The Government today (October 31) announced the appointment of a new member, Ms Crystal Campbell, head of an international cruise company in Hong Kong, to the Advisory Committee on Cruise Industry (ACCI) with effect from November 1, 2018, to January 27, 2020.

     The membership of the ACCI with effect from November 1, 2018, is as follows:

Chairman
———-
Commissioner for Tourism

Members
———
Ms Crystal Campbell
Mr Chan Kam-foo
Mrs Nancy Chung Yiu Choi-yuk
Mr Anthony Lau Chun-hon
Mr Samuel Lau Wing-kee
Ms Eunice Lee Sau-yan
Ms Astor Ng Ching-han
Mr Ng Hi-on
Mr Blondel So King-tak
Mr Hazen Tang Tim-wan
Mr James Wong Cheuk-on
Mr Jason Wong Chun-tat
Mr Balwin Yeung Pok-hung

     The ACCI was established in January 2008 to advise the Government on measures to enhance the development of Hong Kong as a regional cruise hub. 

     "We will continue to work in close collaboration with the ACCI and other key stakeholders in the cruise trade and travel industry to promote cruise tourism in Hong Kong, leveraging on the opportunities presented by the new cross-boundary transport infrastructure, and strengthen Hong Kong's position as a leading cruise hub in the region," a spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said.

     Following is a reminder of the press releases on statistical data to be issued between November 2018 and January 2019. The schedules for issuing press releases on statistical data in 2018 and 2019 were provided to the media in September 2017 and September 2018 respectively. No change has been made to the original schedules.     
 
November 2018
============

Date                Press Release
—–                —————-

1                      Retail sales statistics for September 2018
 
5                      Restaurant receipts and purchases statistics for third quarter 2018
 
15                    Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for September 2018
 
16                    Gross Domestic Product for third quarter 2018 : data contained in the press
　　　　　　　　 release entitled "Economic Situation in the Third Quarter of 2018 and Latest GDP and
                        Price Forecasts for 2018" issued by the Office of the Government Economist under
                        the Financial Secretary's Office (Note)
 
16                    Unemployment and underemployment statistics for August – October 2018
 
20                    Consumer Price Index for October 2018
 
26                    External merchandise trade statistics for October 2018
 
30                    Retail sales statistics for October 2018
 
December 2018
==========

Date                Press Release
—–                —————-

6                      Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for third quarter 2018
 
10                    Quarterly business receipts indices for service industries for third quarter 2018
 
11                    Construction output statistics for third quarter 2018
 
11                    Statistics on trade involving outward processing in the mainland of China for
                        third quarter 2018
 
14                    Index of industrial production and producer price index for the industrial sector
                        for third quarter 2018
 
17                    Gross National Income and external primary income flows for third quarter 2018
 
18                    Unemployment and underemployment statistics for September – November 2018
 
18                    Employment and vacancies statistics for September 2018
 
20                    Consumer Price Index for November 2018
 
20                    Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for October 2018
 
20                    Chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product by economic activity for
                        third quarter 2018
 
21                    Balance of Payments and International Investment Position statistics for third
                        quarter 2018
 
27                    External merchandise trade statistics for November 2018
 
28                    Wage and payroll statistics for September 2018
 
January 2019
========

Date                Press Release
—–                —————-

3                      Retail sales statistics for November 2018
 
17                    Unemployment and underemployment statistics for Oct – Dec 2018
 
17                    Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for November 2018
 
18                    Business expectations for first quarter 2019
 
22                    Consumer Price Index for December 2018
 
28                    External merchandise trade statistics for December 2018
 
30                    Retail sales statistics for December 2018
 
Note: The Office of the Government Economist under the Financial Secretary's Office will issue a press release on the "Third Quarter Economic Report 2018" and final update of the GDP and price forecasts for 2018 as a whole. The GDP for the third quarter of 2018 will also be released there. No separate press release on the GDP for the third quarter of 2018 will be issued by the Census and Statistics Department on that day.
 
     The schedule for regular press releases in the other months of 2019 can be downloaded from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/press_release/index.jsp).

     The People's Bank of China announced today (October 31) that it will issue Renminbi (RMB) bills totalling RMB20 billion in Hong Kong next week, of which RMB10 billion will be issued in a three-month tenor and the remaining RMB10 billion in a one-year tenor.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region welcomes the issuance of RMB bills in Hong Kong by the People's Bank of China. This reinforces Hong Kong's status as the global offshore RMB business hub, promotes the internationalisation of the RMB, and is conducive to the development of the debt market in Hong Kong. Currently, payment of profits tax is exempted in respect of interest income or trading profits derived from the sovereign bonds issued in Hong Kong by the Central People's Government. We will study to extend the scope of exemption to cover the debt instruments issued in Hong Kong by the People's Bank of China."

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

     The People's Bank of China (PBOC) will issue Renminbi Bills through the Central Moneymarkets Unit of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Please find attached the tender notice and the tender information memorandum of the Renminbi Bills to be issued by the PBOC. Please also find attached the tender-related information provided by the Issuing and Lodging Agent through the HKMA.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 31) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.