Tag Archives: China

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 6) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Sixteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 16 as Fair (Grade 2) and six as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are: 
                

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	St Stephen’s Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Approach Beach	Deep Water Bay Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Golden Beach
Butterfly Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach	Shek O Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Stanley Main Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:
 

Anglers’ Beach	Lido Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach	Ting Kau Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Discovery Bay has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Casam Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Big Wave Bay Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Kwun Yam Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; and Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
      
     “The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department’s websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. read more

     The Government announced today (July 6) the appointment of the Chairman of the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC).        The Chief Executive has appointed Mr Laurence Li Lu-jen as Chairman… read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 6) announced the results of a recently completed targeted food surveillance project on Vibrio parahaemolyticus in ready-to-eat food, … read more

     Leading London-based fintech company TransferWise announced today (July 6) the official launch of its international money transfer platform in Hong Kong, giving it a major foothold in Asia as part of the company’s ongoing international expansion.
     
     TransferWise co-founder and CEO Mr Kristo Käärmann said the launch came as a timely move amid Hong Kong’s commitment to boost fintech development. “We’re excited to launch our service in Hong Kong and introduce a product that is cheaper, faster, and fairer for people and businesses here. The Hong Kong dollar has long been a highly requested currency at TransferWise, so we’re happy to be able to open this to everyone,” he said.   
     
     TransferWise operates on the concept of matching up transfers with other people on the digital platform. It uses the mid-market rate, which is only a fraction of the rates used by traditional currency transfer operators. After a successful pilot period, TransferWise has already been able to drop prices for customers transferring money from Hong Kong by more than 20 per cent, Mr Käärmann said.
     
     “Over 3 million people across the world use TransferWise as a fair and easy way to manage their money across borders. Hong Kong represents a key market for TransferWise. Over 4 per cent of Hong Kong’s population are foreigners, and many Hongkongers are living in other parts of the world. Hong Kong also has a long, rich history as a world leading economy and home of international commerce,” he added.
     
     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Dr Jimmy Chiang said, “I’m excited to see TransferWise making its foothold in Hong Kong. This is a big step not only for the company but also for Hong Kong as we are committed to becoming a leading fintech city in the world. TransferWise’s decision to set up in our city is a win-win for both.”
     
About TransferWise
 
     Co-founded by Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Käärmann, TransferWise was launched in 2011 in the UK, and has attracted strategic investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson and IVP. TransferWise uses the real exchange rate – the mid-market rate – making it up to eight times cheaper on average to send money abroad than through a bank. For more information, please visit www.transferwise.com.
     
About Invest Hong Kong
 
     Invest Hong Kong is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to attract foreign direct investment and support overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies enrolled as its clients. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
     
     For an event photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157670868932178.

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The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) will present its second public lecture this year under the theme “Cancer Therapy: Immunotherapy and Medicine” on July 14 (Saturday) at the Hong Kong Science Museum.
 
     The RGC has invited Professor Brigette Ma of the Department of Clinical Oncology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Assistant Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Hong Kong Dr David Chan to share their research findings and knowledge with the public. Details are as follows:
 
Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Language: Cantonese
Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     Cancer immunotherapy aims to fight cancer with the patient’s own immune system, and it has potential to induce long-lasting benefits without intolerable side effects in the human host. The development of cancer immunotherapy has gone through many trials and tribulations since Dr William Coley’s serendipitous discovery in the 1890s, and for many years it has been sidelined to the fringes of mainstream oncology. Professor Ma will deliver a talk on “Cancer Immunotherapy – An Epic Trilogy of Serendipity, Skepticism and Scientific Breakthrough” to take the audience through a journey from the view of a cancer doctor to witness the renaissance of cancer immunotherapy in nasopharyngeal and other cancers.
 
     Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal gynaecologic malignancies worldwide. Different from other solid tumours, ovarian cancer is an intra-abdominal tumour in which the presence of ascites enables metastatic dissemination and correlates with poor prognosis. Malignant ascites provide a key reservoir of growth factors and nutrients to augment ovarian cancer aggressiveness. Dr Chan will give a talk entitled “The tumour microenvironment on ovarian cancer progression and the potential target-based therapy” to discuss how all these factors are being studied to identify new principles leading to novel therapeutic avenues.
 
     The public lectures of the RGC aim at arousing public interest in local research developments. Since 2009, the RGC has invited numerous leading scholars to speak at these lectures. For enquiries, please call 2524 3987 or visit the University Grants Committee webpage (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/lectures/lectures.html). read more