential of the pilot FTZs and create more business opportunities.

     As regards Qianhai, the Central Government promulgated the Overall Development Plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone (Qianhai Overall Development Plan) in late 2023. The development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone is an important initiative for supporting Hong Kong's social and economic development, consolidating and enhancing its competitive advantages, fostering a higher level of co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and establishing a new development paradigm in pursuing opening up. The various policy initiatives outlined in the Qianhai Overall Development Plan are not just of benefit to Hong Kong but will also contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and our country. In particular, measures in the areas of financial services, legal services, information technology services and professional services will create more favourable conditions for these industries in which Hong Kong's strengths lie to expand their businesses into the Mainland market. The governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Shenzhen will make use of task forces as platforms to discuss how to more effectively promote and implement the Qianhai Overall Development Plan to support and facilitate different sectors in Hong Kong in utilising the new opportunities brought about by Qianhai.

     As regards financial co-operation, the FSTB and the Guangdong Financial Supervisory Authority signed the "Agreement on Enhancing Hong Kong-Guangdong Financial Co-operation" in March 2023 to deepen financial co-operation between the two places. The FSTB is striving for the establishment of insurance after-sales service centres by the Hong Kong insurance industry in places such as Nansha and Qianhai, with a view to providing GBA residents who are holders of Hong Kong policies with support such as enquiries, claims and renewal of policies. Furthermore, the FSTB will continue to make good use of the financial reform and innovation measures in the Qianhai Co-operation Zone to expand the businesses of Hong Kong financial institutions in Qianhai. Relevant measures include promoting Hong Kong's limited partnership funds to be qualified under the Qianhai Qualified Foreign Limited Partnerships to participate in private equity investment on the Mainland; and co-establishing the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Financial Co-operation Committee with the Shenzhen authorities in the first half of 2024. The committee will advise and offer suggestions in respect of bolstering mutual access to the financial markets, co-operation on financial technologies and green finance, and exchange of financial talents.

     In addition, the DoJ has been actively promoting legal services co-operation in the GBA, including the promotion of the interface of mechanisms and rules, so as to fully leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages, strengthening the rule of law construction in the GBA. In terms of the interface of mechanisms, the DoJ will establish a standing interfacing platform with the Supreme People's Court within 2024 as a high-level, regular and institutionalised official channel to take forward the research and practical work on judicial and legal matters relating to the GBA, and to implement more initiatives that benefit civil and commercial interactions between the two places so as to provide support for the high-quality development of other GBA cities. The DoJ will continue to take forward the work of the DoJ's GBA Task Force, including (1) to establish a GBA legal information platform to integrate information on legal and dispute resolution services in the GBA, so as to enhance the exchange and transparency of information within the region; (2) to continue to support and promote the sharing of information and resources among arbitration and mediation institutions in the GBA and construct a collaborative online dispute resolution platform; and (3) to continue the promotion of "soft connectivity" among the mediation mechanisms of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, including organising training courses in Hong Kong for GBA mediators so as to promote the development of diversified dispute resolution mechanisms in the GBA.

     In terms of the interface of rules and regulations, the DoJ is actively pursuing the extension of "allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law" and "allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong" to the whole GBA in 2024. This would provide more choices for Hong Kong-invested enterprises and more enterprises in the GBA may choose Hong Kong law as the applicable law for civil and commercial contracts and choose Hong Kong as the seat of arbitration, thereby building a market-based and internationalised business environment in the GBA. Moreover, the DoJ will also strive for state-owned enterprises' prioritisation of choosing Hong Kong law as the applicable law to their contracts, or choosing Hong Kong's dispute resolution services to handle their contractual disputes and as such, sound legal services and safeguards would be provided to Mainland and foreign investors, facilitating their use of Hong Kong as the gateway to the Mainland as well as facilitating the investors to use Hong Kong as the port to expand to overseas.

     The HKSAR Government all along has close collaborations on innovation and technology with various Mainland provinces and municipalities. For example, we jointly launched a thematic website with the first batch of about 110 Cross-boundary Public Services with the People's Government of Guangdong Province in November 2023 for use by residents and enterprises of the two places. Following the successful implementation of the interconnection of "iAM Smart" with the Unified Identity Authentication Platform of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong residents can log on directly to the Guangdong Provincial Administrative Service website and the "Yue Sheng Shi" mobile app through "iAM Smart" to enjoy a wide range of Guangdong's public services in a more convenient and efficient manner. We have also set up "iAM Smart" registration counters in Guangzhou, Qianhai and Futian to help Hong Kong citizens residing there to register or upgrade to "iAM Smart+".

     To foster the effective development of digital economy in the GBA, the ITIB and the Cyberspace Administration of China jointly announced in December 2023 the facilitation measure entitled "Standard Contract for the Cross-boundary Flow of Personal Information Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Mainland, Hong Kong)" (GBA Standard Contract) and its "early and pilot implementation" arrangement under the framework of the "Memorandum of Understanding on Facilitating Cross-boundary Data Flow within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" signed in June last year. Implementation of the GBA Standard Contract facilitation measure will streamline the arrangements for cross-boundary flow of personal information from nine Mainland cities in the GBA and Hong Kong. The GBA Standard Contract facilitation measure is also applicable to the Guangdong pilot FTZs in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Zhuhai.

     The HKSAR Government will continue to discuss with the Mainland authorities to seek the Mainland's (including various pilot FTZs') further liberalisation to Hong Kong, with a view to assisting Hong Kong enterprises and professionals to develop on the Mainland through the preferential arrangements, and strengthening economic and trade co-operation.]]><![CDATA[LCQ9: Five-Year Development Programme for Team Sports]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400363.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400363.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 17:36:00 +0800
Question:

     The Five-Year Development Programme for Team Sports (the Programme), launched in 2018, aims to provide additional funding to the national sports associations (NSAs) of eight team sports (namely baseball, basketball, handball, hockey, ice hockey, softball, volleyball and water polo) and provide allowances to members of the Hong Kong teams in the relevant sports, so as to help enhance the performance of these team sports progressively and increase their chances of attaining elite sports status in the future. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as the Government advised at the meeting of the Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports of this Council on November 13 last year that the effectiveness of the Programme was under review and an announcement would be made in due course, of the relevant assessment results or preliminary assessment results;

(2) of the respective results of the aforesaid eight team sports in various competitions during the operation of the Programme (set out in a table);

(3) as the Government, in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2022-2023, indicated that it had set aside $130 million for continuing the implementation of the Programme, of a breakdown of the expenditure from the funding to date and the remaining balance and, for each team sport, of the respective (i) amounts of funding received by the NSAs concerned, and (ii) numbers of athletes receiving the funding; and

(4) as the Director of Audit's Report No. 74 published by the Audit Commission in 2020 recommended that the authorities closely monitor the implementation of the Programme, including deliberating with the Coordinating Committee for the Five-Year Development Programme for Team Sports (the Coordinating Committee) on how best to accomplish the aims and ultimate goal of the Programme, of the approach adopted by the authorities following their deliberation with the Coordinating Committee and the relevant outcomes?

Reply:

President,

     The Government launched the Development Programme for Team Sports 2018-2023 (previously known as the Five-Year Development Programme for Team Sports) (previous round of programme) in January 2018, which provided additional funding support to the national sports associations (NSAs) of eight team sports with team size of five and above featuring in the Asian Games (AG) (namely baseball, basketball, handball, hockey, ice hockey, softball, volleyball and water polo). The additional funding support aimed to enable the relevant NSAs to formulate and implement training programmes for Hong Kong teams (men and women's teams), and provide allowances to team members with a view to progressively enhancing their performance in the AG, and increase their chances of attaining elite sports status in the future.

     As the 2022 Hangzhou AG (2022 AG) was postponed to September through October 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government extended the previous round of programme by one year to December 31, 2023 with the endorsement of the Sports Commission. Refinements were introduced to the programme starting from 2023, including replacing ice hockey with women's football to continue our support to the relevant NSAs in preparation for the AG.

     My reply to the Hon Vincent Cheng's question is as follows:

(1) The previous round of programme ended on December 31, 2023. After the Hangzhou AG, the Commissioner for Sports visited the eight team sports supported under the previous round of programme in November 2023, and exchanged views with the representatives of the relevant NSAs, coaches and athletes on the development of each team sports and the needs of athletes. All of the NSAs expressed that the additional resources provided to them under the programme were conducive to the development of team sports. These resources helped them step up training and upgrade their gear and equipment. The athlete allowances were also a validation and recognition of their dedication to sports, which has encouraged them to enhance their performances. Six out of 11 teams supported by the programme have improved their performances.

     After reviewing the effectiveness of the previous round of programme, the Government launched the Development Programme for Team Sports 2024-2027 (new round of programme) with the endorsement of the Sports Commission, which aims to continue provide additional funding support to the relevant NSAs of eight team sports (namely baseball, basketball, handball, hockey, softball, volleyball, men's water polo and women's football). On top of national squads, the programme is extended to members of the second-tier squads. The goal is to improve the teams' performances in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, and increase their chances of attaining elite status. The funding period for the new round of programme is from January 2024 to March 2027, which is expected to benefit about 430 athletes each year with an annual budget of around $30 million.

     The new round of programme has introduced targeted support including the provision of additional resources to develop second-tier squads, dedicated funding for the engagement of high-performance coaches and the strengthening of sports medicine support. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will review the effectiveness of the development programme after the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, including but not limited to the performances of each team sports at the AG, as well as the development progress of second-tier squads. Depending on results of the review, the Government will consider how to continue supporting team sports that meet the standards, and to focus resources on aligning with the long-term development direction of team sports.

     The Government conducted a briefing on January 17, 2024 to provide relevant NSAs with the details of the new round of programme. We will monitor the implementation of the programme

(2) In the previous round of programme, the results of the relevant subsidised team sports at the 2018 Jakarta AG (2018 AG) and the 2022 AG are as follows:

Sport	Team	Result (Note 1)
Sport	Team	2018 AG	2022 AG
Baseball	Men	6th / 8 teams	6th / 8 teams
Basketball	Men	13th / 13 teams	12th / 16 teams
Basketball	Women	10th / 10 teams	9th / 12 teams
Handball	Men	8th / 13 teams	9th /13 teams
Handball	Women	7th / 10 teams	5th / 9 teams
Hockey	Men	12th / 12 teams	Not applicable (Note 2)
Hockey	Women	9th / 10 teams	9th / 10 teams
Ice Hockey	Men	2017 Sapporo Asian Winter Games (AWG): Group 1 5th / 6 teams	Not applicable (Note 3)
Ice Hockey	Women	2017 Sapporo AWG: 6th / 6 teams	Not applicable (Note 3)
Softball	Women	7th / 7 teams	7th / 8 teams
Volleyball	Men	19th / 20 teams	13-19th / 19 teams
Volleyball	Women	11th / 11 teams	10th / 13 teams
Water Polo	Men	9th / 9 teams	7th / 8 teams
Water Polo	Women	6th / 6 teams	Not applicable (Note 4)
Football	Women	Not applicable (Note 3)	9th / 16 teams

Note 1: Results were based on the announcement made by the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China
Note 2 : Men's hockey team were not qualified
Note 3: Women's football was qualified for the 2022 AG and has replaced ice hockey in the extended programme since 2023
Note 4: Women's water polo team did not participate in the 2022 AG as more time will be required for rebuilding the team

(3) The Government's total actual expenditure in the previous round of programme was approximately $110 million, including $40 million on training-related funding and $70 million on athlete allowances. There is a total of around $20 million unspent balance remaining from the $130 million earmarked funding. The total actual amount of government funding received by the relevant NSAs and the total number of athletes receiving allowances from 2018 to 2023 are listed as follows:

Sport	Amount of funding received ($ million)	No. of athletes eligible for allowance (person)
Baseball (men)	12,367	2 013
Basketball (men and women)	12,336	1 859
Handball (men and women)	18,186	2 844
Hockey (men and women)	19,354	2 946
Ice Hockey (men and women) (Note 1)	15,228	2 312
Softball (women)	6,562	1 028
Volleyball (men and women)	13,584	2 156
Water Polo (men and women) (Note 2)	12,576	1 974
Football (women) (Note 3)	1,644	261

Note 1: Subsidised period for ice hockey was from January 2018 to December 2022
Note 2: Subsidised period for women's water polo was from January 2018 to December 2022
Note 3: Subsidised period for women's football was from January to December 2023

(4) The Coordinating Committee (Committee) was composed of representatives from the former Home Affairs Bureau (HAB), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the relevant NSAs to provide a platform for exchanging views on the implementation of training plans, further development plans and other strategic matters. According to our record, the Committee held meetings on December 21, 2017 and July 10, 2018. Starting from 2020, the former HAB (currently the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau) held regular review meetings with individual NSAs under the programme and conducted site visits to teams' training, which allowed for more in-depth discussions on their training and development plans, and provided more targeted recommendations and support to the teams.

     The "Director of Audit's Report No. 74, April 2020" issued by the Audit Commission in 2022 pointed out that among the 12 teams participating in the 2018 AG, only three teams achieved the performance targets set before the Games. In this regard, the then Secretary for Home Affairs and the then Commissioner for Sports stated during a public hearing that the Hong Kong teams participating in the relevant team sports events of the 2018 AG had already been formed when the previous round of programme was launched in January 2018. Therefore, the Government's main focus in the previous round of programme was to provide venue support and resources for the team to hire coaches and supporting staff to systematically formulate and implement a five-year training plan with a view to improving their performances in the 2022 AG.

     Whilst impacted by the three-year COVID-19 epidemic, six out of 11 participating teams showed improvement in their performances at the 2022 AG. We believe that the previous round of programme has played a positive role in enhancing the level of some of the team sports.]]><![CDATA[Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office to showcase GBA development opportunities at Education & Careers Expo]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400573.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400573.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 17:32:00 +0800
A spokesman for the Office said that young people are the future, hope and pillars of Hong Kong. They are also contributors to the long-term development of society and the economy. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches great importance to youth development, and supports Hong Kong young people to aim high and grasp the significant opportunities brought about by GBA development. The HKSAR Government continues to launch various schemes to provide concrete and targeted support to Hong Kong young people who aspire to pursue study, internship, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the Mainland cities of the GBA, with a view to helping them catch the "high-speed train" of development of the country and the GBA.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the Office has set up a booth at the Education & Careers Expo. Apart from introducing various tailor-made support schemes and facilitation measures for Hong Kong young people through electronic display panels and interactive games, the Office will also set up a Greater Bay Area Information Station (GBAIS) at the booth. Through a simple and easy-to-use interface, the GBAIS introduces more information about the GBA, including basic information about the GBA cities, timeline of GBA development and the policy measures of the HKSAR Government in taking forward GBA development in different areas, thereby enabling visitors to know more about the development opportunities of the GBA. Photo-taking spot will be set up at the booth for visitors to take photos. Staff will also distribute souvenirs to members of the public. Souvenirs are limited and are only available while stocks last.

The Education & Careers Expo 2024 will be held at Hall 1 of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Admission is free. The Office booth will be located at Hall 1D (Booth 1D-D02) and will be open from 10am to 7pm from January 25 to 27, and from 10am to 6pm on January 28.

For further information about the GBA, please visit the dedicated website (www.bayarea.gov.hk/en), which also covers the content of the GBAIS (www.bayarea.gov.hk/gbais/en) for easy browsing by members of the public.]]><![CDATA[HAD opens temporary cold shelters]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400552.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400552.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 17:30:00 +0800
     Clean mattresses and blankets/quilts, hot meals and hot water will be provided to shelter users free of charge during the opening of temporary shelters.

     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.

     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2572 8427 for more information.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Island:
--------------------

Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau

Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon:
------------------

Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan

Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

New Territories:
----------------

Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung

North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling

Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin

Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po

Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long]]><![CDATA[Immigration Department repatriates Vietnamese illegal immigrants and overstayers to Vietnam (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400580.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400580.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 17:20:00 +0800
     The ImmD will remain committed to expediting the removal process to repatriate illegal immigrants and overstayers from Hong Kong as soon as practicable, according to the actual situation through appropriate measures as necessary.

]]><![CDATA[S for Health witnesses signing of Strategic Collaboration Agreement between Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400237.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400237.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 16:40:00 +0800
Witnessed by Professor Lo, the President of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (GDHTCM), Professor Zhang Zhongde, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CMH, Mr Huen Wong, signed the Agreement which lays the foundation and direction for co-operation between the two hospitals. According to the Agreement and with the support of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the CMH and the GDHTCM will foster co-operation on various fronts covering the preparatory work for the hospital's commissioning, exchange of Chinese medicine (CM) talent, cross-boundary distance discussion of cases, establishment of a sharing platform for drug interaction alert notification, organisation of CM academic conferences, development of a scientific research network and advanced nursing training in specialised CM services.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Professor Lo said, "As announced by the Chief Executive in his 2023 Policy Address, the first CM hospital in Hong Kong is having a co-operation mechanism established with the GDHTCM to cover collaboration in the realm of resource sharing, experience exchanges and technical co-operation so as to support the continuing development of CM, attain the goal of the Development Plan for Traditional Chinese Medicine during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period, and also actualise the regime for extensive consultation, joint contruction and shared benefits with regards to CM as stated in the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2025) for making further contributions to the high-quality development of CM and driving the development of the Greater Bay Area."

Professor Lo also met with the CMH's Board of Directors and core management team today to receive a briefing on the effective implementation of CMH missions and measures to be taken in meeting the challenges arising from the preparatory work for the hospital's commissioning. He expressed to the team his confidence in and expectations for the development of the CMH and encouraged them to strive to accomplish this meaningful task which has a profound influence.

The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan; the President and Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Professor Alexander Wai; and board members of the CMH also attended the signing ceremony today.

As for the delegation led by Professor Zhang, they met with the representatives of the CMH during their stay in Hong Kong to discuss the concrete arrangements and timetable for putting the Agreement into practice. They also joined Mr Chan for an overview of the CMH's construction site at Pak Shing Kok, Tseung Kwan O, and get a better grasp of the architectural design concept and works progress.

The CMH adopts a public-private partnership model. The construction of the CMH is fully funded by the HKSAR Government, which announced in June 2021 the commissioning of HKBU through tendering as the contractor in overseeing the development and operation of the CMH. HKBU subsequently incorporated the HKBU Chinese Medicine Hospital Company Limited as the operator for managing, operating and maintaining the CMH in accordance with the service deed for operation at the end of 2021.

]]><![CDATA[Hong Kong and Croatia enter into tax pact (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400293.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400293.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 16:08:00 +0800
This CDTA is the 48th agreement that Hong Kong has concluded. It sets out the allocation of taxing rights between the two jurisdictions and will help investors better assess their potential tax liabilities from cross-border economic activities. Including Croatia, Hong Kong has signed CDTAs with 17 member states of the European Union.

Mr Hui said, "Croatia is one of the economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. I have every confidence that this CDTA will further promote economic and trade connections between Hong Kong and Croatia, and offer additional incentives for the business sectors of both sides to do business or make investments. Hong Kong will continue to negotiate with trading and investment partners with a view to expanding its CDTA network. This could enhance the attractiveness of Hong Kong as a business and investment hub, and consolidate the city's status as an international economic and trade centre."

Under the Hong Kong-Croatia CDTA, Hong Kong companies can enjoy double taxation relief in that any tax paid in Croatia, whether directly or by deduction, in accordance with the CDTA, will be allowed as a credit against the tax payable in Hong Kong in respect of the same income, subject to the provisions of the tax laws of Hong Kong.

Moreover, the Hong Kong-Croatia CDTA also provides the following tax relief arrangements:

(a) Croatia's withholding tax rates for Hong Kong residents on dividends, interest and royalties will be capped at 5 per cent; and

(b) Profits from international shipping transport earned by Hong Kong residents arising in Croatia will not be taxed in Croatia.

This CDTA will come into force after the completion of ratification procedures by both jurisdictions. In the case of Hong Kong, it will be implemented by way of an order to be made by the Chief Executive in Council under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112). The order is subject to negative vetting by the Legislative Council.

Details of the Hong Kong-Croatia CDTA can be found on the Inland Revenue Department's website (www.ird.gov.hk/eng/pdf/Agreement_Croatia_HongKong.pdf).

]]><![CDATA[Effective Exchange Rate Index]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400216.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400216.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 16:07:00 +0800<![CDATA[LCQ4: Measures to facilitate the flow of people between the Mainland and Hong Kong]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400464.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400464.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:55:00 +0800
Question:

     Starting from February 20 last year, six categories of Mainland talents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area may apply for the exit endorsement for talents travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, which allows them to travel to and from Hong Kong multiple times within the validity period of the exit endorsement. Besides, the 2023 Policy Address has announced that foreign staff of companies registered in Hong Kong may apply for multiple-entry visas which are valid for two or more years to travel to the Mainland. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of persons travelling to Hong Kong with the aforesaid exit endorsement for talents since its implementation, together with a breakdown by category of talents and number of days of their stay;

(2) given that academic institutions (such as post-secondary institutions) are not companies registered in Hong Kong, whether the aforesaid multiple-entry visa arrangement covers research and development (R&D) personnel of such institutions (including students, teaching staff and researchers); if so, of the application procedures, and whether an upper limit has been set on the number of applicants; if the arrangement does not cover such personnel, whether the Government can strive for the Mainland's introduction of the relevant arrangement; and

(3) given that the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-‍operation Zone has proposed to provide travel convenience for R&D personnel, starting with a "highly convenient first-line entry and exit" model for customs clearance, of the progress of negotiations between the Government and the Mainland on the relevant arrangements?

