Tag Archives: China

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (March 20):
 
Question:
 
     In January this year, the Government briefed the Subcommittee on Matters relating to the Development of the Northern Metropolis of this Council on the preliminary recommendations of the Strategic Feasibility Study on the Development of Wetland Conservation Parks System under the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy (the Feasibility Study). The Feasibility Study recommended that the area of the proposed Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park (the Nature Park) be incorporated into that of the proposed Hoo Hok Wai Wetland Conservation Park for planning and management. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the official definition of “wetland conservation park” and “nature park”; the respective laws governing the establishment of these two types of parks and the development within their areas;
 
(2) of the justifications for establishing the Nature Park according to the Feasibility Study, and its ecological conservation value;
 
(3) whether the land on which the Nature Park will be situated is wholly owned by the Government; if not, of the composition of land ownership, and whether land resumption is involved in the establishment of the Nature Park;
 
(4) as the land on which the Nature Park will be situated not only adjoins a piece of land at Sandy Ridge that will be used for innovation and technology and related uses, but also lies within the Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone in the Northern Metropolis, whether the Government has, in conducting the Feasibility Study, examined the suitability of the site for the Nature Park in conjunction with the Development Bureau and the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office; and
 
(5) whether it has formulated a mechanism to deal with conflicts arising from the planning and development of the Nature Park and the Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone?
 
Reply:
 
President,

     “The Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address” proposed to implement a “New Proactive Conservation Policy” to gradually resume private wetland and fish ponds with ecological value and develop a Wetland Conservation Parks (WCPs) System, with a view to increasing the environmental capacity for the development of the Northern Metropolis. The proposal on the WCPs system originated in the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy (the Strategy) released in 2021, which proposed that the WCPs System would comprise existing conservation areas and parks proposed to be established, including the proposed Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park, Nam Sang Wai Wetland Conservation Park, Hoo Hok Wai Wetland Conservation Park, Hong Kong Wetland Park Expansion Area and Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is currently conducting a Strategic Feasibility Study (Feasibility Study) on the directional proposals on the WCPs system as set out in the Strategy, in order to confirm the feasibility of the proposal, and formulate recommendations on the location/boundary, functions, positioning and management mode, etc., of each of the proposed parks.
 
     Having consulted the Development Bureau, Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the AFCD and Environmental Protection Department, our replies to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming are as follows:
 
(1) The names and concept of “Wetland Conservation Park” and “Nature Park” under the WCPs System originated in the Strategy. While the two have no statutory definition, their main objectives are to conserve ecology and foster harmonious co-existence between humans and nature, only that different names are adopted due to different locations. There is currently no specific legislation governing the designation/establishment, jurisdiction and management of Nature Parks. However, the development process of the parks, including planning and construction, is regulated by relevant legislations, such as the Town Planning Ordinance (Chapter 131), Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Chapter 499), Noise Control Ordinance (Chapter 400), Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Chapter 311) and Waste Disposal Ordinance (Chapter 354), etc. We will further explore the positioning, functions and management of the proposed Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park at a later stage.
 
(2) The proposed Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park is part of the proposed WCPs System, which aims to achieve conservation, eco-education, eco-recreation, sustainable development of aquaculture, as well as creating environmental capacity for the development of the Northern Metropolis. The Strategy proposed the establishment of the Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park in view that it is situated between the Hoo Hok Wai Wetland Conservation Park and the recently established Robin’s Nest Country Park, serving as an eco-node where the entire wetlands system in the western and central parts of the Northern Metropolis transits to the woodland ecosystem in the east. The preliminary findings of the Feasibility Study showed that the Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park mainly comprised ecological compensation wetlands, marshes and reeds restored from abandoned fishponds, with some birds, mammals, amphibians and freshwater fishes of conservation interest recorded in the area, indicating a medium ecological value. The Feasibility Study preliminarily recommended that the proposed Hoo Hok Wai Wetland Conservation Park together with the part of Sha Ling/Nam Hang could be positioned as a “rural retreat” to make good use of the local habitat resources to provide rural experiences/activities, while achieving the multi-functions of ecological conservation, sustainable development of aquaculture and eco-tourism.
 
(3) The area of the proposed Sha Ling/Nam Hang Nature Park is about four hectares. Around 90 per cent of the area is existing compensatory wetlands recommended for implementation in the statutory Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the Shenzhen River Regulation Project to mitigate the ecological impacts caused by the project, which belong to Government land and are currently managed by the AFCD. The remaining small portion of land in the area is private land. The Feasibility Study will provide recommendations on the modes of future management and protection of the land within the park area for each of the proposed parks. The Government will explore the most suitable arrangements for private land acquisition during the development stage of the proposed parks in future.
 
