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, 11 Jul 2024 09:41:04 GMTTue, 12 Jul 2016 11:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[CHP reminds public on precautions against heat stroke during very hot weather]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/11/P2024071100103.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/11/P2024071100103.htmThu, 11 Jul 2024 06:45:00 +0800
     "The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system," the spokesman explained.

     "Infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, outdoor/manual workers, and individuals who are overweight are more vulnerable to heat stroke. They should pay special attention," the spokesman added.

     The public should adopt the following precautions:

Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;
Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion can place additional demands on the physique;
Perform outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible;
For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation;
Do not stay inside a parked vehicle; and
Reschedule work to cooler times of the day if feasible. If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable. Start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Move to a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.

The public should also note the latest and the forecast Ultraviolet (UV) Index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV Index is high (6 or above):

Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight;
Wear long-sleeved and loose-fitting clothes;
Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella;
Seek a shaded area or put on UV-blocking sunglasses;
Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15, preferably higher. Reapply every two hours if you stay out in the sun, and after swimming, sweating or towelling off; and
While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.

     If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

     The public may obtain more information from the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111), heat stroke page and UV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200), latest weather report and forecast, UV Index and weather information for hiking and mountaineering; and press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force.]]><![CDATA[Very Hot Weather Warning issued]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/11/P2024071100101.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/11/P2024071100101.htmThu, 11 Jul 2024 06:45:00 +0800
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning.

     To prevent heat stroke, avoid prolonged activities outdoors.

     If engaged in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible.

     Drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

     If you feel sick, consult a doctor right away.]]><![CDATA[Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent SMS message of HKeToll]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000884.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000884.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 22:32:00 +0800
     The TD clarifies that the SMS message was not issued by the HKeToll and has referred the case to the Police for follow-up. Members of the public are reminded that the HKeToll will not send SMS messages or emails to vehicle owners with hyperlinks which direct them to the websites to carry out transactions. If a vehicle owner wishes to pay an outstanding toll online, they must log in to the HKeToll website (hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app.

     Members of the public should stay alert when receiving unidentified messages. They should not visit suspicious websites and disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided their personal information to the websites concerned should contact the Police. For enquiries about the HKeToll, please call 3853 7333.]]><![CDATA[Hong Kong Customs makes further arrest in unfair trade practice case involving rehabilitation institution]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000827.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000827.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 21:05:00 +0800
     Customs earlier received information alleging that a staff member of a rehabilitation institution falsely claimed to a customer that the prepaid book fees for a two-year training course could be refunded. However, the institution did not refund the fees to the customer in the end.

     In addition, the staff member claimed that the accommodation deposit paid by the customer would be refunded after his children completed the course. However, it was only after the institution ceased to provide the training course that the staff member informed the customer of a material information i.e. the deposit would not be refunded even the course was discontinued.

     After investigations, Customs officers yesterday arrested the male director of the rehabilitation institution. The 47-year-old male staff member suspected to be involved in the case was further arrested today. The two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     An investigation is ongoing, and the possibility of other persons involved in the case being arrested is not ruled out.

     Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied or offered to be supplied to a consumer commits an offence. Any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, 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 violations of the TDO 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[11 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations (with photo)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000753.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000753.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 19:42:00 +0800
During the anti-illegal worker operations, proof of identity checks were conducted on 93 food delivery couriers by ImmD Task Force officers. Eight suspected illegal workers and three suspected aiders and abettors were arrested. The eight arrested suspected illegal workers were non-ethnic Chinese males aged 20 to 45. All were found to be holders of recognisance forms and were non-refoulement claimants, which prohibit them from taking any employment in Hong Kong. Among them, three men were also suspected of illegally using electric mobility devices. Relevant cases will be referred to the Hong Kong Police Force for follow-up action.

Furthermore, three suspected aiders and abettors were Hong Kong residents age 19 to 45. The one man and two women were arrested for being suspected of a conspiracy to defraud delivery platforms by selling or renting their food delivery courier accounts to the illegal workers.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

     The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment."

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman reminded all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

]]><![CDATA[Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to meet Chief of Office of Port of Entry and Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000545.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000545.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 19:42:00 +0800
Ms Ho today also visited the site of the Huanggang Port redevelopment project to study the construction progress of the new Huanggang Port. During her visit, Ms Ho said Hong Kong Customs will continue to actively dovetail with the relevant policies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government on the port redevelopment project. In addition, the department will work closely and deepen co-operation with other relevant departments to bring about a better clearance experience for the people from both places and a more convenient people flow in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Ms Ho reiterated that reorganising the port functions can efficiently improve customs clearance efficiency, and the "East in East out, West in West out" strategy for cross-boundary goods will shorten travel time and foster collaboration and development among Hong Kong, Shenzhen, eastern Guangdong and neighbouring provinces.

]]><![CDATA[Update on cluster of COVID-19 cases in Ruttonjee Hospital]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000729.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000729.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 18:35:00 +0800
Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients infected with COVID-19 in a geriatric infirmary ward, the spokesperson for Ruttonjee Hospital made the following update today (July 10):

Two more patients (women aged 66 and 76) in the ward have presented with fever. Appropriate tests were arranged for the patients and their test results were positive for COVID-19. The patients concerned are currently being treated in cohort isolation and all are in stable condition.

Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.

The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.]]><![CDATA[Hong Kong Customs detects case of non-registered precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified transaction]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000663.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000663.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 17:25:00 +0800
     The investigation is ongoing. The arrested person has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), the Regime came into effect on April 1, 2023. Any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise. Any dealer, other than a registrant, who claims to be a registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 is liable, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     Hong Kong Customs reminds all dealers in precious metals and stones that the transitional period for registration under the Regime has ended. Any dealer who submits their applications for registration from January 1, 2024, onwards must successfully obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.

     For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Hong Kong Customs' webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).

     Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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[HAD opens temporary heat shelters]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000271.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000271.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0800
The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.

For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.

The heat 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 Districts:
------------------

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 -
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, 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 Districts:
--------------------------

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

Kwai Tsing -
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, 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

Yuen Long -
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai

In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.]]><![CDATA[Results of monthly survey on business situation of small and medium-sized enterprises for June 2024]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000353.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000353.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:30:00 +0800
The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs decreased from 43.0 in May 2024 in the contractionary zone to 41.4 in June 2024, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. July 2024) outlook DI on business receipts was 46.5. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts for majority of the surveyed sectors dropped in June 2024 as compared with previous month, particularly for the restaurants (from 39.1 to 33.3) and retail trade (from 42.9 to 39.9).

The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades decreased from 45.2 in May 2024 to 44.1 in June 2024, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month's time (i.e. July 2024) was 48.7.

Commentary

A Government spokesman said that overall business sentiment among SMEs softened further in June. The overall expectations on the business situation in one month's time also turned slightly weaker, but some sectors expected relative improvement. The overall employment situation remained generally stable.

The spokesman added that while geopolitical tensions and changes in the consumption patterns of visitors and residents will affect business sentiment in the near term, the Central Government's various measures that benefit Hong Kong and continued growth of the local economy should provide support. The Government will monitor the situation closely.

Further information

The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to establishments with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent establishments in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled "Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey" released by the C&SD.

The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own establishments rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents' perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month.

More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Monthly Survey on the Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises". Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080015&scode=300).

Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: sme-survey@censtatd.gov.hk).]]><![CDATA[LCQ5: Supporting operation of small and medium enterprises]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000548.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000548.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:28:00 +0800
Question:

     A survey conducted by an association of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reportedly found a decline in turnover compared to pre-pandemic levels among nearly 70 per cent of SMEs. In addition, the value of total retail sales in April this year, provisionally estimated at $29.6 billion, decreased by 14.7 per cent compared with the same month last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has examined if the business situation of those SMEs in the retail sector (including supermarkets), catering industry, etc, operating in non-tourist districts has become increasingly difficult in the recent six months as impacted by the craze for going north for spending among members of the public; if it has, of the details; if not, whether it has plans to conduct a comprehensive survey;

(2) given that according to a survey, more than 70 per cent of the employers interviewed indicated that they would opt for business upgrading and transformation in order to cope with operating difficulties, whether the Government has, on top of the assistance it currently provides (e.g. the Technology Voucher Programme and the BUD Fund), plans to help SMEs with their business upgrading and transformation through more targeted measures; and

(3) given that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, together with the Banking Sector SME Lending Coordination Mechanism, announced in March this year the introduction of nine measures to assist SMEs in obtaining financing from banks, whether the authorities will further request banks to adopt a more lenient approach in making credit limit adjustments for the retail sector, so as to help SMEs in the retail sector tide over the difficulties; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The data of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) show that after recording an increase in the value of total retail sales in January and February 2024 as compared with the same period last year, a decrease occurred from March to May. The Government has been closely monitoring the economic situation, and implements measures to assist the industries having regard to the situation.

     Having consulted the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Office of the Government Economist, the C&SD and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the reply to the three parts of the question is as follows:

(1) The Government compiles statistics or conducts surveys on different economic sectors (including the amount of retail sales), but does not compile statistics with breakdown by districts.

     Hong Kong has been getting increasingly integrated into the Mainland in various aspects. As various large-scale infrastructure were completed, the cross-boundary transportation capacity has been greatly strengthened, facilitating the two-way flow of people between the Mainland and Hong Kong and promoting the retail industry of both places at the same time. Under the "one-hour living circle" within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong residents spending in the Mainland or Mainland residents spending in Hong Kong are economic activities that happen naturally.

     In the first five months this year, the value of total retail sales was on average around $32.3 billion per month, decreased by 6.1 per cent as compared with the same period in 2023. In addition, for the total restaurant receipts, the monthly average in the first quarter of 2024 was around $9.4 billion, increased by 2.3 per cent as compared with the same period in 2023. The performance of both retail and catering industries is subject to change having regard to the consumption patterns of visitors and residents as well as the strength of the Hong Kong dollar. Nevertheless, the new measures benefitting Hong Kong as announced recently by the country, including extending the scope of the Individual Visit Scheme to 59 cities and increasing the duty-free allowance for luggage articles brought into the Mainland from Hong Kong by visitors who are Mainland residents to RMB12,000 should help attract the spending of Mainland visitors, thereby boosting the local retail and catering industries. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's continued efforts in promoting mega event economy and pursuing the concept of "Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong" will also bring support to the retail and catering industries. The rise in employment earnings, coupled with the recent stabilisation of asset markets, is also beneficial to these two industries.

(2) Throughout the years, the Government has been assisting Hong Kong enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in upgrading, restructuring and enhancing competitiveness through funding schemes. Among others, the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) provides funding support to non-listed Hong Kong enterprises to develop business in 39 economies with which Hong Kong has signed Free Trade Agreements and/or Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements. Besides, the Trade and Industrial Organisation Support Fund (TSF) provides funding support to organisations such as trade and industrial organisations and professional bodies to implement projects which aim at enhancing competitiveness, including assisting enterprises in upgrading and restructuring. As at end June 2024, around 8 400 applications have been approved under the BUD Fund, involving a total funding amount of over $5.1 billion. Around 50 per cent of these applications involve projects related to upgrading and restructuring. For the TSF, over 500 applications have been approved, involving a total funding amount of around $880 million.

     Furthermore, the Government established "SME ReachOut" in 2020 to help SMEs identify suitable government funding schemes. "SME ReachOut" has enhanced its services starting from October 2023, to provide more one-on-one consultation sessions and to focus on areas such as "environmental, social and governance", technology transformation, digitalisation and cyber security, with a view to assisting SMEs in enhancing their competitiveness through leveraging new technologies. As at end June 2024, "SME ReachOut" has handled over 24 200 enquiries, and has organised or participated in 10 exhibitions and over 50 seminars or webinars, as well as conducted over 240 promotional activities.

     In order to assist enterprises/organisations in using technologies to improve productivity, or upgrade and transform their business processes, the Innovation and Technology Commission administers the Technology Voucher Programme (TVP) to subsidise local enterprises/organisations in using technological services and solutions. The TVP provides subsidies for projects on a 3 (Government):1 (enterprise/organisation) matching basis. For each enterprise/organisation, the cumulative funding ceiling is $600,000 and the maximum number of projects to be approved is six.

     In addition, the Government has allocated funding to launch the Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme, under which subsidies will be provided on a one-to-one matching basis to assist SMEs in retail and food and beverage industries in applying e-payment and other ready-to-use basic digital solutions, so as to expedite their digital transformation.

(3) The HKMA has been encouraging the banking sector to support SME customers under prudent risk-management principles, including streaming the procedures for loan application and providing more diversified loan products. It has also introduced the nine SME support measures jointly with the Banking Sector SME Lending Coordination Mechanism in March this year to support the financing needs of SMEs and increase their bargaining power. In the first two months following the announcement of the support measures, around 7 000 SMEs have benefitted, involving an aggregate credit limit of over $15 billion, including:

(i) providing credit reliefs (including principal moratorium and partial principal repayment) to over 2 000 SMEs, involving an aggregate amount of $8.2 billion;

(ii) approving about 1 700 credit applications from SMEs, providing $7.3 billion of funds for their cash flow and business expansion; and

(iii) continuing to provide fee waivers and concessions to over 3 000 SMEs to ease their expenditure, including concessions on credit application fees, commitment fees and interest.

     The HKMA, the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the Chinese Banking Association of Hong Kong co-organised a seminar on the banking sector's support measures for SMEs on June 24, bringing together more than 200 representatives from the banking sector, trade associations and chambers and SME operators, who have actively exchanged views on the banking sector's support measures as well as diverse services for SMEs. The discussions covered topics including how banks leverage financial technology to help SMEs obtain bank financing in an easier and faster manner, and how banks support the business transformation of SMEs.

     The HKMA will continue to maintain close communication and exchange with the banking and commercial and industrial sectors to support the continuous development of SMEs in an inclusive manner and under proper management of credit risks.]]><![CDATA[LCQ21: Hawker stalls selling food]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000422.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000422.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:20:00 +0800
Question:

     There are views that in order to implement the concept of "tourism is everywhere", Hong Kong should support fixed-pitch and itinerant hawker stalls selling food with local characteristics, and enhance the culinary experience of countryside visitors. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of fixed-pitch cooked food hawker stalls located (i) on-‍street (i.e. stalls commonly known as "Dai Pai Dongs"), (ii) in cooked food hawker bazaars, and (iii) in public housing estates (i.e. ‍stalls inside what is commonly known as a "cooked food kiosk") in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory;

(2) of the number of itinerant hawker licences allowed to sell food (including but not limited to roast chestnuts, baked sweet potatoes, fruits and baked eggs) in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by type of commodity;

(3) of the number of applications for succession or transfer of "Dai Pai Dong" licences approved in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by the relationship between the successor or transferee of a licence and the original licensee;

(4) whether new "Dai Pai Dong" licences were issued on a trial basis or in other forms in the past three years; if so, of the annual number of licences issued; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) whether the Housing Department carried out renovation or refurbishment works for cooked food kiosks in public housing estates under its management in the past three years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(6) of the number of vacant fixed hawker pitches allocated to itinerant hawker licensees selling food in the annual reassignment of such pitches by the Government in each of the past three years;

(7) given that at the meeting of the Subcommittee on Hawker Policy under the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of this Council on April 14, 2015, the authorities indicated that they would consider converting, on a pilot basis, an existing public market with a low occupancy rate into an off-street cooked food centre, which would provide operating space for individual cooked food vendors to provide traditional "Dai Pai Dong" type of cooked meals, traditional snacks or other forms of light refreshments, of the current progress of such work;

(8) whether the Hong Kong Tourism Board has currently promoted local delicacies of Hong Kong served up by "Dai Pai Dongs", cooked food kiosks, among others, to visitors and international media; if so, of the details;

(9) whether the authorities have reviewed the hawker policy in recent years; if so, of the details and the improvement measures implemented following the review; and

(10) as there are views that the current provision of only refreshment kiosks at country parks has failed to cater for the increasing number of countryside visitors, whether the authorities have considered setting up restaurants and allowing fixed-pitch and itinerant hawker stalls to sell speciality food at convenient locations near the entrances and exits of country trails; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The society has different views and expectations regarding hawkers and their hawking activities. The Government is committed to balancing the needs and views of various parties so that licensed hawkers (including those selling food) can operate according to market demand while ensuring food safety, environmental hygiene and public safety, and avoid causing nuisance to local residents, etc. Having consulted the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Housing Bureau, our reply to the Hon Judy Chan's question is as follows:

(1) The number of hawker licences for on-street fixed pitches, cooked food hawker bazaars and cooked food kiosks in public housing estates in the past three years (2021 to 2023), with a breakdown by the 18 districts in the territory, is provided at Annex I.

(2) The number of itinerant hawker licences allowed to sell food in each of the past three years (2021 to 2023), with a breakdown by the type of commodities allowed for sale, is provided at Annex II.

(3) In the past three years (2021 to 2023), two applications for succession/transfer of "Dai Pai Dong" licence, involving a pair of mother-son and father-son respectively, were supported by the relevant District Councils. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has approved the relevant applications in 2021 and 2023.

(4) There are different views on "Dai Pai Dong" in the society. Some are of the view that they cause nuisance to residents of the areas, while some consider that "Dai Pai Dong" pose unfair competition to the neighbouring restaurants. The mode of operation of "Dai Pai Dong" would inevitably cause a certain degree of street obstruction and environmental hygiene problems, thus it is very challenging to identify suitable sites, such as a location where it would not cause nuisance to residents, have sufficient or stable patronage to support business operation, and would not cause vicious competition to the neighbouring restaurants. For those "Dai Pai Dong" which are currently operating well, the Government will work with relevant organisations to explore suitable ways to promote them, with a view to preserving and promoting the unique "Dai Pai Dong" culture in Hong Kong. As for new "Dai Pai Dong", the FEHD has not issued any new "Dai Pai Dong" licence in the past three years. If there are any suitable proposed sites which are supported by the relevant District Councils, the FEHD will give consideration with an open mind.

(5) The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) reviews the usage of its existing retail facilities from time to time. With due regard to the actual conditions of individual estates and retail facilities, such as building age, condition and design of the facilities, age distribution of the population and the surrounding environment, and also taking into account a number of relevant factors, including community needs, views of the stakeholders, technical and financial viability, and the impact on the existing shop tenants, the HA will consider optimising its retail facilities with a view to enhancing their business potential and shopping ambience. All along, the HA has been closely monitoring the condition of facilities in cooked food stalls and carried out repair/refurbishment/improvement works in due course. In the past three years (2021 to 2023), apart from basic refurbishment works, the HA has carried out improvement works of different scales for some cooked food stalls on a need basis. For example, the HA has carried out conversion works for the cooked food stalls in Nam Shan Estate by re-demarcating the stall areas to better meet the residents' needs. At present, fire improvement works including replacement of sprinkler systems, reconstruction of existing walls, are also being carried out at cooked food stalls in Pok Hong Estate, Fu Shan Estate and Shek Kip Mei Estate.

(6) The Government opened for application a total of 540 vacant fixed pitches in 2019 and 2022, including 108 licence quotas reserved for licensed itinerant hawkers. Eventually, four licensed itinerant hawkers who had been authorised to sell food submitted applications and participated in pitches selection. All of them were subsequently allocated pitches.

(7) The Subcommittee on Hawker Policy under the Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Committee did not reach a consensus on the proposal to convert existing public markets with low occupancy rate into off-street cooked food centres for operation by cooked food vendor to provide "Dai Pai Dong"-style cooked food or light refreshment. Currently, after the closure or consolidation of markets with low occupancy rates, the FEHD will allocate the freed-up space for other purposes to benefit the public.

     On the other hand, there are currently a total of 41 cooked food centres, cooked food markets and cooked food hawker bazaars across the districts, including the popular Haiphong Road Temporary Cooked Food Hawker Bazaar and Woosung Street Temporary Cooked Food Hawker Bazaar, as well as other private catering establishments, providing an array of choices for the public. If any "Dai Pai Dong" need to be relocated due to development/works projects, the FEHD will also offer the option of relocating to the cooked food hawker bazaar for the stall operators.

(8) Hong Kong has been well-known for being a food paradise. Other than Michelin-starred restaurants, its distinctive local delicacies are well-liked by visitors from around the world. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has been promoting the city's culinary experiences through various channels to attract global travellers to come and enjoy food in Hong Kong. Relevant promotion work of the HKTB includes: working in partnership with renowned media outlets from the Mainland and overseas to produce thematic programmes on Hong Kong's culinary culture and visits to "Dai Pai Dong" in different districts to deepen source markets' understanding of Hong Kong's food culture. For instance, the MasterChef Australia recently filmed in Hong Kong with the support of the HKTB for programme content with themes of local Hong Kong street food and Michelin experiences; the HKTB invited celebrities such as Malaysian actress Minchen Lin and Hollywood actor Henry Golding to visit “Dai Pai Dong” in Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, and Central, and introduced local delicacies in short videos; the HKTB has a dedicated page on its website DiscoverHongKong.com, setting out recommendations for "Dai Pai Dong" experiences including "Dai Pai Dong" and "Dong Ku Ting"; the HKTB highlights various food stalls in its "Hong Kong Neighbourhoods" promotions, including "Dai Pai Dong" in Central, Temple Street Night Market and Woosung Street Temporary Cooked Food Hawker Bazaar.

