Tag Archives: China

     The Department of Health (DH) today (December 1) announced that one person was sentenced by the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts in the past month (November 1 to 30) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C).

     The case involved a 74-year-old man. The dates of violating the relevant regulation were on July 20 and 22, 2021. He was fined $3,000 by the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts.

     The DH will continue its actions against those who have breached the relevant regulations earlier. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

Tender date	:	December 1, 2023
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	M2322
Issue date	:	December 4, 2023
Maturity date	:	January 3, 2024
Amount applied	:	HK$3,730 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$800 MN
Average yield accepted	:	4.87 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	4.88 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 100 PCT
Average tender yield	:	5.08 PCT

*”Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “highest yield accepted” level. read more

     The Main Programme under the Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme (PASS) is inviting a new round of applications for project proposals starting today (December 1) from non-profit-distributing organisations such as professional bodies, trade and industrial organisations and research institutes.
 
     The PASS, with a total allocation of $200 million, aims at funding non-profit-making industry-led projects to increase exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong’s professional services and external counterparts, promote relevant publicity activities, and enhance the standards and external competitiveness of Hong Kong’s professional services.
 
     The maximum grant for each approved project under the Main Programme of the PASS is $3 million or 90 per cent of the total eligible project cost, whichever is lower. A wide range of professional services, such as accounting, legal and dispute resolution, architecture, engineering, healthcare, information and communications technology, design and technical testing and analysis, are eligible for the Main Programme. Sector-specific projects and cross-sectoral projects are both welcome. Expenses directly incurred for implementing a project, such as manpower costs, venue and set-up costs, production and promotion costs, and the project team and active participants’ travel and accommodation costs outside Hong Kong are typically eligible for funding support under the Scheme. Funding support may also be provided for travel and accommodation costs incurred by participants of relatively longer professional internships or attachment programmes outside Hong Kong which are funded by the Main Programme.
 
     Up to early November 2023, near 100 projects had been funded under the Main Programme, including project deliverables in and outside Hong Kong. The deliverables include capacity-building programmes for enhancing the standards of local professionals, such as training programmes, workshops and study tours; outreach and promotional activities for showcasing the strengths of Hong Kong’s professional services, such as roadshows, promotional seminars and participation in exhibitions outside Hong Kong; exchange activities for deepening interaction between Hong Kong professionals and their external counterparts, such as visits to other economies and international conferences and seminars held in Hong Kong; and research projects on potential external markets for Hong Kong professional services and development of best practice guidelines and manuals for professionals. Details about the Main Programme and its funded projects are available at www.pass.gov.hk/main/en/home/index.html.
 
     Furthermore, with a view to stepping up the promotion of Hong Kong’s competitive edges and professional services to Mainland cities (including those in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) and overseas markets, $50 million has been set aside for the Professionals Participation Subsidy Programme (PSP) under the PASS to subsidise Hong Kong major professional bodies to participate in relevant activities organised by the Government (such as Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council after the pandemic situation has stabilised. Details of the PSP and its latest list of eligible activities are available at www.pass.gov.hk/psp. Hong Kong professionals from the eligible professional sectors under the PASS may make use of the PSP subsidy to join the relevant activities.
 
     The Main Programme and the PSP receive applications for project and activity proposals all year round and they are processed on a quarterly basis. The deadline for the new round of applications is February 29, 2024. A briefing session will be held this month for organisations interested in applying for PASS funding. For registration for the briefing session or other enquiries, please contact the PASS Secretariat at 3655 5418 or pass@cedb.gov.hk. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, December 1, 2023 is 104.4 (up 0.3 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (December 1) released the latest grading of water quality for four gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
      
     Four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:           

Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Golden Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Deep Water Bay Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.  Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast) on the EPD’s beach thematic website. read more