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 1 to noon today (December 4), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 290 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). 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 17 908 samples of food imported from Japan (including 11 903 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 5 062 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The Land Registry today (December 4) released its statistics for November 2023.

Land registration
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*   The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in November was 3 532 (+20.2 per cent compared with October 2023 but -4.9 per cent compared with November 2022)

*   The 12-month moving average for November was 4 820 (0.3 per cent below the 12-month moving average for October 2023 and 8.4 per cent below that for November 2022)

*   The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements of building units in November was $24.5 billion (-15.4 per cent compared with October 2023 and -18.8 per cent compared with November 2022)

*   Among the sale and purchase agreements, 2 554 were for residential units (+20.3 per cent compared with October 2023 but -6.5 per cent compared with November 2022)

*   The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $19.7 billion (-19.7 per cent compared with October 2023 and -23.9 per cent compared with November 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 November was 358 912 (-1.8 per cent compared with October 2023 and -13.8 per cent compared with November 2022)

     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.

     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 maximum temperature of 26.1 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 21.6 degrees were 1.3 degrees, 1.6 degrees and 1.3 degrees above their corresponding normals and respectively one of the second, one of the third and one of the fourth highest on record for November. Together with the higher than usual temperatures in September and October, the autumn of this year from September to November was also much warmer than usual. The mean minimum temperature of 24.4 degrees, mean temperature of 26.1 degrees and mean maximum temperature of 28.8 degrees were respectively one of the highest, one of the second and fifth highest on record for the same period. The month was drier than usual with a total rainfall of 3.3 millimetres, only about 8 per cent of the normal figure of 39.3 millimetres. Mainly attributed to record-breaking rainstorms in September and October, the autumn of this year was exceptionally wet with a total rainfall of 1 616.4 millimetres, the highest on record for the same period. The accumulated rainfall this year up to November was 2 773.6 millimetres, about 15 per cent above the normal figure of 2 402.4 millimetres for the same period.

     Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, the weather of Hong Kong was fine and dry during the day on the first six days of the month. With plenty of sunshine, temperatures at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 30.7 degrees on the afternoon of November 6, the highest of the month. Moreover, the daily mean temperature of 27.6 degrees on that day was the highest on record for November.

     With a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong and under the influence of a fresh to strong easterly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong turned mainly cloudy and cooler with a few rain patches on November 7 and 8. With the moderation of the easterly airstream, it was brighter and warmer with sunny intervals during the day on November 9 and 10. The daily minimum temperature of 25.6 degrees on November 10 was one of the highest on record for November. A cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong on the morning of November 11. Locally, it was mainly cloudy with a few rain patches on that day. The associated northeast monsoon brought mainly fine and slightly cooler weather to Hong Kong during the next four days.

     With the arrival of another replenishment of the northeast monsoon on November 16, local weather was mainly cloudy at first on that day and became mainly fine and dry in the afternoon. It was sunny and very dry with cool mornings on the next two days. The temperature at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 15.6 degrees on the morning of November 17, the lowest of the month. Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon and the subsequent replenishment, fine and dry weather prevailed in Hong Kong from November 19 to 28. With a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong and under the influence of an easterly airstream, local weather turned cloudier with a few light rain patches on the last two days of November.

     There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in November 2023.

     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.

     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.