The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by UnionPay International on phishing fraud and counterfeit UnionPay International websites, which have been reported to the HKMA.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that anyone who has encountered such fraud or provided his or her personal information or account credentials to the counterfeit websites should contact the retail payment system operator, and report to the Police or contact the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Police at 18222.

     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 July 26 to noon today (July 29), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 369 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 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 71 845 samples of food imported from Japan (including 46 199 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 16 896 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announced today (July 29) the relevant per annum interest rate for the sixth interest payment of Silver Bond Series due 2024 (Issue Number 03GB2408R) (the Bonds) issued under the Retail Bond Issuance Programme of the Government Bond Programme.
      
     According to the Issue Circular dated June 29, 2021, for the Bonds, the sixth interest payment of the Bonds is scheduled to be made on August 12, 2024 (Note), and the relevant interest rate is scheduled to be determined and announced on July 29, 2024, as the higher of the prevailing Floating Rate and Fixed Rate. 
      
     On July 29, 2024, the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate are as follows:
 

 
     Based on the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate set out above, the relevant interest rate for the sixth interest payment is determined and announced as 3.50 per cent per annum.

Note: The original sixth interest payment was on August 10, 2024 (Saturday). As the aforesaid payment date is not a business day in Hong Kong under the definition of the Issue Circular, the interest payment date will be rescheduled to August 12, 2024, i.e., the next day business day in Hong Kong in accordance with the aforesaid Circular. The interest will be accrued to August 12, 2024, the new payment date.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. relating to a fraudulent website and phishing emails, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website or emails concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at Vientiane Secondary School in Laos today (July 29):

Principal Thongphan Oulaythone (Principal of Vientiane Secondary School), Professor Ben Young (Vice President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University), teachers, students, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Sabai dee ton soi. Good afternoon. I am very happy to be in Vientiane, the grand capital of Laos – and here, this afternoon with you, at Vientiane Secondary School. I've been told that this is one of Vientiane's very best schools.

     Having seen your traditional dance performance just a few minutes ago, I have no doubt that the students here are also among the city's most creative.
 
     I was impressed by each and every one of the talented performers. The song you danced so beautifully to is called "Beautiful Laos". How appropriate. My delegation and I arrived in Laos yesterday. Since then, we have been in awe of the mesmerising beauty of your country's landscape, culture, and all its kind-hearted people.

     As many of you would know, this year is officially "Visit Laos Year". Having seen the energy displayed by this country, I am confident that Laos will attract many people from all over the world, and that certainly includes Hong Kong, to see just how beautiful your country is.

     We are visiting Laos to see, first-hand, your magnificent country, its businesses and its people, your hopes and your plans for the future.
 
     I wanted to come here, to your splendid school, in particular, because I place great value on education. In Chinese culture – and I believe it's the same here in Laos – we attach critical importance to the education of our children. 
 
     We believe that our youth should have all the opportunities that education can provide, whatever their background, social standing, or cultural affinity.
 
     We are fortunate that many academic, public and private organisations in Hong Kong offer scholarships to promising foreign students wanting to study in Hong Kong.

     That includes you and other dedicated students from Laos, a key country in the Belt and Road region. The Belt and Road Initiative, as you may know, is a pioneering initiative proposed in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, the President of the People's Republic of China, our country. The initiative has since been advancing international connectivity, and is now a key platform for building a global community with a shared future.
 
     I would like to add that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has created a special scholarship for outstanding students from Belt and Road countries and regions. The Belt and Road Scholarship helps students undertake full-time university education in Hong Kong. 

     And I'm proud to tell you that universities in Hong Kong provide education of the highest international standards.

     Hong Kong is the only Asian city with as many as five universities among the top 100 in the world. Our universities offer world-class programmes, and they are home to some of the world's top 10 schools in such disciplines as dentistry, nursing, education, data science, artificial intelligence, hospitality, leisure management and more.
 
     I am pleased to tell you that the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, one of our universities in the world's top 100, is talking to your school about providing special scholarship opportunities for outstanding students here. A formal memorandum of understanding has just been signed this morning, so stay tuned for more details.

     I can assure you that Hong Kong is a city full of opportunities of every kind, for your careers and for your life. We dream big in Hong Kong, and, let me add, we are realising our dreams. So can you.
 
     To welcome more outstanding talent from Laos, we have already relaxed the visa policy for Laotian talent to work in Hong Kong, or study in our publicly funded universities. And once you've graduated from a Hong Kong university, you are eligible to stay in Hong Kong, work in Hong Kong, or simply enjoy life in Hong Kong, for up to 24 months, under our Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates.

     For those of you who have not yet visited Hong Kong, let me give you a brief taste of our home. We are a safe and welcoming international city with a cultural blend of both East and West. Beyond the urban areas and business districts, you will find that most of our city, about 70 per cent of our landmass, is actually green countryside including country parks, beaches and conservation areas. We are also known for our huge range of restaurants and shops, lively nightlife and year-round calendar of arts and cultural events. In other words, you will never get bored, hungry or lonely in Hong Kong!
 
     And after you graduate, whether you choose to pursue your career in Hong Kong, or Laos or elsewhere, you will be well equipped to contribute to the global community and the people around you. 
 
     I should also mention that this year is especially significant for exchanges between our communities. That's because 2024 is designated as the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Laos, one of the 10 member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), has much to gain, much to enjoy, in taking part in this special year of exchanges in arts, culture, sports, education, and so much more.
 
     That exchange could start right here, in Vientiane Secondary School. I know that many of you are learning Chinese in class. Language is an important medium for understanding a place, a culture, and a people. I applaud your efforts in studying foreign languages – which is by no means easy – and believe you could become good ambassadors of our cultures. I'm pleased to be sending you a series of books, written in Chinese, on the history, culture, technology and society of our country. I hope you will enjoy reading them.
 
     My thanks to Principal Oulaythone, and everyone involved in today's marvellous dance performance, for inviting me to your school, and into the promising lives of your gifted students.

     I look forward to welcoming you, and your family and friends, to Hong Kong very soon.
  
     Until then, all the best with your studies and future pursuits. Thank you very much.