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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (September 7) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$418.4 billion as at the end of August 2023 (end-July 2023: US$421.6 billion) (Annex).

     Including unsettled foreign exchange contracts, the foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong at the end of August 2023 amounted to US$418.0 billion (end-July 2023: US$421.6 billion).
      
     The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$418.4 billion represent over five times the currency in circulation or about 40 per cent of Hong Kong dollar M3.
 
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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 International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (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 September 2023, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (September 7) announced that the department tested 121 water samples collected from cooling towers in 81 buildings during its routine inspections in August this year. Sixteen samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers in which the 16 samples were collected are located at 34 Kam Lam Street, Yau Tsim Mong; May Wah Court, 111-113 Chatham Road South, Yau Tsim Mong; 155 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong; Hewlett Centre, 52-54 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong; Kam Wah Mansion, 226-242 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po; 66 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po; 17 Saigon Street, Yau Tsim Mong; Wah Hing Industrial Mansions, 36 Tai Yau Street, Wong Tai Sin; 64 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong; Hoi Luen Industrial Centre, 55 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong; Luen Wo Building, 146 Hoi Pa Street, Tsuen Wan; Cooked Food Stall, Fu Shan Estate, Wong Tai Sin; 310 Castle Peak Road, Sham Shui Po; and Kings Wing Plaza 1, 3 On Kwan Street, Sha Tin. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Among them, the owners of 13 cooling towers have already completed the disinfection work. The EMSD has instructed again the owners of the cooling towers of the remaining cases at Cooked Food Stall, Fu Shan Estate, Wong Tai Sin; 310 Castle Peak Road, Sham Shui Po; and Kings Wing Plaza 1, 3 On Kwan Street, Sha Tin, to complete the disinfection work within a prescribed period. Details of the cases can be found in Annex 2.

     The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).

     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, September 7, 2023 is 105.9 (up 0.3 against yesterday's index).

     Hoixe Catering Company Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to make timely payment of wages to employees as required by the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 7) and was fined $192,000.

     The company had failed to pay seven employees in accordance with the EO wages totalling about $384,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods.  

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay employees' wages within the time limit stipulated in the EO," a spokesman for the LD said.

     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The URBTIX outlet and self-service ticketing kiosk at the Hong Kong Arts Centre (2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai) will cease operation from October 1 (Sunday), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 7).
 
     Patrons can purchase or collect tickets at other URBTIX outlets and self-service ticketing kiosks. For details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ticket. Tickets can also be purchased via the website (www.urbtix.hk) and the mobile ticketing app URBTIX throughout the day, and through the telephone booking hotline 3166 1288 from 10am to 8pm daily.