The Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Ordinance (CAMLR Ordinance) (Cap 635) and its subsidiary legislation will come into effect on July 1 to conserve Antarctic marine living resources.
 
     The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention) is an international convention for regulating activities associated with the rational utilisation and management of the marine living resources in the Convention Area. The CAMLR Convention will also be applied to Hong Kong from July 1.
 
     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said, "One of the species regulated under the CAMLR Convention is toothfish, which includes the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) and the Patagonian toothfish (D. eleginoides), both of which are commonly found in the waters around Antarctica. Toothfish are harvested and traded internationally and sold as a table fish in some places under different market names including Chilean seabass and white cod. They are highly vulnerable to overfishing."

     The spokesman added, "With a view to protecting toothfish from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing internationally, and to contribute to the concerted international efforts in the protection and sustainable use of marine resources, the Government decided to implement the relevant provisions of the CAMLR Convention and Conservation Measures (CMs) in Hong Kong. A new piece of legislation, the CAMLR Ordinance, has been made to provide a legal basis and necessary powers for the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (DAFC) and his authorised officers." 

     At the same time, the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (Toothfish Catch Documentation Scheme) Regulation (Cap 635A) and the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (Port Inspection and Control) Regulation (Cap 635B) have been made to implement the Toothfish Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) and port inspection and control measures under the CAMLR Convention.
 
     Under the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (Toothfish Catch Documentation Scheme) Regulation (Cap 635A), any import, export or re-export of live or dead toothfish items, including any flesh or other part (whether raw, or in any way processed or preserved) is prohibited except under and in accordance with an import licence, an export licence or a re-export licence issued by the DAFC. Applications for an import licence, an export licence or a re-export licence must be made to the DAFC in a specified form, together with payment of a prescribed fee and accompanied by the corresponding CDS documents issued in respect of the toothfish items to be imported, exported or re-exported.
 
     Furthermore, under the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (Port Inspection and Control) Regulation (Cap 635B), the master or the owner or an agent of the owner of the fishing vessel carrying toothfish or other Antarctic marine living resources seeking to enter Hong Kong waters will need to notify the DAFC at least 48 hours before their expected arrival, to provide the requested information of the vessel and the catch, and to give a written declaration that the vessel has not engaged in IUU fishing activities. Fishing vessels carrying toothfish or other Antarctic marine organisms entering Hong Kong will be inspected by authorised officers as provided in Cap 635B to check whether harvesting activities in the Convention Area are carried out in accordance with the CMs. A fishing vessel will be denied entry into Hong Kong waters if it is on a list of IUU vessels, the vessel has been involved in IUU fishing, or there is a failure to provide the advance notification, information or declaration.
 
     The maximum penalty as stipulated in the CAMLR Ordinance is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year.

     For details of the CAMLR Ordinance and the requirements concerned, please visit www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/CCAMLR/ccamlr_Main.html.

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (June 29) the external merchandise trade statistics for May 2020. In May 2020, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year decreases, at 7.4% and 12.3% respectively.
 
     In May 2020, the value of total exports of goods decreased by 7.4% over a year earlier to $317.6 billion, after a year-on-year decrease of 3.7% in April 2020. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods decreased by 12.3% over a year earlier to $331.3 billion in May 2020, after a year-on-year decrease of 6.7% in April 2020. A visible trade deficit of $13.7 billion, equivalent to 4.1% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in May 2020.
 
     For the first five months of 2020 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods decreased by 8.0% over the same period in 2019. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods decreased by 9.8%. A visible trade deficit of $141.7 billion, equivalent to 8.9% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first five months of 2020.
 
     Comparing the three-month period ending May 2020 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 5.1%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 1.7%.
 
Analysis by country/territory
 
     Comparing May 2020 with May 2019, total exports to Asia as a whole went down by 4.6%. In this region, decreases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular the Philippines (-45.5%), India (-37.9%), Singapore (-29.0%) and Korea (-18.4%). On the other hand, increases were recorded in the values of total exports to Taiwan (+16.6%) and the mainland of China (the Mainland) (+0.3%).
 
