Tag Archives: China

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming and a reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
 
Question:
 
     It has been reported that the number of cruise ships arriving in Hong Kong this year is far lower than that in Singapore, and a related association has also withdrawn from Hong Kong. On the other hand, the Government mentioned in the Policy Address delivered last year that it would review the development of cruise tourism economy and announce an action plan in the first half of 2024. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the number of ship calls in Hong Kong in each of the past five years, as well as the numbers of inbound and outbound cruise passenger trips, and the age distribution and per capita spending of passengers;
 
(2) whether further plans in the short, medium and long terms are in place to attract cruise ships to visit Hong Kong and consider Hong Kong as homeport; and
 
(3) of the positioning of and division of functions between the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) and the Ocean Terminal, and how the occupancy rates of the commercial floor space of the two terminals compare with each other; as there are views that when compared with the Ocean Terminal, there is much room for improvement in respect of transport connectivity between the KTCT and the shopping malls nearby as well as the luxury goods and commercial contents of such shopping malls, how the Government will enhance the transport connectivity between the KTCT and the surrounding scenic spots and key shopping malls in the short term?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     After the pandemic, the Government has been making all-out efforts in promoting the recovery of the tourism industry, amongst which Hong Kong’s cruise tourism is actually one of the work priorities. With the concerted efforts of the industry and the Government, a total of 30 cruise lines are scheduled to visit Hong Kong in 2024, representing an increase of 12 over 2023 and comparable to pre-pandemic levels. It is estimated that the non-local cruise passenger throughput this year will increase to about 330 000, representing an increase of 50 per cent compared with 220 000 the year before. Moreover, attributable to the efforts we have made, several new cruise lines will have their first ship calls in Hong Kong in the coming year, and new itineraries will also be launched by cruise lines to attract a more diverse sources of customers.
      
     We sought views extensively from relevant local and international stakeholders of the cruise industry earlier on the development of cruise tourism in Hong Kong, and formulated an action plan for further promoting cruise visits to Hong Kong. It will be published together with the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 by the end of this year.
      
     Having consulted the Development Bureau and the Transport and Logistics Bureau, below is the reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Yuet-ming:
 
(1) The total numbers of ship calls and cruise passenger throughputs in Hong Kong in the past five years are at Annex. Separately, according to a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) in 2023, the onshore per capita spending of inbound cruise passengers embarking or disembarking in Hong Kong was about $3,000. Nevertheless, the contribution of cruise tourism to Hong Kong’s economy is not restricted to the spending by passengers, but also includes the expenses incurred in Hong Kong by the cruises (such as the expenses of arranging shore excursions or transport for passengers, reprovisioning for the cruises, berthing at terminals and hiring of ground crew members), as well as the onshore spending of crew members on leave.  We do not maintain statistics on the age distribution of cruise passengers.
 
(2) The Tourism Commission (TC) and HKTB will continue to promote the development of Hong Kong’s cruise tourism through various measures, attracting cruises to visit Hong Kong, and leveraging Hong Kong as the homeport for passengers to start or complete their cruise voyages. Those measures include:
 
(a) developing new cruise itineraries and visitor source markets. For instance, introducing cruise itineraries departing from the Mainland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand to Hong Kong in the coming months; and stepping up the promotion and publicity of fly-cruise and rail-cruise packages;
 
(b) facilitating cruise lines in making proper planning for cruises visiting Hong Kong, and providing them with various support and concessions, with a view to encouraging cruise lines to increase the number of ship calls, make overnight calls and leverage Hong Kong as the homeport;
 
(c) supporting the tourism trade in fully leveraging Hong Kong’s unique tourism elements to design different featured shore excursions. Cruise passengers visiting Hong Kong this week will be arranged to join the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, thereby creating synergy between cruise tourism and mega events. In addition, a night time itinerary of Hong Kong classic tram tour has recently been selected by a cruise line as one of its top 10 shore excursions in the world;
 
(d) providing facilitation for inbound passengers who start their cruise voyage in Hong Kong, such as baggage delivery services for debarking cruise passengers to enable them to explore the city hassle-free. TC also co-ordinates ship calls with a large number of Mainland visitors, streamlining the boundary crossing arrangements, and arranging coaches for them to travel direct to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) in just 40 minutes;
 
(e) seizing the new opportunities brought about by cruise-related policies in the Mainland, such as the policy of allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships at provinces along the country’s coastline, and the measures allowing Mainland visitors to travel to Hong Kong in transit to join international cruise itineraries involving port-of-call in Mainland cruise ports, thereby attracting international cruise lines to develop more cruise itineraries covering Hong Kong and Mainland ports; and
 
(f) proactively participating in major industry events in the Mainland and overseas, and collaborating with ports in the Mainland and the Asian region to jointly promote Asia’s cruise tourism in these events.
 