(4) and (5) The AFCD and the consultant of the Feasibility Study have consulted the relevant bureaux/departments, including the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office/Development Bureau and Planning Department, on the preliminary recommendations for the WCPs system under the Feasibility Study, including the site selection and positioning of each proposed park. The general public and stakeholders were also consulted through the part 2 public engagement exercise. The consultant of the Feasibility Study will submit the final recommendations to the Government in the first half of 2024 after considering the views collected.
 
     The Northern Metropolis has rich and diverse habitats, and ecological conservation is one of its main development objectives. The planning of the Northern Metropolis includes both urban developments as well as ecological and environmental conservation projects. The coexistence of the two not only achieves “co-existence of development and conservation”, but also creates a unique urban and rural landscape for the Northern Metropolis. When planning the land use of the boundary commerce and industry zone, the Government will suitably consider the proposed Hoo Hok Wai Wetland Conservation Park (including the part of Sha Ling/Nam Hang) nearby, with a view to ensuring compatibility and coordination in respect of planning. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:        The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) received enquiries from the public on entities purporting to have been selected into the e-HKD Pilot P… read more

     In support of World Oral Health Day, the Department of Health (DH) today (March 20) launched a new promotional video titled “A HAPPY MOUTH IS…A HAPPY BODY” to encourage the public to have regular dental check-ups, and put prevention, early identification and timely intervention of dental diseases into action.

     The World Dental Federation has designated March 20 each year as World Oral Health Day. The theme of this year is “A HAPPY MOUTH IS…A HAPPY BODY”, and the Oral Health Education Division (OHED) of the DH launched the new promotion video today under the theme on its YouTube channel, with an aim to bringing forward the message that oral health is closely related to the overall physical health.

     The Consultant in-charge, Dental Services of the DH, Dr Kitty Hse, pointed out that oral diseases (such as tooth decay and periodontal disease) share many common behavioural risk factors with non-communicable diseases (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, and cancer), including poor personal hygiene, smoking and excessive sugar intake. Infections in the teeth and the tissues surrounding them may even increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, thereby posing a negative impact on the overall health. As such, safeguarding oral health is of vital importance to one’s own health.

     Making reference to the Government’s Primary Healthcare Blueprint with the development direction focusing on prevention, early identification and timely intervention, Dr Hse reminded the public to manage their own oral health and maintain good oral hygiene habits, which are the most cost-effective strategies in enhancing the overall level of oral health. Members of the public should carry out thorough teeth cleaning, conduct regular oral check-ups, practise healthy eating habits, reduce sugar intake, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. These practices can help prevent oral diseases and maintain overall health. Dr Hse also encourages the public to conduct regular dental check-ups and seek professional advice to ensure optimal oral health.

     In addition to promoting oral care tips through a series of promotional videos, the OHED is organising school-based “World Oral Health Day” activities this year for students of different grades with a view to raising their awareness of oral health. These activities include encouraging kindergarten students and parents to design greeting cards together, providing game cards to students with special educational needs, as well as having peer leaders in secondary schools to provide personal oral health guidance to their fellow students. Furthermore, the OHED is disseminating the message of regular dental check-ups to the general public through bus stop advertisements, MTR train door window stickers, and their Facebook page.

     For more information about oral health, please visit the OHED’s Toothclub webpage (www.toothclub.gov.hk), the Facebook fan page of “愛牙 Love Teeth HK” (www.facebook.com/LoveTeethHK/) and YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UChJUkaM37cgbNGMi23v0ivQ). read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (March 20) that du… read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Siu-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (March 20):

Question:

     There are views that as the Government has lowered the eligible age for the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (commonly known as the $2 scheme) to 60 ‍from February 27, 2022, the number of beneficiaries has increased substantially, thus imposing a heavy burden on public finance. Moreover, the $2 scheme has given rise to problems such as “taking long-haul routes for short journeys” and abuses, resulting in an increase in the amount of relevant subsidies granted by the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the amount of subsidies granted by the Government to various public transport operators participating in the $2 scheme, and the recurrent expenditure and administrative cost of the scheme from April 2023 to the end of last month; the estimated amount of relevant subsidies in each of the next five financial years;

(2) in respect of (a) persons aged between 60 and 64, (b) persons aged 65 or above, and (c) eligible persons with disabilities, of the average monthly (i) number of public transport rides (set out in the table below) and (ii) amount of relevant travelling expenses involved for each designated Octopus card or JoyYou Card under the $2 scheme from March 2022 to the end of last month;
 

Month

No. of rides

No. of beneficiaries

Percentage share

Cumulative percentage

(a)

(b)

(c)

Total

(a)

(b)

(c)

Total

(a)

(b)

(c)

