The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     A total of 4 890 flats in nine non-standard blocks of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s four new public rental housing (PRH) estates are tentatively scheduled for completion between July and December 2019. Their rents will be set at the best rent levels in their respective districts.
 
     The best rent for flats in the Urban District is $85.5 per square metre per month. This rate will apply to three PRH estates in Sham Shui Po including the 852 flats in one block in Hoi Tat Estate (North West Kowloon Reclamation Site 6, Phase 1), 2 030 flats in four blocks in Pak Tin Estate (Pak Tin, Phases 7 and 8) and 1 056 flats in two blocks in Shek Kip Mei Estate (Shek Kip Mei, Phase 6).

     The best rent at $60.6 per square metre per month for the flats in Fanling District will apply to the 952 flats in two blocks in Fai Ming Estate (Fanling Area 49) in Fanling.

     "Under this rent-fixing exercise, over 43 per cent of the flats are set at a rent level below $2,500 per month," a spokesman for the HA said today (June 6), adding that PRH rents, which are inclusive of rates, management fees and maintenance costs, are heavily subsidised.

     "PRH applicants who are allocated new flats but cannot afford the rents may request refurbished flats at lower rents, and they may also apply for assistance under the Rent Assistance Scheme for flats in older block types where applicable," the spokesman added.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (June 6) reminded the public that the 134th auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held this Saturday (June 8) at Meeting Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     A list of 242 approved PVRMs put up for auction can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk. The reserve price for all these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 are required to participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     Bidders are also reminded to bring the following documents with them 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.
 
     People who want to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
 
(i) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations;
(ii) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed;
(iii) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding for the PVRM concerned. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted; and
(iv) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be produced to the TD for processing," the spokesman said.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk.

     Public open days at King Yin Lei will be held from June to August. Members of the public can visit the declared monument for free to appreciate and learn about its architectural features and history.
      
     In addition to an on-site guided tour service, antique furniture provided by the former owner of King Yin Lei will be on display along with information panels and artefacts. There will also be screenings of a documentary about King Yin Lei.
      
     The public open days will be held on June 29 and 30, July 20 and 21, and August 17 and 18. Each open day will have four visit sessions:

* From 9.30am to 11am;
* From 11am to 12.30pm;
* From 2pm to 3.30pm; and
* From 3.30pm to 5pm.
 
     A total of 21 600 admission tickets for these six public open days will be distributed at the following venues and times on a first-come, first-served basis on June 15 and 16 (Saturday and Sunday). Each person can obtain a maximum of four tickets for one of the sessions.
 
* Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (10am to 6pm)
* Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Park, 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong (10am to 5pm)
* Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories (10am to 6pm)

     The remaining tickets will be distributed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre from June 17. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is open from Mondays to Fridays (except Thursdays) from 10am to 6pm, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10am to 7pm (enquiry hotline: 2208 4400).
     
     King Yin Lei is located at 45 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong. Visitors are advised to use public transport to access the venue as no parking facilities are available.
 
* New World First Bus route No. 15 (Central – The Peak)
* New World First Bus route No. 15B (Wan Chai (HKCEC Extension) – The Peak) (only operates on Sundays and public holidays)
* Green minibus route No. 26 (Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay – King Yin Lei)

     For details about King Yin Lei open days, please visit the heritage conservation website of the Development Bureau (www.heritage.gov.hk/en/whatsnew/events_59.htm), call 2848 6230 or email kyl@devb.gov.hk.
 

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, will leave Hong Kong on June 9 for duty visits to New York and Washington, DC, in the United States (US) between June 10 and 14 to consolidate and strengthen economic ties between Hong Kong and the US. While there he will meet with US government officials and business and political leaders as well as representatives of think tanks. He will also attend an event in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham).

     After his duty visit to the US, Mr Yau will fly to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to lead a business and professional mission comprising more than 60 members organised by the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce to explore business collaboration opportunities in the UAE and establish and strengthen networks with local enterprises.

     Mr Yau will start the US leg of his visit in New York on June 10 (Eastern Standard Time), where he will meet key people in the financial, business, legal and academic sectors at a roundtable breakfast meeting before proceeding to Washington, DC, in the afternoon for a four-day visit. He will be accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism), Miss Eliza Lee.

     In addition to meeting with US government officials, congressional members, representatives of the Heritage Foundation and business leaders to exchange views on forging closer Hong Kong-US trade and economic relations, Mr Yau will deliver a keynote address at a luncheon jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Washington DC (Washington ETO) and the Brookings Institution. Mr Yau's visit will also include receptions hosted by Washington ETO and AmCham. AmCham is currently running its annual Doorknock event in Washington, DC. This year AmCham is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.

     On June 16 and 17, Mr Yau will lead the mission to the UAE. The mission comprises over 60 business leaders and services professionals from the finance, consultancy, architecture, construction and infrastructure development, legal and dispute resolution, accounting, transportation and logistics and technology services sectors, as well as start-ups in the Mainland of China and Hong Kong. Prior to travelling to the UAE, the mission delegates will visit Spain and Serbia between June 9 and 15.

     Mr Yau and the mission delegates will meet with senior UAE government officials and visit the Jebel Ali Free Zone, the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone and Khalifa Port. They will also attend a briefing on investment opportunities in the UAE jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Dubai FDI, and mission delegates will have a dedicated business matching opportunity with local project owners. Later, Mr Yau will deliver remarks at a networking luncheon co-organised by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong and the Mainland China – Hong Kong Belt and Road Business and Professional Services Council.

     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on June 18. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.

     The Census and Statistics Department is conducting the 2019 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong, on behalf of Invest Hong Kong. The survey aims to collect information useful to the Government in formulating strategies for cultivating a favourable environment for conducting business in Hong Kong and further developing support services for existing and prospective investors from outside Hong Kong. Such information will help Invest Hong Kong better understand the needs of foreign companies in Hong Kong and tailor its promotions, both locally and overseas, of Hong Kong as a leading destination for foreign direct investment.

      The survey covers companies in various economic sectors in Hong Kong with their parent companies located outside Hong Kong. A questionnaire has been sent earlier to each of the relevant companies together with the notification letter. To assist these companies in providing the information as required, an electronic template of the questionnaire is available upon request.

     Information being sought in the survey includes general information relating to these companies and opinions of the management of these companies about conducting business in Hong Kong.

     The survey is conducted under Part IIIA of the Census and Statistics Ordinance (Chapter 316) and was notified in Government Notice No. 2816 in the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette of April 27, 2018, as a voluntary statistical survey. The said Ordinance stipulates that all collected information which may enable identification of individual companies should be kept in strict confidence and not be released to any unauthorised parties. Such data will solely be used for compiling statistics which will not enable information relating to individual companies to be revealed.

     The department would like to thank those companies which had participated in previous rounds of the survey, and appeals for the support of the management of all companies which have been selected in the current survey round for their co-operation by returning the completed questionnaires to the department on or before June 28, 2019.

     Where applicable, staff of the department may phone or visit individual companies to offer assistance in completing the questionnaire. Whilst on duty, they will each carry an Enumerator Identity Card and a certificate for conducting the survey, which will be available for inspection.

     Enquiries regarding the survey can be directed to the Business Expectation Statistics Section of the department (Tel: 3579 2311 or email: regional offices@censtatd.gov.hk).