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 will conduct 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 and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on January 27 to noon today (January 28), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 116 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 112 689 samples of food imported from Japan (including 73 640 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 26 072 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 28) released the latest grading of water quality for six gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
 
     Six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
  
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Casam Beach	Golden Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Lido Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD’s dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast). read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (January 28) released the latest grading of water quality for six gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
 
     Six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
  
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Casam Beach	Golden Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Lido Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD’s dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast). read more

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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

Tender date	:	January 28, 2025
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Q2505
Issue date	:	February 3, 2025
Maturity date	:	April 30, 2025
Amount applied	:	HK$150,060 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$61,499 MN
Average yield accepted	:	3.52 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	3.55 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 77 PCT
Average tender yield	:	3.62 PCT
****************************
Tender date	:	January 28, 2025
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	H2534
Issue date	:	February 3, 2025
Maturity date	:	July 30, 2025
Amount applied	:	HK$46,940 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$15,000 MN
Average yield accepted	:	3.50 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	3.52 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 52 PCT
Average tender yield	:	3.58 PCT

 
*”Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “highest yield accepted” level. read more

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (January 28) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,082.4 billion as at December 31, 2024, HK$55.7 billion higher than that at the end of November 2024. Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$110.7 billion while foreign currency assets decreased by HK$55.0 billion.
      
     The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the increase in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled at month end. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to reduction in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities and mark-to-market revaluation of investments.
      
     The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of December 2024 was HK$1,957.6 billion, increased by HK$7.4 billion, or 0.4 per cent, from the end of November 2024. The increase was mainly due to the amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued and increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness.
      
     The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$3.6 billion, or 0.2 per cent, to HK$2,144.6 billion at the end of December 2024. The increase was mainly attributable to interest income from investments and the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness, which were partly offset by mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The Backing Ratio decreased from 109.79 per cent at the end of November 2024 to 109.56 per cent at the end of December 2024.
      
     The figures in the Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and the Currency Board Account are unaudited. The audit of the Exchange Fund’s annual financial statements by the Director of Audit is in progress.

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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 January 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

January 7  (Issued)	SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
January 14  (Issued)	SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
January 28	SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
January 28	Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account

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