(9) The Government reviews the various arrangements regarding hawkers from time to time and will introduce measures or make adjustments as necessary to meet the needs of the society. For example, the FEHD opened vacant fixed hawker pitches for reallocation in 2019 and 2022 respectively, and 523 new hawker licences have been issued so far. In response to the trade's suggestion, the FEHD have also increased the types of commodities that can be sold under fixed-pitch hawker licences at Kwun Tong Yue Man Hawker Bazaar and Temple Street in 2022 and 2023 respectively, so as to facilitate the sale of pre-packaged food and beverages and/or dry goods by the licensees.

(10) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) sets up cafeteria, refreshment kiosks and vending machines at suitable locations in country parks to provide snacks and beverage to visitors, according to their actual demands and site considerations. Most of the places within country parks lack infrastructure such as water supply, electricity, and proper sewage facilities, making it challenging to offer more comprehensive catering facilities. Currently, there are seven refreshment kiosks and 35 beverage vending machines in country parks, as well as a cafeteria operated by a non-profit organisation at the Lions Nature Education Centre in Sai Kung. If any hawker licence holder would like to conduct hawking activities within a country park, the person can apply for a permit from the AFCD under the Country Parks and Special Areas Regulations (Cap. 208A). The AFCD will consider applications and grant approval taking into account actual circumstances, including environmental hygiene issues or adverse impacts on the environment. If the entrances and exits of country trails fall outside of country park areas, licensed itinerant hawkers can currently conduct hawking activities in the corresponding areas as marked on their licenses.]]><![CDATA[CE meets Secretary-General of ASEAN (with photo)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000564.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000564.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:05:00 +0800
     Mr Lee welcomed Dr Kao's visit to Hong Kong with his delegation. Noting that Hong Kong has maintained close trade and economic ties with ASEAN, Mr Lee said that ASEAN has long been Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner. Since the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Investment Agreement between Hong Kong and ASEAN, the trade and investments between the two sides have recorded significant growth with the bilateral trade in goods between Hong Kong and ASEAN amounting to US$144.6 billion last year.

     Mr Lee pointed out that Hong Kong will continue to promote the co-operation between Hong Kong and ASEAN on trade and investments. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government signed the First Protocol to Amend the FTA between ASEAN and Hong Kong early this year to update the Product Specific Rules (PSRs) of origin under the FTA to enhance the coverage of the PSRs. It enables Hong Kong businesses to more easily and effectively gain Hong Kong-originating status for an increased number of specified products, and thus enjoy preferential tariff treatment when expanding into the ASEAN market, which will help enhance the competitiveness of the products concerned and trade flows. In addition, the HKSAR Government has also enhanced people-to-people exchange and experience sharing through the Economic and Technical Cooperation Work Programme under the FTA, he added.

     Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to Dr Kao and ASEAN member states again for their continued support for Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He looked forward to maintaining communication with the ASEAN Secretariat on relevant issues and soliciting support from other stakeholders for Hong Kong to join RCEP as soon as possible.

     Mr Lee said that he hopes to visit different ASEAN member states in the future to further strengthen Hong Kong's ties with them, taking co-operation with ASEAN to a new level.

]]><![CDATA[LCQ8: Developing industries related to new quality productive forces]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000409.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000409.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:55:00 +0800
Question:

     There are views that the development of new quality productive forces is a key area in the country's Report on the Work of the Government, and also an opportunity for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to make every effort to promote and leverage its distinctive strengths and economic development. Regarding the development of industries related to new quality productive forces, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that, the 2023 Policy Address has proposed to set up a $10 billion New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme (NIAS) to promote the downstream development of new industrialisation and provide more financial assistance for enterprises in the fields of life and health technologies, artificial intelligence and data science, advanced manufacturing and new energy technologies, apart from NIAS, whether the Government has put in place concrete complementary policy in the short term to support other enterprises related to industries of new quality productive forces; if so, of the details and the estimated number of beneficiary enterprises;

(2) how the Government will develop new quality productive forces through NIAS to form a sustainable industrial chain of new industrialisation;

(3) whether it will formulate a strategic development blueprint for industries related to new quality productive forces, so as to assess the strengths of Hong Kong's scientific research talents and their strengths in various research outcomes, thereby identifying industries which have the opportunity to stand out and can continue to explore areas where they enjoy advantages for specific support; and

(4) whether it will collaborate with the governments of other Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to address shortcomings and promote policy co-ordination and in-depth integration in the GBA, so as to enable better complementarity between Hong Kong's advantages in basic research and the industrial advantages of other Mainland cities in the GBA, thereby further promoting the in-depth integration of the industrial chain, capital chain and talent chain in relation to new quality productive forces, as well as expanding avenues of internationalisation for Mainland cities and giving play to Hong Kong's role as a "super-connector" that is closely connected to the world?

Reply:

President,

"Expediting the development of new quality productive forces" is a major task as stated in the National "Government Work Report" this year. New quality productive forces implies advancement in productivity. By making use of innovation and technology (I&T), new industries and new development modes will be introduced to Hong Kong which will promote economic diversity, thereby enhancing Hong Kong's overall competitiveness.

     My reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Shang Hailong is as follows:

(1), (2)&(3) Hong Kong has to develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions. We will continue to strengthen research and development (R&D) in original and innovative technologies, and apply it to the development of industries. The Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint provides a clear development path and systematic strategic plan to promote the development of I&T in Hong Kong, with a view to accelerating the formation and development of new real economy which leverages Hong Kong's competitive edge. We focus on the development of I&T industries of strategic importance such as life and health technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, as well as advanced manufacturing and new energy technology industries, etc. Adopting an industry-oriented approach, the current-term Government introduces and implements policies and measures to accelerate the transformation and realisation of midstream R&D outcomes and support the development of downstream industries for promoting the development of new industrialisation.

To this end, we successfully launched the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+) last year to promote the transformation and commercialisation of R&D outcomes from local universities. The first batch of participating projects was confirmed in May this year. Besides, we will also launch the $10 billion New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme (NIAS) this year to provide funding on a matching basis for enterprises engaged in the above industries of strategic importance to set up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong. It is expected that 50 to 100 enterprises will benefit from the NIAS.

In addition, in order to support enterprises in developing new quality productive forces, we have introduced enhancement measures to the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme (NIFS) to encourage local manufacturers to switch to smart manufacturing. Under the NIFS, each eligible enterprise may receive a maximum funding of $15 million on a matching basis for a smart production line project established in Hong Kong. A total of three projects under each enterprise can be funded at any one time, i.e. an enterprise can receive a maximum funding of $45 million in total. As at March 2024, 38 NIFS applications involving 62 production lines have been supported.

To further strengthen the development of strategic emerging industries, in respect of life and health technology, there are currently 16 life and health technology-related R&D centres under the InnoHK Research Clusters. In addition, we will provide subsidies to support local universities to set up life and health technology research institutes to facilitate relevant R&D activities and transformation of R&D outcomes.

In respect of development of AI technology, Cyberport is preparing for the establishment of an AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC), the first phase of which is expected to commence operation in the second half of this year at the earliest. Meanwhile, the Government will launch an AI Subsidy Scheme to support, mainly, local universities, research institutes and enterprises, etc, to leverage the AISC's computing power.

In respect of advanced manufacturing and new energy technologies, the Government will establish the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute (MRDI) this year, which will spearhead and facilitate R&D on the third‑generation semiconductors among universities, R&D centres and the industry. The MRDI is actively preparing the setting up of pilot lines, with a view to serving as a bridge between innovative research and mass production. Also, we will prepare for establishing the third InnoHK research cluster in the second half of this year, focusing on areas such as advanced manufacturing, new materials, new energy, etc.

Supporting start-ups is also an essential element in forming a comprehensive I&T industry chain. The Government is committed to supporting I&T start-ups, providing them access to venture capital and financing channels, and introducing overseas professional start-up service providers such as accelerators, and venture capital firms to develop businesses in Hong Kong. We are currently reviewing the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund with a view to rolling out as soon as possible new initiatives which are more market-oriented. We will consider measures to advocate for and strengthen the efficient collaboration among the Government, industry, academic, research and investment sectors. This will further enrich financing channels for enterprises, promote industry development, and facilitate a healthy start-up environment. These will help accelerate the development of new quality productive forces.

Talent is also vital to the development of new quality productive forces. The Government has been enlarging the local I&T talent pool through nurturing, attracting and retaining talent. For example, in terms of attracting talent, the Technology Talent Admission Scheme provides a fast-track arrangement for eligible companies to admit overseas and Mainland technology talent to undertake R&D work in Hong Kong. The InnoHK Research Clusters converges around 2 500 top-notch researchers from all over the world to conduct world-class and impactful collaborative researches. Besides, the Government has included in the Talent List a number of professions with local manpower shortage in the I&T segment, so as to facilitate the industry in the admission of technology talent through relevant admission schemes.

(4) As an important avenue for the country to connect with the world and for the world to access China's market, Hong Kong serves as a bridge connecting the Mainland and the world. We will proactively attract enterprises and investments, bringing in Mainland and overseas I&T strategic enterprises (including those from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)) to set up businesses in Hong Kong. Leveraging the role of a "super-connector" and "super value-adder", Hong Kong also serves as a springboard for Mainland enterprises to expand their businesses overseas.

The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Co-operation Zone) is a major co-operation platform in the GBA. Fostering an orderly flow of cross-boundary innovation elements (including talent, materials and data) is the key to success of the Co-operation Zone. The Government will continue to support the development of the Hong Kong park and actively collaborate with Shenzhen to foster the synergistic development of the Shenzhen park and the Hong Kong park of the Co-operation Zone under the "one zone, two parks" principle underpinned by the "one country, two systems" principle. This will enable the Co-operation Zone to serve as the bridgehead for intensive I&T co‑operation between the two places.

Furthermore, in alignment with the country's national development strategies, the Government will continue to proactively encourage the community to develop new quality productive forces, including supporting the local I&T sector to visit and participate in technological exchange with the Mainland (especially the GBA cities) so as to keep up with the latest development of new quality productive forces in the Mainland. We are dedicated to build up a more comprehensive and globally competitive I&T industry chain by joining hands with the Mainland cities in the GBA through concerted efforts, thereby realising the strategic goal of developing new quality productive forces and contributing to the country's high-quality development.]]><![CDATA[Effective Exchange Rate Index]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000214.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000214.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:50:00 +0800<![CDATA[Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000562.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000562.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:45:00 +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 July 9 to noon today (July 10), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 311 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 66 512 samples of food imported from Japan (including 42 807 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 15 942 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.]]><![CDATA[Man convicted of managing unlicensed employment agency]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000566.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000566.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:40:00 +0800
In December 2022, the LD received a complaint against a man from an employer seeking to hire a foreign domestic helper. As a subsequent investigation revealed sufficient evidence that the man was managing an EA without a valid licence, the LD took out prosecution against him.

All establishments or persons operating a business in Hong Kong for the purpose of obtaining employment for another person or supplying personnel to an employer are governed by Part XII of the EO and the Employment Agency Regulations. Irrespective of the mode of operation or the types of jobs referred, all EAs must obtain a licence issued by the LD before undertaking any EA activities. Except for the EA licence holder or his or her associates, no one shall operate, manage or assist in the management of an EA. Offenders may face prosecution.

The LD reminds EAs to operate in full compliance with the law as well as the Code of Practice for EAs at all times. Failure to do so may lead to prosecution and/or revocation of licence. The maximum penalty for the offences of unlicensed operation of an EA or overcharging commissions from job seekers is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.

Should there be enquiries about matters related to EAs or complaints about suspected violations of EAs, please contact the Employment Agencies Administration of the LD (telephone: 2115 3667; email: ea-ee@labour.gov.hk; address: Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon).]]><![CDATA[LCQ4: Incorporating elements of the National Day celebrations into cultural tourism projects]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000396.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000396.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:32:00 +0800
Question:

     This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. There are views that incorporating elements of the National Day celebrations into various cultural tourism projects will not only enhance the overall atmosphere of the National Day celebrations in HKSAR, but also help Hong Kong develop quality tourism and become an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) how it will incorporate elements of the National Day celebrations into various cultural tourism projects;

(2) whether it will seek the loan of more grade-one national treasures and more precious cultural relics from the Central Government to the Hong Kong Palace Museum under special arrangements, so as to organise a special exhibition for the National Day celebrations; and

(3) how it will focus its publicity efforts among tourists from the Mainland and overseas on cultural tourism projects incorporating elements of the National Day celebrations?

Reply:

President,

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and is an important historical milestone. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government celebrates the National Day with the public every year and promotes patriotism and national pride through a series of activities and publicity programmes. This year, more celebratory events which are rich in content and diversity will be held to create an intense festive ambience of the National Day and promote patriotism. We celebrate this special day with the public and allow visitors to experience a joyful atmosphere and share the joy of the National Day.

     In respect of the questions raised by the Hon Chan Yung, in consultation with the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, the consolidated reply is as follows:

     The Chief Secretary for Administration (CS) is leading various bureaux and departments to actively prepare for various tasks to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. In this connection, the CS has given instructions at the previous meetings of the Steering Committee on District Governance and the Task Force on District Governance, asking all bureaux and departments to make concerted efforts to plan and take forward the preparatory work for the National Day celebrations on all fronts, with a view to creating a colourful and enthusiastic National Day atmosphere and cultivating people’s sense of patriotism at different levels of the community. Apart from the key programmes such as the annual large-scale National Day reception, flag-raising ceremony, variety show and fireworks display, all bureaux and their departments will also organise an array of celebratory activities under their respective areas, with a view to enabling more members of the public from different backgrounds and age groups to take part and share the joy of the National Day.

     The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) will arrange a series of cultural and tourism programmes with elements of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, enabling the public, including both citizens and visitors, to come together and celebrate the National Day. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is organising the exhibitions "Brothers in Arms: War of Resistance Activities of the East River Column in Shenzhen and Hong Kong Areas" (tentative title), the "Auspicious Fullness and Togetherness - Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greater Bay Area" (tentative title) and other exhibitions to celebrate the National Day. The LCSD will liaise with different organisations in the Mainland to borrow suitable exhibits. In addition, the LCSD will organise the "75th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC" exhibition (tentative title) to showcase the major developments and achievements of New China since its founding 75 years ago from social, cultural, scientific and technological perspectives. After conversion, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence will hold the "Flag Raising Ceremony cum Drill Performance on the National Day"with three youth uniformed groups. On the National Day, admission to all museums under the LCSD will be free. There are also special activities at museums. For example, the Hong Kong Museum of History has jointly organised with the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage "The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province" exhibition from April to July this year. Through over 150 sets/items of cultural relics, the exhibition introduces important archaeological sites in Henan Province, as well as the political, social, rituals and etiquette, and cultural landscapes of the three dynasties so as to give members of the public an understanding of the civilisation and history of ancient China. The Hong Kong Museum of Art has organised the "Fragrance of Time - In Search of Chinese Art of Scent" exhibition until 16 October. Featuring historical artefacts and artworks, the exhibition showcases the significance of Chinese fragrance culture in different periods, and enhances public awareness of fine traditional Chinese culture. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum will also organise traditional Chinese costumes activities and the public libraries will celebrate the National Day by specially holding thematic book displays on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC in some libraries.

     Hong Kong Palace Museum will stage a special exhibition in late September this year, showcasing approximately 110 precious sets/items from the Neolithic period to the Xia dynasty, including jades, ceramics, bone objects, stone sculptures, and bronze vessels, etc. The exhibition aims to illustrate the origins and evolution of the Chinese civilisation and enhance visitors’ understanding of the remarkable achievements and the unified development with diversity of Chinese civilisation, and is one of the celebration activities marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.

     Moreover, the celebration of National Day is adopted as the theme of the annual Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival to be held at Victoria Park this year. Primary and secondary schools across Hong Kong will be invited to design dazzling lanterns with the theme of National Day. At the same time, the LCSD will present uniquely curated traditional Chinese costumes catwalk shows in which members of the public will be invited to participate by dressing in traditional Chinese costumes.

     As regards performances, we have invited the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra to present the "Resounding Chimes. Magnificent works in a Prosperous Age" National Day concert. Featuring the centuries-old traditional musical instrument bianzhong, this concert comes with free pre-performance guided appreciation sessions and live demonstrations. With Hong Kong hosting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival for the first time this year, its opening programme "Sound River" will be one of the highlights of the celebration programmes.

     In addition, "A Symphony of Lights" light and sound show will launch a special edition for celebration of the 75th National Day in October. At the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races co-organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association earlier in June, three races of PRC 75th Anniversary Celebration Trophy were staged and decorations with the theme of the National Day were displayed at the event venue.

     The Government is actively promoting "tourism is everywhere". Nowadays, many tourists are keen on in-depth local tourism to experience local culture and characteristics. In view of this, the 18 District Offices under the Home Affairs Department will organise National Day celebratory events with local characteristics in each district, with a view to enabling more members of the public and tourists from different backgrounds and age groups to participate and share the joy of the National Day. At the same time, the events will also showcase to visitors the unique advantages and attractions of Hong Kong in terms of the staunch support we receive from the Motherland and our global outlook.

The CSTB will continue to collaborate with the HKTB and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to introduce and promote cultural programmes marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC to Mainland and overseas tourists, including uploading the related information onto the websites of the HKTB as well as the Mainland and overseas Economic and Trade Offices of the HKSAR Government, dedicated webpages and Instagram accounts as well as Mainland social media platforms to promote local programmes celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. In addition, we will also encourage the trade to roll out National Day special offers and programmes and carry out promotion through cross-sectoral efforts, thereby allowing members of the public and tourists to celebrate the National Day.]]><![CDATA[LCQ6: Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000509.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000509.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:15:00 +0800
Question:

The Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign (the Campaign) has been implemented for more than a decade. In February this year, the Food Wise Hong Kong Steering Committee indicated that it would extend the Campaign for two years, and a series of activities and schemes would be launched to encourage and facilitate various sectors of the community to participate in food waste reduction and recycling. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Food Wise Eateries Scheme (the Scheme) has put in place the Gold and Silver Classes of recognition to recognise the efforts and commitment of participating eateries in food waste reduction, of the respective numbers of eateries which have been awarded the Gold and Silver Classes since the launch of the Scheme;

(2) whether it has regularly reviewed if the participating eateries of the Scheme can fulfil the requirements for the relevant classes of recognition on a continuing basis; if it has not, of the reasons for that; if it has, the details, and whether any participating eateries have been removed from the list of participating eateries after being reviewed; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) in respect of the extension of the Campaign for two years, whether it has drawn up specific targets and action plans (for example, increasing the number of participating eateries awarded with the Gold and Silver Classes); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Currently, about 11 000 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated in Hong Kong per day, of which around 30 per cent is food waste. The Government has always attached great importance to promoting food waste reduction at source and recycling. Since its launch in 2013, the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign has been promoting a "food wise" culture and encouraging behavioural change in the community to avoid and reduce food waste generation at source through various schemes and activities. The major schemes and activities include the Food Wise Charter, the Food Wise Eateries Scheme, Food Wise talks, the "Big Waster" social media pages, as well as promotion and publicity on "food wise" to the public through online platforms, mobile applications, public transport networks, television and radio.

     Over the past 11 years, we have observed significant changes in the overall eating habits of the general public. At present, there are fewer cases of people ordering excessive amount of food in eateries or wasting a large amount of food at buffets. Taking home leftovers from eateries is now widely accepted by members of the public and is no longer seen as stinginess. Based on statistics, the per capita domestic food waste disposal rate in Hong Kong has reduced by about 15 per cent from 0.37 kilograms per day in 2013 to 0.31 kilograms per day in 2022. These reflect that a "food wise" culture has gradually taken shape in Hong Kong.

     The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Chun-ying is as follows:

(1) The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Food Wise Eateries Scheme in November 2015 to encourage eateries to work with customers towards reduction of food wastage and food waste generation at source by offering food portioning options and adopting food waste reduction measures. The Food Wise Eateries Scheme has two classes of recognition, namely Gold Class and Silver Class, corresponding to the different levels of efforts and commitment of the participating eateries. Silver Class eateries need to convey the "food wise" message at their stores and provide food portioning options. In addition to meeting the requirements of Silver Class, Gold Class eateries need to take additional measures at the management level to avoid and reduce the generation of food waste.

