The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, will depart for Bangkok, Thailand, on October 20 (Friday) morning. He will meet with senior officials of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand and the Ministry of Tou… read more
Following is a question by the Hon Benson Luk and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
Question:
The authorities made the first-ever extreme conditions announcement amidst a once-in-500-years event of torrential rain and flooding last month. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the mechanism for making an extreme conditions announcement;
(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of persons from organisations of local communities, such as the District Services and Community Care Teams, who participated in coping with the aforesaid extreme conditions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) of the number of civil servants (and among which, the number of disciplined services staff) mobilised by the Government to participate in coping with the disaster relief and recovery work of the aforesaid extreme conditions; whether the related operations involved additional public expenditure; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether it has formulated a mechanism to disseminate alerts about natural disasters to members of the public through the Emergency Alert System, so that they can stay vigilant and make timely responses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) whether it has formulated a more comprehensive response plan for making better preparations in the event of extreme conditions in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB), and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), our consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Benson Luk is as follows:
The Government has developed a dynamic and proactive disaster management strategy to address actions required before, during and after a disaster as well as post-disaster review, and has also set out the duties of all relevant bureaux and departments (B/Ds) so that they could work in close partnership according to the contingency plan.
Every year before the typhoon season, the Security Bureau (SB) organises an interdepartmental exercise to enhance the collaboration of B/Ds and other parties concerned in handling possible emergency situations if Hong Kong is struck by a typhoon. This year’s interdepartmental exercise was held on May 18, with the participation of representatives from around 40 B/Ds and other organisations concerned.
(1) In the event of super typhoons or other natural disasters of a substantial scale, a steering committee will be set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration with relevant Principal Officials as members to enhance co-ordination in the preparedness, response and recovery stages. The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) of the SB, together with relevant B/Ds, would assist the Steering Committee in assessing the impact the natural disasters may have on Hong Kong. In the event of extreme and widespread impact, such as large-scale power outage, extensive flooding, major landslides and serious obstruction of public transport services, the Steering Committee will consider making the extreme conditions announcement. Furthermore, following the passage of a typhoon, if there are factors that would seriously affect the working public to resume work effectively for a prolonged period, the Government may also make the extreme conditions announcement to advise the public to remain at safe places.
(2) The first extreme conditions announcement was made by the Government in early September. At the time, District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) in Tsuen Wan and Southern District were already established. Respectively, around 120 and 170 Care Team members and volunteers were mobilised to assist in temporary shelters and other follow-up actions.
Care Teams in the remaining 16 districts were also established in mid to late September. They would be mobilised in times of inclement weather, such as typhoons, to provide appropriate services to those in need.
(3) The SB activated the EMSC to co-ordinate the actions taken by the substantial manpower from departments handling the emergency situations, including the Information Services Department, various works departments, the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), to deal with the various extreme situations arising from the torrential rain. The Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Home Affairs Department and District Offices, etc also mobilised all available manpower to handle the issues arising from the rainstorm, as well as to assist in the recovery of the city. Respective departments did not maintain detailed statistics on the manpower deployed. Meanwhile, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised close to 300 members to assist in the rescue and medical treatment work.
The Government also activated the civil service mobilisation protocol to deploy civil servants of non-emergency services departments to provide support, with a view to restoring normal community operations and resuming citizens’ daily lives as early as possible. To cope with the widespread impact of the rainstorm and flooding, the Government activated the mobilisation protocol on three occasions after the extreme conditions ended, mobilising some 510 civil servants from 13 B/Ds (including 20 law enforcement officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption) to assist in clearing roads, homes and school premises, and in applying for emergency relief funds for persons facing financial hardship as a result of the disaster. Expenditure arising from the mobilisation protocol was absorbed by the Government’s general revenue.
(4) Launched in November 2020, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) aims to enable B/Ds to disseminate time-critical public announcements and messages (EAS Messages) to mobile service users during unforeseen emergency situations that may cause territory-wide/large-scale outage of critical infrastructure or extensively endanger lives and properties.
There are two alert levels of EAS Messages, namely “Emergency Alert” for emergency situations that may extensively endanger lives and properties (e.g. extensive infrastructure damage after massive typhoons), and “Extreme Emergency Alert” for extremely urgent situations requiring immediate notification to citizens for protection of lives and properties (e.g. serious earthquake, tsunami, terrorist attack).
According to the established mechanism, under truly justified emergency situations, B/Ds may, after obtaining the approval of the relevant Director of Bureau (and the Chief Secretary for Administration in the case of “Extreme Emergency Alert”), disseminate EAS Messages through the EAS terminals as far as practicable so as to facilitate members of the public to take immediate responsive actions.