Reply:

President,

     Hong Kong actively leverages on our distinctive advantages of being backed by the Motherland and connected to the world under "one country, two systems" to better integrate into our country’s development and serve well as the hub connecting the domestic and global markets. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a major national strategy and the best entry point for us to actively integrate into the overall development of the country. A rich and diverse pool of human resources serves as major impetus for development. As such, the interactions and exchanges of talents in the GBA, especially the two way flow and co-operation among innovation and technology (I&T) talents, are crucial to the development of Hong Kong and the construction of GBA as a whole. All these present unlimited promise for Hong Kong.

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been in close discussion with the Mainland on the facilitation measures to promote the "southbound and northbound" flow of high-end talents in the GBA. In February 2023, the Mainland introduced the "southbound" exit endorsement for talents, facilitating the travel of six categories of GBA Mainland talents (i.e. outstanding, scientific research, education, healthcare, legal and other talents) to Hong Kong. Later on, the 2023 Policy Address announced that foreign staff of Hong Kong-registered companies could make applications in Hong Kong for "northbound" multiple entry visas to the Mainland for two years or more with priority processing. This measure targets at foreign staff holding a Hong Kong Identity Card. It is not limited to any particular industries or talent categories, and is in line with the HKSAR’s objective of actively maintaining diversity and internationalisation.

     In response to the various parts of the question raised, my reply is as follows:

(1) The "southbound" GBA exit endorsement for talents was introduced by the Mainland in February 2023. Eligible holders are allowed to travel to and from Hong Kong multiple times within the validity period of the exit endorsement. During each visit, they are allowed to stay in Hong Kong for not exceeding 30 days, which is far longer than the normal seven-day period for other types of exit endorsement. As at the end of 2023, nearly 10 000 talents had travelled to Hong Kong with the exit endorsement for talents. They included 347 talents under the "Outstanding" category with exit endorsement valid for five years, 5 872 talents in the fields of Scientific Research, Education or Healthcare with exit endorsement valid for three years, and 3 739 talents under Legal and Other with exit endorsement valid for one year. The Immigration Department does not maintain statistics on the number of days of stay in Hong Kong for holders of exit endorsement for talents.

Regarding the "northbound" travel of Hong Kong talents, the 2023 Policy Address announced the multiple-entry visas policy. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of "multiple-entry" visas issued for two or five years in Hong Kong, with about 9 000 applications approved. Before the introduction of the measure, most "multiple-entry" visas approved for the first time in Hong Kong had a validity period of no more than six months.

The two measures have been well received since their introduction, and have greatly facilitated the two way flow of talents in the GBA.

(2) As mentioned above, the measure announced in the 2023 Policy Address has particularly benefited foreign staff of Hong Kong-registered companies. They may apply for two-year or five-year multiple-entry visas with priority processing. This measure has no cap on the number of applicants.

     Considering the needs of academic and scientific research institutions, we have discussed with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR (OCMFA). The OCMFA agreed to extend the priority processing applicable to foreign staff of Hong Kong-registered companies to academic and scientific research institutions in Hong Kong. Applicants are only required to complete the visa application forms online and go directly to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Wan Chai for completion of processing. Their visas are to be collected on the next day at the earliest and there is no cap on the number of applications.

     Such a tailor-made policy for the HKSAR will help attract high-end corporations and talents around the world to settle in Hong Kong, and gather as well as take root in the GBA.

(3) The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Co-operation Zone) locates at the convergence point of the Northern Metropolis and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen I&T corridor, which consists of the 87-hectare Hong Kong Park and the 300-hectare Shenzhen Park. The first three buildings of the first phase of the Hong Kong Park will be completed gradually from the end of 2024 as planned.

     The Co-operation Zone will operate under the mode of "one zone, two parks", with scientific researchers going to work early and returning home late between the two parks every day in future. As such, it is necessary to provide convenient clearance mode and facilities for designated personnel to cross the border conveniently.

     The Security Bureau will collaborate with the Mainland authorities concerned to actively explore an innovative clearance mode which will allow designated scientific researchers between the two places to go through immigration clearance by using a cross-river footbridge connecting the two parks. Upon pre-verification of their eligibility, the personal data of these scientific researchers will be kept in a database for comparison purpose during clearance. For entry or exit via the cross-river footbridge, they are only required to scan their faces in front of the camera at the automatic channels and use face recognition technology to verify their identities against the database. They are not required to present any identification documents or QR codes during the process. The immigration clearance will be completed upon successful verification, thereby achieving contactless clearance.

     Looking ahead, the HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close communication with the Mainland authorities on the solid basis of the "southbound" and "northbound" policies, with a view to further promoting the interactions and exchanges of talents in the GBA, and building a high-level talent cluster in the GBA. At the same time, we will make strenuous efforts to tie in with the development of the Co-operation Zone to ensure that scientific researchers can travel conveniently between the two parks, so as to make greater contribution to the high-quality development of our country.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[LCQ6: Municipal Solid Waste Charging]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400437.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400437.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:50:00 +0800
Question:

     The Government will implement Municipal Solid Waste Charging (MSW charging). The policy intent is that it is primarily the responsibility of individual households to bear the charges for designated bags (DBs) and designated labels (DLs), so as to drive behavioural changes for achieving waste reduction. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has assessed if there will be a peak season of waste disposal prior to the implementation of MSW charging; if it has assessed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the corresponding measures in place, for instance, whether it will increase law enforcement manpower, extend the opening hours of facilities provided under GREEN@COMMUNITY, and increase the number of food waste smart recycling bins;

(2) given that both DBs and DLs come with anti-counterfeit features, but recently, rubbish bags purported to be DBs are available for sale on some Mainland shopping websites, whether the Government has gained an understanding if there is a price difference between the two, and whether it has studied if the purchase of this type of rubbish bags by the public and property management companies (PMCs) is in conflict with the intent of MSW charging; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the follow-up actions; and

(3) as there have been criticisms about inadequate publicity on MSW charging although it will be implemented soon, whether the Government has formulated plans to conduct publicity in an overwhelming manner in collaboration with PMCs, owners' corporations as well as District Services and Community Care Teams; if so, of the details?

Reply:

President,

     The practice of waste reduction and recycling has long been deeply rooted in the culture of many advanced cities, and there is a need for Hong Kong to catch up. The implementation of municipal solid waste (MSW) charging and the introduction of new methods to promote waste reduction and recycling are important steps for Hong Kong SAR to cultivate the local practice of waste reduction and recycling, and build our ecological civilisation.

To implement MSW charging successfully, it is critical that the public has thorough understanding of the scheme and actively participates in it. I have earlier announced that –

1. the statutory commencement date of MSW charging will be revised to August 1, 2024; before which we will spare no time in promoting MSW charging in a more concrete manner to all sectors of the community; and

2. starting from April 1, 2024, the Government will demonstrate the implementation of MSW charging in government departments and some other buildings, which will serve as promotion to and education for the community.

     The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration will lead and co-ordinate the inter-bureaux-departmental collaboration within the Government.

My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Chan Hok-fung is as follows:

(1) In the past, the annual peak period of waste disposal always occurred before the Lunar New Year, and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will be prepared for it. Starting from January 16, the FEHD will launch the annual year-end clean-up campaign across the territory. During the campaign, the FEHD will establish over 200 temporary refuse collection points across all districts for residents to discard oversized household waste, and increase the frequency of refuse and oversized waste collection in all districts.

The FEHD will spare no effort in combating illegal disposal of waste and will adopt a multi-pronged approach to combat fly-tipping activities, including strengthening promotion and education, deploying designated enforcement teams to take enforcement actions, and utilising Internet Protocol cameras to gather evidence to assist in conducting prosecutions and planning for more effective enforcement actions.

As for GREEN@COMMUNITY, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has already requested relevant operators to strengthen their manpower before the Lunar New Year, and extend the operating hours from 7pm to 10pm on the 28th day of the last Lunar month, so as to handle the possible increase in the amount of recyclables. In addition, new Recycling Stores in 50 public rental housing estates will commence operation progressively around April 1, 2024, among which GREEN@KWAI FONG, GREEN@TAI WO HAU and GREEN@KAI YIP have already commenced their services. The public recycling spots over the territory will be progressively increased to more than 220.

For the recycling of food waste, the EPD has been progressively installing smart recycling bins for food waste collection in all public rental housing (PRH) estates in Hong Kong, with the target of completing the installations within 2024. We expect that smart food waste recycling bins will be installed at 100 PRH estates before the Lunar New Year, covering over 710 building blocks and approximately 1.15 million residents, which accounts for about half of the PRH estates in Hong Kong. In addition, the EPD is providing assistance to private residential buildings to install smart recycling bins for collecting food waste through the Recycling Fund and the Environment and Conservation Fund. We anticipate that a total of 30 private housing estates and three rural villages will be covered by the above funding schemes before the Lunar New Year, with approximately 100 smart food waste recycling bins installed.

(2) To facilitate the implementation of MSW charging, the EPD has authorised supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and online platforms to sell Designated Bags (DBs) and Designated Labels (DLs) at over 3 000 sales points. The details were promulgated on January 15, 2024.

The EPD has recently noticed that some garbage bags which were claimed to be DBs had been put up for sale on a mainland Website. Upon investigation, it was found that the website stated in the question is not an authorised retailer of the EPD, and while the price of the garbage bags claiming to be "DBs" is relatively cheaper, they are not "DBs" as prescribed by the legislation and cannot be used as DBs. We have also reported the incident to the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (Customs) for follow-up investigation, and would like to remind the public to purchase DBs and DLs only from retail outlets and online platforms with the Authorisation Logo.

Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap. 362), any person who sells or possesses, for the purpose of selling, counterfeit goods commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for five years. The EPD will maintain close communication with the Customs to combat these illegal activities.

(3) To facilitate different stakeholders in better understanding the arrangements of MSW charging, the EPD has been organising operational briefings and specialised trainings for stakeholders from all sectors since August last year. As at December 2023, we have conducted more than 250 physical or online meetings and briefings, reaching out to over 11 000 stakeholders from various trade sectors. Taking the property management and the environmental hygiene trades as examples, the EPD has set up a working group with representatives of the trades and have jointly formulated Best Practice Guides and training videos. In parallel, the EPD is actively conducting briefings and training sections for property management companies and cleansing workers.

We have also been arranging briefings for different building organisations (including the property management trade, cleansing companies and owners' organisations). We have organised 52 briefings so far for over 6 000 participants. We are also collaborating with the Property Management Services Authority to organise continuing professional development seminars on MSW charging for holders of the Property Management Practitioner Licence and representatives of licensed property management companies.

Furthermore, the EPD is now conducting briefings on the policy and implementation details of MSW Charging for District Councils or the relevant subcommittees thereunder and will attend seminars organsied by district personalities. We are also liaising with the Home Affairs Department to engage the District Service and Community Care Teams of the 18 districts to assist in publicising MSW charging in their respective districts. Besides EPD attending briefings arranged by district personalities, the Government will also mobilise all departments to assist in publicising MSW charging.

The overall public education and promotional campaign on MSW charging will be carried out continuously and with greater efforts to enhance the public's understanding on the charging arrangements.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400487.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400487.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:47:00 +0800
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.

As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.

From noon on January 23 to noon today (January 24), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 141 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).

From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 26 846 samples of food imported from Japan (including 17 908 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 7 618 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

]]><![CDATA[Hong Kong Customs combats counterfeit electronic goods activities involving cross-boundary transshipments (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400453.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400453.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:45:00 +0800
     Through risk management and intelligence analysis, Customs detected 15 related cases at various express couriers and local logistics companies. More than 9 900 items of suspected counterfeit electronic goods with a total estimated market value of over $4.7 million were seized.

     Moreover, through risk assessment, Customs detected a total of four related cases at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal and the Shenzhen Bay Control Point. Customs officers intercepted one container and three incoming trucks on January 9, 15 and 16, and seized about 4 900 items of suspected counterfeit electronic goods with an estimated market value of over $5.9 million in total. Three male truck drivers, aged 43, 60 and 63, were arrested.

     Investigations of the above-mentioned cases are ongoing. The three arrested men have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds practitioners in the logistics industry to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) and to check with the trademark owners or authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.

     Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat different types of counterfeit goods activities.

     Under the TDO, any person who imports or exports or sells or possesses for sale any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

]]><![CDATA[LCQ18: Development and application of artificial intelligence]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400330.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400330.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:30:00 +0800
Question:

Regarding the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI), will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Government advocates the development of a smart city and a smart government, whether the Government will further promote the introduction of AI into and its application in public services by government departments; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) as the 2023 Policy Address has proposed to further strengthen the promotion of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools, of the measures the Government has put in place to further strengthen the research and education work on AI and enhance teachers' and students' knowledge and application of AI, e.g. introducing into primary and secondary schools courses on teaching the use of ChatGPT or other AI tools or introducing AI to assist in day-to-day teaching and learning, so as to help analyse students' performance and provide targeted support, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning, etc;

(3) as there are views pointing out that the pictures or contents generated by AI can pass off as genuine, or may cause hidden information security hazards such as information leakage and fabricated contents, and in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on May 31 last year, the Government indicated that it would closely monitor the technological advancement, application and development of AI in Hong Kong with a view to making appropriate responses, of the progress of the relevant work;

(4) as the Government has stated in the Policy Statement on Facilitating Data Flow and Safeguarding Data Security in Hong Kong (Policy Statement) that it will study amending the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) to strengthen personal data protection and address the challenges posed by cyber technologies, how the Government strikes a balance between protecting personal data and facilitating the healthy development of generative AI technologies;

(5) as there are views that the data sources of generative AI technologies come from their training datasets with contents almost covering all human digitised information that can be collected, which may give rise to intellectual property issues, and the Government has stated in the Policy Statement that it will explore enhancing the protection afforded by the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) to the development of AI technologies, of the progress of the relevant work; and

(6) as the United States has expanded its restrictions on the export of high-end chips to China and Hong Kong can no longer be supplied with high-end computing chips, of the measures the Government has put in place to expedite the promotion of the development of the local technology ecology and local talents, so as to ensure the risk-resistant capacity and long-term competitiveness of Hong Kong's innovation and technology as well as research and development in the Mainland and global markets in the next few years?

Reply:

President,

In response to Hon Elizabeth Quat's question, in consultation with the Education Bureau (EDB), the Security Bureau, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, my reply is as follows:

(1) The Government has been actively applying artificial intelligence (AI) technology to promote the development of smart city and digital government. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has formulated the Ethical AI Framework to provide government bureaux and departments (B/Ds) with guidelines on implementing projects that involve the use of AI technology. In view of the latest development of generative AI, the OGCIO has updated the Ethical AI Framework in August 2023 to provide clearer guidelines to B/Ds on developing applications with AI-related technologies. The OGCIO also launched the big data analytics platform in 2020 to promote B/Ds' use of technologies such as AI and big data analytics more efficiently and cost-effectively for the implementation of more e-government service projects for the convenience and benefit of the public and the business sector.

So far, a number of e-government services projects have applied AI technologies. For example, the OGCIO and the Transport Department jointly developed the "Traffic Data Analytics System" to apply big data analytics to various traffic, transport and weather data. The Lands Department and the Highways Department also used image analytics technology assisted by AI in 2021 to mask human faces and car plates in street view images used internally for privacy protection.

To further expedite the development of smart city and digital government, the OGCIO carried out the e-government audit from 2022 to review the information systems and services of B/Ds and recommend information technology (IT) initiatives leveraging advanced technologies (e.g. AI, blockchain, big data analytics, geospatial analytics) to enhance public services. The audit was completed in end-2023. B/Ds will progressively launch from this year onwards over a hundred of digital government and smart city initiatives including various initiatives involving AI, such as enhancing security in public cargo working areas by employing AI technology and enhancing the 1823 enquiry service through AI chatbot.

(2) To dovetail with the statement in the Chief Executive (CE)'s 2023 Policy Address to step up the promotion of STEAM education in primary and secondary schools, enhance students' interest and abilities in science and innovation and technology (I&T), as well as foster their creative thinking and problem solving skills, the EDB will continue to update school curricula, strengthen teacher training, and provide schools with resource support to promote I&T learning for all.

In respect of curriculum, the EDB has launched the "Module on AI for Junior Secondary Level" in mid-2023. The content of the curriculum covers topics on AI basics, AI ethics, computer vision, computer speech and language, AI and future of work, etc, which also includes the latest development of AI and generative AI ChatGPT. The EDB also launched the "Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level" to assist primary schools in planning and optimising the promotion of coding education so as to enhance students' computational thinking skills in a more systematic way. This will help primary school students further study the basics and applications of AI later in secondary schools. The above modules are launched for adoption by primary and secondary schools starting from this school year. Besides, the updated senior secondary Information and Communication Technology Curriculum, incorporating I&T topics (e.g. AI), has been implemented at Secondary Four since the 2022/23 school year with increased lesson time for the teaching of coding. The updated curricula above can help students understand the latest development and application of technology and IT, enabling them to make good use of I&T and IT to solve problems.

The EDB continues to organise professional development programmes (including workshops) for teachers, and will provide sufficient training places for schools to enable teachers to further master relevant teaching strategies, including strategies for assessing student learning. Besides, the EDB provides professional development programmes related to AI covering diversified topics, including the development of AI, strategic planning of applying AI in education, and application of AI tools in different subjects. The IT in Education Centre of Excellence Scheme of the EDB also provides training and on-site support services to schools, as well as shares with schools relevant good practices and successful experiences.

Besides, the Quality Education Fund of the EDB allocated $500 million for implementing e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme to facilitate in-depth and cross-sectoral collaboration among the school sector, tertiary institutions, educational bodies, and business sector to jointly develop and provide quality education e-learning ancillary facilities. A total of 22 projects are funded under the Programme, which have commenced at the beginning of the 2023/24 school year. These projects will deploy innovative technologies, including big data and AI, to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness in a wide array of subjects, as well as develop adaptive learning platforms with the use of data analysis to provide instant feedback to cater learner diversity and nurture students' self-directed learning capability. It is expected that by the end of the 2024/25 school year, the deliverables of some projects will be released for use by local schools.

AI technology may give rise to issues of concerns related to laws and regulations, ethics, authenticity of information, privacy protection, intellectual property (IP) rights, addiction, excessive dependence, etc. In the light of the above, while strengthening IT and I&T education, we also attach great importance to establishing students' positive values and attitudes, and focus on cultivating students' media and information literacy in the digital technology era. Therefore, we provide schools with the "Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students" learning framework, and continue to strengthen the learning elements related to information literacy in primary and secondary school curricula, including the adding of ethical issues arising from the application of I&T in the updated learning framework announced in 2022, so as to teach students to refrain from unethical use of emerging and IT technologies. At the same time, we organise a series of teacher training courses and develop teaching materials to nurture students to become ethical users of IT.

Beyond the school curriculum, the OGCIO implements the "IT Innovation Lab in Secondary Schools" and "Knowing More About IT" programmes to provide funding support for secondary and primary schools respectively to organise extra-curricular activities related to IT, including AI-related courses, workshops and competitions, etc. As at mid-January 2024, the two programmes have supported about 4 400 activities organised by around 940 schools, with around 20 per cent of the activities involving AI.

(3) Internet is not an unreal world that is beyond the law. Under the existing legislation in Hong Kong, most of the laws enacted to prevent crimes in the real world are in principle applicable to the online world. There are various provisions in place under the existing legal framework to deal with the dissemination of untrue or inappropriate information. For instance, the Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 introduced the offences of publication or threatened publication of intimate images without consent. The offence is also applicable to intimate images that have been altered (including that altered by AI technology).

The development of AI (including generative AI technology) is evolving. The related technological development and application have brought changes to scientific research, teaching and various industries. Hence, the Government has commissioned the InnoHK research centre specialised in generative AI to study and suggest appropriate rules and guidelines on the accuracy, responsibility and information security in the technology and application of generative AI technologies. We will study the appropriate strategy and measures with reference to suggestions by industry experts, with a view to balancing the need to develop AI technology and safeguarding security, etc.

(4) The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO) (Cap. 486) is a piece of legislation that is technology-neutral and principle-based. The provisions and principles on personal data protection therein apply equitably to any technical means of collecting, using, storing, retaining and transferring personal data. PDPO's regulation covers six personal data protection principles (i.e. purpose and means of personal data collection; accuracy, storage and retention of data; use of data; data security; transparency of data policies; and data access and correction), so as to ensure that the entire process of the handling of personal data is subject to legal safeguards. These principles are in line with internationally-adopted standards. When organisations develop and use AI process personal data, they would have to comply with the relevant requirements and six Data Protection Principles under the PDPO.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) published in 2021 the "Guidance on the Ethical Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence" (the AI Guidance), so as to help organisations understand and comply with the relevant requirements to protect personal data privacy under the PDPO when they develop and use AI. The AI Guidance incorporates recommended data stewardship values and ethical principles for AI, and provides practical guidance on AI strategy governance to help organisations devise appropriate AI strategy and management models, conduct risk assessments and devise relevant oversight arrangements, etc. The values and principles contained in the AI Guidance already reflect internationally recognised norms. Furthermore, the PCPD also proactively conducts compliance checks on the use of AI by organisations, and plans to publish the results of the compliance checks in the first quarter of this year.

