Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating today (December 7) a cluster of dengue fever (DF) involving two epidemiologically linked imported cases and again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.

     The first case involves a 16-year-old male patient announced earlier. He had good past health, who developed malaise, musculoskeletal pain and fever since November 29, and subsequently developed a rash over the chest and back. He attended Canossa Hospital on the same day and was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital on November 30. He is now in a stable condition and his blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient participated in a study tour in Thailand from November 19 to 24, and stayed at a rural resort. According to the patient, he went hiking in the forest and recalled mosquito bites there.

     The second case involves a 43-year-old male patient with good past health. He is the first patient’s collateral of the study tour, who developed fever, myalgia and rash since November 26. He attended private out-patient clinics on November 28, December 3 and 4. He is now in a stable condition and his blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

     The CHP conducted epidemiological investigations on other collaterals of the study tour. Initial enquiries revealed that three participants are symptomatic. Investigations are ongoing.

     The latest surveillance data shows that there is an increase in DF cases noted in some places in Asia (such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand) compared to the same period last year. Members of the public, while travelling abroad, should stay vigilant and carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures. Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, has been uploaded to the CHP’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf).

     “Apart from general measures, travellers returning from areas affected by DF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:
 

• Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
• Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
• Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
• Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
• Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
• Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
• Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and trousers and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.

     DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
 

• Read the label instructions carefully first;
• Apply right before entering an area with risk of mosquito bites;
• Apply on exposed skin and clothing;
• Use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children*;
• Apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent; and
• Re-apply only when needed and follow the instructions.

​* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.

     â€‹â€‹The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and may visit the following pages for more information: the DF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. read more

     The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) received a generous donation of 123 sets of precious artworks of Chinese calligraphy and paintings by Hong Kong calligraphist Jat See-yeu (1935 – 2009) from his family for the HKMoA’s permanent collection. This marked the largest single donation of calligraphy works by an individual Hong Kong artist that the museum has ever received. Eighty-five sets of the newly donated artworks have been selected for display in the “Boundless Universe: Calligraphy by Jat See-yeu” exhibition which will be opened tomorrow (December 8), showcasing Jat’s creative journey and his contribution to promoting Hong Kong’s contemporary calligraphy.
      
     Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition and donation ceremony today (December 7) at the HKMoA, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, pointed out that the Hong Kong Museum of Art has been dedicated to showcasing the unique Hong Kong art and Chinese culture through diverse curatorial approaches. From the exhibition “City Rhymes: The Melodious Notes of Calligraphy” to the exhibition “By the People: Creative Chinese Characters” and the current exhibition “Boundless Universe: Calligraphy by Jat See-yeu”, these three exhibitions form a trilogy that presents a comprehensive chapter of Chinese calligraphy in the history of Hong Kong art from different perspectives. He extended his gratitude to the Jat family for their generous donation which demonstrated their generous spirit and a steadfast commitment to the public good. Mr Liu pointed out that the collection of this donation encompassed the diverse periods of Mr Jat’s calligraphic creations in various calligraphic scripts and works that integrated calligraphy and paintings, providing an extraordinary resource for studying the development of calligraphy in Hong Kong. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department is committed to promoting the development of arts and culture in Hong Kong and telling the good stories of the city. It is hoped that through this exhibition, the younger generation, who might not have as many opportunities to write with brush and ink, would gain a deeper understanding of Chinese calligraphy, a unique art form in Chinese culture. He also hoped that visitors could feel Jat See-yeu’s love for life and Hong Kong while appreciating his innovative calligraphic endeavours.
      
     Other officiating guests included Jat’s son, Mr Jat Sew-tong, SC; the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; and the Museum Director of the HKMoA, Dr Maria Mok.
      
     The passion Jat See-yeu held for the art of calligraphy was developed at a very young age. During secondary school, he learned from the accomplished Hong Kong calligraphist Au Kin-kung for a brief period. Having studied under Hong Kong ink painting master Lui Shou-kwan in the 1960s and 1970s, Jat was inspired by his new ink paintings and embarked on a journey of diverse exploration in calligraphy. He strived for evolution and innovation while being firmly rooted in traditional calligraphy. Jat had dedicated his whole life to the art of calligraphy and actively participated in its promotion and education. In 2001, he was awarded the Medal of Honour from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for his contributions to fostering the art of calligraphy.
      
     The exhibition is divided into four zones based on four perspectives: “Cultivating the Self in Tradition”, “Infusion of Calligraphy and Painting”, “My Realm of Art in the Studio” and “My Own Path”, which showcases Jat’s passion for preserving tradition and his carefree and innovative spirit in embracing contemporary times. Highlight exhibits include an over six-metre-wide “Calligraphy in running script” expressed in a roving, uninhibited style; “Orchid blossoms”, an innovative piece that blends calligraphy and ink painting; “Calligraphy in clerical script” inspired by nature’s splendour; the majestic large-scale work “Verse in running-cursive script” in his advanced years; and the original ink on paper works of the two wooden couplets currently hanging at the Kowloon Walled City Park.
      
