Author Archives: hksar gov

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 31) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly p… read more

     The Chief Executive has reappointed five serving members of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), including Dr Billy Mak Sui-choi, Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Ms Judy Chan Kapui and Ms Carmen Kan Wai-mun, and appointed six new members to the HA, effective from April 1, 2025, for a two-year term.
 
     The new HA members are:
 
Mr Leung Man-kwong
Ms Eviana Leung Bon-yuen
Mr Jason Chiu Tsz-kiu
Mr Philip Lo Kai-wah
Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung
Mr Michael Luk Chung-hung
 
     “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the six retiring HA members, who are Ms Melissa Pang, Mr Shiu Ka-fai, Mr Anthony Chiu Kwok-wai, Mr Lau Chun-kong, Ms Clara Chan Yuen-shan and Mr Tang Ka-piu, for their invaluable contributions to the HA’s governance, estate management and construction programme over the years. I also welcome the new HA members and look forward to working closely with them in taking forward public housing developments,” said the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho.
 
     The membership of the HA as at April 1, 2025, is as follows:

Chairman
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Secretary for Housing
 
Vice-chairman
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Director of Housing


Non-official members
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Dr Johnnie Chan Chi-kau
Ms Cleresa Wong Pie-yue
Dr Billy Mak Sui-choi
Ms Serena Lau Sze-wan
Mr Alan Man Hoi-leung
Ms Ann Au Chor-kwan
Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung
Dr Lo Wai-kwok
Ms Judy Chan Kapui
Ms Carmen Kan Wai-mun
Ms Jeny Yeung Mei-chun
Mr Rex Wong Siu-han
Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung
Ms Kelly Chan Yuen-sau
Mr Leung Man-kwong
Ms Eviana Leung Bon-yuen
Mr Jason Chiu Tsz-kiu
Mr Philip Lo Kai-wah
Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung
Mr Michael Luk Chung-hung
 
Official members
———————
Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury)
Director of Lands read more

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport over the past two days (March 29 and 30) and seized a total of about 102 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $50 million.
      
     The first case involved two female passengers, both aged 23, who arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany, on March 29. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 81kg of suspected ketamine inside their check-in suitcases. They were subsequently arrested. The arrested persons have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug.
      
     In the second case, a 27-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, yesterday (March 30). Customs officers seized about 21kg of suspected ketamine from her checked-in suitcase during customs clearance. The woman was subsequently arrested.
      
     The two cases will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (April 1).
      
     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
      
     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
      
     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/en).

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (March 31) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,009.0 billion as at February 28, 2025, HK$102.9 billion lower than that at the end of January 2025. Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$76.0 billion and foreign currency assets decreased by HK$26.9 billion.

     The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the decrease in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled at month end. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to withdrawals of Fiscal Reserves placements and the redemption of Certificates of Indebtedness, which were partly offset by an increase in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities and interest income from investments.

     The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of February 2025 was HK$1,975.9 billion, decreased by HK$19.0 billion, or 1.0 per cent, from the end of January 2025. The decline was mainly due to the decrease in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness, which was partly offset by amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued.

     The amount of Backing Assets decreased by HK$13.7 billion, or 0.6 per cent, to HK$2,178.8 billion at the end of February 2025. The decrease was mainly attributable to the redemption of Certificates of Indebtedness, which was partly offset by interest income from investments and mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The Backing Ratio increased from 109.90 per cent at the end of January 2025 to 110.27 per cent at the end of February 2025.
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of March 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (March 31) the analytical data on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s foreign currency reserves and foreign currency liquidity as at the end of February 2025 (Annex). These data are published monthly in the Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS).
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of March 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows: