The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     With effect from December 3, 2018, the civil jurisdictional limits of the District Court (DC) and the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) will be increased as follows:
 
(a) increasing the general financial limit of the civil jurisdiction of the DC from $1 million to $3 million; 

(b) increasing the financial limit for land matters of the DC from $240,000 to $320,000 in terms of the annual rent or the rateable value or the annual value of the land; 

(c) increasing the limit for the equity jurisdiction of the DC where the proceedings do not involve or relate to land from $1 million to $3 million; 

(d) increasing the limit for the equity jurisdiction of the DC where the proceedings wholly involve or relate to land from $3 million to $7 million; and 

(e) increasing the limit for the SCT from $50,000 to $75,000. 

     On the same day, i.e. December 3, the fee schedule of filing of claims at the SCT will be amended as follows:
 

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, ended his visit to Frankfurt, Germany and started his visit to Zurich, Switzerland yesterday (October 24, Zurich time).
 
     In the morning, Mr Lau had an exchange with the Managing Director and Global Head of Public Affairs and Policy of Credit Suisse, Dr Manuel Rybach, and the management team on financial technology (Fintech) initiatives on both sides. Noting the latest move by Credit Suisse to enhance its digital private banking platform in Hong Kong, he encouraged the bank to make use of Hong Kong to further develop Fintech solutions for Asia and beyond. They also discussed the opportunities brought by the stock connect schemes and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
 
     Mr Lau then met with the Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Bankers Association, Mr Claude-Alain Margelisch, to share latest Fintech developments in Hong Kong including virtual bank licensing and Faster Payment System. Noting that the Association had signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Private Wealth Management Association on mutual collaboration earlier this year and had successfully co-hosted the second Hong Kong-Swiss Financial Seminar in Hong Kong last month, Mr Lau encouraged the two sides to further enhance their collaboration. 
 
     After that, he addressed a business luncheon co-organised by the Swiss-Hong Kong Business Association and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin on development opportunities for Swiss financial institutions in Hong Kong. Saying that Hong Kong being Asia’s largest international fund management hub with a total of US$3.1 trillion in assets under management, Mr Lau welcomed Swiss institutions to come to Hong Kong to reinforce the territory’s expertise in wealth management services such as the setting up of trusts, foundations and family offices. He also saw ample room for collaboration between Hong Kong and Switzerland in biotech, stressing that Hong Kong is an ideal listing platform for biotech companies from Switzerland to tap into the vast market in Mainland China.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Lau met with the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head of Asset Management division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), Mr Michael Loretan, to explore further financial collaboration with Switzerland. They discussed the regulatory approach for crypto assets and initial coin offering. Mr Lau also thanked FINMA for accepting Hong Kong’s public open-ended fund companies as eligible fund structure under the mutual recognition of funds arrangement with Switzerland.
 
     In the evening, Mr Lau attended the Swiss International Financial Forum (SIFF) Inspiration Dinner on Hong Kong and had an exchange with the Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister of Finance, Mr Ueli Maurer, on strengthening bilateral co-operation and the holding of more frequent, broad-based policy dialogue.
 
     Mr Lau will continue his visit to Zurich tomorrow (October 25, Zurich time) and speak at the SIFF Conference.

            

     Hongkong Post announced today (October 25) the release of a stamp sheetlet to commemorate the bicentenary of Ying Wa College, together with associated philatelic products, on November 9 (Friday).
 
     Founded in Malacca in 1818, and relocated to Hong Kong in 1843, Ying Wa College is the oldest school extant in Hong Kong. The name of the school, Ying Wa, the transliteration of the Chinese school name literally meaning "English and Chinese", reflects the school's founding mission of promoting reciprocal cultivation of Chinese and English literature.
 
     Ying Wa College has played a pivotal role in the development of Sinology, Chinese translation, Protestant missionary work in China, Hong Kong's Western education model, and publication and printing of Chinese newspapers and periodicals. Today, living up to the school's mission of spreading the gospel, Ying Wa College is committed to providing quality education for students to foster all-round, balanced development and to nurture them to be good citizens with talents and virtues. The year 2018 marks the bicentenary of Ying Wa College, and Hongkong Post is issuing a stamp sheetlet to commemorate this important milestone.
 
     Bearing the motto "Live the Mission, Brave the Course", the stamp sheetlet shows the past and present school buildings of the College over the years. The stamp sheetlet is perforated to produce the Chinese word "çš•", meaning two hundreds, to echo the theme of the 200th anniversary of the College. Featured in the stamp is the Reverend Robert Morrison, the founder of the College and the first Protestant missionary to China.
 
     Official First Day Covers at $1.30 each will be put on sale at all post offices from tomorrow (October 26). The stamp sheetlet and associated philatelic products will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office from the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from tomorrow to November 1.
 
     Information about this special stamp issue and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post website at www.hongkongpost.hk and via the Hongkong Post mobile app.

    

     A woman who went missing in Wong Tai Sin has been located.

     Lam Choi-wan, aged 65, went missing after she left her residence in Tung Tau Estate yesterday (October 23) morning. Her family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The woman was located on Tat Chee Avenue, Sham Shui Po tonight (October 24). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     A man who went missing in Kwai Chung has been located.

     Nichols Frank Peter, aged 75, went missing after he left his residence on Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung, yesterday (October 23) morning. His family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The man was located at the junction of Sham Mong Road and Yen Chow Street, Mong Kok this afternoon (October 24). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.