Total

10 or less

11-30

31-50

51-100

Over 100

(3) as there are views that with some beneficiaries of the $2 scheme taking long-haul routes for short journeys, public funds have been wasted as a result, whether the Government has considered enhancing the scheme by setting a monthly ceiling on the concession (e.g. $500, $1,000 or $1,500) provided for the beneficiaries, and calculating the amount of concession used on the basis of original fare; if not, of the reasons for that;

(4) as it is learnt that many elderly persons do not understand that taking long-haul routes for short journeys will create a financial burden on the Government, of the details of related publicity and education work in the past three years (including the means and frequency of publicity, as well as the expenditure involved), and whether measures are in place to educate elderly persons to avoid taking long-haul routes for short journeys; if so, of the details; and

(5) of the number of law enforcement actions taken by the relevant law enforcement agencies to combat abuses of the $2 scheme by ineligible persons in each of the past five years, as well as the number of abuse cases found and the number of cases with summonses issued against the persons concerned?

Reply:

President,

     The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget to review the mode of operation of the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ($2 Scheme) with a view to maintaining the financial sustainability of the Scheme. The Government has stated clearly that it will maintain the policy intent of the $2 Scheme to build a caring and inclusive society by encouraging the beneficiaries to participate more in community activities, and has no intention to cancel the Scheme or change the existing beneficiary groups.

     The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Siu-hung is set out below:

(1) The amount of Government’s reimbursement of the revenue forgone to the participating public transport operators (PTOs) under the $2 Scheme for 2023-24 (as at February 29, 2024) is at Annex 1. The revised estimate of the recurrent expenditure of the $2 Scheme for 2023-24 is about $4.05 billion. Of this, the revised estimate of the Government’s reimbursement of the revenue forgone to the participating PTOs is about $4.0 billion and the revised estimate of the administrative cost is about $50 million.

     In 2024-25, the estimated Government’s reimbursement of the revenue forgone to the participating PTOs under the $2 Scheme is about $6.01 billion. Future expenditure of the $2 Scheme will depend on a number of factors including changes in the population of eligible beneficiaries, fare adjustments, changes in PTOs participating in the $2 Scheme, the effectiveness of the anti-abuse measures, etc. The Government will closely monitor the operation of the $2 Scheme, prepare for the estimates of expenditure and reflect in the estimates of the corresponding years.

(2) Monthly statistics concerning the average daily passenger trips under the $2 Scheme from March 2022 to December 2023 with breakdown by beneficiary groups and the relevant percentages are at Annex 2. The Transport Department (TD) does not maintain information relating to the monthly numbers of trips taken by individual beneficiaries under the Scheme and the amounts of transport expense of individual Octopus or JoyYou Card.

(3) The Government would take into account the effectiveness of different options in containing the growth of expenditure in the review and factors including the practicability of these options.

(4) The Government has all along been enabling the beneficiaries to understand how to make proper use of the $2 Scheme through publicity and education. The Government has rolled out TV and radio APIs and posted posters at major public bus and public light bus termini as well as public light bus compartments on the routes for which two-way section fares are offered to encourage beneficiaries of the Scheme to make appropriate use of short-haul routes and to assist passengers to understand the arrangement of two-way section fare, so as to reduce the differential fares under the $2 Scheme and ensure proper use of public funds.

(5) The TD has all along been requesting PTOs to strengthen ticket inspection and passenger identity verification work, and strictly enforce the penalty as set out in relevant legislation and by-laws to prevent abuses of the $2 Scheme. The TD also conducts surveys and monitors the situation.

     During site monitoring surveys jointly conducted by the TD and PTOs in the past five years on the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), buses, ferries, kaitos, minibuses, trams and residents’ buses, 1 419 suspected abuse cases were found.

     To step up enforcement actions against abuses of the $2 Scheme by ineligible persons, the TD has enhanced joint enforcement actions with PTOs such as franchised buses and ferries from June 2023 onwards. As at end-February this year, a total of around 350 joint enforcement actions were conducted across 650 routes with about 2 360 persons inspected for suspected abuse of $2 Scheme, and two suspected abuse cases were found and referred to the Police for follow-up. The court hearing of one of the cases has been completed and the passenger involved was fined approximately $14,000 and required to repay the underpaid fare (totalling around $2,000). The other case is currently under the Police’s investigation. The TD will continue to conduct joint special inspection and enforcement actions with PTOs and refer suspected abuse cases to the Police for follow-up and criminal investigation where there is sufficient evidence so as to ensure that the resources of the $2 Scheme are spent on target beneficiaries. During the same period, the MTR Corporation Limited, in its enforcement actions, imposed surcharges to around 4 260 ineligible persons for abusing the $2 Scheme. read more