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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (July 12) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of June 2024.

     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, decreased during the month by HK$13.3 billion to HK$3,454.7 billion.

     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government‑issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$1,927.4 billion.

     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$296.3 billion.

     Foreign liabilities amounted to HK$22.2 billion.

     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of July 2024, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board (the Board) today (July 12) published its Annual Report for 2023-2024. The Report highlights the key achievements of the Board in 2023-2024, which include the completion of the public consultation on a package of proposals to enhance the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS or the Scheme) and the issuance of conclusions to the consultation. With the passage of the Deposit Protection Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Legislative Council on July 3, 2024, the enhancement measures will be implemented in two phases on October 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025. The Report also highlights the Board's efforts in promoting public awareness and understanding of the DPS, which contributed to a historic high level of public awareness of the Scheme in 2023.

     The Annual Report 2023-2024 is available on the Board's website (www.dps.org.hk).

     A red tide was sighted over the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (July 12).

     On July 10, staff of the Environmental Protection Department spotted a red tide in Tseung Kwan O. The red tide still persists and no associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

     A spokesman for the working group said, "The red tide was formed by Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and non-toxic."

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at Po Toi O and Tung Lung Chau fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, July 12, 2024 is 106.4 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     The Town Planning Board today (July 12) announced amendments to the approved Nam Sang Wai Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

     The amendments mainly involve (i) rezoning an area to the north of Ho Chau Road from "Residential (Group D)" ("R(D)") to "Residential (Group A)1" ,"Residential (Group A)2" and "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Pumping Station" to facilitate public housing and private residential developments under a Land Sharing Pilot Scheme application; (ii) rezoning a strip of land to the north of Ho Chau Road from "R(D)" to "Village Type Development" ("V") as an extension of the adjacent "V" zone, with the remaining knoll from "R(D)" to "Green Belt" to reflect the existing condition; and (iii) rezoning a site at Wing Kei Tsuen from "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Comprehensive Development to Include Wetland Restoration Area" ("OU(CDWRA)") to "OU(CDWRA)1" for a private comprehensive residential development.

     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP are amended to take into account the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning scheme area, where appropriate.
 
     The draft Nam Sang Wai OZP No. S/YL-NSW/9, incorporating the amendments, is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long East District Planning Office, (iv) the Yuen Long District Office, (v) the San Tin Rural Committee, and (vi) the Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee.
 
     Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before September 12. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29C on "Submission and Processing of Representations and Further Representations" (TPB PG-No. 29C).
 
     Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29C. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
 
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29C, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Town Planning Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
 
     The Guidelines and the submission form are available at the above locations (i) and (ii) as well as the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     Copies of the draft Nam Sang Wai OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).