The Hong Kong House at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in collaboration with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee was opened in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, today (April 29). Hong Kong artist anothermountainman (Stanley Wong) started his creative work with the theme "Dialogue with Nature" to facilitate cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Japan through art.

     Anothermountainman has created two sets of artworks – "A Bowl of Life" and "Painting by God". In "A Bowl of Life", rice bowls were exchanged between residents of Tsunan and Hong Kong for use as planters. The plants growing in the bowls link the hearts of the people in the two places, and their respective stories explore the coexistence and commonalities of different cultures. This also helps people understand the give-and-take relationship between human beings and nature, and experience the cycle of life. 

     In "Painting by God", anothermountainman invites participants to take part in photography workshops and capture silhouettes of the sun, and immerse themselves in the gorgeous landscapes created by nature. The artist ingeniously offers the participants and the audience a channel to connect with nature. Through seeing the beauty of light, the earth, life and the environment, they could contemplate the relationship between humankind and nature, and bask in the wonders surrounding them.

     The Hong Kong House is open from today until July 29 for public viewing of the creative work in progress at 29-4 Miyanohara, Kamigo, Tsunan-machi, Nakauonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, and the exhibition will be staged from July 30 to November 13.

     In addition to the exhibition, the Hong Kong House project invites the Department of Art History of the University of Hong Kong to launch a new internship programme, in which their students would serve an internship and interact with the participating artist of the Hong Kong House.

     The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is one of the largest international outdoor art festivals in the world. With the support of the Tsunan Town government and in collaboration with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee and the NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization, the Art Promotion Office (APO) first launched the Hong Kong House in Kamigo Sakasamaki, Tsunan Town, Japan, in 2018. This year, the participating artist is anothermountainman, who was selected through an open call of proposal by the joint adjudication panel of Hong Kong and Japan in 2020.

     The Hong Kong House is presented by the LCSD and organised by the APO, with the collaboration of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee. The internship programme collaborator is the Department of Art History of the University of Hong Kong, and the activity collaborators are Haw Par Music Foundation and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Jockey Club Media 21. For details of the project, please visit the website of the APO at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/APO/en_US/web/apo/hong_kong_house_echigo_tsumari_art_triennale_2022.html, the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/apo.hkhouse, the Instagram page at www.instagram.com/hongkonghouse, the apothere Facebook page at www.facebook.com/apo.there and the Weibo account at weibo.com/u/7505282494, or call 2512 3000.

        

     The Home Affairs Department will open 18 temporary night heat shelters tonight (April 29) for people in need of the service.
 
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
 
     In light of the implementation of mandatory use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application when entering government premises, all persons are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter temporary night heat shelters, except for exempted persons (including persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities that render use of the app difficult and persons without smartphones). All exempted persons are required to complete a prescribed form to register their personal particulars, contact phone number and the date and time of entry. The staff will verify the information provided.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Wah Kwai Community Centre
Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Chi Shin Activity Centre
G/F, Tseung Kwan O South Ancillary Facilities Block, 5 Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Wu Shan Road Community Hall
101 Wu Shan Road, Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community.
 
     People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas of the designated community centres and community halls. For the addresses of these designated community centres and community halls, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.

     The Lands Department announced today (April 29) that in respect of the tender for the site Tung Chung Town Lot No. 45 at Area 57, Tung Chung, New Territories, which was awarded on March 31 to the successful tenderer, Wealfort Investment Limited (parent company: Chime Corporation Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $2,778,000,000, the tender amounts submitted by the unsuccessful tenderers in descending order are published on an anonymous basis as follows:
 

     The information disclosed in this press release is for information only.

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

     According to statistics published today (April 29) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, total deposits with authorized institutions decreased by 0.3 per cent in March 2022. Among the total, Hong Kong dollar deposits increased by 0.4 per cent in March, while foreign currency deposits decreased by 1.1 per cent. Driven by fund flows of corporates, after increasing significantly in December and January, renminbi deposits in Hong Kong dropped in February and March, decreasing by 12.7 per cent in March to RMB791.3 billion at the end of March. The total remittance of renminbi for cross-border trade settlement amounted to RMB801.6 billion in March, compared with RMB500.7 billion in February. It should be noted that changes in deposits are affected by a wide range of factors, such as interest rate movements and fund-raising activities. It is therefore more appropriate to observe the longer-term trends, and not to over-generalise fluctuations in a single month. In the first quarter of 2022, total deposits and Hong Kong dollar deposits grew by 1.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively.

     Total loans and advances increased by 0.3 per cent in March, and rose by 1.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2022. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) increased by 1.1 per cent in March, while loans for use outside Hong Kong declined by 1.6 per cent. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio edged down to 85.2 per cent at the end of March from 85.3 per cent at the end of February, as Hong Kong dollar deposits increased at a faster pace than Hong Kong dollar loans.

     For the first quarter of 2022, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) increased by 1.9 per cent following a 0.7 per cent decline in the previous quarter. Analysed by economic use, the increase in loans during the first quarter was mainly led by trade finance, and loans to building, construction, property development and investment.

     Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both rose by 0.3 per cent in March, and both increased by 1.0 per cent compared to a year ago. Large-scale IPO activities at the end of March 2021 led to a high base effect on the year-on-year growth of money supply. Excluding the deposits created by the IPO-related loans, Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 in March increased by 1.6 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 declined by 1.1 per cent in March, but grew by 6.9 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and M3 both declined by 0.5 per cent in March, but both increased by 4.0 per cent from a year earlier. Excluding the deposits created by the IPO-related loans, total M2 and M3 both picked up by 4.3 per cent from a year earlier.

     As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal and IPO-related funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.

     â€‹In light of positive test results for the COVID-19 virus from some sewage samples collected in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Southern District, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) said today (April 29) that the Tuen Mun District Office (TMDO), the Yuen Long District Office (YLDO) and the Southern District Office (SDO) have distributed a total of about 115 000 COVID-19 rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in the districts.
 
     The TMDO and the YLDO distributed rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in Alpine Garden, Handsome Court, Harvest Garden, Hong King Garden, Rainbow Garden, Hoi Tak Gardens, Chi Lok Fa Yuen, Kam Fai Garden, JC Place and residential premises around Tsing Wu Square in Tuen Mun District and Central Park Towers and Central Park Towers Phase 2 in Yuen Long District for voluntary testing through the property management companies.
 
     In addition, the SDO distributed rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in Yue Kwong Chuen, Yue Fai Court, Lung Yan Court and Lung Tak Court for voluntary testing through the property management companies.
 
     The HAD made the above arrangements in the hope of identifying infected persons early.
 
     Members of the public may refer to the demonstration video produced by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) under the Department of Health (DH) via www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFAUzTtmKk to learn how to use the rapid antigen test (RAT) kit.
 
     Persons testing positive through a RAT should take a photo of the test result and declare the result within 24 hours via the Declaration System for Individuals Tested Positive for COVID-19 Using Rapid Antigen Test (www.chp.gov.hk/ratp). If members of the public encounter difficulties in using the online platform, they can call the automated system at 183 6119 to register their identification document and telephone number. The CHP under the DH will contact the relevant person later to complete the report procedure. There is no need to declare negative test results.
 
     The Government appeals for the co-operation of members of the public to safeguard the health of themselves and their families by undergoing testing on a voluntary basis and fighting the virus together. The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or had contact with cases that tested positive), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons to reduce the transmission risks of COVID-19.