Author Archives: hksar gov

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The spokesperson for Kwai Chung Hospital made the following announcement today (December 30):        Four patients (aged 68 to 92) … read more

     Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements on Hong Kong Island on December 31 (Tuesday) to facilitate the New Year celebration.

I. Wan Chai North

     If necessary, the following roads will be closed from 9pm:

– Expo Drive;
– Expo Drive Central;
– Expo Drive East;
– Lung Wo Road between Lung Hop Street and Fleming Road;
– The leftmost lane of northbound Fleming Road between Convention Avenue and Harbour Road;
– Lung Wo Road entrance of Central-Wan Chai Bypass; and
– Expo Drive exit of Central-Wan Chai Bypass.

II. Central

A. Road closure

     If necessary, Tramway Lane will be closed from 7pm on December 31 to 2am the following day, except for franchised buses and taxis.

     The following roads will be closed from 9pm:

– Loading and unloading area outside Central Ferry Piers No.7, 8 and 9;
– If necessary, Man Kwong Street;
– If necessary, Man Fai Street;
– If necessary, Star Ferry Concourse;
– If necessary, Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and Man Po Street;
– If necessary, Tim Wa Avenue;
– If necessary, Legislative Council Road;
– If necessary, Yiu Sing Street;
– If necessary, Lung Wo Road;
– If necessary, Lung Hop Street; and
– If necessary, eastern section of Edinburgh Place.

     If necessary, Man Yiu Street between Man Cheung Street and Man Po Street will be closed from 11.55pm.

B. Traffic diversions

     Rumsey Street between Connaught Road Central and Chung Kong Road will be re-routed one-way southbound.

     If necessary, traffic along eastbound Connaught Road West flyover will be diverted to Central-Wan Chai Bypass from 11.55pm.

III. Lan Kwai Fong

A. Crowd safety management measures

     As a large number of people is expected, crowd management measures will be implemented in Lan Kwai Fong area. It could take a long time to enter Lan Kwai Fong. Please follow the Police’s instruction and queue patiently.

     Furthermore, the Police may in response to any unforeseen events and the risk it posed to public safety and public order consider cordoning off Lan Kwai Fong and its adjacent area. Please stay tuned to the latest announcement. 

     Members of the public are urged not to bring or discharge aerosol spray in the vicinity as it may be hazardous to people nearby. Parents are advised not to bring children into the area.

B. Road closure

Phase I (From 2pm on December 31 to 6am the following day)

– D’Aguilar Street between Wyndham Street and Stanley Street;
– Lan Kwai Fong;
– Wing Wah Lane;
– Wo On Lane;
– Wellington Street between Wyndham Street and Cochrane Street; and
– On Lan Street.

Phase II (Anytime after 6pm on December 31)

– D’Aguilar Street between Queen’s Road Central and Stanley Street;
– Wyndham Street between Glenealy and Queen’s Road Central;
– Stanley Street between D’Aguilar Street and Cochrane Street;
– Lower Albert Road between Garden Road and Ice House Street;
– Upper Albert Road between Upper Albert Road and Lower Albert Road; and
– Queen’s Road Central between Pedder Street and Pottinger Street.

     After the completion of traffic diversion, crowds will be directed to queue up along Wellington Street, Pottinger Street, Stanley Street, D’Aguilar Street and Queen’s Road Central. The whole section of D’Aguilar Street will be closed to vehicular traffic.

IV. Causeway Bay and Victoria Park

A. Pedestrianisation

     The following roads will be pedestrianised from 4pm:

– Lockhart Road east of Cannon Street;
– East Point Road; and
– Great George Street between Paterson Street and East Point Road.

B. Road closure and traffic diversions

     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented in phases when necessary:

Phase I (From 6pm)

     The following roads will be closed:

– Sugar Street;
– Great George Street between Gloucester Road and Paterson Street;
– Westbound Kingston Street between Paterson Street and Gloucester Road;
– Paterson Street between Kingston Street and Great George Street;
– Southbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and the ramp leading down from Victoria Park Road flyover; and
– Northbound Gloucester Road south of Kingston Street.

     Traffic from Victoria Park Road flyover will be diverted to westbound Gloucester Road service road.

Phase II (From 8pm)

     The following roads will be closed:

– Kingston Street;
– Paterson Street between Kingston Street and Gloucester Road;
– Cleveland Street;
– If necessary, one lane of westbound Gloucester Road service road between Victoria Park Road flyover and Cannon Street;
– If necessary, northbound Tai Hang Road flyover;
– If necessary, Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street;
– If necessary, Electric Road between Lau Li Street and Lau Sin Street, except for franchised buses and vehicles of residents of Park Towers; and
– If necessary, Tsing Fung Street, except for franchised buses.

     If necessary, Lau Li Street will be re-routed from one-way eastbound to one-way westbound.

     The lay-by on Victoria Park Road outside Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter will be suspended from 9pm until the crowd has dispersed.

V. Suspension of parking spaces and car parks

     All on-street parking spaces on the slip road outside Lower Peak Tram Terminal will be suspended from 9am on December 31 to 7am the following day.

     Hing Fat Street public car park will be suspended from 10am on December 31 to 2am the following day, except motorcycle parking spaces near the exit of car park and disabled parking spaces.

     All on-street parking spaces on the following streets will be suspended from 2pm on December 31 to 6am the following day:

– Stanley Street near D’Aguilar Street;
– Wyndham Street between Arbuthnot Road and D’Aguilar Street; and
– On Lan Street.

     All on-street parking spaces on the following streets will be suspended from 4pm on December 31 to 2am the following day:

– Expo Drive;
– Expo Drive East;
– Man Kwong Street;
– Lung King Street;
– Lung Wo Road;
– Lung Hop Street; and
– Lung Wui Road.

     Disabled parking spaces on northbound Gloucester Road near sugar Street will be suspended from 4pm on December 31 to 2am the following day.

     All metered parking spaces on Tung Lo Wan Road between King’s Road and Wun Sha Street will be suspended from 5pm on December 31 to 2am the following day.

     Car parks on Great George Street will be closed from 6pm on December 31 to 2am the following day. Vehicles will not be permitted to enter or leave the car parks in the affected area during the road closure period.

VI. Hotel access

     During the road closure period, hotels in the affected area may make use of the bus stop outside Sino Plaza on Gloucester Road to pick-up and drop-off passengers taking airport shuttle buses.

VII. Learner driver prohibition

     Learner drivers will not be permitted to access the following roads from 6pm to 11.30pm on December 31:

– Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Hing Fat Street; and
– Electric Road between Wing Hing Street and Yacht Street.

     Actual implementation of the crowd safety management measures and traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The spokesperson for Siu Lam Hospital made the following announcement today (December 30):      Five patients (aged 46 to 61) in a male ward… read more

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (December 30) the external merchandise trade statistics for November 2019. In November 2019, the values of Hong Kong’s total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year decreases, at 1.4% and 5.8% respectively.

     In November 2019, the value of total exports of goods decreased by 1.4% over a year earlier to $359.3 billion, after a year-on-year decrease of 9.2% in October 2019. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods decreased by 5.8% over a year earlier to $385.4 billion in November 2019, after a year-on-year decrease of 11.5% in October 2019. A visible trade deficit of $26.2 billion, equivalent to 6.8% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in November 2019.

     For the first 11 months of 2019 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods dropped by 4.7% over the same period in 2018. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods decreased by 6.9%. A visible trade deficit of $394.0 billion, equivalent to 9.8% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first 11 months of 2019.

     Comparing the three-month period ending November 2019 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 0.7%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods decreased by 1.9%.

Analysis by country/territory

     Comparing November 2019 with November 2018, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 2.6%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Singapore (+8.0%), the Philippines (+7.3%), the mainland of China (the Mainland) (+5.2%), India (+1.1%) and Taiwan (+1.0%). On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of total exports to Japan (-15.9%), Thailand (-14.7%), Malaysia (-7.6%) and Vietnam (-7.0%).

     Apart from destinations in Asia, decreases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular the USA (-23.7%), Germany (-17.5%) and the United Kingdom (-8.8%).

     Over the same period of comparison, decreases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular India (-23.5%), Malaysia (-18.3%), the USA (-11.5%), Singapore (-9.8%) and the Mainland (-7.8%). Concurrently, increases were recorded in the values of imports from Vietnam (+55.6%) and Taiwan (+18.0%).

     For the first 11 months of 2019 as a whole, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular the USA (-14.1%), India (-13.5%), Germany (-8.6%), Japan (-5.7%), the Mainland (-4.9%) and Vietnam (-4.1%). However, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports to Singapore (+6.0%) and Taiwan (+1.9%).

     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Korea (-22.8%), India (-19.6%), Malaysia (-14.6%), Singapore (-8.6%), Thailand (-8.1%) and the USA (-6.4%). The value of imports from the Mainland also decreased by 6.0%. On the other hand, the value of imports from Vietnam increased by 14.8%.

