The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, March 18, 2024 is 104.9 (same as last Saturday’s index).
​The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, March 16, 2024 was 104.9 (up 0.1 against last Friday’s index). read more
​The Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) launched a new special exhibition, “Polar Research and Climate Change”, today (March 18) to showcase the mission and achievements of China’s polar exploration icebreaker Xuelong 2, providing insights for visitors to think about the seriousness of climate change. Admission to the exhibition is free. Members of the public are welcome to visit.
Delivered in 2019, Xuelong 2 is China’s first domestically built medium-sized icebreaker, and is also the world’s first icebreaker to adopt bidirectional icebreaking technology. The icebreaker’s commissioning has equipped China to lead large-scale polar expeditions and enhanced China’s capabilities of investigation and research in polar marine environments.
Replicating the design of Xuelong 2, this exhibition allows visitors to feel as if they have boarded the vessel and learn about China’s development of polar research. A large screen is set up inside the vessel to play videos of ice breaking in the polar regions, offering visitors an immersive experience. Highlight exhibits include a 1:100 scale model of Xuelong 2 and specimens collected directly from polar regions.
In addition to the features and research topics of the scientific observation and research stations in China, the exhibition also provides information on the geography and wildlife of the North and South Poles, as well as the situation of climate change. Members of the public can gain a deeper understanding of polar research through the exhibition, and reflect on how to reduce carbon footprints in daily life, combating the challenge of climate change.
Crew members and scientists of Xuelong 2 will visit Hong Kong next month, and join a sharing session with Hong Kong students to be held at the HKScM on April 10 to share their insights and experiences on polar expeditions. The HKScM will live-stream the programme via its YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/hksciencemuseum).
The exhibition is presented by the Environmental Campaign Committee and the Green Future Foundation Association, funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund, in association with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Polar Research Institute of Hong Kong, and is organised by the HKScM.
The exhibition will run from March 18 to June 26 at the main lobby of the HKScM (2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East). For more information of the exhibition and sharing session, please visit hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/pracc.html, or call 2732 3232 for enquiries.
The following is issued on behalf of the Environmental Campaign Committee:
Co-organised by the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) and the Green Future Foundation Association, in association with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Polar Research Institute of Hong Kong, the “Polar Research and Climate Change” exhibition, funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF), opened at the Hong Kong Science Museum today (March 18), and is available to the public with free admission.
Through showcasing the polar exploration missions and accomplishments of the Chinese polar research icebreaking vessel Xuelong 2, the exhibition aims to enhance public understanding of the country’s achievements in scientific and technological development. The event is meant to raise the awareness of polar exploration and the gravity of climate change, as well as to encourage individuals to reduce their carbon footprint by changing their habits and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Xuelong 2 is the country’s first indigenously built polar scientific research icebreaking vessel, and the world’s first polar icebreaker to employ bidirectional icebreaking technology. It possesses a number of key technologies and innovations, making significant contributions to expanding the country’s capabilities and its expertise in polar research. After completing their latest Antarctic expedition early next month, Xuelong 2 and its polar research team will make Hong Kong its first port of entry on their return journey to the country. During this time, Xuelong 2 will dock at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, offering the public an opportunity to visit the advanced polar research facilities onboard. During its stay in Hong Kong, the Antarctic expedition team will also participate in a series of promotional, educational and exchange activities, including seminars on scientific research and popular science, to enhance public understanding of the latest technological developments in polar exploration and its relationship with climate change.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said that climate change is a prevailing global challenge. Human activities have increased carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, leading to a rise in global temperature. Phenomena such as melting glaciers, rising sea levels, changes in polar ecosystems, and an increase in climate variability are important indicators of global climate change. Polar research work helps scientists understand the impacts and causes of climate change, which is crucial for predicting future climate change.
Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Chairman of the ECC, Professor Simon Wong; the Chairman of the ECF Committee, Dr Eric Cheng; the Chairman of the Xuelong 2 Hong Kong Visit Preparatory Committee, Mr Ma Fung-kwok; the Founding Chairman and Director of Green Future Foundation Association, Professor Ho Kin-chung; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers Mr Chu Kwok-keung.
The “Polar Research and Climate Change” exhibition will run from today until June 26 at the lobby of the Hong Kong Science Museum (2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East). For exhibition details, please visit the thematic webpage (hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/pracc.html).
The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (March 18) the introduction of the 1868 WeChat assistance hotline and the 1868 Chatbot for Hong Kong residents in distress or in need of assistance outside Hong Kong to contact the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU) of the ImmD to seek assistance via the above additional communication channels.
To step up its services and support for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong, the ImmD, following the introduction of the 1868 WhatsApp assistance hotline in April 2023, is now introducing advanced functions to the 1868 System, including the 1868 WeChat assistance hotline in the ImmD’s WeChat official account and the 1868 Chatbot in the Immigration Department Mobile Application (ImmD Mobile App), in order to further enhance the convenience for Hong Kong residents in distress or in need of assistance outside Hong Kong to contact the AHU. Please refer to the Annex for steps to access the services.
The newly added 1868 WeChat assistance hotline and 1868 Chatbot aim at providing assistance to Hong Kong residents requiring assistance outside Hong Kong and are not applicable for general enquiries. For other immigration enquiries, please call the general enquiry hotline at 2824 6111 or email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk.
Hong Kong residents may use any one of the following means to contact the AHU if they need assistance while in distress outside Hong Kong:
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 March 15 to noon today (March 18), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 282 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). 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 150 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 36 833 samples of food imported from Japan (including 24 673 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 10 228 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more