The Government and the PCPD appreciate that the PDPO needs to keep pace with the times, so that it could provide appropriate protection for personal data privacy while at the same time contributing to Hong Kong's societal, economic and technology developments including AI. In fact, there is no inherent conflict between the development of AI and the protection of personal data privacy under the PDPO. The Government and the PCPD will actively make reference to the experience of other jurisdictions in promoting AI innovation with regard to the handling of personal data, including the studying of the relevant legal provisions, and the PCPD will review and update the AI Guidance as appropriate.

(5) The act of using others' IP for the development, training and enhancement of a generative AI system is regulated by the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) and other relevant local IP laws (including the Patents Ordinance (Cap. 514), the Registered Designs Ordinance (Cap. 522) and the Trade Marks Ordinance (Cap. 559), if applicable). In this regard, if there is use of a work protected by copyright, the legal principles of the Copyright Ordinance currently in force is applicable to the relevant case. More specifically, the Copyright Ordinance expressly provides that a copyright owner has the exclusive right to do "acts restricted by copyright" in relation to his/her work, which includes copying his/her copyright work, communicating his/her copyright work to the public through any electronic means, and making an adaptation of his/her copyright work. Unless the relevant "act restricted by copyright" falls within the scope of exceptions specified in the Copyright Ordinance, any person who, without the consent of the copyright owner, does or authorises another to do the "act restricted by copyright" would infringe copyright, and may attract civil and/or criminal liabilities.

In view of the copyright issues arising from the rapid development of AI technology, the Government is studying the relevant issues and will conduct a consultation this year to explore further enhancement of the relevant protections provided by the Copyright Ordinance so as to ensure that Hong Kong's copyright regime remains robust and competitive.

(6) On the promotion of AI technology ecosystem, the CE announced in last year's Policy Address to expedite the establishment of AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC) to facilitate AI development. Cyberport is now actively making preparation for the establishment of AISC in phases from this year onwards, so as to support the strong demand for computing power among universities, research institutions, government departments and related sectors, enhance Hong Kong's research and development (R&D) capabilities in various technological research and application fields and to promote industrial development.

Furthermore, we have established an AIR@InnoHK research cluster focusing on AI and robotics technologies under the InnoHK initiative, which includes a research and development (R&D) centre specialising in generative AI technology. We will also establish the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute within this year to lead and facilitate collaboration among universities, R&D centres and the industry, which would include exploring the third-generation semiconductor core technology, promoting the "1 to N" transformation of scientific research outcomes, assisting the industry in enhancing efficiency as well as achieving upgrading and transformation, and enhancing Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem.

Separately, the Government has all along been enlarging our local I&T talent pool through a series of initiatives. For example, through the Research Talent Hub scheme, we provide funding support for eligible organisations and companies to engage university graduates to conduct R&D work. Besides, the Technology Talent Admission Scheme provides a fast-track arrangement for admitting overseas and Mainland technology talents to undertake R&D works in Hong Kong. We anticipate that the AISC could attract overseas and Mainland talents and companies to Hong Kong, which will help enhance Hong Kong's research standards and boost digital economy development, and facilitate international and regional AI-related collaboration.]]><![CDATA[LCQ8: Selling Hong Kong-registered proprietary Chinese medicines in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400315.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400315.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:30:00 +0800
Question:

In August 2021, the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration (GDMPA) promulgated the Notice regarding the streamlining of registration approval for traditional proprietary Chinese medicines (pCms) for external use that have been sold in Hong Kong and Macao (the Notice). Holders of traditional pCms for external use that have been registered with the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong and in use in the city for more than five years may apply for registration with GDMPA through the streamlined procedures. Such pCms, upon successful approval, may be sold in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows, since the promulgation of the Notice, the total number of registration holders of traditional pCms for external use in Hong Kong who have applied for registration with GDMPA through the relevant measures, and the number of types of pCms involved;

(2) whether it knows, among the applications mentioned in (1), the respective numbers of those approved and rejected, as well as the main reasons for rejecting the applications;

(3) whether it knows the average time taken for vetting and approving each application after the application procedures have been streamlined under the relevant measures;

(4) how the authorities promote the relevant measures among the pCm sector, and whether they have taken measures to assist the sector in lodging applications; if so, of the details; and

(5) as GDMPA indicated in November 2023 that it had submitted the Implementation plan for streamlining registration approval for traditional oral pCms that have been sold in Hong Kong and Macao for the National Medical Products Administration's examination and approval, whether the Government knows the details of the relevant plan?

Reply:

President,

Having consulted the Department of Health (DH) and the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration (GDMPA), the Health Bureau provide a consolidated reply to the various parts of Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong's question as follows:

(1) to (3) According to the information provided by the GDMPA, since the promulgation of the Notice regarding the streamlining of approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macao registered traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for external use (the Notice) on August 27, 2021, a total of 15 local proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) registration holders have applied through the streamlined procedures to the GDMPA for registration and sale of 22 Hong Kong registered pCms in the Mainland. Among all applications, nine products have been approved for registration and sale in the Mainland, five products are undergoing technical reviews, and holders of eight products are submitting supplementary information and planning to make declaration subsequent to the pre-vetting service. So far, no applications accepted have been rejected for approval.

Furthermore, as indicated by the GDMPA, the total time limit for vetting and approving applications submitted through the streamlined procedures for registration and sale in the Mainland has reduced from 235 days to 115 days.

(4) To help the Chinese medicine (CM) sector stay timely informed of the relevant policy and registration requirements, the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office of the DH has created on its website a dedicated Greater Bay Area (GBA) webpage to provide updates on the development of CM in the GBA. For enabling trade members to keep abreast of the latest regulatory situation in the Mainland, the DH also maintains regular exchange with the industry on the CM development in the GBA through monthly talks.

In parallel, the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) supports the overall development of the CM sector through the Chinese Medicine Development Fund (CMDF). A number of funding schemes have been put in place to assist local licensed pCm manufacturers or wholesalers in upgrading their production management, equipment and product quality. Funding is also provided for applicants of pCm registration to conduct necessary testing on their pCm products and obtain professional support. The Health Bureau, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on CMDF, has all along been closely monitoring the latest development of CM, as well as maintaining close contact with the implementation agent of CMDF and relevant CM stakeholders to timely introduce enhancement measures. Among these measures, in order to further support the sector to leverage the opportunities brought by the Notice, the CMDF will launch a new scheme to fund local pCm registration holders to apply for registration of their products with the GDMPA for sale in the Mainland through the aforesaid streamlined procedures, so as to encourage more local CM traders to make good use of the relevant policy to explore the Mainland market and promote the development of the CM sector. With preparatory work underway, the funding scheme concerned is expected to be officially launched in the first quarter of 2024.

(5) The GDMPA has submitted the Implementation Plan for streamlining of approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macao registered oral traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for the National Medical Products Administration's examination and approval, in response to the aspirations of the two places for a policy on streamlined registration approval for traditional oral pCms. The HKSAR Government has maintained close liaison with the GDMPA for optimising the relevant policy. The relevant decision, once received via notification, will be announced to the sector in due course. ]]><![CDATA[LCQ3: Torture claims]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400404.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400404.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:27:00 +0800
Question:

It has been reported that Hong Kong has long been bothered by the problems of torture claims. As at the end of October last year, about 14 700 claimants were still stranded in Hong Kong. There are views that the Government must adopt decisive measures to eradicate incentives for torture claimants to stay in Hong Kong and take up unlawful employment. In addition, in June last year, the court pointed out in a judgment handed down on a case involving a claimant that those unsubstantiated torture claimants who are detained pending removal from Hong Kong can make the length of detention unreasonably long by refusing to provide co-operation in obtaining the travel document and then applying for a writ of habeas corpus to challenge the legality of their detention. The court further pointed out that to break this impasse, one possible way to consider would be to criminalise such acts of non-‍co-operation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it accepts the aforesaid suggestion by the court and the time for its implementation; if it does not accept the suggestion or there is no timetable yet, of the reasons for that;

(2) of the number of times in the past three years that the authorities exercised the power under section 37ZK of the Immigration Ordinance to detain torture claimants pending final determination of their claims; and

(3) whether it will consider revising the policy so as to fully exercise the power under section 37ZK of the Immigration Ordinance to detain persons who have lodged torture claims, thereby eliminating the situation of unlawful employment taken up by them?

Reply:

President,

The Government attaches great importance to the issue relating to non-refoulement claims and has all along adopted a multi-pronged strategy. The Security Bureau (SB) amended the legislation in 2023 to include the Nei Kwu Correctional Institution as a place of detention of the Immigration Department (ImmD), thereby increasing the total number of detention capacity by 33 per cent to 900. The ImmD is committed to making gainful use of the existing facilities to detain claimants who pose higher security risks to the community in accordance with the law. On the other hand, since the introduction of the updated removal policy with effect from December 7, 2022, the ImmD will generally proceed with the removal of unsubstantiated claimants from Hong Kong upon dismissal of their judicial review or relevant leave applications pertaining to their non-refoulement claims by the Court of First Instance (CFI), irrespective of whether there are outstanding court proceedings. Since the implementation of the updated policy until end-2023, the ImmD has removed a total of 1 851 claimants from Hong Kong, including 215 under the updated policy. The number in 2023 has significantly increased by 63 per cent compared to 2022.

In response to the respective parts of the question raised by the Hon Lai, my reply is as follows:

(1) The Government amended the Immigration Ordinance (the Ordinance) in 2021 to include provisions addressing claimants' delaying tactics, which is applicable to assess the reasonableness and lawfulness of the detention period, such as whether the claimants have been co-operative in obtaining travel documents for returning to their countries of origin, and whether they have caused any hindrance to the removal process.

The judgment referred to in the question suggests making reference to a piece of legislation in the United Kingdom which specifies that it is a criminal offence for a non-refoulement claimant to be unco-operative in obtaining a travel document causing delays to his/her removal. The period of imprisonment is not subject to the principles of administrative detention. We have studied the judgment concerned and considered that even similar legislations were made, those unco-operative claimants can still insist to be unco-operative after serving their prison terms. Repeatedly using the relevant provisions to prosecute the same consistently unco-operative detainee may not only induce controversy and legal challenges on the lawfulness, but also involves substantial resources in processing the investigation of criminal cases, thereby we must be prudent.

Recently, another judgment laid down by the Court of Appeal (CA) could better help solve claimants' unco-operative behaviours. In July 2023, the Government lodged an appeal (CACV 229/2023) against the CFI of the High Court for allowing the habeas corpus application of a claimant who had been sentenced to imprisonment for rape. In November 2023, three Justices of Appeal of the CA unanimously allowed the appeal. The relevant judgment specified that any period of prolonged detention or delay in the processing of a non-refoulement claim caused by a detainee's own unco-operative or unreasonable behaviours should not be regarded or counted as an unreasonable period of detention. Otherwise, it would result in an absurd situation where the more unco-operatively the detainee behaves in the removal procedures, the more likely he/she is to be released. That is against the intention of the relevant common law principles. This judgment directly provides clear legal guidance on relevant common law principles, which greatly facilitates the Government in detaining claimants in accordance with the law, without the need to make separate legislation and then spend time and resources on subsequent criminal prosecutions.

(2) & (3) According to Section 37ZK of the Ordinance, a claimant pending final determination of his claim may be detained. From 2021 to 2023, the numbers of claimants detained by the ImmD under Section 37ZK are 263, 241 and 538 respectively, which accounted for 10 per cent, 19 per cent and 25 per cent respectively against the number of new claimants in that year.

When considering detention under Section 37ZK, the Government must carefully consider the legal issues, the use of resources, and the security. The Government is required to follow the relevant legislations, legal principles established by the Court under the common law, such as proportionality and reasonableness as well as the detention policy, and takes into account the individual case circumstances, including whether the final determination of the claim can be obtained within a reasonable time; whether the individual concerned has previously committed a serious crime and if so whether he/she is likely to pose a threat or security risk to the community if not being detained; and whether there is any risk of the individual absconding, offending or re-offending. In 2014, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the Hardial Singh principles under the common law must be observed by the ImmD during the course of removal procedures, i.e. such illegal immigrant may only be detained for a period that is reasonable; and the ImmD cannot continue to detain that person if it becomes apparent that it will not be able to effect removal within that reasonable period.

On the use of resources front, the Government must take into account the efficient use of public money and the sustainability of the policy. Based on the number of new claims of some 2 100 received in 2023, and that claimants remained in Hong Kong for an average of three years over the past three years as the estimation basis, invoking Section 37ZK or other provisions in full would require around 6 300 additional detention places. Taking the Stanley Prison as an example, which is the largest correctional institution with a capacity of around 1 500, in order to increase the number of detention places by 6 300, the Government will need to build an additional detention facility with a scale equivalent to four Stanley Prisons. The Government will also need to reserve billions of operating funding and employ an additional thousands of officers to implement such policy, which we must carefully consider.

On the security front, the risks and security issues brought by large scale detention of claimants cannot be underestimated. In the past, Vietnamese migrants were involved in gang-fighting in the closed camps day after day, and even triggered several riots which led to deaths and casualties. For example, in 1992, Vietnamese migrants assaulted each other inside the Shek Kong Detention Centre and set fire to a hut, which led to 24 deaths. Currently, claimants come from different countries, with different cultures and religious backgrounds, which will pose greater security risks.

We have taken into consideration factors including law, financial resources and security, and considered that the suggestion of full detention of all claimants is not appropriate. The Government will continue to gainfully make use of the existing detention facilities to detain claimants who pose higher security risks to the community, and expedite the removal of unsubstantiated claimants from Hong Kong. The law enforcement agencies will also step up enforcement actions against immigration offences and illegal employment, in order to lower the economic incentives of claimants.

Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[OGCIO invites Leading Organisers for Hong Kong ICT Awards 2024 and 2025]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400424.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400424.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0800
Organised by the OGCIO, the HKICTA aims to recognise and promote outstanding information and communications technology (ICT) inventions and applications, thereby encouraging Hong Kong's ICT elites and enterprises to strive for innovation and excellence. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, the HKICTA has always been highly regarded by the information technology industry. Since its debut in 2006, this annual signature event has already presented more than 2 000 awards to recognise outstanding local ICT products and solutions. In addition, HKICTA winners have the opportunity to be nominated for regional and international competitions, with many of them scooped remarkable prizes, including 19 awards in the Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Alliance Awards 2023, attaining two awards in the World Information Technology and Services Alliance 2023 Global ICT Excellence Awards, and capturing an award in Maker in China SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest 2022. They have showcased the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong's ICT industry.

The HKICTA consists of eight award categories, namely:

* Digital Entertainment Award
* FinTech Award
* ICT Startup Award
* Smart Business Award
* Smart Living Award
* Smart Mobility Award
* Smart People Award
* Student Innovation Award

In a bid to foster the innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI), each of the eight categories will establish a new distinguished accolade: the "Best Use of AI" award, magnifying and honouring outstanding achievements in harnessing the power of AI in respective areas.

The OGCIO welcomes applications from all non-profit organisations and industry associations to become Leading Organisers for the coming two rounds of the HKICTA. Leading Organisers are responsible for recruiting and screening entries, promoting the HKICTA through their networks, planning and managing the adjudication process, and holding individual presentation ceremonies for their categories. The selection of Leading Organisers will be conducted through an open and fair process based on established assessment mechanisms and criteria taking into account the effectiveness of the proposals as well as the capability and past performance of the proponents.

The deadline for submission is February 27. Organisations interested in being a Leading Organiser can obtain a set of the application documents (including a Request for Proposal and a Proposal Form) from the website of the OGCIO (www.ogcio.gov.hk/en/our_work/business/tender_eoi_rfp/open_tender_notice.htm). Further details are available on the website of the HKICTA (www.hkictawards.hk).]]><![CDATA[Nine building plans approved in November]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400317.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400317.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0800
     Of the approved plans, five were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, and two were for community services developments.

     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 14 building projects which, when completed, will provide 72 961 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 1 439 units, and 235 806 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for nine building projects.

     The department also issued 24 occupation permits, with four on Hong Kong Island, 12 in Kowloon and eight in the New Territories.

     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 164 584 sq m involving 3 345 units, and 201 716 sq m was for non-domestic use.

     The declared cost of new buildings completed in November totalled about $13.9 billion.

     In addition, nine demolition consents involving nine building structures were issued.

     The department received 2 950 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in November and issued 408 removal orders on UBWs.

     The full version of the Monthly Digest for November can be viewed on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).]]><![CDATA[Smart Traffic Fund approves two projects]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400310.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400310.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0800
The two approved projects in the latest batch cover an assisted navigation and collision avoidance system, and an artificial intelligence model for generating high-definition maps for autonomous driving. Details of the projects are available on the Fund's website (www.stf.hkpc.org).

     The Fund accepts applications year-round to provide funding support to local organisations and enterprises for conducting research and application of innovation and technology with the objectives of enhancing commuting convenience, enhancing efficiency of the road network or road space, and improving driving safety. All applications are considered and assessed in batches by the Management Committee, which is chaired by the Deputy Commissioner for Transport (Planning and Technical Services) and comprises representatives from the Government, experts in the industry and relevant stakeholders.

     The TD appeals to interested organisations and enterprises for participation to help make the Fund a success, and to build Hong Kong into a more liveable and sustainable city by driving Hong Kong toward a new era of transportation.

Application details are available on the Fund's website. For enquiries, please contact the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Secretariat of the Fund, on 2788 5536 or stf_sec@hkpc.org.]]><![CDATA[LCQ10: Collection and display of Hong Kong's pop culture]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400262.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400262.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0800
Question:

     The Chief Executive proposed in the 2022 Policy Address to explore the feasibility of setting up a Pop Culture Centre in the long term, while the Government also indicated earlier on that it will consult this Council and various stakeholders on the overall planning and future development of museums in Hong Kong. Regarding the collection and display of Hong Kong's pop culture, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective overall attendances, incomes and expenses of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Hong Kong Film Archive ("the Archive") in the past five years;

(2) of the number of exhibitions (excluding permanent exhibitions) on Hong Kong's pop culture held in various museums under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in the past five years, as well as the respective contents and attendances of such exhibitions;

(3) of the scope of study, progress and timetable in respect of the setting up of the Pop Culture Centre;

(4) as there are many views that the Archive can hardly serve as a cultural landmark due to its inconvenient location and the lack of cultural ambience in its vicinity, whether the authorities will, in tandem with the review of the overall planning of museums, consider relocating the Archive to a place where arts and cultural facilities abound or consider merging the Archive with the Pop Culture Centre, with a view to scaling up synergy and strengthening the promotion of Hong Kong films; and

(5) whether the authorities have explored with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority the feasibility of siting the Pop Culture Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District, and drawn reference from the experience of constructing the Hong Kong Palace Museum in order to expedite the establishment of the Pop Culture Centre, thereby building a new cultural tourist attraction and promoting the development of the cultural and creative industries in Hong Kong; if not, of the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The unique pop culture of Hong Kong is an important brand of Hong Kong's culture. As announced in the 2022 Policy Address, the Government will consider the possibility of setting up a "Pop Culture Centre" as a local cultural landmark and a tourist attraction in the long run. This will appeal to different groups of audience including the younger generation and tourists, and step up the promotion of Hong Kong's pop culture.