(5) Government departments will make effective preparations, response, and recovery actions with respect to typhoons, rainstorms or other natural disasters. For example, prior to the rainy season and before the onset of a typhoon or rainstorm, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) will make pre-arrangements to inspect and clear the public drainage systems, including rivers, open nullahs, drainage gullies and roadside drainage systems, to prevent them from being clogged by debris such as mud, stones, leaves and rubbish. Departments under the DEVB and other relevant Government departments, including the tree management departments, works departments and the Buildings Department, will step up inspection, preparatory works and other preventive measures, including removing signboards with obvious danger, managing roadside trees with risk of falling, and ensuring that construction sites have implemented measures to effectively cope with the impacts of inclement weather.
The DEVB will activate the Emergency Command System on a needs basis to assist works departments in co-ordinating and flexibly deploying emergency works resources, including machinery, tools and manpower to carry out emergency remedial work expeditiously. This may include the clearing of fallen trees on roads, and the handling of flooding and landslide incidents. After the extreme weather conditions have subsided, departments under the DEVB and other relevant Government departments will immediately commence dedicated inspections to identify slopes, trees and structures with potential risks, and carry out necessary emergency removal, clearance and repair works to ensure public safety.
The HKO will also enhance information dissemination related to heavy rain and brief the media hourly with a video about the latest weather condition when Black Rainstorm Warning is in force to allow the general public to get hold of the latest situation and forecast.
In addition, the Government will review the content of relevant contingency plan in the light of experience gained from the handling of natural disasters, so as to ensure that the plan can be further improved and kept abreast of development. The Government conducted such a review after Super Typhoon Mangkhut battered Hong Kong in 2018, focusing on enhancing the preparations for natural disasters, the efficiency in clearing fallen trees and other debris, as well as arrangements for resumption of work in the wake of super typhoons.
The Government is currently conducting a review with the experience gained from the handling of typhoons, rainstorms and flooding in recent months, to improve our ability to handle natural disasters and enhance the safety factors in order to minimise the impact natural disasters may bring to the public. read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Chong Hing Bank Limited relating to fraudulent mobile applications (Apps), which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or e-mails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the Apps concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with the Xiamen Municipal Public Health delegation led by the Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Xiamen Municipal People’s Congress, Mr Zheng Yuelin, today (October 18) to explore the room and potential for collaboration between Xiamen and Hong Kong on healthcare aspects.
At the meeting, Professor Lo introduced to the delegation Hong Kong’s policy and latest developments in the primary healthcare area including various measures rolled out since the release of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint last December, such as the establishment of a community-based primary healthcare system, advocacy of the family doctor concept and promotion of the mindset of early management of health and chronic diseases among citizens, as well as enhancements to the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth).
Moreover, Professor Lo also shared with the delegation the latest developments in various healthcare fields in Hong Kong, covering work in medical innovations, public health enhancement, hospital management, service quality advancement, etc. Both sides also agreed to give priority to exploring co-operation on the aforementioned healthcare aspects in the future.
Professor Lo said, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has all along been reinforcing co-operation on healthcare service developments with various Mainland provinces and cities under the principle of complementarity and mutual benefits, and on the premise of benefitting the healthcare development of both the Mainland and Hong Kong to level up the healthcare quality. Looking ahead, we will remain committed to fostering cross-boundary medical co-operation so as to propel the important national strategy of ‘Healthy China’ through concerted contributions.”
The Acting Director of Health, Dr Amy Chiu; the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau (HHB), Dr Pang Fei-chau; the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko, and other officials of the HHB also attended the meeting today.
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
Question:
It is learnt that the Guangdong Province and the Shenzhen Municipality have incorporated the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Boundary Control Points Economic Belt into their major development plans. Moreover, the Office of Port of Entry and Exit of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government has recently announced the introduction of a number of measures to optimise the clearance environment. Regarding the measures to further facilitate the flow of people between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will, by drawing reference from the measures recently introduced by the Shenzhen Municipality, introduce more facilitative clearance policies or arrangements for people who frequently commute between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, including but not limited to businessmen, cross-boundary students and travellers; if so, of the specific implementation details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as the Mainland has already connected the seven Shenzhen-Hong Kong land boundary control points (BCPs) to the railway network, while some of the land BCPs in Hong Kong do not have the relevant planning support, whether the Government will progressively connect such land BCPs to the railway system; if so, of the implementation details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as there are views that the existing high fares for cross-boundary journeys on the MTR East Rail Line have hindered the flow of people between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, whether the Government will introduce improvement measures; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Security Bureau, my reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming is as follows:
(1) The Immigration Department (ImmD) has been utilising innovative technologies to enhance the clearance capacity of control points. In order to provide more convenient and speedy automated immigration clearance services to Hong Kong residents, the ImmD introduced the “Contactless e-Channel” service in December 2021 which uses facial recognition technology to allow enrolled Hong Kong residents to perform self-service immigration clearance with encrypted QR codes. The whole process only takes around seven seconds. At the end of April this year, the ImmD also adjusted the eligible age for holders of the Mainland’s electronic Exit-Entry Permits for travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (e-EEP) for using the e-Channel service from 16 years old or above to 11 years old or above, so that more inbound visitors from the Mainland can use the speedy e-Channel service. In July this year, the ImmD further extended the e-Channel service to cover students aged 11 or above coming to Hong Kong to study, foreign domestic helpers and imported workers. The above new initiatives have further enhanced the clearance efficiency and overall handling capacity of various control points, thereby facilitating cross-boundary travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland. In respect of cross-boundary students (CBS), the ImmD currently implements various measures to provide them with speedy and safe clearance services, including making use of information technology to implement Simplified Clearance Procedure for CBS and the provision of On Board Clearance Service for CBS at individual control points.
