The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (November 26) the external merchandise trade statistics for October 2018. In October 2018, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 14.6% and 13.1% respectively.
 
     In October 2018, the value of total exports of goods increased by 14.6% over a year earlier to $383.7 billion, after a year-on-year increase of 4.5% in September 2018. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 13.1% over a year earlier to $428.1 billion in October 2018, after a year-on-year increase of 4.8% in September 2018. A visible trade deficit of $44.5 billion, equivalent to 10.4% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in October 2018.
 
     For the first 10 months of 2018 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods rose by 9.8% over the same period in 2017. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 11.1%. A visible trade deficit of $466.3 billion, equivalent to 11.9% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first 10 months of 2018.
 
     Comparing the three-month period ending October 2018 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 2.0%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 1.4%.
 
Analysis by country/territory
 
     Comparing October 2018 with October 2017, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 14.1%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Malaysia (+37.9%), Singapore (+18.0%), the mainland of China (the Mainland) (+17.8%), the Philippines (+16.8%) and Korea (+14.4%).  On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of total exports to Taiwan (-19.1%) and Japan (-8.3%).
 
     Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular the United Kingdom (+11.6%), the USA (+10.3%) and Germany (+4.2%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular Malaysia (+30.0%), the Mainland (+18.0%), the USA (+14.8%), Korea (+13.8%), Japan (+13.1%) and Singapore (+10.7%). Concurrently, decreases were recorded in the values of imports from the Philippines (-8.1%) and Taiwan (-3.6%).
 
     For the first 10 months of 2018 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular the Mainland (+12.3%), Singapore (+10.8%), Thailand (+10.4%), the USA (+9.5%), the Netherlands (+8.8%) and Vietnam (+8.4%). However, a year-on-year decrease was registered in the value of total exports to India (-11.2%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular Malaysia (+77.4%), Korea (+19.2%), the Mainland (+9.9%), the USA (+9.2%), Taiwan (+8.9%) and Singapore (+8.8%). On the other hand, a year-on-year decrease was registered in the value of imports from India (-13.3%).
 
Analysis by major commodity
 
     Comparing October 2018 with October 2017, increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $25.7 billion or 21.4%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $14.8 billion or 21.7%) and "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $4.0 billion or 21.1%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $16.5 billion or 24.8%), "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $13.0 billion or 9.4%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $6.6 billion or 21.4%).
 
     For the first 10 months of 2018 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $206.4 billion or 18.4%), "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $46.5 billion or 14.3%) and "miscellaneous manufactured articles (mainly jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares)" (by $30.0 billion or 17.8%). However, a year-on-year decrease was registered in the value of total exports of "non-metallic mineral manufactures" (by $14.7 billion or -9.0%).
 
     Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $197.5 billion or 15.4%), "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $66.8 billion or 23.7%) and "petroleum, petroleum products and related materials" (by $22.2 billion or 38.0%).
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman noted that the value of merchandise exports picked up to record a double-digit growth in October after a visible deceleration in September, with exports to many major markets (including the US, the European Union, the Mainland and many other Asian markets) showing accelerated growth.
 
     However, the external environment is subject to increasing downside risks. Global economic growth has lost some momentum lately. The impacts of the US-Mainland trade conflicts on Hong Kong's merchandise exports are likely to become more apparent in the coming months if the conflicts drag on or escalate. 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 October 2018. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2015 to October 2018, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
 
     The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for October 2018 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 October 2018.
 
     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 October 2018 will be released in mid-December 2018.
 
     The October 2018 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade in October 2018 and will be available in mid-December 2018. 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). 

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) always endeavours to provide affordable public rental housing (PRH) to low-income families with housing needs. The newly completed Hoi Ying Estate at Lai Ying Street, Cheung Sha Wan, started the intake process today (November 26), offering homes to about 3 400 people.
 
     Hoi Ying Estate consists of two non-standard domestic blocks, namely Ying Fai House and Ying Cheong House. The blocks are 33 and 40 storeys high respectively, providing a total of 1 319 PRH units. The various flat types include one/two-person, two/three-person, one-bedroom and two-bedroom with the smallest flat size at about 14 square metres and the largest at about 37 square metres. The monthly rents range from $1,210 to $3,201.
 
     "Some of the flats are installed with acoustic windows and acoustic fins to reduce the impact of road traffic noise," a spokesman for the HA said.
 
     "There is a landscape garden, a children's play area, a fitness area for both adults and elderly, and a table-tennis table for the enjoyment of the residents," the spokesman added.   
 
     To meet the daily needs of residents, the estate provides retail facilities including a supermarket, eateries and a convenience store, in addition to a medical clinic. Also for the convenience of the residents, there are covered walkways connecting the domestic blocks with the shops.

      

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, November 26, 2018 is 105.8 (same as last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, November 24, 2018 is 105.8 (up 0.1 against last Friday's index).

     The Town Planning Board announced today (November 26) that it has agreed for transitional housing co-ordinated by a task force under the Transport and Housing Bureau in permanent buildings, including wholesale-converted industrial buildings in the "Commercial", "Comprehensive Development Area" and "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Business" and "Residential" zones in the urban and new town areas, that can be regarded as for temporary use, which is always permitted under the Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) if it is for a period of five years or less. 

     The Board is satisfied that the temporary nature of transitional housing can be established given that (i) the objective of transitional housing is to provide interim accommodation to alleviate the hardship of families on the public rental housing waiting list and the inadequately housed. The need will subsequently be phased out when more suitable permanent housing is in place; (ii) the task force in monitoring the provision of transitional housing in accordance with the housing policy will ensure that it will not become a permanent use; (iii) a fixed term of five years or less can be specified in the special waiver to be granted by Lands Department; and (iv) assessment of any subsequent application for extension of this agreement under the planning regime will be based on consideration at the time of application and each term of the transitional housing use proposed for the permanent building in question should be of five years or less. The use would still need to comply with other relevant legislation and regulations.

     Transitional housing not co-ordinated by the task force and other temporary uses in the permanent buildings should continue to be considered as permanent uses unless the Board is satisfied with their temporary nature. Such proposal could be submitted to the Board under the planning application system in accordance with the provisions of the relevant OZP.

     As stipulated in the Notes of the OZPs in the urban and new town areas, temporary uses (expected to be five years or less) of any land or building are always permitted as long as they comply with other relevant legislation, the conditions of the lease and any other government requirements, and there is no need for these to conform to the zoned use or the Notes of the OZPs (the "five-year rule"). The Board endorsed in 1990 that the "five-year rule" should not be applicable to temporary uses in permanent buildings unless the temporary nature of the use could be established to the satisfaction of the Board.

     For the avoidance of doubt, the Board's permission is still required for transitional housing for not more than three years in the rural areas unless the use is permitted in the Notes of the relevant zone, following the provisions as set out in the Notes of the OZPs for the rural areas.

     The Town Planning Board (TPB) today (November 26) promulgated a set of revised Guidelines (TPB PG-No. 29B) on submission and publication of representations, comments on representation and further representations (FRs) under the Town Planning Ordinance which will take effect in 2019.

     The revised Guidelines aim to enable the TPB to process representations, comments and FRs in a more effective and efficient manner while ensuring the rights of the public to submit representations, comments and FRs and to attend the hearing.

     Under the revised Guidelines, a representer, commenter or further representer, or his or her authorised representative (including a representative of an organisation or concern group), is required to provide his or her full name as shown in a Hong Kong identity card (HKID card)/passport and HKID card/passport number (first four alphanumeric characters only) for verification purposes. The authorised representative will also need to provide the original authorisation letter signed by the representer, commenter or further representer. The new requirement is to enhance the propriety of the plan-making process under the Ordinance. It will not affect the rights of any person to make representations, comments or FRs under the Ordinance.

     To facilitate future communication in writing, the revised Guidelines require the representer, commenter or further representer, or his or her authorised representative, to provide a correspondence or email address for receipt of documents issued by the TPB in relation to the processing of the representation, comment or FR and hearing arrangement. If no correspondence or email address is provided, they would need to check the information regarding the hearing arrangement, relevant papers, etc on the TPB website, and contact the Secretariat of the TPB to make arrangements for their attendance at the hearing.

     The requirements set out in the revised Guidelines will be applicable to all representations, comments and FRs in respect of plans exhibited for public inspection under the Ordinance starting in 2019.

     The revised Guidelines are now available at the Secretariat of the TPB at 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong (Tel: 2231 4810 or 2231 4835), and the TPB's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb). Corresponding revisions are also made to the Guidance Notes on Attending the Meeting for Consideration of Representations, Comments and FRs under the Ordinance. Details will be provided at the specific webpage on "Plan Making: How to Participate" in the TPB's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/plan_making/participate.html) for public information.

     Any enquiries on the above may be addressed to the Secretariat of the TPB at the above address or by email (tpbpd@pland.gov.hk), or to the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department (hotline: 2231 5000; email: enquire@pland.gov.hk) at 17/F, North Point Government Offices, and 14/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin.