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

Exchange Fund Notes tender results
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* "Pro rata ratio" refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the "lowest price accepted" level.

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 Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited relating to phishing instant messages, which have 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 emails 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 instant messages concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, February 21, 2025 is 106.7 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Kwu Tung South Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). 
      
     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Kwu Tung South area", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 21). 
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 525 hectares, is bounded by the Hong Kong Golf Club in the east, Fanling Highway in the north, Ki Lun Shan (Hadden Hill) in the west and the Lam Tsuen Country Park in the south.

     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments shown on the draft Kwu Tung South OZP No. S/NE-KTS/21, which mainly involved (i) rezoning a site to the south of Kam Hang Road and east of Hang Tau Road from "Recreation" ("REC") and "Agriculture" to "Residential (Group B)" with stipulation of building height (BH) restriction for residential development and (ii) rezoning a site to the north of Kam Hang Road from "REC" to "Government, Institution or Community (1)" with stipulation of BH restriction for residential care home for the elderly development, to take forward the decisions of the Rural and New Town Planning Committee of the Town Planning Board on two section 12A applications.
      
     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP have been amended to reflect the above amendments. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate. 
      
     The approved Kwu Tung South OZP No. S/NE-KTS/22 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long East District Planning Office, (iv) the North District Office, and (v) the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee.

     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centre in North Point. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (February 21) released the latest grading of water quality for six gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
 
     Six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.  Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD’s dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).