Subsequent to announcing on December 11 that a carcass of a Eurasian teal found in the Mai Po Nature Reserve (MPNR) preliminarily tested positive for the H5 avian influenza (AI) virus, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) confirmed the carcass to be positive for the H5N1 AI virus after further laboratory testing, a spokesman for the AFCD said today (December 21).

     The bird carcass was collected earlier at the MPNR. The Eurasian teal is a winter visitor mainly found in the Deep Bay area.

     The spokesman said cleaning and disinfection of visitor facilities including bird hides and a floating boardwalk has been stepped up. A disinfectant carpet has been placed at the entrance of the MPNR for visitors to disinfect the soles of their shoes. In addition, the AFCD is closely monitoring the situation of the birds there and has put up notices to remind visitors to pay attention to personal hygiene.     

     There are no chicken farms within 3 kilometres of where the dead bird was found. The AFCD will remind poultry farmers to strengthen precautionary and biosecurity measures against AI. Pet bird shop owners and licence holders of bird exhibitions will also be reminded to implement proper precautions against AI.

     The spokesman said that the department will closely monitor poultry farms and the wholesale market to ensure that proper precautions against AI have been taken. The department will continue its wild bird monitoring and surveillance.

     "People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. The public can call 1823 for AFCD's follow-up if they come across birds suspected to be sick or dead, including the carcasses of wild birds and poultry," the spokesman said.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue to be vigilant over live poultry stalls. It will also remind stall operators to maintain good hygiene.

     The Department of Health will keep up its health education to remind the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent AI.

     The AFCD, the FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police will strive to deter the illegal importation of poultry and birds into Hong Kong to minimise the risk of AI outbreaks caused by imported poultry and birds that have not gone through inspection and quarantine.

     All relevant government departments will continue to be highly vigilant and strictly enforce preventive measures against AI. Health advice about preventing AI is available on the "Avian Influenza Health Advice" page at www.afcd.gov.hk.

     The Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum will launch a new special exhibition, namely "Learning through play: Old textbooks, toys and games", tomorrow (December 22). The exhibition makes use of multimedia with interactive elements and an immersive area to introduce the development of textbooks on the Mainland and in Hong Kong from the early to mid-20th century and explore the importance of children's play in teaching.
      
     Before the middle of the 19th century, textbooks intended to provide enlightenment and books used to prepare for imperial examinations are two main types of teaching materials on the Mainland. Other common reading materials included biographies; poetry compilations; texts on the rhyme, rhythm and form of classical Chinese poetry; and books written specifically for the education of girls. The publication of new textbooks in modern China developed rapidly in the early 20th century. These textbooks were not only used in local primary and secondary schools, but also in overseas Chinese communities, especially in Southeast Asia. Games and toys are a perfect complement to textbooks, as they help inspire creativity and promote physical and mental development of children.
      
     This exhibition showcases more than 60 sets of Chinese textbooks, games and toys that were produced on the Mainland and in Hong Kong from the early to mid-20th century. Highlight exhibits include a Xunmeng Sanzijing ("Three character classic for early learners") printed by Pak Lei Bookstore of Hong Kong in the 1930s, a Xin Tongzi Chidu ("New letter writing for children") printed by Shanghai Guangyi Bookstore in 1932, a Shu-style Chinese typewriter from the early 20th century and shuttlecocks which were popular in the past.
      
     In addition to the precious exhibits, visitors can obtain more information about the games and toys in the early 20th century by scanning the QR codes in the gallery. They can also experience the environment of a rooftop primary school in the 1950s at the immersive area of the gallery.
      
     The exhibition will run from tomorrow (December 22) until March 31, 2024, at the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum (7 Castle Road, Mid-Levels, Central, Hong Kong). For details of the exhibition, please visit hk.drsunyatsen.museum/en/web/sysm/exhibitions.html, or call 2367 6373 for enquiries.

                

     â€‹According to the report "Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 2022" released today (December 21) by the Census and Statistics Department, the gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) of Hong Kong in 2022 amounted to $30,138 million, representing an increase of 8 per cent compared with the corresponding figure in 2021. The GERD as a ratio to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased to 1.07 per cent in 2022.