(3) Though complementing each other, the development and functions of the KTCT and the Ocean Terminal (OT) in Tsim Sha Tsui are not entirely the same and a direct comparison cannot be made between them. The OT was completed in 1966. Due to limitations in respect of water depth and clearance facilities etc, it can only accommodate small to medium-sized cruise ships with a gross tonnage of fewer than 90 000 tons and a smaller passenger capacity. Its floor area is primarily used for commercial purposes. As Tsim Sha Tsui has developed into one of Hong Kong’s premier shopping and sightseeing hot spots, passengers joining cruise voyages there can also be benefited. As for the KTCT, it is an infrastructure specifically built for the berthing of mega-size cruise ships and is able to accommodate simultaneously two mega-size cruise ships with a gross tonnage of up to 220 000. The terminal provides sufficient space and facilities for handling a large number of inbound and outbound passengers as well as their embarkation and disembarkation within a short period of time, but only has a small ancillary commercial area. The KTCT commenced operation in phases from mid-2013, and since 2015 and 2017 respectively, it has already surpassed the OT in terms of annual passenger throughput and the number of ship calls.
 
     Upon getting onshore, cruise passengers may either join shore excursions with connecting transport arrangements provided by cruise lines or local travel agents, or travel to destinations by public transport. The KTCT is being part of the Kai Tak Development (KTD). With the gradual completion of the traffic network and commercial facilities within the KTD, cruise passengers will be provided with greater convenience and more options for shopping and sightseeing. Those options include the major retail facility adjacent to Kai Tak MTR Station opened in September last year and another commercial project comprising a large department store scheduled for opening in November this year. In addition, the Kai Tak Sports Park, to be opened in the first quarter of next year, will not only provide over 700 thousand square feet of retail and catering facilities, but also venues for hosting various types of mega sports, cultural and recreational events, thereby creating synergy effects with the KTCT.
      
     There are currently four regular franchised bus routes serving the KTCT, with three of them connecting Kai Tak Station. Subject to demand, an additional special bus route directly connecting the station will also be provided by public transport operator during the berthing of cruise ships. The Transport Department has also planned to provide two additional franchised bus routes, one of them providing connecting services to Kai Tak Station via Sung Wong Toi Station, while another providing express services to Hung Hom and Tsim Sha Tsui direct.
 
     Thank you, President. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
 
Question:
 
     Regarding the activities in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the exhibitions relating to patriotic education organised by the HKSAR Government this year, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information on the aforesaid celebratory activities: (i) the names of the activities, (ii) the organising government departments, (iii) the dates on which the activities were held (with commencement and end dates) and (iv) the numbers of participants, and set out the breakdown in the table below; and

(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(iv)

       
(2) whether it has assessed the overall effectiveness of the various exhibitions relating to patriotic education (including the national security exhibition and the “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years” exhibition series at the Hong Kong Museum of History, as well as the exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence) in terms of the attendances, the level of satisfaction, etc; whether it will continuously step up promotion of such exhibitions through more innovative means, so as to attract more members of the public and tourists to visit them?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Having consulted the relevant bureaux and departments, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Yung is as follows:
 
     This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. To celebrate this important day with members of the public, the HKSAR Government has spared no effort in planning and launching a wide array of rich, diverse and creative celebratory activities before and after the National Day featuring the spirit of patriotism, so as to share the joy of the National Day with the public, while at the same time promote patriotism.
 
     Regarding part (1) of the question, the HKSAR Government and various sectors of the community has organised more than 400 celebratory activities before and after the National Day. Details of the events are available on the dedicated website (www.nationalday75.gov.hk). As at October 16, 2024, 38 amongst the 71 highlight celebratory events organised by various policy bureaux and departments had been completed. Please refer to the Annex for details.
 
     Regarding part (2) of the question, the HKSAR Government has organised a number of exhibitions with elements of patriotism, for example, the thematic exhibition “Brothers in Arms: War of Resistance Activities of the East River Column in Shenzhen and Hong Kong” exhibited at the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence since September 4, 2024, and the “Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People’s Republic of China in Its 75 Years’ Exhibition Series” at the Hong Kong Museum of History and Hong Kong Science Museum since September 27, 2024, etc. Moreover, the covered walkway of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park is currently hosting the “Trendsetting Travel in China” display to showcase national achievements, whereas the thematic book exhibition “The Glorious and Momentous Days – Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China” is being held at various public libraries and the Hong Kong Museum of History. These exhibitions cover various themes across different areas, presenting a comprehensive display of the country’s development. Overall speaking, the exhibitions are effective and the response of the public is overwhelming. As at October 15, the exhibitions organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) have recorded over 300 000 visitors. The LCSD will continue to promote the exhibitions through various channels including online media, and organise related education and extension programmes to attract more locals and visitors.
 
     In addition, the National Security Exhibition Gallery, located at the Hong Kong Museum of History, is the first dedicated exhibition in Hong Kong to systematically introduce national security. It has been opened to the public for visits with free admission since August 7 this year and has already welcomed 100 000 visitors in just two months. This shows that the community attaches great importance to and is supportive for national security education. Visitors have given very positive feedback about the exhibition hall, and consider the exhibition contents rich, diverse, and educational. In order to attract more locals and visitors, the National Security Exhibition Gallery will roll out thematic exhibitions in mid-2025 for the 10th National Security Education Day and the 5th anniversary of the promulgation of the Hong Kong National Security Law.
 
     The HKSAR Government is truly grateful for the staunch support received from various sectors of the community and the general public, without such, these many celebratory events would not have completed so successfully. This fully reflects the passion and love from all Hong Kong citizens for our country. The HKSAR Government will continue to press ahead with perseverance and determination, bring together the community forces, and take on the responsibility to lead Hong Kong to a brighter future. read more

     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (October 23) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, and extended her heartfelt condolences to his family.

     Mr Suen was appointed as the Secretary for Education in 2007, a post he held until June 2012.

     Dr Choi said, “Mr Suen provided dedicated services to Hong Kong people and the Government for decades, making tremendous contributions and earning respect from various sectors of the community. During his tenure as the Secretary for Education, he formulated and implemented a number of important education policies, including promotion of the development of higher education institutions and broadening of multiple study pathways, implementation of the New Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education and Higher Education (namely the ‘334’ academic structure), the fine-tuning of medium of instruction for secondary schools and implementation of small class teaching in primary schools, benefiting students and making far-reaching impacts.

      “Mr Suen spared no effort and was dedicated in everything. He often communicated with frontline education personnel in person and resolved problems with wisdom. He was a role model for colleagues.

      “The Education Bureau is deeply saddened by his passing. We will fondly remember him.” read more

     â€‹â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Doreen Kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
 
Question:

     Regarding public swimming pools under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the utilisation rates (set out by session for admission) and attendances of various public swimming pools in each of the past five years;

(2) of the number of schools holding swimming galas at public swimming pools in the past five years;

(3) of the expenditure on the staff salaries and benefits, operating costs and maintenance fees of public swimming pools in the past five years;

(4) in respect of the public swimming pools with utilisation rates on the low side, whether the authorities will consider consolidating them with those public swimming pools in the neighbouring districts to increase the overall utilisation rates, thereby better meeting the demand of members of the public;

(5) as there are views pointing out that the mode of leisure and entertainment of members of the public is constantly changing, whether the authorities have plans to upgrade facilities of public swimming pools and include more diversified entertainment elements (such as water parks and water play facilities), so as to attract members of the public of different age groups to use them; and

(6) as some persons with disabilities (PWDs) have relayed that barrier-‍free facilities at some public swimming pools are inadequate, of the current situation of the provision of barrier-free facilities at public swimming pools; whether it will consider further increasing and upgrading the barrier-free facilities at public swimming pools by, for example, providing additional ramps, lanes for exclusive use by PWDs and so on, at the swimming pools to improve the inclusiveness of public swimming pools, thereby benefiting a wider group of members of the public?

Reply:
 
President,

     My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Doreen Kong is as follows:

(1) As the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) does not maintain record of individual swimmer’s time of entry and exit at its public swimming pools, there is no information about the utilisation rate of its swimming pools at different periods of time. Details of the attendance of public swimming pools managed by the LCSD are set out at Annex I.

(2) In the past five years, the number of schools that have hosted swimming galas in public swimming pools managed by the LCSD is as follows:
 

Year	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Number	234	31	30	101	231

* In view of the situation of COVID-19, public swimming pools were closed during various periods from 2020 to 2022. Hence, the number of swimming galas held was lower.

(3) In the past five years, the expenditure on staff remuneration and fringe benefits as well as the operating cost of public swimming pools are as follows:
 

Year	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24
	($ million)
Expenditure on staff remuneration and fringe benefits	660.06	660.06	660.06	686.17	720.30
Operating cost	520.34	513.36	532.91	563.55	596.61

     â€‹As for repair and maintenance, multiple works departments are responsible for the maintenance and repair of various recreation and sports facilities under the LCSD. Costs of works such as repair, maintenance, improvement and refurbishment of facilities, as well as expenses on equipment procurement, are included in the overall expenditure of those works departments. The LCSD does not have a breakdown of the repair and maintenance costs of public swimming pools.

(4) and (5) In order to cater for the public demand for different swimming pool facilities, the number and type of facilities as well as design and layout of public swimming pools vary. At present, 25 of the public swimming pools under the LCSD (such as Kennedy Town Swimming Pool, Hammer Hill Road Swimming Pool and Tseung Kwan O Swimming Pool etc) offer water play equipment in addition to conventional swimming facilities, addressing the needs of different age groups and allowing more citizens to experience the fun of aquatic activities.
 
     The selection of location, types of facilities offered as well as design and layout of each swimming pool must meet the needs of the public (especially the local residents) for swimming facilities. The LCSD will optimise the use of resources according to the actual situation, closely monitor the utilisation of public swimming pools and take into account different factors, including the impact on local residents, future demographic changes and the views of relevant district councils, when reviewing the future planning of its facilities.

(6) At present, among the 46 public swimming pools under the LCSD, 36 (about 78 per cent) are equipped with accessible lifting platforms or ramps to assist persons with disabilities in entering the pools. A list of these swimming pools is at Annex II. As for the remaining public swimming pools where accessible lifting platforms or ramps have yet to be installed, there are other pools equipped with relevant facilities within the same district. Persons with disabilities may consider visiting another pool in the same district for the swimming facilities thereat according to their needs.
 
     All leisure venues of the LCSD built after 2008 (including public swimming pools) are in compliance with the requirements of the “Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008”, including the provision of ramps or accessible lifting platforms as far as possible to assist persons with disabilities in entering the pools. As for the leisure venues built before 2008 (including public swimming pools), subject to geographical environment, allocation of resources, architectural conditions and technical feasibility, the LCSD will arrange for relevant improvement works to be carried out, such as providing facilities for barrier-free access, accessible toilets and parking spaces, as well as adding facilities such as tactile guide paths, Braille signage, Braille and tactile maps, for the convenience of the visually impaired, in the course of renovation or conversion so that persons with disabilities can also enjoy swimming pool facilities provided by the LCSD. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pui-leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):

Question: 

     Regarding the crackdown on pedestrians crossing roads without complying with traffic rules, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents in the past five years, with a breakdown by cause of accident;

(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of traffic contraventions involving pedestrians in the past five years and, among such cases, the respective numbers of verbal warnings given and prosecutions instituted (including summonses) by the Police (set out by relevant contravention);

(3) whether it has analysed the reasons for pedestrians not complying with the traffic rules for crossing roads, for example, whether such acts were caused by objective factors such as road design, traffic system, etc; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) of (i) the 10 traffic black spots in Hong Kong with the highest number of traffic accidents involving pedestrian casualties and the number of accidents involved, and (ii) the 10 traffic black spots in Hong Kong with the highest number of traffic contraventions involving pedestrians and the respective numbers of jaywalking cases in the past five years; in respect of such traffic black spots, of the improvement measures put in place by the authorities, including whether they will consider extending the duration of green signal of pedestrian traffic lights or adding footbridges; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(5) given that the Police conducted a number of large-scale territory-wide law enforcement operations against jaywalking in the past, whether the authorities have assessed the effectiveness of such operations; whether they will consider increasing the amount of penalties for pedestrians who do not comply with traffic rules for crossing roads; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(6) how the authorities will further step up efforts in publicity and education on road safety, so as to enhance pedestrians’ awareness on road safety?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) in respect of crackdown on pedestrians crossing roads without complying with traffic rules, my reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Chan Pui-leung is as follows:

(1) and (2) The numbers of pedestrian casualties by casualty contributory factors and degree of injury in traffic accidents as well as the enforcement figures on pedestrian offences by the Police in the past five years are provided in Annex 1 and Annex 2 respectively. On the whole, from 2020 to 2023, the yearly casualty number ranged between about 2 300 and 2 800. The pedestrian casualty number involved in traffic accidents happened in the first half of 2024 has decreased by about 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. This reflects that the recent enhanced safety improvement measures are effective. The Government will continue to implement relevant road safety enhancement measures. The ratio of pedestrian contributory factors to accidents has decreased from about 30 per cent in 2020 to 22 per cent in the first nine months in 2024.

(3) and (4) The Government has been striving to provide a safe, reliable and efficient traffic and transport system, including the provision of appropriate pedestrian crossing facilities during the planning and design of pedestrian network, for pedestrian to cross the road conveniently at suitable locations. The Government also proceeds with various walkability enhancement and pedestrian safety improvement measures at suitable locations, which include footpath widening, provision or improvement of pedestrian crossings, provision of raised crossings, provision of additional traffic signs and road markings, setting up of low speed limit zones, replacement of Belisha beacons at zebra crossings as well as installation of auxiliary devices that project a red light at signalised junctions. These measures improve pedestrians’ walking experience on one hand and enhance road safety on the other.

     According to the quarterly blacksite locations published by the TD, the top 10 pedestrian blacksites and the numbers of accidents happened thereat in the past five years are provided in Annex 3. Relevant departments do not have statistics of the reason(s) of pedestrian offences. Having said that, the Police make reference to the information on accident blackspots when prioritising enforcement actions and publicity/education activities at district levels.

(5) Road safety is one of the Commissioner’s Operational Priorities of the Police. Apart from conducting territory-wide enforcement actions against pedestrian offences periodically, the Police will closely monitor the issue of pedestrian safety and continue to adopt multi-pronged approach through publicity, education and enforcement to strengthen public awareness on pedestrian safety, thereby reducing traffic accidents.
 
     From the second half of 2023 to September 2024, the Police have co-ordinated a total of three territory-wide thematic operations on pedestrian safety. With the concerted efforts of the Police and stakeholders, the number of accidents involving pedestrians as a whole in the first three quarters of 2024 has dropped, which is detailed as follows:
 

Number of pedestrian casualties involved in traffic accidents
Degree of injury	2023 (January – September)	2024 (January – September)
Killed	51	30
Seriously injured	277	180
Slightly injured	1 712	1 645
Total	2 040	1 855

     The Government will keep in view the penalties for traffic offences and will propose amendments timely so that the relevant penalties can maintain their deterrence to safeguard pedestrian safety.

(6) The Government attaches great importance to road safety and has been closely collaborating with the Road Safety Council to promote road safety amongst different road users (including pedestrians) through various publicity and education channels. Examples include production and broadcasting of television and online publicity video clips, publication and distribution of Road Safety Bulletins and leaflets, affixing publicity covers on traffic signal controllers, conducting road safety talks in primary and secondary schools and elderly centres, disseminating information on social media platforms, to educate different road users about road safety matters that require their attention, such as obeying traffic rules and traffic signals, proper use of crossing facilities, following the Road Crossing Code and staying alert at all times. We will continue to carry out publicity and education activities to enhance road users’ awareness on safety. read more