     Our reply to the five parts of the question is as follows:

(1) The overall attendance, revenue and expenditure of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) and Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) in the past 5 years (2018-19 to 2022-23) are tabulated as follows:

HKHM

	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Attendance	660 506	538 610	94 243	326 427	450 561
Revenue ($ million)	2.99	3.72	0.57	1.11	1.61
Expenditure ($ million)	133.24	145.44	156.91	164.70	128.08

HKFA

	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Attendance	145 490	106 203	21 205	44 497	64 354
Revenue ($ million)	0.72	0.55	0.19	0.39	0.62
Expenditure ($ million)	72.85	67.33	77.27	92.05	95.25

(2) Details of exhibitions related to Hong Kong's film, television and pop culture held at the HKFA and the HKHM under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in the past 5 years (2018-19 to 2022-23) are tabulated as follows:

Exhibition title	Date	Venue	Number of participants
2018-19
Their Glory Days	March 30 to July 15, 2018	HKFA	22 630
Hand in Hand with Film — the Silent Translator	June 23 to July 8, 2018	HKFA	2 694
One Plus One Equals More than Two: Comedy Duos of Hong Kong Cinema	July 27 to October 1, 2018	HKFA	14 195
Leung Sing-por．The Silhouette on Stage and Silver Screen	August 3 to October 29, 2018	HKFA	11 387
90 Years of Public Service Broadcasting in Hong Kong	November 7, 2018 to February 25, 2019	HKHM	195 230
Cityscape in Sight and Sound	February 1 to May 5, 2019	HKFA	19 380
2019-20
Invisible Perception — Film Scores and Sound Effects	May 24 to August 25, 2019	HKFA	12 626
Law Yim-hing, Ambassador of Alluring Beauty Retrospective Exhibition	June 7 to August 30, 2019	HKFA	5 708
Celebrating Inheritance and Integration — 10th Anniversary of Inscription of Cantonese Opera onto Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Exhibition	September 6 to December 1, 2019	HKFA	22 458
Multifarious Arrays of Weaponry in Hong Kong Cinema	December 13, 2019 to May 31, 2020	HKFA	7 876
2020-21
A Different Brilliance — The D & B Story	June 12, 2020 to February 21, 2021	HKFA	9 123
The Civil-Military Buffoon of a Thousand Faces ─ The Artistic Career of Ma Si-tsang	July 3 to December 18, 2020	HKFA	1 756
2021-22
Acquisition Diary: 20 Milestones in 20 Years	May 21, 2021 to June 29, 2022	HKFA	14 657
Out of the Past — From the Tai Ping Treasure Trove (Programme celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Film Archive)	May 28 to October 17, 2021	HKFA	14 991
Tales of the Film Stills	November 5, 2021 to July 3, 2022	HKFA	7 902
2022-23
More Brilliance, Still Different — The D & B Story Redux	July 29, 2022 to February 12, 2023	HKFA	15 486
Exhibition of "The Queen of Huadan – Celebrating the Stage and Screen Career of Fong Yim-fun"	July 29, 2022 to January 13, 2023	HKFA	13 108
Tango Between Images — Hong Kong Films & Comics (Programme of Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival)	February 24 to October 8, 2023	HKFA	26 712
Miss You Much Leslie Exhibition (Programme of Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival)	March 29 to October 9, 2023	HKHM	370 716

Three pop culture-related exhibitions were held in the HKHM this year (2023-24), namely, "Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts & Costumes Exhibition", "Bruce Lee: a Timeless Classic" and "Timeless Diva: Anita Mui", whereas two were held in the HKFA this year, namely, "Farewell to My Concubine Poster Exhibition (Overseas Versions)" and "Cinderella and Her Qipao". Details of the relevant exhibitions tabulated as follows:

Exhibition title	Date	Venue	Number of participants
2023-24
Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts & Costumes Exhibition (Programme of Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival)	May 3 to September 4, 2023	HKHM	69 891
Bruce Lee: a Timeless Classic	July 12 to December 4, 2023	HKHM	168 334
Farewell to My Concubine Poster Exhibition (Overseas Versions) (Programme of Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival)	October 4 to December 30, 2023	HKFA	21 512
Cinderella and Her Qipao (Programme of Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival)	November 3, 2023 to May 5, 2024	HKFA	8 207 (up to December 31, 2023)
Timeless Diva: Anita Mui	December 23, 2023 to September 2, 2024	HKHM	19 031 (up to December 31, 2023)

(3) At present, the Government is conducting long-term planning for the essential facilities of the "Pop Culture Centre" in terms of the location and site area. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) is working closely with the Development Bureau (DEVB) and other relevant departments/organisations (including the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA)) to explore and identify the optimal site.

     At the same time, we are also in discussion and consultation with various stakeholders, including expert advisers, on matters related to the long-term planning of the "Pop Culture Centre", such as its choice of site, facilities, curatorial approach and exhibition contents etc, with a view to formulating appropriate plans for developing it into a landmark for local pop culture and a tourist attraction.

     In the short term, we plan to reserve a designated gallery in the HKHM for holding exhibitions and extension activities on pop culture so as to expand the collaboration network and build up the collections on pop culture.

(4) The HKFA's major role and functions are to collect and conserve Hong Kong films and relevant materials, which include conducting researches, publishing, organising regular retrospective screenings, exhibitions and seminars etc, thereby enhancing public's interest in film appreciation and understanding of film history. On the other hand, the "Pop Culture Centre" aims to promote Hong Kong's pop culture, appeal to a diversified audience including the younger generation and tourists, and stimulate the vitality of the younger generation by showcasing different aspects of Hong Kong's pop culture. Notwithstanding their functional differences, the HKFA will co-ordinate with the "Pop Culture Centre" in terms of collections and exhibition contents in the future so as to achieve better synergy.

     The Government is currently reviewing the overall planning of museums and consulting relevant parties. We welcome suggestions on exhibition themes, contents and collections of the "Pop Culture Centre" from stakeholders for our further study and consideration.

(5) As stated in part (3) of the reply, at present, the Government is conducting long-term planning for the essential facilities of the "Pop Culture Centre" in terms of the location and site area. The CSTB is working closely with the DEVB and other relevant departments/organisations (including the WKCDA) to explore and identify the optimal site. The Government remains open to all possible options.]]><![CDATA[LCQ22: Arrangements for dispersing visitors after mega events]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400360.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400360.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 14:48:00 +0800
Question:

It has been reported that many Mainland visitors, having attended the "Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations" fireworks musical on Victoria Harbour held in the evening of December 31 last year, made their way back to the Mainland in the early hours of the following day. However, due to inadequate ancillary facilities of the relevant transport services and boundary control points (BCPs), a large number of visitors were stranded at various locations (including shopping malls in Tsim Sha Tsui, MTR Sheung Shui Station and its vicinity, fast food restaurants, etc). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the occupancy rate of local hotels and the percentage of hotel guests who are Mainland visitors since the full resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland early last year; whether it has reviewed if there is a problem of insufficient rooms in local hotels, and what new measures are in place to encourage visitors to stay overnight in Hong Kong;

(2) as there are views that manpower shortage is the cause of high room rates of local hotels, and the Government has recently included the relevant job categories in the hotel industry (e.g. waiter/waitress and cook) in the coverage of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme, of the respective numbers of applications for the various relevant job categories received and approved by the Government;

(3) whether it will set up an emergency response mechanism such that when the arrival figures exceed the normal level, corresponding measures can be taken early to facilitate crowd flows; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) as the Government has indicated that it will discuss with the Mainland authorities about extending the opening hours of non-rail based BCPs during mega events, of the relevant details (including whether the Shenzhen Bay Port is covered under the discussion); and

(5) as the Lunar New Year Fireworks Display will be held on the second day of the Lunar New Year next month, whether the Government has assessed if the number of inbound passenger trips on that day would exceed the normal level; if it has assessed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the corresponding measures to be put in place?

Reply:

President,

     The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) organised the largest-ever "Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations" firework musical on New Year's Eve, which attracted a total of 480 000 locals and tourists viewing on both sides of Victoria Harbour. Visitors had very high satisfaction towards the fireworks according to the HKTB's analysis. Various media from the Mainland and overseas made live broadcast or reported the event, which brought great publicity and promotion on Hong Kong. In preparation for the firework musical, the Tourism Commission and the HKTB held an inter-departmental meeting with relevant government departments and maintained close communication with them to facilitate various departments to grasp detailed information and operational issues of the event for planning ahead matters related to major events under their respective portfolios, such as crowd control, land and sea transportation, as well as emergency rescue services, etc, with a view to ensuring the smooth implementation of the event.

     Regarding the cross-boundary passenger transport arrangement on New Year's Eve, as the Transport Department had anticipated that a considerable number of visitors would use the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port to return to the Mainland after the fireworks musical, it liaised with the service operators of cross-boundary coaches and Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) in advance and requested to increase the headway. The number of vehicles deployed for service operation was already double of that of weekdays, so that more visitors could take cross-boundary coaches or Yellow Bus to return to the Mainland via the Port. Nevertheless, due to the traffic congestion that began to occur in the vicinity of the Port in the small hours that day, many cross-boundary coaches and Yellow Bus were trapped in traffic queues and could not return to terminus in time to pick up visitors.

     In respect of the question raised by the Hon Chan Hak-kan, having consulted the Chief Secretary for Administration's Private Office, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Security Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the reply is as follows:

(1) According to the data collected by the HKTB, the average hotel room occupancy rate from March to November 2023 was 84 per cent, which is slightly lower than the pre-pandemic level. The average hotel room occupancy rate reached 90 per cent during the Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year holiday in 2023, which is comparable to the pre-pandemic level. There is no breakdown of the data between Mainland and non-Mainland visitors.

     On the receiving capacity of hotels, there are currently a total of over 90 000 rooms offered by hotels, representing an increase of 11 per cent as compared with the level in end-December 2018. The overall supply is sufficient and the overall occupancy rate is also slightly lower than the pre-pandemic level.

     Based on the findings of the HKTB, the average length of stay of overnight visitors has extended from 3.1 nights before the pandemic to 3.5 nights in the third quarter of 2023. The proportion of overnight visitors over total visitors has also increased. Around 50 per cent of visitors stayed overnight last year, surpassing the average of 46 per cent of the same period in 2017 and 2018. The proportion of non-Mainland overnight visitors remained at 66 per cent, similar to the average of the same period in 2017 and 2018.

     The HKTB will continue to closely observe the changes in visitors' travel pattern and preferences, enrich visitors' itineraries and experiences, and step up promotion through different strategies, so as to attract visitors to visit Hong Kong and extend their length of stay.

     To complement the latest trend of visitors' interest in focusing more on in-depth experiences and passion in taking part in mega events in Hong Kong, the HKTB will combine mega events with both Chinese and Western festivals, leverage on the integration of mega events with culture, sports and tourism to develop tourism, and consolidate Hong Kong's position as the Events Capital of Asia. For example, the Government supports the match between Inter Miami CF and Hong Kong team at the Hong Kong Stadium on February 4, 2024 through the "M" Mark System; the first-ever UIM E1 World Championship (E1) will also stage its grand finale in Hong Kong for three consecutive seasons from 2024 to 2026, with the joint support from the Tourism Commission and the HKTB.

     The HKTB will also attract visitors to take part in various events through linking up mega events and activities in Hong Kong during festive occasions. For example, during Christmas last year, the HKTB had not only staged the Hong Kong WinterFest, set up a giant Christmas tree in the West Kowloon Cultural District and held the whole-new Winter Harbourfront Pyrotechnics Show, but also promoted celebratory activities, shopping discounts, festive cuisine at hotels and restaurants at popular tourist spots in Hong Kong to attract visitors to come to Hong Kong to experience the joyful festive ambience.

     During the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, the HKTB will stage the International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 10, 2024 (Lunar New Year's Day), and promote the Lunar New Year fireworks display on February 11, 2024 (the second day of Lunar New Year) in global markets and the Chinese New Year Raceday organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club on February 12, 2024 (the third day of Lunar New Year), to attract visitors to participate in various activities to experience the festive ambience on consecutive days during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland.

     In addition, the HKTB has consolidated a series of itinerary guides for visitors on its DiscoverHongKong.com website, such as "4 days of family fun", "Two days in the islands", "3-day Hong Kong local foodie guide", etc, to provide recommended tourist attractions and activities to visitors and facilitate them to plan their overnight stay in Hong Kong.

(2) The Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) was launched on September 4, 2023. As at December 31, 2023, the Labour Department (LD) had received 72 applications from the hotel industry seeking to import 1 179 workers. The applied posts mainly included room attendant, waiter/waitress and clerical worker, etc. To ensure employment priority for local workers, applicant employers must undertake a four-week local recruitment exercise under the ESLS and accord priority to employing suitable local workers to fill the vacancies. As at December 31, 2023, 24 applications involving 421 job vacancies of the hotel industry had completed or were undertaking the four-week local recruitment exercise, of which 2 applications for importing 8 room attendants and 5 waiters/waitresses in total had been approved. The LD will continue to follow up on the recruitment results of the above applications and process the other applications.

(3) In view of the surge in passenger and vehicular flow during festive periods, the Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre, composed of relevant departments including the Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, and the Immigration Department, will be activated during the period to monitor the situation at boundary control points (BCPs) and take contingency actions where necessary. Manpower will be deployed flexibly to open more e-Channels, counters and vehicle clearance kiosks to facilitate passenger and vehicular movement, so as to ensure the smooth operation of BCPs. When needed, the Security Bureau will also activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to closely monitor the public order at respective BCPs and co-ordinate inter-departmental follow-up actions.

     Prior to major long holidays, the HKSAR Government will announce through press releases and social media apps the expected passenger flow during the holiday period, and encourage the public and passengers to plan their trips in advance and make good use of BCPs with less passenger traffic, while appealing to Mainland visitors and Hong Kong residents planning to enter or leave Hong Kong to cross the boundary during non-peak hours as far as possible, with a view to minimising the congestion at land BCPs during the morning and evening peak hours during holiday periods.

(4) With an aim to facilitate diversion of cross-boundary passenger and vehicular movements during the Lunar New Year holidays, the HKSAR Government and the relevant departments of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality have agreed to put in place the following special arrangements:

(i) passenger and passenger vehicle clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay BCP, which originally closes at 12 midnight, will operate overnight, i.e. to provide round-the-clock service, from February 9, 2024 (Chinese New Year's Eve) to February 13, 2024 (the fourth day of Lunar New Year); and

(ii) passenger clearance service at the Lo Wu BCP, which originally closes at 12 midnight, will be extended to 2am next day on February 9, 2024 (Chinese New Year's Eve) and February 11, 2024 (the second day of Lunar New Year). MTR East Rail Line will also extend its service accordingly.

     The round-the-clock operation of the Shenzhen Bay BCP can provide one more option for visitors using cross-boundary passenger vehicles, so as to avoid bunching at Lok Ma Chau/ Huanggang Control Point and causing congestion. Extending the operating hours of Lo Wu BCP can attract some visitors to cross the boundary by railway service instead of passenger vehicles, which can help relieve the burden on land BCPs given the capability of mass transit system in diverting visitors.

(5) The Immigration Department estimates that around 7.5 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong's sea, land and air control points during the upcoming Lunar New Year festive period (February 9 to 17, 2024). Among them, about 80 per cent will pass through land BCPs. It is expected that the number of outbound passengers using land BCPs will be relatively higher on February 11, 2024, and the number of inbound passengers will be relatively higher on February 13, 2024.

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism convened a meeting on January 15, 2024, to co-ordinate the preparation for visitor arrivals to Hong Kong during the eight-day Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland from February 10 to 17, 2024. In view of the anticipated increase of visitor arrivals to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, various relevant departments of the HKSAR Government and organisations are working closely together, making early preparations for deployment of resources as well as stepping up co-ordination and communication with their respective Mainland counterparts. The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism will also convene another meeting before the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland to follow up on the preparation situation of various departments, so as to create good travel experiences for the visitors arriving in Hong Kong during the Golden Week.

     To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic during the festive period, relevant departments have minimised leave for frontline officers for flexible deployment and operation of extra clearance counters and kiosks to facilitate passenger and vehicular movement. Additional security assistants will also be deployed to provide crowd management support. As stated in Part 3 of the reply above, the Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre, composed of relevant departments including the Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, and the Immigration Department, will be activated during the period to ensure smooth passenger traffic flow. When needed, the Security Bureau will also activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to co-ordinate inter-departmental follow-up actions.]]><![CDATA[Speech by FS at Asian Financial Forum Keynote Luncheon (English only) (with photos/video)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400426.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400426.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 14:30:00 +0800
Professor Jeffrey Sachs (President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network), Ronnie (Chair of Hang Lung Properties Limited, Mr Ronnie Chan), Mr Wu Bo (President, Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Management Committee of China International Capital Corporation Limited), Honourable Ministers and senior officials from around the world, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon to you all. Welcome the luncheon of the 17th Asian Financial Forum.

     And a warm welcome to Professor Jeffrey Sachs, our luncheon keynote speaker. We are honoured to have you with us today.

     Professor Sachs is President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and a global leader in sustainable development. An acclaimed economist, scholar and strategist, Professor Sachs has made outstanding contributions to addressing global challenges and achieving sustainable development. His wide-ranging efforts include ending extreme poverty, fighting climate change, reinforcing global co-operation and governance, and much more.

     I know we all look forward to his address after lunch. He will speak about responsible capitalism and how it can shape sustainable development.

The Bumpy Path to Sustainable Development

     Sustainable development, it is fair to say, is embraced by countries all over the world. Achieving it, however, is getting increasingly difficult. As the UN Sustainable Development Report 2023 puts it, at the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda, the world is far-off track in achieving sustainable development goals.

     We certainly face multiple crises. They include the lasting impact of the pandemic on low-income and lower middle-income countries, the fiscal space of which for spending on infrastructure, health and social programmes has been severely constrained. Wars and conflicts have resulted in widespread humanitarian crises. Geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation disrupt normal trade, investments and innovation. They hamper global economic growth and, in some cases, hinder climate action.

     Nevertheless, we are a global community with a shared future. In a world characterised by a high degree of interconnectedness and interdependence, we know that events in one part of the world can cause rippling, and crippling, effects elsewhere in the world.

     Consider climate change, or conflicts that disrupt regional supply chains and ramp up inflation. If we do not work together, the sorry state others contend with will one day become ours as well. In short, it is paramount that we all play our part in working together towards sustainable development.

     This reality is at the heart of our country's development agenda. It was highlighted by President Xi at the APEC Economic Leaders' Summit in November, when he said that sustainable development is the "golden key" to solving global problems, and that countries should work together to accelerate the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the years, China has been one of the biggest contributors to the eradication of poverty, which is the UN's No. 1 sustainable development goal. And in the pursuit of high-quality development, which is high on the agenda of the Chinese Government, much emphasis has been focused on promoting the green, low-carbon transformation of the economy and the society. China is rapidly realising its "3060" target. For example, the production of electric vehicles on the Mainland last year reached more than eight million.

     Internationally, China has pledged to deepen co-operation in infrastructure, energy, transportation and many other fields. It also supports the capacity building of developing countries by providing the funding and other technical assistance.

Hong Kong's Contributions

     As for Hong Kong, we are an active contributor to global sustainable development. Our role, as part of China, is to serve as a major financial and trade centre connecting markets, investors and capital. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, we continue to practise common law. Our business rules align with the best international practices and standards, and we embrace the free movement of capital, goods, information and people.

     Allow me now to highlight a few points that reflect our stance and actions on global sustainable development, from the economic and financial perspective.

     First, we believe that economic progress is central to achieving sustainable development. Only by growing the economic pie can we have the resources and capacity to address some of humanity's most pressing issues. Over the past few decades, the power of free trade and competition under a rules-based multilateral system has been nothing short of remarkable. The flow of goods and capital has unleashed immense productivity worldwide, raising the incomes and living standards of billions of people. That includes, let me add, more than a billion people lifted out of extreme poverty. But the current global upheaval, and talk and actions of "de-risking" and "friend-shoring" since the pandemic now threaten what we have achieved. And we will all be worse off if we allow these emerging trends to take root.

     That's why Hong Kong stands firm against protectionism and roadblocks to trade and investment. We are firmly committed to multilateralism, to free trade, and to reducing trade barriers. We are a staunch supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization as governing institution.

     We will support efforts to promote multilateral trade at WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference next month, particularly in restoring a well-functioning dispute-settlement system as soon as possible.

     Second, we are all well-positioned to support climate action and green transition in the Asian region and around the world. Massive funding is needed for green transformation, with estimates suggesting that more than US$66 trillion will be required in Asia alone over the next three decades. As an international financial centre, we are Asia's leader in green investment and financing. A few figures make that clear: in 2022, total green and sustainable debt arranged in Hong Kong, including bonds and loans, rose over 40 per cent, year on year, to more than US$80 billion. Our bond volume captured about one-third of the entire Asian market. At the end of September, Hong Kong was home to more than 200 authorised ESG funds, with total assets under management of about US$160 billion, up 28 per cent, year on year.

     Volume aside, we are committed to building a green financial system that meets the best international standards. And we are moving apace, whether in establishing voluntary carbon markets, facilitating green certification or aligning standards. For instance, we are now working to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards for our financial services.

     And we do more than follow the rules. We are making our voice heard in green standard setting by participating in institutions like the IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions).

     Beyond finance, Hong Kong has gathered some 200 green tech firms, some of them already expanding their products and services to ASEAN and Middle East markets, offering innovative green solutions to governments and companies alike.

     Third, we can unleash the potential of fintech as a tool for good. In both developed and developing countries, fintech is providing solutions that enables affordable financial services, empowering businesses and individuals and enhance financial inclusion. In some cases, fintech helps countries and regions achieve leapfrogging progress.

     Hong Kong is a regional fintech hub, home to more than 1 000 fintech firms. They offer a diverse range of services, from virtual banks and insurance companies to e-payment and digital-asset developers. Some of their innovations are making a decided difference, in Hong Kong and elsewhere. For example, one local tech company uses blockchain and IoT technology to monitor the health and growth of livestock enabling them to be used as collateral. Some others use AI to develop credit-risk models that help SMEs obtain loans.

Closing Remarks

     Ladies and gentlemen, before I close, allow me to emphasise the most important element in striving for a more sustainable future, in addressing such complex challenges as poverty, climate change, global health and inclusiveness: what we need, above all, is collective action and collaboration. In one word: co-operation.

     In working together, there is nothing we can't accomplish. Of that, I am confident.

     I wish you all a rewarding two days at the Asian Financial Forum and the best of sustainable business and health in 2024.

     Thank you.

]]><![CDATA[Latest arrangements for HKeToll consultation counters and streamlining of mobile phone text messages notifications]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400375.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400375.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 14:12:00 +0800
Starting from February 1, vehicle owners and motorists in need can seek assistance through other channels. The toll service provider will set up new consultation counters at the four TD Licensing Offices in Admiralty, Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin. The eight HKeToll customer service centres and service outlets at Wan Chai, Ap Lei Chau, Prince Edward, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O, Sha Tin Shek Mun, Kwai Fong and Yuen Long, and the 24-hour service hotline at 3853 7333 will continue to operate. The locations and service hours of the above-mentioned facilities are in Annex 1.

