Officers of Tin Shui Wai Police Station last night (July 30) arrested three men while handling a criminal damage and common assault case on Tin Sau Road, during which protestors gathered and besieged Tin Shui Wai Police Station requesting to release the arrested persons.

     At around 2.45am today (July 31), Police received multiple reports that a private car passing by Tin Shui Wai Police Station discharged fireworks at the protestors and left. Five of the six injured were sent to Tin Shui Wai Hospital in conscious state. The remaining man refused to be sent to the hospital.

     The case was classified as assault occasioning actual bodily harm, using false instrument, theft from vehicles and discharging firework without permit. Investigation by District Crime Squad of Yuen Long is underway.

     Police strongly condemn these violent acts, and will spare no effort in investigating all illegal and violent acts. Police are capable and determined to maintain law and order and will not tolerate any violence.

          Police today (July 31) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Aberdeen.  

          Lui Kay-wan, aged 72, went missing after she was last seen on Old Main Street yesterday afternoon (July 30). Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

          She is about 1.6 metres tall, 47 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short white hair. She was last seen wearing a grey and white striped jacket, black trousers, grey slippers, carrying a blue bag and a black umbrella.

          Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Hong Kong Island on 2860 1040 or 9886 0034 or email to rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     Kwai Chung Police Station yesterday (July 30) was besieged by a large number of protestors when handling the bail arrangement of a group of arrested persons. The protestors assembled around Kwai Chung Police Station and requested the release of those arrested persons.

     At around 9.30pm, while two police vehicles were leaving Kwai Chung Police Station, protestors suddenly poured irritating liquid onto police officers nearby. At around 10.30pm, police officers were sent to the scene after noticing an assault happened near Kwai Fong Station. When two police officers were on their way returning to the police station, they were surrounded and deliberately attacked by a large group of violent protestors, who also hurled miscellaneous objects at the two police officers, with one of them being attacked. In order to protect himself from the threat of death or serious injury, the officer raised a shotgun loaded with bean bag rounds to stay on guard. Moreover, his anti-riot helmet was also snatched during the attack.

     Protestors also hurled miscellaneous objects and poured irritating liquid onto reinforced officers. The window pane of a police vehicle was broken and three police officers were injured in the process.

     Two men were sent to hospital after being assaulted by protestors. Twenty-four police officers were assaulted or splashed with irritating liquid in the incident with five of them sent to hospital for treatment.

     Investigation by the Regional Crime Unit of New Territories South is underway.

     Police strongly condemn protestors who assaulted members of the public and police officers. Police will investigate all illegal and violent acts. Police are capable and determined to maintain law and order in society and do not tolerate any violent acts.
     

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (July 31) the advance estimates on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2019.
 
     According to the advance estimates, GDP increased by 0.6% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 over a year earlier, same as that in the first quarter of 2019. The moderate growth of GDP was mainly attributable to the weak performance in investment expenditure and external demand. 
 
     Analysed by major GDP component, private consumption expenditure increased by 1.2% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 over a year earlier, faster than the 0.4% growth in the first quarter.
 
     Government consumption expenditure measured in national accounts terms grew by 4.0% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 over a year earlier, after the increase of 4.5% in the first quarter.
 
     Gross domestic fixed capital formation decreased significantly by 12.1% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 from a year earlier, compared with the decrease of 7.0% in the first quarter.
 
     Over the same period, total exports of goods measured in national accounts terms recorded a decrease of 5.4% in real terms from a year earlier, compared with the decrease of 3.7% in the first quarter. Imports of goods measured in national accounts terms decreased by 7.0% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019, compared with the decline of 4.2% in the first quarter.
 
     Exports of services rose by 0.2% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 over a year earlier, slower than the growth of 0.8% in the first quarter. Imports of services increased by 1.7% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019, as against the decrease of 1.5% in the first quarter.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison basis, GDP decreased by 0.3% in real terms in the second quarter of 2019 when compared with the first quarter.
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that according to the advance estimates, overall economic performance was subdued in the second quarter of 2019, with GDP growing modestly by 0.6% in real terms over a year earlier. External demand weakened further and domestic demand stayed sluggish.
 
