The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, September 30, 2024 is 102.8 (up 0.2 against last Saturday's index).
​The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, September 27, 2024 was 102.6 (up 0.1 against last Friday's index).
The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
The Judiciary today (September 30) announced the reappointment of six incumbent Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. All appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.
Mr Wong Ming-fung, SC; Mr Victor Dawes, BBS, SC; Mr Richard Khaw Wei-kiang, SC; Mr José-Antonio Maurellet, SC; Mr Abraham Chan Lok-shung, SC; and Mr Pao Jin-long, SC, are reappointed as Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. The reappointments will be for three years commencing on October 1, 2024, upon expiry of their current terms.
The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:
Mr Wong Ming-fung, SC
Mr Wong, SC, was born in 1971 in Mainland China. He obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and Economics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1994. He then obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 1996. He further acquired his LL.M. in Economic Laws and Ph.D in Law from Peking University in 2004 and 2012 respectively. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales (Middle Temple), and to the Hong Kong Bar in 1997. He was called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands in 2010. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2013. He has been in private practice since 1998. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2017 to 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
Mr Victor Dawes, BBS, SC
Mr Dawes, SC, was born in 1977 in Hong Kong. He obtained his LL.B. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom in 1998. He further obtained his P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1999. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1999. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2015. He has been in private practice since 2000. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2018 to 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
Mr Richard Khaw Wei-kiang, SC
Mr Khaw, SC, was born in 1971 in Mainland China. He obtained his LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 1992 and 1993 respectively. He then obtained his LL.M. from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom in 1994. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1993. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2016. He has been in private practice since 1995. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2018 to 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
Mr José-Antonio Maurellet, SC
Mr Maurellet, SC, was born in 1978 in Hong Kong. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Jurisprudence at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 1999. He further obtained his P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2000. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2000. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2016. He has been in private practice since 2001. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2018 to 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
Mr Abraham Chan Lok-shung, SC
Mr Chan, SC, was born in 1979. He obtained his LL.B. from the University of London in the United Kingdom in 1999 followed by his Bachelor of Civil Law degree and MPhil in Law from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 2001 and 2002 respectively. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar and the Bar of England and Wales in 2000. He has been in private practice since 2004. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2017. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods from 2019 to 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
Mr Pao Jin-long, SC
Mr Pao, SC, was born in 1978. He obtained his LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He further obtained his LL.M. from the Harvard Law School in the United States in 2002. He was admitted to the Hong Kong Bar in 2002. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2018. He has been in private practice since 2003. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2020 and 2021. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2021.
In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
From noon on September 27 to noon today (September 30), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 508 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 150 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 88 409 samples of food imported from Japan (including 56 530 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 20 056 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.
In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
From noon on September 27 to noon today (September 30), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 508 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 150 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 88 409 samples of food imported from Japan (including 56 530 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 20 056 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.
October 1 of this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which is an important milestone in the development of the country. To celebrate the National Day, the Education Bureau (EDB) encouraged all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, as well as kindergartens where appropriate, to conduct a national flag-raising ceremony with the playing and singing of the national anthem before the commencement of lessons today (September 30). This aims to enhance students' sense of belonging to the country, promote patriotism and foster national pride.
The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Acting Secretary for Education, Mr Sze Chun-fai; and the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li, attended the national flag-raising ceremony this morning at TWGHs Tsoi Wing Sing Primary School, Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College and St Margaret Mary's Catholic Kindergarten respectively.
At the national flag-raising ceremony of TWGHs Tsoi Wing Sing Primary School, Mr Cheuk said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is organising a series of vibrant celebratory activities this year with the theme of "Love our Country, Love Hong Kong, Love our Community". One significant event is the flag-raising ceremony and the playing and singing of the national anthem by primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens in Hong Kong today. Together with various sectors of society, heartfelt congratulations are offered on National Day, adding significance to the National Day celebrations.
Mr Sze visited Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College. During the flag-raising ceremony, he said that the EDB has been adopting a "multipronged and co-ordinated" approach to promote national education. Through school curricula and students' Mainland exchange and study tour activities, the EDB has helped schools guide students to integrate reading with travelling, thereby gaining a comprehensive understanding of the country and fostering a sense of national identity.
Ms Li attended the national flag-raising ceremony held at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Kindergarten. She encouraged students to learn more about the country, study hard, and take pride in being Chinese. She emphasised that contributing to the development of the country and Hong Kong when they grow up would be the best birthday gift to the country.
