International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (March 29) the analytical data on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's foreign currency reserves and foreign currency liquidity as at the end of February 2019 (Annex).  These data are published monthly in the Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard.
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month.  Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS).  The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency.  For the month of March 2019, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

March 7
(Issued)
SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
 
March 14
(Issued)
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
 
March 29 SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
 
March 29 Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
 

 




Communications Authority press release

The following is issued on behalf of the Communication Authority:
     
     This press release summarises the decisions of the Communications Authority (CA) following its 84th meeting held in March 2019:

Broadcast Complaints
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     The CA considered two complaint cases in respect of broadcasters' non-compliance with the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards (TV Programme Code), the Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards (TV Advertising Code) and the relevant licence conditions:
          
(a) A complaint against the television programme "News Report" broadcast on the TVB News Channel of Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) on September 16, 2018. The CA decided that TVB should be advised to observe more closely the relevant provisions in the TV Programme Code and the TV Advertising Code; and
          
(b) Complaints against eight television programmes broadcast from November 2017 to January 2018 on the Wesal Urdu Channel provided by Globecast Hong Kong Limited (Globecast) under its non-domestic television programme service licence. The CA decided that a warning should be given to Globecast.
     
     Details of the above cases are in the Appendix (www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/en/content_713/appx_20190329_en.pdf).

CA Approves Termination of the Non-domestic Television Programme Service Licence of Globecast Hong Kong Limited
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     The CA approved the application of Globecast to terminate its non-domestic television programme service licence with effect from May 5, 2019. The CA noted that the termination of the licence was a commercial decision of the licensee.

     Globecast provides 14 satellite television channels under its licence, targeting audiences in the Asia-Pacific region. With the exception of one encrypted channel, all other channels are receivable in Hong Kong. 

     Following the termination of Globecast's licence, there will be 13 non-domestic television programme service licensees in Hong Kong providing over 220 satellite television channels, targeting viewers mainly in the Asia-Pacific region.




Approved Fanling/Sheung Shui Outline Zoning Plan amended

     The Town Planning Board today (March 29) announced amendments to the approved Fanling/Sheung Shui Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     The amendments mainly involve the rezoning of a site at Sheung Shui Area 30 from "Industrial" ("I") to "Residential (Group A)4" ("R(A)4") for public housing development; a site at Sheung Shui Area 4 from "I" and "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Bus Depot" to "R(A)4" for public housing development; a site to the east of Po Shek Wu Road, Sheung Shui Area 4 from "Open Space" to "Residential (Group A)5" for public housing development; a site at Jockey Club Road, Fanling Area 11 from "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") to "R(A)4" for subsidised housing development; a site at Wu Tip Shan, Fanling Area 40 from "G/IC" to "Residential (Group A)6" to reflect an approved rezoning proposal; and other amendments to reflect the as-built alignments of Choi Yuen Road and San Wan Road. Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information of various land use zonings, where appropriate.

     The draft Fanling/Sheung Shui OZP No. S/FSS/23, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during office hours at the following locations:

(i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board;
(ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin;
(iii) the Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long East District Planning Office;
(iv) the North District Office;
(v) the Fanling District Rural Committee; and
(vi) the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee.

     Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before May 29. Any person who intends to make representation is advised to read the revised Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on "Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance" (TPB PG-No.29B) promulgated in November 2018 and taking effect in 2019. Submission of representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. The Guidelines and the submission form are available at locations (i) and (ii) above and the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     Copies of the draft Fanling/Sheung Shui OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).




Appointment of Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     The Judiciary today (March 29) announced the appointment of the Honourable Madam Justice Susan Kwan Shuk-hing, Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court, as Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court with effect from April 1, 2019.
      
     The biographical note of the Honourable Madam Justice Kwan is as follows:
      
     The Honourable Madam Justice Kwan was born in 1954 in Macao. After obtaining LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1977 and 1978 respectively, she was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1979. She was in private practice between 1980 and 1999. She was appointed as a Deputy Registrar of the High Court in 1999 and as a Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2001. She was appointed as a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court in 2009.




CS to lead HKSAR Government delegation to attend Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting in Shenzhen

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will lead a delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to Shenzhen in the afternoon on April 2. He will co-chair the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting with the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Chen Rugui.

     At the meeting, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will discuss the strengthening of mutual co-operation in various areas and sign co-operation agreements.

     Members of the HKSAR Government delegation will include the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan; Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Andy Chan; and Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Dr Raymond So Wai-man.

     The delegation will return to Hong Kong in the evening on the same day.