Tag Archives: China

     The Government today (June 23) invites public tender for a private residential site at Yau Kom Tau, Tsuen Wan, for implementing the measure to allocate land in the 2023/24 Land Sale Programme for developing Starter Homes for Hong Kong Residents (SH) projects as announced in the 2022 Policy Address. The tender invitation will close on August 18.
 
     A spokesman for the Housing Bureau said, “The objective of launching SH projects is to assist those who are not eligible for the purchase of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats yet cannot afford private housing to attain home ownership. In this regard, the land sale conditions of the Yau Kom Tau site require all flats to be offered for sale at 80 per cent of market prices. Unlike the previous SH project at Anderson Road, Kwun Tong, which is being taken forward by a private developer, the developer of this site is required to sell all the flats developed on the lot as SH units.”
 
     According to the land sale conditions, the developer shall provide not less than 1 940 flats on the lot. To ensure that developers will not build too many small flats while providing flexibility for them to design the appropriate flat mix in response to market needs, all SH units built under the project must comply with the minimum saleable area (SA) requirement currently set by the Government for land sale sites, i.e. 26 square metres (around 280 square feet). In addition, at least 70 per cent of all the SH units should be no smaller than 34.8 sq m (around 375 sq ft) in SA.  
 
     The spokesman said, “The eligibility of the target group for the sale is set by the Government. SH applicants must be Hong Kong residents who have lived in Hong Kong for seven years; must have never owned any residential property in Hong Kong; should have income falling between the income limits for White Form (WF) applicants for the HOS and 30 per cent above such limits, and assets not exceeding 30 per cent above the HOS asset limits for WF applicants. The Government will determine the detailed eligibility criteria according to the prevailing circumstances prior to the sale of the SH units by the developer.”
    
     The SH units are subject to alienation restrictions. Owners cannot sell or let their SH units in the first five years after purchase. After the first five years, owners have to pay a premium to the Government to remove the alienation restrictions before they can sell or let their units in the open market. The alienation restrictions are the same as those imposed under the previous SH projects.
 
     To ensure the quality and workmanship of the SH units, the land sale conditions require the developer to employ an independent checker to conduct final inspection of building works. The basic requirements for inspection, and the need for the developer to submit a report to the satisfaction of the Secretary for Housing with the independent checker certifying compliance with the requirements, are also stipulated in the land sale conditions.
 
     “Following the announcement of the policy framework for the Private Subsidised Sale Flat – Pilot Scheme last week, the invitation of tender for this SH project today further demonstrates the Government’s efforts in providing more subsidised housing and enriching the housing ladder to meet the home ownership aspirations of the public,” the spokesman added. read more

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (June 23) gazetted a notice to invite tenders for the contract for Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Second Phase Development – Contract 1 – Site Formation and Engineering Infrastructure Works (Contract No. YL/2023/01). The closing time for the tender is noon on August 18.
 
     The works mainly include:

• site clearance and formation (including land decontamination works) for about 30 hectares of lands, together with provision of associated engineering infrastructure;
• construction of local roads connecting to Ping Ha Road, Shek Po Road and Shek Po East Road;
• construction of a community liaison centre;
• construction of associated works including water mains, drainage and sewerage works, district cooling mains, cycle tracks, footpaths, box culvert, landscaping works, electrical and mechanical works and other ancillary works; and
• implementation of environmental mitigation measures (including noise barriers) and environmental monitoring works for the works mentioned above.

 
     The works are scheduled to commence in early 2024 and will take about 42 months to complete.
 
     The CEDD has commissioned Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may obtain the forms of tender and further particulars from Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited at Level 5, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong.
 
     Details of the tender notice are available at the CEDD’s website (www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/tender-notices/contracts/tender-notices/index.html). For enquiries, please call Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited at 2268 3560 during office hours. read more

     The Department of Health (DH) today (June 23) appealed to members of the public to move more for better health in support of Olympic Day 2023.

     Olympic Day, held on June 23 every year, is a global event celebrating sport and physical activity. This year, the International Olympic Committee and the World Health Organization jointly launched the “Let’s Move” campaign on Olympic Day to inspire and motivate the world to move for better health. The campaign encourages everyone to make time (e.g. 30 minutes per day) in their daily lives to move in any way, anywhere, with the ambition of turning this practice into a daily habit.

    Being physically active can bring along many physical and mental health benefits such as improving cardiopulmonary function, strengthening muscles and bones as well as reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also reduce the risks of having a number of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers.

     According to the Population Health Survey (PHS) 2020-22 conducted by the DH, about one in seven (14.9 per cent) of persons aged 15 or above reported spending 10 hours or longer sitting or reclining each day, and about one in four (24.8 per cent) of persons aged 18 or above performed an insufficient level of physical activity. Compared with the previous PHS, a significant increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity was observed, possibly partly related to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures in place during the study period.

     Members of the public are encouraged to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Among various types of physical activity, walking is simple and can easily be incorporated into a daily routine. It could be a good starting point to become more physically active. The DH initiated the “10 000 Steps a Day” campaign last year, with an aim of encouraging people to increase their physical activity and reduce sedentary time. Adults are recommended to gradually increase their daily step goal to 10 000 based on their individual physical condition, ability, pace and circumstances. Any amount of walking is better than none, even if the goal cannot be reached yet.

    The DH will continue to raise public awareness about the importance of physical activity and promote healthy living, as well as work in close partnership with other government departments and community partners to foster a health-enhancing environment.

     â€‹For more information about healthy living, please visit the Change4Health website of the DH. Let’s move to keep our mind and body strong and healthy! read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced toda… read more

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (June 22) attended the Public Fuxi Commemoration Ceremony 2023 in Tianshui City in Gansu Province on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.　　

     He said, “The Public Fuxi Commemoration Ceremony is a significant platform for the Chinese to trace their roots and pay respect to their ancestors. The delegation designated by the HKSAR Government to attend the ceremony shows that Hong Kong integrates into national development and the HKSAR’s future hinges on the Country’s prospects. As Tianshui City in Gansu Province is Fuxi’s birthplace and the origin of Fuxi culture, the ancient tradition of Fuxi commemoration has been passed down through generations and turned into a custom.”　　

     While in Tianshui City, Mr Yeung also met member of the party group of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Xiang Bin and leaders of Gansu Province and Tianshui City to exchange views and share experience on cultural, sports and tourism fronts, as well as to explore opportunities for collaboration. Mr Yeung attended an evening variety show and visited one of the four major grottoes in China, Maijishan Grottoes, which receives worldwide acclaim for its clay sculptures.  

     Mr Yeung has departed from Tianshui City for the return journey and will arrive Hong Kong tomorrow (June 23).

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