     The Scheme has received support from a considerable number of eateries since its implementation. A total of 532 eateries and 1 076 eateries have been awarded the recognition of Gold and Silver Classes respectively. Eateries accredited under the Scheme will receive corresponding stickers to display in their stores to facilitate promotion and for customers' identification. In addition, the list and addresses of participating eateries are published on a restaurant searching platform and the Hong Kong Waste Reduction website for members of the public to search and learn more information about environmentally friendly eateries.

(2) The accreditation of Gold and Silver Classes of Food Wise Eateries is valid for two years. If the eateries concerned confirm with the EPD before the expiration date that they will continue to take forward the committed measures, the EPD will renew their accreditation. The EPD will also conduct random inspections to verify that the participating eateries have continuously fulfilled their commitment to reduce food waste. Over the past three years, the EPD inspected a total of 212 eateries and observed that they generally adopted measures corresponding to their classes. Some eateries were unable to show the "food wise" message in their stores might be due to damage or fading of the promotional materials previously distributed to them. In such cases, the EPD staff will provide new promotional materials and remind the eateries to fulfil the requirements on publicity and message dissemination. Since the launch of the Scheme, no eateries have been removed from the list of Food Wise Eateries, except for those that have closed down.

(3) As I pointed out in the beginning, since the launch of the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, we have observed significant changes in the overall eating habits of the general public, and a "food wise" culture has gradually taken shape in Hong Kong. The per capita domestic food waste disposal rate has also decreased, reflecting that the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign has borne fruit. To further reduce food waste, we also need to explore new directions in addition to continuing the promotion of the "waste less" concept. Currently, the EPD is actively implementing various measures to support food waste recycling from commercial, industrial and domestic sectors to gradually increase the amount of food waste recycled in Hong Kong and further reduce food waste disposal, with a view to achieving the goal of "Waste Reduction‧Resources Circulation‧Zero Landfill".

     Members of the Food Wise Hong Kong Steering Committee agreed at the meeting held in February this year to actively co-operate with the Government in promoting food waste reduction at source and recycling. They also called on relevant stakeholders and partners of the industry for their full support.

     The Steering Committee will step up publicity and promotion efforts of food waste recycling in the 2023-2025 session to encourage and assist the community to participate in food waste reduction and recycling. The Steering Committee has developed a series of plans to strengthen training, support, publicity and education to raise public attention to food waste issues and increase participation in food waste recycling. For eateries, the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign will focus on strengthening promotion and encouraging eateries to participate in the EPD's food waste recycling programmes, or using food waste recycling points set up at refuse collections points in various districts and food waste recycling spots in "food and beverage clusters" to reduce the disposal of food waste in landfills.

     The Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign will also update the Food Wise Charter in this quarter to include a commitment to support food waste recycling programmes. We will introduce the EPD's latest food waste recycling measures to the signees of the Charter and other organisations that have yet to sign up, and invite them to actively participate in and sign the new Charter.

     In the meantime, the EPD will further strengthen the promotion of the "waste less" and "food wise" messages to encourage members of the public to reduce food wastage when dining out. We will also organise interactive dramas with the theme of Food Waste Reduction and Recycling through the Sustainable Development School Outreach Programme to instill a "food wise" and waste reduction culture in students from around 150 primary and secondary schools, and educate them on how to participate in food waste reduction and recycling in their daily lives.

     Regarding the Food Wise Eateries Scheme, we are planning to set up an honourable Diamond Class of recognition on top of the existing Gold and Silver Classes to increase the attractiveness of the Scheme. As the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign promotes the "food wise" and waste reduction culture from various aspects, we have not set a target on the number of Food Wise Eateries in particular. Nevertheless, we will attempt to double the number in the upcoming two years through stepping up on promotional efforts.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[LCQ11: Alcoholic beverages and related diseases]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000319.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000319.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:15:00 +0800
Question:

It has been over 16 years since the Government abolished its duties on wine and liquor with an alcoholic strength of not more than 30% in 2008. Regarding alcoholic beverages and related diseases, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the changes in the alcohol consumption per capita of Hong Kong in recent years compared with that in 2008;

(2) whether it has studied if the alcohol consumption per capita of Hong Kong in recent years is higher than neighbouring regions; and

(3) whether it has studied if there is any clear sign that the abolition of duty on liquor has led to an increase in the number of cases of Hong Kong people suffering from alcohol-related diseases, and of the details of the findings of the relevant study?

Reply:

President,

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), harmful use of alcohol is a significant risk factor for more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. Harmful use of alcohol is associated with the risk of developing a range of health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders (including alcohol dependence), and major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (e.g. liver cirrhosis and some cancers). In addition to health effects, the harmful use of alcohol can place a heavy burden on individuals, families and society at large. The WHO recommends that governments of various places should strengthen their responses to reduce alcohol-related harm for prevention and control of NCDs.

In 2018, the Government launched the "Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong", setting out nine local targets, with "Reduce harmful use of alcohol" being one of them, to be achieved by 2025. The Government will continue to adopt a risk-based approach to reduce alcohol-related harm, in particular alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, binge drinking, etc., through publicity, education, treatment and support services, as well as other appropriate measures (e.g. spirits tax).

In consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Department of Health (DH), the reply to the question raised by the Hon Lam San-keung is as follows:

(1) Alcohol consumption per capita (APC) (in litres of pure alcohol) is closely related to the prevalence of alcohol-related harms and alcohol dependence at the population level. The APC in Hong Kong is calculated by adding the volume of locally produced alcohol and imported alcohol, minus the volume of the export of locally produced alcohol and re-export alcohol, divided by the population aged 15 years or above in Hong Kong. However, the estimation may be affected by many factors, such as stockpiling and consumption level of tourists visiting Hong Kong.

The local APC rose from 2.53 liters in 2005 to 2.87 liters in 2017, up by less than 10 per cent in 12 years. Between 2019 and 2022, Hong Kong's APC showed a downward trend, with 2.45 liters in 2020 and 2.29 liters in 2022. This downward trend may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is also in line with the latest Global Status Report released by the WHO, which pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the APC in various parts of the world. Among them, the APC in the Western Pacific Region, in which Hong Kong belongs, dropped by 16.4 per cent from 2019 to 2020.

Apart from monitoring the APC in Hong Kong, the DH also conducts city-wide population health surveys from time to time to understand the health status and health-related behaviours of the Hong Kong population, including drinking behaviours. Details are set out in the table below, and the trends are broadly in line with the above APC estimates.

Population Health Survey	Proportion of population aged 15 or above who had consumed table wine	Proportion of population aged 15 or above who had consumed spirit
2003/04	7.4% (Note 2)	2.6% (Note 2)
2014/15	33.9% (Note 3)	7.5% (Note 3)
2020-22	11.3% (Note 3)	2.7% (Note 3)

Note 1: The duty for wine and liquor of an alcoholic strength ≦30 per cent has been waived since February 2008.
Note 2: Had consumed in the past.
Note 3: Had consumed in 12 months preceding the survey.

(2) The APC varies from region to region around the world. When comparing the APC with neighbouring regions, factors to consider include cultural, religious and economic development of various places. As mentioned above, the APC in Hong Kong in 2020 was 2.45 litres. When comparing this figure with the latest figures published by the WHO for the year of 2020 (Hong Kong's figure was not specified in the database), Hong Kong's APC is relatively low in the Western Pacific Region. The APC in Australia, Korea and Japan was 9.7 liters, 7.4 liters and 6.1 liters respectively, which was higher than Hong Kong's 2.45 liters, whereas the APC in Singapore and Malaysia was 1.8 liters and 0.7 liters respectively, which was lower than Hong Kong's 2.45 liters.

(3) In Hong Kong, as in other parts of the world, there is an increasing number of people suffering from NCDs, resulting in ill health, disability and premature death. These NCDs are associated with a number of common behavioral risk factors, including the harmful use of alcohol. In fact, according to data regularly collected by the DH, from 2007 to 2022, there were between 2 000 and 2 600 hospital admissions each year due to alcohol-related illnesses or injuries (including alcoholic liver disease, mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol marked as the principal diagnosis).

Over the years, the DH has been committed to launching public education campaigns on alcohol-related harms, including the "Understanding Alcohol Harm" publicity and education campaign since 2022, to enhance the public's understanding of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption through various channels. Through the "Change4Health – Alcohol and Health" website, the DH disseminates evidence-based information on drinking and health to the public, and provides online risk assessment of drinking behaviour, personalised health advice, self-help tools, health education resources, etc., so as to encourage drinkers to make changes to their drinking behaviour for the sake of their health. The DH has also launched the Pilot Alcohol Cessation Counselling Service through subvention to a non-government organisation, to provide free counselling service for people identified to have probable alcohol dependence.

In respect of primary healthcare services, Life Course Preventive Care is an evidence-based and comprehensive health strategy that emphasises on prevention and personalised needs. It provides guidance on the health needs of citizens across different life stages. Life Course Preventive Care has been implemented in District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses to assist citizens to adopt healthy lifestyle, including early identification and intervention of high-risk drinking behaviors through Health Risk Factor Assessment, with a view to enhancing the overall health of the Hong Kong citizens.

The DH is aware that local academic institution has used statistical models to estimate the impact of the policy on the use of alcohol and the health of Hong Kong people, and the findings of the studies have shown that the reduction of alcohol use can alleviate the burden of alcohol-related health problems.

In formulating any revenue measures, the Government will take into account the relevant policy needs, views from various parties, the economic situation of Hong Kong, burden on public finance, as well as the needs of various sectors of the community. Apart from consideration from the angle of public finance, public health is also an important factor to consider, as the duty on liquors remains one of the effective ways to encourage the public to reduce drinking.]]><![CDATA[LCQ14: Services of marriage registries]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000383.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000383.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:05:00 +0800
Question:

     It is learnt that the marriage hall of Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry, which has recently come into operation, is popular among wedding couples as it is equipped with lighting effects. Regarding the services of marriage registries, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of registered marriages in each year since 2022, together with a breakdown by venue of marriage registration (i.e.‍ marriage registries, leisure venues of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, other venues where marriage are solemnised by Civil Celebrants of Marriages and licensed places of worship);

(2) of the respective capacity and average usage rate of the various marriage registries for marriage ceremonies in each year since 2022;

(3) as there are views pointing out that some marriage registries in urban areas have a relatively long history, and the outdated equipment and ancillary facilities of the halls may affect the usage of such registries, of the respective time when the authorities last carried out major renovation works on the various marriage registries; whether the authorities will consider renovating the older marriage registries with the addition of design features and ancillary facilities, so as to attract public use;

(4) as many wedding couples have relayed that they would not consider celebrating their marriages in marriage registries because the time limit for using marriage halls of marriage registries is too short, whether the authorities will consider extending the time limit for wedding couples to use the marriage halls during off-peak hours and days; if not, of the reasons for that;

(5) whether it will consider enriching the services of marriage registries, such as setting up additional counters to promote premarital check-‍ups and premarital counselling, and encouraging business operators in the vicinity to offer concessions for wedding couples who celebrate their marriage in marriage registries;

(6) given that cross-boundary marriages have become increasingly common in recent years, whether the authorities will consider setting up marriage registries in the Northern Metropolis or at locations near land boundary control points in the future, so as to facilitate members of the public to register their marriages and make arrangements for marriage services; and

(7) as there are views that unique wedding experiences, such as cruise weddings, destination weddings and mass weddings held on special days, have been gaining popularity, whether the authorities will review and enhance the services of marriage registries, such as increasing the flexibility of booking marriage registration appointments, so as to provide services for people who intend to get married in Hong Kong, thereby boosting wedding-related consumption activities?

Reply:

President,

     Solemnisation of marriages in Hong Kong is governed by the Marriage Ordinance (Ordinance) (Cap. 181). According to the Ordinance, a Notice of Intended Marriage (Notice) must be given by a person intending to register marriage in Hong Kong either in person or through a civil celebrant of marriages (Civil Celebrant) in advance to the Registrar of Marriages (Registrar) regardless of how and where the marriage is going to be celebrated. A marriage must take place, within three months from the date of giving the Notice, at any one of the six marriage registries (Registries) in Hong Kong, licensed places of worship (e.g. churches or other religious venues) or in other places before a Civil Celebrant.

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

(1) The figures of marriage registrations celebrated in Registries, licensed places of worship, and other places before Civil Celebrants from 2022 to 2024 (January to June) are tabulated below:

Year	Marriage Registries	Licensed Places of Worship	Other places before Civil Celebrants*	Total
2022	13 796	1 241	14 946	29 983
2023	21 555	1 129	24 834	47 518
2024 (January to June)	10 639	472	11 480	22 591

*Including venues provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and other venues, of which the Immigration Department (ImmD) does not maintain figures on the related breakdown.

(2) The number of marriage ceremony quota available per year at each Registry and the average utilisation rates from 2022 to 2024 (January to June) are tabulated below:

	Number of Marriage Ceremony Quota Available at Each Registry
	2022	2023	2024 (January to June)
City Hall Marriage Registry	8 008	8 006	3 933
Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry	7 358	7 369	3 621
Tsim Sha Tsui Marriage Registry	13 232	13 262	6 183
Sha Tin Marriage Registry	10 280	10 310	5 066
Tuen Mun Marriage Registry	3 698	3 691	1 814
Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry*	-	-	45
Average Utilisation Rate	32%	51%	51%

*The marriage hall of Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry commenced operation on 26 June 2024.

     Due to the pandemic, the average utilisation rates of the Registries in 2022 were lower than usual. In 2023 and the first half of 2024, the utilisation rates were similar to that of the pre-pandemic level. Since marriage ceremonies are usually held on weekends, if considering weekend weddings only, the average utilisation rates of each of the six Registries in 2023 and the first half of 2024 ranged from around 50 per cent to nearly 90 per cent.

(3) Currently, there are a total of six Registries in Hong Kong located all over Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Each Registry and its wedding hall have their distinctive characteristics. The marrying couples can select their wedding venue at their own preferences.

     To ensure the provision of quality marriage registration services and venues for marrying couples to celebrate their marriages, ImmD has all along been continuously reviewing the conditions of each Registry and carrying out regular maintenance, repairs and renovation works of various scales as needed.

     Among others, the Tuen Mun Marriage Registry, originally located in the Tuen Mun Government Offices, was relocated to the new ImmD Tuen Mun Regional Office in March 2021. The new marriage hall adopts a contemporary design with high headroom and glass window walls to bring in lots of natural daylight. The designated photo corners outside the Registry and at the roof garden provide embellished spots for the newly-weds and their guests to take photos. In September of the same year, the Sha Tin Marriage Registry also underwent refurbishment works. The refurbished marriage hall adopts a novel and stylish design with warm and romantic floral arrangements.

     As for the new Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry opened in June this year by ImmD, its marriage hall adopts a novel design featuring a specially designed wall with starlight effect and multicouloured light installation to add a touch of romance to the wedding ambience. Various photo-taking spots are set up in the marriage hall and outdoor area, including the heart-shaped garden and veil sculpture, for the newly-weds and guests to pose for photos.

     As for the City Hall Marriage Registry and Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry located at the Hong Kong City Hall and Rawlinson House, which have respectively been declared as monument and Grade 1 historic building, are not suitable to undergo major renovation works. To preserve the originality and authenticity of these buildings with outstanding historical values, ImmD will carry out maintenance and repair works based on actual needs and ensure the proper use of these venues.

ImmD will continue to review and monitor the conditions of the Registries and their marriage halls, and suitably enhance their facilities at appropriate times based on actual needs.

(4) At present, the duration of each marriage ceremony held in a Registry is 15 minutes. Any extension in the duration of marriage ceremonies will affect the chance of other marrying couples to use the service, as well as the provision of other services by the Registries. Nonetheless, if the couples need to use the hall for a longer duration during non-peak hours, ImmD would provide flexibility and accommodate their needs as far as practicable having regard to the actual operational situation.

(5) Apart from providing wedding venues, ImmD's Registries, being Government venues, also provide various marriage registration-related public services for members of the public, including for giving of Notices, applications for search of marriage records and/or certified copies of marriage certificates, application for certificates of absence of marriage records, as well as application for post-registration of marriage. ImmD has no plan to introduce commercial activities for the promotion of marriage ceremonies at the aforementioned Government venues.

(6) and (7) To facilitate marrying couples in arranging marriage ceremonies, ImmD provides online and telephone appointment booking service for giving of Notices. Through the GovHK website, the couples can also check the earliest date for giving of Notice and available capacity for marriage ceremony of various Registries, as well as enquire, change or cancel an appointment.

     On the other hand, in response to the need for more flexible and diversified marriage ceremony services, the Government introduced the Civil Celebrants of Marriages Scheme in 2006, empowering the Registrar to appoint Civil Celebrants to exercise duties related to marriage registration, including acceptance of Notices and celebration of marriage. A marriage celebrated by a Civil Celebrant can take place at any time and place in Hong Kong (other than the Registries or licensed places of worship). By engaging a Civil Celebrant to celebrate their marriage, marrying couples can have personalised marriage ceremonies with different themes according to their needs and preferences without any time or location constraint.

ImmD will review the service arrangements and operational needs from time to time to explore various service enhancement measures, for example the extension of the duration of marriage ceremony and establishment of more new Registries at suitable locations with a view to providing more thoughtful and quality marriage registration-related services.]]><![CDATA[Appointments to Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000335.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000335.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0800
     The Chief Executive has also reappointed Mr Chan Chun-ying as a member of the ACPE for a term of two years from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2026.

     The Government expresses its sincere appreciation to an outgoing member, Mr Thomas Ho On-sing, for his invaluable contributions to the work of the committee.

     The ACPE, chaired by Professor Wong Sze-chun, advises the Government on matters relating to the post-service employment of civil servants. Other serving members include Mr Cheng Yan-kee, Ms Eva Kwong Pui-han, Mr Victor Lam Wai-kiu, Miss Christine Leung Wan-chong, Dr James Wong Kong-tin and Mrs Betty Yuen So Siu-mai. Its secretariat support is provided by the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service.]]><![CDATA[LCQ13: Granting permanent resident status to personnel of offices of Central Authorities stationed in Hong Kong on long-term basis]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000420.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000420.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 14:35:00 +0800
Question:

Under the existing laws and regulations, personnel of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) (Liaison Office), the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, as well as other Mainland authorities in Hong Kong are not eligible to apply for Hong Kong permanent resident (HKPR) status. It has been reported that a former director of the Liaison Office and a former director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council were moved to comment that Hong Kong was "a difficult book to read". There are views that allowing "Hong Kong gurus", i.e. those who have worked in Hong Kong for a long time and are familiar with the situation there, to stay in Hong Kong for a longer period after leaving their jobs, or even allowing them to be treated on an equal footing with other persons not of Chinese nationality and obtain the HKPR status in accordance with the law after having legally resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years, will enable them to effectively play the role of a bridge between the Mainland and Hong Kong and carry out the relevant work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has approached the Central Government to gain an understanding as to why persons not of Chinese nationality who have legally resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years can generally obtain the HKPR status in accordance with the law, while those who are Chinese nationals and "Hong Kong gurus" are not entitled to the same treatment; if so, of the details; if not, whether it can seek the Central Government's views on the matter;

(2) whether it has studied if granting the HKPR status to "Hong Kong gurus" and modelling on the practice of the Top Talent Pass Scheme to allow the "Hong Kong gurus" to bring along their spouses and children to settle in Hong Kong will help promote integration between the Mainland and Hong Kong; and

(3) it is understood that in the Mainland, the State allows public servants who are posted to work on a long-term basis in areas other than their original place of household registration or place of residence to choose to apply for household registration in the area where they work and to bring along their spouses and children to live in that area, whether the HKSAR Government has explored or studied if the relevant requirements can be enforced in Hong Kong?

Reply:

President,

     The management of officials deployed to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) by the Central People's Government (CPG), including the policy and arrangement for their accompanying dependants, is a matter within the purview of the Central Authorities. In consultation with the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Paul Tse is as follows:

     Officials deployed by the CPG to work in the CPG's offices in the HKSAR (including the Liaison Office of the CPG in the HKSAR and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR) must enter Hong Kong on the strength of the Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao for Official Purposes (Permit) bearing an endorsement stating that "Holder of this document is a public official of the State directed to work in the Hong Kong/Macao Special Administrative Region". Pursuant to section 2(1) of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) (Ordinance), the Permit is a prescribed CPG travel document. Section 2(4)(a)(ix) of the Ordinance states that a person shall not be treated as an ordinarily resident in Hong Kong during the period in which he or she remains in Hong Kong as a holder of a prescribed CPG travel document. Hence, these persons cannot become permanent residents of Hong Kong.