     Apart from destinations in Asia, decreases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular the United Kingdom (‑27.3%), the USA (-14.4%) and Germany (-12.9%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, decreases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular the United Kingdom (-37.9%), the USA (‑30.4%), the Mainland (-13.9%), Japan (-12.5%) and Singapore (-6.4%). Concurrently, increases were recorded in the values of imports from Vietnam (+69.6%), Taiwan (+6.9%) and Korea (+5.0%).
 
     For the first five months of 2020 as a whole, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular the USA (-24.2%), India (-23.1%), Germany (‑22.4%) and Singapore (-20.8%). However, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports to Taiwan (+8.6%) and the Mainland (+1.0%).

     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular the USA (-18.2%), the Mainland (‑15.1%), the United Kingdom (‑8.7%) and Japan (-4.4%). However, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports from Vietnam (+49.3%), Taiwan (+16.1%), Korea (+11.2%) and Singapore (+5.3%).
 
Analysis by major commodity
     
     Comparing May 2020 with May 2019, decreases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $13.0 billion or -20.5%), "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $8.2 billion or -39.9%), "non-metallic mineral manufactures" (by $4.8 billion or ‑34.2%) and "photographic apparatus, equipment and supplies, optical goods, watches and clocks" (by $4.1 billion or -45.2%). However, increases were registered in the values of total exports of "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $6.8 billion or 5.2%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $4.3 billion or 12.8%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, decreases were registered in the values of imports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $10.6 billion or -18.7%), "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $8.7 billion or -37.9%) and "photographic apparatus, equipment and supplies, optical goods, watches and clocks" (by $5.1 billion or -52.1%). However, an increase was registered in the value of imports of "essential oils and resinoids and perfume materials; toilet, polishing and cleansing preparations" (by $1.9 billion or 39.8%).
 
     For the first five months of 2020 as a whole, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $59.9 billion or -20.3%), "non-metallic mineral manufactures" (by $28.9 billion or -41.2%) and "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $25.7 billion or -28.3%). However, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports of "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $21.9 billion or 3.7%) and "power generating machinery and equipment" (by $9.6 billion or 35.1%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year decreases were registered in the values of imports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $49.0 billion or -18.0%), "non-metallic mineral manufactures" (by $34.0 billion or -42.6%) and "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $23.9 billion or -22.0%). However, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports of "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $19.1 billion or 3.0%) and "power generating machinery and equipment" (by $11.1 billion or 31.3%).

Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that the value of merchandise exports showed an enlarged year-on-year decrease of 7.4% in May, in tandem with subdued regional trade flows amid weak global demand. Exports to the Mainland recorded a sharply decelerated growth, while those to many other major markets continued to decline by varying degrees. Taking April and May together, the value of merchandise exports fell by 5.7% from a year earlier. This was narrower than the corresponding decline of 9.7% in the first quarter.
 
     Looking ahead, Hong Kong's export performance will remain under pressure in the near term. The continued spread of COVID-19 in various places of the world is still a key threat to the global economy. The development of US-Mainland political and economic relations also warrants concern. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 at the annex presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for May 2020. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2017 to May 2020, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
 
     The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for May 2020 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
 
     Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for May 2020.
 
     All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for May 2020 will be released in mid-July 2020.
 
     The May 2020 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade in May 2020 and will be available in mid-July 2020. Users can download the publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp230.jsp).
 
     Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section (2) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5042).

Overall wage and payroll statistics

     According to the figures released today (June 29) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the average wage rate for all the selected industry sections surveyed, as measured by the wage index, increased by 2.2% in nominal terms in March 2020 over a year earlier. 
 
     About 56% of the companies reported increase in average wage rates in March 2020 compared with a year ago. 39% of the companies recorded decrease in average wage rates over the same period. The remaining 5% reported virtually no change in average wage rates.
 
     After discounting the changes in consumer prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index (A), the overall average wage rate for all the selected industry sections surveyed decreased by 0.3% in real terms in March 2020 over a year earlier.
 
     As for payroll, the index of payroll per person engaged for all the industry sections surveyed increased by 3.2% in nominal terms in the first quarter of 2020 over a year earlier. 
 
     After discounting the changes in consumer prices as measured by the Composite Consumer Price Index, the average payroll per person engaged increased by 1.2% in real terms in the first quarter of 2020 compared with a year earlier.
 
     The wage rate includes basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses. Payroll includes elements covered by wage rate as well as other irregular payments to workers such as discretionary bonuses and overtime allowances. The payroll statistics therefore tend to show relatively larger quarter-to-quarter changes, affected by the number of hours actually worked and the timing of payment of bonuses and back-pay.
 
Sectoral changes
 
     For the nominal wage indices, year-on-year increases were recorded in all selected industry sections in March 2020, ranging from 1.1% to 3.2%.
 
     For the real wage indices, year-on-year decreases ranging from 0.9% to 1.4% were recorded in the import/export, wholesale and retail trades section; accommodation and food service activities section and personal services section in March 2020. Yet, the manufacturing section remained virtually unchanged when compared with that in March 2019 while the other industry sections surveyed recorded year-on-year increases of 0.2% to 0.7%.
 
     The year-on-year changes in the nominal and real wage indices for the selected industry sections from March 2019 to March 2020 are shown in Table 1.
 
     As for the nominal indices of payroll per person engaged, a year-on-year increase of 10.2% was recorded for the social and personal services section in the first quarter of 2020 due to pay adjustments and issuance of back-pay in some subvented organisations. Besides, year-on-year increases ranging from 0.5% to 3.8% were also recorded in all the other industry sections surveyed, except the transportation, storage, postal and courier services section and accommodation and food service activities section where year-on-year decreases of 1.1% and 1.4% were recorded respectively.
 
     For the real payroll indices, year-on-year increases ranging from 0.3% to 8.1% were recorded in the sewerage, waste management and remediation activities section; information and communications section; real estate activities section; professional and business services section and social and personal services section in the first quarter of 2020. The other industry sections surveyed recorded year-on-year decreases of 0.1% to 3.3%.
 
     The year-on-year changes in the nominal and real indices of payroll per person engaged for selected industry sections from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2020 are shown in Table 2. The quarterly changes in the seasonally adjusted nominal and real indices of payroll per person engaged between the first quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020 are shown in Table 3.
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman noted that overall wages continued to increase in nominal terms in March 2020 over a year earlier, but the rate of increase decelerated further to the slowest in close to a decade as the threat of COVID-19 seriously disrupted a wide range of economic activities. After discounting for inflation, overall wages declined slightly in real terms over a year earlier.
 
     Payroll per person engaged, which also covers discretionary bonuses and other irregular payments, saw a faster year-on-year increase in nominal terms in the first quarter of 2020 due to pay adjustments and issuance of back-pay in some subvented organisations, which were concentrated in the social and personal services sector. Indeed, payroll per person engaged in accommodation and food service activities, and transportation, storage, postal and courier services turned to decline, while those in most other major sectors saw decelerated growth.
 
     The spokesman added that the latest figures indicated the situation up to March only and have yet to reflect the full impact of the pandemic. Looking ahead, while the local epidemic situation has abated, it will take time for local economic activities to return to normal. The external environment also remains difficult as the pandemic continues to weigh on the global economy. Thus, the earnings situation will still face downward pressure in the near term. The Government will continue to monitor the developments closely.
 
Other information
 
     Both wage indices and payroll indices are compiled quarterly based on the results of the Labour Earnings Survey (LES) conducted by the C&SD. 

     Wage statistics are conceptually different from the payroll statistics. Firstly, wage rate for an employee refers to the sum earned for his normal hours of work. It covers basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses, but excludes earnings from overtime work and discretionary bonuses, which are however included in payroll per person engaged. Secondly, the payroll index of an industry is an indicator of the simple average payroll received per person engaged in the industry. Its movement is therefore affected by changes in wage rates, number of hours of work and occupational composition in the industry. In contrast, the wage index of an industry is devised to reflect the pure changes in wage rate, with the occupational composition between two successive statistical periods being kept unchanged. In other words, the wage index reflects the change in the price of labour. Thirdly, wage index only covers employees up to the supervisory level (i.e. not including managerial and professional employees), whereas payroll index covers employees at all levels and proprietors actively engaged in the work of the establishment. Because of these conceptual and enumeration differences between payroll and wage statistics, the movements in payroll indices and in wage indices do not necessarily match closely with each other.
 
