The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, will depart for a visit to Dongguan tomorrow (January 4) to meet with leaders of Dongguan and attend the 2024 GBA iForum cum Dinner. The Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, will join the visit.

     Under the theme of Hong Kong and Dongguan collaborating in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) on technology and innovation development, the event will bring together political and business leaders and representatives of enterprises in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to jointly explore new development opportunities in the GBA.

     Mr Lee said that the industrial and commercial sectors of Hong Kong should leverage the city's distinctive advantage of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, and play the dual roles of "super connector" and "super value-adder", with a view to connecting the GBA and the international market, proactively integrating into national development, and consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's international competitiveness.

     Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on January 5. During his absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will be the Acting Chief Executive.

     The Land Registry today (January 3) released its statistics for December 2023.
     
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in December was 3 764 (+6.6 per cent compared with November 2023 and +5.6 per cent compared with December 2022)

* The 12-month moving average for December was 4 836 (0.3 per cent above the 12-month moving average for November 2023 but 2.7 per cent below that for December 2022)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements of building units in December was $33.6 billion (+36.9 per cent compared with November 2023 and +29.8 per cent compared with December 2022)

* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 2 929 were for residential units (+14.7 per cent compared with November 2023 and +16.8 per cent compared with December 2022)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $24.3 billion (+23.7 per cent compared with November 2023 and +15.6 per cent compared with December 2022)

     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Tenants Purchase Scheme, etc, unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.

     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.

     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
     
Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in December was 293 284 (-18.3 per cent compared with November 2023 and -9.2 per cent compared with December 2022)
     
     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by China CITIC Bank International Limited relating to fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or login screens concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     The fire danger situation today (January 3) is red and fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire. If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for a picnic and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is $25,000 and a year's imprisonment.

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (January 3) congratulated Hong Kong karate athlete Grace Lau on rising to the world's number one position in female kata.
     
     Mr Yeung said, "Grace Lau wrote a glorious page in Hong Kong's karate history by taking top spot in the world ranking. It is very exciting to see Hong Kong's homegrown athletes ranking among the best in the world again. We are proud of Grace's perseverance."