Tag Archives: China

     The results of Primary One discretionary places for September 2025 will be released next Monday (November 18) by all government and aided primary schools.
 
     A spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) said today (November 15), “There are 41 781 children applying for discretionary places in government and aided primary schools this year, of whom 20 644 will be offered a place in these schools. Among them a total of 10 644 children are applicants with sibling(s) studying or with parent(s) working in the schools that they have applied to, whereas the remaining 10 000 are selected according to the Points System.”
 
     Parents who have already activated their Primary One Admission e-platform (ePOA) account are reminded to check the results via the ePOA from 10am next Monday. Parents can also bring the parent’s copy of the paper Application Form for POA and check the results of their discretionary place application between 9am and 5pm on that day at the school to which they have applied. 
 
     Parents whose children have been offered a discretionary place are advised to note carefully the registration arrangements of the schools concerned and the documents required for registration, such as the parent’s copy of the paper Application Form for POA or the electronic application record in the ePOA, as well as the specified number of photographs of their children. They should register their children next Wednesday (November 20) or Thursday (November 21) at the school to which they have applied during school hours. 

     “Parents who cannot register within the specified period should notify the person-in-charge of the school in advance to make alternative arrangements. Otherwise, they will be deemed to have given up their discretionary place,” the spokesman said.

     Under the POA System, each government or aided primary school may make use of about 50 per cent of its total Primary One places as discretionary places. The approximate 50 per cent of places remaining will be reserved for Central Allocation at a later stage.
 
     “Parents of applicant children who have failed to secure a discretionary place or who have opted for Central Allocation only will be invited by the EDB via letter in early January 2025 to submit the Choice of Schools Form via ePOA from January 13 to 19 or to make choices of schools for Central Allocation at a designated Central Allocation Centre on January 18 or 19. We encourage parents to register with ‘iAM Smart+’ (www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html) as early as possible and activate their ePOA account using ‘iAM Smart+’ for more convenient and faster electronic services. 
 
     “For applications for participation in POA 2025 made after January 19, parents are required to approach the School Places Allocation Section of the EDB to complete the necessary procedures. The EDB will separately arrange a Primary One place for the applicant children in June 2025,” the spokesman said.
 
     “Parents should note that once their children have been allocated a Primary One place, they cannot take part in the POA System again in the future,” he added. read more

     The Government announced the appointments to the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Genome Institute (HKGI) today (November 15).        The Secretary for Health has reappointed Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung and Pr… read more

     The Government announced today (November 15) the launch of a retail infrastructure bond for subscription by Hong Kong residents.
 
     The target issuance size of the retail infrastructure bond is HK$20 billion, with each lot offered at HK$10,000 and a tenor of three years. Interest will be paid semi-annually at a rate linked to inflation in Hong Kong, subject to a minimum of 3.5 per cent.
 
     This issuance is the retail part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Proceeds will be credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund for investment in infrastructure projects in accordance with the Programme framework. The Government will publish information on the allocation of the proceeds on an annual basis.
 
     The subscription period of the retail infrastructure bond will start from 9am on November 26 and end at 2pm on December 6. Hong Kong residents may make applications through a placing bank, securities broker or the Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited.
 
     The retail infrastructure bond will be issued on December 17 and listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on the following business day (December 18). It can be traded in the secondary market. To facilitate higher participation from Hong Kong residents, a maximum allocation of HK$1 million per investor will be stipulated, meaning that each investor will be allocated 100 lots of the bond at most.
 
     “The Government’s issuance of the retail infrastructure bond will provide to citizens a safe and reliable investment option with steady returns, as well as a ‘sense of participation’ and a ‘sense of gain’ in support of infrastructure projects for Hong Kong’s long-term development. It will, on the other hand, finance infrastructure projects to facilitate their early completion for the good of the economy and people’s livelihood. This issuance will also further promote the development of the retail bond market and financial inclusiveness,” the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said.
 
     The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget that the Government will issue HK$20 billion worth of retail bond this year. Subject to the subscription response, the Government may exercise discretion to increase the issuance size to a maximum of HK$25 billion from the original HK$20 billion target.
 
     The offering terms and subscription arrangements of the retail infrastructure bond, including the list of placing banks, as well as the details of the Infrastructure Bond Programme, will be available on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website (www.hkgb.gov.hk). read more

Attention TV/radio announcers:   Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:        As the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled all typhoon warning signals, the Civil Engineering and Development Department today (Nov… read more

     Following is the speech delivered by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee, at the Force Remembrance Day today (November 15):
      
     Distinguished guests and colleagues, we are here today to honour all members of the Hong Kong Police Force, both regular and auxiliary, who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the community of Hong Kong. This solemn ceremony is also a fitting tribute to the dedication to duty and fortitude of all members of staff who have served in the Force over the past 180 years.
      
     Since the founding of the Hong Kong Police Force in 1844, members of the Force have been facing different dangers in the course of our duties. Yet, we have always remained undaunted and put the people of Hong Kong first in our determination to safeguard the prosperity and stability of this city. In doing so, some members of the Force paid the ultimate price, and it is in memory of their sacrifices that we are gathered here in remembrance today.
      
     The fallen officers, who remain a source of pride for the Force, have etched their legacy in history through their dedicated and exemplary service in protecting our people’s lives and property. Their sacrifices underscore the risks and challenges inherent in our daily work as police officers. Through it all, it remains our highest honour to serve and defend our community. We pledge to uphold the legacy of those who came before us and remain steadfast in our commitment to the Force’s mission of ensuring national security and public safety. Our motto, “Serving Hong Kong with Honour, Duty and Loyalty”, guides us as we rise to meet the challenges of every operation. It inspires us to respond to public reports and concerns with empathy, ensuring that the citizens look on us as their companions.
      
     In this ceremony, we are also joined by members of the Hong Kong Police Old Comrades Association, the Royal Hong Kong Police Association and former Force members. Like the many who came before them, they represent the finest traditions of service to the community for which the Force is both famed and justifiably proud – traditions, which continue today and are passed on from generation to generation and that make the Hong Kong Police Force continue to be one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the world.
      
     To all of you present here today, may I ask you to remain standing, and following the “Last Post”, join me in observing a two-minute silence in memory of all those who have fallen in the line of duty.