The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 20) that in view of notifications from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Lubartowski District of Lubelskie Region in Poland, and outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5 and H5N1 avian influenza in the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands and Cornwall District of Cornwall County in the United Kingdom (UK) respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 3 480 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, about 1 910 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from the Netherlands, and about 900 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 990 000 poultry eggs from the UK in the first nine months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish, Dutch and British authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) carried out a repatriation operation today (November 20). A total of 26 Vietnamese illegal immigrants were repatriated to Vietnam. The persons removed comprised 16 men and 10 women, all of whom were unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants. Among them were discharged prisoners who had committed criminal offences and had been sentenced to imprisonment.
      
     The ImmD has been committed to promptly removing unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong to maintain effective immigration control and safeguard the public interest. Under the updated removal policy effective from December 7, 2022, the ImmD may generally proceed with the removal of a claimant whose judicial review case has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance of the High Court, thereby enhancing the efficiency of and efforts in removing unsubstantiated claimants. 

     The ImmD will remain committed to expediting the removal process to repatriate illegal immigrants and overstayers from Hong Kong as soon as practicable according to the actual situation through appropriate measures as necessary.

    

     The 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Road Cycling Race and the 15th National Games road cycling test event will be held on November 24. A press conference hosted by the Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, was held jointly with representatives of relevant government departments and the Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China today (November 20) to announce details of the test event and the relevant arrangements, including temporary traffic control measures, clearance arrangements at the boundary control point (BCP), and emergency response and rescue arrangements.
 
     A men's individual road cycling race will be arranged for the test event and is scheduled to start at 9am on November 24, and is expected to conclude at 2.30pm. The event will feature 23 teams from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, with a total of 71 athletes competing. The race spans across Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao, covering a total distance of 230 kilometres, which comprises a 160.7km section in Zhuhai, a 55.8km section in Hong Kong and a 13.5km section in Macao. Setting off from the Zhuhai Museum, the race will pass through Macao, then enter Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), travel along the North Lantau Highway, pass through the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and turn back to the North Lantau Highway and the HZMB, enter Hengqin before racing to finish at the Zhuhai Museum. It is estimated that the race convoy will spend about one and a half hours in the Hong Kong section of the race.
 
     A public viewing zone will be set up on the footpath of Fantasy Road located outside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which can accommodate a few hundreds of spectators. Implementation of crowd management measures will be made by the Police depending on conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to take heed of instructions of the Police and the staff on site. As temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the race route at the North Lantau Highway, members of the public should take the MTR to the Disneyland Resort station as far as possible to reach the viewing zone. In addition, Zhuhai is arranging for live webcast of the event, and Hong Kong also plans to arrange for live webcast by Radio Television Hong Kong.
 
     To facilitate the holding of the race, temporarily control measures will be implemented on the HZMB Hong Kong Port, the HZMB and some roads on that day. Relevant arrangements are set out below:
 
(1) Temporary control measures for HZMB and suspension of departure clearance services at the BCP 

     On the event day, temporary control measures will be implemented on the HZMB eastbound from Zhuhai/Macao towards Hong Kong from 9am to 12.30pm, and on the HZMB westbound from Hong Kong towards Zhuhai/Macao from 7.30am to 12.30pm. During the temporary control period, all vehicles are prohibited from using the HZMB. Special arrangements will be implemented on the departure clearance services. Travellers or vehicles wishing to leave Hong Kong for Zhuhai or Macao before the implementation of the temporary control measures are required to arrive at the Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building or Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port before 6.30am on the event day in order to undergo departure and clearance procedures. The Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building and Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port will be closed at 6.30am.
 
     The departure and clearance services at the HZMB Hong Kong Port will resume after 12.30pm. It is expected that traffic will be busy. Travellers and drivers who plan to use the bridge on that day are advised to plan their trips in advance. Drivers of cross-boundary private cars and goods vehicles should also consider the use of other land BCPs in accordance with the terms and conditions of the vehicle's Closed Road Permit.
 
