Tag Archives: China

     The Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019, steered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), will be held in April 2019. The Government is inviting proposals from organisations interested in taking part as Leading Organisers.
 
     All professional bodies, trade associations or other non-profit organisations are eligible to be Leading Organisers, which are responsible for recruiting and screening entries, promoting the Hong Kong ICT Awards through their networks and managing the adjudication process. Selection will be conducted through an open and competitive process based on an established assessment mechanism taking into account the quality of applicants’ proposals, capability and track record.
 
     The Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019 will consist of eight award categories. They are:
 
* Digital Entertainment Award
* FinTech Award
* ICT Startup Award
* Smart Business Award
* Smart Living Award
* Smart Mobility Award
* Smart People Award
* Student Innovation Award
 
     Organisations interested in becoming a Leading Organiser should obtain a copy of the Request for Proposal document and a Proposal Form from the Secretariat Office of the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019 (email: info@hkictawards.hk). The deadline for submission is October 25, 2018.
 
     The Hong Kong ICT Awards aims at recognising and promoting outstanding information and communications technology (ICT) inventions and applications, thereby encouraging innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT talents and enterprises. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, the Awards has developed into a renowned event to recognise innovation and achievements in the local ICT industry. Over 1,500 locally developed ICT products and solutions have been recognised by the Hong Kong ICT Awards since its debut in 2006.
 
     Further details on becoming Leading Organisers are available on the website of the Hong Kong ICT Awards (www.hkictawards.hk). Enquiries can be made to the Secretariat Office at 2582 4318 or by email to info@hkictawards.hk. read more

     The Government announced today (September 27) the quarterly land sale programme for the third quarter of 2018-19, i.e. October to December 2018.
      
     “In the third quarter of 2018-19, the Government will sell by tender four residential sites, with one each on Lantau and in Tai Po, and two in Kai Tak. The total estimated flat yield is about 2 630 units. Including supply from private development and redevelopment projects, the private housing land supply in the third quarter of 2018-19 is estimated to have a capacity to produce about 3 360 flats in total,” the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, said.
      
     To provide more elderly facilities, Mr Wong said that the successful bidder of the Tai Po site (i.e. Tai Po Town Lot 244) will be required to develop a 100-place residential care home for the elderly at the site, subject to planning approval by the Town Planning Board.
      
     He said that the Development Bureau will continue to work in close partnership with the Labour and Welfare Bureau to identify suitable land sale sites and require private developers to construct welfare facilities through land sale conditions. 
      
     Mr Wong then reviewed the private housing land supply situation in the first half of 2018-19. On government land sale, six residential sites will have been put up for sale by the end of this month, capable of providing about 2 350 flats in total. 
      
     In the past two quarters, the MTR Corporation Limited tendered three property development projects respectively in Yau Tong, at Wong Chuk Hang Station and at Ho Man Tin Station, capable of producing about 2 700 flats in total. On another front, the Urban Renewal Authority tendered its Tung Chau Street/Kweilin Street project and Castle Peak Road/Un Chau Street project in Sham Shui Po, which have a capacity to produce about 470 flats in total.
      
     Together with the supply from private development and redevelopment projects, which can produce around 960 flats in total, the private housing land supply in the first half of 2018-19 has a total capacity to provide about 6 500 flats. 
      
     “Including supply in the third quarter, the total private housing land supply in the first three quarters of 2018-19 has a capacity to produce about 9 840 flats in total,” Mr Wong said.
                  
     “The Government will continue to identify suitable sites for sale, taking into account other land supply sources and market conditions. We will continue to do our utmost in maintaining a stable and sustained private housing land supply.”  
      
     On land supply for economic uses, in addition to the industrial site in Fanling sold in the first quarter of 2018-19, the Government plans to put up for sale one commercial/hotel site in Kai Tak in the next quarter in response to the keen demand for commercial floor area. 
      
