The "90 Years of Public Service Broadcasting in Hong Kong" exhibition will be open to the public from tomorrow (November 7) at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. The exhibition showcases special moments in the history of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and the broadcasting industry in Hong Kong over the past 90 years.
 
     To celebrate the milestone of the 90th anniversary of public service broadcasting in Hong Kong in 2018, the "90 Years of Public Service Broadcasting in Hong Kong" exhibition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and RTHK and jointly organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and RTHK. Through the presentation of a recording studio, classic scenes from programmes including "Below the Lion Rock" and "City Forum" and displays of RTHK's invaluable photos and audio-visual archival materials, the exhibition showcases the development of Hong Kong's broadcasting industry with RTHK as the focus and lets visitors revisit glorious moments of the industry's history through sound and image.
 
     An opening ceremony for the exhibition was held today (November 6). Officiating guests included the Acting Chief Executive, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC; the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries), Mr Clement Leung; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li; the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Leung Ka-wing; representative of the performing arts sector Alan Tam; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Ms Fione Lo.
 
     Radio and television broadcasting is closely related to the daily lives of Hong Kong people. The broadcasting industry provides news and entertainment, bears testimony to social events, and promotes history, culture and art. It has developed alongside society and has captured collective memories along the way.
 
     In June 1928, the then Hong Kong Government took over a non-governmental radio broadcasting body, the Hong Kong Radio Society, to commence its broadcasting services. With "GOW" as its call sign, the broadcaster marked the founding of what is known today as RTHK. Since then, RTHK has become the sole public service broadcaster in Hong Kong. As the years passed, technological advances facilitated RTHK's innovation and evolution of programmes. In addition to its long-established radio service, RTHK later launched its TV service followed by the development of its website and mobile apps. News, information and entertainment are provided on various platforms to suit the public's changing lifestyle. 
 
     The exhibition will run until February 25 next year. For details of the exhibition, please visit www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk/en_US/web/hm/exhibitions/data/exid253.html, or call 2180 8188 for enquiries.
 
     The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is located at 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin.

            

     Works contractors of Kwong Yuen Shopping Centre and Kwong Yuen Market under Link, Hop Cheong Ying Kee Limited and Ying Fung Company illegally used powered mechanical equipment to conduct renovation works on holidays. Hop Cheong Ying Kee Limited and a worker of Ying Fung Company were convicted by Fanling Magistrates' Courts on October 23 and today (November 6) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO). They were fined a total of $24,000.
           
     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that the department received complaints from members of the public in April this year about the noise nuisance generated by the renovation works at Kwong Yuen Shopping Centre and Kwong Yuen Market on holidays. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the works contractors concerned carried out renovation works on holidays with the use of a concrete corer and a hand-held breaker. In addition, the contractors did not obtain any construction noise permit (CNP) prior to the commencement of works. After investigation and evidence gathering, the EPD initiated prosecution against Hop Cheong Ying Kee Limited and a worker of Ying Fung Company in accordance with the NCO.
      
     The EPD spokesman explained that the NCO aims to protect the public from disturbance of rest. Members of the construction industry should carry out works during the daytime and non-general holidays as far as possible to minimise noise disturbance to the nearby residents. If any works procedures have to be conducted during the restricted hours (between 7pm and 7am on the following day, or at any time on a general holiday), a permit must be obtained from the EPD in advance. The construction works shall commence only when the CNP has been granted upon completion of assessment to support its compliance with regulatory requirements. The construction works granted with the permit must also strictly comply with the relevant requirements of the CNP, only specified powered mechanical equipment can be used for the construction works and noise mitigation measures should be implemented, including the erection of fences and noise barriers at the sites. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence. Under the NCO, first-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. A maximum fine of $200,000 may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions.
      
     Regarding the irregularities of the works contractors, the EPD also reminded Link Properties Limited, as the management company of Kwong Yuen Shopping Centre and the property owner of Kwong Yuen Market, that the company should strengthen its supervision of works carried out by its works contractors during restricted hours. The works must be conducted in accordance with statutory requirements and must not cause disturbance to nearby residents.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today statistics of the Faster Payment System (FPS) for end-October 2018.
 
     Since the launch of the FPS on September 17, the FPS has recorded a total of 1.59 million registrations (Note) comprising:

• 1.115 million records of mobile numbers;
• 253 000 records of email addresses; and
• 223 000 records of FPS Identifiers.

     In the first month of operations (from October 1 to 31) (see Annex), the FPS has processed a total of 1.58 million transactions, including 1.56 million transactions denominated in Hong Kong dollar which amount to HK$33.3 billion. Out of the Hong Kong dollar transactions, 828 000 transactions (HK$2.4 billion in value) were transfers made by personal customers through an account proxy (including mobile number, email address and FPS ID). Another 608 000 transactions (HK$17.9 billion in value) were transfers using account numbers, including mainly transfers to registered payee account set up previously at internet or mobile banking which were now effected through the FPS.
 