(2) Transport arrangements
 
     Cross-boundary public transport services travelling on the HZMB between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, including the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus) and cross-boundary coaches services, will be suspended during the implementation of the temporary control on the HZMB Main Bridge and the HZMB Hong Kong Port on that day. In addition, during the temporary control period, public transport services to and from the HZMB Hong Kong Port will implement temporary services adjustment, including airport bus A routes and shuttle bus B routes. The en-route stop at the HZMB Passenger Clearance Building for bus A routes will be suspended during certain periods. The bus companies will issue notices to inform affected passengers.
 
     The Transport Department (TD) will notify affected operators of cross-boundary and local public transport services, while the Marine Department will liaise with cross-boundary ferry operators, to work out manpower and frequency arrangements.
      
     During the temporary control period, travellers should consider the use of land BCPs between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for their travel between Hong Kong and Zhuhai. They should also consider taking cross-boundary ferry services between Hong Kong and Macao.
      
     Booking for the time slot between 6am and noon for Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles has been suspended.
      
     Regarding passenger bus services of SkyPier Terminal Transfer Coach of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), the service from Macao Port to HKIA will be suspended after the 7.30am departure and will resume at 2pm. The first departure from HKIA to Macao Port and Zhuhai Port, and that from Zhuhai Port to HKIA will depart at 2pm.
 
(3) Temporary traffic arrangements 

1. Temporary road traffic control measures

     Temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the North Lantau Highway and roads near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort between 10.20am and 11.50am on the day of the race (exact time will depend on the actual progress of the race).
      
     Temporary traffic control measures will be implemented in the vicinity of the race route on the North Lantau Highway. The travel time to and from the airport via the North Lantau Highway is expected to increase by about 30 minutes. Members of the public who plan to travel to and from the airport should plan their trips in advance and allow sufficient travelling time. They are advised to use railway services, including the Airport Express, the Tung Chung line and the Disneyland Resort line, and avoid driving to the relevant area. Drivers who need to drive to the airport may consider using the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel.
      
     Temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the race route near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort during the race. Travelling time to and from the park, hotels and the Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre via Penny's Bay Highway, Sunny Bay Road, Magic Road and Fantasy Road may be increased by about 30 minutes due to the traffic control measures. Members of the public who plan to travel to the vicinity of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort should consider using railway services as far as possible.
 
     In addition, as this road section connects to the North Lantau Highway, members of the public and travellers who need to travel between the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and HKIA may also be affected by the temporary traffic control measures on the North Lantau Highway, and the travelling time required may be increased.

2. Temporary road closure
 
     Shun Long Road (both bounds) will be closed starting from 6.30am and expected to reopen at about 2pm after the related road section returns to normal. During the above road closure period, the TD will implement traffic diversion such that the original traffic of Shun Long Road (both bounds) will be diverted via Chek Lap Kok Island. The journey time is expected to increase by about 10 minutes. The bus companies will issue notices to inform passengers of the details of service adjustment.

(4) Emergency response and rescue arrangements
 
     The Fire Services Department (FSD) has formulated relevant contingency plans and will deploy fire services and ambulance resources at strategic locations inside and outside the closed-loop race convoy during the race to ensure that the most expeditious and effective measures can be executed to deal with emergencies.
      
     In addition, the medical team of the Hospital Authority will also be on board the FSD ambulances in the convoy to ensure that medical personnel with ambulance equipment can respond quickly to emergencies in the race convoy.
      
     In addition, as the North Lantau Highway is one of the main roads for access to and from the airport and the urban area of Tung Chung, the Police will reserve emergency vehicular lanes for the passage of emergency vehicles to maintain normal operation of emergency services during the race.
 
     A spokesman for the NGCO said that the relevant BCP and transport arrangements are crucial to the preparation for the test event, the smooth running of the race and the safety of athletes and staff members. The spokesperson thanked members of the public and travellers for their understanding of the inconvenience caused, as well as the concerted efforts of various organisations and departments in implementing the relevant arrangements.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
   
     The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, the Permanent Secretary for Housing and Director of Housing, Miss Rosanna Law, and members of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (November 20) visited the HA's new discovery centre, the Housing Hub, on the third floor of Domain Mall in Yau Tong.
 
     The Housing Hub is designed to present the story of Hong Kong's public housing development and the HA's various work and achievements through innovative multimedia elements and interactive experiences.
 