Since the implementation of the HKeToll, the TD has been reviewing the service quality and implementing improvement measures correspondingly. Having considered the feedback from some HKeToll users that there have been excessive notifications with repetitive content received during their journeys, starting from February 1, the TD will streamline the mobile phone text message arrangements, and the system will no longer send to users "tunnel passage notification" and "successful automatic payment notification" (Note) mobile phone text messages. Users who choose to receive messages by email or mobile app will not be affected by the new arrangements. Vehicle owners can log onto the HKeToll website or mobile app to set up the notification channel according to their personal preferences in the "notification setting". Please refer to Annex 2 for more information.

Note: At present, after passing through a tunnel by a vehicle, the HKeToll system will send a "tunnel passage notification" mobile phone text message to the user. If the user has set up an automatic payment means, the system will also send a "successful automatic payment notification" mobile phone text message to the user after the automatic payment has been successfully processed. ]]><![CDATA[LCQ14: Food waste collection and recycling]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400339.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400339.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 14:10:00 +0800
Question:

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched a food waste collection trial scheme in public rental housing (PRH) estates in 2022, and subsequently announced that Smart Food Waste Bins (SFWBs) would be installed in all PRH estates in Hong Kong within this year to collect food waste. As for private housing courts, they can apply for subsidies under the initiative "Solicitation Theme: Supporting Residential Buildings in Adopting Smart Bins Technology in Food Waste Collection and Recycling" of the Recycling Fund or the "Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates" (the Pilot Scheme) launched by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) to install smart recycling bins to collect food waste. However, it is learnt that many private housing courts, single-block private buildings and "three-nil buildings" in Hong Kong are not eligible for the Pilot Scheme, while those buildings may also lack sufficient space to install SFWBs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of SFWBs in operation in PRH estates and private housing courts as at January 15 this year, together with a breakdown by District Council district;

(2) of the number of SFWBs which the Government expects will be in operation in Hong Kong by the end of this year;

(3) of the procurement and installation costs, as well as the annual repair and maintenance costs of each SFWB;

(4) of the respective current numbers of suppliers, as well as repair and maintenance contractors of SFWBs in Hong Kong;

(5) given that at present, a number of food waste collectors providing food waste collection and delivery services have applied to EPD for registration as "food waste collectors", of EPD's criteria for selecting food waste collectors in different districts;

(6) of the total number of applications for the Pilot Scheme received by the ECC as at January 15 this year; and

(7) in order to complement the Municipal Solid Waste charging to be implemented, whether the authorities will install SFWBs in places other than PRH estates and large housing courts (such as facilities under the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY, public refuse collection points of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, community halls, as well as parks and sitting-out areas under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department), so that more members of the public living in premises which have not been or cannot be installed with SFWBs may also participate in food waste recovery?

Reply:

President,

Currently, about 11 100 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated in Hong Kong per day, of which around 30 per cent is food waste. To help the public reduce food waste, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is gradually installing food waste smart recycling bins (FWSRBs) in all public residential housing (PRH) estates across the territory, with "GREEN$" points awarded to encourage active participation of the public. As for private housing estates, the EPD will support private residential buildings for the installation of smart recycling bins to collect food waste under the Recycling Fund and the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF). My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Edward Leung is as follows:

(1) As at January 15, 2024, a total of 449 FWSRBs have been put into service for about 1 000 buildings in PRH estates and private housing estates (including villages), with distribution in various districts as follows:

District	PRH estate	Private housing estate	Total
Central and Western	3	0	3
Wan Chai	0	0	0
Eastern	14	15	29
Southern	9	0	9
Yau Tsim Mong	0	0	0
Sham Shui Po	19	0	19
Kowloon City	6	2	8
Wong Tai Sin	30	2	32
Kwun Tong	40	8	48
Kwai Tsing	29	5	34
Tsuen Wan	14	6	20
Tuen Mun	45	5	50
Yuen Long	43	2	45
North	24	6	30
Sha Tin	47	15	62
Tai Po	9	0	9
Sai Kung	14	27	41
Islands	5	5	10
Total	351	98	449

(2) The EPD is working with the Housing Department and the Hong Kong Housing Society at full speed to extend the smart food waste recycling service to all PRH estates in Hong Kong. It is expected that more than 700 FWSRBs will be put into service by the end of 2024. We will conduct timely reviews of the participation rate, the amount of food waste collection and the operation efficiency concerned at various PRH estates. Where necessary, we will install additional FWSRBs at individual PRH estates.

As for private housing estates, the EPD is providing support to private residential buildings to install smart recycling bins for food waste collection under the Recycling Fund and the ECF. It is expected that about 100 FWSRBs will be installed at a total of 30 private housing estates and three rural villages through the above scheme before the Lunar New Year. Besides, the "Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates" launched by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) is still in its early stage of open applications. We expect that about 15 to 20 applications from housing estates involving about 120 FWSRBs will be approved in 2024. Since housing estates are required to submit applications for funding under the relevant funding schemes on their own initiative, the actual quantity will depend on the numbers of applications received and approvals granted.

(3) At present, the Government mainly procures FWSRBs from suppliers through rental arrangements. The average monthly rental fee for each FWSRB is about HK$2,000, which includes services fees for transportation, installation, inspection, repairs and maintenance, wireless network, software updates and replacement of consumables.

(4) Currently, there are about 10 suppliers in the local market that provide FWSRBs as well as their repair and maintenance services. The EPD has been closely monitoring the market developments and has opened up the technology platform to encourage the participation of more new suppliers to offer different models, thereby fostering healthy competition.

(5) In 2021, the EPD extended the "Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Collection" by rolling out four food waste collection service contracts in phases, covering Hong Kong Island and Islands District, Kowloon, New Territories East and New Territories West respectively. The services concerned are currently operated by two food waste collection contractors.

The Government has all along been adhering to the principles of "achieving best value for money" and "maintaining open and fair competition" for procurement, with clear guidelines and procedures set out for open tendering. All interested food waste collection contractors are eligible to participate in tendering.

As for the supply contracts of food waste collection services in various districts, the EPD evaluates and scores all technical and price proposals of the bids in accordance with the evaluation criteria and the marking schemes for acceptance of tenders stipulated in the tender documents. The contractor with the highest combined technical and price score is then selected as the successful bidder.

(6) Since December 29, 2023, the ECC called for applications from private housing estates with at least 1 000 households for two-year funding support for the installation and relevant repair and maintenance services of FWSRBs to further encourage recycling of domestic food waste. As at January 15, 2024, the ECC has received a total of six applications for the "Pilot Scheme on Food Waste Smart Recycling Bins in Private Housing Estates".

(7) In September and December of last year, the EPD installed FWSRBs at two recycling stations in the vicinity of residential areas, namely GREEN@SHAM SHUI PO and GREEN@EASTERN, to conduct trial domestic food waste collection from the neighbourhood (including single-block and "three-nil" buildings) as public collection points. They are complemented by the reward of GREEN$ points to encourage active participation from the public. So far, the trial scheme has received positive responses from the public, with over 14 000 individuals participating in food waste recycling.

The Government needs to consider a number of factors when installing FWSRBs in public venues, such as whether the venue has a suitable location and power supply for FWSRB installation; whether there is enough space for temporary storage of fully filled inner bins; whether the location is convenient for the public to practise food waste recycling; and whether the installation works will disrupt the site operation or cause inconvenience to site users. The EPD will closely monitor the level of public participation in food waste recycling and conduct timely review of the effectiveness of trial public food waste collection points. Based on the findings of the review, the Government will continue to explore installing additional public food waste collection points in suitable locations (such as public markets and refuse collection points) to provide the public with more convenient channels for recycling.]]><![CDATA[Speech by FS at Innovation and Technology: Building a Smart and Livable City Conference 2024 (English only)(with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400411.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400411.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 13:39:00 +0800
Bernard (Chairman of M Plus Museum Limited, Chairman of Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co Ltd and Vice Chairman of Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Mr Bernard Chan), Barry (President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Dr Barry Lee), Simon (Chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers Civil Division, Mr Simon Ng), Bernadette (Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn), Ricky (Permanent Secretary for Development, Mr Ricky Lau), Michael (Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong), ladies and gentlemen, builders of Hong Kong all,

Good morning. I'm pleased to join you all for today's conference.

First of all, let me take this opportunity to thank the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the CEDD (Civil Engineering and Development Department) for organising this joint conference, and my sincere congratulations to the CEDD as you mark your 20th anniversary this year.

The conference today centres on building a smart and livable city with the use of innovation and technology. I know that Bernadette will, in a few minutes, share with you some of the Government's initiatives and developments in this regard. Allow me to take this occasion to focus on a critical aspect of a smart and livable city, that is infrastructure development.

Continuously investing in infrastructure

I am sure everyone here would agree that the Government and the community as a whole need to make a continuous investment in infrastructure. On the one hand, it brings direct benefits by creating jobs, improving the living environment and enhancing the quality of life for our people. On the other, it enables Hong Kong to better integrate into the Greater Bay Area development, which is very important to our long-term social and economic development.

The prerequisite for our sustainable economic and social development is sufficient land supply. Therefore, despite short-term ups and downs in the property market, we need to continue to invest in land creation. We should not forget the lesson that had been learnt the hard way in the past: when we stopped creating land, we ended up creating land shortages.

And infrastructure provision is critical in this city's "infrastructure-led" and "capacity-creating" approach in spatial planning. It will also help us unleash the development potential of areas along major transport infrastructure.

Last month, we unveiled the Hong Kong Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint. It laid out a comprehensive framework for the city's transport infrastructure development, including strategic railways and major road networks for the next 20 years.

The question then is how we are going to implement all the projects? There are a few things that we need to pay attention to.

First, we will need to suitably prioritise these projects. A prime consideration is to rationalise the cash flow requirements in the overall context of the Government's Budget. Another consideration is of course the capacity of the construction industry, to avoid over-concentration of works that would drive up labour, materials and construction costs in general.

Second, cost control and value for money. This is key to earn public support for the projects. I am glad to note that in recent years, the Government is doing generally well in ensuring that public works projects are completed on time and within budget. In the past 10 legislative years since 2013/14, more than 530 Category A projects were completed, with an actual total expenditure of around HK$153 billion, which was 11 per cent lower than the total approved expenditure at HK$172 billion. Colleagues, thank you for your hard and good work.

Yet, there is more that requires our attention. When we talk about cost, we would not only look at the project cost, but also costs in the whole asset life cycle of a project, including management and maintenance.

Third, about financing. For the coming huge investments in infrastructure projects, it is obvious that we could not all count on the Government's capital works expenditure. We need to work with the private sector to leverage market capital.

Borrowing is one option. Since the launch of the Government Green Bond Programme in 2018, we have raised about HK$190 billion in green bonds. The funds have been used to finance 72 public works projects.

At the end of March last year, government debt was at only about 4.5 per cent of our gross domestic product (GDP). Even counting the HK$65 billion in green and infrastructure bonds that we plan to issue in the next few years, the government debt-to-GDP ratio by 2027/28, will still remain below 10 per cent. That's very low by international standards. And we will continue to stick to strict financial discipline, i.e. the funds raised would not be used for meeting recurrent expenditure needs.

Apart from borrowing, we should contemplate different financing arrangements creatively so as to maximise the benefits to the community. We have had some well-known successful cases. For example, railway plus property development, and build-operate-transfer models. Going forward, there may be some other forms of public-private partnerships such as collaboration with long-term investment funds.

To that end, I am chairing the Committee on the Financing of Major Development Projects. The Committee is tasked with examining financing arrangements for major development projects, advising on feasible investment and financing options and evaluating the impact of major development projects on government finances. It held its first meeting last month.

Supporting innovation in construction

Ladies and gentlemen, coming back to the construction industry, I wish to stress the Government's commitment to supporting innovation in construction. Bernadette is going to give you a detailed account in her speech. Allow me just to outline the initiatives in this respect in the last Budget.

First, the Building Testing and Research Institute, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, will get going this year. It will engage in R&D (research and development) for innovative materials, construction methods and technologies. It will also contribute to devising standards, conduct testing and provide accreditation.

It is our vision that the Institute will make good use of Hong Kong's unique advantages as an international platform, facilitating our country's construction standards and related products to converge with those in the international market.

Second, we have substantially completed the study on the first advanced construction industry building in Tsing Yi. The building will provide space for operators to set up steel reinforcement bar prefabrication and other advanced manufacturing yards, as well as processing sites for MiMEP (Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing). Construction of the building will proceed soon in the next phase.

Third, we are taking active steps to strengthen the supply chain of MiC (Modular Integrated Construction) modules. A steering committee has been set up by the Development Bureau. They are working very hard in this regard.

Meanwhile, we also see a clear case for more collaboration between the public sector, private sector and academia in smarter and greener construction and infrastructure. Our research capability is strong. In fact, many research teams and start-ups engaged in smart and green technology have been offering competitive products and solutions which are selling well in overseas markets. For example, a City University team has developed a coating for building exteriors that can reduce indoor temperatures by six to eight degrees Celsius. Another startup in Science Park is engaged in underwater carbon-sequestration projects. Their products are now used in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Indeed, many such local inventions are being used by our works departments.

Concluding remarks

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope I have given you some updates about our continuous commitment to investing in infrastructure and building a smart and livable city. I look forward to the insights from the many expert speakers participating in the conference today.

In just over two weeks we will celebrate Chinese New Year - the Year of the Dragon. This year's Dragon promises to usher in a year of opportunity and promise. Allow me to wish each and every one of you a healthy and rewarding year. Thank you.

]]><![CDATA[LCQ17: Senior Citizen Residences Scheme]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400334.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400334.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:55:00 +0800
Question:

     According to the Hong Kong Population Projections 2020-2069 released by the Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of elderly persons in the total population will increase substantially from 18.4 per cent in 2019 to 33.3 per cent in 2039, and the situation of the elderly population exceeding 2.5 million will remain for at least 30 years. On the other hand, the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) launched the Senior Citizen Residences Scheme (the Scheme) in 1999. The third project under the Scheme was launched on March 14 last year to provide 312 flats, and it has been reported that HKHS received 500 applications for the project on the same day. There are views pointing out that there will be a huge demand for elderly housing. Regarding the various projects launched under the Scheme, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:

(1) the numbers of residents in the various projects in each of the past 10 years;

(2) the numbers of persons who terminated tenancies in the various projects in each of the past 10 years, and the reasons for termination;

(3) the ancillary facilities provided in the various projects at present; and

(4) whether HKHS will add more ancillary facilities to the existing projects and new projects in the future; if so, of the details?

Reply:

President,

     The Senior Citizen Residences Scheme (the SEN Scheme) of the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) provides residence integrating housing, recreation and healthcare services under one roof for the middle-income aged 60 or above, and the units are disposed of under the "lease-for-life" arrangement. The SEN Scheme accepts singleton and couple/non-couple doubleton applications throughout the year and adopts a single-queue arrangement, which is applicable to all completed projects as well as future projects under the SEN Scheme. Applicants are not required to submit applications more than once and there is no application deadline. Having consulted HKHS, the reply to the question raised by Hon LAM about the SEN Scheme is set out below:

(1) and (3) Currently, there are three projects under the SEN Scheme, namely Jolly Place in Tseung Kwan O, Cheerful Court in Ngau Tau Kok and Blissful Place in Hung Hom. Details of the projects, including the number of tenants and major facilities in the past 10 years, are listed at Annex A.

(2) There is a small number of tenancy termination cases under the SEN Scheme each year. Between 2014 and 2023, the total numbers of tenancies terminated are about 120 and 150 for Jolly Place and Cheerful Court respectively (yearly figures are at Annex B). As tenant intake of the Blissful Place only started in mid 2023, no tenancy termination has been recorded so far. The main reasons for tenancy termination include tenants' death, admission to elderly residential care home as well as relocation to family residence due to health conditions.

(4) The SEN Scheme is HKHS's key development strategy in the area of elderly housing. HKHS is currently constructing or planning three other SEN projects in Fanling, Kwun Tong and Shau Kei Wan. Amongst them, the project in the Dedicated Rehousing Estate at Pak Wo Road, Fanling is expected to be completed by end 2024, which comprises a residential care home for the elderly, a sky garden and a clubhouse for residents. In future, HKHS will continue to provide appropriate facilities for projects under the SEN Scheme in response to market development and the needs of the elderly.]]><![CDATA[LCQ5: Top Talent Pass Scheme]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400291.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400291.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:44:00 +0800
Question:

     The Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) has been implemented for one year. According to government statistics, as at the end of November last year, a total of 47 681 applications were approved under the Scheme, of which 30 810 ‍applicants have already come to Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of applications rejected under Categories A, B and C of the TTPS as at the end of December last year, as well as the percentages of such numbers in the total number of applications;

(2) as there are views pointing out that some TTPS applicants have not actively complied with the time frame for coming to Hong Kong and securing an offer of employment after their applications have been approved, of the current number of applicants who have successfully secured an offer of employment in Hong Kong among those who have come to Hong Kong under the Scheme, as well as the distribution of the trades in which they are engaged and the time they have taken to secure an offer of employment; and

(3) as there are views that the TTPS is relatively lenient in terms of the work experience requirement for Category C applicants as well as the vetting and approval criteria for the Scheme as a whole, making the Scheme susceptible to being exploited by some people as a "big trick" to immigrate to Hong Kong, for example, there are rumours that individual applicants have only come to Hong Kong for giving birth, travel convenience, enhancing their own curriculum vitae, etc, resulting in the Scheme being "tainted" and not truly fulfilling its purpose of contributing to Hong Kong's economy, of the counter-‍measures put in place by the Government to perform proper gatekeeping for the Scheme, so as to curb and eliminate all kinds of improper use and abuse of the Scheme?

Reply:

President,

     To alleviate the acute manpower shortage, the Government newly launched the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) in end-2022 to trawl for outside quality talent to enrich the local talent pool. The TTPS is applicable to persons of three categories:

Category A: persons with annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above in the year immediately preceding the date of application;
Category B: full-time bachelor's degree graduates of the universities/institutions prescribed in the aggregate list of eligible universities (Note) (eligible universities/institutions) with at least three years of work experience over the past five years immediately preceding the date of application; or
Category C: full-time bachelor's degree graduates of eligible universities/institutions in the past five years immediately preceding the date of application with less than three years of work experience.

Note: The aggregate list of eligible universities under the TTPS comprises the top 100 universities/institutions in four designated world university rankings in the past five years (namely the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, the U.S. News and World Report's Best Global Universities Rankings and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities); the top five universities/institutions providing specialised hotel programmes on the QS World University Rankings in the discipline of "hospitality and leisure management" in the past five years; and the top 10 Mainland universities under the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Best Chinese Universities Ranking in the past five years. The aggregate list currently consists of 185 top universities/institutions around the world.

     An eligible outside talent is not required to have secured an offer of employment in Hong Kong before application for a two-year visa through the TTPS to explore opportunities in Hong Kong.

     The TTPS has received enthusiastic responses since its launch. As at end-December last year, we received around 65 000 applications and approved nearly 51 000. Of these, around 36 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong. Along with the approved applications of other talent admission schemes, around 90 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong last year, far exceeding the Government's annual target of admitting at least 35 000 talents.

     Our reply, in consultation with the Immigration Department (ImmD), to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) As at end-December last year, there were around 65 000 applications under the TTPS, of which around 3 000 were refused, accounting for 5 per cent of the total number of applications. A detailed breakdown is at Annex. The main reasons for refusal were that the applicants did not meet the eligibility criteria of the TTPS, including failing to meet the eligible annual income threshold under Category A, or not being graduated from institutions in the aggregate list of eligible universities.

(2) and (3) The eligibility criteria of the TTPS are clear and transparent. The ImmD has all along been assessing each application in a rigorous manner on the basis of the eligibility criteria. Apart from examining whether an applicant meets the specific eligibility criteria under the TTPS and normal immigration requirements, the ImmD will consider the individual circumstances of each application before deciding whether to approve it.

     Since March last year, the TTPS applicants with work experience are required to declare in their applications the sectors of their occupations. As at late December last year, more than 20 per cent of the approved applicants came from the financial services sector. Those from the commerce and trade sector and the innovation and technology sector each accounted for about 15 per cent while over 10 per cent of the approved applicants came from the information and communication technology sector. In addition, among all the approved TTPS applicants, more than 70 per cent of them are aged 40 or below, and individuals with high income or graduating from top universities with at least three years of work experience, i.e. applications under Categories A and B of the scheme, also account for almost 80 per cent. These quality talent are young, with high income or good academic qualifications, and possess extensive work experience and global vision. Their arrival in Hong Kong could help fill the manpower gaps in the local market and promote the development of major sectors.

     We welcome talent from all over the world to come to Hong Kong for development by choosing appropriate talent admission schemes based on their backgrounds and needs. These schemes complement one another to proactively trawl for diverse global talent with different academic and professional backgrounds to come and settle in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) was established in October last year. One of its key functions is to maintain close contact with incoming talent and keep track of their development and needs in Hong Kong, so as to provide them with comprehensive one-stop support services and assist them to settle down quickly in Hong Kong and contribute to the local economic development.

