Tag Archives: China

     The Transport Department (TD) today (September 7) reminded the public that the following temporary traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented from about 1.15am to 5.30am this Sunday (September 10) to facilitate road works:
 
 (A) Road closure
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      The section of Lung Cheung Road eastbound between Tai Po Road and Lion Rock Tunnel Road will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic.

 (B) Traffic diversions
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• Vehicles travelling eastbound on Lung Cheung Road heading to Kwun Tong will be diverted via Tai Po Road eastbound, Lung Yuet Road eastbound, Cornwall Street eastbound, Waterloo Road southbound, Junction Road eastbound, Chuk Yuen Road northbound and the slip road leading to Lung Cheung Road;

 

• Vehicles travelling eastbound on Lung Cheung Road heading to Lion Rock Tunnel Road northbound will be diverted via Tai Po Road eastbound, Lung Yuet Road eastbound, Cornwall Street eastbound and Waterloo Road northbound;

 

• Vehicles travelling eastbound on Lung Cheung Road heading to Lung Kui Road will be diverted via Tai Po Road eastbound, Lung Yuet Road eastbound, Cornwall Street eastbound, Waterloo Road southbound, Junction Road eastbound, Chuk Yuen Road northbound and Lung Cheung Road westbound;

 

• Vehicles travelling northbound on Nam Cheong Street heading to Kwun Tong via Lung Cheung Road eastbound will be diverted via Nam Cheong Street southbound, Cornwall Street eastbound, Waterloo Road southbound, Junction Road eastbound, Chuk Yuen Road northbound and the slip road leading to Lung Cheung Road; and

 

• Vehicles travelling northbound on Nam Cheong Street heading to Lion Rock Tunnel Road northbound via Lung Cheung Road eastbound will be diverted via Nam Cheong Street southbound, Cornwall Street eastbound and Waterloo Road northbound.

 
 (C) Bus route diversions
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      During the road closure period, the Tseung Kwan O bound departures of KMB overnight route No. N290 (Tsuen Wan West Station – Lohas Park Station), Citybus overnight route Nos. N29 (Tung Chung Station – Tseung Kwan O (Hong Sing Garden)) and NA29 (Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port – Tseung Kwan O (Po Lam)) will be diverted. Some of the bus stops will also be suspended or relocated. Please visit the TD’s website for details.
 
      The bus companies will display notices to advise passengers on the special arrangements. Appropriate diversion signs will also be erected on-site to guide motorists. The TD anticipates that the travelling time at the road sections concerned will be slightly lengthened due to the diversion arrangements. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience.
 
      Members of the public are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow sufficient traveling time to cater for unexpected delay, and stay alert to the latest traffic news through the media or the TD’s mobile application “HKeMobility” or website (www.td.gov.hk). read more

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, promoted the vast business opportunities brought about by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and Hong Kong’s unique advantages and potential on September 6 (Munich time) during his visit to Munich, Germany.
 
     At the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Europe Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference jointly organised by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Invest Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Yau said that the GBA, which has a population of over 86 million and contributed around US$2 trillion to the national Gross Domestic Product in 2022, is one of the most open and economically vibrant regions of China, and demonstrates enormous development potential.
 
     “Hong Kong has the distinctive and prominent advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. Being the most open international city in the GBA, Hong Kong will serve as one of the core engines to drive co-ordinated regional economic growth of the GBA,” Mr Yau said.
 
     He added that Hong Kong is committed to deepening co-operation with Guangdong and Macao under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits, and contributing Hong Kong’s strengths in different areas to the overall development of the GBA.
 
     Mr Yau pointed out that with a highly market-oriented and internationalised business environment that is underpinned by the rule of law, Hong Kong is the gateway for international companies to enter the rapidly growing GBA market. He called on German businesses to grasp the opportunities to establish their presence in Hong Kong and capitalise the opportunities brought about by the GBA development.
 
     Also addressing the conference were the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong; the Chairman of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Vincent U; the State Secretary of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Mr Roland Weigert, and several prominent business leaders. The conference, comprising a themed forum and a business matchmaking session, attracted more than 400 participants.
 
     After attending the conference, Mr Yau took the opportunity to meet with Mr Weigert to update him on Hong Kong’s latest developments and exchange views on various economic issues.
 
     During his stay in Munich, Mr Yau also met with the German business community to promote Hong Kong’s business opportunities and potential. He had a lunch meeting on September 6 (Munich time) with members of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria to exchange views on enhancing trade and business co-operation. He then met with the Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Financial Services, Munich, Germany, Ms Veronika Bienert, to update her on Hong Kong’s initiatives on attracting enterprises and investments. Siemens is a global industry and technology conglomerate of German origin that offers a wide range of products and services.
 