     Hong Kong's total exports of goods showed an enlarged decline in the second quarter in tandem with the further setback in manufacturing and trading activities in Asia, amid softening global economic growth and US-China trade and technology tensions. Exports of services likewise recorded only marginal growth. As local economic sentiment deteriorated visibly in the face of increasing downside risks facing the global economy and other headwinds, private consumption expenditure only grew modestly and overall investment expenditure fell further.
 
     The Government will monitor the situation closely. The revised figures on GDP and more detailed statistics for the second quarter of 2019 will be released on August 16, 2019.
 
Further information
 
     The year-on-year percentage changes of GDP and selected major expenditure components in real terms from the second quarter of 2018 to the second quarter of 2019 are shown in Table 1. 
 
     When more data become available, the C&SD will compile revised figures on GDP. The revised figures on GDP and more detailed statistics for the second quarter of 2019 will be released at the C&SD website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp250.jsp) and the Gross Domestic Product (Quarterly) Report (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp250.jsp?productCode=B1030001) on August 16, 2019.
 
     For enquiries about statistics on GDP by expenditure component, please contact the National Income Branch (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5077 or email: gdp-e@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Government announced today (July 31) its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2019.
 
     Expenditure for the period April to June 2019 amounted to HK$124.4 billion and revenue HK$101.8 billion, resulting in a cumulative year-to-date deficit of HK$14.8 billion after receipt of net proceeds of HK$7.8 billion from issuance of green bond under the Government Green Bond Programme (Green Bond).
 
     A government spokesperson said that the cumulative year-to-date deficit for the period was mainly due to the fact that some major types of revenue including salaries and profits taxes are mostly received towards the end of a financial year.
 
     The fiscal reserves stood at HK$1,156.1 billion as at June 30, 2019.
 
     Detailed figures are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

TABLE 1. CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT (Note 1)
 

Government Debts as at June 30, 2019 (Note 3)
    HK$9,313.5 million
Debts Guaranteed by Government as at June 30, 2019 (Note 4)
    HK$26,430 million

TABLE 2. FISCAL RESERVES
 

Notes:

1. This Account consolidates the General Revenue Account and the following eight Funds: Capital Works Reserve Fund, Capital Investment Fund, Civil Service Pension Reserve Fund, Disaster Relief Fund, Innovation and Technology Fund, Land Fund, Loan Fund and Lotteries Fund. It excludes the Bond Fund, the balance of which is not part of the fiscal reserves. The Bond Fund balance as at June 30, 2019 was HK$136,017 million.

2. Includes transactions with the Exchange Fund and resident banks.

3. These were the outstanding institutional notes totalling HK$1,500 million as at June 30, 2019 and the Green Bond totalling US$1,000 million (equivalent to HK$7,814 million as at June 30, 2019) with maturity in July 2019 and May 2024 respectively. They do not include the outstanding bonds with nominal value of HK$92,729 million and alternative bonds with nominal value of US$3,000 million (equivalent to HK$23,441 million as at June 30, 2019) issued under the Government Bond Programme (with proceeds credited to the Bond Fund). Of these bonds under the Government Bond Programme (including Silver Bonds with nominal value of HK$8,729 million, which may be redeemed before maturity upon request from bond holders), bonds with nominal value of HK$25,138 million and alternative bonds with nominal value of US$2,000 million (equivalent to HK$15,627 million as at June 30, 2019) will mature within the period from July 2019 to June 2020 and the rest within the period from July 2020 to March 2034.

4. Includes guarantees provided under the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme launched in 2001, the Special Loan Guarantee Scheme launched in 2008, the Special Concessionary Measures under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme launched in 2012, and a commercial loan of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

5. Includes HK$219,730 million being the balance of the Land Fund held in the name of "Future Fund" as from January 1, 2016, for long-term investments initially up to December 31, 2025. As from July 1, 2016, the Future Fund also includes HK$4,800 million, being one-third of the actual surplus in 2015-16 as top-up.