The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (September 14) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of August 2022.
      
     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, decreased during the month by HK$77.9 billion to HK$3,576.0 billion.
      
     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$1,930.4 billion.
      
     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$278.0 billion.
      
     Foreign liabilities amounted to HK$23.4 billion.
      
     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of September 2022, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 is 103.7 (up 0.8 against yesterday's index).

     The Department of Justice (DoJ) announced today (September 14) the appointments of Principal Government Counsel Dr James Ding Kwok-wing as the Law Officer (International Law) and Principal Government Counsel Mr Llewellyn Mui Kei-fat as the Solicitor General with effect from September 15. Dr Ding will succeed Ms Linda Lam Mei-sau, who will proceed on pre-retirement leave on the same day after 28 years of distinguished service with the DoJ.

     Welcoming the appointments, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said that Dr Ding and Mr Mui are lawyers with outstanding abilities and proven leadership skills.

     On Dr Ding's appointment, Mr Lam said, "Dr Ding is a seasoned officer with impressive professional competence and integrity. I have every confidence that he will ably lead the International Law Division to meet the challenges ahead and will act in the best interest of Hong Kong."

     On Mr Mui's appointment, Mr Lam said, "Having served in the DoJ for almost 30 years, Mr Mui with in-depth legal knowledge and solid experience is well qualified to lead the Constitutional and Policy Affairs Division to rise to the challenges ahead and continue to deliver its professional and quality work."

     Mr Lam also expressed his gratitude to Ms Lam for her great and valuable contribution during her term of service and wished her a happy retirement.

     Ranked at the Law Officer (DL6) level, the Law Officer (International Law) is responsible for, amongst others, advising on the international law aspects of a wide range of complex issues of government policies, and overseeing the implementation of bilateral and multilateral agreements, as well as the discharge of the responsibilities of the Central Authority of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the purposes of mutual legal co-operation in criminal matters.

     Ranked at the Law Officer (DL6) level, the Solicitor General is responsible for, amongst others, the development of legal policy issues, liaising with the legal profession and promoting the legal and dispute resolution services of Hong Kong and advising on a wide range of complex and sensitive legal issues including the Basic Law, human rights and constitutional development.

     Brief biographical notes on the three officers are set out below:

Ms Linda Lam Mei-sau
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     Ms Lam was called to the Bar in England and Wales (Gray's Inn) and the Hong Kong Bar in 1991, and was admitted as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore in 1993. She was appointed as Crown Counsel in 1994 and promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1995, Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 2008, and Principal Government Counsel in 2018. Ms Lam has served in different divisions of the DoJ for 28 years. She was a Deputy Law Officer in the International Law Division between 2017 and 2020. She was appointed Law Officer in 2021 and has since held the position of Law Officer (International Law).

Dr James Ding Kwok-wing
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     Dr Ding was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1997. He was appointed as Government Counsel in 1999 and promoted to Senior Government Counsel in 2006, Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 2012 and Principal Government Counsel in 2017. Dr Ding has served in the International Law Division of the DoJ for 19 years and has been the Commissioner of the Inclusive Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Office between 2019 and 2022. He was awarded the Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service in 2021.

Mr Llewellyn Mui Kei-fat
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     Mr Mui was admitted as Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1992. He was appointed as Crown Counsel in 1992 and promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1995, Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 2011 and Principal Government Counsel in 2018. Mr Mui has mainly been serving in the Constitutional and Policy Affairs Division (formerly known as the Legal Policy Division) except for a short stint in the Prosecutions Division.

      

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, today (September 14) visited a call centre of the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) to learn from its staff about the work of contacting elderly persons who have not received COVID-19 vaccination and the concerns of the elderly on COVID-19 vaccines.
 
     "Receiving COVID-19 vaccination is effective in minimising the risks of falling seriously ill and death after infection. Also, unvaccinated elderly persons have an extremely high risk of death in the unfortunate event of being infected with the coronavirus. As such, we have been trying to reach out to the individuals in need of vaccination through various channels, and provide the greatest convenience for elderly persons to encourage them to get vaccinated," Mrs Yeung said.
 
     With the efforts of various parties, the first-dose vaccination rate of elderly persons aged 70 or above is currently about 78 per cent. However, there are still around 218 000 elderly persons who have never received vaccination, and for those aged 80 or above, about 30 per cent of them have not been vaccinated. The Government and the Hospital Authority (HA) have separately encouraged each of the elderly who are unvaccinated to receive vaccination as soon as possible based on the elderly recipient lists of various allowances under the Social Welfare Department, the membership lists of the Elderly Health Centres of the Department of Health and lists of elderly patients with follow-up appointments at the general out-patient clinics of the HA respectively.
 
     The Government has commissioned the SCHSA this month to reach out to users of its care-on-call service to brief the elderly persons who have yet to get vaccinated on the importance of vaccination, with a view to effectively disseminating the message of receiving vaccination to them through their trusted companions. The SCHSA has also arranged for registered nurses to make phone calls to elderly persons in need so as to effectively provide suitable professional advice to them in accordance with their health conditions with a view to dispelling their worries on vaccination. If the elderly persons agree to get vaccinated, staff of the SCHSA will assist them to make vaccination appointments. Elderly persons in need can also use escorting services provided by the organisation for going to vaccination venues to take a jab, and the cost will be borne by the Government.
 
     "Over the past week, the SCHSA has contacted 2 436 elderly persons who have not received vaccination and has so far successfully assisted 83 elderly persons who are willing to receive vaccination to make appointments. It is not easy to ease the worries of the elderly persons in a moment, and I would not underestimate the difficulties. However, I am very glad that the staff and healthcare workers have patiently explained to the elderly persons in the hope that they would be willing to listen to different views even though it may not achieve an instant effect," Mrs Yeung added.
 
     In addition, the Government enhanced the Home Vaccination Service in mid-August. Medical organisations have been commissioned and assigned for each and every district to provide through-train services to follow up on all recommended vaccine doses for the elderly persons to enhance work efficiency. Unvaccinated elderly persons aged 70 or above and persons who are unable to go out for vaccination due to illness or physical disability can make use of the Home Vaccination Service for receiving the door-to-door vaccination service provided by medical professionals. Members of the public can register for the service through the website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/hv/) or by calling 5688 5234 from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays.
 

        

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, will depart for Cambodia tomorrow (September 15) to attend the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers – Hong Kong, China (HKC) Consultation meeting to be held on September 17.

     Mr Yau and the participating economic ministers of ASEAN member states (AMS) will discuss the progress of the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement and the related Investment Agreement between ASEAN and Hong Kong. On the sidelines of the meeting, he will hold bilateral meetings with various AMS economic ministers to exchange views on regional co-operation and issues of mutual interest.

     During his stay in Cambodia, he will also attend a luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and visit Hong Kong enterprises to get a better understanding of their development.
      
     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong in the evening on September 18. The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development during Mr Yau's absence.