The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announced today (June 7) the relevant per annum interest rate for the sixth interest payment of iBond Series due 2024 (Issue Number 03GB2406R; Stock Code: 4246) (the Bonds) issued under the Retail Bond Issuance Programme of the Government Bond Programme.

     According to the Issue Circular dated May 12, 2021 for the Bonds, the sixth interest payment of the Bonds is scheduled to be made on June 24, 2024 (Note), and the relevant interest rate is scheduled to be determined and announced on June 7, 2024 as the higher of the prevailing Floating Rate and Fixed Rate. 

     On June 7, 2024, the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate are as follows:
 

 
     Based on the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate set out above, the relevant interest rate for the sixth interest payment is determined and announced as 2.00 per cent per annum. 

Note: The original sixth interest payment was on June 23, 2024. As the aforesaid payment is not a business day in Hong Kong, the interest payment date will be rescheduled on the next day which is a business day in Hong Kong in accordance with the Issue Circular. The interest continues to accrue to the new payment date. 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (June 7) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$417.2 billion as at the end of May 2024 (end-April 2024: US$416.4 billion) (Annex).

     Including unsettled foreign exchange contracts, the foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong at the end of May 2024 amounted to US$417.0 billion (end-April 2024: US$416.4 billion).

     The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$417.2 billion represent over five times the currency in circulation or about 39 per cent of Hong Kong dollar M3.

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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 International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (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 June 2024, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, June 7, 2024 is 106 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Sha Tin Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment in the Sha Tin area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (June 7).

     The planning scheme area covers about 2 777 hectares. Its inner core lies at the bottom of Sha Tin Valley, which is separated from Kowloon by a range of hills dominated by Lion Rock and Sugar Loaf Peak. Ma On Shan, the extension to Sha Tin New Town, lies to the north-east of the area.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments shown on the draft Sha Tin OZP No. S/ST/37, which mainly involve (i) rezoning a site at the junction of Wong Chuk Yeung Street and Kwei Tei San Chuen Road from "Green Belt" ("GB") to "Residential (Group A)8" for public housing development; (ii) rezoning a site to the northeast of Shan Mei Street from "Industrial" to "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") to facilitate the development of a Joint-user Complex; (iii) rezoning two sites to the north and south of On Sum Street from "G/IC" and "Open Space" ("O") respectively to "Commercial (1)" ("C(1)") for commercial developments; (iv) rezoning a site at the junction on Yuen Hong Street and Yuen Shun Circuit from "G/IC" to "C(1)" for commercial development; (v) rezoning a site at Sha Tin Wai Road from "O" to "Residential (Group A) 9" for private residential development; (vi) rezoning a site at Chap Wai Kon Street from "G/IC" to "Residential (Group A) 10" for private residential development; (vii) rezoning a site on Yuen Hong Street from "Industrial (1)" to "Commercial (2)" to reflect a completed hotel development; (viii) rezoning a site on Tung Lo Wan Hill Road from "GB" and "G/IC" to "Residential (Group B)3" for private residential development; (ix) rezoning a site to the north of Mei Tin Road from "Residential (Group B)" and "GB" to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Religious Institution with Columbarium" to take forward an agreed section 12A application for religious institution and columbarium use; and (x) rezoning a site to the south of Chek Nai Ping on Tai Po Road (Ma Liu Shui) from "GB" to "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Columbarium (2)" to take forward an agreed section 12A application for columbarium development.

     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP have been amended taking into account the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.

     The approved Sha Tin OZP No. S/ST/38 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Sha Tin, Tai Po and North District Planning Office, (iv) the Sha Tin District Office and the Ma On Shan Sub-office of the Sha Tin District Office, and (v) the Sha Tin Rural Committee.

     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Ming Lun Street/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme Plan (DSP).

     "The approved DSP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the implementation of the URA Ming Lun Street/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (June 7).

     The development scheme area covering about 1.1 hectares is designated as "Residential (Group A)" and area shown as 'Road'. The DSP intends to achieve a holistic replanning of land uses together with the adjoining urban fabric at the To Kwa Wan Road/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme to expedite redevelopment for a comprehensively designed waterfront development fitting in with the redevelopment intention of the "5 Streets" area in Ma Tau Kok. Waterfront promenade, retail belt and non-building area as designated on the DSP as well as government, institution or community facilities will be provided within the scheme area to meet community needs.

     The approved DSP No. S/K22/URA1/2 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Kowloon City District Office.

     Copies of the approved DSP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the DSP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).