     Audiences can also enjoy a tour video aided by a visitor’s guide to explore Jat’s calligraphy found in Cheung Chau where he had resided for decades, and other places in Hong Kong. In addition, the exhibition will feature Jat’s calligraphy performance with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in 1999 which showcased his spontaneous creation of a large-scale calligraphy accompanying the live music. There is also a dynamic timeline which presents Jat’s artistic journey and the development of Hong Kong calligraphy groups since the 1950s, providing audiences insights into the multifaceted growth of Hong Kong calligraphy and cultural essence rooted in tradition.
      
     The exhibition will run from December 8, 2023, to July 3 next year at the Hong Kong Art Gallery on the 2/F of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/jat-see-yeu.html or call 2721 0116 for enquiries.

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     The Development Bureau (DEVB) published the Extension of Government Leases Bill (the Bill) today (December 7), with a view to providing a standing mechanism for extension of leases in a streamlined and orderly manner by operation of law. Leases will be extended in batches by virtue of the Government’s regular publication of notices in the Gazette, obviating the need for all the owners and the Government to undergo cumbersome procedures of execution of a new lease.

     A spokesperson for the DEVB said, “The Government has all along been handling extension of leases in accordance with the land policy promulgated in July 1997 (the 1997 Land Policy). According to this policy, general purpose leases as covered in the Bill (which refer to residential, commercial or industrial leases not being special purpose leases) will generally be allowed extension by the Government for a term of 50 years without payment of an additional premium, but an annual rent equivalent to three per cent of the rateable value of the property shall be charged.”

     The spokesperson continued, “The Bill maintains and operates under the 1997 Land Policy, and what is changed by the legislative exercise is only the means through which leases will be extended – extension will be effected by publication of notices in the Gazette, instead of execution of individual new leases by the Government with the owners. This ensures that the considerable number of upcoming expiring leases could be handled in an efficient and orderly manner, which will provide certainty on extension of leases and enhance the confidence of the owners and investors towards the arrangements for extending leases.”

     The Bill provides that the Director of Lands must publish an “Extension Notice” and a “Non-extension List” in the Gazette no less than six years (Note 1) before expiry of each batch of leases to declare that the leases covered by the “Extension Notice” will be extended, unless a lease is being listed on the “Non-extension List” (Note 2). Existing provisions in the leases will be retained upon extension, with additional conditions in accordance with the 1997 Land Policy that the lease will be extended for a term of 50 years, without payment of any additional premium for the extension itself, but subject to payment of annual rent annually adjusted and assessed according to the rateable value of the property, as well as essential conditions for safeguarding the Government’s enforcement powers. All interests, encumbrances and rights under the original lease will be carried forward.

     Moreover, at the instruction of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OCMFA), the Bill also expressly provides that the properties owned by consular missions in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the representative offices of international organisations enjoying privileges and immunities in the HKSAR, and used as chancelleries or residences of heads of missions and mission staff, will continue to be subject to OCMFA’s requirement put in place in June 2022 in respect of the acquisition and disposal of such properties (including lease extension), this being a matter of foreign affairs. The extension of such leases is subject to OCMFA’s prior approval being obtained before expiry of the lease, as well as the Government’s approval for extending the lease. If the property concerned is an individual unit in a multi-storey building, the aforesaid requirement will only apply to the relevant property unit, without affecting the other property units in the same building.

     The DEVB briefed the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Development on the legislative proposal in May this year, and thereafter engaged relevant professional bodies and stakeholders. The DEVB is pleased to note that the legislative proposal has received wide support, and has refined the operational details having regard to the views received, including doubling the lead time for publishing the “Extension Notice” from no less than three years to no less than six years before lease expiry. This has positively responded to stakeholders’ concern for earlier certainty on extension of leases, while striking an appropriate balance with the need for the Government to consider whether to allow extension for a lease closer to the time of lease expiry.

     The spokesperson said, “Land leases underpin the daily life and business operations of the general public. The new mechanism for extension of leases will bring about significant facilitation for both the public and businesses. The Government will fully support the LegCo’s examination of the Bill, with the hope that the Bill could be passed and implemented as soon as possible.”

     The Bill will be gazetted tomorrow (December 8) and introduced into the LegCo for first reading on December 13. For details, please refer to the LegCo Brief issued today.

Note 1: As an illustration, for leases expiring in 2031, the “Extension Notice” and “Non-extension List” should be published no later than December 31, 2024. For leases expiring in less than six years’ time (according to record, the earliest batch of upcoming expiring general purpose leases will expire in 2025), the “Extension Notice” and “Non-extension List” should be published on the date the legislation comes into operation.