     The monthly statistics on the FPS will be released through the Monthly Statistical Bulletin of the HKMA and the FPS website (fps.hkicl.com.hk/eng/fps/about_fps/statistics.php) in the future.

Note: A user may have more than one registration with the FPS, as he/she may register the use of more than one account proxy, and more than one account when using mobile number or email address as the account proxy.

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) held a roundtable in Shanghai today (November 6) and will hold another in Wuhan tomorrow (November 7) to update local business leaders about the opportunities Hong Kong has to offer, as part of the department’s ongoing drive to attract more Shanghai and Wuhan enterprises to leverage Hong Kong as the platform to "go global".
          
     The seminar at Shanghai Hongqiao Central Business District was entitled "Hong Kong and Shanghai cooperation: Seizing the advantages of Hong Kong's platform" and held in collaboration with the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization. It was also co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Shanghai Software Industry Association, with a particular focus on Hong Kong's newly enacted tax initiatives for corporate treasury centres as well as various government support measures to attract technology companies to set up in Hong Kong.
     
     The seminar in Wuhan, "Belt and Road, Together We Grow", is being co-organised with the Department of Commerce of Hubei Province and will offer the latest information about Hong Kong’s opportunities in terms of the Belt and Road Initiative, as part of the department's drive to step up strategic promotion in Hubei Province.
     
     Addressing the audience in Shanghai, the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, said that the "one country, two systems" arrangement ensures that Hong Kong retains a series of enduring advantages, including a vibrant business environment, a robust legal system, world-class intellectual property protection and deep, world-class financial and professional services.
     
     He added that Hong Kong also appeals to Mainland and foreign companies with a range of new initiatives such as the recently introduced two-tiered profits tax rates regime, plus innovation and technology policy and support measures including a super tax deduction of up to 300 per cent for research and development expenditure and a new listing regime allowing pre-revenue biotechnology companies and innovative companies with weighted voting rights structures to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
     
     In terms of the business opportunities Hong Kong has to offer amid the Belt and Road Initiative, he said, "You can leverage Hong Kong's world-class financial and professional services to structure and finance projects and mergers and acquisitions deals, and access the very best accounting and tax, legal, construction engineering design, management and project planning, and much more. And, of course, tap into Hong Kong's deep debt and equity capital markets. All underpinned by Hong Kong's common law system, which also makes Hong Kong a very suitable location for dispute resolution too."
     
     Mr Phillips said, "I would strongly urge you to capture these exciting opportunities and make use of Hong Kong to realise your international ambitions."
     
     He added, "InvestHK will continue to strengthen collaboration with the relevant authorities in Shanghai and actively perform our role as a facilitator and promoter, so as to identify more business and development opportunities for people and enterprises in both Hong Kong and Shanghai."
     
About InvestHK
     
     InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies enrolled as its clients. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
     
     For an event photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157699843345252.
 

  

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, in Shanghai today (November 6) attended the launch ceremony of the Shanghai Hong Kong University Alliance (SHUA) at Fudan University and joined an exchange session with students. She also visited the Shanghai Symphony Hall and met with Hong Kong people living in Shanghai.

     In the morning, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended the launch ceremony of the SHUA at Fudan University and witnessed the establishment of the alliance by 16 higher education institutions from Shanghai and Hong Kong. Speaking at the ceremony, she said that exchanges between the higher education institutions in Shanghai and Hong Kong have continued to be enhanced in recent years and the areas of co-operation have become increasingly diversified, with more than 30 per cent of the Hong Kong students who joined exchange programmes in the Mainland last year choosing Shanghai as the destination. She said that the SHUA will effectively intensify co-operation among the universities from both sides in areas such as teaching, research, transformation of technological achievements and student exchanges, providing high-quality education and technology support in both places as well as contributing to innovation in higher education and the country.
 
     Later, Mrs Lam attended an exchange session with students from the two places. In her speech, she introduced to the students the vision and actions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, including making good use of Hong Kong's advantages under "one country, two systems" and the city's traditional strengths to boost its external relations, consolidate the traditional industries, develop the emerging industries and enhance the people's quality of life.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited the Shanghai Symphony Hall and watched a rehearsal. The hall, which came into operation in 2014, was built with unique technology to overcome the noise and vibration caused by nearby railways and is equipped with advanced design and facilities. She said that Hong Kong will hold Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai next year with the participation of a number of major Hong Kong performing arts groups. The series of exciting activities in the inaugural Festival Hong Kong will commence with a performance by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra at the Shanghai Symphony Hall.
 
     Next, Mrs Lam and the other officials met with more than 50 representatives of Hong Kong organisations and students living in Shanghai. She updated them on the latest developments in Hong Kong and learned about their everyday lives, work and study.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials concluded the trip today and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.