The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announces that a tender of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes will be held on May 21, 2019 (Tuesday) for settlement on May 22, 2019 (Wednesday), as set out in the tentative issuance schedule announced on February 15, 2019.  This is to roll over an issue of 2-year Exchange Fund Notes maturing on the same day. 
      
     A total of HK$1,200 million 2-year Notes will be on offer, of which HK$5 million will be made available for offer to members of the Public who wish to submit non-competitive tender bids through Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (HKSCC).  If the Notes reserved for non-competitive tender are under-subscribed, the non-subscribed amount will be added to the portion of notes for competitive tender (initially set at HK$1,195 million).  The Notes will mature on May 24, 2021 and will carry interest at the rate of 1.70% per annum payable semi-annually in arrears.
      
     Members of the public who wish to submit non-competitive tender applications for Notes that are open to HKSCC may do so through Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for those who hold Investor Accounts of the Central Clearing and Settlement System (CCASS) at the HKSCC, directly through HKSCC, for submission to the HKMA for processing.  Competitive tender applications for the Notes must be submitted through any of the Eligible Market Makers on the current published list, which can be obtained from the HKMA at 55/F, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong (telephone 2878 1465), or from the HKMA's website at www.hkma.gov.hk; Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof for both competitive and non-competitive tender.
      
     The tender results will be published on the HKMA's website, the Reuters screen (HKMAOOE), and Bloomberg.  Applicants who submitted non-competitive tender bids through HKSCC may also obtain the tender results from Stock Exchange Participants/Brokers, or for applicants who hold Investor Accounts at HKSCC's CCASS from the CCASS terminal for CCASS Broker/Custodian/Participants and CCASS Phone System.
 
Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Note Programme Tender Information
___________________________________________________________________
Tender information of 2-Year Exchange Fund Notes:
 

 
Price/Yield Table of the new EFN at tender for reference* only :
 

 
*Disclaimer
The information provided here is for reference only. Although extreme care has been taken to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date, the HKMA does not warrant that all, or any part of, the information provided is accurate in all respects.  You are encouraged to conduct your own enquiries to verify any particular piece of information provided on it.  The HKMA shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any use or reliance on any of the information provided here.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (May 9) that the Monetary Authority has granted banking licences under the Banking Ordinance to Ant SME Services (Hong Kong) Limited, Infinium Limited, Insight Fintech HK Limited and Ping An OneConnect Company Limited for them to operate in the form of a virtual bank.  The granting of these banking licences takes effect today.  According to their business plans, these four newly licenced virtual banks intend to launch their services in around six to nine months.
      
     The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Norman Chan, said, "We are pleased to grant four more virtual banking licences today.  The HKMA is now working closely with the eight virtual bank licensees to prepare for the launch of their business operations in accordance with their plans."
      
     "The launch of virtual banks in Hong Kong, which is a key component of the Smart Banking Initiatives, will certainly facilitate financial innovation, enhanced customer experience and financial inclusion," he said.
      
     The HKMA will closely monitor the operations of virtual banks after they have commenced business, including customers' reactions to the new modes of delivery of financial services as well as the impact, if any, of these virtual banks on the banking sector in general.  The HKMA expects to be able to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation about one year after the first virtual bank has launched its service. 
      
     After the granting of the above banking licences, the number of licensed banks in Hong Kong increases to 160.

     With the advent of the summer vacation, the Film Programmes Office (FPO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the International Children's and Youth Film Carnival 2019 (ICYFC), offering wonderful and fun-filled summer movie journeys for families.
 
     The ICYFC is a highlight of the International Arts Carnival and will present a selection of international animations, feature films and short films to be screened from July 12 to August 11 at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive and the Lecture Halls of the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum.
 
     Among the 11 feature films, seven are animations. In the 3D animation "Marnie's World" (2018), chubby cat Marnie leaves home for a secret agent job in which she meets several weird animals. They are mistaken for a gang of thieves and begin a hilarious journey. "Lotte and the Lost Dragons" (2019) presents the adventure of Lotte and her sister in finding the folk song of fire-breathing dragons. "Anchors Up – Boats to the Rescue" (2017) follows rescue boat Elias, who catches a gang in a harbour with his courage and help from his friends. The film won Best Children's Film (Amanda Awards) at the Norwegian International Film Festival 2018. In "Maya the Bee – The Honey Games" (2018), Maya has to win the Honey Games in order to stop the Empress from taking all the honey of her hive.
 
     Dreaming of becoming a music star, little cow Klara in "Cattle Hill" (2018) helps to save her father's farm and finds that she can be a star in many more ways. "Ploey – You Never Fly Alone" (2018) features Ploey, a little migratory bird who loses faith in his ability to fly and takes on a dangerous journey to Paradise Valley for survival. The film won Best Children and Youth Film at Iceland's Edda Awards 2019. In "Harvie and the Magic Museum" (2017), Harvie and his friend accidentally make the puppets in a puppet museum come to life, and worse still, the evil puppet master turns the whole city into puppets. Harvie therefore has to think of a plan to save everyone from danger. The film won Best Animated Feature Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival 2018 and Best Animation Feature at the Queen City Film Festival 2018.
 
     The remaining four feature films demonstrate the brilliance and bravery of their characters. Little boy Patterson in "My Giraffe" (2017) comes up with a wonderful plan to take his best friend Raf the giraffe to school with him. The film won Kids' Festival Favourite at the Luxembourg City Film Festival 2019, Best Feature Film at the Sharjah International Children Film Festival 2018 and other awards. In "Little Miss Dolittle" (2018), Lilli, with a special ability to speak with animals, saves a zoo's animals with her talent. The film won the 2nd Prize of Best Live-Action Feature (Children's Jury) at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2018.
 
