Tag Archives: China

     Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at a media session after chairing the Sports Commission meeting this afternoon (March 24):
 
Reporter: First of all, can you just recap in English like other any specific performance indicators or factors that justify the decision to keep Tier A funding for snooker and tennis? How will the Sports Commission ensure that this decision does not unfairly disadvantage other sports, like other types of sports, that are also seeking funding? Is this one of the decisions? You mentioned that the Sports Commission will review the EVSS (Elite Vote Support Scheme) for greater flexibility in recognising sports with unique strengths or growing popularity? Is there a timetable to complete the review and are there any sports that you have in mind that might fit in the new requirements? Thank you.
 
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: The review of the EVSS has just been done. That is what the Sports Commission has just discussed and that was the outcome of the review of the EVSS. The outcome is that tennis and billiard sports will continue to stay at Tier A elite sports in the coming two years. The reasons being are that we have reviewed the criteria, the one in particular being adjusted, in the past we required that for a sport to stay at elite (sports) (Tier) A, first of all, it has to be a sport that is included in the Olympic (Games) or the Asian Games in the four past events or upcoming two events. In these six events, at least three would include this sport. So, this would pose difficulty for billiard sports, for example. But recognising this difficulty which is not within the control of the sports association itself, we have decided to adjust the scheme a little bit, so that we will count from 1997, the year that we started to compete in the name of Hong Kong, China. From then till now, at least three times a sport will have to be included in either the Olympic (Games) or the Asian Games. If that is the case, they would be qualified to stay in Tier A elite sports. Billiard sports will meet the criteria upon this adjustment.
 
     For tennis, we would advise that on top of the Olympic (Games) or Asian Games, normally for other sports, World Championship is also an important event that would be counted or considered for whether a sport can be included or stayed within the elite zone. But for tennis, they don’t have a world champion tournament as such. So, we have decided to take into account outcome in Grand Slam events, and also the Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup outcome. It is an adjustment that is fitting for tennis in which we are also making good performances recently. Of course, this is a system that is ever-evolving in light of the latest development of the sports sector. We will continue to see if adjustment is necessary in the future times to come. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.) read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (March 26) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Courts (Remote Hearing) Bill will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     Meanwhile, the Electoral Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025, the Buildings Energy Efficiency (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Supplementary Medical Professions (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Merchant Shipping (Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships) Bill will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bills will be adjourned.
 
     On Government motion, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development will move a proposed resolution under the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation Ordinance to resolve that the maximum percentage prescribed for section 13(2) of the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation Ordinance is 95 per cent. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 1.
 
     On Members’ motions, Mr Dennis Leung will move a motion on accelerating the development of a smart government to better assist the public in integrating into the life in the Greater Bay Area. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Chan Siu-hung and Mr Steven Ho will move separate amendments to Mr Leung’s motion.
 
     Mr Tommy Cheung will move a motion on reviewing the effectiveness of the small class teaching mode in primary and secondary schools. The motion is set out in Appendix 3. Mr Chu Kwok-keung will move an amendment to Mr Cheung’s motion.
 
     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats. read more

     â€‹The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) is highly concerned about recent safety incidents suspected to have been caused by passengers carrying and using lithium battery power banks (power banks) on aircraft. Following a notice issued last month reminding the aviation industry to strictly enforce relevant regulations regarding the carriage of items by passengers onboard, the CAD met with representatives from local airlines last Friday (March 21) and issued a new notice today (March 24) to update the requirements and regulations for local airlines regarding passengers carrying and using power banks, with a view to further enhancing aviation safety.
      
     According to the latest requirements, in addition to complying with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s relevant regulations on the carriage of items by passengers onboard, starting from April 7, local airlines should not allow their passengers to use power banks to charge other portable electronic devices and/or recharge power banks during flight. Stowage of power banks in the overhead compartments is also prohibited with the same effective date.
      
     For any queries, passengers are advised to check with relevant airlines on the latest regulations before their flight.
      
     The CAD will continue to maintain close communication with relevant parties and actively follow up on the implementation of these new regulations. read more

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 24) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly p… read more

     Hong Kong Customs on March 22 detected a suspected smuggling case involving a fishing vessel in the western waters of Hong Kong. A batch of smuggled goods, including suspected scheduled dried shark fins, electronic products and cigars, with a total estimated market value of about $25 million, was seized. A fishing vessel was detained.
      
     Customs mounted an anti-smuggling operation in Tuen Mun that night and spotted a suspicious fishing vessel berthing at a shore where suspected smuggling activities have taken place. Later, the vessel left Tuen Mun and headed towards the waters west of Hong Kong. Customs officers later intercepted the vessel near the waters around Tai O for inspection and found the batch of suspected smuggled goods inside a hidden compartment on the vessel.
      
     During the operation, four male crew members aged between 31 and 53, who were suspected to be connected with the case, were arrested.
      
     They were charged with one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargoes. They will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 25).
      
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.
      
     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586), any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).