     Although it is not a requirement for approved applicants to have secured offers of local employment, they, upon applying for extension of stay before the expiry of their visas granted, will have to be employed, or have established or joined in business in Hong Kong. The ImmD will follow the established mechanism in vetting relevant applications and play a stringent gatekeeping role to ensure that only applications of eligible persons will be approved. The ImmD also conducts surprise inspections from time to time, including verifying on site the employing company's mode of operation, financial status, employees' information, so as to determine whether the information reported by an applicant or his employing company is true. If one is suspected to have submitted an application based on a false employment relationship, or the authenticity of documents submitted by the applicant is in doubt, the ImmD will promptly follow up and conduct investigations. The Department will take decisive law enforcement actions if there is sufficient evidence. Should any person be found to have illegally obtained his/her employment visa or residency, the visa or residence status granted will be invalidated according to the laws of Hong Kong. The persons concerned will also be subject to criminal liabilities and removal back to their places of origin.]]><![CDATA[LCQ16: Promoting overnight attractions to tourists]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400221.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400221.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:40:40 +0800
Question:

     There are views that the Government should promote to tourists local overnight attractions (particularly those on major festivals such as the New Year's Eve, the Lunar New Year and Christmas) so as to encourage tourists to stay in Hong Kong and have fun. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will publicise and promote to tourists local overnight activities (including watching midnight movies, enjoying acupressure and massage, singing in karaokes, eating at late-night on-street cooked food stalls and late-night diners, shopping at morning bazaars and supermarkets operating 24 hours a day, spending leisure time at Lan Kwai Fong, watching sunrise and having morning tea and dim sums); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will discuss with the operators of entertainment and catering establishments such as cinemas, bars and chain restaurants measures to be implemented on major festivals such as introducing overnight movie screenings, extending the operating hours of restaurants and distributing bar vouchers to tourists, so as to offer more late night attractions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it will enhance the support for and the promotion of local morning bazaars and allow hawkers to hawk legally when holding festive or time-limited temporary bazaars; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) as it is learnt that theme parks in Japan and South Korea introduce overnight packages and organise overnight parties from time to time, whether the Government will, by drawing reference from such practices, discuss with local theme parks the introduction of overnight packages and organisation of overnight parties on major festivals, with a view to enriching overnight entertainment activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) whether it will study the organisation of large-scale overnight music events on major festivals, such as overnight music festivals, disc jockey music parties as well as concerts with firework displays, with a view to attracting tourists to come to Hong Kong to participate in these events; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In respect of the question raised by the Hon Yang Wing-kit, having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the reply is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) consolidated a series of Nightlife Hotspot on its DiscoverHongKong.com website, introducing nighttime activities in Hong Kong, including visiting photogenic bars, late-night shopping, stargazing in rural areas, to visitors.

     Beside, riding on the Government's launch of Night Vibes Hong Kong in September 2023, the HKTB has introduced a number of promotions to create a vibrant nighttime atmosphere in town in the past few months. These include intensifying local ambience with city-wide decorations during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Halloween; organising a number of flagship events in the evenings such as the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, Hong Kong WinterFest and Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations, as well as launching the International Chinese New Year Night Parade on the first night of the Chinese New Year. The HKTB also offers to visitors Hong Kong Night Treats visitor dining vouchers and visitor-exclusive special offers on open-top sightseeing buses evening tours; and launching new Temple Street promotion to enhance the nighttime ambience and encourage locals and visitors to experience the city's vibrant nighttime appeal. Details of mega events and promotions are as follows:

Mega event/ promotion	Details
Promotion support for Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance (September 28-30, 2023)	The event was held over three nights during the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a glowing fire dragon carried by performers dancing through the streets of Tai Hang.
Promotion of "Hallo" Hong Kong Halloween campaign (October 2023)	From mid to late October 2023, Halloween-themed decorations were added to Visitor Centres, MTR stations, sightseeing vehicles and various tourism hotspots throughout the city, inviting visitors and the public to enjoy the rich Halloween ambience while showcasing Hong Kong's unique festive charms to the world.
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival (October 26-29, 2023)	The event was held for four consecutive days at the Central Harbourfront Event Space, with about 300 wine and food stalls. The first three days of the event were open until 11pm, attracting about 140 000 members of the public and tourists.
Hong Kong Night Treats dining vouchers (From November 2023)	Starting from November 2023, the HKTB has been distributing one million visitor dining vouchers worth $100 each to inbound visitors to encourage them to enjoy Hong Kong’s dining experience and bar scene after 6pm at participating bars and Quality Tourism Services Scheme-recognised restaurants. In addition, to encourage local consumption, the HKTB started a similar giveaway of a total of 200 000 Hong Kong Night Treats for Locals dining vouchers to be used after 6pm in two batches starting from December 2023, with a view to enhancing the appeal of local consumption, creating business opportunities for the food and beverage sector continuously and stimulating the economy.
Hong Kong Night Bus Tour visitor-exclusive offer (From November 2023 to January 2024)	From November 2023 to January 2024, the HKTB introduced the Hong Kong Night Bus Tour visitor-exclusive offer. For only $20, visitors could travel on one of the three designated routes and explore famous attractions and landmarks on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon at night, enjoying the fascinating night view of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong WinterFest (November-December 2023)	A giant Christmas tree was once again set up in the West Kowloon Cultural District, adorning Victoria Harbour. Together with eight Winter Harbourfront Pyrotechnics shows at 8pm, the event attracted a total of 1.2 million visitors.
Whole-new Temple Street promotion (From mid-December 2023)	A new six-month Temple Street promotional campaign has been launched in mid-December 2023, giving a new energy through "A taste of Temple Street" (food stalls) and the Street decor lights. Illuminated arts installations, distinctive signages and light projections adorn the Street to bring together the unique characteristics of Temple Street and inspire a sense of novelty to attract visitors and locals to visit Temple Street for sightseeing and in-depth discovery of its authentic experiences. "A taste of Temple Street" (food stalls) is open daily from 2pm to 11pm, while the Street decor lights light up daily from 5pm to 11pm.
Hong Kong New Year Count-down Celebrations (December 31, 2023)	The Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations was the largest countdown fireworks and music show ever held in Hong Kong, attracting 480 000 visitors on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
International Chinese New Year Night Parade (February 10, 2024)	Nine floats and 29 local, Mainland and overseas performing teams will take to the stage, presenting a series of spectacular performances incorporating Chinese New Year elements from 8pm to 9.45pm.

     As to whether merchants will extend the operating hours, it is their commercial decision. It has been a usual practice for some Hong Kong cinemas located in busy districts to schedule midnight/late night screenings until 3am during major festive holidays such as New Year, Chinese New Year and Christmas. For Chinese New Year Eve, some may have screenings overnight until 5am to 6am.

(3) According to the Environment and Ecology Bureau, bazaars can be organised for various purposes and in different forms, such as promoting local economy, festive celebration, and can be held during daytime or nighttime. The Government occasionally organises or supports bazaars to achieve policy or specific objectives, and adopts an open attitude towards festive or time-limited bazaars proposed by organisations. To ensure that bazaar activities do not affect public safety and order, food safety and environmental hygiene etc, the organisers need to obtain relevant licences/permits and should consider local opinions. If the bazaar activities have the required licences/permits, stalls operating in the venue are not required to hold hawker licences.

     On the other hand, illegal hawking on street, even during late-night or early-mornings hours, may cause obstruction to emergency services, environmental and noise nuisance, or hygiene and fire risks. It is also unfair to the businesses of shops nearby. Last year, the Government has received around 8 500 complaints about illegal hawking. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will continue to regulate and take enforcement actions against unlicensed hawking activities.

(4) For theme parks, we have all along been encouraging the Ocean Park Corporation (the Park) to actively formulate and launch various types of events, including night events with extended opening hours of the Park. Examples of night events organised by the Park last year include Ocean Park Halloween Fest 2023, New Year countdown event, and programmes with education elements such as Grand Aquarium Overnight, Starry Summit Glamping, Eco Night Exploration and stargazing programme. Of them, Grand Aquarium Overnight and Eco Night Exploration were in-park overnight programmes.

     For Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Resort), in addition to the nighttime spectacular "Momentous" newly launched in 2022, the Resort held a New Year's Eve countdown earlier on for the first time in 15 years, which were all popular with guests. The Resort has been promoting packages integrating theme park tickets and overnight hotel stays at the three themed resort hotels, and it will continue to enrich its various offerings with a view to attracting more visitation.

(5) When deciding on the staging of large-scale events, event organisers, be they Government departments or commercial organisations, will consider many factors apart from the operating expenses. For example, the estimated number of participants, their experiences, the impacts to nearby residents and the environment such as whether the events will create noises to nearby residents, and the availability of transportation facilities at the time of the events, and in particular whether the overnight activities will bring nuisances to the neighbourhood. As commercial organisations will in particular consider the cost-effectiveness of the staging of events, the event organisers will be prudent when deciding on the staging of overnight events.

     Nevertheless, there are also some entertainment venues in Hong Kong, such as bars, which are open overnight. Interested local residents or visitors may go to these venues for enjoyment. For visitors who are going to join large-scale events in Hong Kong, they may, depending on their need, arrange hotel reservations in advance to rest after the events and continue their itineraries and other activities in Hong Kong.]]><![CDATA[LCQ20: Combating online and phone fraud]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400344.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400344.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:35:00 +0800
Question:

     It is learnt that in order to combat the increasingly rampant online and phone fraud, the United Kingdom and Singapore have enacted new legislation and introduced many new measures in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will, by drawing reference from the practice of the United Kingdom, consider enacting legislation to require large online companies to take measures to prevent members of the public from being exposed to fraudulent advertisements (including advertisements for investment schemes with fake celebrity endorsements);

(2) whether it will consider making reference to Singapore's practice of taking the initiative to combat fraud by enacting legislation empowering the Government to order the cessation of the dissemination of the relevant online content where it suspects or has reason to believe that the online activity in question is preparatory to the commission of a scam;

(3) whether it will draw on Singapore's experience and consider rolling out a mobile application which utilises artificial intelligence to automatically filter scam SMSs and phone calls for users who have installed the application by running the suspected fraudulent SMSs and phone calls against a scam database of the Police; and

(4) apart from the aforesaid measures, whether the Government is considering or will introduce other practicable measures to combat online and phone fraud; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Fraud cases have become increasingly serious in recent years. The Government is very concerned about the situation. Relevant departments have been adopting a multi-pronged approach to combat various types of frauds and enhance public awareness through enhanced law enforcement, publicity and education, multi-agency co-operation, intelligence analysis and cross-boundary co-operation on an ongoing basis.

     In consultation with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Hong Kong Police Force, the reply to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Police and the Communications Authority (CA) have been working closely with stakeholders to combat fraud, including stopping the circulation of fraudulent content on the Internet.

     On co-operation with the telecommunications industry, with reference to the practice in other jurisdictions and considering the implementation feasibility in Hong Kong, the CA, in accordance with the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106) (TO), introduced in 2022 a condition in the licence of telecommunications service providers to stipulate clearly that telecommunications service providers must, upon the request of law enforcement agency, take prompt and necessary actions to block or suspend telephone services and websites which are suspected to be involved in fraudulent activities, so as to assist the Police in combating fraudulent cases. As the licence holders, the telecommunications service providers must comply with the relevant licensing conditions. In case of breach, the CA may, depending on the circumstances, impose penalties according to the TO. Telecommunications service providers have, based on the information provided by the Police, successfully intercepted more than 6 800 website links involved in fraud cases and blocked or suspended more than 2 400 telephone numbers suspected to be involved in fraud cases.

     In the course of carrying out their duties, the Police will, for the prevention and detection of crime, request information or seek co-operation from relevant persons or organisations (including information and communications technology companies). Among others, the Police may request Internet platforms to remove posts or other information (such as videos, texts and images). Examples include removal of content suspected to involve fraud, fraudulent accounts opened under pretences to defraud others, etc. The Police and the relevant stakeholders have been co-operating smoothly in this regard and the Police's requests have been actively followed up.

     We call upon members of the public who receive suspected fraudulent messages via online platforms to block or report the messages through the function provided by the platforms. They may also report the suspicious links to the Police so as to facilitate the telecommunications service providers to, according to the investigation results by the Police, prevent users from accessing the related websites.

     The above measures of multi-agency co-operation and interception of fraudulent cases at source are in line with the practices in different jurisdictions around the world (including the United Kingdom and Singapore). We will continue to proactively enhance our anti-fraud measures, and at the same time keep in view and make reference to the means and measures adopted by overseas jurisdictions in tackling fraudulent cases.

(3) In September 2022, the Police launched a one-stop scam and pitfall search engine, Scameter, and a mobile application version, Scameter+, in February the following year to help members of the public distinguish suspicious online platform accounts, payment accounts, telephone numbers, email addresses and websites, etc, and to provide anti-fraud tips. As at December 31, 2023, the Scameter has recorded over 2.13 million searches, with about 360 000 fraud and cyber security risk alerts issued. We note that similar applications are also available in other countries (e.g. Singapore) to help protect the public from being defrauded.

     The Police are actively enhancing the functions of the Scameter+, and are planning to add an automated element in February this year to issue alerts immediately when users browse suspicious websites and receive suspicious calls, so as to remind members of the public to be more vigilant. At the same time, a public reporting mechanism will also be introduced, so that members of the public who come across suspicious calls or websites can report such calls through the app, thereby enriching the content of the database. The functions are similar to those of Singapore's anti-fraud mobile filtering application. We will continue to study the feasibility of different options on how to combat fraud with the use of advanced technology (including artificial intelligence).

(4) Apart from the new measures mentioned above, the Government has also continued to strengthen existing measures to enhance the anti-fraud capability of various sectors of the community.

     On co-operation with the financial sector, the Police have set up an Anti-Deception Alliance with major banks at the end of November 2023. Ten banks have stationed their staff at the Police Headquarters to communicate and co-operate with the Police in a more direct and immediate manner on the interception of fraudulent funds, identification of potential fraud victims, and exchange of intelligence. In Singapore, there are also similar arrangements for bank staff to work in police premises to enhance co-operation with the financial sector.

     In addition, following the linkage of the Scameter with the Faster Payment System platform in November last year to alert members of the public when they transfer funds to suspicious accounts, the Police will explore with relevant stakeholders the extension of the alert mechanism to other platforms, such as general online banking services and automatic teller machines, in order to widen the scope of the alert mechanism. In addition, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has required banks to implement a series of measures to enhance the security of electronic banking by March this year, such as setting up a dynamic fraud monitoring mechanism for assessing more thoroughly customers' transaction patterns and data, hence promptly identifying suspicious account activities for taking appropriate actions (including requesting customers to provide additional confirmation before executing transaction instructions).

     To target fraudsters using virtual assets to commit fraud, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Police established an inter-organisational working group in September 2023 to strengthen the risk assessment mechanism for suspicious virtual asset trading platforms and enforcement collaboration. In case of serious fraud, the SFC and the Police will make full use of the investigation and statutory powers of both parties, including issuing a cease and desist letter to the relevant website operator to terminate the suspected illegal activities, or requesting the Police to block the suspicious website, thereby combatting the crime with the strongest efforts.

     On telecommunication front, the Task Force set up by the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), the Police and major telecommunication service providers in September 2022 has introduced various measures to combat online and telephone frauds. They include requiring fixed and mobile telecommunication service providers to monitor and identify the calling modes suspected to be involved in deception and suspend the services of such calls; reminding users to be aware of offshore calls starting with the caller number prefixed with "+852" by sending voice or text alerts to target at fraudulent calls originating from outside Hong Kong; and continuing to enhance the Real-name Registration Programme for Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Cards, including requesting telecommunications service providers to conduct sample checks regularly and follow up on the verification of suspicious pre-paid SIM cards, strengthening validation of user information etc.

     In addition, with a view to helping members of the public verify the identities of SMS senders and guard against telephone and text scam, the OFCA has introduced in late December 2023 the SMS Sender Registration Scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme has first been implemented in the telecommunications sector. All participating companies or organisations will use Registered SMS Sender IDs with the prefix "#" to send SMS messages to local subscribers of mobile services. The OFCA will monitor the implementation of the Scheme and will take the initiative to invite other sectors and government departments that often use SMS to communicate with users to participate in the Scheme, with a view to further expand the Scheme.

     The Police will continue to step up law enforcement, enhance prosecution effectiveness and vigorously combat the use of stooge accounts by fraud syndicates for money laundering by applying to the court for heavier penalties. At the same time, the Police will minimise victims' losses by intercepting fraudulent payments and early warning of fraudulent cases, and continue to enhance the public's awareness of fraud prevention through online and offline publicity work. The Police will also actively seek to maintain close co-operation with stakeholders from various sectors, relevant government departments and other law enforcement agencies, including those in the Mainland and overseas, in combating fraudulent cases.]]><![CDATA[LCQ2: Promoting Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination programme]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400336.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400336.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:17:00 +0800
Question:

     The latest Policy Address has proposed to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education. There are views that while building for the future, the Government also needs to review the present, such as how to promote the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) programme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the strategies and measures which it has adopted or plans to adopt to promote the HKDSE programme to places outside the territory, so as to enable the HKDSE programme to “go global”;

(2) given that for talents coming to Hong Kong through the various schemes to compete for talents, their children may study in Hong Kong in the capacity as dependants, of the strategies and measures which the Government has adopted or plans to adopt to publicise the HKDSE programme to talents coming to Hong Kong and attract their children to enrol in such programme; and

(3) as it has been reported that the number of medical students admitted to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System only accounts for 45 per cent of the number of places of its medical programmes in the current school year, which has fallen short of the pledged target of 75 per cent for eight consecutive years, and there are views that local tertiary institutions do not see the HKDSE programme as a superior programme, of the strategies and measures which the Government has adopted or plans to adopt to improve the HKDSE programme, so as to enhance the recognition of the HKDSE programme by local and even overseas universities?

Reply:

President,

     As announced in the Chief Executive's Policy Address 2023, we will make use of the advantages of the internationalisation and diversification of education in Hong Kong to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education. To this end, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has endeavoured to plan the development of education in the light of the macro perspective and long-term needs to cultivate and attract multicultural talents for not only creating strong impetus for the growth of Hong Kong, strengthening people-to-people bond, but also proactively integrating into the country’s development, seizing the opportunities brought about by the latest development of the country, with a view to implementing the development of the “eight centres” in Hong Kong under the 14th Five-Year Plan and contributing to the development of the country.

     The wide recognition of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination as an academic qualification in Hong Kong and abroad reflects that the Hong Kong's brand of quality education is widely recognised and acknowledged locally and internationally. Our reply to the question raised by the Hon Tang Fei is as follows:

(1) The implementation of the New Senior Secondary curriculum reform and the successful organisation of the first HKDSE Examination in 2012 was a new milestone of the secondary education in Hong Kong. We have been proactively promoting the senior secondary curriculum of Hong Kong and the HKDSE Examination in Hong Kong and abroad. The result is encouraging. The qualification of the HKDSE, apart from being recognised by the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and the employers for further studies and employment, is also recognised by about 600 tertiary institutions abroad. Besides, nearly 140 Mainland higher education institutions enrolled HKDSE students to their degree programmes through the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions.

     As a matter of fact, the HKDSE Examination has many advantages. First, it gives full play to Hong Kong's characteristics of being biliterate, trilingual and inclusive. The HKDSE Examination is an examination which can be taken in Chinese or English and its qualification is widely and internationally recognised. For candidates taking examinations in Chinese, they can also choose to answer in writing in traditional or simplified Chinese characters, or use Cantonese or Putonghua to answer in oral examinations. Besides, the curriculum focuses on a broad and balanced knowledge base; values the contemporary issues that may impact on daily lives at personal, community, national or global levels; and cultivates informed and responsible citizens with a sense of national identity and global vision. Third, the curriculum, being flexible and diversified, offers not only traditional academic subjects but also applied learning subjects for selection, which demonstrates the concept of "convergence of vocational and general education" and helps students plan their careers. Specifically, the HKDSE offers a wide choice of subjects, including some 50 Applied Learning subjects and six other language subjects, being capable of catering for the different needs and interests of candidates, including Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) and non-local candidates. Fourth, the HKDSE Examination is fair, objective and reliable. Its adoption of the standards-referenced reporting system to report candidates' examination results is in line with the international standards and widely recognised locally and abroad. The advantages and characteristics of the HKDSE Examination as mentioned above are rather attractive to students on the Mainland and from other places.

     The HKDSE Examination has all along been moving with the times and making refinements in response to the latest developments in the education sector and the community. For example, the Korean Language examination will be offered in 2025, and six Applied Learning subjects, such as "Introduction to Fintech" and "Digital Construction", will also be introduced in 2025. Given the many Hong Kong people heading to the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area for development, to assist the children of Hong Kong people to study the Hong Kong curriculum on the Mainland and register for the HKDSE Examination and pursue further studies, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) accepted two schools for Hong Kong children or Hong Kong and Macao children recognised by the relevant education authorities on the Mainland and in Hong Kong to offer the senior secondary curriculum of Hong Kong as the "Participating Schools" of the 2024 HKDSE Examination in September 2023. This will enable the schools concerned to recommend their bona fide Secondary six students to register for the HKDSE Examination as school candidates. On the other hand, to cater for the learning needs of NCS students, the HKDSE Examination also offers the examination of Applied Learning Chinese for them.

