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 November 27 to noon today (November 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 187 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 16 792 samples of food imported from Japan (including 11 148 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 4 762 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

 
*"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.
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning December 4, 2023:
 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 28) that in view of a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 080 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 200.84 million poultry eggs from Japan in the first nine months of this year. 

     â€‹"The CFS has contacted the Japanese authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (November 28) that the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP) will subsidise a total of 2 330 places in 32 sub-degree programmes of eight post-secondary institutions for the cohort to be admitted in the 2024/25 academic year.
 
     These 32 designated sub-degree programmes fall under six disciplines that have been identified as having keen manpower demand, namely architecture and engineering, computer science, creative industries, health care, sports and recreation, and tourism and hospitality. The programmes and number of subsidised places (see Annex) are determined by the EDB in consultation with relevant policy bureaux and departments.  
 
     In the 2024/25 academic year, the annual subsidy amount for laboratory-based programmes will be increased from $39,140 in the 2023/24 academic year to $39,890, while that for non-laboratory-based programmes will be increased from $22,480 to $22,910 according to the movement of the Composite Consumer Price Index.
 
     The adjusted subsidy amounts are applicable to both new and continuing eligible students. The subsidy is tenable for the normal duration of the programmes concerned. Subsidised students will pay a tuition fee with the subsidy applied. Students in need may still apply for student financial assistance from the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency in respect of the actual amount of tuition fee payable.  
    
     The SSSDP aims to subsidise students to pursue designated full-time locally accredited self-financing undergraduate and sub-degree programmes in selected disciplines with a view to nurturing talent for industries with keen human resource demand.  The designated undergraduate programmes in the 2024/25 academic year, including the number of subsidised places and the subsidy amounts concerned, were announced on September 19.
 
     Students may apply directly to the relevant institutions for admission to the designated sub-degree programmes under the SSSDP. Details of the SSSDP are available on the EDB website (www.cspe.edu.hk/sssdp).

     Police today (November 28) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kwai Chung.

     Heung Kam-chee, aged 70, went missing after he left his residence in On Yam Estate last night (November 27). His family made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.58 metres tall, 47 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, grey short-sleeved shirt, dark blue trousers and black shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 9450 2374, or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.