Tag Archives: China

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Hang Seng Bank, Limited relating to a fraudulent website and phishing emails, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or e-mails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website or emails concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more

     The Task Force of Supplies from the Mainland led by the Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) has been working closely with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government to explore various means to stabilise the supply of goods from the Mainland to Hong Kong. In addition to road transport arrangements, transportation of goods by water and railway is already in service.
 
     A spokesperson for the THB said that the “Sea Express” water transportation service from the Mainland to Hong Kong has been fully launched and its capacity is rising to increase the supplies of fresh food, other daily necessities and manufacturing materials. The current supply of fresh food from the Mainland is stable.
 
     Currently, there are three water transportation routes between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, namely (1) from Shenzhen Yantian International Container Terminals to Hong Kong Kwai Tsing Container Terminals (KTCT); (2) from Shenzhen DaChan Bay Terminals to KTCT; and (3) from China Merchants Port (South China) Management Center (Shenzhen Mawan, Shekou and Chiwan Container Terminals) to Hong Kong River Trade Terminal and elsewhere. Together with the water transportation routes from other cities in Guangdong Province, including the routes from Guangzhou Lianhuashan Port, Nansha Port, Huadu Port, Zhongshan Huangpu Port and Zhuhai Doumen Port to different terminals in Hong Kong, the water transport capacity amounts to tens of thousands of tonnes daily.
 
     The spokesperson said today (April 28) that Shenzhen operated 52 cargo vessel trips and transported around 7 050 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cross-boundary supplies by water yesterday (April 27), equivalent to about 25 640 tonnes of goods, of which around 10 TEUs (about 40 tonnes) were fresh food and around 7 040 TEUs (about 25 600 tonnes) were non-fresh food, according to information from the Mainland authorities.
 
     Since the launch of services from the three ports in Shenzhen since February 18 to yesterday, a total of around 262 210 TEUs of cross-boundary supplies have been transported, equivalent to about 1 417 500 tonnes of goods, of which around 1 520 TEUs (about 13 040 tonnes) were fresh food and around 260 690 TEUs (about 1 404 460 tonnes) were non-fresh food.
 
     To further ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong through land transport, a trial run of cargo transfer was conducted by the THB at a yard situated on Kam Pok Road, San Tin, Yuen Long, and it was completed smoothly. The THB will continue to work with the Mainland authorities to fully take forward cargo transfer arrangements on the Hong Kong side. It is a contingency measure in response to the latest epidemic situation in the city so as to reduce the risk of epidemic transmission in both the Mainland and Hong Kong, ensuring both smooth cross-boundary land transport and a stable goods supply to Hong Kong.
 
     Meanwhile, to avoid a spillover of the epidemic, the Transport Department (TD) has arranged for dedicated staff to conduct rapid antigen tests for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers at various land boundary control points (BCPs) from February 28 onwards. Only drivers with a negative result are allowed to enter the Mainland. In order to further improve the accuracy of the tests, the TD has already switched to use rapid nucleic acid tests at the BCPs. Starting from April 21, the sampling method for rapid nucleic acid tests has been further changed to nasopharyngeal swabs. A total of 2 538 rapid nucleic acid tests were conducted yesterday in which 12 drivers preliminarily tested positive. The TD has passed the cases to the Department of Health for follow-up.
 
     The THB will closely monitor the situation and co-operate with the Mainland authorities to facilitate and implement various measures to ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong, with a view to complementing the supply through road, water and railway transport, enhancing capacity and efficiency as well as optimising the flow of cross-boundary supplies. read more

     A foreign domestic helper charged with one count of making a false instrument, one count of using a copy of a false instrument and one count of making false representation to an Immigration Department (ImmD) staff member was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment today (April 28) by the Shatin Magistrates’ Court.
 
     The 27-year-old Filipino defendant submitted a Foreign Domestic Helper visa application to the ImmD in March 2022 and attached a copy of the Notification of Termination of an Employment Contract (the Notification) with the previous employer as a supporting document. Upon record check, ImmD staff found that the original copy of that Notification was previously received in January 2022 but the reason for termination of the contract by the ex-employer on the two Notifications were found to be different. The ImmD officer suspected that the Notification had been altered and thus conducted an investigation of the defendant.
 
