Tag Archives: China

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, and the Deputy Commissioner for Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), Mr Vincent Fung, visited a construction site today (December 13) to call on contractors, employers and workers to pay attention to work safety.

     The Labour Department (LD) attaches great importance to the occupational safety and health (OSH) of construction workers. In light of the recent spate of fatal and serious work accidents in the construction industry, the LD has set up Special Task Forces to conduct inspections and enforcement operations targeting construction sites (especially sites of new works and sites involving high-risk work processes) since late November to continue the efforts to vigorously combat unsafe work practices on construction sites.

     The Special Task Forces inspected more than 100 construction sites across the territory from November 29 to December 8 with more than 150 improvement notices/suspension notices issued, including the suspension of lifting operations involving cranes on two construction sites. About 120 prosecutions were also initiated, mainly involving work at height, lifting operation, personal protective equipment and electrical work.

     Mr Sun said, “The Government spares no effort in ensuring construction site safety through inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion, as well as education and training. Not only the Government, employers and employees also have the responsibility to ensure OSH of construction workers. Everyone should take one step forward.”

     Mr Sun called on contractors and employers of the construction industry to take adequate safety measures and strengthen the safety management system of construction sites. Project managers, managerial staff and foremen of construction sites have to fully demonstrate the management’s commitment to OSH and take the lead to conduct inspections regularly to ensure adequate attention has been given to work safety and the formulated safety measures are in place. Workers also have to raise their safety awareness, bear in mind the safety knowledge from Green Card courses, remain vigilant at all times, protect their own safety at work, and cherish their lives and families.

     â€‹The LD will continue to conduct rigorous inspections and enforcement actions targeting construction sites, and will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of OSH legislation. In addition, the LD is carrying out a new round of publicity work to disseminate OSH messages through different channels, reminding employers/employees not to contravene OSH legislation, as well as enhancing the safety awareness of workers and frontline supervisors and fostering OSH culture.

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     To receive the home-developed aircraft C919 and ARJ21 on their first visit to Hong Kong, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) hosted a welcoming ceremony at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) this morning (December 13).

     Addressing the welcoming ceremony, Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) for arranging the visit of the aircraft C919 and ARJ21 to Hong Kong. Mr Lee was elated to receive the home-developed aircraft duo and pointed out that the first visit of the two domestic aircraft was a full manifestation of the country’s great importance bestowed upon the development of Hong Kong’s aviation industry as well as the city’s status as an international aviation hub. Mr Lee took pride in the participation of a Hong Kong CAD flight expert in the aircraft C919 certification process, and invited members of the public to witness the country’s extraordinary accomplishment in the civil aircraft manufacturing industry at both sides of Victoria Harbour this Saturday (December 16). 

     After his speech, Mr Lee joined other officiating guests including the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, and Deputy Administrator of the CAAC Mr Cui Xiaofeng to board and visit the aircraft C919. They were greeted by crew members from the COMAC inside the cabin and were briefed on the features of the airliner.

     The aircraft C919 and ARJ21 arrived at HKIA yesterday (December 12) and were received by a ceremonial water salute. For the next two days, the C919 and the ARJ21 will be on static display at HKIA. If weather permits, the C919 will conduct a flight demonstration over Victoria Harbour on Saturday (December 16) for members of the public to witness the C919’s first appearance over Hong Kong skies. 

     For more details regarding the visit of the C919 and the ARJ21, please refer to the following website:
https://www.cad.gov.hk/english/comac.html.

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     Following is a question by the Hon Ma Fung-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (December 13):
 
Question:
 
     In the 2023 Policy Address, the Government has proposed to promote the development of the cultural and creative industries, including injecting a total of $4.3 billion into the CreateSmart Initiative and the Film Development Fund (FDF). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the Government has proposed to inject $2.9 billion into the CreateSmart Initiative to promote and fund projects organized by the creative industries for nurturing talents, exploring markets, etc, of the specific arrangements for these funds, and whether specific funding amounts will be set for different sectors;
 
(2) given that the Government provided a one-off injection of $1 billion into FDF in 2019, which is almost double the total amount injected in the previous 12 years (including $300 million in 2007, $200 million in 2015 and $20 million in 2016), and together with the injection of about $1.4 billion as proposed in the Policy Address just delivered, the total amount of the Government’s injection into FDF will be close to $3 billion, of the use of the funds so far since the injection in 2019 and the return, as well as the authorities’ specific plans or adjustments for the future operation of FDF to meet the expectations of the Hong Kong film industry in terms of the overall investment size in the market, training of practitioners, international status, etc; and
 
(3) as it is learnt that more than 50% of the Hong Kong films screened on the Mainland are co-productions between Hong Kong and the Mainland, of the specific mode and content of the Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market, and whether the Scheme aims to encourage the industry to produce films on themes popular on the Mainland or Chinese-language films?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is actively promoting the cultural and creative industries. As announced in the Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address, the Government will inject a total of $4.3 billion to the Film Development Fund (FDF) and the CreateSmart Initiative (CSI) to provide incentives for attracting private sector capital and assist the industries in expanding new markets. 
 
