The Land Registry today (December 4) released its statistics for November 2023. Land registration —————— * The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in… read more
With the northeast monsoon over the south China coast weaker than normal for most of the time during the month, November 2023 was much warmer than usual in Hong Kong. The monthly mean temperature of 23.5 degrees, monthly mean m… read more
Hongkong Post announced today (December 4) that a special stamp issue and associated philatelic products on the theme of “Hong Kong Past and Present Series: Hongkong Post Headquarters” will be released for sale on December 19 (Tuesday).
Hong Kong Post Office was established on August 25, 1841. The first post office was built in the same year and it has been over 180 years since then. To cope with business expansion, the Hongkong Post Headquarters has undergone relocations four times and it began moving into the Hongkong Post Building in Kowloon Bay in 2023. These five important stages mark the development of postal services.
To commemorate the completion and opening of the Building, Hongkong Post will issue a set of four stamps, a stamp sheetlet and associated philatelic products on the theme of “Hong Kong Past and Present Series: Hongkong Post Headquarters”, revealing the appearances and development of the Hongkong Post Headquarters at different times.
Official first day covers for “Hong Kong Past and Present Series: Hongkong Post Headquarters” will be on sale at all post offices and on Hongkong Post’s online shopping mall ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (December 5). This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all post offices and on ShopThruPost from December 19, while serviced first day covers affixed with the special stamps, presentation pack (prestige version) and maximum cards will be available at philatelic offices only.
A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on December 19 at all post offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.
Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk) and in the ShopThruPost mobile app.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) announced the launch of the FPS x PromptPay Link for cross-border QR payment between Hong Kong and Thailand today (December 4). This initiative provides a fast, secure and easily accessible cross-border retail payment service to people travelling between Hong Kong and Thailand.
Through this linkage, travellers from Thailand and Hong Kong will be able to make retail payments by using their mobile payment applications to scan the Hong Kong FPS QR code and Thai PromptPay QR Code displayed by merchants respectively. Users will benefit from an additional efficient payment means, while merchants will be able to receive their funds immediately. This payment connectivity will provide travellers with greater convenience, hence supporting tourism and economic activities of Hong Kong and Thailand.
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The HKMA is very pleased to work with the BOT on this initiative which provides a safe, convenient and efficient means for travellers to make cross-border retail payments. The launch of this service today marks an important milestone to the FPS in Hong Kong in expanding its usage to cross-border payments.”
The Governor of the BOT, Dr Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, said, “This collaboration with Hong Kong is an important milestone in Thailand’s digitalisation efforts and demonstrates our commitment in creating more efficient and inclusive cross-border payments in the region. This linkage will bring tangible benefits not only to the 1.5 million tourists from these two economies, but also merchants serving them as well.”
This initiative is made possible with the collaboration from various stakeholders from both jurisdictions under the joint stewardship of the HKMA and the BOT. These include the Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited (HKICL) and the National ITMX (NITMX) as operators of the respective instant payment systems, as well as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Bangkok Bank as settlement banks responsible for cross-border settlements for the service. The service providers offering this cross-border QR payment service to their customers via their mobile payment applications are seven participating banks and two (non-bank) Stored Value Facilities from Hong Kong, and three commercial banks from Thailand. The list of participating institutions, including the banks providing QR codes to the merchants supporting this service, can be found in Appendix.
Both authorities strongly believe that this cross-border QR payment will result in a safer, more efficient, and cost-attractive alternative for retail payment for the general public. It will also serve as a catalyst for more collaborations on financial innovations in this dynamic region in the coming years.
Today (December 4) is Constitution Day. The Security Bureau (SB) led its six disciplined services to hold the Constitution Day Flag Raising Ceremony at the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development, with a view to enhancing public understanding of the constitutional basis and order of the country and Hong Kong, as well as promoting the spirit of the Constitution.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, officiated at the ceremony. At the ceremony, the disciplined services ceremonial guard and the flag party comprising more than 100 members marched into the venue with Chinese-style foot drill and conducted the flag-raising ceremony during the playing and singing of the national anthem with a fly-past by a helicopter of the Government Flying Service (GFS). The ceremony was concluded by the Immigration Band’s military tattoo.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Lam said the Constitution is the fundamental law of the state with supreme legal force and status in the national legal system. Only by upholding the spirit of the Constitution and the rule of law can Hong Kong effectively implement “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy, and continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages. He encouraged members of the disciplined services to do their utmost to shoulder the sacred responsibility of safeguarding national security, enhance members of the public’s understanding of the constitutional order, build their sense of nationhood and strengthen national identity.
Participating disciplined services in the flag-raising ceremony included the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department, the Fire Services Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the GFS.
The flag-raising ceremony was broadcast live via Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV 32, the Facebook/Instagram pages of the SB and the disciplined services, the websites of RTHK and the Information Services Department, and the YouTube channel of RTHK to allow the public to participate together to enhance awareness of the Constitution.
