HAD opens temporary heat shelters

     The Home Affairs Department will continue to open 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (June 27).
 
     The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
 
     In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.




HKMA and SFC conclude annual updates to Financial Services Providers list under OTC derivatives regulatory regime

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) today (June 27) issued joint consultation conclusions on the annual updates to the list of Financial Services Providers (FSP List) (Note 1) under the over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives clearing regime.
      
     Having considered market feedback, the HKMA and SFC will implement the proposed changes to the FSP List as set out in the joint consultation paper (Note 2) with a minor modification to reflect a post-consultation change in the status of an existing FSP. The consultation conclusions paper and updated FSP List are available on the websites of the HKMA and SFC (Note 3).
 
Note 1: The FSP List includes entities that meet the following two criteria:
(a) They belong to a group of companies that appears on either the list of global systemically important banks published by the Financial Stability Board, or the list of dealer groups which undertook to the OTC Derivatives Supervisors Group to work collaboratively with central counterparties, infrastructure providers and global supervisors to continue to make structural improvements to the global OTC derivatives markets; and
(b) They are clearing members of the largest central counterparties offering clearing for interest rate swaps in the United States, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

Note 2: See the April 2024 joint consultation paper on the annual updates to the FSP List. 

Note 3: The updated FSP List will be gazetted during the fourth quarter of 2024 for implementation on January 1, 2025.




CFS and CFSA sign MOU on food safety co-operation (with photo)

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on food safety co-operation today (June 27), with a view to enhancing the exchange of information on food safety assessment work in Mainland China and the HKSAR, especially the work on food consumption surveys and total diet studies. The MOU was signed by the Controller of the CFS, Dr Christine Wong, and the Deputy Director General of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Mr Wang Yongting.

     The MOU seeks to deepen the exchanges and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong on food safety and to promote the technical level of food safety risk assessment through joint efforts. Specifically, the MOU covers exchanges on food safety risk assessment and enhancement of co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong to jointly launch food safety risk assessment work.

     â€‹A spokesman for the CFS said, "Under the framework of the MOU, the Mainland and Hong Kong will carry out food safety risk exchanges and co-operation, including work exchanges on total diet study and academic exchanges. According to operational needs, the two signatories will facilitate the arrangements on mutual visits and exchanges by food safety experts and academics, staff training and work experience sharing between the Mainland and Hong Kong."

Photo  



Special traffic and transport arrangements for flag raising ceremonies to celebrate 27th anniversary of establishment of HKSAR

     The Transport Department (TD) today (June 27) reminded the public that the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases from June 29 (Saturday) to July 1 (Monday) to facilitate the holding of the flag raising ceremonies in Central, Wan Chai North and Tin Hau to mark the celebration of the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
 
(A) Road closures

     Road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases in the vicinities of Central, Wan Chai North and Tin Hau during the periods of time specified below until the closed roads reopen to traffic:
 
Central and Wan Chai North
——————————-

(i) From 7.30am to 11.40am on June 29 and from 0.01am on June 30 to noon on July 1

  • Expo Drive;
  • Expo Drive Central;
  • Expo Drive East; and
  • the slip road leading from the Central – Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel (CWBT) to Expo Drive.

 
(ii) From 0.01am on June 30 to noon on July 1

  • The section of Lung Wo Road eastbound between the Wan Chai portal of the CWBT and Fleming Road.

 
(iii) From 7.15am to 8.30am on June 30

  • The section of Lung Wo Road between Edinburgh Place and Tim Wa Avenue.

 
(iv) From 5.30am to noon on July 1

  • The section of Lung Wo Road westbound between the Wan Chai portal of the CWBT and Fleming Road; and
  • Lung Tat Path.

 
Tin Hau
———
 
(i) From 6.45am to 7.15am on July 1

  • The section of Tung Lo Wan Road between Causeway Road and Lin Fa Kung Street West.

 
(B) Public transport arrangements
 
Central and Wan Chai North
——————————–
 

  • In connection with the road closure arrangements in the vicinities of Central and Wan Chai North, cross-harbour (XHT) bus route Nos. 104, 900, 961, H1 and H2K will be temporarily diverted from 7.30am to 11.40am on June 29 and from 0.01am on June 30 to noon on July 1, and the associated bus stops will be suspended or relocated; and
  • The taxi stand at Expo Drive will be suspended from 7.30am to 11.40am on June 29; and from 0.01am on June 30 to noon on July 1, and the cross-harbour taxi stand at Harbour Road westbound opposite Harbour Centre will be suspended from 5.30am to noon on July 1.

 
Tin Hau
———-
 

  • In connection with the road closure arrangement in Tung Lo Wan Road, Citybus route Nos. 2, 5X, 81, XHT bus route Nos. 914 and A11 will be temporarily diverted from 6.45am to 7.15am on July 1, and the associated bus stops will be suspended or relocated.

 
     In anticipation of more traffic in the vicinities of Central, Wan Chai North and Tin Hau, motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, they should exercise tolerance and patience, follow the Police's instructions and be alert to the latest traffic news through the media.
 
     Appropriate traffic signs will be erected to guide motorists. Public transport operators will display notices to inform passengers of the temporary arrangements. Public transport users are advised to pay attention to the arrangements of bus route diversions and relocation of bus stops. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.
 
     For details on the special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public can visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) or mobile application "HKeMobility".




Thematic Household Survey Report No. 80 published

     The Thematic Household Survey Report No. 80 is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 27).

     This publication contains key findings on Internet and personal computer (PC) penetration based on the Thematic Household Survey conducted from May to August 2023.

     The survey results showed that the majority of households (96.6%) had Internet access at home in 2023. Among these households, smartphone was the most popular type of device used for Internet connection at home (99.9%), followed by PC (77.0%).

     Usage of the Internet remained popular. The rate of persons aged 10 and over having used the Internet during the 12 months before enumeration was 96.0% in 2023, while the corresponding rate in 2022 was 95.6%. It is noteworthy that the rate of persons aged 65 and over having used the Internet increased noticeably from 81.8% in 2022 to 84.2% in 2023.

     Findings of the survey also showed that the popularity of smartphones remained at a high level. The smartphone penetration rate was 96.4% in 2023, comparable with the corresponding rate in 2022.

     The usage of mobile payments was also common in Hong Kong. The survey revealed that in 2023, 64.9% of persons aged 15 and over had used mobile payments during the 12 months before enumeration, while the corresponding figure in 2022 was 60.2%. Among others, the implementation of the Consumption Voucher Scheme by the Government should have promoted the wider use of electronic payment.

Other information

     The survey successfully enumerated target respondents in some 10 100 households in accordance with a scientific sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

     Detailed findings of the survey, together with the population coverage and concepts/definitions of key terms, are presented in the publication. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1130201&scode=453).

     Enquiries about the survey findings can be directed to the Social Surveys Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5103 or email: thematic@censtatd.gov.hk).