     To further promote the international recognition of the HKDSE Examination, the HKEAA introduces its latest development through various events such as education fairs, physical and online seminars and meetings in Hong Kong, on the Mainland or overseas, including the promotion to the admission staff of the overseas tertiary institutions through online seminars with a view to enhancing the recognition of the HKDSE Examination. In addition, the HKEAA attended the Mainland Higher Education Expo 2024/25, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau in December 2023 to introduce the HKDSE Examination qualification to representatives of over 100 Mainland universities and institutions. On the other hand, the 2023 Policy Address proposed to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education. We will vigorously take forward the relevant work, including the promotion of international recognition of the HKDSE Examination.

(2) The Education Bureau proactively supports the Government in recruiting talents from all over the world. We have introduced a number of measures in collaboration with other government departments and the school sector to assist the incoming talents to understand the diversified education system in Hong Kong and apply for the appropriate schools and programmes for their children. The children of the incoming talents may study in local schools, including public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools or private schools, or they can also choose to study in international schools. We also explain to the talents who are planning to come to Hong Kong for development on matters relating to local admission and further studies through webpages, online seminars and question-and-answer videos to help them and their children to understand the operation of different types of schools in Hong Kong, the characteristics of Hong Kong's curricula as well as the advantages of local further studies.

(3) In the past few years, the proportion of students successfully admitted to the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded first-year-first-degree undergraduate programmes through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System with HKDSE Examination results has consistently accounted for about 80 per cent of the total number of local students, whereas the proportion of students admitted with sub-degree qualifications and those of other qualifications have each accounted for about 10 per cent. We believe that HKDSE candidates will continue to be the major source of new students to be admitted to the UGC-funded undergraduate programmes.

     The optimising measures for the HKDSE Examination core subjects, including the gradual implementation of the optimising work for the Category A Elective subjects, ongoing introduction of more Category B (Applied Learning) subjects which are recognised by the tertiary institutions, and the introduction of a new arrangement for Category C (Other Languages) subjects, had been implemented starting from the 2024 HKDSE Examination to broaden the knowledge base of students, enhance the recognition of the curriculum by local and even universities abroad, and provide more diversified and flexible choices for candidates in pursuing further education or employment.

     In the 2024 HKDSE Examination, more than 40 per cent of school candidates took three elective subjects in addition to the four core subjects, which is a significant increase as compared with the 2023 HKDSE Examination, where only about 20 per cent of school candidates took three elective subjects, reflecting that the enhancement measures can assist more schools to release lesson time and increase the flexibility of the senior secondary curriculum.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[LCQ12: North East New Territories Landfill]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400318.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400318.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:15:00 +0800
Question:

     The North East New Territories Landfill (NENT Landfill) is located close to the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and straddles the Hong Kong-Shenzhen ecological corridor. Some local and Shenzhen residents in the area are concerned about the impact of the NENT Landfill Extension project on the surrounding environment and nearby developments. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the measures taken by the Government in the past year to alleviate the pollution caused by the operation of NENT Landfill (including but not limited to pollution from livestock waste treatment), and whether it has assessed the effectiveness of such measures;

(2) as the Government will regularly exchange views with the Shenzhen authorities on the operation of NENT Landfill, of the relevant professional connection and information exchange in the past year, as well as the new measures put in place by the Government to step up efforts in disseminating the relevant information to the residents concerned;

(3) as the NENT Landfill Extension project is being taken forward, of the latest progress of the project, and the estimated serviceable life of NENT Landfill after its extension;

(4) as the first waste-to-energy incinerator at Shek Kwu Chau will commence operation in 2025, whether the Government has studied if there is room for reducing the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) to be transported to NENT Landfill; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the estimated amount, as well as the specific timetable for NENT Landfill to cease receiving MSW; and

(5) given that the Government has set up a dedicated website to publicise the monitoring data on the concentrations of hydrogen sulphide at NENT Landfill, and that although the hydrogen sulphide generated by NENT Landfill meets the relevant standards, it is learnt that bad odours are still being emitted from time to time, whether the Government will consider setting up a dedicated hotline or online channel, so that residents in the vicinity can have an additional channel to reflect the situation concerned?

Reply:

President,

     Currently, about 11 100 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated in Hong Kong per day. To reduce the total amount of waste, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is promoting waste reduction and recycling in full steam in accordance with the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 announced in 2021, such as progressively installing smart food waste collection facilities in public housing estates across the territory and implementing MSW charging to encourage waste reduction and recycling, as well as resources circulation. In addition, we are working full steam on developing an advanced and efficient network of modern waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities to move away from the reliance on landfills for waste disposal. These include the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (I·PARK1) currently under construction near Shek Kwu Chau, which is expected to commence operation in 2025 for handling 3 000 tonnes of MSW per day. We are also actively planning for the development of the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 2 (I·PARK2), with an expected MSW handling capacity of about 6 000 tonnes per day. Before the commissioning of these two WtE facilities, we still need the West New Territories (WENT) Landfill and the North East New Territories (NENT) Landfill for handling MSW in Hong Kong. At present, the remaining capacity of these two landfills is less than 20 per cent. Based on the current daily waste intake, it is projected that both landfills will be exhausted in 2026. Therefore, Hong Kong still needs to suitably extend both landfills to cope with the ultimate waste disposal needs of the territory in the short to medium term. The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming is as follows:

(1) The EPD had progressively introduced a number of improvement measures at the NENT Landfill since mid-2021, with full implementation by mid-2022, including stepping up the application of Posi-Shell covers to safeguard environmental hygiene and reduce odour emission, advancing the process of covering the landfill operational areas with clean soil cappings to reduce the size of such areas by 40 to 50 per cent as far as practicable, shortening the time for waste reception at the landfill site by one hour by advancing the closing time of waste reception from 7pm to 6pm, installing additional deodourisers, covering the leachate storage lagoons and enhancing the monitoring of odour emission, etc. To ensure effective implementation of the relevant measures and optimise the operation and management of the NENT Landfill, the EPD staff members stationed at the NENT Landfill work in shifts from early morning to late evening each day to monitor the work of the landfill contractor in the completion of applying soil cappings and Posi-Shell covers after the closure of waste reception for the day and in other environmental performance. In addition, starting from mid-2022, if weather conditions allow, the on-site staff members would operate drones to take aerial photographs on a daily basis to monitor the conditions and operational performance of the landfill more effectively. The EPD has also engaged a professional contractor to step up the monitoring of the operation of the landfill contractor through applying artificial intelligence-assisted drones and other technologies.

To expedite the environmental improvements to the NENT Landfill and minimise the visual and odour impacts on nearby residents arising from the landfill and its extension works, the EPD has already advanced the final restoration and greening works of the NENT Landfill, originally scheduled for 2026 upon completion of its landfilling operation, to end-2021, with a view to minimising odour emission and improving the appearance of the landfill as soon as possible, thereby minimising the "Not In My Backyard" effect and the associated visual impact. In addition, the EPD carried out, as scheduled in end-2023, the restoration and greening works for 80 per cent of the operational areas where landfilling is completed. In 2024, we will continue to advance the restoration and greening of the remaining operational areas where landfilling is completed.

Besides, we draw on the successful experience of landfill sites in the Mainland to enhance the overall extraction volume of landfill gas (LFG) at the NENT Landfill. We will progressively extend the use of impermeable plastic liners for capping the landfill operational areas and install gas extraction facilities underneath the liners or additional extraction pipes at suitable locations, thereby speeding up the connection of gas extraction facilities to the existing LFG collection system for better odour control at the NENT Landfill. The odour issue arising from the landfill will further improve when we introduce in the first half of 2024 a new mechanical technology to cap the landfill operational areas with impermeable plastic liners upon completion of operation each day.

Apart from the aforementioned measures, we are sending pig waste to other sites for treatment using anaerobic digestion technology on a trial basis to minimise the potential odour problem arising from livestock waste treatment at the NENT Landfill, with the target of gradually receiving and treating livestock waste with anaerobic digestion technology after the commissioning of the Organic Resources Recovery Centre Phase 2 (O·PARK2) in 2024. Moreover, we have sprayed biological agents, as applied in landfill sites in the Mainland, in livestock waste pits during their operation. Waste odour is either absorbed or dissolved by the micro-organisms in the biological agents. We have also installed openable metal covers on livestock waste pits that are in use. The metal covers will be opened only when disposal of livestock waste is required for minimising the possibility of odour emission.

Following the implementation of the various improvement measures, the EPD commissioned an independent professional body to carry out independent monitoring exercises by collecting data at the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai areas and the nearby local villages, which revealed that the levels of hydrogen sulphide measured in 2023 in areas close to the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary and villages in the vicinity of the landfill remained low and complied with the national standard. The number of complaints concerning the NENT Landfill received by the EPD in 2023 decreased by about 78 per cent when compared with the same period in the preceding year.

(2) The EPD has all along been working in close liaison with the relevant Shenzhen authorities and, through organising exchange meetings and mutual visits, maintained close communications and exchanges on the operation and management of the NENT Landfill. With concerted efforts to mitigate public concerns, specific measures for improving the operation of the NENT Landfill and its extension and reducing the impacts on nearby residents have been explored from time to time. Besides, the EPD communicates with the locals on the management and operation of the waste treatment facilities in the districts through District Liaison Groups. Relevant data on the monitoring of hydrogen sulphide is accessible to members of the public in Hong Kong and Shenzhen on the EPD's website at airsensor.pedia.epd.gov.hk.

(3) and (4) As mentioned above, during the transitional period until the completion of sufficient modern WtE incinerators, we still need landfills for handling MSW in Hong Kong. An appropriate extension of the NENT Landfill is necessary for the ultimate waste disposal needs of the territory in the short to medium term. The design capacity of the NENT Landfill extension project is about 19 million cubic metres for reception of both MSW and construction waste.

Currently, the development of I·PARK1 is at full steam and the preparatory work of I·PARK2 is also actively underway. Upon the commissioning of I·PARK2, the NENT Landfill will completely cease MSW reception and will be transformed to receive construction waste only, which does not decay and is odourless, thereby eliminating the odour problem arising from MSW reception. Besides, it is anticipated that a substantial amount of construction waste will potentially be produced during the development of the Northern Metropolis, which will require disposal at the NENT Landfill.

(5) Members of the public may make suggestions or enquires in relation to environmental issues at 1823 or the EPD's customer service hotline at 2838 3111. The relevant EPD staff members would take appropriate follow-up actions. In addition, the EPD staff members stationed at the NENT Landfill would conduct daily site inspections to monitor the operational and environmental performance of the landfill contractor. The EPD would also maintain communication and keep in touch with the local communities and the rural committees concerned through District Liaison Groups and various channels.]]><![CDATA[LCQ15: Combating begging activities]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400324.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400324.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 12:12:00 +0800
Question:

     It has been reported that from time to time in recent months, there have been beggars begging in tourist areas with heavy pedestrian flow. Many of such people are non-Hong Kong residents. They have made use of their status as tourists to come to Hong Kong to engage in activities which are inconsistent with their status as tourists, and manipulation by syndicates may even have been involved behind the scenes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of complaints received by the authorities from members of the public and tourists about street begging activities in each of the past five years;

(2) of the respective numbers of persons who were arrested, prosecuted, as well as convicted and sentenced by the court for the offence of begging in each of the past five years, with a breakdown by (i) the districts in which the persons concerned were arrested, (ii) their nationalities, and (iii) the penalties imposed on them;

(3) whether, in the past five years, the authorities refused the entry of persons who had begged or illegally raised funds in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) as there are views that the deterrent effect of the punishment for the offence of begging under section 26A of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228) is grossly insufficient (i.e. persons convicted for the first and second time are liable to a fine of $500 and to imprisonment for one month), whether the authorities will review and amend the relevant legislation and increase the penalty for the offence of begging, so as to enhance the deterrent effect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) whether it will draw reference from the practices of other countries (such as strictly restricting the activity areas of beggars, displaying banners in tourist areas to remind passers-by not to be taken advantage of by beggars and donate money, and deporting beggars from outside the territory), so as to ameliorate the problem of street begging as well as maintain the cityscape and public order; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(6) regarding some "beggar gangs" suspected to be manipulated by syndicates, whether the authorities have established a reciprocal notification mechanism with other countries for co-operation in intercepting at source such syndicates so that they cannot come to Hong Kong to engage in activities, or prohibited persons who have been arrested for begging in Hong Kong from re-entering Hong Kong within a specified period; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(7) given that begging is an offence, of the measures the authorities have put in place to remind members of the public to stay vigilant; of the measures and actions to be taken by the authorities to curb beggars' expansion of their activities in Hong Kong?

Reply:

President,

     Any person who begs or gathers alms at any public place may contravene section 26A of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228). The Police will follow up suspected begging activities in Hong Kong, and take appropriate actions based on the circumstances of each case. Regardless of whether the persons concerned are Hong Kong residents, the Police will consider laying related charges based on the evidence available. In the past, the Police adopted a multi-pronged approach to combat illegal begging activities through measures such as enhanced law enforcement and cross-boundary collaboration. The reply to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) and (2) In the past five years (as at November 30, 2023), the Police arrested 79 persons under section 26A of the Summary Offences Ordinance. Among them, 57 hold the Exit-entry Permits for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (two-way exit permits), 18 hold Hong Kong identity cards, three hold passports of the People's Republic of China and one holds a Russian passport. The Police have not maintained information on the arrestees' nationalities or the number of complaints relating to begging activities. The respective numbers of arrests, prosecutions and convictions are set out at Annex I. A breakdown by district/division of the numbers of persons arrested is at Annex II.

(3) The Immigration Department (ImmD) takes into account various factors on a case-by-case basis when examining arriving visitors, including their purpose of visit and whether they meet the general immigration requirements (for example, whether they hold a valid travel document or an entry permit with adequate returnability to their places of origin). The ImmD has not maintained statistics on the number of visitors denied entry due to previous engagement in begging or illegal fund-raising activities in Hong Kong.

(4) In accordance with section 26A of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228), any person who engages in begging activities commits the offence of "begging alms" and is liable on conviction to a fine of $2,000 and imprisonment for one month for a first or second offence; and to a fine of $2,000 and imprisonment for 12 months on a third or subsequent offence.

     Furthermore, depending on the circumstances of each case, if a person's begging activity is conducted in a threatening or disorderly manner, the person concerned may commit other offences such as "begging in threatening manner" under section 26B of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228), which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 18 months, "disorder in public places" under section 17B of the Public Order Ordinance (Cap. 245), which carries a maximum penalty of a fine at level 2 (i.e. HK$5,000) and imprisonment for 12 months, etc.

     The Police will keep a close watch on begging activities, including whether the penalties can achieve a deterrent effect. Appropriate enforcement actions will be taken based on the circumstances of each case.

(5) and (7) As it is against the existing law to engage in begging activities at any public place in Hong Kong, police officers on patrol will take follow-up actions when they identify begging activities or receive reports from members of the public. Depending on the evidence available, the Police will arrest and prosecute the beggars for the offence they are suspected to have committed. The Police will assess the situation and, where necessary, strengthen collaboration with other government departments, including stepping up joint patrols and enforcement actions with the ImmD at black spots of various districts and on streets with high pedestrian flows. In future, the Police will continue to take stringent enforcement actions against begging activities and exchange intelligence with the ImmD. Depending on the circumstances of each case, persons who are subject to deportation from Hong Kong will be repatriated by the ImmD to their places of origin as soon as possible in accordance with the prevailing immigration policy.

     On publicity and education, the Police have been making timely efforts through various channels to remind members of the public not to casually give alms to beggars on the streets. For example, posts are put up on social media, emphasising that begging is an illegal activity and reminding members of the public to maintain awareness. The Police also plan to launch another round of public education nearer the Lunar New Year.

(6) The Police have been leveraging intelligence to monitor whether there are syndicates that arrange for and take control of begging activities carried out by visitors in Hong Kong, while maintaining close liaison and intelligence exchange with the relevant law enforcement agencies. The Police will take enforcement actions resolutely against any such illegal activities detected.

     To tackle begging activities in Hong Kong by non-Hong Kong residents, the Police will notify the ImmD of the personal particulars of persons engaging in begging activities, and the ImmD will incorporate these particulars in a watch list. The persons concerned, upon their next arrival in Hong Kong, will be intercepted and closely scrutinised by ImmD officers. Those who fail to meet the normal immigration requirements (such as whether they possess a valid visa or endorsement that corresponds to their purposes of entry, and whether they have any known adverse records) or whose purposes of visit are put in doubt by ImmD officers will be refused entry.

     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has established an effective notification mechanism with the relevant Mainland authorities. If Mainlanders have engaged in illegal activities in Hong Kong, their future applications for visiting Hong Kong will be under heightened scrutiny. To achieve effective immigration control, the ImmD regularly passes the personal particulars of Mainlanders with adverse records in Hong Kong (including whether they have been involved in begging or illegal fundraising activities in Hong Kong) to the relevant Mainland authorities, so that the permit-issuing authorities in the Mainland may step up scrutiny of their future applications for travelling to Hong Kong.]]><![CDATA[LCQ1: Hosting international pop concerts]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400276.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400276.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:50:00 +0800
Question:

     It has been reported that after the epidemic, many cities have hosted world tour concerts by world-class singers, attracting fans from all over the world to attend the concerts. In addition to the proceeds from tickets and merchandise, these concerts also boost industries such as tourism, retail and catering, thereby promoting economic development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the details of the Government's existing measures to assist organisers in identifying suitable venues, arranging entry visas, etc, to attract world-renowned singers to hold concerts in Hong Kong;

(2) whether it will consider adopting a form of dedicated funding, such as relaxing the eligibility criteria of the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund to cover concerts, so as to secure international pop concerts to be held in Hong Kong; if so, of the details and implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as there are views pointing out that some concert organisers have no plan to come to Hong Kong because they consider that Hong Kong lacks major venues, and given that the Main Stadium of the Kai Tak Sports Park will be commissioned this year, whether the Government will proactively liaise with the industry and relevant stakeholders to jointly formulate plans on promoting the use of the Kai Tak Sports Park as a major performance venue; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Hong Kong is the Events Capital of Asia. There are many cultural, sports, entertainment, financial and other mega events organised in Hong Kong every year. While quite a number of them are organised or funded by the Government, many more are organised by private enterprises, such as most of the entertainment events including concerts, which are mainly operated on commercial principles without the Government's involvement. The Government is glad to see more large-scale concerts starred by internationally renowned singers and groups (hereinafter referred to as internationally renowned singers) to be held in Hong Kong. This will not only help Hong Kong develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, but will also attract tourists and boost the economy. In consultation with the Security Bureau and the Development Bureau, my reply to the question raised by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip is as follows:

(1) and (2) As far as we understand, in considering the location and venue for conducting a large-scale pop concert for internationally renowned singers, most organisers will first take into account the singer's schedule and then various business factors such as concert scale, financial feasibility, target audience group, audience size and venue facilities, etc.

     Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world. It also enjoys a geographical location connecting to the Greater Bay Area and has a broad audience base, as well as aviation and transportation networks connecting to the Mainland. Apart from having the characteristics of the integration of Chinese and foreign cultures, Hong Kong is also equipped with performance venues of different scales and supporting facilities which can meet the needs of various forms of performance. All these have attracted many internationally renowned singers to hold large-scale pop music concerts in Hong Kong.

     In fact, the number of large-scale pop music concerts held in Hong Kong has gradually returned to the pre-pandemic level, many of which were performances by internationally renowned singers. According to our statistics, on average, there were about two internationally renowned singers holding large-scale concerts with an audience of more than 10 000 each month in 2023, and most of them were holding more than one concert. So far, a number of internationally renowned singers have also confirmed that they would come to Hong Kong to hold large-scale concerts in 2024. In terms of figures concerning venues, extremely popular concert venue like the Hong Kong Coliseum (HKC) has enjoyed close to 100 per cent occupancy over the past five years. As to AsiaWorld-Expo and the Central Harbourfront Event Space, among the large-scale events organised therein last year, there were also some pop music concerts with the number of audience ranging from 10 000 to 20 000. It can be seen that holding large-scale pop concerts by internationally renowned singers in Hong Kong is not without attraction.

     Although the decision of the organisers of holding these concerts in Hong Kong or not has been a commercial decision led by the private market, and the Government rarely provided financial assistance, relevant Government departments have been providing corresponding assistance and facilitation measures to attract and encourage more large-scale pop concerts by internationally renowned singers to be held in Hong Kong. Currently, we are also in touch with some concert organisers from time to time to understand their intentions and needs for holding concerts in Hong Kong. In terms of venues, we understand that given internationally renowned singers usually perform very frequently, it is necessary to confirm the performance time and location in advance to plan their itinerary. In this regard, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has offered Special Bookings arrangements for organisers of such performances, allowing them to submit booking applications, which will be considered with priority, to the LCSD more than one year in advance. In addition, there was also increase in waterfront venues for holding large-scale events. Apart from the Central Harbourfront Event Space, the waterfront event space in Wan Chai covering an area of about 1.4 hectares is now available for rental by interested parties through short-term tenancies. If any organiser intends to hold a concert in Hong Kong, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board will refer it to the venue operator so that the two parties can further discuss and conduct business negotiations, and will continue to provide appropriate support in the process. In fact, venue operators have commercial incentives to proactively reach out to concert organisers and arrange for more large-scale concerts to be held at their venues.

