The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) and the Warsaw-based Centre for International Relations (CIR) hosted an expert briefing on study opportunities in Hong Kong at the University of Warsaw on March 6 (Warsaw time). Close to 80 Polish students, mostly from the university in the fields of international relations and foreign languages and cultures, as well as technical and scientific studies, participated to learn more about Asia’s world city.
The Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Bill Li, gave a presentation on the unique advantages of studying at Hong Kong’s numerous excellent universities and the valuable living and working experience offered to students from around the world. "Hong Kong is not only Asia's business capital and the gateway for Polish businesses to China but also a great place to study. Hong Kong's post-secondary education institutions offer a variety of high-quality programmes, which are internationally recognised," Mr Li said.
He also introduced Hong Kong's scholarship opportunities and other benefits such as the Talent List of Hong Kong and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme that facilitate immigration to Hong Kong for young talents. Mr Li also highlighted the outstanding research opportunities in Hong Kong. In the 2019-20 Budget, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced plans to inject HK$20 billion to the Research Endowment Fund and to allocate HK$16 billion for research and development facilities refurbishment in universities. In this regard, Mr Li pointed to Hong Kong's role as the region's innovation and technology centre and emphasised the value of academic freedom in the city.
The subsequent panel discussion was moderated by the President of the CIR, Dr Małgorzata Bonikowska. Mr Li was joined on the stage by the Deputy Director of the Research and International Co-operation Department at the University of Warsaw, Dr Kamil Zajączkowski, and former student in Hong Kong Mr Stephen Lam, who discussed his personal experience and gave practical advice to the local audience on studying in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's high-quality programmes are taught in English, and the universities adopt international standards in curriculum design as well as quality assurance. Of the 21 local degree-awarding higher education institutions, three are ranked in the world's top 50 and three in Asia's top 10 by the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2019. Hong Kong universities also offer some of the world's best business administration and management programmes.
To attract outstanding non-local students to study in Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government offers several scholarship opportunities. Among them, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Scholarship Fund offers HK$80,000 per year for each scholarship awardee, and the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme provides an annual stipend of HK$240,000 and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$10,000 per year to each awardee for a period of up to three years.
Hong Kong is an innovative and open city, offering a high quality of life with its vibrant cultural scene and diverse natural attractions, including beaches, mountains and country parks. For more details about studying and living in Hong Kong, visit studyinhongkong.edu.hk.
About HKETO Berlin
HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Poland as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) has hosted Spring Dinners in Malaysian cities, namely Kuala Lumpur on March 5, Melaka on March 6 and Penang tonight (March 7).
Speaking at the events, the Director-General of HKETO Jakarta, Mr Law Kin-wai, said that Hong Kong has continued to enhance its strengths and competitiveness. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development and the newly announced Budget initiatives, there is huge potential for Malaysia and Hong Kong to build closer bilateral relations, particularly on trade, investment and professional services, Mr Law said. The Free Trade Agreement and the related Investment Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will create a more conducive environment for the development of the regional economy, he added.
In Kuala Lumpur, around 540 guests from the business circles and the local community joined the Spring Dinner. Distinguished guests included the Representative from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Malaysia, Ms Qian Jun Jun; the President of the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association, Mr Dixon Chew; and the Regional Director of Southeast Asia and South Asia of the HKTDC, Mr Peter Wong. The Spring Dinners in Melaka and Penang were attended by over 130 and 200 guests each.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
In response to media enquiries on the size of flats to be sold under the Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) 2019, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) stressed today (March 7) that the concept of the GSH is to change the use of suitable public rental housing (PRH) projects from rental flats to sale flats under the GSH, and therefore the designs and sizes of GSH flats are the same as those of the standard PRH flats.
In terms of "internal floor area", PRH flats at present provide four standard designs: one to two persons flat (about 14 square metres), two to three persons flat (about 21 sq m), three to four persons flat (about 31 sq m) and four to five persons flat (about 35 sq m). The HA has been adopting this standard design for all PRH flats since 2006.
"For those flats to be sold under the GSH 2019, the 'internal floor area' of the smallest flats is about 14.1 sq m. This is the same as PRH flats for one to two persons," the spokesman said.
Measurement of the "internal floor area" is different from the "saleable area" as defined by the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance. "Saleable area" includes enclosing walls while "internal floor area" does not include enclosing walls.
The HA provides "saleable area" figures when launching its sale schemes. The smallest flat type of King Tai Court at San Po Kong under the GSH pilot project in 2016 measured 14 sq m by "internal floor area", which was 17.8 sq m by "saleable area" as shown on the sales brochure. As for the smallest flat of Lai Tsui Court at Cheung Sha Wan under the GSH 2018, its size was 14.2 sq m by "internal floor area" and the sales brochure showed that it was 17.1 sq m by "saleable area". When the HA launches the GSH 2019 for sale towards the end of this year, the sales brochure will show the "saleable area" for all the 3 696 flats. This has been the established practice for the sale of subsidised housing scheme flats in the past.
The spokesman stressed that the design of GSH projects is the same as the established design of PRH. There are no grounds to suggest that other types of residential flats smaller than the standard PRH flats are introduced specifically for GSH projects.
Referring to the reports on concerns that smaller flats under the GSH 2019 would be less attractive to the Green Form applicants, the spokesman expressed the belief that Green Form applicants will make prudent decisions based on their own situations.
"For the sale of King Tai Court in 2016, 125 smallest flats were sold out in the first round of purchase. If some of the flats under the GSH 2019 are not sold in the first round, the HA, in accordance with its established practice, may put up the remaining flats for sale under subsequent Home Ownership Scheme or GSH sale exercises," the spokesman said.
The spokesman added that the HA will continue to adopt an incremental approach by taking account of operational experience and sales responses and consider the suitability of PRH projects for conversion to GSH projects each year.
The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, continued her visit to Bangkok, Thailand, today (March 7) to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services, and update key players from the business sector on Hong Kong's latest developments.
Ms Cheng met with President of the Supreme Court of Thailand, Mr Cheep Jullamon, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Thailand Mr Prajin Juntong respectively in the morning. During the meetings, she introduced Hong Kong's legal system, and strengths in providing international legal and dispute resolution services under the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as capacity building on legal services. They also exchanged views and explored collaboration opportunities between Hong Kong and Thailand.
Ms Cheng attended a gathering with representatives from the business sector in the afternoon at which she briefed them on Hong Kong's latest developments as well as legal and dispute resolution services.
On arrival in Bangkok yesterday (March 6), Ms Cheng attended a dinner hosted by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr Lyu Jian.
Ms Cheng concluded her visit to Bangkok this afternoon and will return to Hong Kong in the evening.