     The above provision originates from the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2001 (Bill) proposed by the HKSAR Government in 2001 and subsequently passed by the Legislative Council through three readings on November 6, 2002. The amendment provides that if the travel document held by a Mainland official deployed to work in Hong Kong specifies that he or she is directed to work in Hong Kong in his or her official capacity, then the official shall not be treated as an ordinarily resident in Hong Kong during the period that he or she remains in Hong Kong.

     At that time, the HKSAR Government stated that, like members of the Hong Kong Garrison, Mainland officials are posted to Hong Kong in their official capacity. According to the CPG's policy, these officials are required to return to the Mainland upon expiry of their working assignment in Hong Kong. It was not intended that they enter Hong Kong for the purpose of settlement in accordance with paragraph 4 in Article 22 of the Basic Law. As such, they should not form part of Hong Kong's permanent population, and thus should fall within the scope of persons not ordinarily residents in Hong Kong. At that time, the HKSAR Government also affirmed that the Bill was fully consistent with the requirements in the Basic Law.]]><![CDATA[ICAC safeguards anti-corruption achievements, advances towards new milestone in year of fruitful endeavours and accomplishments]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000357.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000357.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 14:30:00 +0800
     The ICAC noted in its latest annual report issued today (July 10) that 2023 was "a year of fruitful endeavours and accomplishments" as the Commission advanced towards its golden jubilee. The ICAC sought to safeguard the remarkable achievements made in the past 50 years in combating corruption, contribute to the country's "Belt and Road" Initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development strategy and the advancement of the global anti-corruption cause by synergising the tripartite partnership formed with the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) and the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption (HKIAAC).

     Tabling the 2023 ICAC Annual Report at the Legislative Council today, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption and legislator, Mr Martin Liao, commended and thanked ICAC officers for steadfastly carrying out the anti-corruption mission through the years, continuously bringing the anti-corruption work of Hong Kong to new heights.

     Mr Liao noted that the fruitful achievements made by the ICAC in the past 50 years were reflected in the findings of ICAC Annual Surveys and continued recognitions from the international community.

     According to the newly published 2023 ICAC Annual Survey, members of the public continued to show zero tolerance to corruption. On a rating scale of 0 to 10, of which 0 represented total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, the mean score for 2023 was 0.3. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority (96.7 per cent) of respondents believed that integrity was important for Hong Kong's development, indicating that the core value of integrity was deeply rooted in Hong Kong.

     In addition, 98.9 per cent of respondents said they had not personally encountered corruption in the past year. Similar findings were recorded in the past 10 years, reflecting that Hong Kong was a very clean society.

     On the international front, Hong Kong ranked 14th out of 180 countries and territories rated in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2023 released by the Transparency International. In the World Justice Project's 2023 Rule of Law Index, Hong Kong ranked 9th under the factor of "absence of corruption" out of 142 countries/territories. These rankings not only reflected Hong Kong's effective anti-corruption work, but also the city's sound rule of law.

     Meanwhile, in the newly issued World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, Hong Kong's competitiveness improved by two places to 5th among 67 economies. Under the indicator "bribery and corruption do not exist", Hong Kong jumped six places to 4th from 10th last year, topping the Asia-Pacific region. The result reflected that enterprises and investors were confident of Hong Kong's business environment and anti-corruption work.

     In the 2023 ICAC Annual Report, the ICAC Commissioner, Mr Woo Ying-ming, noted that the year was "a year of fruitful endeavours and accomplishments". The Commission leveraged Hong Kong's unique advantage of being "backed by the motherland and connected to the world" in fostering closer collaboration with anti-corruption counterparts worldwide and embarking on a new chapter in global graft fight.

     Last year, the ICAC fostered a closer co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Apart from hosting an anti-corruption workshop for members of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) in Vienna, the Commission also organised a training programme for GlobE Network in Hong Kong in February this year. The ICAC and UNODC also jointly developed the "Global Policy Guide for Strengthening Youth Engagement in Anti-Corruption Initiatives", which served as a practical reference for anti-graft agencies around the world to promote youth engagement in the fight against corruption.

     To further contribute to the national and global anti-corruption cause, the HKIAAC was conceived last year and pilot courses were organised for a number of overseas anti-corruption agencies. Upon its official establishment this February, a robust tripartite partnership was formed amongst the ICAC, the HKIAAC and the IAACA, of which the ICAC Commissioner, Mr Woo Ying-ming, serves as President to promote global anti-corruption collaboration. Moreover, the ICAC maintained close liaison with the National Commission of Supervision and played an active role in promoting the integrity building in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

     "This new strategy will bring the ICAC's work to the next level, solidifying Hong Kong's reputation as a city of probity and providing solid support for Hong Kong's advancement from stability to prosperity whereby Hong Kong can make substantial contribution to the country's development and continue to tell the good stories of China, 'one country, two systems' and our city to the international community," Mr Woo noted.

     ICAC's determination to forge ahead against all difficulties to combat corruption with its holistic "three-pronged" strategy has helped maintain Hong Kong as one of the cleanest places in the world. Last year, the corruption situation in Hong Kong continued to remain well under control. The Commission received 2 001 non-election related corruption complaints. Although the figure registered an increase of 9 per cent compared with 2022, the number represented a drop of 13 per cent when compared to the pre-pandemic period in 2019. The rise was mainly due to the gradual recovery of Hong Kong's economic activities after the pandemic, as evidenced in a corresponding increase of complaints concerning the private sector.

     Building Management, Finance and Insurance, and the Construction Industry were the three private sector industries attracting most complaints. Last year, the ICAC smashed the largest corruption case over building maintenance and launched the new "Corruption Prevention Guide for Property Management Companies" to assist property management companies to effectively prevent corruption and enhance anti-graft capabilities.

     To promote integrity management in the construction industry, the ICAC teamed up with the Development Bureau and the Construction Industry Council to launch an anti-corruption summit. The ICAC had also strengthened co-operation with regulatory agencies in the financial and insurance industries to leverage synergy and consolidate Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.

     Civil service in the public sector remained clean. The ICAC would continue to collaborate with the Civil Service Bureau to implement the Ethical Leadership Programme. To deepen the integrity culture in government departments, the ICAC would also conduct exchanges with senior to directorate civil servants in courses organised by the Civil Service College. During the year, the ICAC conducted 65 assignment reports for government departments and public bodies to plug corruption loopholes.

     The ICAC adopted an "all-embracing" education and publicity strategy to ensure the 2023 Rural Ordinary Election and the 2023 District Council Ordinary Elections were conducted in a fair, open and just manner.

     "Over the past 50 years, the ICAC has been demonstrating its extraordinary strength by fighting corruption unwaveringly without fear or favour. As the Commission looks to the next 50 years, the organisation will continue to make relentless efforts, leaving no foothold for corruption and ensure that corruption has nowhere to run, and their illicit proceeds have no place to hide. The ICAC will continue to strive to keep Hong Kong prosperous, stable, clean and fair," Mr Woo noted.

2023 ICAC Annual Report: www.icac.org.hk/icac/annual-report/2023/
Findings of 2023 ICAC Annual Survey: www.icac.org.hk/en/about/report/survey/finding/index.html]]><![CDATA[Inaugural Chinese Culture Festival to screen Chinese opera film classics in August and September (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000262.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000262.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 14:20:00 +0800
　　To align with the fusion of Eastern and Western elements in the CCF programme "Cyrano de Bergerac" - A Cantonese Opera Interpretation, the "Chinese Opera Film Shows" will feature five Cantonese operatic song films adapted from Western films or classics, allowing Chinese opera fans to appreciate the new audio-visual experiences created by Cantonese cinema's incorporation of Western elements. Details are as follows:

"Bitter Phoenix, Sorrowful Oriole" (1947)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 10 (Saturday)
Starring: Ma Si-tsang, Cheung Yuet-yee, Lam Mui-mui, Lau Hark-suen
Synopsis: A famous detective is framed for murder when he investigates the disappearance of a millionaire.

"Prince of Thieves" (1958)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 24 (Saturday)
Starring: Ho Fei-fan, Mui Yee, Lam Kau, Lee Bo-ying
Synopsis: When Princess Coral seeks suitors, a nefarious prince assassinates the strongest contender. The assassinated suitor is then impersonated by a heroic outlaw, who competes for the princess's heart.

"The White Gold Dragon, Part Two" (1937)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 31 (Saturday)
Starring: Tong Suet-hing, Wong Man-lei, Lam Mui-mui, Fan Kok-fei
Synopsis: The rich young man Pak Kam-lung accompanies his fiancée Cheung Yuk-neong to Singapore to manage the rubber plantation of his future father-in-law. Socialite Ng Ma-li is sent to poach Pak and seduce him. Luckily, Cheung's cousin Yuk-sim thwarts the scheme and saves the relationship between Pak and Cheung.

"My Kingdom for a Husband" (1957)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: September 7 (Saturday)
Starring: Tam Lan-hing, Cheung Ying, Leung Sing-por, Ning Meng
Synopsis: A wandering musician meets the Queen of Snow Kingdom and settles down in marriage. However, the luxurious married life he gains comes at a cost, as he soon finds that he is losing his freedom and personal dignity under the Queen's power, and decides to run away. In the end, the Queen gives up her throne to reconcile with the love of her life.

"Madam Butterfly" (1954)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: September 14 (Saturday)
Starring: Sun Ma Si-tsang, Chow Kwun-ling, Yee Chau-sui, Wong Cho-san
Synopsis: The sailor Ma Yuanxiang travels to Japan and meets a geisha named Butterfly, whom he marries. Shortly after, when his ship sets sail for Hong Kong, Yuanxiang bids farewell to the pregnant Butterfly. Once back home, Yuanxiang marries Lucy, the manager's daughter. Three years later, Butterfly is still waiting day and night for Yuanxiang's return, with her son by her side.

In addition, the "Chinese Opera Film Shows" will present five Chinese opera films. Apart from films on the Shanghai-style and Qi School of Peking opera, those about Wukong the Monkey King, Bony Demon and Mu Guiying will also be featured, making an interesting contrast between the stage performances and film screenings for similar repertories at the festival. Details are as follows:

"Wu Song" (1963)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 7 (Wednesday)
Starring: Gai Jiaotian, Zhang Youfu, Ai Shiju
Synopsis: On his way to visit his elder brother Wu Dalang, Wu Song passes by Jingyang Knoll in Yanggu County and kills a fierce tiger, thus ridding the area of a menace. Dalang's wife, Pan Jinlian, has an affair with the local bully, Ximen Qing, and they conspire to poison Dalang to death. Upon discovering the truth, Wu Song avenges his brother by killing the two adulterers.

"The Stage Craft of Zhou Xinfang" (1961)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 14 (Wednesday)
Starring: Zhou Xinfang, Wang Zhikui, Zhao Xiaolan, Wang Zhengping
Synopsis: This film documents two renowned works of Zhou Xinfang (stage name Qilintong), "Xu Ce Running across the City" and "Delivering the Letter and Killing Yan Xijiao". "Xu Ce Running across the City" is a production that Zhou meticulously honed over decades to portray a righteous character who is willing to lay down his life for a just cause. "Delivering the Letter and Killing Yan Xijiao" originally consisted of two acts from "The House of Wulong", but Zhou rewrote it to give it a better structure. Through cinematic techniques, the film captures the maestro's consummate performance and striking stage presence, thus preserving the stylistic legacy of the Qi School.

"Murder in the Oratory" (1937)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 21 (Wednesday)
Starring: Zhou Xinfang, Yuan Meiyun
Synopsis: Wang Mang usurps the Han throne and issues an edict to apprehend Liu Xiu. When Liu Xiu is captured at Tongguan Pass by General Wu Han, Wu Han's mother is furious and reveals to her son how Wang Mang has murdered the emperor and killed Wu Han's father. She orders Wu Han to release Liu Xiu, leave his official post and kill his own wife, who is Wang Mang's daughter.

"Mu Guiying Routing Hongzhou" (1963)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: August 28 (Wednesday)
Starring: Liu Xiurong, Zhang Chunxiao
Synopsis: General Bai Tianzuo of Liao is invading the northern border, and the Song army's commander, Yang Yanzhao, is besieged. Yang Zongbao rides alone to the capital to seek reinforcements. However, none of the available generals are capable of undertaking the rescue mission. Consequently, Mu Guiying, the wife of Zongbao, despite being pregnant, takes command and leads the troops into battle.

"Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon" (1960)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: September 4 (Wednesday)
Starring: Liu Lingtong, Xiao Changshun, Qi Lingtong, Fu Machao, Xiao Yanqiu
Synopsis: Monk Tripitaka and his three disciples are on their pilgrimage to bring back the sacred scrolls to China. On reaching the foot of White Tiger Mountain, the adept shapeshifting Skeleton Demon disguises itself as a village girl, an old woman, and an old man in turn to fulfil its desire to eat Tripitaka's flesh. Its antics are seen through by Wukong the Monkey King who breaks its spells with his magic staff every time. However, Tripitaka sees Wukong's acts as repeated manslaughter and angrily banishes him back to Flower Fruit Mountain. Tripitaka then falls into the clutches of the demon once again.

Traditional Chinese subtitles will be provided for lyrics of the Cantonese operatic song films "Prince of Thieves", "My Kingdom for a Husband" and "Madam Butterfly". Simplified Chinese subtitles will be provided for lyrics of the Chinese opera films "Wu Song", "Mu Guiying Routing Hongzhou" and "Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon", while simplified Chinese subtitles will be provided for lyrics and dialogues of "The Stage Craft of Zhou Xinfang" and "Murder in the Oratory".

The above-mentioned Cantonese operatic song films will be screened at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum at 7.45pm, and the Chinese opera films will be screened at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive at 7.30pm. Tickets priced at $70 per screening are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/chinese-opera-festival-2024-chinese-opera-film-shows/.

The programme will also feature two sessions under the "Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series" on September 9 (Monday) at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive, with free admission specially for primary and secondary school students. Featuring the film of Shao opera "Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon" (1960), students will have a chance to learn more about and appreciate the artistic style of Chinese regional opera through the big screen and to experience the wonders of Chinese culture and arts.

The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the LCSD's Chinese Culture Promotion Office, aims to enhance the public's appreciation of Chinese culture and cultivate citizens' national identity and cultural confidence. The inaugural CCF is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the Chinese Opera Festival, exemplary local arts projects recognised by the China National Arts Fund, performing arts programmes from arts and cultural organisations, film screenings, exhibitions, talks and more, the festival allows members of the public and visitors to experience the broad and profound Chinese culture with a view to promoting Chinese culture and patriotic education as well as enhancing national identity among the people of Hong Kong, making contributions to the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems". For details, please visit the CCF website www.ccf.gov.hk.

     The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

]]><![CDATA[Sick remand person in custody dies in public hospital]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000393.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000393.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:30:00 +0800
     The remand person in custody suffered from heart disease. He required continuous medical care and follow-up treatment at the institution hospital and a public hospital. On July 9, he was sent to a public hospital for treatment due to physical discomfort. During hospitalisation, his condition deteriorated and he was certified dead at 8.10am today.

     The case has been reported to the Police. A death inquest will be held by the Coroner's Court.

     The person in custody was remanded for the offence of wounding with intent in December 2023.]]><![CDATA[LCQ2: Work of Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000387.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000387.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:28:00 +0800
Question:

     The District Matters Co-ordination Task Force, which launched the territory-‍wide Hong Kong New Cityscape clean-up campaign in 2022, has subsequently been revamped as the Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape to continue to follow up on environmental hygiene work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that cityscape enhancement involves many aspects, including environmental hygiene, public health and street management, how the Working Group plays a steering and co-ordinating role in liaising with relevant government departments in resolving problems; whether the Working Group has established a set of standard mode of operation for regularised execution in the districts;

(2) of the mechanism for referring complaints and suggestions received through various channels to the Working Group; how the Working Group handles complaints and suggestions, and the average time taken to handle each case; and

(3) as it is observed that there is currently a considerable amount of rubbish and dirt on the ceilings of some lift shafts and lift wells in the districts, and many motorists have also relayed that the edges of many central reservations are overgrown with weeds, whether the Working Group has drawn up guidelines to proactively deal with such hygiene blind spots; if so, of the specific work plan; if not, how the Government deals with such hygiene blind spots?

Reply:

President,

     My consolidated reply to the questions raised by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang is as follows:

     The current-term Government attaches great importance to district environmental issues and is committed to improving environmental hygiene and street management, so as to build a liveable environment for the public and boost our city’s image. Shortly after assuming office, the Chief Executive appointed the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration (DCS) to lead the District Matters Co-ordination Task Force (DMCTF) which launched the Government Programme on Tackling Hygiene Black Spots and cityscape beautification works.

     Under the district governance structure established in July 2023, the Steering Committee on District Governance is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, and the Task Force on District Governance (Task Force) is chaired by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration. Under the new structure, the DMCTF was renamed as the Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape (the Working Group) and placed under the Task Force.

     Cityscape and environmental hygiene are closely related. To improve environmental hygiene, as early as the days of the DMCTF, the DCS already formulated the standard mode of operation, i.e. departments concerned will conduct joint operations in accordance with the division of labour set by the DMCTF, to tackle district environmental hygiene problems that involve various departments with hitherto unclear delineation of responsibilities. A successful example is the handling of abandoned motorcycles in back alleys. By end of May 2024, various departments have carried out more than 130 inter-departmental joint operations across the 18 districts according to the standard mode of operation, resulting in the removal of over 630 abandoned vehicles, more than 90% of which were motorcycles. Besides, many environmental hygiene black spots that have plagued the districts for years, including the Flower Market in Mong Kok, Ngau Chi Wan Village in Wong Tai Sin, Yuen Long New Street, Lung Fung Garden in Sheung Shui, Bowrington Road in Wan Chai, etc. have all been tidied up through the joint operations conducted by the Hong Kong Police Force and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) under the standard mode of operation, and the streets are now reinstated to their original conditions. Moreover, the DCS discusses with relevant departments on a need basis from time to time and gives instructions on thorny district environmental hygiene problems. After two years, the hygiene conditions of 90 per cent (638) of the 738 black spots identified have substantially improved.

     To consolidate the achievements of the Programme, the Task Force has conducted a comprehensive review on the statutory powers and penalties of environmental hygiene-related legislation to enhance the Government’s efficiency, effectiveness and deterrence in handling various environmental hygiene problems. The review is conducted in two stages. The first stage focuses on the offences related to littering and shopfront extension, with the penalty levels raised substantially from $1,500 to $3,000 and $6,000 respectively with effect from October 22, 2023. Comparing the six months before and after the effective date of the new penalty levels, the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by enforcement departments against environmental hygiene offences (such as littering) has decreased by over 30 per cent (from about 23 400 to about 15 000), whereas the number of FPNs issued against shopfront extension and illegal disposal of large amounts of waste has also dropped substantially by about 80 per cent (from about 4 100 to about 630). This reflects that the new penalty levels have quite substantial deterrent effect, and the improvement in cityscape can also been maintained. In the second stage of the review, the Government will introduce legislative amendments and implement new administrative measures to enhance the Government’s efficiency and effectiveness in tackling various environmental hygiene problems. For example, the FEHD’s enforcement power will be further strengthened to handle shopfront extension more effectively; and the requirements for concerned premises to co-operate with the Government’s investigation and the relevant penalty on violating such requirements in cases of public health nuisances such as water seepage in buildings, water dripping from air-conditioners and “garbage apartments” will be stipulated in the law. The Environment and Ecology Bureau is drafting the relevant bill and expects to introduce the amendment bill into the Legislative Council by the fourth quarter of this year.

     Apart from handling the environmental hygiene problems, under the leadership of the Working Group, relevant departments have also been implementing various beautification works to improve cityscape. These works include the Leisure and Culture Services Department (LCSD)’s “Shining City Project” which beautifies the central dividers and roundabouts of major roads; the Highways Department (HyD)’s efforts to beautify footbridges and subways and expand the scale of repaving footpaths; the Drainage Services Department’s incorporation of greening, ecological conservation and water landscape elements into its flood prevention projects; and the Housing Department’s phased implementation of minor improvement works in its public housing estates, covering façade beautification, enhancement of recreational facilities and public spaces, etc.

     As regards the handling of day-to-day complaints or suggestions, various departments handle them in accordance with their own mechanisms. Should the department find that a certain situation warrants high-level consideration and co-ordination of follow-up actions, it may also report the issue to the Task Force and seek its steer. The aforementioned shopfront extensions plaguing the districts in the Flower Market and Ngau Chi Wan Village are successful examples of problems resolved through such a high-level steering approach.

     Concerning the rubbish and dirt on the ceilings of some lift shafts and lift wells, for lifts of footbridges, the HyD is responsible for the regular cleansing of the structure (including the lift shaft) every quarter to keep the lift structure in good condition. On the other hand, as regards the overgrowing of weeds at the edges of central reservations along expressways, contractors engaged by the HyD will carry out regular inspections and follow up upon spotting overgrown weeds or receiving a public complaint. Besides, the LCSD is responsible for the horticultural maintenance of flower beds located at the road sides and central reservations along non-expressways. The department regularly arranges plantation and pruning of plants; clears weeds and rubbish in flower beds; and increases the frequency of pruning plants and clearing weeds in plant fast-growing season, so as to keep the city clean and tidy.