     Our reply to the Hon Ma’s question is as follows:
 
(1) The Government established the CSI in 2009 to promote the development of the seven major creative industries, generating economic impetus for the community while enhancing the cultural power. In the past, the CSI has provided funding support for numerous projects in the creative industries, such as:-
 

• the Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition (Hong Kong Exhibition and Response Exhibition);
• Hong Kong Game Enhancement and Promotion Scheme;
• Hong Kong Comics Development & Promotion Support Programme;
• Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards;
• Publishing 3.0 – HK Smart eBook-Hub Promotion Scheme;
• presenting local fashion designers’ works in JUXTAPOSED fashion show and exhibition with cross-over of fashion and music as well as the use of arts technology;
• “FabriX”, a pioneering digital fashion initiative; and
• leading local emerging designer brands to participate in Paris Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week, etc. 

     â€‹We propose to inject $2.9 billion into the CSI, of which, about $1.72 billion will be earmarked to promote and fund projects organised by the creative industries for nurturing talents, facilitating industry development, exploring markets, fostering a creative atmosphere in the community and promoting more cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration. The remainder of about $1.18 billion will be earmarked for providing funding support to the Hong Kong Design Centre for projects related to the creative industries and the nurturing of design/creative talents, including the operating and event costs of Sham Shui Po Design and Fashion Project, and supporting the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to enhance the Asia IP Exchange portal.
      
     Having Create Hong Kong restructured as the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, we will commence a series of work, such as identifying and exploring business exhibition and showcase opportunities for the arts, cultural and creative industries, and providing funding support to their overseas exhibition and showcase projects. We will facilitate cross-sectoral exchanges and develop collaboration programmes to promote and fund more cross-sectoral and cross-genre projects.  We will also revise the CSI to fund promising commercial projects and encourage injection of private sector capital. Meanwhile, we will lift up the existing funding ceiling of $10 million of the CSI to fund or finance more large-scale and sustainable projects. However, we will not set specific funding amount for individual industry or project, so as to ensure the effective and flexible operation of the CSI. We welcome applications of proposals from the industry, which align with the four strategic foci of the CSI. We are confident that the existing resources will be able to provide appropriate support to the industry.
 
(2) & (3) The Government has been supporting projects conducive to the long-term and healthy development of the film industry in Hong Kong through the FDF along four strategic directions, namely nurturing talent, enhancing Hong Kong film production, expanding markets and building audience. The aim of the Government in setting up the FDF has never been to obtain financial gains by subsidising the industry, but to assist in the development of the local film industry and create more film activities and employment opportunities. Since 2005, the Government has injected a total of $1.54 billion into the FDF. As at the end of October 2023, the FDF has approved about $1.058 billion to support numerous film projects including:
 

• 61 projects under the Film Production Financing Scheme (about $231 million);
• 10 projects under the Film Production Grant Scheme (about $18 million);
• 9 projects under the Directors’ Succession Scheme (DSS) ($81 million);
• 24 projects under the First Feature Film Initiative (FFFI) (about $124 million); and
• 284 Other Film-related Projects (about $604 million). 

     Some of the Government financed films, for example “Chilli Laugh Story” and “Mama’s Affair”, have achieved outstanding box office. “A Guilty Conscience”, which was theatrically released in 2023, became the highest-grossing Chinese film in Hong Kong, with a box office of over $100 million. The Government’s share of profit from financed films is around $33 million.
      
     The FFFI was launched in 2013 under the FDF to provide funding for new directors to make their first feature films to identify and nurture promising film production talents. Since its inception, a number of sponsored films have achieved considerable box office, including “Hong Kong Family”, “Lost Love”, “Mad World”, “Still Human”, “Hand Rolled Cigarette”, etc. Amongst them, the box office of “Mad World” and “Still Human” reached a box office of $17 million and $19 million respectively. Moreover, the Government launched the DSS in 2020. Qualified directors are invited as producers to partner with young directors to co-produce local films in the spirit of mentorship, encouraging directors to groom young talents, and to enhance the quality and quantity of local film productions. As we can see, the FDF has actively launched a number of new schemes in recent years to promote the long-term development of the film industry.
      