     In addition, the CSTB and the Tourism Commission will also provide targeted one-stop support to mega events with significant visitor appeal and tourism promotional effect. Such support includes co-ordinating exchange and co-operation between the organisers and various bureaux/departments, assisting the organisers in obtaining necessary licenses and approvals, resolving various issues encountered throughout event organisation and collaborating with the tourism trade to jointly develop tourism products, etc.

     As regards support for entry arrangements, under the prevailing arrangements, non-local persons may apply for employment (including short-term employment for holding a concert) under the General Employment Policy or the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals. The Immigration Department will consider each application on its own merits and provide facilitation as far as practicable.

(3) The Government has all along actively increasing different facilities in the past years to meet the demand of venues for large-scale events including concerts. Occupying an area of about 28 hectares, the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) will soon be completed by phases by the end of 2024, providing the public with a world-class venue suitable for diversified activities. There are three main facilities in the Sports Park. Among which, the Main Stadium is equipped with a retractable roof with sound insulation function and a flexible turf system that can accommodate up to 50 000 seats for large-scale performance events. As for the Indoor Sports Centre, it is also equipped with retractable seating system capable of hosting entertainment events such as concerts for up to 10 000 spectators.

     Kai Tak Sports Park Limited (KTSPL), being the Contractor of the KTSP, is required to organise sports events on a certain number of days every year according to the Conditions of Contract and Operating Requirements. As for the remaining calendar of the year, the venues can be used to host different large-scale events such as concerts to cater for the needs of different sectors. In addition, the KTSPL has to actively promote the Sports Park to the sports sector and entertainment industry both locally and internationally, with a view to introducing more diversified events into the Sports Park and promoting the venue as an international sports and entertainment destination of choice, thereby promoting Sports Park as a new landmark for sports, leisure and entertainment events and strengthening Hong Kong's positioning as an Events Capital.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[LCQ13: Traffic safety of electric vehicles]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400186.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400186.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:50:00 +0800
Question:

     According to the statistics of the Transport Department, the proportion of first registered electric private cars in the total number of first registered private cars exceeded 50 per cent in 2022 and the first eight months of 2023. On the other hand, it has been reported that traffic accidents involving electric vehicles (EVs) have occurred frequently in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the respective rates of traffic accidents and the respective numbers of casualties involving EVs and non-EVs in the past three years; if so, of the figures concerned; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will compile such statistics;

(2) as it is learnt that the methods of EVs for accelerating to start up and decelerating to stop are different to those of petrol vehicles, whether the Government has put in place measures to encourage or assist drivers to familiarize themselves with the operation of EVs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether the Government has put in place measures to (i) regulate the standards of EV repair workshops and the qualifications of repair mechanics, and (ii) provide relevant training to repair mechanics; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department in respect of traffic safety of electric vehicles, my reply to various parts of the question raised by Hon Leung Man-kwong is as follows:

(1) According to TD's record, the traffic accident rates involving electric vehicles and non-electric vehicles between 2021 and 2023 are tabulated below:

Year	Traffic accident rates# (per 1 000 licensed vehicles)
Year	Electric vehicle^	Non-electric vehicle
2021	31.9	31.4
2022	24.9	27.3
2023*	25.3	30.5

Notes:
^ Pure electric vehicle
# Traffic accident rate is calculated with respect to the number of vehicles licensed in the middle of the year
* Provisional figures

The numbers of casualties in traffic accidents involving electric vehicles and non-electric vehicles between 2021 and 2023 are tabulated below:

Year	Numbers of casualties in traffic accidents (differentiated by vehicle fuel type)
Year	Involving electric vehicle^ only	Involving both electric vehicle^ and non-electric vehicle	Involving non-electric vehicle only
2021	102	767	17 013
2022	114	982	14 544
2023*	276	1 765	16 380

Notes:
^ Pure electric vehicle
* Provisional figures

(2) The Government attaches great importance to road safety. The TD continues to disseminate safety tips for driving electric vehicles to the driving instructor trade to let learner drivers get familiar with the relevant information. In addition, TD has been collaborating with the Road Safety Council and the Hong Kong Police Force to enhance drivers' safety awareness when driving electric vehicles through various publicity and education activities.

(3) To tie in with the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles, the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035 and Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 as well as the latest development of electric vehicles, the Government has set up the Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee (VMTAC) in collaboration with the vehicle maintenance trade, academic and training institutes, professional bodies, vehicle owners' associations and other stakeholders, etc. The VMTAC supports the inclusion of electric vehicle maintenance services under the existing voluntary registration schemes for vehicle maintenance. The Government is working with the trade, training institutes and other stakeholders to formulate voluntary registration requirements for vehicle mechanics (VMs) and vehicle maintenance workshops (VMWs) for electric vehicles, including training and skills required for the registration of VMs, facilities required for the registration of VMWs as well as the implementation details and timeline, with a view to enabling qualified VMs and VMWs engaging in electric vehicle maintenance to be included in the relevant scope of registration service in the future. The Government aims to launch the relevant measures within 2024.

     In addition, the Government has been actively collaborating with various stakeholders to jointly promote and strengthen the training of electric vehicle technicians and mechanics. The Vocational Training Council offered a certificate course on electric vehicle repair and maintenance in August 2023 and is planning to set up a dedicated electric vehicle training workshop to train up more qualified VMs to cater for the popularisation of EV in Hong Kong; and the Occupational Safety and Health Council has launched a course on the safety awareness of electric vehicle maintenance in December 2023 for existing VMs to acquire the relevant safety knowledge about electric vehicle maintenance.]]><![CDATA[LCQ11: Management of markets and hawker bazaars in the Kwun Tong district]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400271.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400271.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:45:00 +0800
Question:

     Last year, the Government proposed to overhaul Ngau Tau Kok Market in the Kwun Tong district under the Market Modernisation Programme (Modernisation of Ngau Tau Kok Market). It is learnt that the stall tenants of the market are hawker licence holders who have been operating there for many years, and that most of the licensees are elderly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as some stall tenants of Ngau Tau Kok Market have relayed that there is still no concrete timetable for the Modernisation of Ngau Tau Kok Market, whether the authorities (i) have formulated a construction schedule and target completion date for the project to increase its transparency, and (ii) will consider replacing the overhaul works under the project with the redevelopment of Ngau Tau Kok Market, re-planning the site and adding topside properties, so as to optimize land use; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) of the number of hawker licence holders among the existing stall tenants of Ngau Tau Kok Market, together with a breakdown of the number of years they have held the licence (i.e. (i) 0 to 10 years, (ii) 11 to 20 years, (iii) 21 to 30 years, (iv) 31 to 40 years, (v) 41 to 50 years and (vi) 51 years or above); whether the authorities will study enhancing the existing arrangements for the surrender of hawker licences, such as providing additional compensation to stall tenants based on the number of years they have held the hawker licence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as it has been reported that the development and operation of Yue Man Hawker Bazaar, a hawker bazaar, are unsatisfactory, with many vacant stalls in the bazaar and the products sold being repetitive and lacking in uniqueness, and that commercial tenants are required to hold fixed-pitch hawker licences in order to operate there, hence being subject to more restrictions on their operations, whether the authorities will study removing red tape to enhance the feasibility of revitalizing Yue Man Hawker Bazaar; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:

(1) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is taking forward the overhaul project of Ngau Tau Kok Market under the Market Modernisation Programme. Since 2020, the FEHD has been maintaining communication with tenants and relevant stakeholders (including Legislative Council (LegCo) members, Kwun Tong District Council members and Market Management Consultative Committee), seeking their opinions on the preliminary plan of the overhaul project and the arrangements during the construction period, etc. They generally welcomed in-situ overhaul of Ngau Tau Kok Market, and suggested the provision of a short-term temporary market at a suitable location nearby to meet the residents' shopping needs during the overhaul works.

     The FEHD consulted the Kwun Tong District Council in September 2023 on the proposed scope of works of the overhaul project of Ngau Tau Kok Market and the proposed sites for the provision of a short-term temporary market. After carefully considering relevant circumstances and views of various parties, it is considered that providing the short-term temporary market at the seven-a-side soccer pitch of Ngau Tau Kok Park is relatively more practicable. Currently, the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) is conducting preliminary technical assessments in respect of the overhaul project and the short-term temporary market, and will begin detailed feasibility studies later. The ArchSD will draw up the proposed works programme and target completion date upon completion of the detailed feasibility studies in the second half of this year.

(2) As at January 17, 2024, the number of let-out stalls in Ngau Tau Kok Market was 370. Stall tenants of Ngau Tau Kok Market do not hold hawker licences. The landlord-tenant relationship between the FEHD and stall tenant is governed by tenancy agreement. Under the terms of existing tenancies of public market stalls, the landlord (i.e. the FEHD) and tenants are not required to make any compensation to the other party for tenancy termination with a written notice of not less than one month. Nevertheless, considering that the co-operation of tenants can facilitate the smooth implementation of market development plans for achieving the objectives of promoting district development and benefitting the public, which meet the overall interest of the community, the FEHD will, in accordance with the established policy and the applicable concessionary arrangements, provide assistance to affected tenants.

(3) Yue Man Hawker Bazaar (YMHB) is a hawker bazaar managed by the FEHD, and all stall operators shall hold a fixed-pitch hawker licence. To make way for the Kwun Tong Town Centre redevelopment project, licensed hawkers who had operated in Mut Wah Street, Hip Wo Street, and Kwun Tong district area in the past were relocated to YMHB. Stall traders at YMHB can choose to sell a wide variety of goods, including prepacked food and drinks, and/or various non-food dry goods such as clothing, haberdashery, household goods, pet products, small toys, information technology equipment and accessories, curios, souvenirs, crafts etc. In addition, stall traders can also apply to the FEHD if they would like to sell other non-food dry goods.

     At present, among the 135 stalls in YMHB, 23 stalls are vacant. The FEHD has been closely monitoring the operation of YMHB and collaborating with the Urban Renewal Authority and its promotional contractors to enhance and improve the overall operating environment and atmosphere of the bazaar, such as organising workshops during festive seasons and inviting performing artists to perform so as to attract patronage; talks and workshops were also organised to encourage and assist stall traders in promoting their businesses through social media platforms etc. In addition, the FEHD has been maintaining close communication with the stall traders of YMHB. For instance, the FEHD has met with trade representatives and LegCo member in recent months to listen to their views. We will continue to study and implement feasible measures to revitalise YMHB having regard to various factors such as the actual situation of YMHB and opinions of the stakeholders. ]]><![CDATA[LCQ21: Smart recycling system]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400300.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400300.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:30:00 +0800
Question:

     The Environmental Protection Department launched a Pilot Programme on Smart Recycling System in November 2020. It firstly introduced smart recycling bins in several GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities to try out the application of the system concerned and, from March 2023 onwards, it progressively installed smart recycling bins at housing estates, villages, shopping malls, universities and government venues. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the weight of recyclables collected by the smart recycling bins in various districts in Hong Kong, with a breakdown by type of recyclables;

(2) whether it will regularly review the recycling data of the smart recycling bins in various districts, and increase the number of smart recycling bins in a timely manner; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it will increase the amount of subsidies from the Recycling Fund for smart recycling bin-related projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4) whether it will formulate long-term publicity and education plans on environmental protection and recycling; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched a Pilot Programme on Smart Recycling Systems (the Pilot Programme) in end-2020 to test the local application of smart recycling devices connected with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, with a view to enhancing the efficiency of community recycling services. Starting from mid-2022, the Pilot Programme has progressively increased the number of application points and expanded the scope of technical trial so as to build up experience for reference in mapping out the direction for the long-term development of local application of smart recycling systems. The smart recycling systems currently comprise smart recycling bins, smart balances, automatic gift redemption units, as well as supporting facilities (including a central data system which can support the GREEN$ Electronic Participation Incentive Scheme together with a compatible system platform for local application). The reply to the question raised by the Hon Lillian Kwok is as follows:

(1) Since end-2022, smart recycling bins have been installed in some Recycling Stations and Recycling Stores under the Pilot Programme. Starting from March 2023, smart recycling bins have been progressively set up in public housing estates, private housing estates, villages, shopping malls, universities and government venues, etc. So far, the smart recycling bins installed at 76 locations have all been put into service, which have received positive feedbacks from the public alongside the gradual increase in the quantity of recyclables collected. As at end 2023, these smart recycling bins at the 76 locations altogether collected a total of about 3 550 kilograms (kg) of recyclables per day, which are categorised as follows:

Type of Recyclables	Paper	Metals	Plastic Bottles	Other Plastics	Glass Bottles	Total Quantity of Recyclables Collected
Daily Quantity of Recyclables Collected (kg)	1 700	300	560	540	350	3 550

Note: The types of recyclables collected by smart recycling bins at different locations vary slightly from two to five types, depending on the requirements of the locations where the bins are installed.

(2) Since the launch of the Pilot Programme, the EPD has been persistently monitoring the usage and recycling data of the smart recycling systems at different locations. We are currently conducting a mid-term review on the Pilot Programme. Preliminary findings show that the operation of the smart recycling systems is generally smooth. The quality of recyclables collected by the smart recycling bins is better than that of the conventional recycling bins and the public responses are also positive. We will take into account the findings of the mid-term review to fine-tune the Pilot Programme as appropriate, such as adjusting the locations of setting up the smart recycling bins and increasing the number of smart recycling bins, subject to the availability of resources.

(3) At present, the Pilot Programme is implemented by the EPD with existing resources and without involving funding from the Recycling Fund or other sources. In reviewing the Pilot Programme and formulating the development strategy for the local application of smart recycling systems, we will take into consideration the application scope of the smart recycling systems (including smart recycling bins), their role in the overall strategy on community recycling support, system layout and scale, cost effectiveness and sources of funding, etc.

(4) The EPD has been committed to promoting waste reduction for all, educating the public about the separation of waste at source and clean recycling. To strengthen publicity and education on waste reduction and recycling as well as on-site recycling support at the community level, the EPD established the Green Outreach in 2018 to provide outreaching services to the community. Through on-site guidance and hands-on demonstrations, the Green Outreach educates the public about the importance of waste reduction at source on a long-term and regular basis, encourages the public to practise separation of waste at source and clean recycling, disseminates the latest information on waste reduction and recycling and the related legal requirements to the community, and provides on-site assistance and recycling support to housing estates/residential buildings. In addition, the Green Outreach plans and implements publicity and education work to promote waste reduction and recycling in the community, including launching large-scale online and offline publicity and education activities, and conducting multimedia publicity programmes through social media and the Internet to encourage all members of the public to integrate waste reduction and recycling into their daily lives.

As of December 2023, the Green Outreach has conducted about 153 000 community visits, established connections with more than 4 500 property management companies and residents' organisations, which altogether provided waste reduction and recycling support for about 70 per cent of housing estates/residential buildings and villages in Hong Kong. In addition, the Green Outreach has organised more than 4 300 publicity and promotion activities in various forms to educate the public on separation of waste at source and clean recycling, offer training to property management companies/frontline cleansing workers, etc, on the proper handling of recyclables, and share the latest information on waste reduction and recycling and related legal requirements. These activities attracted a total of about 323 000 participants.]]><![CDATA[Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected scheduled dried shark fins worth about $300,000 (with photo)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400302.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400302.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:24:00 +0800
     Through risk assessment, Customs officers on that day inspected an air consignment, arriving from Bahrain and declared as carrying dried coconuts. Upon inspection, Customs officers found three carton boxes of suspected scheduled dried shark fins, with a total weight of about 115kg, inside the consignment.

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday (January 23) arrested a 33-year-old male director of the consignee company suspected to be connected with the case.

     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

]]><![CDATA[LCQ19: Modern waste-to-energy incinerators]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400274.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202401/24/P2024012400274.htmWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:20:00 +0800
Question:

The first modern waste-to-energy incinerator I·PARK1, located on the artificial island near Shek Kwu Chau, is expected to commence operation in 2025. In addition, the Government has also proposed to construct the second facility of its kind I·PARK2 in the Tsang Tsui middle ash lagoon in Tuen Mun. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has estimated the annual electricity consumption of I·PARK1 in waste incineration, and whether the electricity generated in the incineration process will enable I·PARK1 to achieve self-sufficiency in energy consumption; of the plans in place to reduce the energy consumption and increase the power supply of I·PARK1;

(2) whether it has set respective indicators for the effectiveness of I·PARK1 and I·PARK2 (such as those in respect of waste disposal, energy utiliation and pollution control); if so, of the details, and how it will follow up the situation that the indicators are not met; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether I·PARK1 and I·PARK2 will first screen and segregate waste according to the calorific value of different types of waste during incineration before proceeding with incineration, so as to reduce additional energy consumption for incinerating waste with low calorific values; of the measures in place to avoid the problem of incomplete combustion during waste incineration; and

(4) as it is learnt that many countries with waste incineration plants have high incineration rates but low recovery rates, and some environmental groups are also worried that Hong Kong will put more emphasis on incineration than waste reduction and recycling in the future, of the authorities' plans in place to continuously encourage members of the public to reduce waste at source after the commissioning of I·PARK1?

Reply:

President,

Currently, about 11 100 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated in Hong Kong per day. To reduce the total amount of waste, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is promoting waste reduction and recycling at full steam in accordance with the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 (the Blueprint) announced in 2021, such as progressively installing smart food waste collection facilities in public housing estates across the territory and implementing MSW charging to encourage waste reduction and recycling, as well as resources circulation. In addition, we are working at full steam on developing an advanced and efficient network of modern waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities to move away from the reliance on landfills for waste disposal. These include the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (I·PARK1) currently under construction near Shek Kwu Chau, which is expected to commence operation in 2025 for handling 3 000 tonnes of MSW per day. We are also actively planning for the development of the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 2 (I·PARK2), with an expected MSW handling capacity of about 6 000 tonnes per day. The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Pui-leung is as follows:

(1) and (2) In accordance with the contract requirements, the contractor of I·PARK1 shall treat up to 3 000 tonnes of MSW per day using incineration technology and recover the heat released from the incineration process to generate electricity for meeting on-site needs, while the surplus electricity generated can be exported to the power grid of the power company. It is estimated that about 480 million kilowatt-hours of surplus electricity can be exported to the power grid per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of about 100 000 households.

The contractor shall design and construct the buildings within the I·PARK1 facility for meeting the requirements of the Building Environmental Assessment Method Plus certification on energy use. These requirements include the installation of energy efficient equipment, optimisation of facilities operations and monitoring of energy consumption. Besides, I·PARK1 shall apply renewable energy, such as installing solar photovoltaic systems on buildings for use by the facilities. In the future, work will also be conducted to assess and optimise energy efficiency through continuously improving and upgrading technologies and enhancing the energy efficiency of the facilities, thereby reducing energy consumption and increasing electricity supply.

According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499), I·PARK1 is classified as a designated project, of which the contractor is required to apply for an environmental permit in accordance with the Ordinance and install advanced air pollution control systems as mandated to treat the emitted flue gas. The contractor must comply with A Guidance Note on the Best Practicable Means for Incinerators (Municipal Waste Incineration) issued by the EPD to control air pollutant emissions.

Furthermore, according to the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap. 311), the contractor is required to apply for a Specified Process Licence as stipulated by the Ordinance and comply with the treatment and emission requirements for the incineration flue gas as specified in the licence. At the same time, the contractor is required to continuously monitor the flue gas emissions by on-line monitoring equipment, and the relevant environmental monitoring data will be made available to the public through a dedicated website. If the aforementioned flue gas emissions fail to meet the standards, the Government will require the contractor to take appropriate follow-up actions according to the contract requirements. In the event that the contractor fails to comply with the relevant requirements, the Government will deduct the corresponding operating fees payable to the contractor as stipulated in the contract.

The future I·PARK2 will also adopt the same arrangement as I·PARK1.

(3) I·PARK1 adopts advanced incineration technology, strictly controlling temperature, time and high turbulence flow. Within the specially designed incinerator, waste is combusted at temperatures above 850 degrees Celsius with sufficient air supply. The flue gas is required to stay at this high temperature for at least two seconds. Combined with the high turbulence flow technology, this ensures thorough combustion of the waste and complete destruction of organic pollutants including dioxins. Therefore, during the incineration process of MSW, I·PARK1 does not require the segregation and separation of waste based on different calorific values.

The future I·PARK2 will also adopt the same incineration technology as I·PARK1, which could likewise address the above situation effectively.

(4) The Government sets out the strategies, goals and measures to tackle the challenge of waste management up to 2035 in the Blueprint. We aim to gradually reduce the per capita MSW disposal rate by 40 to 45 per cent and raise the recovery rate to about 55 per cent by implementing measures such as MSW charging, and will develop adequate WtE facilities to move away from the reliance on landfills in the long run, so as to achieve the vision of "Waste Reduction‧Resources Circulation‧Zero Landfill". Therefore, promoting waste reduction and recycling is a continuous effort, say launching producer responsibility schemes for more products, regulating disposable plastic products, continuously expanding the community recycling network GREEN@COMMUNITY and providing outreaching recycling support services in the community through the Green Outreach, etc. Developing modern WtE facilities will not affect the progress of these initiatives.]]>