     It should also be noted that different consumer price indices are used for compiling the real indices of wage and payroll to take into account the differences in their respective occupation coverage. Specifically, the Composite Consumer Price Index, being an indicator of overall consumer prices, is taken as the price deflator for payroll of workers at all levels of the occupational hierarchy. The Consumer Price Index (A), being an indicator of consumer prices for the relatively low expenditure group, is taken as the price deflator for wages in respect of employees engaged in occupations up to the supervisory level.
 
     Detailed breakdowns of the payroll and wage statistics are published in the "Quarterly Report of Wage and Payroll Statistics, March 2020". Users can download this publication free of charge from the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp210.jsp?productCode=B1050009).
 
     For enquiries on wage and payroll statistics, please contact the Wages and Labour Costs Statistics Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5550 or email: wage@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Thematic Household Survey Report No. 71 is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 29).

     This publication contains key findings on Hong Kong population's willingness to live in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) based on the Thematic Household Survey conducted during April to July 2019.

     According to the survey results which represent the population of Hong Kong, it was estimated that the vast majority (93.8%) of persons aged 15 and over had heard of the GBA. The top three GBA Mainland cities that were most commonly aware of by those persons who had heard of the GBA were Shenzhen (47.0%), Guangzhou (42.9%) and Zhuhai (42.3%).

     It was also estimated that at the time of enumeration, some 699 400 persons aged 15 and over had ever thought of staying (including living or retiring, working or operating business, studying or taking further studies) in places outside Hong Kong in the future, constituting 11.2% of all persons aged 15 and over. Among them, some 266 200 persons were interested in staying in the GBA Mainland cities in the future, constituting 38.1% of all persons aged 15 and over who had ever thought of staying in places outside Hong Kong in the future. While some 220 300 persons were interested in living or retiring in the GBA Mainland cities in the future, some 63 500 persons were interested in working or operating business in the GBA Mainland cities in the future, and some 7 200 persons were interested in studying or taking further studies in the GBA Mainland cities in the future.

     On the other hand, among those persons aged 15 and over who had ever thought of staying in places outside Hong Kong in the future but were not interested in staying in the GBA Mainland cities in the future, and those who had never thought of staying in places outside Hong Kong, 14.4% indicated that their interest in staying in the GBA Mainland cities would raise if "provision of healthcare services similar to those in Hong Kong" were implemented. This was followed by "entitlement to Hong Kong healthcare and welfare services in the GBA Mainland cities" (14.1%) and "provision of transportation allowance for cross-boundary travel" (13.2%).

Other information

     The survey successfully enumerated some 20 000 target respondents in some 10 000 households in accordance with a scientific sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

     Detailed findings of the survey, together with the population coverage and concepts/definitions of key terms, are presented in the publication. Users can download the publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp140.jsp?productCode=B1130201).

     Enquiries about the contents of the publication can be directed to the Social Surveys Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5103 or email: thematic@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has announced that as of 4pm today (June 29), the CHP was investigating four additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 1 204 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 1 203 confirmed cases and one probable case).
      
     The newly reported cases announced today involve a male and three females aged between 23 and 53. They had a travel history during the incubation period. The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex.
 
     The CHP again urged members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible in their daily lives to minimise the risk of infection. In particular, they should go out less and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings to reduce the chance of contacting infected persons who may not present any symptoms, and minimise the risk of outbreak clusters emerging in the community.
      
     A spokesman for the CHP said, "Given that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.
 
     "The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
 
     "As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly, regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps) and cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use. After using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs."
 
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates. Members of the public may also gain access to information via the COVID-19 WhatsApp Helpline launched by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Simply by saving 9617 1823 in their phone contacts or clicking the link wa.me/85296171823?text=hi, they will be able to obtain information on COVID-19 as well as the "StayHomeSafe" mobile app and wristband via WhatsApp.
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
 
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or doorknobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a litre of water into each drain outlet (U-trap) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• Cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.