     Following the implementation of the Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme and the Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms under the FDF in 2022, the FDF will further subsidise Hong Kong films to expand overseas markets by launching the Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market and expanding the Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme to Hong Kong‑Europe‑Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme.
      
     The Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market supports Hong Kong film companies and the Mainland cultural enterprises to invest in the productions of Hong Kong directors. The objective of the Scheme is to boost the chance of Hong Kong films for release in the Mainland film market, and at the same time to nurture more Hong Kong directors and other film production staff to enter the Mainland film market. The production budget of the film project must be between $25 million and $150 million. Approved film projects will receive a maximum government finance of $10 million. It is expected that the Scheme could provide a greater incentive for private investment and provide finance for 20 film projects in the next two to three years to bring a total investment of $700 million to the film market.
      
     We will also continue to support local and overseas training courses for different film production staff with a view to providing talents for different positions in film production, thereby enhancing the quality of films. We hope that by strengthening the support to the Hong Kong film industry, we can increase its exposure in the Mainland and global film market, facilitate exchanges between the Hong Kong film industry and its counterparts on the Mainland and in other countries, and help promising Hong Kong filmmakers to broaden their horizons on culture of different regions, bringing new paradigms for Hong Kong film. read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on December 12 to noon today (December 13), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 213 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 19 779 samples of food imported from Japan (including 13 141 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 5 514 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Transport Department (TD) reminded the public today (December 13) that time-varying tolls will be implemented at the three road harbour crossings (RHCs), namely the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), the Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT) and the Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC), from 5am on December 17 (Sunday). Motorists can drive through the tunnels and pay the tolls using the HKeToll as usual.
      
     Although special traffic arrangements are not required for implementing time-varying tolls at the three RHCs, temporary traffic arrangements will be implemented at the EHC and its connecting roads during the event of Hong Kong Streetathon 2023, which will be held on the morning of December 17 and will involve the northbound tunnel of the EHC. Details of the temporary traffic arrangements for the event will be announced separately.
      
     Details of the time-varying tolls are set out in Annex 1. The summary of the tolls is as follows:
      

1. The tolls for private cars and motorcycles (including motor tricycles) will vary according to the time slots. From Mondays to Saturdays (excluding general holidays), the tolls for private cars using the WHC range from $20 to $60, while those using the CHT and the EHC range from $20 to $40; the tolls for motorcycles using the WHC range from $8 to $24, while those using the CHT and the EHC range from $8 to $16. During general holidays, the tolls of the three RHCs range from $20 to $25 for private cars and from $8 to $10 for motorcycles, depending on the time slots. Transition charging arrangements will be put in place between different time slots to ensure orderly bridging and to safeguard road safety.
    
2. The all-day uniform toll of $25 for taxis will be maintained at the three RHCs. Same as the existing surcharge arrangement, taxi passengers (if not hiring from a cross-harbour taxi stand) will need to pay both the outbound and return tolls (i.e. $50 in total).
    
3. Other commercial vehicles, including goods vehicles and buses, will be charged at an all-day uniform toll of $50 for the three RHCs. 

 
     Before making a trip, motorists can obtain the real-time and forecasted toll information via the “HKeMobility” mobile application and website. Motorists can also obtain the real-time toll information for reference from the new toll information displays, which are installed near the toll points in both directions of the three RHCs. After using the RHCs, motorists can also check the time of using the tunnel and the toll payable/paid via the “HKeToll” mobile application and website.
      
     “Time-varying tolls are a new toll arrangement which involves three busy RHCs and toll change for most vehicle types. Motorists may need a longer time to adapt. It is expected that the time-varying tolls will improve the cross-harbour traffic in the long run, but significant daily changes in the cross-harbour traffic situation are anticipated in the early implementation stage, and it will take some time for the situation to stabilise. Members of the public should plan their journeys in advance and pay attention to the latest traffic news released on radio, television, or through ‘HKeMobility’,” the TD said. 
      
     For details of the time-varying tolls, please visit the TD’s website: www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/tunnels_and_bridges_n/tvt/index.html. The public can also view the short video at youtu.be/BqFI67i8m0c to learn about the specific arrangements for time-varying tolls. read more