     “This commercial/hotel site is capable of providing about 56 900 square metres of gross floor area. The successful bidder will be required to provide floor area for hotel use, which is estimated to provide about 340 to 570 hotel rooms,” Mr Wong said.
      
     Mr Wong said that the Government is firmly committed to increasing land supply through a multi-pronged approach to meet the community’s housing and economic development needs.
      
     In line with past practice, subject to market conditions and other supply sources, the Government may make adjustments to the land sale programme during the course of the year.
      
     The list of the sites to be tendered in October to December 2018 is attached. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will separately announce the detailed land sale arrangements before individual sites are tendered.
  read more

     The Tourism Commission, in co-operation with relevant government departments, major tourist attractions, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC), has drawn up relevant measures to cope with the tourist flow between Hong Kong and the Mainland during the National Day Golden Week (October 1 to 7), a Government spokesman said today (September 27).

     Relevant government departments will strengthen manpower at all control points and co-ordinate transport and cross-boundary services during the National Day Golden Week.

     The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by the Immigration Department, the Police, the Customs and Excise Department (Customs) and other relevant departments will be activated during the period to monitor the situation at each land control point, as well as to maintain close liaison with relevant Mainland counterparts and take contingency actions where necessary.

     In addition, the Tourism Commission will maintain effective communications with the tourism authorities in Guangdong and Shenzhen in accordance with the mechanism for information exchange and emergency handling of Golden Weeks.

     “It is expected that passenger traffic from October 1 to 7 will be heavier than usual. To avoid congestion during the morning and evening peak hours at various boundary control points, we urge Mainland visitors and local residents to cross the boundary at less busy hours,” the spokesman said.

     To assist visitors in planning their trips, the Immigration Department will upload the daily arrival figures at all control points to its website (www.immd.gov.hk) from September 29 to October 8. Such information will also be hyperlinked to the HKTB’s website (www.discoverhongkong.com) for visitors’ reference. In addition, visitors may also check the estimated waiting time at all land boundary control points via the Immigration Mobile Application, which can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store (supports iOS version 5.1.1 or above) and Google Play (supports Android version 2.2 or above).

     With the Tourism Commission’s co-ordination, major tourist attractions will extend their opening hours and formulate crowd control measures and contingency arrangements during the National Day Golden Week. The Tourism Commission, in collaboration with the TIC, will also appeal to travel agents and restaurants targeting Mainland tour groups in ensuring that appropriate measures are taken in the orderly management of tourist and coach flows.

     As regards tourist education on consumer awareness, the Tourism Commission and the HKTB have deployed staff to distribute souvenirs and leaflets printed with messages concerning consumer rights and channels for lodging complaints to Mainland visitors at the Lo Wu Control Point, the Lok Ma Chau Boundary Control Point, the Hung Hom Control Point and popular attractions, so as to enhance their awareness of the protection of their own rights. An advisory note on consumer rights for Mainland group tour visitors has also been uploaded to the websites of the Tourism Commission and relevant local bodies for Mainland visitors’ reference. 

     Meanwhile, to protect group tour visitors’ rights, the TIC will enforce a series of regulatory measures on arrangements for receiving inbound Mainland group tours, which include requiring Hong Kong travel agents to register with the TIC the itineraries of the Mainland inbound tours that they receive together with proof of accommodation within a specified period.  During the National Day Golden Week, the TIC will deploy additional manpower for conducting inspections in districts where many of the registered shops are located and offer immediate assistance to tourists and tourist guides. In addition, Customs and the Police will step up inspection of retail shops targeting Mainland tour groups, so as to combat unfair trade practices such as coerced shopping.

