Tag Archives: China

     A sick 57-year-old male remand person in custody at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre died in a public hospital today (December 19).
      
     The remand person in custody suffered from hepatitis and had a chronic drug abuse history. He required continuous medical care and follow-up at the institution hospital. On December 12, he was sent to a public hospital for treatment due to physical discomfort. During hospitalisation, his condition deteriorated and he was certified dead at 5.55pm today.
      
     The case has been reported to the Police. An inquest into the death will be held by the Coroner’s Court.
      
     The person in custody was remanded for the offence of inhaling a dangerous drug in December 2022. read more

     A goods vehicle driver involved in three cases of illegal construction waste disposal was fined $18,000 at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (December 19) for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO).
 
     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD), based on photos and videos provided by members of the public, successfully detected three cases of illegal disposal of construction waste in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island in April and May this year, which involved the same goods vehicle driver. The construction waste disposed of included mud and demolition waste generated in renovation works, which obstructed passage and affected environmental hygiene in the area nearby. After gathering evidence, the EPD confirmed that the driver involved collected demolition waste from the renovation workers and disposed of them illegally, instead of properly delivering them to designated government waste management facilities in accordance with the law. The EPD then prosecuted the driver involved in accordance with the WDO.
 
     A spokesman for the EPD reminded all members of the renovation, construction and transportation sectors, including persons-in-charge of construction sites, drivers and goods vehicle owners, that they must properly deliver construction, commercial and industrial waste to government waste management facilities in accordance with the law. It is unlawful to dispose of waste in public places and on the roadside. Under the WDO, first-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months’ imprisonment. A maximum fine of $500,000 and six months’ imprisonment may be imposed on subsequent conviction.
 
     The spokesman added that the recycling trade has launched a “HoHoSkips” recycling service for small quantities of construction waste through government subsidy for recycling construction waste generated from small-scale renovation works.  Members of the public and the renovation trade can book, through the mobile application, the services of the recyclers to collect construction waste generated from renovation works for proper disposal. For more information about the “HoHoSkips” service, please visit the dedicated website at www.hohoskips.hk. read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Serv… read more

     The China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Securities and Futures Commission issued a joint announcement today (December 19) on the in-principle approval for the Mainland and Hong Kong exchanges to further expand the scope of eligible stocks under Stock Connect. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government expresses warm welcome to the decision.
 
     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, “In accordance with the development direction in the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the HKSAR Government has strived to strengthen Hong Kong’s position and function as an international financial centre and global offshore Renminbi business hub, while deepening and widening the mutual access between financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong. The measure announced by the regulators of the two places today signifies another milestone after the inclusion of Exchange-traded Funds in the mutual access programme in July this year, further enhancing Hong Kong’s role as the bridge connecting Mainland and overseas investors. The measure also offers more diverse investment choices to Mainland and overseas investors, thereby injecting impetus into cross-boundary market liquidity. I am most grateful to our Country’s staunch support for Hong Kong.”
 
     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said, “The arrangement to expand mutual access is of strategic meaning to both the future development of Hong Kong’s securities market and the higher-quality opening up of the Mainland’s securities market. Notably, in addition to enriching asset allocation choices for Mainland investors, the inclusion of eligible stocks of foreign companies under Southbound trading is also conducive to attracting other quality international enterprises to list in Hong Kong and enhancing the competitiveness of our fundraising platform, thereby facilitating further development of the Hong Kong market. I am most grateful to the Central People’s Government for the strong support, and the regulators of the two places for their efforts in taking forward the initiative. We will closely collaborate with relevant Mainland institutions with a view to implementing the arrangement promptly.”
 
     According to the joint announcement, the scope of eligible stocks for Northbound trading will be expanded to include constituent stocks of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) A Share Index and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) Composite Index, which have a market capitalisation of RMB5 billion or above and meet certain liquidity criteria, etc, as well as stocks of companies listed on SSE/SZSE which have issued both A shares and H shares; the scope of eligible stocks for Southbound trading will include stocks of foreign companies meeting relevant criteria (i.e. constituents of the Hang Seng Composite LargeCap Index and the Hang Seng Composite MidCap Index, and constituents of the Hang Seng Composite SmallCap Index with a market capitalisation of HK$5 billion or above). In addition, Southbound trading under Shanghai-Hong Kong Connect will be aligned with Southbound trading under Shenzhen-Hong Kong Connect, i.e. to include constituents of the Hang Seng Composite SmallCap Index with a market capitalisation of HK$5 billion or above. The above adjustments will commence upon completion of relevant rules and system preparations. A separate announcement on the implementation details and commencement date will be made by the regulators of the two places. read more

     The Government exercises the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and publishes in the Gazette a compulsory testing notice, which requires any person who had been present at 20 specified places during the specified period (persons subject to compulsory testing) to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test.

     In view of a number of cases testing positive, 16 specified places are included in the compulsory testing notice. Furthermore, since some sewage samples collected in Kowloon City, Sha Tin, Cheung Sha Wan and Ap Lei Chau have tested positive, four specified places are included in the compulsory testing notice. The Government strongly reminds members of the public to strictly follow the compulsory testing requirements and undergo testing on time as required. Community testing centres (CTCs)/community testing stations (CTSs)/ad-hoc mobile specimen collection stations have been set up by the Government in different districts to facilitate testing to be conducted in compliance with the compulsory testing notice. The above compulsory testing requirement applies to those who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course as well.

     Persons who have tested positive in the past three months (including positive cases tested either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests (RATs) that have been self-declared to the DH) and young children aged under 3 do not need to undergo compulsory testing. For those who need to undergo compulsory testing, they must undergo nucleic acid tests in accordance with relevant compulsory testing notices and cannot use RATs to fulfil the requirement of such notices. In other words, a negative RAT result cannot be deemed as fulfilling the compulsory testing requirement. Furthermore, unless a person subject to compulsory testing has obtained a medical certificate proving that he or she is unfit to undergo testing using a sample taken through a “throat swab” because of health reasons, the person cannot provide a deep throat saliva sample to fulfil the compulsory testing requirement.

     Details of the compulsory testing notice are available on the Centre for Health Protection (CHP)’s website via the following link: www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ctn_20221219.pdf.

     If any persons test positive under compulsory testing, such positive cases will be handled in the same manner as in those identified through other nucleic acid tests or self-declared through RATs. Their isolation arrangements (as well as the quarantine arrangements of their household members) are no different from other positive cases.

     Persons subject to compulsory testing in accordance with a compulsory testing notice must undergo professional swab sampling at any of the ad-hoc mobile specimen collection stations, CTCs/CTSs or recognised local medical testing institutions in order to fulfil the requirements for compulsory testing. Stool specimen may be used for testing when collecting respiratory specimen is not feasible for young children and those who are not suitable for respiratory specimen collection. For details on obtaining stool specimen bottles, please refer to the COVID-19 thematic website: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/Stool_bottle_collection_points.pdf.

     If the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or above, the Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or the post-super typhoon “extreme conditions” announcement by the Government is in force at any time during the period for undergoing the compulsory testing, the period for undergoing the compulsory testing will be extended for one day. 

     Vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from COVID-19. They can provide protection to those vaccinated to prevent serious complications and even death after infection. The Government appeals to persons who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated without delay. In view of the arrival of the Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5 bivalent vaccine in Hong Kong, members of the public may choose to receive the BioNTech bivalent vaccine when they make appointments through the online booking system to receive the third, fourth or fifth dose (or the second, third or fourth dose for recovered persons), while the Sinovac or the BioNTech ancestral strain vaccines can still be used. Eligible persons aged 60 or above with same-day tickets may choose the type of vaccine to be administered on site.
     
     CTCs/CTSs across the city provide free nucleic acid testing services for the public, including those who need to undergo compulsory testing, staff members of residential care homes for the elderly and residential care homes for persons with disabilities, visitors to public hospitals and residential care homes and all elderly people aged 60 or above. Persons who wish to undergo a free test just need to make an online booking or use the Testing Registration QR code in the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application for registration.　
 
     Booking services are available for all 86 CTC/CTSs. Members of the public can make bookings through the online booking system (booking.communitytest.gov.hk/form/index.jsp). Members of the public can also fill in their personal information in advance to obtain the Testing Registration Code QR code through the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application. They can present that QR code for scanning before testing at a service point thereafter, thus saving their time spent on registration and queueing.
 
     The ad-hoc mobile specimen collection station at Chi Fu Fa Yuen in Pok Fu Lam will be relocated to the podium outside Fu Chun Yuen (Block 14) tomorrow (December 20), and its service period will be extended to December 21 (Wednesday). The opening date and service hours of the ad-hoc mobile specimen collection station are stated in the Annex.

     Persons subject to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:

(a) For tests which require using a sample taken through “combined nasal and throat swabs” or “throat swab”
1. To visit any of the ad-hoc mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
2. To attend any of the CTCs/CTSs (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf), and the relevant sample must be taken through “combined nasal and throat swabs” or “throat swab”; or
4. To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the CHP (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the stool sample collected per relevant guidelines.

(b) For persons holding a medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner proving that they are unfit to undergo testing using a sample taken through a “throat swab” because of health reasons
1. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from post offices, vending machines set up at MTR stations or designated general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
2. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority; or
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results.

     A Government spokesman cautioned that testing received at the Accident and Emergency Departments of the Hospital Authority, or testing provided by private laboratories which cannot issue SMS notifications in respect of test results, does not comply with the requirements of the aforementioned compulsory testing notice.

     “If persons subject to compulsory testing have symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately and undergo testing as instructed by a medical professional. They should not attend the ad-hoc mobile specimen collection stations or the CTCs/CTSs.”

     Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notifications containing the result of the test and the relevant medical certificate (if applicable) for checking by a law enforcement officer when the officer requires the persons to provide information about their undergoing the specified test.

     Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm.

     The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the compulsory testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and the maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. The fixed penalty for discharging the liability is $10,000. The person may also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Any person in breach of the compulsory testing order would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The spokesman said, “The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or had contact with cases tested positive), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.” read more