     Upon his arrival in Munich on September 5 (Munich time), Mr Yau met with the Managing Director and Board Member of Chinaforum Bayern, Mr Stefan Geiger, to keep him abreast of the developments of Hong Kong and the GBA.
 
     Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on September 8.

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     Police are investigating a murder and suicide case in Kwai Chung yesterday (September 6) in which a 77-year-old man and a 26-year-old man died.      At about 1.15pm yesterday, Police found a mal… read more

     Police are investigating a murder and suicide case in Tai Po today (September 6) in which a 61-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman died.      At about 9.45am, Police received a report that a ma… read more

     A spokesman for the Buildings Department (BD) said today (September 6) that the BD has completed an investigation into the incident of the collapse of a tower crane that happened on September 7, 2022 at a construction site on Anderson Road, Sau Mau Ping and initiated nine prosecutions. The incident caused the death of three workers and injury to six workers. 

     The spokesman said that the BD has completed the investigation regarding the building works as mentioned above. The subject tower crane was supported by a steel supporting frame, which was assembled by welding and bolted connections, and the steel supporting frame was fixed onto the permanent reinforced concrete structure of the building. The investigation has revealed that welded joints between steel segments of the steel supporting frame were torn off, resulting in the collapse of the entire tower crane in the incident.

     In the light of the investigation findings and after consultation with the Department of Justice, the BD has initiated nine prosecutions under section 40(2B)(a) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO) against the registered general building contractor (RGBC), the authorised signatory of the RGBC, the relevant sub-contractors and individuals directly concerned with the building works involving a total of four companies and four individuals. Summonses have been issued by the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts. The hearing of the case is scheduled for January 30, 2024. According to normal procedures, the prosecution information will be posted on the website of the Judiciary the day before the hearing.

     Pursuant to section 40(2B)(a) of the BO, any person directly concerned with any building works, who carries out or has carried out such works, or authorises or permits or has authorised or permitted such works to be carried out, in such manner that it causes injury to any person or damage to any property is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for three years.

     The spokesman said that the BD reminded once again contractors and persons directly concerned with building works to properly supervise building works during construction in accordance with the BO and its subsidiary legislation and the Code of Practice for Site Supervision to ensure the safety of the building and the public.

     In addition to instigating prosecution action according to the relevant legislation, the Development Bureau (DEVB) and the BD will continue to follow up the subject case seriously according to the established mechanisms in respect of matters concerning the qualification for tendering of public works contracts, the contractor’s registration and the disciplinary action respectively.

     On public works, the DEVB has suspended the two contractors concerned on its approved contractors lists from tendering of public works contracts in all works categories until December 31, 2023 and October 16, 2024 respectively. After receiving relevant investigation report, the DEVB will arrange to convene the Panel of Enquiry, according to the established regulating regime, to examine the degree of contribution of these contractors in the incident and to consider taking further actions, including extension of the period of suspension from tendering for public works contracts and even removal from the approved contractors lists.

     In addition, the registration of the RGBC concerned in the subject case has expired in April 2023. As the contractor was involved in a fatal construction site incident, despite it has not yet been convicted, the BD will refer its renewal application to the Contractors Registration Committee (CRC) for interview and assessment according to the enhanced arrangement in the regulation of RC that was introduced earlier. The BD will consider the recommendations of the CRC to decide whether to accept or refuse the application and the need to impose conditions in case the application is accepted. 

     Furthermore, if an RC has been convicted by the court, the BD may bring to the notice of a disciplinary board for disciplinary proceedings. After the disciplinary board conducts an inquiry, it may order that the name of the RC be removed from the registered contractors’ register, either permanently or for such period as the disciplinary board thinks fit, or be fined not exceeding $250,000, or be reprimanded in accordance with section 13(4) of the BO.

     To further strengthen the safety of building works in private construction sites, the BD has enhanced site auditing to check the safety and quality of building works including temporary works. The BD carried out a special operation last year to conduct audit inspections to private construction sites erected with tower cranes. A circular letter was issued to the RC and registered building professionals requiring them to inspect the related temporary works to ensure the safety of tower cranes on construction sites under their management. The BD is also drafting a proposal to strengthen the supervision of temporary works supporting tower cranes and will submit the proposal to relevant stakeholders and the Technical Committee on the Code of Practice for Site Supervision for discussion. In addition, the BD also encourages contractors to adopt the Smart Site Safety System on private construction sites to promote smart site safety construction and improve site safety comprehensively through innovative technologies.

     For the subject case, the Labour Department has completed the investigation and initiated prosecution against the relevant duty holders (including the relevant contractor, subcontractors and individuals) under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance in March 2023 and the Police is also actively conducting in-depth investigation to the incident. read more