Police today (October 17) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tseung Kwan O. Lau Yat-fung, aged 52, went missing after he left his residence on Pung Loi Roa… read more
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (October 16) detected a suspected smuggling case involving a medium goods vehicle at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point and seized 195 suspected smuggled mobile phones and 681 suspected smuggled computer RAM units with a total estimated market value of about $1.36 million.
Based on risk assessment, Customs yesterday intercepted an outgoing medium goods vehicle at the control point. Upon X-ray examination, Customs officers spotted irregularities in the images of the underneath of the vehicle. The batch of suspected smuggled mobile phones and computer RAM units were found concealed inside the chassis frame under the cargo compartment of the medium goods vehicle.
After an investigation, Customs arrested a 54-year-old male driver suspected to be connected with the case. He has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at a media session after attending the flag raising ceremony in celebration of the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre by Hong Kong Muslims today (October 17):
Reporter: Why was the decision made now to put a Chinese flag at the mosque? Was it a decision made by the Islamic board of trustees or was it a decision implemented on them by the Beijing or Hong Kong Government?
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs: This is the intention and initiative of the Islamic community in Hong Kong and we can see from this flag raising ceremony that other than organising a flag raising ceremony, they have also organised flag raising teams in the Islamic schools. They also help us nurture the new generation which embraces the national pride and honour, so I think this is a good sign to show inclusiveness in our community. Every member of the community has their own way to show respect and share the honour and pride of our nation.
Reporter: Obviously the Beijing Government has come up with quite a lot of scrutiny for the way it treats Muslim especially Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. And obviously a lot of the Hong Kong Muslims community could be quite offended when they see the Chinese flag outside the mosque, so I don’t quite understand why that would be and are you worried that it could cause a divide in the community?
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs: Please stop listening to any rumours that are trying to damage the relationship between our country and religions. Those are rumours and ungrounded rumours. We can see from the building of the flag raising platform and also their act of organising the flag raising ceremony and flag raising teams. We can see that this is the inclusiveness and mutual respect in our community among different religions and this is very crucial to the harmony of our community. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more
Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for August 2023 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 17) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
In August 2023, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods decreased by 6.9% and 3.9% respectively over August 2022.
Comparing the first eight months of 2023 with the same period in 2022, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods decreased by 16.4% and 14.1% respectively.
Comparing the three-month period ending August 2023 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods both decreased by 1.2%.
Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
Comparing August 2023 with August 2022, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 3.7% and 3.8% respectively.
As regards price changes in the first eight months of 2023 over the same period in 2022, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 4.2% and 3.8% respectively.
Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.
The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2022, the index decreased by 0.1% in August 2023, whereas it increased by 0.4% in the first eight months of 2023.
Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
Comparing August 2023 with August 2022, declines were recorded for the total export volume to Taiwan (-23.7%), the USA (-16.0%), India (-12.5%) and the mainland of China (the Mainland) (-4.7%). On the other hand, the total export volume to Vietnam increased by 6.6%.
Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: India (9.4%), Vietnam (4.5%), the Mainland (3.6%), the USA (3.4%) and Taiwan (2.7%).
Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
Comparing August 2023 with August 2022, declines were recorded for the import volume from Singapore (-14.9%), Taiwan (-6.9%), Japan (-5.0%) and the Mainland (-0.6%). On the other hand, the import volume from the USA increased by 3.9%.
Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Taiwan (6.6%), the Mainland (5.3%), Singapore (4.7%), Japan (2.5%) and the USA (1.5%).
Further information
Details of the above statistics are published in the August 2023 issue of “Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers”. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4918). read more
Co-created by minimalist music legend Philip Glass from the United States and British Olivier award-winning director Phelim McDermott, the Asian premiere of “Tao of Glass” will be staged in Hong Kong from October 26 to 29. The programme, which is part of the New Vision Arts Festival (NVAF), features 10 new music pieces with 10 meditations on life, death and Taoist wisdom, weaving a most personal and touching collaboration of the two masters.
This is a magical collaboration of composer Glass and theatre director and actor McDermott, who had worked together on epic operas such as “Akhnaten” and “Satyagraha”. Unlike the duo’s previous productions with grand stage sets and intricate storytelling, “Tao of Glass” is a one-man show directed and performed by McDermott, and accompanied by an ensemble of musicians playing new Glass scores. Also on stage are puppets representing different metaphors which allow audiences a glimpse of the two revered artists’ bewilderment about creative inspiration and dreams.
“Tao of Glass” won rave reviews from major media when it premiered at the Manchester International Festival in 2019. The Times in the United Kingdom (UK) called the programme “an exploration of the mystery of artistic creation that’s marvellously entertaining and deeply touching”, while the Guardian in the UK described the show as “a golden odyssey through Philip Glass’s music”.
“Tao of Glass” will be held at 8pm from October 26 to 28 and also at 3pm on October 29 at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre. Tickets priced at $260, $360 and $460 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app “URBTIX”.
“Tao of Glass” is performed in English with Chinese and English surtitles. The programme contains coarse language. A meet-the-artist session will be held after the performance at the theatre on October 27.
Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the NVAF will be held from October 20 to November 19, showcasing an array of interdisciplinary programmes by overseas and local performing groups and artists. For programme enquiries and various discount schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit www.nvaf.gov.hk.