     "Help, I Shrunk My Parents" (2018) depicts the long-dead former Director of Felix's school returning to life and shrinking the Principal and Felix's parents with magic. Therefore, Felix must do everything to reverse this. The film won the Golden Sparrow for Best Feature Film at the German Children's Media Festival 2018. In "JerryMaya's Detective Agency – The First Mystery" (2018), young detectives Jerry and Maya have to clear their names by finding the real culprit of a mysterious book theft.
 
     The "Youthful Encounters" section will offer young movie-goers three films about growing up and its bittersweet moments. Set in Soviet Estonia during the Stalinist terror, "The Little Comrade" (2018) is a portrayal of an odd two-faced world from the children's perspective through the eyes of a 6-year-old girl, Leelo. The film won Best Film of the Year at the Estonian Film Journalists Association Award 2018, Best Feature Film at the UK Film Festival 2018 and other awards. "Los Bando" (2018) features a group of youngsters who pursue their music dreams, embarking on a crazy road trip. The film won Best Nordic Young Actor at Sweden's BUFF International Film Festival 2018, the Main Prize of Best Feature Film for Children (Children's Jury) at the Zlín Film Festival 2018 and other awards. In "Home Team" (2017), football prodigy Tito, who is blinded by fame and fortune in his soccer career, recognises what is most important in his life after an accident. The film won Best Actor of Latin Film Competition at the Gramado Film Festival 2018.
 
     This year's "Film Tunnel" section will screen the fantasy film classic "The NeverEnding Story" (1984). Based on the novel of the same name by German children's fiction writer Michael Ende, the film depicts little boy Bastian who is fascinated by the book "The NeverEnding Story". He then enters the land of Fantasia within the story and takes a bizarre adventure. The props and special effects in the film are impressive given the technology back at that time. Moreover, its theme song is considered one of the classics of the 1980s. The film won Best Production at the Bavarian Film Awards 1985, Best National Film at the Bambi Awards 1984 of Germany and other awards.
 
     Experienced dubbing artists Pat Kwok and Kinson Lai will perform live Cantonese dubbing for "Lotte and the Lost Dragons", "Anchors Up – Boats to the Rescue" and "My Giraffe", which will also have English subtitles. Other films have Chinese and English subtitles except "Marnie's World", which is in English without subtitles.
 
     Apart from the feature films, the FPO has picked numerous animations and shorts from around the world and grouped them into three programmes which will be screened during the ICYFC in the "World Animation & Shorts" section. The programmes are "The Odyssey of Love and Friendship", highlighting care and help in friendship; "The Spotlight Goes to… ANIMALS!", featuring lovely animals; and "We Are All Little Heroes!", depicting the big dreams of kids. Ken Kwan, a veteran scriptwriter, director and actor of children's drama, will host interactive activities in Cantonese during the programmes. 
      
     Tickets priced at $70 will be available from tomorrow (May 10) at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries, please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en_US/web/fpo/programmes/2019icyfc/index.html.
 

                

     Representatives of the Food and Health Bureau and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (May 9) signed a framework agreement with representatives of the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangzhou Municipality and the Guangzhou Customs District on the establishment of a joint meeting mechanism between Guangzhou and Hong Kong in relation to an agricultural project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in a bid to collaborate and roll out the project. 

     Tying in with the strategic blueprint of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the agricultural project aims to enhance the quality as well as the efficiency and transparency of production, procurement and supply chains of agricultural products to drive agricultural development. This will give additional guarantees for the food safety and quality of vegetables and fruits supplied to the Greater Bay Area and is conducive to quality brand-building for the products.

     The agricultural project advocates the use of technology to strengthen the traceability and transparency of information on agricultural products, expediting information exchanges on food safety in the Greater Bay Area and further enhancing the handling of food safety incidents and monitoring capability.

     At the launching ceremony of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area agricultural project today, the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, and the Controller of the Centre for Food Safety of the FEHD, Dr Ho Yuk-yin, signed the framework agreement. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Chui said that under the project, agricultural food products supplied to the market of the Greater Bay Area have to fulfil the food safety standards of Hong Kong and Macao, so as to provide higher-quality food for consumers in the Greater Bay Area and to an even greater region.

     "With the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, I believe this project would further enhance the diversity and quality of agricultural products in the Greater Bay Area, benefiting the people in the Greater Bay Area including Hong Kong and Macao," Dr Chui said.

     Under the framework agreement, the HKSAR Government will co-ordinate its efforts in the implementation of the agricultural project in the Greater Bay Area and maintain close contacts with the relevant Central Authorities, the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangzhou Municipality and the Guangzhou Customs District on various fronts including food safety standards, information exchanges and agricultural co-operation, as well as give views and support on the project implementation.

    

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 8) conducted an anti-piracy operation in Yau Ma Tei and seized about 5 600 suspected pirated optical discs (PODs) and about 3 000 suspected obscene optical discs with an estimated market value of about $230,000.

     During the operation, Customs officers raided two shops in Yau Ma Tei and seized about 5 600 suspected PODs, mainly popular movies and drama series, and about 3 000 suspected obscene optical discs. Two men, aged 49 and 71, were arrested.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Customs has been carrying out stringent enforcement actions against the sale of infringing goods and will continue to step up patrols and enforcement actions against piracy activities.

     Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who possesses an infringing copy of a copyright work with a view to selling it commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years.

     Under the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance, any person who possesses for the purpose of publication any obscene article commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for three years.

     â€‹Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).