     Thank you, President.]]><![CDATA[International experts and delegations from Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN member states attend Fire Asia 2024 (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000235.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000235.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:13:00 +0800
     Delegations of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from 19 countries, including the Director General of the General Administration of Civil Protection, Ministry of Interior, Egypt; and heads or senior officials of emergency or fire departments in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Singapore were invited to attend.

     The three-day conference is one of the mega events being held in Hong Kong in July. Themed "Collaboration and Technology - Better Prepare the Community for Emergency" this year, the conference has brought together global fire and emergency professionals to gain invaluable insights into fire safety and groundbreaking research from eminent speakers worldwide, striving to promote the development of the industry. The conference also exemplified the international co-operation and exchanges that could make a difference, regionally and globally, and to tell the China story and the Hong Kong story well.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; and the Director of Fire Services, Mr Andy Yeung, officiated at the opening ceremony this morning.

     Addressing the ceremony, Mr Chan said, "Emergency preparedness is essential to protecting an economy and its people from the impact of wide-ranging disasters, crises and other emergencies. An effective emergency management system helps mitigate disruptions to essential services, economic stability and social order. In today's interconnected world, the threats of emergencies and disasters could be cross-border by nature. Regional and international teamwork play an important role in reducing risks and enhancing resilience."

     Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yeung said that it is crucial for fire and emergency professionals to adopt an innovative approach to addressing emergency situations. The Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD) has been actively using modern technology to boost the department's emergency response capabilities. Innovative solutions, such as robots, drones and self-developed artificial intelligence-powered systems to cope with emergencies, have significantly enhanced the effectiveness and safety of the department's work.

     Fire Asia 2024 is jointly organised by the Institution of Fire Engineers (Hong Kong Branch), the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (Building Services Division and Fire Division), the China Hong Kong Ambulance Service Institute and the China Hong Kong Fire Protection Association, supported by the HKFSD and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The conference covers various topics, including new approaches to disaster management and fire safety measures, collaboration in the Greater Bay Area and emergency preparedness in the Belt and Road region, as well as the latest research in fire engineering and emergency medical services.

]]><![CDATA[EMSD announces test results of LPG quality in June 2024]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000406.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000406.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:12:00 +0800
The detailed test results are available on the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/gas_safety/lpg_vehicle_scheme/publications/general/results_of_lpg_sample_analysis/index.html). Enquiries can also be made to the EMSD's hotline on 2333 3762.

In addition, the EMSD has been vetting independent third-party test reports submitted by LPG supply companies for each shipment to ensure that the quality of imported LPG complies with the specified requirements.]]><![CDATA[LCQ1: Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000348.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000348.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:08:00 +0800
Question:

     According to the Hong Kong Population Projections 2022-2046 published by the Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of elderly population in the total population will increase from 20.5 per cent in 2021 to 36 per cent in 2046, meaning more than one in every three Hong Kong people will be an elderly. On the other hand, it is learnt that ageing in the Mainland has become a common phenomenon in recent years. Regarding the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (the GD Scheme), will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Social Welfare Department relaxed the eligibility criteria for operators under the GD Scheme in July last year by allowing non-governmental and private organisations alike to register their residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in the Mainland cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as Recognised Service Providers, of the respective numbers of applications from such organisations received and approved by the Government since the relaxation of the GD Scheme;

(2) as the Government indicated in May this year that it was exploring the expansion of the GD Scheme to include RCHEs solely operated by Mainland entities this year, and that it was liaising with relevant departments in the GBA cities to conduct on-site inspections and jointly select suitable RCHEs, of the progress of the relevant work; and

(3) of the average monthly expenditure incurred by the Government on each subsidised RCHE place purchased under the GD Scheme?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) Since July 28, 2023, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has relaxed the eligibility criteria for service operators to join the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (GDRCS Scheme). Hong Kong organisations, including non-governmental and private ones, which have experience and a good track record in providing subsidised residential care services for the elderly, may apply for inclusion of their residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) located in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the GDRCS Scheme. The SWD has received seven applications so far, among which two applications have been approved and have joined the GDRCS Scheme since May 2024, while one application has been rejected. The SWD is vetting the remaining four applications.

(2) The 2023 Policy Address announced that the Government would explore expanding the GDRCS Scheme to include specific RCHEs operated by Mainland organisations in 2024, i.e. RCHEs which do not have experience in operating residential care homes in Hong Kong, so that elderly persons will have more retirement choices in the Mainland cities of the GBA. In November 2023, the Labour and Welfare Bureau signed a letter of intent on collaboration with the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province. Both sides would kick-start exploring the selection of RCHEs operated by Mainland organisations in designated Mainland cities of the GBA to join the GDRCS Scheme. The RCHEs concerned must be rated four stars or above on the "List of Star-rated Senior Care Organisations" by the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangdong Province based on the standards of the national "Classification and Accreditation for Senior Care Organisation", and have at least a two-year record of operation. With the assistance of the Mainland government departments, the SWD has been visiting RCHEs for selecting more suitable RCHEs to join the GDRCS Scheme, with a view to providing more choices for Hong Kong elderly persons retiring in the Mainland cities of the GBA.

(3) The estimated expenditure for the GDRCS Scheme in 2024-25 is about $32.5 million. As at end-March 2024, there were about 170 Hong Kong elderly persons joining the GDRCS Scheme. The number of places to be purchased by the SWD each year depends on the number of participating elderly persons. The expenditure on purchasing the places is affected by various factors, e.g. the city and location where the RCHEs are situated, and the facilities and service level of the RCHEs. To avoid affecting the ongoing negotiations on the purchase of places between the SWD and the RCHEs concerned, the Government should not disclose the average monthly expenditure for subsidising the places for the elderly.]]><![CDATA[Correctional officers stop fighting among remand persons in custody]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000386.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000386.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0800
     At 11.14pm yesterday, 13 male remand persons in custody aged from 23 to 39 engaged in a fight inside a dormitory. Officers at the scene immediately ordered them to stop, called for reinforcement and applied OC foam to subdue them after repeated warnings were ignored.

     During the incident, a remand person in custody sustained injuries to his nose and leg. He did not need to be sent to hospital after receiving medical examination and treatment by the institution Medical Officer. The remaining remand persons in custody did not sustain any injury.

     The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.

     The 13 persons in custody were remanded for offences that include trafficking in dangerous drugs, robbery, manufacture of dangerous drugs and wounding with intent.]]><![CDATA[LCQ22: Funding schemes promoting logistics development]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000380.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000380.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:55:00 +0800
Question:

     In recent years, the Government has launched a number of funding schemes to promote modern logistics development and assist the industry in better grasping the latest trends in smart logistics and e-commerce business, including setting up the Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme (LPFS) and the Professional Training on Smart and Green Logistics Scheme (PTSGLS), as well as enhancing the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (the Pilot Scheme). Some members of the logistics industry have expressed concern about the vetting and approval of the aforesaid schemes, while hoping that the Government can further enhance these schemes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of applications received, approved, rejected and being processed by the authorities since the introduction of enhancement measures to the Pilot Scheme in February this year; among the approved applications, the average funding amount per case and the number of applications which have benefited from the extended scope of funding as a result of the enhancement measures; the latest progress of the authorities' work in regularizing the Pilot Scheme;

(2) of the respective numbers of applications received, approved, rejected and being processed by the authorities since the launch of LPFS; among the approved applications, the average funding amount per case; whether the authorities will extend the scope of funding under LPFS to cover projects organized outside Hong Kong which are related to the promotion of modern and smart logistics, so that successful applicant organizations can promote the strengths of Hong Kong as an international premier logistics hub to more overseas enterprises; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) of the respective numbers of applications received, approved, rejected and being processed by the authorities since the launch of PTSGLS; the number of training courses approved for funding, as well as the theme, number of places and enrolment for each of these courses; the average funding amounts provided by the authorities for each training course and each participant who attended the training course for the first time?

Reply:

President,

     The Government attaches great importance to the development of Hong Kong's logistics industry and has all along been supporting and enhancing Hong Kong's position as a regional logistics hub through different measures, including the promulgation of the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development on October 31, 2023, that formulated eight strategies and 24 action measures in five development directions, namely smart development, modernisation, green and sustainability, internationalisation and facilitation, to address the short, medium and long-term needs of the logistics industry, thereby achieving the goal of developing Hong Kong into a sustainable international smart logistics hub focusing on high-value goods and the e-commerce market.

     In particular, in terms of the support for the logistics industry to develop towards the directions of smart logistics and green logistics, the Government has launched the Professional Training on Smart and Green Logistics Scheme and the Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme respectively under the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund this year, and enhanced the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers, so as to strengthen the support towards the logistics industry to undergo digital transformation, adopt smart logistics solutions, as well as achieve environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets so as to promote green logistics.

     The reply in response to Hon Jimmy Ng's question is as follows:

(1) Since implementation of the Pilot Scheme in October 2020, a total of 351 applications were received, of which 249 were approved, involving a subsidy amount of around $150 million. Since February this year, enhancement measures to the Pilot Scheme were rolled out, which included increasing the cumulative funding ceiling for each applicant enterprise from $1 million to $2 million, as well as extending the scope of funding to cover ESG technology solutions and related implementation services (including consultancy services) and project-based trainings associated with technology implementation. Since the implementation of the enhancement measures, as of June this year, a total of 29 applications were received, of which two were approved, 23 are being vetted and four were withdrawn before vetting. The amount of subsidy for each of the two approved applications is below $1 million. The Government will continue to review the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme and duly explore the possibility of the regularisation of the Pilot Scheme.

(2) The Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme aims to subsidise eligible logistics-related organisations and professional bodies to organise local promotional campaigns and activities, so as to rebrand the modern logistics industry as "smart, innovative and high-end", with a view to attracting more young people to join the industry as well as promoting the strengths of Hong Kong as an international premier logistics hub to both local and overseas companies. Since its launch in January this year, as of June this year, a total of four applications were received under the Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme, of which two were approved and the other two are being vetted. The amount of subsidy of the two approved applications is $700,000 and $100,000 respectively. The Government will review the effectiveness and coverage of subsidy of the Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme from time to time.

(3) The Professional Training on Smart and Green Logistics Scheme subsidises eligible logistics associations and training/education institutions to organise local training courses related to modern, smart and green logistics with a view to supporting in-service practitioners to equip themselves with up-to-date knowledge of smart and green logistics. Since its launch in January this year, as of June this year, a total of five applications were received under the Professional Training on Smart and Green Logistics Scheme, of which two were approved. The two approved applications are related to sustainable logistics development and green logistics, providing a total of 60 places. As the relevant training courses are still at the admission stage, the number of enrolment and average amount of subsidy are not available yet. The remaining three courses are being vetted.]]><![CDATA[LCQ3: Enhancing labour importation schemes]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000323.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000323.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:53:00 +0800
Question:

Under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS), wages of imported workers should be at least the median monthly wages (median wages) of comparable positions in the market, and employers are required to pay the Employees Retraining Levy (ERL) of $9,600 in a lump-sum in respect of a two-year contract for each worker. The ERL paid is not refundable even if the contract is terminated prematurely. Many members of the industry have pointed out that with the median wages, ERL and accommodation costs, labour importation has become too costly, thus failing to help enterprises reduce operating costs and enhance competitiveness, and it is learnt that Singapore has not set the minimum wage for foreign workers in some industries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will review the requirement that wages of imported workers should be at least the median wages; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) given that in the reply to my question on April 10 this year, the Government indicated that it did not have plans to include the retail and catering sectors in the sector-specific labour importation schemes for the time being, of the reasons for that; whether it will, in the light of the latest market situation, consider afresh including such sectors in the Schemes; and

(3) whether it will consider conducting an interim review of the ESLS one year after its implementation, including regularising the arrangement of accepting labour importation applications for the 26 job categories normally excluded from the Supplementary Labour Scheme, as well as revising the ERL as payable monthly and refunding employers for the overcharged ERL; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

To cope with the challenges brought about by manpower shortage, the Government has enhanced the mechanism for importation of workers. Apart from launching sector-specific labour importation schemes for the construction sector, transport sector, and residential care homes for the elderly and residential care homes for persons with disabilities, the Labour Department (LD) has also implemented the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) since September 4, 2023, to enhance the coverage and operation of the Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS) in the past, including suspending the general exclusion of the 26 job categories (set out at Annex) as well as unskilled or low-skilled posts from labour importation for two years, with a view to alleviating the manpower shortage of other sectors (including the retail industry and the food and beverage services industry). Nevertheless, any mechanism for labour importation must be operated on the premise of safeguarding the employment priority for local workers.

The reply to the Hon Shiu Ka-fai's question is as follows:

(1) For the purpose of upholding the employment priority for local workers, the applicant employer of the ESLS must undertake a four-week local open recruitment and give priority to employing suitable local workers to fill the vacancies at a salary not lower than the prevailing median monthly wage of a comparable position in the market. In parallel, employers approved to import workers under the ESLS are required to sign a Standard Employment Contract prescribed by the Government with the imported workers, and shall pay a salary not lower than the median monthly wage of a comparable position. These requirements are important measures to prevent the imported workers from becoming cheap labour and undermining the employment opportunities of local workers. As such, the Government has no plan to change the requirements at this stage.

(2) As compared with the SLS in the past, the ESLS provides employers (including establishments in the retail industry, and the food and beverage services industry) with more flexibility in applying for importation of workers. The ESLS sets no quota on imported workers and accepts applications year-round.

In addition, the LD has been continuously improving the workflow of case processing under the ESLS, including introducing an application form for common posts; deploying staff designated to vet applications submitted by employers to expedite the preliminary screening process; exercising flexibility in the handling of recruitment advertisements placed by employers during local recruitment and expediting the follow-up on interview results, and organising briefings for employment agencies involved in labour importation matters. With the implementation of the aforesaid measures, case processing has become more effective and efficient. From April to June 2024, the numbers of imported workers approved to take up posts in the retail industry, and the food and beverage services industry were 1 035 and 5 917 respectively, which were higher than the numbers of imported workers applied for in the same period (810 and 5 403 respectively). At present, if an employer uses the application form for common posts and provides all required information and documents at the same time, the application will normally be screened-in within a short period of time, after which the employer can proceed with the four-week local recruitment immediately. The Government sees no imminent need to launch sector‑specific labour importation schemes for the retail industry and the food and beverage services industry at this stage.

(3) Since the launch of the ESLS, the Government has been closely monitoring the implementation of the scheme. The LD will review the coverage and operation of the ESLS prior to the lapse of its two-year implementation period.

The Employees Retraining Ordinance (Cap. 423) (the Ordinance) sets out the current arrangement for the payment of the Employees Retraining Levy. Section 14(2) of the Ordinance stipulates that the amount of the levy payable in respect of each imported employee employed by an employer shall be the sum specified in Schedule 3 (i.e. $400) multiplied by the number of months specified in the employment contract between the employer and the imported employee. Section 15(2) of the Ordinance specifies clearly that under no circumstances will the levy paid be repaid or refunded to the employer.

The levy is transferred to the Employees Retraining Fund administered by the Employees Retraining Board for providing training and retraining to local workers. The Government has no plan to alter the levy arrangement which is in line with the policy objective of encouraging the training of local workers.]]><![CDATA[LCQ15: Traffic light control system]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000320.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000320.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:48:00 +0800
Question:

     The Transport Department (TD) has installed a new type of pedestrian traffic light countdown device at the signalised junction of Tat Tung Road/Mei Tung Street in Tung Chung, with the countdown starting to display when the "green man" light is on, so as to assist pedestrians to gauge the total time remained for the "green man" light for crossing the junction, thereby enhancing pedestrian safety. The device has started operating and testing since December 2023, and the TD has engaged a local university to conduct survey and study on the impact of the device on pedestrian crossing behaviour. It is expected that the entire test scheme will be completed in the middle of this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether the aforesaid test scheme has been completed; if so, of the timetable for announcing the test results (including the effectiveness of the aforesaid device);

(2) of the respective relevant expenditures involved in the aforesaid test scheme (including but not limited to the fees for the design of the system, procurement of components, and engagement of the university to conduct survey and study);

(3) of the differences between the new type of pedestrian traffic light countdown device under the aforesaid test scheme and the pedestrian traffic light countdown device tested by the TD in 2006 and 2018; given that the two studies conducted in 2006 and 2018 concluded that the device concerned brought no material improvement and benefit to pedestrian safety and was therefore not further applied extensively, of the reasons for the TD to relaunch the test scheme of the countdown device last year;

(4) how it assesses the effectiveness of the new type of pedestrian traffic light countdown device under the aforesaid test scheme, and of the criteria to be adopted for determining the installation of the device at other locations; and

(5) whether it will consider, by drawing reference from the experience of other places in the world, conducting a trial on the "vehicular traffic light countdown device" for motorists, or studying the feasibility of applying such device in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) in respect of traffic light countdown device, my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan Siu-hung is as follows:

(1) and (4) TD has installed a new type of pedestrian traffic light countdown device (the new pedestrian countdown device) at the pedestrian crossing of Tat Tung Road/Mei Tung Street in Tung Chung in 2023 for testing. Unlike the pedestrian countdown device tested in 2006 and 2018 (which started counting down when the "green man" light began to flash), the new pedestrian countdown device starts counting down when the "green man" light is on, such that pedestrians can gauge the total green time remained. The aforementioned new pedestrian countdown device has started operating since mid-December 2023. To objectively evaluate the effectiveness of the countdown device at the above crossing, the TD engaged a local university to conduct study and surveys on its impact on pedestrian crossing behavior. The research team collected data on pedestrian crossing behavior using sensors and conducted on-site questionnaires at the end of 2023 (before the device started operating) and early 2024 (after the device started operating). Preliminary data shows that after the installation of the countdown device, there is an improvement in pedestrians completing crossing the road before the flashing "green man" light ends, showing that it is more effective than the tests conducted in 2006 and 2018. The research team is currently conducting detailed analysis and compiling report based on the collected data from the surveys, so as to summarise the results of the trial in Tung Chung and explore how to further validate the effectiveness of the new pedestrian countdown device.

     If the detailed study confirms the positive effects of the new pedestrian countdown device, such as its effectiveness to reduce the proportion of pedestrians who cannot completely cross the road before the flashing "green man" light ends and improve pedestrian safety, the TD will consider selecting further pedestrian crossings with different site conditions (such as pedestrian flow, road width as well as crossing time required, and characteristics of the local population, etc) to test the new pedestrian countdown device for a more comprehensive understanding of its application and performance at other locations in Hong Kong with different characteristics, which will facilitate the setting of direction of the next phase.

(2) The expenditure of the trial on new pedestrian countdown device was about $1.14 million. The breakdown of expenditure is as follows:

Items	Expenditure ($'000)
1. Software and hardware for the countdown device (including the development/design, procurement, installation and testing of equipment, temporary traffic arrangements, etc)	573
2. Study on the effects on pedestrian crossing behavior (including installation of sensors for collecting pedestrian crossing data, conducting analysis and statistics, detailed study, etc)	571
Total	1,144

(3) To enhance traffic safety, the TD continually monitors technological advancements, arrange trials and introduces new traffic signal technologies for providing better protection for road users. In 2006 and 2018, the TD selected some signalised pedestrian crossings for trials by installing pedestrian countdown devices at the traffic lights which started counting down when the "green man" light began to flash, and studied if the pedestrians could adjust their walking speed appropriately and complete crossing the roads before the lapse of flashing "green man" light. Based on the surveys respectively conducted by two local universities, it was in general revealed that after the installation of the device, overall more pedestrians were unable to complete crossing the roads before the lapse of the flashing "green man" light. In 2023, the TD was aware of the development and application of the new countdown device technology, and hence arranged the tests in Tung Chung to obtain preliminary understandings on its impact on the crossing behavior of pedestrians.

