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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (September 29) the analytical data on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's foreign currency reserves and foreign currency liquidity as at the end of August 2023 (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 September 2023, 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 Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR), the research arm of the Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF), signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) today (September 29) to join the ASEAN+3 Finance Think-tank Network (AFTN) as a founding member institution.

     The AFTN brings together 21 think tanks and research institutions (Annex), spanning Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea to strengthen co-operation and collaboration among economic and financial think tanks across the ASEAN+3 region. The mission of AFTN is to enhance regional economic and financial resilience and stability through conducting joint research, knowledge sharing and capacity building.

     Chief Executive Officer of the AoF and Executive Director of the HKIMR, Mr Enoch Fung, and Director of ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office, Dr Kouqing Li, together with representatives of 19 think tanks and research institutions, signed the MoC at a ceremony. Following the signing ceremony, the AFTN hosted an inaugural meeting of its steer committee among the senior representatives from AFTN's members.

About the Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF)

     The AoF is set up with full collaboration amongst the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority. By bringing together the strengths of the industry, the regulatory community, professional bodies and the academia, it aims to serve as (i) a centre of excellence for developing financial leadership; and (ii) a repository of knowledge in monetary and financial research, including applied research.
 
About the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR)

     The HKIMR is the research arm of the AoF. Its main remit is to conduct research in the fields of monetary policy, banking and finance that are of strategic importance to Hong Kong and the Asia region. The Applied Research studies undertaken by the HKIMR are on topics that are highly relevant to the financial industry and regulators in Hong Kong, and they aim to provide insights on the long-term development strategy and direction of Hong Kong's financial industry.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, September 29, 2023 is 106.0 (down 0.5 against yesterday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, September 29, 2023 is 106.0 (down 0.5 against yesterday's index).

     â€‹The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Fanling North Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
      
     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the developments within the Fanling North New Development Area," a spokesperson for the Town Planning Board said today (September 29). 
                       
     The planning scheme area, covering about 165 hectares, is bounded by Wa Shan and Cham Shan in the north, Mat Wat River in the east, Ma Sik Road in the south, Ng Tung River in the southwest and Sheung Yue River in the west.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated the amendments shown on the draft Fanling North OZP No. S/FLN/3, which mainly involves (i) rezoning of two sites in Planning Area 3 from "Government, Institution or Community" ("G/IC") and an area shown as 'Road' to "Other Specified Uses" ("OU") annotated "Logistics Facility" and "OU" annotated "Bus Depot" respectively; (ii) rezoning of a site in Planning Area 5 from "OU" annotated "Parking and Operation Facilities for Environmentally Friendly Transport System", "G/IC" and an area shown as 'Road' to "Residential (Group A)5" for public housing development, "OU" annotated "Sewage Pumping Station" and "G/IC" respectively; (iii) rezoning of a site at the southwest corner of Planning Area 6 from "Residential (Group A)2" and an area shown as 'Road' to "Residential (Group A)6" for public housing development; and (iv) other amendments to revise the building height restriction of a "G/IC" site, to rationalise the zoning boundaries and to reflect the approved road alignment of the Fanling Bypass (Eastern Section).
      
     Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.

     The approved Fanling North OZP No. S/FLN/4 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long East District Planning Office, (iv) the North District Office, (v) the Fanling District Rural Committee and (vi) the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).