     The Tourism Commission has provided the hotlines of the relevant local organisations to inbound tour group visitors via the tourism authorities in Guangdong and Shenzhen. During the National Day Golden Week, in case of emergency, Mainland inbound group tourists, tour escorts and tourist guides can seek assistance from the TIC by calling its service hotline 2807 0707 (operating from 9am to midnight). As for enquiries or complaints concerning consumer rights, they can call the HKTB hotline 2508 1234 (operating from 9am to 6pm) or the Consumer Council hotline 2929 2222 (operating from 9am to 5.30pm). read more

     Following is the transcript of the opening remarks by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, at a media session today (September 27) on the land sale programme for October to December 2018:
 
     In the third quarter of 2018-19, the Government will sell by tender four residential sites, estimated to produce about 2 630 flats. The sites are located one each in Tai Po and on Lantau, and two in Kai Tak. For the Tai Po site, the successful bidder will be required to develop a 100-place residential care home for the elderly in order to provide more elderly facilities.
 
     Including the supply from other sources, the private housing land supply in the third quarter of 2018-19 has a capacity to produce about 3 360 flats in total. The total private housing land supply in the first three quarters is therefore about 9 840 flats.  
 
     The Government will continue to identify suitable sites for sale to meet the demand for private residential units, taking into account other land supply sources and market conditions.
 
     As regards commercial sites, the Government will sell by tender one site for commercial and hotel use in Kai Tak. This site is capable of providing about 56 800 (should be 56 900) square metres of gross floor area, including the provision of 340 to 570 hotel rooms.
 
     As in the past, the Government is firmly committed to increasing land supply through a multi-pronged approach to meet the community’s housing, economic and other needs. read more

     â€‹Over 40 organsiations from various sectors pledged their support for green events at a ceremony today (September 27) by committing to make reference to a green event guidebook published by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) when organising and sponsoring future events, in order to enhance their environmental performance and work collaboratively to promote waste reduction.

     Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, thanked the organisations for their support and participation. He said that the three major keys to reducing waste are determination, sincerity and creativity. In addition to being determined to encourage their staff members and stakeholders to implement new green initiatives, organisations need to show their sincerity in waste reduction to motivate others to join them in the green campaign, he said. They are also encouraged to unlock their creativity to help set green values as a major social trend.

     Mr Wong expressed the hope that the green event guidebook will be used by more organisations to jointly promote waste reduction at their events, and would further enhance the image of Hong Kong from being a “city of events” to “city of green events” and encourage a green culture among the community. He added that government departments will set a good example by making reference to the green event guidebook when holding events and help disseminate the message of “dump less, save more, recycle right”. 

     Also speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, Mrs Vicki Kwok, said that the EPD will tap into the experience of promoting green events in previous months to foster even closer collaboration with the business sector, local district organisations and non-profit making organisations, so as to continue with efforts to further reduce event-generated waste. To this end, through cognitive education, award promotion and enhanced supportive measures, the EPD will help event organisers and other stakeholders to formulate and implement various waste reduction initiatives, thereby enabling a green culture to take root at the community level. The EPD will also collaborate with the Environmental Campaign Committee and major local business associations to launch the Green Outdoor Event Commendation Scheme to encourage event organisers to jointly protect the environment by adopting green practices when holding outdoor events.

     Also at today’s ceremony, a representative of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department shared details of the Department’s successful experience in waste reduction during Hong Kong Flower Show 2018; a representative of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited provided a briefing on newly adopted green measures; an AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited representative told participants about their waste-reduction approach as a venue provider; and a representative of Wofoo Social Enterprise gave a briefing on its wide range of activities to encourage primary, secondary and tertiary students to promote waste reduction with local partners. The ceremony was attended by representatives of banks, property developers, convention and exhibition industry, public and non-profit making organisations, community groups, universities and district organisations. In addition, a mini green services exhibition was also held at the event venue to allow attending organisations to learn more about the available companies providing green services on the market. 

     The EPD and the Business Environment Council (BEC) jointly launched a guidance booklet on waste reduction for major community events last December to assist event organisers and related stakeholders in formulating waste management strategies to achieve waste reduction and clean recycling as well as to enhance environmental performance.

     The green event guidebook and information relating to waste reduction at events have been uploaded to the newly launched one-stop portal at www.greenevent.gov.hk/. read more