(5) As for the effectiveness of vehicular traffic light countdown device, there is no worldwide general consensus on its merits. The TD considers that motorists' responses to the remaining green time displayed on the device could be very diverse. For instance, some drivers might decide to slow down and stop when they notice the green time is coming to an end whilst some other drivers might choose to rush through the junction, resulting in a higher risk of head-rear collision between vehicles. With the view to uphold road safety, vehicular traffic light countdown devices were not implemented in Hong Kong. The TD will continue to closely monitor the development and application of these devices in other regions.]]><![CDATA[LCQ16: Monitoring of operation of international schools]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000287.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000287.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:48:00 +0800
Question:

Regarding the monitoring of the operation of international schools, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as it has been reported that the parents of students of an international kindergarten originally intended to cease operation at the end of July this year have been notified that the kindergarten may continue to operate with the current governing team in the next school year, whether any international schools and kindergartens, having applied for cessation of operation, have been approved by the authorities to continue operation in the past five years; if so, of the number, details and vetting and approval criteria of such cases;

(2) whether the Education Bureau (EDB) ultimately invoked section ‍14(1)(i) of the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) in the past five years to refuse to register an international school due to the fact that the composition of the proposed management committee or incorporated management committee was such that the school might not be managed satisfactorily; if so, of the number and details of such cases;

(3) as it is reported that a number of international schools plan to increase tuition fees by four per cent to eight per cent in the next school year, of the specific role of the EDB in the determination of the rate of tuition fee adjustments and the financial arrangements by such schools and their sponsoring bodies; and

(4) as it has been reported that in January 2020, the Office of The Ombudsman issued a direct investigation report criticising the EDB for not setting up an approval mechanism in respect of the collection of charges other than tuition fees by international schools (e.g. ‍construction fees and the requirement for parents to purchase debentures) over the years, and in June 2020, the then Secretary for Education indicated that international schools had to seek the EDB's approval for collection of such charges starting from the 2020‍/2021‍ school year, of the implementation situation and progress of the relevant measure?

Reply:

President,

The education system in Hong Kong provides parents with diversified and high-quality choices. Apart from publicly-funded schools, private schools (including international schools) in Hong Kong have been playing a unique role in offering local and non-local curricula according to their mission. In particular, the Government is committed to developing a vibrant international school sector to meet the demand for international school places from non-local families living in Hong Kong and families coming to Hong Kong for work or investment. In the 2023/24 school year, there are 54 international schools (including one special school) in Hong Kong which admit 42 100 students, accounting for 6.4 per cent of some 650 000 primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. Apart from international schools, there are about 100 other private schools (Note) in Hong Kong.

(1) According to the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) (the Ordinance), all schools must be registered with the Education Bureau (EDB). To obtain the registration for offering education, schools must comply with the regulations prescribed in the Ordinance in respect of the premises, safety, management and teaching staff. In the event that a school has ceased operation and cancelled its registration, any relevant persons intending to reopen a school at the old premises must submit application to the EDB for registration of a new school according to the relevant regulations. On the contrary, if a school has not ceased operation or cancelled its registration, there is no need to apply for school registration again. However, applications for a change in the school name and management of the school such as the school supervisor, the school manager and/or the school principal, have to be submitted to the EDB and obtain approval in accordance with the Ordinance before commencing operation.

(2) Schools have to comply with the relevant statutory requirements upon school registration. From our record, the EDB did not exercise the power under the concerned provision of the Ordinance to refuse applications for school registration in the past five years.

(3) In accordance with Regulation 65 of the Education Regulations (Cap. 279A), no change in fees shall be made by all schools (including international schools) without the prior written approval of the EDB. Schools which plan to adjust their school fees in the new school year are required to apply to the EDB. Private schools (including international schools) are self-financing and market-driven in their operation. The EDB will critically consider justifications provided by the schools (e.g. rent increase, salary adjustment of school staff, employment of additional teachers, purchase of teaching materials and major repair works, etc), the schools' financial position, as well as the schools' communication with parents on the relevant issues and response to parents' concerns when examining the applications.

(4) The EDB had been actively following up on the recommendations made in the Ombudsman (OMB)'s report of January 2020 about establishing the more comprehensive application and approval mechanism regarding other charges (such as debentures, capital levies and fees for nomination rights) collected by private schools (including international schools). As it took time to establish a more comprehensive mechanism, the EDB had first introduced the transitional arrangement in the 2020/21 school year, allowing private schools which wished to continue collecting other charges for the 2020/21 school year to submit applications to the EDB. The EDB would examine the information submitted by the schools before granting the time-limited approval.

In the meantime, the EDB established the "Advisory Committee on Processing Applications for Collection of Capital Levies/Debentures/Nomination Rights" (the Committee), with members who were professional accountants, to formulate the more comprehensive application and approval mechanism to regulate the collection of other charges by private schools for long-term school development. The EDB also met with representatives of private schools with a view to understanding their operations. Following the recommendations of the Committee, the EDB issued the circular to private schools on August 22, 2023, to promulgate the implementation details of the application and approval mechanism for collection of other charges by private schools and started handling applications according to the new mechanism with effect from that date. On August 29, 2023, the EDB conducted a briefing session to give details of the mechanism to school representatives. Furthermore, after being informed of our work progress, the OMB concluded that the EDB had implemented the recommendations made in its investigation report.

Note: "Other private schools" refer to private ordinary primary and secondary day schools registered with the Education Bureau. They include day schools offering local or non-local curriculum day courses but not special schools and primary and secondary day courses operated by private schools offering tutorial, vocational and adult education courses.]]><![CDATA[LCQ7: External secondment and exchange of public servants]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000307.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000307.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:45:00 +0800
Question:

Regarding the external secondment and exchange of public servants, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as it is learnt that some Asian countries such as Singapore and Japan have put in place mechanisms whereby civil servants are seconded to work in public organisations and quasi-government organisations for a period of time, so that the civil servants can have a better grasp of the frontline work of these organisations, policy implementation and public opinion, whether the Government has put in place a mechanism for external secondment of civil servants to take up temporary positions in public organisations, statutory bodies and quasi-government organisations; if so, of the specific details and examples; if not, whether it will study the establishment of such mechanism for external secondment of civil servants to public organisations, statutory bodies or quasi-government organisations within the scope of their work (e.g. the Hospital Authority, the MTR Corporation Limited, post-secondary education institutions, research and development centres and scientific research institutions, as well as social welfare organisations), so that the work of civil servants will be more down-to-earth, feel the pulse of society and connect with people's real lives; and

(2) given that as indicated in the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Public Service of this Council in April this year, the Civil Service Bureau jointly organised a civil service staff exchange programme with the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-‍Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) last year, and with the first phase of the exchange programme having been completed earlier, the authorities will consolidate the experience gained and discuss the arrangements for the next phase of the programme with the receiving units in Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality, while at the same time the authorities are also actively preparing for exchange programmes with other Mainland cities beyond the GBA, of the details and progress of the preparatory work for the next phase of the exchange programme, and what further measures will be taken in the future to enable more civil servants to enhance their understanding of the systems, policies and government operations in the Mainland, so as to deepen co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in the future?

Reply:

President,

The Government places a high priority on communication and interaction between civil servants and citizens, seeking to understand the citizens' actual living conditions and public sentiment. In addition, as Hong Kong is an international city with an externally-oriented economy, we emphasise cultivating international perspectives in civil servants. To this end, we encourage civil servants from all departments to reach out to the community and various sectors to gain first-hand understanding of social issues and the operation of various sectors. In terms of civil service training, the Government organises a variety of training and exchange activities for civil servants to broaden their horizons and exposure, as well as enhance their overall abilities, so as to continuously improve the quality of public services.

The Government's consolidated reply to the two parts of the question is as follows:

The Civil Service College of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) arranges for promising departmental officers to attach to policy bureaux for a period of six months, acquiring hands-on experience in handling different areas of policy work, including handling of Legislative Council business, assisting with public consultations and policy promotion, co-ordinating the work of taskforces. The Secretariat Attachment Scheme helps enhance departmental officers' understanding of policy implementation outside of their own professions, provides more opportunities for them to engage with different sectors of the community, and fosters a culture of mutual learning and collaboration in the civil service.

To further widen the exposure of civil servants, various departments collaborate with international organisations to second civil servants to work in the relevant organisations (e.g. the International Criminal Police Organization, the United Nations Commission On International Trade Law Secretariat, the Financial Action Task Force Secretariat, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat, etc) for a limited period of time in order to facilitate exchanges and collaboration between the two sides, and cultivate an international perspective in the civil service.

With the support of the Central People's Government and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the first two batches comprising 17 young public officers have been recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the United Nations (UN) Junior Professional Officer Programme as Chinese personnel and work in the UN headquarters or its affiliated bodies (e.g. the UN Secretariat, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the UN Economic Commission for Europe, etc). We will continue to explore opportunities for our civil servants to enrich their experience in the international arena, give play to their strengths, tell good stories of Hong Kong and contribute to the country.

In terms of fostering exchange and collaboration with civil servants from the Mainland, since 2002, the CSB has organised the Civil Service Staff Exchange Programme jointly with a number of Mainland municipalities. Under the programme, officers from Hong Kong and the Mainland are attached to each other's side to share experience and expertise so as to better understand each other's structure, regulations, policy, operation, etc, foster co-operation and communication, and gain first-hand experience of the host city's latest developments. The exchange programme was suspended during the epidemic.

In 2023, the Government resumed civil service exchange with the Mainland, starting with the launch of an exchange programme with the Mainland municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-‍Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The first batch comprising 10 participants from Hong Kong went to Shenzhen in December 2023. They were assigned to different government departments in Futian and Qianhai to perform specific duties and to have in-depth exchanges with officers from Shenzhen. The participating middle and senior-ranking civil servants came from eight departments and grades, including the Administrative Officer Grade, the Executive Officer Grade, the Environmental Protection Department, the Highways Department, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Planning Department and the Transport Department. The CSB is discussing arrangements for the next phase of the programme with the Guangdong Provincial Government, including the arrangements for selecting civil servants of Guangdong Province for exchanges with HKSAR government departments. We are also preparing for resumption of exchange programmes with other major Mainland cities beyond the GBA and plan to sign exchange agreements with them in the second half of 2024. Specific arrangements have yet to be finalised.

In addition to the exchanges co-ordinated by the CSB for civil servants to perform specific tasks in Mainland cities, bureaux/departments will make their own arrangements for training and study tours related to their business to strengthen liaison with their Mainland counterparts, thereby fostering mutual exchanges and co-operation.]]><![CDATA[Result of tenders of RMB Sovereign Bonds held on July 10, 2024]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000356.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000356.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:30:00 +0800
Result of the tenders of RMB Sovereign Bonds held on July 10, 2024:

Tender Result
*********************************************************************
Tender Date	:	July 10, 2024
Bonds available for Tender	:	2-year RMB Bonds
Issuer	:	The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number	:	BCMKFB24001 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date	:	July 12, 2024
Maturity Date	:	March 15, 2026 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate	:	2.20 per cent
Application Amount	:	RMB 9,417 million
Issue Amount	:	RMB 3,000 million
Average Accepted Price	:	100.14
Lowest Accepted Price	:	100.08
Highest Accepted Price	:	100.66
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price)	:	Approximately 22.21 per cent

*********************************************************************
Tender Date	:	July 10, 2024
Bonds available for Tender	:	3-year RMB Bonds
Issuer	:	The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number	:	BCMKFB24002 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date	:	July 12, 2024
Maturity Date	:	March 15, 2027 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate	:	2.28 per cent
Application Amount	:	RMB 9,479 million
Issue Amount	:	RMB 3,000 million
Average Accepted Price	:	100.34
Lowest Accepted Price	:	100.21
Highest Accepted Price	:	101.12
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price)	:	Approximately 24.20 per cent

*********************************************************************
Tender Date	:	July 10, 2024
Bonds available for Tender	:	5-year RMB Bonds
Issuer	:	The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China
Issue Number	:	BCMKFB24003 (Further Issuance)
Issue and Settlement Date	:	July 12, 2024
Maturity Date	:	March 15, 2029 (or the closest coupon payment date)
Coupon Rate	:	2.39 per cent
Application Amount	:	RMB 10,039 million
Issue Amount	:	RMB 3,000 million
Average Accepted Price	:	100.70
Lowest Accepted Price	:	100.41
Highest Accepted Price	:	102.19
Allocation Ratio (At Lowest Accepted Price)	:	Approximately 80.00 per cent

]]><![CDATA[LCQ17: The Exchange Fund's assets managed by Hong Kong Monetary Authority]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000236.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000236.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:22:25 +0800
Question:

     It is learnt that, apart from directly managing most of the Exchange Fund (EF)'s assets, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has also placed part of EF's assets under the management of external fund managers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective total values of EF's assets managed by HKMA directly and those by external fund managers appointed by HKMA as well as their ratio in each of the past five years, and the latest balances of the various current portfolios;

(2) of the following information on the investment managers appointed by HKMA: the respective numbers of local managers and those from other countries or regions as well as their ratio, their appointment periods and yearly management fees charged, with a tabulated breakdown by name of manager; among the managers from other countries or regions, of the number of those which have established offices in Hong Kong; and

(3) whether HKMA has set annual minimum return rates for EF's assets managed by external fund managers so as to ensure that the managers will regard securing a higher return as their prime objective in managing the relevant assets and drawing up investment strategies; if so, of the criteria for determining those minimum return rates; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the consolidated reply to various parts of the question is as follows:

     The HKMA, in addition to managing the Exchange Fund's investments directly, has external investment managers to manage the Exchange Fund's assets including the listed equity portfolios and other specialised asset classes. The purpose of engaging external investment managers is to leverage on the best investment expertise available in the market to serve the Exchange Fund, while facilitating the Exchange Fund to draw on more diversified and complementary investment styles for sustainable returns and benefit from the market insights and investment expertise of external investment managers.

     In the past five years, the percentages of the Exchange Fund's assets managed by external investment managers are as follows:

Year	Percentage of Exchange Fund's Assets Managed by External Managers
2023	29%
2022	30%
2021	29%
2020	28%
2019	29%

     The Exchange Fund is primarily used for regulating the exchange value of the Hong Kong dollar, and maintaining the stability of Hong Kong's monetary and financial systems with a view to maintaining Hong Kong as an international financial centre. To ensure a high level of liquidity of the Exchange Fund, and to avoid putting additional pressure in the event that the Hong Kong market is under shocks and assets need to be sold in pursuit of the above policy objectives, the Exchange Fund has been mainly holding overseas assets.

     The HKMA has in place a robust procedure to select and appoint investment managers. The selection process is holistic and based on a set of criteria such as the professional knowledge of the institutions concerned and the teams, their experience and investment track record, risk management and compliance record, extent of presence in Hong Kong, environmental, social and governance practices and fees, etc. Among other things, the HKMA attaches great importance to the operating situation of the investment managers in Hong Kong. For instance, their business scale and whether there have been business expansion in Hong Kong in recent years. The HKMA has gradually increased the investment exposure to investment managers whose major operations are in Hong Kong in recent years to encourage the expansion of their business in Hong Kong.

     At present, the HKMA employs for its open market investments about 80 investment managers, who manage funds of about HK$690 billion in total, of which about 90 per cent of the assets are managed by investment managers with offices in Hong Kong. In line with market practice, external investment managers are not appointed for a specified period of time, but the HKMA regularly reviews their investment performance and makes appropriate adjustments where necessary. All Hong Kong stock investments are managed by a local team of about 20 external investment managers with extensive investment experience. Over the past few years, the Exchange Fund has also invested in 32 local hedge funds through various channels.

     For private market investments, the Long-Term Growth Portfolio under the Exchange Fund currently manages investment projects of about HK$517 billion, including global private equity and overseas real estates, with a general investment period of ten years. The Long-Term Growth Portfolio mainly works with internationally renowned investment managers by appointing them as general partners under the portfolio, where over 60 per cent of them have established offices in Hong Kong. These general partners focus on investing in global or regional assets. On the other hand, the HKMA has also been supporting a number of investment managers who focus on local investments through other investment channels, and attracting other experienced investment managers to set up offices in Hong Kong.

     The overall management fees of the external investment managers in 2023 were approximately 0.43 per cent of their amounts under management. The fees charged by investment managers in the market are varied in general, subject to the characteristics of different assets.

     Nevertheless, the HKMA has well-established mechanisms in place to regularly monitor and assess the performance of external investment managers, making reference to factors such as the general market performance and that of investment managers with similar investment targets. If the performance of an external investment manager is not satisfactory, the HKMA will take appropriate actions, including request for improvement, issuing warning, allocation reduction, termination of appointment, etc.]]><![CDATA[ICAC Complaints Committee annual report tabled in LegCo]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000279.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000279.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:22:00 +0800
The Committee is tasked with the responsibility of monitoring the handling of non-criminal complaints against the ICAC and its officers. The Committee takes an independent view on the ICAC's investigation findings on the complaints received, reviews the ICAC’s procedures which may lead to complaints, and makes recommendations for improvement.

In 2023, the Committee received 19 complaints involving 47 allegations against the ICAC or its officers. Among the allegations registered in 2023, 75 per cent were related to neglect of duties by ICAC officers, 15 per cent to inadequacies of ICAC procedures, 6 per cent to abuse of power, and 4 per cent to misconduct.

The ICAC submits investigation reports to the Committee after conducting full investigations on complaint cases, while assessment reports are submitted for complaints which do not warrant a full investigation. During 2023, the Committee considered the investigation reports of 16 complaint cases including 15 cases received in 2023 and one case received in 2021 for which the related investigation was completed in 2023. These complaints contained a total of 37 allegations in which one allegation involving one ICAC officer was found to be substantiated. In this year, the Committee also considered and endorsed eight assessment reports. Preliminary assessment showed that the eight cases were irrational complaints and repeated complaints previously disposed of through the Committee, and the Committee agreed that no further investigative actions should be taken.

The ICAC has carefully examined the investigation reports and strengthened training programmes for frontline officers to enhance their professionalism and vigilance in discharging their duties. In particular, officers were advised to act professionally when handling enquiries from members of the public and treat them with courtesy and respect.

The annual report of the Committee is available on the Administration Wing's website (www.admwing.gov.hk/eng/links/icac.htm) and also at the ICAC's regional offices.]]><![CDATA[LCQ9: Integrated development of urban greening and urban farming]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000315.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000315.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:20:00 +0800
Question:

     The Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries (Blueprint) has proposed to introduce urban farming elements into the planning stage of New Development Areas (NDAs). It is learnt that many cities both within and outside the country have integrated urban greening with urban farming. For example, the Sports Park in Jinnan District, Tianjin City uses idle green space to cultivate more than 300 plant species, including herbs, rice, fruits and vegetables. Regarding the integrated development of urban greening and urban farming, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the current respective areas of urban green space in various districts; the average total expenditure on the management and maintenance of such space in each of the past three years and a breakdown of such expenditure;

(2) of the respective areas of planned green space in projects currently under planning or construction in NDAs and various districts (e.g. ‍the Global Innovation Centre of the University of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute), as well as the total expenditure earmarked for greening and a breakdown of such expenditure; and

(3) as the Blueprint has proposed the establishment of a Modernised Techno-Agricultural Park led by an agricultural organisation within part of Agri-Park Phase 2, and it has been reported that the authorities also plan to entrust the fishermen with the management of the fish ponds of the proposed Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park to maintain the conservation and production functions concurrently, and there are views that this is sufficient proof of the feasibility of the Government's collaboration with the industry, whether the authorities will draw reference from the mode of green space management in other cities to enhance the functions of urban green space in NDAs; whether the authorities will explore the possibility of allocating some green space to farmers or agricultural bodies for management to promote agricultural production, reduce the maintenance costs of greening, and enhance the economic benefits of green space; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Government has all along attached great importance to the development of local agriculture and fisheries industries, and published in end-2023 the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, formulated hand in hand with the industries. The Blueprint sets out specific measures on various areas of development, including promoting diversification of industries and strengthening the functions of trade organisations. To take forward the relevant work, the Government is actively assisting the industry in developing urban farming so that local agriculture can move towards sustainable development in the midst of urban development. Meanwhile, the Government will also foster the development of trade organisations, strengthen their functions, and provide opportunities for them to participate in project management and joint promotion of policies.

     Having co-ordinated information provided by the Development Bureau, we provide our reply to the question raised by the Hon Steven Ho on the integrated development of urban greening and urban farming as follows:

(1) "Green space" may refer to areas zoned "Green Belt" in statutory zoning plans (which covers a land area of around 17 000 hectares), and land of other zonings that are vegetated (including different categories of land and facilities, such as parks, gardens, as well as landscaped areas along roads or within public and private developments). Information on the greening area on different categories of land is not readily available. For example, there are over 1 600 parks and gardens under the management of Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), while the area of land with which the LCSD provides horticultural maintenance service is around 1 300 hectares. Since the "green space" mentioned in the question includes both government land and private land, and that managing and maintaining government land and facilities are part and parcel of the regular duties of various departments, which are discharged with their overall resources, the relevant management and maintenance expenditure is not readily available.

(2) Not only will urban greening beautify the environment, but also help moderate temperature and improve air quality, rendering Hong Kong a more liveable city.

     In terms of urban planning, greening-related planning guidelines have been stipulated under the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines, including the overall target of attaining 30 per cent green coverage for public housing developments. Besides, in order to develop a green and liveable Northern Metropolis, when planning New Development Areas (NDAs), the Government has adopted a higher standard of 3.5 square metres per person (as compared to 2.5 square metres per person in the past) when reserving land for open space.

     As for public works projects, apart from the implementation of the Greening Master Plans, these projects are also required to incorporate greening elements in planning and development stages. For example, new government building projects should include greening measures on 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the site area (including roof greening and vertical greening), new at-grade road projects should allow for space for quality greening and landscape works and soft landscape provisions should be integrated in the highway structure projects to enhance street landscape.

     To encourage private development projects to include greening elements, for projects with site area of 1 000 square metres or more, if there is at least 20 per cent to 30 per cent site coverage of greenery for the project and that other requirements are met, gross floor area concessions for certain facilities and equipment can be granted.

(3) The overall concept of urban farming is to integrate commercial agriculture into the city. Not only can this produce high quality and fresh agricultural produce with reduced carbon footprints to the public, but also provide green landscapes and modernised farming experience to the communities while expanding the capacity and increasing the output, thereby improving the quality and liveability of urban life.

     To promote the development of urban farming, the Government has sought consent from the Town Planning Board for amending the Definition of Terms used in statutory plan for "Open Space" to include "urban farm", so as to allow the setting up of urban farms to be operated on a commercial basis in "Open Space" areas (such as parks and outdoor public open space in urban areas and NDAs), thereby making good use of precious land resources and contributing to the integrated development of commercial agriculture and urban areas.

     Moreover, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is working with relevant organisations to explore setting urban farming as one of the indicators of green buildings, such as incorporating into the assessment scheme of the Building Environment Assessment Method Plus, so as to encourage business enterprises to integrate elements of urban farming when planning property development projects, blending commercial farming into urban life.

     Regarding the collaboration with the trade, the AFCD has launched a pilot project on modernised urban farming in Ma On Shan Sai Sha Road Garden, where part of the site will be made available for the trade to set up and operate a modernised crop farm, with technical support being provided. The project is expected to commence operation in the fourth quarter of 2024. To promote the concept of "harvest-to-sale", the Government will also set up modernised hydroponic farms-cum-stalls on suitable rooftops of government buildings and public markets, including the Tin Shui Wai Public Market under construction and the Kwu Tung North Public Market, for operation by the trade upon application.

     We will continue to launch pilot projects on modernised urban farming at other suitable locations, and will make good use of urban spaces in Northern Metropolis and other NDAs, with a view to developing urban farming through a multi-pronged approach. With the experience gained in implementing the pilot projects, we will explore the possibility of allocating green space to agricultural organisations for management in due course.]]><![CDATA[LCQ12: Motorcycle parking spaces in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing districts]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000211.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000211.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0800
Question:

     Some residents in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing districts have relayed that there are quite a number of hillside housing estates in the two districts, and travelling by motorcycle is more convenient for them. However, motorcycle parking spaces in the two districts have long been in shortage, and the emergence of the food delivery and courier industries in recent years has aggravated the situation. Besides, in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on February 28 this year, the Government indicated that there were a total of 1 355 on-street motorcycle parking spaces in the two districts last year, with their utilisation rates reaching 100 per cent in all of the past three years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of summonses issued by the Police for illegal parking of motorcycles in each of the two districts in each of the past three years;

(2) of the current numbers and fees of motorcycle parking spaces in various car parks in the public housing estates under the Hong Kong Housing Authority in the two districts (including car parks managed by private organisations such as Link Real Estate Investment Trust);

(3) whether the Transport Department will show in the "HKeMobility" mobile application the remaining number of motorcycle parking spaces available in public and private car parks, so that drivers can choose suitable locations for parking;

(4) as it is learnt that there is a greater demand for motorcycle parking spaces in hillside housing estates in the two districts (e.g. Cheung Shan Estate, Shek Wai Kok Estate, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tai Wo Hau Estate, Kwai Chung Estate, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Shing East Estate, Cheung Ching Estate and Cheung Hong Estate), whether the authorities will provide additional motorcycle parking spaces in the aforesaid housing estates and increase the proportion of motorcycle parking spaces in future development projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) whether the authorities will consider opening up car parks in government properties during night-time and/or non-office hours for motorcycle parking; if so, of the timetable and number of parking spaces to be made available; if not, the reasons for that; and

(6) as there are views that the prolonged occupation of quite a number of motorcycle parking spaces by "dead vehicles" (i.e. unclaimed vehicles) has forestalled their use by drivers with genuine need, of the measures put in place by the Police and other government departments to step up efforts to tackle the situation?

Reply:

President,

     It is the Government's transport policy to centre on public transport with railway as the backbone. Hong Kong enjoys a well-developed public transport network, and the Government encourages the public to make good use of the public transport services as far as possible, so as to prevent too many private cars (PCs) and motorcycles, which have a smaller passenger carrying capacity, from aggravating the burden on road traffic. Nevertheless, the Government understands that some members of the public choose to commute by PCs or motorcycles for various reasons. Hence, the Government has been actively pursuing a host of short-term and medium-to-long-term measures to suitably increase the supply of parking spaces where circumstances permit, which include the following measures for motorcycles:

(a) Utilising the spaces underneath flyovers for designation as motorcycle parking spaces;

(b) Opening up more motorcycle parking spaces at government buildings for public use during non-office hours;

(c) Continuing to provide additional on-street parking spaces for motorcycles at suitable locations while ensuring that traffic flow, road safety and the loading/unloading activities of vehicles would not be compromised;

(d) Providing more motorcycle parking spaces for public use in suitable "Government, Institution or Community" facilities and public open space projects in accordance with the principle of "single site, multiple use"; and

(e) Providing motorcycle parking spaces in development projects in accordance with the parking standards under the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG).

     As regards the Member's question, having consulted the Housing Bureau (HB), Transport Department (TD), Hong Kong Police Force (the Police) and Government Property Agency (GPA), a consolidated reply is provided as follows:

(1) The numbers of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by the Police against illegal parking of motorcycles under the Fixed Penalty (Traffic Contraventions) Ordinance (Cap. 237) over the past three years are tabulated below:

Year	2021	2022	2023
Numbers of FPNs issued against illegal parking of motorcycles	171 633	199 734	191 817

     The Police does not maintain the above traffic enforcement statistics on a district basis.

(2) As at end March 2024, there are 22 car parks in the estates/courts/shopping centres/factory estates under the Housing Authority in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing districts, providing a total of about 820 motorcycle parking spaces. Among them, the monthly charges of open and covered motorcycle parking spaces are $480 and $630 respectively, while a flat rate of $5 per hour is charged for hourly parking. A breakdown of number of motorcycle parking spaces by car parks is provided in Annex.

(3) Currently, drivers can use the "HKeMobility" mobile application to check the real-time parking vacancy information for various types of vehicles provided by participating operators of car parks (including public and private car parks). Users can select motorcycles in the types of vehicles under the layer icon to display the relevant information on the map.

(4) Roads at hillside housing estates in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing districts are mostly dual two-lane carriageways and sidewalks are also generally narrower, making the provision of additional on-street parking spaces more difficult. Nevertheless, the TD has been proactively identifying suitable locations in these two districts for the provision of additional on-street motorcycle parking spaces. For example, in recent years, 15 additional parking spaces have been provided on Lei Shu Road near Fung Shue House of Lei Muk Shue Estate while five parking spaces have been provided at Kwai Shing Circuit near Luen Yuet House of Kwai Luen Estate. In the coming year, the TD will also provide additional on-street motorcycle parking spaces in various places, including on Kwai Hau Street near Shing Kwok House of Kwai Shing East Estate, Kwai Luen Road near Block 8 of Kwai Shing West Estate, Tai Wo Hau Road near On Kwai House of Kwai Fuk Court, and Ching Hong Road near Cheung Hong Estate (Phase 4) Car Park.

     The TD has been continuously reviewing the current standards for motorcycle parking spaces in residential developments under the HKPSG. The HKPSG sets out different parking standards for subsidised housing and private housing respectively based on the number of flats, and that appropriate amendments have been made having regard to factors such as the socio-economic situation and parking demand. Noting that the number of motorcycles has increased in recent years, which is probably due to the upsurge of demands for meal delivery and courier services in a short time during the epidemic, the TD will keep in view whether the situation will persist after the epidemic subsided, and timely review the standards of motorcycle parking provision under the HKPSG.

(5) Parking spaces in the car parks of government joint-user general office buildings (JUBs) are primarily for use by vehicles of the user departments of the JUBs or vehicles related to official purpose. Nevertheless, in order to optimise the use of land resources, the Government has opened up more parking spaces at government buildings for public use during non-office hours with a view to increasing the supply of motorcycle parking spaces. The Government will lease out the parking spaces (including those for motorcycles) to contractors for operating as fee-paying public car parks during non-office hours (normally at night-time of weekdays, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays).

     There are currently nine car parks at the JUBs or other types of government properties providing a total of 147 motorcycle parking spaces for public use. Some of the parking spaces are open during non-working hours, while the remaining ones are open all day long. The parking spaces are located across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories.

(6) The Government has been highly concerned about the problem of abandoned vehicles. The Police handles vehicles that pose immediate danger to road users or cause traffic obstruction, whereas abandoned vehicles on unleased or unallocated government land other than public roads are dealt with by the Lands Department (LandsD). Abandoned vehicles that do not pose immediate danger to road users or cause obstruction on public roads and rear lanes are handled according to the modus operandi of inter-departmental joint operations. District Offices are responsible for co-ordinating and organising the inter-departmental joint clearance operations. The TD would, under the power delegated by the LandsD, affix notices on abandoned vehicles at the above-mentioned locations. If the vehicles concerned remain unattended upon the expiry of the notice period, the Highways Department would be responsible for towing away the abandoned vehicles to the storage pounds managed by the LandsD for further actions.

     From 2021 to the first quarter of 2024, District Offices have co-ordinated over 440 inter-departmental joint operations, removing about 3 100 abandoned vehicles, of which over 90 per cent are motorcycles. The departments concerned will proactively organise joint operations on a continuous basis, with a view to handling the situation of abandoned vehicles in a timely manner.

     In order to tackle abandoned vehicles at source, the Government is planning to make legislative amendment to tighten the requirements for vehicle registration and licensing, with a view to compelling registered owners to fulfil their obligation to properly dispose of the vehicles registered under their names that they no longer wish to keep. The proposed legislation will require registered owners of vehicles unlicensed for two years to renew the vehicle licence within a specified period, or cancel the vehicle registration with the TD after the vehicle has been scrapped/permanently despatched out of Hong Kong, or obtain an exemption from the TD by application in case of special needs; otherwise, the vehicle owners will commit an offence. The Government plans to submit the legislative amendment proposal within this year.]]><![CDATA[LCQ20: Introduction of China-made plug-in hybrid electric vehicles]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000274.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000274.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:45:00 +0800
Question:

     There are views that, given the excellent performance of China-made plug-‍in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs), with a recently launched model boasting extremely low fuel consumption and remarkably long travel range, coupled with the fact that the supply of EV charging facilities in Hong Kong remains insufficient in the short term, Hong Kong should more proactively introduce as early as possible different types of China-made new energy vehicles into the market in addition to pure battery EVs, so as to meet the demand that will still exist before the cessation of new registration of fuel-‍propelled and hybrid private cars by 2035. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the following information in respect of the Transport Department's processing of applications for Type Approval of vehicles in each of the past three years: (i) the number of vehicle models applying for Type Approval, (ii) the number of Type-Approved vehicle models, and (iii) the average time taken for conducting Type Approval of vehicle models, with a breakdown by vehicle type (classified by fuel used, including but not limited to pure battery EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs) and place of origin of vehicle;

(2) of the staff establishment and strength of various ranks of the Type Approval Section under the Transport Department in each of the past three years; and

(3) whether it has considered providing tax incentives for first registration of motor vehicles to promote the introduction of high performance China-made plug-in hybrid EVs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     In consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Transport Department (TD), my consolidated reply to questions raised by Hon Lai is as follows:

(1) The TD has always been approving vehicles in accordance with the requirements of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) and its subsidiary legislation. The purpose of vehicle type approval is to assess the technical specification, design and construction of a sample vehicle of the same make and model, in order to facilitate the authorised dealer or distributor in importing and selling new mass-produced vehicles for first registration. Upon completion of documentary vetting and examination of a sample vehicle by the TD, the TD will issue a type approval certificate to confirm that such vehicle model is in compliance with the statutory requirements. The TD has been accepting submissions of Guobiao (GB) from the trade to substantiate that vehicles or their components comply with the objective vehicle construction standards stipulated in the legislation. In addition to GB, the TD also accepts other standards, including those of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

     The TD has been regularly reviewing and amending existing legislation and guidelines with reference to different national or regional standards to cope with the latest development of the automotive market. For example, with a view to supporting the introduction of different new energy vehicles, the TD issued guidelines on Vehicle Construction Approval Requirements for Electric Vehicles in 2010 to elaborate in detail the technical and safety requirements for electric vehicles (EVs) in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, GB safety requirements for EVs and electric motorcycles have also been included in the guidelines. The latest version was released in May 2023, providing further guidance and specifications on the technical and safety requirements for EVs and facilitating the vehicle trades in providing relevant information on EVs to simplify applications for EV approval. The TD also updated the annex to the above guidelines in June of this year with a view to accepting applications for vehicle type approval of EVs with battery swapping technology.

     The TD will continue to maintain close communication with the trade and listen to the trade's views, update technical guidelines and streamline the approval process in a timely manner to facilitate the introduction of more vehicle models by the trade, while ensuring that these vehicles meet the relevant technical requirements.

     At present, the approval time for vehicles using different fuel types (including EVs, plug-in hybrid vehicles, fossil fuel vehicles and non-plug-in hybrid vehicles) is similar, taking generally 90 days for approval, including the time required for local authorised dealers to submit supplementary information to the TD and arranging examination of sample vehicles. The number of applications for vehicle type approval and corresponding approvals are as follows:

Number of vehicle models passing type approval (by fuel type of vehicles)

	Electric vehicle	Plug-in hybrid vehicle	Fossil fuel and non-plug-in hybrid vehicle
2021	145 (167*)	1 (1*)	725 (955*)
2022	122 (163*)	24 (27*)	555(660*)
2023	164 (239*)	10 (15*)	515 (603*)
2024 (Up to May 31, 2024)	6 (93**)	0 (8**)	91 (239**)

Note:
(*) Number of vehicle models applying for type approval
(**) Number of vehicle models applying for type approval, some of the type approval work is still in progress

Number of vehicle models passing type approval (by region of vehicle brands)

	Mainland China	Asia (other than China)	Europe	America
2021	55 (81*)	204 (245*)	572 (747*)	40 (50*)
2022	61 (77*)	252 (298*)	362 (446*)	26 (29*)
2023	83 (133*)	174 (195*)	415 (506*)	17 (23*)
2024 (Up to May 31, 2024)	10 (63**)	48 (87**)	39 (189**)	0 (1**)

Note:
(*) Number of vehicle models applying for type approval
(**)Number of vehicle models applying for type approval, some of the type approval work is still in progress

(2) There is a type approval section under the TD which is responsible for vehicle type approval works. The establishment of the team includes one Engineer, one Senior Motor Vehicle Examiner, two Motor Vehicle Examiner I and two Motor Vehicle Examiner II. The above establishment has not changed in the past three years, and the strength has remained approximately the same.

     The TD has been streamlining the vehicle approval process to cope with the increasing workload of type approval applications. The TD issued new guidelines on the batch processing mechanism to the trade in December 2022, facilitating the trade in introducing EVs in batches and simplifying the approval application process for the same EV model. At the same time, the TD continues to hold a number of briefing sessions for the trade and issue corresponding guidelines to assist the trade in submitting complete vehicle technical information, so as to reduce the time for clarification on documents and thereby speeding up the progress of the overall vehicle type approval work. The TD will continue to maintain close communication with the trade and review the vehicle examination process and manpower arrangement to achieve better cost-effectiveness.

(3) Exhaust gas emission from vehicles is the primary source of roadside air pollution in Hong Kong and accounts for about 20 per cent of the carbon emission of the territory. Conversion to EVs can improve roadside air quality and help strive towards carbon neutrality. As for private cars (PCs), hybrid PCs (including plug-in hybrid PCs) are not propelled solely by electric power and still have air pollutant and carbon emission. In comparison, pure EVs do not emit any exhaust gas and are more effective in improving roadside air quality in a high-density environment in Hong Kong. The supply of pure electric PC models on the market is increasing. Currently, about 70 per cent of the newly registered PCs are pure EVs. The Government has also set out the target to cease new registration of fuel-propelled and hybrid PCs in 2035 or earlier. Hence, we do not have plan to separately provide first registration tax concession for hybrid PCs which still have exhaust gas emission. On the other hand, to support the popularisation of EVs, the 2023 Policy Address has set out the target to increase the total number of public and private parking spaces with charging infrastructure in Hong Kong to about 200 000 by mid-2027.]]><![CDATA[LCQ10: Vocational and professional education and training]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000294.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000294.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:42:00 +0800
Question:

     The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address has proposed to work with the relevant Mainland authorities to take forward the arrangements for mutual recognition between Hong Kong and the Mainland of sub degree level qualifications and put such mutual recognition arrangements on trial for selected pilot areas. In addition, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and Shenzhen Polytechnic University (SZPU) have co-organised joint dual award programmes (the Joint Programmes). The VTC also promotes the "One Examination, Multiple Certification" arrangement (the Arrangement) under which candidates only need to pass one common examination in order to have their qualifications recognised by Hong Kong, the Mainland, and international professional organisations. Regarding vocational and professional education and training (VPET), will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether the trial run of the aforesaid arrangements for mutual recognition of qualifications has kicked off; if so, of the pilot areas, and the sub-degree programmes which are related to VPET; of the planning for pilot areas in the next three years;

(2) whether it knows, in each of the past three years, (i) the titles of the programmes offered by the VTC which are related to the industries covered by the Arrangement, (ii) the number of candidates who successfully passed the relevant examinations under the Arrangement and obtained the relevant qualifications recognition, and (iii) the number of local candidates who worked in the Mainland through having their qualifications recognised by the Mainland under the Arrangement;

(3) whether it knows, in each of the past three years, (i) the titles of the Joint Programmes offered by the VTC, (ii) the number of students enrolled in such programmes and, among them, the number of those who successfully obtained higher diplomas from the VTC and professional diplomas and certificates from the Mainland;

(4) of the mechanism through which SZPU sends students to pursue studies in Hong Kong; whether the VTC has conducted survey on the interest of SZPU students towards pursuing studies in Hong Kong; if so, of the outcome; if not, whether it will consider conducting a survey on SZPU students' perceptions of the academic structure, tuition fees, accommodation, development prospects, etc. in Hong Kong, so as to facilitate the formulation of measures to attract them to pursue studies in Hong Kong; and

(5) whether it will establish post-secondary institutions specialising in offering VPET programmes mutually recognised by Hong Kong and the Mainland in the Northern Metropolis University Town?

Reply:

President,

     The Government has been promoting the development of vocational and professional education and training (VPET) as a pathway parallel to conventional academic education. To this end, we adopt the strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development. This is also in line with the national strategies of strengthening vocational education in the modern era, by encouraging the articulation between vocational and academic studies, co-operation between industries and education, and the integration of science and education, with a view to nurturing higher quality talent with applied knowledge and skills to support the development of strategic industries and the economy.

     Our reply to Professor the Hon William Wong's question is as follows:

(1) In line with the national policy of promoting the high-quality development of modernised vocational education, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been collaborating with the relevant Mainland authorities to take forward the mutual recognition of sub-degree level qualifications, including the Higher Diploma qualification. The HKSAR Government will continue to follow up on the relevant initiative.

(2) Under the "One Examination, Multiple Certification" (OEMC) system implemented by the Vocational Training Council (VTC), candidates may obtain relevant certificates issued by the Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao by passing a standardised examination. The OEMC system is currently implemented in the beauty and hairdressing industries, with two levels of examinations available for each industry. For the beauty industry, upon satisfactory completion of the examination under the OEMC system, candidates are awarded the Certificate of Occupational Skill Level for beauticians on the Mainland, the Vocational Assessment Competency Certificate for the beauty industry in Hong Kong, and the Occupational Skills Certificate for beauticians in Macao. As for the hairdressing industry, candidates who complete the examination under the OEMC system are awarded the Certificate of Occupational Skill Level for hair stylists on the Mainland, the Vocational Assessment Competency Certificate for the hairdressing industry in Hong Kong, and the Occupational Skills Certificate for hair stylists in Macao. The OEMC system operates as an independent examination and is not tied to any particular programmes. The numbers of candidates who obtained certificates under the OEMC system in the past three years are as follows:

2021-22	2022-23	2023-24
100	125	154

Remarks: The VTC does not maintain statistics on the number of candidates working on the Mainland after obtaining certificates under the OEMC system.