     During the visit, the guests had an immersive experience of life in public housing estates from different eras. The Housing Hub also features multimedia setups, including a projection map showing the HA's efforts to enhance tenants' quality of life through continuous improvements in estate management and maintenance, interactive e-books that provide a glimpse of the HA's latest design and building technologies, as well as an interactive game on fighting tenancy abuse and a photo corner.
 
     Ms Ho invited the public to visit the Housing Hub and make use of the innovative multimedia facilities to learn more about public housing development in Hong Kong. She believed that visitors will find the experience both informative and interesting, which will help them gain a better understanding of the HA's work and vision in serving the community.
 
     The Housing Hub will be open to the public starting from tomorrow (November 21). Admission is free. Group visitors are welcome to make appointments for guided tours. For details, please visit the HA's website (www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/about-us/community-engagement/housing-hub/index.html).

      

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Johnny Ng and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (November 20):
 
Question:
 
     It has been reported that Hong Kong athletes have performed tremendously well in various international sports events in recent years, and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau is committed to promoting the development of sports in Hong Kong through promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, promoting Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism and developing sports as an industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the economic benefits and employment opportunities brought about by major sports events to Hong Kong in the past three years, and whether it has estimated the relevant data for the next three years;
 
(2) whether the authorities will implement measures and step up publicity and education to enhance the professional identity and social status of athletes, thereby encouraging more potential young people to pursue careers as full-time athletes and promoting the development of the sports industry, and enhance the public's sense of national identity through increased participation of Hong Kong athletes in international sports events;
 
(3) whether it will allocate additional resources to encourage universities and tertiary institutions to offer more degree programmes related to sports and conduct more research on sports science, thereby nurturing more professional talents of the sports industry, promoting the industrialisation of sports, and elevating the level of sports development in Hong Kong;
 
(4) whether it will put forward more measures and tax incentives to encourage the business and private sectors to give financial support to sports events, thereby increasing the incentive to promote the development of the sports industry; and

(5) as it is learnt that sports events have been regarded as an industry and the development of sports events have been promoted around the world, whether the Government will evaluate the effectiveness of the current policies to promote sports development and formulate a longer-term sports policy and a development blueprint for the sports industry, including studying whether it is necessary to further increase resources, set clearer development goals and explore the development of new sports with a view to deepening and strengthening the promotion of the development of the local sports industry?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     â€‹It is the Government's policy to promote the development of sports through a five-pronged approach, namely, by promoting sports in the community, supporting elite sports, promoting Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism and developing sports as an industry; which include strengthening the support to elite athletes, attracting major international sports events to Hong Kong and further promoting sports development through enhanced professionalism in the sports sector and the development of sports as an industry.
 
     My reply to the five parts of the question is as follows:
 
(1) According to the statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department in August 2024, the value added from sports and related activities (including major sports events) at basic prices, and the employment in sports and related activities from 2020 to 2022 are tabulated below: 
 

 
     Four component domains are included in the sports and related activities above. They are:
 

1. Operation of sports facilities and sports clubs, including sports education;
2. Manufacturing, import/export, wholesale and retail of sports-related goods;
3. Sports tourism; and
4. Supporting services to sports and other sports activities.

      
     With more major international sports events taking place in Hong Kong, and the opportunities brought by the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park in the first quarter of 2025, we anticipate that the value added from sports and related activities and their employment in the coming three years will increase as compared with the past three years.
 
(2) The Government endeavours to offer all-round support and assistance for elite athletes. In 2024-25, the Government will allocate about $941.6 million from the Elite Athletes Development Fund to the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), representing an increase of more than 40 per cent over the allocation five years ago (2019-20). Apart from supporting athletes' training needs, HKSI also provides comprehensive support services, including dual career development in sports and education, insurance, meals and accommodation. HKSI also provides direct financial grants to elite athletes, allowing them to focus on training in a financially stable environment. In addition, the Government allocates resources to support retired athletes in their education, transformation and career pursuits, meeting their needs in different phases. The comprehensive support above does not only help elite athletes to focus on training and achieve good results, but also helps them to plan their career as early as possible and to pursue second career after retirement. This is conducive to attracting more young people with potential to become elite athletes. 