     In the course of the investigation, the defendant admitted under caution that she had altered the reason for the termination of the contract by the ex-employer on the Notification and had made false representation to the ImmD in order to have her application approved, so that she could continue to work in Hong Kong. Investigators subsequently found the original copy of the altered Notification in the defendant’s premises.
 
     The defendant was charged with the offences of making a false instrument, using a copy of a false instrument and making false representation to an ImmD staff. The defendant had earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges against her and was sentenced today at the Shatin Magistrates’ Court. She was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for each charge and the sentences are to run concurrently.
 
     “Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes, uses or has in his custody a false instrument commits an offence and is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to imprisonment for 14 years. Moreover, any person who makes false representation to an Immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years, ” an ImmD spokesman said. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The Hospital Authority today (April 28) announced information regarding patients who tested positive via admission screening or testing with patients or staff… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (April 28) announced the launch of the Banking Graduate Trainee Programme (the Programme) jointly with the banking industry. The Programme aims to nurture more new entrants and hence enlarge the talent pool for the fast-growing areas of the banking sector.
      
     The three major growth engines, namely fintech, green and sustainable finance, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) business, are set to bring enormous business opportunities to the banking industry. In order to support banks’ business development and expansion plans in the coming years, the industry has strong demand for talent equipped with the right capabilities and skill sets. After deliberation with the industry, the HKMA decided to launch the Programme, as a sequel of the Banking Talent Programme, with an aim to bring in and nurture new blood for the banking industry in a more systematic and targeted manner, thereby supporting the sustainable development of the industry.
      
     The new Programme will focus on providing job opportunities in fintech, green and sustainable finance, and GBA business for recent university graduates. More than 120 job openings are available. The graduate trainees recruited under the Programme will receive relevant professional trainings which help lay a solid foundation for their long-term career development in the banking industry. The details of the Programme are set out below:
 

• Eligibility: The Programme will be open for application from Hong Kong residents graduating with a bachelor’s degree or above from local universities and those outside Hong Kong in 2021 or 2022. 

 

• Job opportunities: Around 30 participating banks will offer more than 120 entry-level positions related to fintech, green and sustainable finance, and GBA business for graduate trainees’ long-term professional development. Employment will generally start from September 1, 2022.

 

• Professional trainings: In addition to in-house trainings provided by the participating banks, the graduate trainees can pursue relevant professional qualifications (such as Enhanced Competency Framework for Banking Practitioners on Fintech) with sponsorship from their banks. The graduate trainees may also participate in the B.E.S.T. Certificate Programme (Note) provided by the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers (HKIB) and specialised training seminars organised by the HKMA for free during the first year of employment, with relevant costs fully subsidised by the HKMA.

 

• Salary: The salary of graduate trainees will be determined by the participating banks based on market terms. Participating banks are entitled to 50 per cent reimbursement of monthly salary, subject to a cap of HK$6,000, from the HKMA for each graduate trainee for the first year (i.e. until August 31, 2023).

 

• Application: Interested applicants may find out all the job opportunities offered by the participating banks under the Programme through the website of the HKIB, the administrator of the Programme. Relevant job positions will be open for application starting from May 3, 2022. Recruitment results will be notified by the participating banks to individual candidates after selection interviews. 

     The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue said, “To strengthen the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international financial centre, we must enlarge our talent pool for the banking industry in order to seize the enormous business opportunities brought about by fintech, green and sustainable finance, and GBA development. A crucial source of new blood for the industry is our young generation. The new Banking Graduate Trainee Programme marks another major collaborative effort between the HKMA and the banking industry, with particular focus on nurturing young talent for the three major growth engines of the banking industry. The Programme will help increase the supply of talent in a more targeted manner to cater for the future development needs of the banking industry. It will also provide a valuable opportunity for university graduates to get into the industry and receive systematic professional trainings, thereby better preparing them to become the future backbone of the banking industry.”

Note: The B.E.S.T Certificate Programme covers practical knowledge in popular areas of banking, including (i) Banking knowledge in the GBA, (ii) Environmental, Social, and Governance, (iii) Soft skills and (iv) Technology and data. read more