Analysis by major commodity

     Comparing November 2019 with November 2018, decreases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $4.8 billion or -6.1%), “non-metallic mineral manufactures” (by $2.3 billion or -18.1%) and “miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ wares)” (by $2.0 billion or -10.3%). However, increases were registered in the values of total exports of “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $10.1 billion or 7.5%) and “power generating machinery and equipment” (by $4.7 billion or 96.4%).

     Over the same period of comparison, decreases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “office machines and automatic data processing machines” (by $3.9 billion or -11.4%), “non-metallic mineral manufactures”  (by $3.4 billion or -21.7%) and “petroleum, petroleum products and related materials” (by $3.1 billion or -32.0%). However, an increase was registered in the value of imports of “power generating machinery and equipment” (by $2.2 billion or 31.6%).

     For the first 11 months of 2019 as a whole, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “office machines and automatic data processing machines” (by $47.1 billion or -11.5%), “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $39.0 billion or -2.7%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $31.9 billion or -4.5%). However, a year-on-year increase was registered in the value of total exports of “power generating machinery and equipment” (by $18.9 billion or 36.6%).

     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular “electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof” (by $101.4 billion or -6.2%), “office machines and automatic data processing machines” (by $61.2 billion or -16.0%) and “telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment” (by $47.8 billion or -7.0%). However, a year-on-year increase was registered in the value of imports of “power generating machinery and equipment” (by $17.1 billion or 25.1%).

Commentary

     A Government spokesman said that the value of merchandise exports recorded a narrower year-on-year decline in November 2019, mainly due to a rebound in exports to the Mainland upon a low base of comparison. Exports to the major advanced economies stayed weak.

     While the US and the Mainland have reached a first-phase trade agreement, global economic growth has yet to improve and the external environment is still subject to various uncertainties. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Further information

     Table 1 at the annex presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for November 2019. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2016 to November 2019, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.

     The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for November 2019 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.

     Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for November 2019.

     All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for November 2019 will be released in mid-January 2020.

     The November 2019 issue of “Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade” contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade in November 2019 and will be available in mid-January 2020. Users can download the publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp230.jsp).

     Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section (2) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5042).  read more

     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region released $65.58 million from the Disaster Relief Fund in the year 2018-19 to support relief organisations in providing emergency relief to the victims of disasters occurring outside Hong Kong.

     Grants amounting to $65.58 million were disbursed for 21 programmes carried out by nine relief organisations, providing relief to earthquake, tsunami, typhoon and flood victims in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Mainland of China, Kenya and India. The number of beneficiaries was estimated to be around 430 000. The nine relief organisations concerned were World Vision Hong Kong; Amity Foundation, Hong Kong; Adventist Development and Relief Agency, China; Oxfam Hong Kong; Plan International Hong Kong; Save the Children Hong Kong; CEDAR Fund; Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Red Cross.

     To cater for the different needs of the victims, a wide range of relief supplies had been distributed through the relief programmes, including food, quilts, hygiene and household items (such as water filters, mobile toilets, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils and portable solar powered lights) and temporary shelter materials and tools (such as tarpaulins, ropes and floor mats) as well as education kits and emergency classroom kits (such as books and stationeries). From the feedback gathered by the relief organisations, the victims were very grateful for the timely assistance provided by the Disaster Relief Fund. 

     Relief organisations receiving grants from the Disaster Relief Fund are required to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants to the Government after the completion of the relief programmes.    

     The Disaster Relief Fund, administered by the Administration Wing under the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, provides an effective channel for the Government to respond swiftly to appeals for humanitarian aid in relief of disasters that occur outside Hong Kong. The annual report on the activities of the Fund for the year 2018-19, photos of the relief programmes and feedback from the victims have been uploaded onto the website of the Administration Wing at www.admwing.gov.hk/eng/links/drfund.htm.

     The Disaster Relief Fund is replenished by the Government at the start of each financial year and, as necessary, during the financial year, depending on calls for relief and the size of the Fund balance and commitments.

     The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the Government on the policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funds for disaster relief, specific amounts of grants made to the applicants as well as monitoring the use of grants.  

     The Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Members include Mr Ip Kwok-him, Dr Lam Ching-choi, Dr Helena Wong Pik-wan, Mr Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, Dr Tik Chi-yuen, Mrs Ann Kung Yeung Yun-chi, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare. read more