     A Government spokesman said, "The country indicates clear support in the National 14th Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong to develop into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. I&T has always been a top priority of the Government. In recent years, the Government has invested heavily in developing I&T infrastructure, promoting research and development (R&D), attracting and nurturing talent, supporting start-ups, etc. Moreover, since taking office, the current-term Government has launched a series of I&T measures to further enhance the I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong. It is encouraging to see that the GERD and the GERD as a ratio to the GDP have recorded satisfactory growth in 2022. We will continue to promote the I&T development in Hong Kong at full steam following the four broad development directions as set out in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint."

     The spokesman also stated that a series of measures have been announced in the 2023 Policy Address, including pressing ahead with new industrialisation, facilitating the R&D of microelectronics and artificial intelligence development, fostering the synergistic development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, etc. In addition, the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+ Scheme) was launched in October this year to promote the "1 to N" transformation and commercialisation of R&D outcomes. The results of the first round of applications under the RAISe+ Scheme will be announced in the first quarter of 2024.

     "I&T is instrumental in societal progress and provides key impetus for Hong Kong's high-quality economic development. The Government will strive to take forward various policy measures to realise the vision of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre," the spokesman added.

     According to the statistics on Hong Kong innovation activities released today (December 21) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) of Hong Kong in 2022 amounted to $30,138 million, representing an increase of 8% when compared with the corresponding figure of 2021 ($27,827 million). The GERD as a ratio to the Gross Domestic Product in 2022 was 1.07%. Analysed by performing sector, the expenditure on research and development (R&D) activities performed in the business, higher education and government sectors amounted to $12,371 million, $16,356 million and $1,412 million respectively in 2022.

     R&D activities refer to creative and systematic work undertaken so as to increase the stock of knowledge for devising new and improved products/processes/applications and to improve the existing products/processes/applications.

     More detailed statistics on Hong Kong innovation activities, together with the concepts and methodology, are given in the report "Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 2022". Users can browse and download this report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1110010&scode=580). The report presents the latest statistics on R&D activities in Hong Kong, with analyses on R&D activities performed in the business, higher education and government sectors. It also contains detailed statistics on innovation activities (including product and business process innovations) in the business sector.

     Enquiries about the statistics on Hong Kong innovation activities can be directed to the Science and Technology Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7290 or email: stb1@censtatd.gov.hk).

     According to the figures released today (December 21) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 2.1% or 56 300 persons in September 2023 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 80 650, representing an increase of 8% or 5 810 over the preceding year.
 
Employment statistics

     In September 2023, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 743 200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 374 800 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 311 700 persons, retail trade 252 100 persons, financing and insurance 235 800 persons, and food and beverage services 224 200 persons.
 
     Movements in the employment in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (8.6% or 9 900 persons), residential care and social work services (5.5% or 3 700 persons), accommodation services (5.2% or 1 700 persons), and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (4.8% or 14 100 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of wholesale (-4.0% or -2 100 persons), and import and export trade (-1.4% or -5 100 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
 
Vacancies statistics

     Among the 80 650 private sector vacancies in September 2023, 9 110 were from the industry of education; 8 470 from human health services; 6 850 from transportation, storage, postal and courier services; 6 570 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); and 6 220 from food and beverage services.
 
     Vacancies increased in many selected industries in September 2023 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (1 920 or 299%), arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (1 490 or 39%), education (1 200 or 15%), and retail trade (900 or 18%). On the other hand, vacancies decreased mainly in the industries of human health services (-910 or -10%), and financing and insurance (-860 or -13%). Job vacancies figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 2.
 
     Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in the categories of service and sales workers (28 170 vacancies), professionals (13 450 vacancies), and associate professionals (13 400 vacancies). Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.
 
Seasonally adjusted statistics

     For discerning the latest trend in employment and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at changes over a three-month period in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with June 2023, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by less than 0.05% and decreased by 6.4% respectively in September 2023. The changes over three-month periods in the seasonally adjusted series of employment and vacancies are shown in Table 4.
 
Other information

     The above employment and vacancies statistics were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective employment and vacancies figures relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, employment and vacancies figures relate to manual workers only.
 
     A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, September 2023"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, September 2023"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452)
 
     Users can browse and download these publications at the website of the C&SD.
 
     Enquiries on more detailed employment and vacancies statistics can be directed to the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076 or email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).