Yan Chai Hospital has been issued a Public Subscription Permit to hold a territory-wide flag sale from 7am to 12.30pm today (July 21), a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said. 
 
     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the Charitable Fund-raising Control Team at 2832 4311 during office hours. Information on the flag days of the month is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap). For enquiries about the detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.
 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).
 
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The 7th Hong Kong Thematic Film Festival, entitled "Music in Hong Kong Cinema" and jointly presented by the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing (the Beijing Office) and Broadway Cinematheque, was launched tonight (July 20) at Broadway Cinematheque MOMA, Beijing. 

     This year's film festival is themed around film scores and includes a selection of impressive work covering genres such as wuxia, musicals and Chinese opera, and will travel to 15 cities across the Mainland. The guest curator of the film festival is Lowell Lo, a famous Hong Kong musician. After tonight's screening of the opening film he shared some of his creative ideas on making film music with the audience.
 
     To mark the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up this year, a seminar will be specially held during the festival period with veteran Hong Kong and Mainland experts and academics invited to review the history and environmental changes in the co-production of films between the two places, and to explore strategies and opportunities on film co-production in the future.
 
     Tonight's opening ceremony was officiated by the Director of the Beijing Office, Ms Gracie Foo; Executive Director of Edko Films Limited, Ms Tessa Lau; Director of Broadway Cinematheque, Mr Gary Mak; Mr Lo; well-known lyricist Susan Tang; guest speakers for the seminar including renowned Hong Kong cinematographer and film director Peter Pau; prominent local film critic Reeve Wong as well as veteran film producers Shan Tam and Eric Lin.
 
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of the Beijing Office, Ms Gracie Foo, said that the film festival was held annually in different Mainland cities with the aim of promoting contemporary Hong Kong film culture and to foster closer exchange between the Hong Kong and Mainland film industry.
 
     She also noted that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up, and the filmmaking industry had been booming over the past years. After the signing of CEPA (Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement) in 2003, there was an upsurge of co-production films in the two places. Through the seminar, Hong Kong and the Mainland could explore strategies and opportunities on film co-production to boost closer co-operation, she said.
 
     The opening of the film festival was marked by the screening of a film trailer of 17 films, namely the opening film "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two-Cinderella" as well as "Passion", "The Legend of the Owl", "Hong Kong Nocturne", "Perhaps Love", "Swordsmen", "Lost in Time", "The Mad Phoenix", "Banana Cop", "Twelve Nights", "Once Upon a Time in China II", "A Chinese Ghost Story", "The Phantom Lover", "Stage Door", "Peking Opera Blues", "The Wild, Wild Rose" and "Cold War". The films will be screened from July 20 to 29 at Broadway Cinematheque MOMA and Broadway Cinema (Oriental Plaza store), Beijing.

     After the Beijing leg, the film festival will travel to Jinan, Shenyang, Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Changsha and Ningbo, lasting until the end of this year.

    

     The Transport Department (TD) tonight (July 20) met the Park Island Owners' Committee (PIOC) and the Park Island Transport Company Limited (PITCL) to discuss the PITCL's application for frequency reduction of the Ma Wan – Central ferry service during off-peak hours, as well as suggestions of fare increase, service adjustment of the residents' service (RS) and more.
 
     The TD at the meeting informed the PIOC that after thoroughly considering a number of factors including the patronage and passenger demand of the ferry route concerned during the off-peak hours, the possible impact on passengers to be brought about by the adjustment and the justifications for the application, the TD has rejected the PITCL's application for frequency reduction of the Central – Ma Wan ferry service.
 
     The TD reiterated that in accordance with the Heads of Agreement signed between the Government and the developer of the Ma Wan northeastern comprehensive development area, the developer has an obligation to provide proper ferry and bus services to and from Ma Wan. Ferry services in Ma Wan are regulated under the Ferry Services Ordinance (Cap. 104). Under the conditions of the licence of the Central – Ma Wan route, the PITCL is required to operate the ferry service in accordance with the Schedule of Service. The PITCL has to seek approval from the TD before making any adjustment to the ferry service. Furthermore, the RS serving Ma Wan is a kind of non-franchised bus service regulated by the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) and its subsidiary legislation. RS is generally arranged jointly by resident representatives and operators on their own. If the PITCL intends to make any service or fare adjustment, it has to obtain prior support from the PIOC. The TD urged the PITCL to continue to communicate with the PIOC to review the frequency and fare of the RS in a pragmatic approach.
 
     The TD will continue to closely monitor the situation and maintain liaison with the local community. In processing any application for adjustment of service, residents' needs will be the TD's prime concern.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Shenzhen today (July 17). She met with leaders of the Shenzhen Municipal Government to promote the co-operation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and visited innovation and technology enterprises and institutions. The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, joined the visit.
 
     In the morning, Mrs Lam and the other officials visited Ping An Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd and were briefed by the management on the company's application of technology in its insurance, healthcare and city management businesses. Mrs Lam learned that the company is pursuing smart healthcare through solutions to strengthen primary healthcare services and disease prevention, as well as improve patient experience and healthcare institutions' management and efficiency, so as to enhance overall public health. The company hopes that the services will be leveraged across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then separately met with the Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Wang Weizhong, and the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Chen Rugui, and attended a lunch hosted by the latter. At the meeting, Mrs Lam congratulated the city for its sustained and rapid economic growth and said she looks forward to further collaboration between the two cities. Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening up, Mrs Lam said she is planning to lead a delegation to Shenzhen later this year to look back on the road that the two places have travelled together in the course of the reform and opening up and to witness the achievements of Shenzhen. Mrs Lam thanked the Shenzhen Municipal Government for its support in ensuring the smooth progress of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop area. On the upcoming commissioning of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, given the tremendous contribution of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal Government to the project, Mrs Lam invited the officials to visit Hong Kong to participate in the opening ceremony.
 
     After the lunch, Mrs Lam and the other officials went to Longgang District to learn about the development plan of the Shimao Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center project and visit the Software Town of Shenzhen Universiade. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center project, commenced in March this year and expected to be completed in five years, will include a Shenzhen-Hong Kong youth entrepreneurial and start-up centre, an innovation and technology experience centre, and facilities for international conventions and performing arts. The Software Town of Shenzhen Universiade is a science and technology innovation industrial park in Longgang District. The software town gathers talents and provides support for small and medium-sized technology enterprises, and a Shenzhen-Hong Kong youth innovation entrepreneurship base was set up there in June last year to serve young entrepreneurs of the two places. Mrs Lam exchanged views with young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong at the base to learn about their start-up processes and experiences.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, which is also located in the software town. The institute was established in 2016 with the support of the local government and the team has now grown to nearly 100. It attaches importance to both scientific research and industrial services, with medical services, electricity and logistics as the key directions for commercialisation, and the results have broad application prospects.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

                

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 20) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places of visit. The case is detailed below: 
 

 
     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)," a spokesman for the CHP said.    

     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.