     Hong Kong athletes have achieved outstanding results in international competitions in recent years, capturing two gold and two bronze medals, as well as three gold, four silver and one bronze medals respectively at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (OG) and Paris Paralympic Games (PG). It was the first time that Hong Kong has won more than one gold medal at the same OG. The Government organised large-scale events to celebrate the accomplishment of our athletes after the OG and PG, which include a luncheon hosted by the Chief Executive and a large-scale welcome home reception. These events demonstrated our appreciation to the efforts of our athletes, commended their achievements and promoted their success. Hong Kong citizens were proud of the excellent results attained by our athletes in the international sports arena. Not only did it spark an Olympic craze across the city and boost the culture of "Sport for All", it also provided young talents with role models for pursuing excellence, encouraging them to become full-time athletes.
 
     As national and Hong Kong athletes participate in different international competitions, Hong Kong citizens are cheering for them, supporting them to excel and bring glory to the country, as well as sharing their joy of achievements. We believe that this would foster social cohesion and strengthen sense of national identity and sense of belonging to our country among the public.
 
(3) As for the University Grants Committee-funded universities, they have all along been able to flexibly allocate their resources for different programmes having regard to their roles and positioning as well as market demands. At present, the Hong Kong Baptist University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) offer undergraduate programmes related to sports science and sports management. Amongst others, the EdUHK has introduced a new Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports Science and Coaching programme starting from the 2022/23 academic year. The universities will continue to support the development of Hong Kong by nurturing a wide range of talents in response to the manpower needs of different sectors. 

     As regards the self-financing post-secondary education sector, self-financing institutions similarly have the flexibility to develop programmes that meet market needs and adjust the intake places of relevant programmes. At present, the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong under the Vocational Training Council, and HKCT Institute of Higher Education, operate undergraduate programmes relating to sports management.
      
     Promoting the development of sports medicine and sports science is among the key tasks of the Government. In 2022, the Government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust jointly funded a total of $300 million to set up the Sports Science and Research Funding Scheme (the Scheme), to enhance the competitiveness of athletes in international sports events through research in sports science and sports medicine. Since the launch of the Scheme, 27 sports science and research projects have been approved, amounting to a total of $183 million. Some of these technologies developed have been applied to athletes to help enhance their performance. As announced in the 2024 Policy Address recently delivered, HKSI has set up a committee to oversee the development of sports medicine and sports science, ensuring that the sports medicine and sports science services can more effectively support the training needs of athletes and enhance the professional standard of the related services. Furthermore, HKSI and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine signed a Memorandum of Understanding on November 12, 2024 to strengthen exchanges in the field of sports medicine and science, while providing more training and professional development opportunities for healthcare professionals, thereby helping Hong Kong nurture more sports medicine and science professionals. The Government will continue to formulate policies to develop and promote sports expertise to further enhance sports development.
 
(4) The Government has launched the "M" Mark System to provide funding support in the form of matching fund and direct grant to organisers to host major sports events, thereby solidifying Hong Kong's status as a centre for major international sports events. The funding provides incentives for organisers to stage sports events with commercial elements. In 2024-25, a total of 20 major sports events have been awarded the "M" Mark status, among which 18 events have been able to secure sponsorship offered by commercial organisations.

     At present, should a commercial organisation sponsors a sports event in order to promote its own business, the sponsorship concerned will be treated as marketing expenses and can be used to claim for deduction. Upon a comprehensive review (including the implications on other charitable services subsequent to the introduction of special tax arrangement under a policy), the Government will not consider introducing additional tax concessions for expenses on sponsoring local sports events for the time being.
 
(5) The Government is committed to developing sports in Hong Kong through enhanced professionalism in the sports sector and the development of sports as an industry. With the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park in the first quarter of 2025, and the co-hosting of the 15th National Games with Guangdong and Macao in late 2025, there will be increasing demand for manpower in the sports-related industry, in areas such as coaching, refereeing, sports science, sports medicine, organisation of major sports events, facilities management and marketing. To promote professionalism and development of sports industry in Hong Kong, and to fully realise Hong Kong's potential, the Government will continue to keep in view and analyse the recent developments in sports industry in Hong Kong. The Government will continue to assess the challenges, opportunities and conditions required for developing the sports industry in Hong Kong, including professionalisation of sports workforce and increased commercialisation, and to implement appropriate measures to increase contribution of the sports industry to the economy.