Tag Archives: China

     â€‹In response to media report today (November 24) on the concrete batching plant (CBP) at 20 Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong continuing in operation on November 23 without holding a valid Specified Process Licence (SPL), the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said they will make every legal effort to stop any illegal operations.

     The EPD has been closely monitoring the operation of two CBPs of the China Concrete Co. Limited located at 20 and 22 Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong respectively.

CBP at 20 Tung Yuen Street

     The Air Pollution Control Appeal Board (the Appeal Board) dismissed an appeal lodged by the China Concrete Co. Limited against the refusal of its application for renewal of a SPL for the CBP at 20 Tung Yuen Street, Yau Tong, by the EPD on November 22, 2023. The CBP’s SPL will cease to be in force immediately according to the Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) Regulations. The EPD has issued a letter to the CBP on the same day requesting it to cease the cement works (including concrete production) under the specified process immediately.

     The EPD officers entered the plant at 20 Tung Yuen Street for inspection and examined the relevant video of surveillance camera system yesterday (November 23). They did not find the CBP operating the relevant cement works (including concrete production) but concrete mixers were seen going into and out of another CBP at 22 Tung Yuen Street during the period. During the follow-up inspection today (November 24), CBP at 20 Tung Yuen Street was found resuming operation. The EPD has started collecting evidence and will conduct joint operation with relevant departments. The EPD has also sought advice from the Department of Justice on possibility on application to the Court for injunction in order to stop the illegal operation of the CBP.

CBP at 22 Tung Yuen Street

     Since the appeal lodged by the CBP at 22 Tung Yuen Street had been dismissed by the Air Pollution Control Appeal Board, the EPD has been taking stringent enforcement actions against the plant. Until November 2023, the EPD had initiated a total of 32 prosecution summonses against the plant for not complying air pollution abatement notices and operating without a valid licence. The cases are currently being handled by the court.  Meanwhile, the EPD has applied for an injunction, which is being scheduled for hearing by the Court, to cease relevant operation of the plant.
      
     Also, the EPD is working on the legislative amendments of the Air Pollution Control Ordinance to enhance enforcement power for closing illegal premises, so as to allow the department to handle similar cases more efficiently and effectively in the future. The amendments of the Ordinance are set to be introduced into the Legislative Council in the first quarter of next year. read more

     Internationally renowned composer and conductor Tan Dun, appointed as Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion (ACP) by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, staged the Italian premiere of his work, “Buddha Passion” in Rome, Italy, where he is conducting the Orchestra and Choir of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia on November 23-25 (Italian time). Hong Kong young soprano Candice Chung also took part in the peformance.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) was happy to promote the concerts to its contacts in government, business and cultural circles in Rome and to support the performance on November 23 in person with its guests. It is another occasion showcasing Hong Kong as an international arts and cultural exchange hub to the European audience. Deputy Representative of the HKETO, Brussels, Miss Fiona Li, said that telling good stories of China and Hong Kong through the universal medium of music, was an excellent way to forge people-to-people bonds between different cultures.  

     Noting that Tan Dun’s monumental work “Buddha Passion” is in a wide-ranging mix of styles, including both Western and Chinese opera, Western classical music and the Asian folk tradition, Miss Li said it was emblematic of Hong Kong’s rich and diverse cultural influences. The participation of Hong Kong young artists in Tan’s concerts around the world also highlights the efforts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in fostering Hong Kong music artists and showcasing their talent on global stages.

     Tan has been serving as the Hong Kong’s ACP since January 1 this year for a period of five years. He will continue to explore opportunities for local young artists to perform on global stages in the coming months to enrich their experience and broaden their international vision, in line with the strategy of the National 14th Five-Year Plan that supports Hong Kong to develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges.

     Tan is currently the Dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music in New York and an Honorary Artistic Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra. He has been promoting the messages of peace and green environment throughout the years. His music has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene, which earned him many prestigious honours. 

    

     A woman who went missing in Cheung Sha Wan has been located.      Li Yee-ching, aged 65, went missing after she was last seen in Mei Foo on January 26 evening. Her family made a report to Police o… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) is presenting five Hong Kong productions in the dedicated Queer Hong Kong section at the 17th Slovak Queer Film Festival, taking place from November 22 to 28 (Bratislava time) in Bratislava, Slovakia.
      
     HKETO Berlin is partnering with the Festival for the first time. The Acting Director of HKETO Berlin, Miss Bonnie Ka, delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony of the Queer Hong Kong section. HKETO Berlin also hosted a reception before the opening screening.
      
     The opening film of the section, “Happy Together” , is an award-wining classic of Hong Kong cinema, directed by Wong Kar-wai. This emotionally told film is an iconic drama, which depicts the turbulent romance of two gay lovers. Starring Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung, “Happy Together” won several awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the Hong Kong Film Awards as well as the Golden Horse Awards.
      
     Hong Kong is establishing itself as an international cultural exchange hub. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is mapping out a blueprint for arts and culture and creative industries development, nurturing a diverse talent pool and upgrading the city’s cultural infrastructure to further enhance the relevant ecosystem. “I sincerely invite all film and creative professionals to come to Hong Kong and join us in creating even better quality productions to bring a positive impact to the world”, Miss Ka said.
 
About HKETO Berlin
 
     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in the Slovak Republic as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Switzerland.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), together with the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the banking sector, support the launch of the Anti-Deception Alliance (ADA) by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) today (November 24) which will strengthen the capability of the anti-money laundering eco-system to detect, disrupt and deter scams. 
      
     ADA is the latest achievement in a long history of close public-private collaboration among the HKMA, the HKPF and the banking industry to protect the financial system and our community against fraud and financial crime risk. ADA will strengthen the effectiveness of the existing 24/7 stop payment mechanism operated by the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) of the HKPF, by bringing together officers of the ADCC and bank staff of participating banks (Note 1) to expedite the identification and interception of crime proceeds, as well as proactive identification of potential victims of scams. The integrated work environment of ADA, together with analytics capabilities of banks driven by the HKMA’s work in AML/CFT Regtech, will boost intelligence sharing, enable swift decision-making and close cooperation among all stakeholders to grow the operational value of both the ADCC and the 24/7 stop payment mechanism.
      
     ADA is another example of how banks continue to work closely with key partners at the forefront of taking action to safeguard the community against fraud and financial crime. The Faster Payment System Suspicious Proxy ID Alert based on Scameter database will also be launched soon, and taken together with other anti-deception initiatives announced by the HKMA with the HKPF and 28 retail banks in April 2023 (Note 2) will enhance the fight against fraud and financial crime and reduce financial losses to the public. 
      
     Mr Eddie Yue, the Chief Executive of the HKMA, said, “The launch of the ADA marks another important milestone for public-private partnerships in combating fraud and financial crime. We firmly believe that rapid and effective communication and intelligence sharing will assist the banking industry to detect and prevent fraud risk and related mule account networks, as well as helping intercept fraudulent payments more effectively. All these efforts help protect and enhance public confidence in using digital financial services, and support the healthy development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.”

Note 1: The 10 participating retail banks include: The Bank of East Asia, Limited; Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited; Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited; DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited; Hang Seng Bank, Limited; The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited; Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited; Nanyang Commercial Bank, Limited; OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited; and Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited.

Note 2: The five anti-deception initiatives include real-time fraud monitoring, bank-to-bank information sharing platform, suspicious proxy ID alert model, enhancement of 24/7 stop payment mechanism and assistance to investigation work of the HKPF. For details, see www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/news-and-media/press-releases/2023/04/20230421-7/ read more