In addition, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been in close contact with the Mainland on the facilitation measures to promote “southbound and northbound” flow of high-end talents within the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The “southbound” GBA exit endorsement for talents was implemented in February this year by the Mainland. Holders of this exit endorsement may stay in Hong Kong for up to 30 days on each visit, which is longer than the usual seven-day period for the exit endorsement for business visits. If holders of the exit endorsement for talents also meet the criteria for the Pilot Scheme on Immigration Facilitation for Visitors Participating in Short-term Activities in Designated Sectors, they may come to Hong Kong and participate in specified short-term activities as visitors and receive remunerations, without having to apply for an employment entry permit from the ImmD. The HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close liaison with the Mainland authorities to further promote talent exchange and interaction in the GBA, with a view to injecting stronger impetus to the growth for Hong Kong and the entire GBA, bringing mutual benefits.
(2) As regards transport infrastructure, the Government has always adopted the “infrastructure-led” and “capacity-creating” planning principles in taking forward transport infrastructure projects. In respect of land boundary control points between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, currently the MTR Lo Wu Station and Lok Ma Chau Station are respectively connected to the Lo Wu and Futian control points, effectively promoting economic co-operation and personnel interactions between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
In order to further promote connectivity in the GBA, the governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen established in 2021 the Task Force for Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation on Cross-Boundary Railway Infrastructure to jointly develop the “GBA on the Rail”, and take forward two cross-boundary railway projects, namely the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu to Qianhai) and the Northern Link Spur Line. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link will connect the Hong Kong Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area with Qianhai, thereby strengthening the connection between the Hong Kong Northern Metropolis and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen innovation and technology corridor. We are currently undertaking the second stage study of the project, which is expected to be completed in mid-2024 (i.e. next year). Meanwhile, the proposed Northern Link Spur Line will also provide a direct railway connection between the Northern Metropolis and the new Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. Hong Kong and Shenzhen are now proactively taking forward the relevant planning work, with an aim to embarking on the detailed planning and design of the project within next year. Furthermore, we will also explore the possibility of connecting more land boundary control points to the local railway network, having regard to the Remaining Phase Development of the New Territories North – Planning and Engineering Study for New Territories North New Town and Man Kam To.
(3) Regarding fares of MTR cross-boundary journeys, the fares of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) are basically determined according to distance, taking into account other factors such as market competitiveness, trip nature (e.g. whether cross-boundary or cross-harbour journeys are involved) and the existing overall fare structure.
The East Rail Line (ERL) is a railway line that combines domestic and cross-boundary services. Before the rail merger in 2007, its fares have been determined according to its own fare structure, which has its historical factors and special circumstances. Specifically, target passengers of cross-boundary journeys via Lo Wu Station and Lok Ma Chau Station are different from those of domestic journeys. Their fares, to a certain extent, are also subsidising those of the latter. Therefore, the fares of the ERL should not be compared directly with those of the other railway lines under the heavy rail system.
We understand the concerns of Members on cross-boundary fares. At present, the MTRCL provides various promotional offers from time to time in light of market situations. For example, between February and July this year, Fare Saver discounts of $6 are offered for passengers taking same-day round trips between Hong Kong and Shenzhen via Lok Ma Chau Station with Adult Octopus cards and JoyYou Cards. From July 17 to August 31 this year, children under the age of 11 can redeem free cross-boundary tickets to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations. Cross-boundary passengers can also enjoy other MTR fare concessions, including Fare Savers, Special Fare Days, Early Bird Discount and Green Minibus Interchange Discounts. We will continue to encourage the MTRCL to suitably respond to public aspirations by offering more concessions upon balancing different considerations, including market situations, their operating and financial conditions, and passenger demand. read more