Note 2: According to the established policy, if a particular lease should not be extended on public interest consideration (such as serious lease breach that remains unpurged despite repeated warnings), the Lands Department may refuse to extend the lease concerned. For the 25 leases which expired since July 1997, no general purpose lease has been refused extension on public interest considerations. read more

     With only three days to go before the District Council (DC) election, the Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS), Mrs Ingrid Yeung, today (December 7) visited the offices of the Official Languages Division and the General Grades Office of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) at Queensway Government Offices (QGO) and Rumsey Street Multi-storey Carpark Building in Sheung Wan respectively to distribute promotion leaflets on the DC election to colleagues to appeal to them to vote on December 10 so as to choose their ideal candidates for a better community.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, “The DC election is an important step towards an improved district governance structure and of great significance since it relates to community building and the well-being of the public. The reform of DCs is an important policy initiative of the Government. Civil servants have a responsibility to give support to it and also a civic responsibility to vote. They should set a good example and cast their votes in this DC election to discharge their ‘dual responsibilities’.
 
     “Having those who are most capable in assisting the Government to better keep tabs on the districts and serve the public wholeheartedly be returned as DC members can make the governance and the work of civil servants smoother. Colleagues, no matter in the capacity of civil servants or members of the public, should support it.”
 
     As the polling day is approaching, Mrs Yeung called on colleagues to learn more about the candidates of the geographical constituencies they belong to and their election platforms so as to elect the ideal candidates to serve the community.
 
     The CSB has been working in a concerted manner since early November and has spared no effort in the publicity and promotion of the DC election. The Chief Secretary for Administration and the SCS earlier met with representatives from the four civil service central consultative councils and the four major service-wide staff unions to appeal to them to support the DC election. They also jointly appear in a video and went to multiple floors of the QGO to disseminate to colleagues the important message of supporting the DC election and voting together.
 
     Moreover, the CSB Volunteer Team distributed leaflets for promoting the DC election to colleagues at various government buildings during lunch breaks and when they get off work. The team also went into the community and encouraged members of the public to cast their votes in the DC election.
 
     In addition to visiting the two offices today, Mrs Yeung had earlier visited the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service and the Public Service Commission, as well as the CSB’s workplaces on various floors of the Central Government Offices to appeal to colleagues to vote as early as possible on the polling day.
 
     The CSB also introduced various promotional items for the DC election, including a campaign to gather civil servants’ united support for the DC election, as well as a screen saver and a set of stickers for messaging apps, to spread the message of supporting the DC election and voting together to more colleagues through online and offline channels, and encourage them to take part in the promotion of DC election with one heart.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, “All these arrangements are meant to raise the awareness of civil servants and the general public about the DC election, and to encourage them to pay an effort to facilitate the development of district affairs and people’s livelihood through ‘each casting one vote on one candidate’ to elect those who do practical work as DC members.”
 
     The DC geographical constituencies, information on candidates, voting arrangements, etc, for the 2023 DC election are available on the thematic website (www.elections.gov.hk). The polling hours of DC geographical constituency ordinary polling stations on the polling day will be from 8.30am to 10.30pm.

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     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, visited SKH St Andrew’s Primary School in Sham Shui Po this afternoon (December 7) to learn more about the implementation of the School-based After School Care Service Scheme. The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, and the Acting Secretary for Education, Mr Sze Chun-fai, also joined the visit.

     Mr Chan first received a briefing by the Principal of the school, Mr Tam Hsien-ming, on the needs of students participating in the Scheme, including those with special educational needs and those from single-parent families, followed by an introduction by the Chief Executive Officer of the operator, St James’ Settlement, Ms Josephine Lee, on the services provided so far in the current school year. Mr Chan took a close look at students doing homework and revisions in the classroom under the guidance of instructors. He also chatted with students and parents, and was glad to note that some of the parents had rejoined the labour market in two months. Mr Chan and other officials then played with students in group games in the hall and encouraged them to enhance their social skills and relieve academic stress through the activities.

     Mr Chan said, “The current-term Government has adopted the strategy of targeted poverty alleviation by directing resources to those most in need. The Government, in co-operation with the Commission on Poverty chaired by me, has identified single-parent households as one of the target groups upon review. The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address sets out the launch of the School-based After School Care Service Scheme in the 2023/24 school year to provide targeted support for underprivileged families, especially single-parent families.

     “I am happy to see that students enrolled in the Scheme can finish homework and revision, as well as engage in games and extra-curricular activities with classmates at school to improve their physical and mental health, and that parents can alleviate their stress of looking after their children so that they can find full-time jobs or part-time ones of a longer duration to improve their living. The Scheme can also help attract more women to rejoin the labour force to further boost productivity in society.”

     The Scheme is implemented in primary schools from those districts with more targeted students, including Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long, and is expected to benefit 3 000 students. Under the Scheme, venues are provided by schools with funding from the Community Care Fund while NGOs operate the service. The service is run after school until 6pm from Monday to Friday and may be extended to 7pm if school situations permit. A total of six hours of service per day should be provided on Saturday and Sunday. In case of school holidays and class suspensions where the campus cannot be opened, NGOs should provide their service in service units in the same district as far as practicable.

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