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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

 
*"Pro rata ratio" refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant's tendered amount at the "highest yield accepted" level. 
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning June 19, 2023:
 

     Hongkong Post announced today (June 13) that, as advised by the postal administration of Ukraine, due to flooding, mail delivery services to Kherson region of Ukraine are subject to delay.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     Regarding the incident of a patient who left Tuen Mun Hospital earlier, the spokesman for the hospital gave the following update today (June 13):
 
     The 34-year-old male patient who left the hospital without notification last Friday (June 9) was located by the Police last night (June 12).

     Hong Kong Customs on June 5 seized about 11 000 suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $4.5 million at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal Customs Cargo Examination Compound.

     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day inspected a 40-foot container arriving in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong, destined for Canada. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including footwear, perfumes, bags, watches and wallets, in the container.

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs will continue to strengthen co-operation with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies and take stringent enforcement action against cross-boundary counterfeit goods activities.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trade mark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (June 13):

Reporter: Hi, two questions. Just to follow up on your announcement that there will be a plan to import labour. Could you specify what's the role of the Labour Advisory Board when designing this much-anticipated plan? Because you said you've consulted different sectors, but some members of the board said they haven't been consulted before. And secondly, about the Government's bid to ban the protest song, "Glory to Hong Kong". Could you specify why did the Government resort to applying for such an order to ban the song and how will this order enable the Government to take down the song from the Internet? Thank you.

Chief Executive: In regard to the overall manpower requirement for different industries, I have said two months ago during one of these pre-ExCo stand-ups that we are looking seriously at the needs of different sectors. And at that time, I particularly emphasised two sectors – one is the construction sector; the other is the transportation sector. We are coming to a conclusion and the details of our plan will be announced very soon. In the course of making all these assessments, the policy bureaux and responsible officials have been talking and listening to views by representatives of different sectors. When the announcement of the plan is made, which will be very soon, then all these details will be covered.

     As regards the legal action that is being taken in court to seek an injunction on a song which is not compatible with the national interest, it is not appropriate for me to make any comment at this stage because I respect the judicial process. But what is very clear is one point that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has a duty and obligation to safeguard national security, and we should do it proactively and also preventively. This is why the Government is taking this action. We will wait for the decision of the court.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)