Author Archives: hksar gov

     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 is conducting 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 the situation and continue to implement the enhanced testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on March 31 to noon today (April 1), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 162 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. 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 50 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, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 126 282 samples of food imported from Japan (including 82 988 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 29 130 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) today (April 1) issued about 230 000 profits tax returns, 120 000 property tax returns and 330 000 employer’s returns for the year of assessment 2024-25, and will issue about 2.66 million tax returns for individuals on May 2. Taxpayers and employers are generally required to file their returns within one month from the date of issue of the returns. For cases with tax representatives appointed, the deadlines for filing returns are set out in the Block Extension Letter posted on the IRD’s website.

     The IRD is committed to promoting tax digitalisation and has been enhancing the functions of electronic tax filing to help taxpayers and raise the efficiency, reliability and accuracy of return filing.

     The IRD encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns through eTAX which allows individuals to use “iAM Smart” to log in and sign their tax returns (signing is only applicable to holders of “iAM Smart” accounts with the digital signing function). Taxpayers may visit the IRD’s website for frequently asked questions and answers on how to complete tax returns and guidance on electronic filing of employer’s returns.

     Profits tax payers are also urged to file tax returns electronically together with supporting documents (including financial statements and profits tax computations) in inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) format. The IRD provides the IRD Taxonomy Package (the Taxonomy) and the IRD iXBRL Data Preparation Tools (the Tools) to help taxpayers in preparing the required iXBRL data files. The Taxonomy and the Tools have been further enhanced this year, including upgrading the English Windows Tagging Tool to accept the import of financial statements in Microsoft Excel format, and allowing the generation of the required iXBRL data files denominated in a more variety of currencies.

     Taxpayers may visit the dedicated webpage on the IRD’s website for downloading the latest version of the Taxonomy and the Tools free of charge and details of their enhanced features. For enquiries in relation to the iXBRL filing requirements and the use of the Tools, taxpayers may contact the IRD by email: ixbrl_reporting@ird.gov.hk or using the IRD’s e-Appointment system to book a specific timeslot for making enquiries on phone.

     The IRD reminds taxpayers and employers to pay sufficient postage to ensure timely delivery if they submit their returns by mail. Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the IRD. Postage rates are available on Hongkong Post’s website. read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) released the 2024 Beach Water Quality Report today (April 1). The report reveals that all 42 gazetted beaches in Hong Kong continued to fully achieve the bacteriological Water Quality Objective (WQO) for bathing waters in that year, with 23 beaches ranked as “Good” and the remaining 19 ranked as “Fair”. No beaches were ranked as “Poor” or “Very Poor”.
      
     An EPD spokesman said, “All gazetted beaches have fully complied with the WQO for 15 consecutive years since 2010.
      
     “The satisfactory beach water quality over the years is attributed to various pollution control and environmental improvement measures implemented by the Government, including the enforcement of the Water Pollution Control Ordinance and Livestock Waste Control Scheme, extension of the sewerage network to the beach hinterland, and the implementation of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme.
      
     “The EPD will continue to embrace the use of innovative technologies to enhance the effectiveness of environmental water quality management, with a view to protecting and improving beach water quality to safeguard the health of swimmers,” the spokesman added.
      
     The 2024 Beach Water Quality Report can be found at the EPD’s website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach).

    

     The Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band (HKYSB) of the Music Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold its annual concert, this one entitled "Echoes of the Harmony: An American Tapestry", at 3pm on May… 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 toda… read more