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 May 13 to noon today (May 14), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 201 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 51 056 samples of food imported from Japan (including 33 056 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 13 086 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced that a tender of one-year HONIA-indexed Floating Rate Notes (issue number 01GH2505) under the Institutional Bond Issuance Programme was held today (May 14).
      
     A total of HK$1.5 billion one-year HONIA-indexed Floating Rate Notes were allocated today. A total of HK$4.750 billion tender applications were received. The bid-to-cover ratio, i.e. the ratio of notes applied for to notes issued, is 3.17. The highest spread accepted is 0.26 per cent. 

HKSAR Government Institutional Bond Issuance Programme Government Bond tender results
——————————————————————————————————–
     Tender results of one-year HONIA-indexed Floating Rate Notes under the Institutional Bond Issuance Programme:
 

 
* Calculated as the amount of notes applied for over the amount of notes issued.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (May 14) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on June 1 (Saturday) and 2 (Sunday) in Meeting Room N201, L2, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 350 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html," a department spokesman said.
 
     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(4) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(5) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (May 14):
 
Reporter: Good morning, Mr Lee. Firstly, did the Government spend any resources to surveil and monitor Hong Kong residents who have moved to the UK (United Kingdom), including former activists? Do you think that the future of the Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in other countries could be at risk following similar arrests in the UK, and also Germany? And what will you do to protect Hong Kong's interests and the ETOs' abilities to provide services for the city's economic interests after this incident, and what assistance would the Government render to Mr Yuen, the person who is arrested and involved in this case? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: The Chinese Embassy in the UK has made a statement about this matter. The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government has also issued a statement on this matter. The Chinese side firmly rejects and strongly condemns the UK's fabrication in the so-called case, and its unwarranted accusation against the Hong Kong SAR Government. That is the statement made by the Chinese Embassy in the UK. The Chinese Embassy in the UK has made serious representations to the UK side on this matter. The Hong Kong Government has demanded the UK Government to provide full information of this matter. We are waiting for their reply. I must emphasise that for the ETO in London, its duties are to maintain close liaison with interlocutors in the local government, business, think tanks in various sectors, with a view to enriching bilateral ties in different areas, such as trade, investment, arts and culture, enhancing local people and enterprises' knowledge of Hong Kong's unique strengths, and promoting the economic and trade interests of Hong Kong. We have seriously demanded the UK side to fairly handle the matter, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office's Office Manager who was alleged to be involved, and ensure that the normal work of the ETO is not affected. Any attempt to make unwarranted allegation against the Hong Kong SAR Government is unacceptable.
 
     The ETOs will, of course, pursue their duties full-heartedly and legitimately. I have explained the purpose of setting up these offices. The promotion of trade as a result of these ETOs means a lot to Hong Kong and means a lot to different places. And I think the ETOs, in the different places where they are set up, will continue to pursue their duties faithfully and proudly because it is a right thing to do for the benefit of different people. For example, the ETOs in the US (United States) are promoting trade, and the US is enjoying a trade surplus, which amounts to over US$200 billion over (the past) 10 years. So any attempt to interfere with the work of the ETOs in different places will be against free trade and free economy, and will be harming the economy of the countries that try to do bad things to the operation of the ETOs. We will, of course, do our best to protect the rightful interest and the rights that they enjoy as a result of legitimate officials working for the Hong Kong Government, and we'll urge all governments to respect the rightful duty of our ETOs in their economies.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     A landlord of a subdivided flat was convicted today (May 14) of overcharging her subdivided unit (SDU) tenant for water, in contravention of regulation 47 of the Waterworks Regulations. The landlord pleaded guilty to two counts of offences at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts.

     The Water Supplies Department (WSD) received a complaint in October 2023 concerning overcharging an SDU tenant for water at a flat in Wo Tai Street, Fanling, New Territories. Upon completion of the investigation and evidence collection, the WSD instituted prosecution against the illegal acts of overcharging SDU tenants for water. This is the 17th similar conviction case since the first conviction in June 2022, with associated fines ranging from $1,000 to $6,500.

     A spokesman for the WSD said that the Waterworks (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 (the amended WWO) came into operation on April 19, 2024, which strengthened the power of the Water Authority in evidence collection and information disclosure during the investigation of suspected cases of overcharging for water. The Water Authority can request the landlords and their agents, etc, to provide the tenancy agreement and receipt or payment record for charges for water. Failure to comply with such a request can be an offence and the offender is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $10,000 and a further fine of a maximum $1,000 for each day the offence continues. It is anticipated that there will be more prosecution cases. The maximum penalty for overcharging SDU tenants for water has been raised to $25,000 to deter this illegal act. Moreover, providing false or misleading information to the Water Authority is also an offence with a maximum penalty of a $25,000 fine and six months' imprisonment. 

     The WSD spokesman strongly appealed to landlords to apply for installation of separate water meters for their SDUs, which can greatly reduce the risk of contravening the amended WWO. The water fee deposit and the charge for providing a meter for each separate water meter installed under the Scheme for Installation of Separate Water Meters for Subdivided Units will be waived. Individual water bills will be provided for each water meter account. The first 12 cubic metres of water are free at four-month intervals. SDU tenants can contact the WSD to raise their request for separate water meters. Upon receiving such requests, the WSD will contact their landlords for installation of the separate meters. If the landlords refuse, the WSD may require landlords to provide information on the recovery of water charges from their tenants for suspected overcharging cases. Details of the scheme can be obtained from the WSD website (www.wsd.gov.hk/en/customer-services/application-for-water-supply/pilot-scheme-for-installation-of-separate-water-me/index.html).

     The WSD encourages the public to report any illegal act of overcharging SDU tenants for water for follow-up and investigation by the department. The public can call the WSD Hotline 3468 4963 or WhatsApp 5665 5517 to apply for installation of separate water meters for SDUs. The WhatsApp hotline also handles matters relating to water overcharging in SDUs. Alternatively, the public can call the WSD Customer Enquiry Hotline 2824 5000 to report water overcharge cases. After calling the hotline and choosing a language, they can press "7" for reporting to staff directly.