(3) and (4) The VTC and the Shenzhen Polytechnic University (SPU) have reached agreement on five collaborative programmes, allowing VTC students to attend these programmes at SPU, while the SPU has not yet arranged its students to study the VTC's programmes in Hong Kong. In particular, three Higher Diploma (HD) programmes, namely Electrical Engineering (Electrical Services), Building Services Engineering, as well as Games and Animation, have been successfully launched. In the 2024/25 academic year (AY), the VTC and the SPU plan to launch two other programmes in Fashion Design as well as Hotel and Catering Management.

     From the 2021/22 to 2023/24 AYs, a total of 73 the VTC students of HD programmes in Electrical Engineering (Electrical Services), Building Services Engineering, and Games and Animation attended the collaborative programmes at SPU. Among them, 53 students successfully obtained qualifications from both institutions.

     In relation to attracting non-local vocational and professional talent, the Government introduced the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (VPAS) in 2023. Under the pilot initiative, non-local students (including those from the Mainland as well as other countries and regions) enrolled in designated full-time HD programmes of the VTC in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 AYs will be eligible for applying to stay in Hong Kong for one year after graduation to seek employment in trades relevant to their studies, with a view to alleviating the manpower shortage in skilled trades. In this connection, the VTC is proactively recruiting non-local students and will be providing comprehensive support in areas such as accommodation, language and communication, living in Hong Kong, and career development, in order to attract students to study in Hong Kong.

(5) The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address announces that the Government will endeavour to develop a Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT) in the Northern Metropolis (NM), where post-secondary institutions are encouraged to strengthen co-operation with renowned Mainland and overseas institutions, and enhance synergy through sharing resources and enhancing collaboration with the industry sector in the area. To support the development of NMUT, the Government will reserve more than 60 hectares of sites in the area for post-secondary education development use.

     Based on our preliminary idea, we will gradually take forward the relevant work, having regard to a series of objectives and strategies, including following an "industry-led" principle. We hope that the post-secondary education development in NM could suitably tie in with the different positionings of individual districts, promoting diversified development in collaboration with industries and strengthening synergy. In particular, we will consider proactively promoting VPET development in NMUT, facilitating co-operation between industries and education and integration of science and education, and supporting institutions to strengthen links and collaboration with industries in the area. Through incorporating enriched internship and work-based learning opportunities in programmes, institutions could nurture professional skilled talent with applied abilities to cater to the keen manpower needs of various sectors, adding impetus to the industry development in the area.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) has introduced the post-secondary education sites in NM to post-secondary institutions and consulted the institutions on their preliminary development intentions and proposals. The EDB is currently comprehensively considering the proposals and collating the information submitted by the institutions. In accordance with the abovementioned objectives and strategies, we will closely communicate with institutions which are interested in the development of the NM, with a view to taking forward the development of NMUT in phases.]]><![CDATA[Missing woman in Tin Shui Wai located]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000332.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000332.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:31:16 +0800
     Lai Mei-lin Elza, aged 57, went missing after she was last seen in Mong Tseng Tsuen on July 4 morning. Her family made a report to Police on July 7.

     The woman returned to her residence last evening (July 9). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.]]><![CDATA[Speech by CS at Fire Asia 2024 (English only) (with photos/video)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000273.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000273.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:21:50 +0800
Secretary-General Wang Songmiao (Secretary-General of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)), Deputy Director General Luo Yongqiang (Deputy Director General of the National Fire and Rescue Administration of People's Republic of China), Deputy Commissioner Fang Jianming (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR), Deputy President Wu Lizhi (Deputy President, China People's Police University), Deputy Director Xie Zhixiang (Deputy Director of the Bureau of Liaison of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. Welcome to Fire Asia 2024 and to Hong Kong! I am delighted to see so many experts in fire and emergency management gathered here from around the globe.

     Indeed, some 600 professionals, including fire engineering experts, emergency responders, paramedics and other medical specialists, are joining this year's three-day conference.

     They also include, let me add, delegations from a number of Belt and Road and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries. Your presence underlines our shared commitment to making the world a safer place for us all.

     The past few years have presented us with overwhelming challenges, including the pandemic, climate change, and the increasing complexity of emergency response.

     Yet, in the face of adversity, we have witnessed the remarkable resilience, and innovative spirit, of many economies worldwide. Through this year's three-day conference, we have a golden opportunity to build on this good momentum.

     Emergency preparedness is essential to protecting an economy and its people from the impact of wide-ranging disasters, crises and other emergencies. An effective emergency management system helps mitigate disruptions to essential services, economic stability and social order.

     In today's interconnected world, the threats of emergencies and disasters could be cross-border by nature. Regional and international teamwork plays an important role in reducing risks and enhancing resilience.

     To that end, just last month, the Hong Kong SAR Government, together with the governments of Guangdong Province and Macao SAR, signed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation and Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement.

     Under this framework, we are setting up a government-led co-operation mechanism for emergency response, enhancing our ability to cope with accidents, natural disasters and other crises that affect Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

     At the same time, we are establishing a task force later this year. It will review our co-operation experience to develop a long-term emergency-management plan for the Greater Bay Area as a whole.

     No less important, the Belt and Road and ASEAN also present ample opportunities for regional and global collaboration.

     The Belt and Road's extensive infrastructure networks – from roads and railways to ports and much more – can enable the rapid deployment of emergency response personnel and resources across borders during crises.

     And the institutional mechanisms within ASEAN, such as the ASEAN Co-ordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, allow member states to share information and co-ordinate responses.

     Through all these and other regional initiatives, economies enhance their collective ability to respond effectively to emergencies that cross national boundaries.

     Our speakers from Belt and Road and ASEAN countries will, for sure, broaden our perspectives on effective emergency management strategies across regions.

     I have every confidence that, drawing on the collective expertise of all our high-profile speakers, we will move on from this conference safer, better prepared, and better protected, for whatever comes our way.

     During your stay in Hong Kong, I urge you, as well, to find time for leisure. Our city, as the mega-events capital of Asia, is hosting more than 200 events this year – one every two days in the second half of the year.

     Our city is also blessed with a wide variety of Michelin star restaurants, world-class coastal walks, beautiful country parks, and all sorts of arts, culture and entertainment you can easily find.

     Hong Kong, after all, is rising as the world's East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. In short, enjoy yourself!

     My thanks to the organisers of this year's Fire Asia, namely the Institution of Fire Engineers (Hong Kong Branch), the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (Building Services Division and Fire Division), the China Hong Kong Ambulance Service Institute, and the China Hong Kong Fire Protection Association.

     I am grateful, as well, to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous support.

     Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a rewarding conference and a memorable stay in Hong Kong. Thank you very much.

]]><![CDATA[LCQ19: Parent education]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000272.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000272.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:15:00 +0800
Question:

     There are views that, in comparison with school education, family education is equally or even more important for the learning and growth of school children, but not every parent knows how to properly and effectively teach their children. In addition, it is learnt that while at present the Government relies primarily on the Education Bureau (EDB) to promote parent education, and EDB has adopted the approach of regarding "schools as a primary platform and the community as a complementary" in implementing parent education, schools differ in terms of motivation, effectiveness and content focus in the promotion of parent education. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the policy measures introduced and amount of resources allocated by the Government in recent years for the promotion of parent education; among such policy measures, of the respective numbers of those implemented through schools, other non-school organisations, and directly by government departments;

(2) regarding the implementation of parent education by primary and secondary schools, how the authorities monitor the relevant quantity, quality, and effectiveness;

(3) whether it has compiled statistics on the participation rates in parent education provided by primary and secondary schools across the territory, and the number of parents of school-age students who have never taken part in any parent education in the past five years; of its plans in place to increase the participation rates of such parents;

(4) apart from written circulars and the Parents' Day normally held once every academic year, whether the Government will encourage schools to maintain communication and contact with parents through more frequent and diversified modes in respect of the learning and growth of students, including making good use of communication technologies such as video conferencing; and

(5) as it is learnt that some primary and secondary schools have provided national security education to parents through talks and other means in recent years, of the number of such activities and the participation rates of parents; whether the Government will further step up the relevant work, including enhancing the contents, frequencies and participation rates of such activities, as well as providing more assistance to schools and related organisations, so as to raise parents' sense of national identity and awareness of patriotism?

Reply:

President,

     Parents are the pivotal figures in nurturing, safeguarding and educating children, playing crucial roles in supporting children's development and learning as well as fostering their proper values, positive attitude and behaviour. Therefore, the Government has long been promoting parent education through the Education Bureau (EDB) and other government bureaux.

     Having consulted the Health Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Tony Tse is as follows:

(1) The EDB has all along been adopting the approaches of "parent-based" and "schools as a primary platform and the community as a complementary" to promote parent education through diversified means. To enable parents to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for nurturing their children in a more systematic manner, the EDB commissioned a post-secondary institution to develop the curriculum frameworks on parent education for parents of students at different learning stages. The EDB introduced the Curriculum Frameworks on Parent Education for kindergarten (KG), primary school and secondary school in 2021, 2022 and May 2024 respectively (collaboratively named as the "Curriculum Frameworks"). All the Curriculum Frameworks have been uploaded onto the EDB's website for schools' and relevant organisations' reference.

     At school level, the EDB provided KGs joining the Kindergarten Education Scheme with an additional one-off subsidy of $90,000 to $100,000 in the 2021/22 school year, and a one-off grant on parent education of $200,000 for all publicly-funded primary and secondary schools in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 school years respectively to support schools to embark on structured school-based parent education programmes or activities having regard to the Curriculum Frameworks and the needs of parents and students. Besides, all public-sector schools have set up Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), and the Committee on Home-School Co-operation has been assisting the Government in providing the "Subsidy for Home-School Co-operation Activities" and the "Subsidy for Joint Home-School Co-operation Project" for PTAs, encouraging PTAs to organise diversified school-based home-school co-operation and parent education activities or programmes with reference to the Curriculum Frameworks. To further enhance the support for schools, starting from the 2023/24 school year, the EDB has developed resource packages for primary and secondary schools based on the Curriculum Frameworks in phases to facilitate teachers, social workers and guidance personnel of schools in mastering the relevant knowledge and skills.

     At territory level, starting from the 2022/23 school year, the EDB has commissioned post-secondary institutions and non-governmental organisations to organise territory-wide or district-based parent education courses and talks for parents and grandparents of KG and primary students with reference to the Curriculum Frameworks, and produce electronic learning resources to facilitate parents' self-learning. The EDB has also been implementing the territory-wide Positive Parent Campaign (the Campaign) since 2020 to promote parent education through extensive and diversified channels, with a view to fostering positive thinking, strategies and attitudes in nurturing children among parents. In recent years, we have organised various parent education activities and produced a theme song for the Campaign, Announcements in the Public Interest on television and radio as well as animations and short videos on parent education to further enhance public awareness on positive parent education. We have also reached out to parents of different backgrounds in the communities to promote the messages of positive parenting through a moving showroom, parent-oriented websites, advertisements at MTR stations and on bus body, online platforms, etc.

     Besides, the EDB has been making use of the one-stop parent education website "Smart Parent Net" (www.parent.edu.hk/en), "Smart Parent Net" Facebook, Instagram pages and YouTube channel to disseminate important information on supporting the physical and psychological development of students, which includes information on parent-child relationship, parenting skills and emotional management of parents.

     From the 2020-21 to 2023-24 financial years, the EDB's expenditure on promoting home-school co-operation and parent education is about $550 million.

     Apart from the EDB, the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) administered by the Family Health Service of the Department of Health also provide a Parenting Programme for parents of children up to five years old, which aims to enhance parents' understanding of their children's growth and development. The Parenting Programme consists of two components – a universal Parenting Programme and an intensive Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P Programme). The universal Parenting Programme provides individual counselling as well as public health talks and workshops on parenting. During the above individual parenting counselling, healthcare professionals will encourage parents to participate in the Triple P Programme if they notice that the child has early signs of behavioural problems or if the parents encounter difficulties in parenting. The Triple P Programme is a structured parenting programme which aims to increase parents' confidence in parenting and improve their parenting skills. The programme is conducted by accredited facilitators and offered in the MCHCs in various districts. The programme covers the principles of positive parenting and helps parents to use positive communication skills and effective parenting methods to handle children's behavioural problems in a way that does not harm the child's self-esteem.

(2) to (3) Currently, all public-sector schools have set up PTAs. The EDB also encourages schools to plan and organise systematic school-based parent education programmes with reference to the Curriculum Frameworks and constantly evaluate the effectiveness of the programmes. The EDB have all along been regularly reviewing the implementation and effectiveness of the work of schools (including home-school co-operation and parent education) through inspections, school visits, etc, and providing feedback to schools in a timely manner to facilitate continuous development of schools. Publicly-funded schools are also required to draw up an implementation plan and report on the use of the One-off Grant on Parent Education, setting out the details of the subsidised items or activities, relevant expenses and the evaluations for submission to the School Management Committee/ Management Committee/ Incorporated Management Committee for endorsement.

     Besides, the EDB has been requesting the PTAs of schools and the Federations of Parent-Teacher Associations (FPTAs) to submit an assessment report for evaluation of each activity supported by the relevant subsidies on home-school co-operation activities. The EDB also collects opinions from schools and parents through different means to continuously review the effectiveness of the measures implemented. In the 2023/24 school year, about 1 650 schools applied for these subsidies and approval was granted for subsidising around 3 690 activities.

(4) The EDB has been encouraging schools to maintain communication and collaboration with parents through diversified modes and channels so as to facilitate students' learning and development. In general, schools would assist parents to support the whole-person development of children through the PTA activities, Parents' Day, Parents' Night, school publications, e-circulars, school website, groups of the mobile messaging applications, etc. Besides, some schools would make flexible arrangements for meeting and communicating with parents, such as online meetings, to cater for the needs of working parents. Schools may also provide online portals where parents can easily access information to keep track of their children's academic progress and school activities at their convenience. Schools would in general encourage parents' participation through activities related to students' development and learning at school level, grade/form level or class level.

(5) The EDB has been encouraging parents to learn more about the National Security Law, proactively partner with schools and strengthen their collaboration with teachers, with a view to enhancing students' awareness of safeguarding national security and abiding by the law. To strengthen national education, all publicly-funded schools are required to organise one or more activities relating to national education for parents every year from the 2022/23 school year onwards. The EDB continuously monitors and supports schools on the implementation of related measures through channels such as school visits and daily communications with schools, and makes suggestions for enhancement and improvement in accordance with school-based circumstances. Primary and secondary schools continue to organise different kinds of parent-child activities related to Chinese culture and national security education regularly, such as Chinese Culture Day, visits to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Jao Tsung-I Academy and the Patriotic Education Centre, publications for parents and related exhibition boards in the school campuses, to help parents understand the importance of safeguarding national security. In addition, schools would invite guest speakers, such as representatives of the Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress, to give talks in the parent seminars at schools with a view to deepening parents' understanding of national security education and their role in supporting schools' implementation of national security education.

     Apart from the above, the EDB provides subsidies for PTAs of schools and FPTAs, encouraging them to organise activities on national education and national security education. From the 2021/22 to 2023/24 school years, the EDB has approved more than 2 390 applications from PTAs and 14 applications from FPTAs to support the provision of programmes or activities related to national education, national security education and values education, including school cultural exchange tours to the Mainland and local parent-child national education tours. About 64 000 parents have participated in such activities. ]]><![CDATA[LD reminds employers and employees to take heat stroke preventive measures in times of Heat Stress at Work Warning]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000311.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000311.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:10:00 +0800
     Employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor environments face high levels of heat stress and are at a relatively higher risk of heat stroke. Employers should assess the risk factors of heat stress for employees at work and, based on the identified risk factors, take necessary preventive and control measures, including rescheduling work periods, setting up shading covers, providing ventilation and heat dissipation equipment, and reminding employees to replenish water and rest in a timely manner.

     The Heat Stress at Work Warning is formulated by the LD based on the Hong Kong Heat Index. There are three levels of the warning: Amber, Red and Black, which help employers and employees better understand the level of heat stress while working outdoors or indoors without air-conditioning systems.

     A spokesman for the LD said that when the department issues the Heat Stress at Work Warning, employers must refer to the criteria and recommendations provided in the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work" to conduct risk assessments, according to the workloads and other relevant heat stress risk factors, for employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor workplaces. Appropriate rest breaks should be arranged every hour, as far as reasonably practicable, based on various levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning, to reduce employees' risk of heat stroke.

     Employees must also follow instructions to rest on time. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest in a cool and shady place, drink water, and inform employers/supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.

     The LD issued the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work", detailing the various risk factors that should be considered when conducting heat stress risk assessments and recommending corresponding control measures for identified risk factors for employers' and employees' reference. For the Heat Stress at Work Warning and related guidelines, please refer to the department's thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm.]]><![CDATA[LCQ18: Arrangements for filling vacancies in Legislative Council]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000261.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000261.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 11:05:00 +0800
Question:

There are views pointing out that a seat of the current-term Legislative Council (LegCo) has been left vacant for over 18 months, which has inevitably affected this Council's work in monitoring the Government's policy implementation and expressing social aspirations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of seats left vacant in the course of the term of LegCo since the first LegCo and the period for which each of the seats was left vacant;

(2) of the number of LegCo by-elections held by the Government since the first LegCo, and the number of seats involved and the expenditures incurred in each by-election; the considerations or criteria based on which the Government decided to hold such by‍-‍elections; and

(3) given that in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2024-2025, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs has indicated that the Government will maintain close communication with the Electoral Affairs Commission and will consider matters related to the by‍-‍election of the current-term LegCo based on the actual situation, of the latest progress of the relevant work and the considerations or criteria for deciding whether or not to hold the by-election?

Reply:

President,

Our reply to Dr the Hon Tik's question is as follows:

(1) Since the establishment of the first term of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the first term of LegCo), a total of 51 seats have been left vacant during the term of office. In view that by-elections must be arranged in accordance with the law and the actual situation, by-elections for filling previous vacancies were not necessarily conducted within a short period of time. Statistics show that 58 per cent (30 seats) of the aforesaid 51 vacancies were left vacant for over 1 year.

(2) and (3) The Government has held a total of 10 LegCo by-elections involving 20 seats since the first term of LegCo. The expenditure of by-election is affected by multiple factors, including the number of seats involved, the constituency concerned, the number of electors, the number of polling stations, the booking situation of venues, and the required manpower, etc. Therefore, the total expenditure of different by-elections varies. We will continue the principle of enhancing the efficiency and managing our finances prudently, so as to enable future public elections to be conducted successfully while achieving cost effectiveness.

Regarding the current vacancy of the LegCo, the Government will continue to maintain close communication with the Electoral Affairs Commission, and will consider the relevant arrangements as appropriate and as practicable based on the actual situation.]]><![CDATA[SEE to attend Forum on Global Action for Shared Development in Beijing]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000260.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024071000260.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 10:52:00 +0800
     During his stay in Beijing, Mr Tse will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the National Energy Administration to continue strengthening co-operation and exchanges. He will also visit the Earth System Science Numerical Simulator Facility of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to learn about the latest developments of the country in areas such as combating climate change and atmospheric environment management.

     The Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Miss Janice Tse, the Commissioner for Climate Change, Mr Wong Chuen-fai, and officers from the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department and the Hong Kong Observatory will also join the visit.

     Mr Tse will return to Hong Kong in the evening on July 13. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, will be the Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology.]]><![CDATA[SB launches online exhibition of fourth anniversary of promulgation of Hong Kong National Security Law (with photos)]]>https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024070900601.htmhttps://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/10/P2024070900601.htmWed, 10 Jul 2024 10:08:32 +0800
In addition to the content related to the NSL in the updated exhibition, a new virtual exhibition hall has been added to introduce the features and main offences of the SNSO. Supplemented with simple and easy-to-understand questions and answers, information in the hall will enable members of the public to understand more fully the legal system and enforcement mechanisms of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in safeguarding national security.

The updated exhibition continues to use the Hong Kong Palace Museum embellished with Chinese cultural elements as its virtual background, with the Security Bureau's mascot Security Bear joining to accompany visitors during the tour to enhance their enjoyment. In addition, the virtual exhibition has launched for the first time serialised national security-themed comics and animations, illustrating the importance of safeguarding national security and law-abiding awareness in an easy-to-understand manner. Visitors, especially youth, can also gain more relevant knowledge through mini-games featuring the Security Bear.

There are nine zones in the updated virtual exhibition. Apart from the new content mentioned above, the exhibition covers information on the importance of the NSL, the legal system and enforcement mechanisms, major provisions and effectiveness, the work of various disciplined forces in safeguarding national security, reference materials and the winning entries of the Let's Join Hands in Safeguarding National Security Programme.

To enhance the understanding of members of the public regarding the legislative background, importance and significance of the NSL, the SB launched the NSL online virtual exhibition in July 2021, which has registered more than 580 000 visits thus far. The public is welcome to visit nslexhibition.hk.

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